Don't bother with SUK. I had a dreadful experience with them (they offered me an iPod doc in the car as compensation..... It comes as standard with the car). My local dealer have been fantastic and I'm awaiting a replacement vehicle as I've rejected my vrs sadly. Don't give up, there is hope out there.

Skoda are footing the Bill.

It has to be communication with Skoda UK where Dealers are not so good at dealing with the matter in hand.

There is no excuse for delay in the Engine Problems being dealt with now that Skoda have replaced so many engines.

Fire off Emails to them and confirm in writing by Snail Mail.

Obviously not necessary where a Dealer does good Customer service,

but where they try putting off customers with stories

of never heard of problems..

george

Don't bother with SUK. I had a dreadful experience with them (they offered me an iPod doc in the car as compensation..... It comes as standard with the car). My local dealer have been fantastic and I'm awaiting a replacement vehicle as I've rejected my vrs sadly. Don't give up, there is hope out there.

Oh, I am sorry to hear than. I was away form the forums and did not follow your story. How did it come to this and when are you expecting to get a new car?

Skoda are footing the Bill.

It has to be communication with Skoda UK where Dealers are not so good at dealing with the matter in hand.

There is no excuse for delay in the Engine Problems being dealt with now that Skoda have replaced so many engines.

Fire off Emails to them and confirm in writing by Snail Mail.

Obviously not necessary where a Dealer does good Customer service,

but where they try putting off customers with stories

of never heard of problems..

george

Absolutely. The amount of BS dealerships are feeding their customers with is astonishing and if it wasn't for the internet and forums like briskoda we would be none the wiser unfortunately...

it seems they have not woken up to the fact that these days there is no problem in gettin the info from the net...

Oh, I am sorry to hear than. I was away form the forums and did not follow your story. How did it come to this and when are you expecting to get a new car?

I had a problem with the oil after owning the car a few weeks (it was a 6 month old ex demo when I got it). I had oil tests straight away and a new engine put in after owning the vehicle 5 months. Nothing improved over the next few months and then I was offered an oil breather pipe. I then wrote to Skoda saying this was the final fix I was prepared to accept as my car had been in to the garage every 500 miles for tests for 11 months!! They couldn't be bothered to even write or discuss matters with me but thankfully my local dealer did all the communicating with them (and told them where to go when they said "would the customer like an ipod connector as a good will gesture"). My car didn't improve with the breather pipe either so I wrote to the garage rejecting the car as I can't afford to be stuck with a car drinking silly amounts of oil and have to keep going to the garage for checks. I planned to keep the car for about 10 years so I didn't fancy being stuck with a car riddled with problems that I couldn't sell so I put my sensible head on for once. I am awaiting delivery of a Fabia Monte Carlo (The Octavia VRS is too big for me, which was what I originally wanted). To say I was devastated I am giving up the best car I have ever driven or owned would be a understatement. However despite the problems this hasn't tarnished my views on owning a Skoda and I would definitely own one again (this being my second vrs as I owned the mark 1 version from new). I wish there was a cure.... or maybe I should have driven it like I had stolen it to get rid of the problems.

What engine did you go for?

1.2 105bhp! 0-60 in about an hour!!!

I found the 105bhp engine OK in a Fabia. Felt perky enough. It's in a Yeti so can't be too bad

My dad has got a new Monte Carlo and I've driven it a few times and I must say I really like it so I know what to expect. I will just have to get used to driving a manual again. I drove the vrs in lazy automatic mode.

Best wishes with the Monte Carlo

I too loved my vrs & like you had originally planned to keep it for a good few years, but I'm sorry to say that after a series of appalling customer service experiences from my local dealer, I lost faith & eventually gave up & px'd the Fabia & have vowed never to buy another VAG product again.

All that because of a bad dealer experience?

I'm too fed up to recite all the details, but in brief it all began with excessive oil usage, & the experience in trying to work with the dealer since december towards getting the engine replaced has been pity full.

I fully accept that things go wrong, mistakes are made etc, but when the service manager repeatedly couldn't even bring himself to offer a simple sincere apology on the numerous occasions they've screwed up, I decided I wasn't going to put up with the crap customer service any longer.

In the end I had no faith that even if they eventually replaced the engine I wouldn't face further issues when the warranty expired, so I decided to call it a day & move on before the car depreciated any further.

Hope the rest of you with issues have a better experience & those without issues have many more trouble free miles to enjoy your cars

Have you tried writing to Skoda UK?

I had a minor quibble, not even dealer's fault, and got extremely good response. SUK are very good at disciplining their dealers if they are out of line.

What I am trying to say is to not throw the baby with the bath water. A truly appalling dealer who should be selling second hand lawn movers and not cars can indeed put you off a brand and it is lamentable.

What is your "replacement" purchase?

latest update. skoda has replaced the breather pipe in my car. time will tell if its worked...so far I am 300km in.

the fix didn't work. the car ran out of oil again. its back to the repair shop for me...

Did the "fix" make it worse, or just the same? I'm still evaluating whether the breather has altered my previous 1L/4000km usage. My gut feel is that it has not changed or lowered the usage slightly (though it could be the cooler weather makes a difference as well).

well mine went in for the 2nd part of the test the day before I went on holiday, guess what it needs the breather. They did whilst I was away, I personally think it hasnt done anything but am keeping an eye on it

On a similar note had a spirited drive home yesterday with a workmate in his focus st and has said this morning "its kicking some right **** out the back" which also makes me think its not worked

The soot out the back is not a sign of Oil Usage normally.

Healthy ones that use no oil can get a build up of soot when running rich and pottering around,

and blow it out when booted first.

If it continued doing it every time you gave it some on a journey then thats a different thing.

?

Any Oil Droplets on the rear of the car ever,

or just a Black sooty Exhaust tip?

george

I would say it looks like that pic

hey Oz, the fix didn't make any difference, I ran out of oil around the 900km mark again (same as before). the service department will look at it in a fortnights time. I also contacted skoda head office and requested an extension on my warranty from 3 years to 5 years but was refused.

hey Oz, the fix didn't make any difference, I ran out of oil around the 900km mark again (same as before). the service department will look at it in a fortnights time. I also contacted skoda head office and requested an extension on my warranty from 3 years to 5 years but was refused.

Not good, mate. Don't let up on them. They (Skoda and probably the dealership as well) know it's using too much oil.

Edited 4 June, 201313 yr