I am Bob from Plymouth - juts bought my car. First Skoda I have bought since VW involvement. Bought it because it appears to be a reliable car that most people like. But reading on here, everyone seems to have a problem. Have I made the right decision?

Welcome

Skodas are a good car and being a vag car are built well and run good engines. Only problems ive noticed are ill maintained and that is like all cars.

Which skoda have you bought?

2004 Octavia 1.9 TDI Elegance 130 BHP - run smoothly - great on full - damn awful at starting!

Welcome.

On the whole people turn to forums for help when they have a problem or question. So it looks bad.

There are some common themes amongst these (e.g. sawtoothing on Mk 2 Octavias due to incorrect geometry settings), and I've had lots of great advice from people here.

My Octavia has been amazing since I bought it (used) and has clocked 111k miles and still returns 50mpg. Sails through MOT's and drives great.

When it's time for another car, I will be looking at Skoda first.

Thank you for your comments - I hopefully will get issues resolved after a full service on the car. Bit reluctant to take to a dealership as I expect the will charge a bomb.

Hi and welcome aboard.

Welcome

Skodas are a good car and being a vag car are built well and run good engines. Only problems ive noticed are ill maintained and that is like all cars.

Ummmm, that's not really a fair observation is it? ........... I can't speak for other models but there are some 1.8T engined cars that have shown a lot of reliability issues, and not down to lack of or poor maintenance. Coil Pack failures well before their expected shelf life, same with MAFs, Coolant Temp Sensors ...... I'm not digging Skodas or 1.8Ts (I own one) but to put all 'problems' down to cars being ill-maintained is a bit narrow-minded and blinkered IMHO.

Anyway to the OP; Skodas are no worse than any car manufacturer and I'm sure you'll be happy, especially as you seem to have a TDI 130 PD model, which is the best engine the VAG group have ever designed and built

Build quality in my honest opinion is a shade down on VW cars but miles and miles better than a rattly, plasticy Vauxhall!

Edited 5 June, 201214 yr by Longyear

Hi to gallego and longyear - did not want to start an argument on my fist posting here but reassuring to know that I have one of the better Skoda range. It is the TDI 130 model - drove from plymouth to peterborough to buy it from a dealer. Bodywork in excellent condition as is the interior. Bit high mileage at 125000 but had full service history. It certainly in need of a service - just very very difficult to start but when running drives like a dream. Great full consumption. Love the reversing sensors - takes all the guessing out!

Ummmm, that's not really a fair observation is it? ........... I can't speak for other models but there are some 1.8T engined cars that have shown a lot of reliability issues, and not down to lack of or poor maintenance. Coil Pack failures well before their expected shelf life, same with MAFs, Coolant Temp Sensors ...... I'm not digging Skodas or 1.8Ts (I own one) but to put all 'problems' down to cars being ill-maintained is a bit narrow-minded and blinkered IMHO.

Anyway to the OP; Skodas are no worse than any car manufacturer and I'm sure you'll be happy, especially as you seem to have a TDI 130 PD model, which is the best engine the VAG group have ever designed and built

Build quality in my honest opinion is a shade down on VW cars but miles and miles better than a rattly, plasticy Vauxhall!

I wouldnt say narrow minded,

I was basically saying that the vag range is more reliable on a whole (petrol and diesel)?in comparison to other groups.

The 1.8 20v range did get recalled on on coil packs I know and the more modern CR engines tend to have problems with DPFs but I was just stating (and in my experience) that they are usually ill maintained examples that cause problems. The pd engine models are far more reliable again imo but i have to say i am only saying this from experience of being in the motor trade for a long time.

I wouldnt make a statement without experience , yes the japs are reliable with their genius engineering and far superior electrics but the vag group are well engineered and are a great all rounder.

I dont wish to comment on french cars lol but not my thing , nor are ford or vauxhall lol

Come a long way but not my thing:)

2004 Octavia 1.9 TDI Elegance 130 BHP - run smoothly - great on full - damn awful at starting!

Does it take alot of turns to fire up from cold start? But ok when warm?

In my original comment I should really have put usually , lol , my mistake

Welcome, my Fabia vRS PD 130 has just ticked over 135k, full Skoda history and every service stamped

Drives like new, this is my second VAG group car with the same engine (previous Ibiza FR PD 130).... Brilliant.

Welcome, my Fabia vRS PD 130 has just ticked over 135k, full Skoda history and every service stamped

Drives like new, this is my second VAG group car with the same engine (previous Ibiza FR PD 130).... Brilliant.

130 pds are a good choice I think. Mental how many different codes there are lol guessing urs is on the ASZ lump, if im right i think it changed to BLT about 2006.

Must admit I love it. I had an ARL engined leon cupra tdi before. Still good but prefer the performance of the fabia , obv down to power to rate ratio the fabia imo is quicker.

Yeah, I'm learning to love my 1.8T VRS but would swap the lump for a PD 130 any day of the weeks! ..... The petrol is more refined and has it's advantages (like a rev range!)... but as standard I think it doesn't feel anywhere near 180bhp. (Probably just because I have driven little other than PD130 engined cars for the last 6 years and am spolied by the torque).

I had a VW Bora PD130 last, which I had remapped to 170bhp by pdtuning, and it would have destroyed my VRS 1.8T as standard, in any driving phase. The VRS 1.8T remapped is faster but comes with (for me) problems like surging and a real loss of smoothness and driving pleasure - issues I never had with the PD130 when remapped ..... The remapped PD130s just became better in every regard.

Clearly my view is jaded by a bad remap on the 1.8T but I still think these cars aren't anywhere near as nice to drive, standard or remapped, than a standard or mapped PD 130. :(

Edited 6 June, 201214 yr by Longyear

Yeah, I'm learning to love my 1.8T VRS but would swap the lump for a PD 130 any day of the weeks! ..... The petrol is more refined and has it's advantages (like a rev range!)... but as standard I think it doesn't feel anywhere near 180bhp. (Probably just because I have driven little other than PD130 engined cars for the last 6 years and am spolied by the torque).

I had a VW Bora PD130 last, which I had remapped to 170bhp by pdtuning, and it would have destroyed my VRS 1.8T as standard, in any driving phase. The VRS 1.8T remapped is faster but comes with (for me) problems like surging and a real loss of smoothness and driving pleasure - issues I never had with the PD130 when remapped ..... The remapped PD130s just became better in every regard.

Clearly my view is jaded by a bad remap on the 1.8T but I still think these cars aren't anywhere near as nice to drive, standard or remapped, than a standard or mapped PD 130. :(

Do you find the handling as std id better on the octy vrs though??

Mine was brilliant at cornering as std, i agree the furby mk1 vrs is great in terms of power and torque and accelerates harder than my octy did bit i do need to get the handling right on my fab as i do miss the cornering potential my octy had .

I wish they did the mk1 octy vrs with the option for the pd 130 and pd 150 engines. That imo would be a nr perfect combination. Ideal car i think.

@MarkC-VRS - a real problem starting hold and cold. Consistently bad I would say lol

Does seem strange to be bad both warm and cold. Is it any better at starting if you disconnect the crank sensor? I tried that on a golf pd130 i had and it was better so ended up replacing the sensor , it got a bit better but not brilliant so i then got a new starter motor and it was fine.

Could be worth checking the earths and making sure they are clean and have good contact. Best to do things that wont cost you money and eliminate them first before changing parts.

Thanks for info Mark - things are much worse now - engine management light has come on. I bought it last week from garage in Peterborough - full service history - drives like a dream. I take it now engine management system is on that this could be something major although still drives oK.

I bought it with engine/electric warranty for 15 months but warranty only applies if it has had a full service and that is being done on Wednesday. What rights do I have regarding garage who sold it to me. They will claim that it was sold as seen. They have not provided a warranty themselves. Anyone who is a legal bod in this forum, could they provide me with some advice please.

I take it whilst engine management system warning light is on that its best not to drive it?

If they sold it you last week how come they didnt service it? Surely it should have been done by them really? I would question them on that tbh

Its a dealer where cars are effectively a trade centre. If you dont buy the warranty they get you to sign away your rights with the stock statement sold as seen.

Arr right so dif you get it with or without the warranty then? If they did it sold as seen its without warranty surely.

Get it on vcds and see what fault codes are making the light come on.

Sold with a external company warranty ( one of these warranty companies) - 15 months - but terms of warranty state that it has to have a full service before you can claim but service is well out of date by about 5000 miles so technically makes claiming impossible. But was not told that at time of purchase of car. Car sales place did not supply their own warranty. They did not issue the sales form "sold a seen" because I had a warranty which I purchased. It seems that they have no facility to service cars on site. Just a sales site.

Arr right. Could be tricky, as spinna says u could do with vagcom or someone with it to check on the codes for the engine management light. In terms of the starting issue it may not relate to that problem as i plugged it in when i had that problem and it didnt come up with anything but u definately want to check it sooner rather than later incase its something serious. If you dont know anyone with it a local garage should be able to help. The average charge im use to for garage prices is £25 to diagnose.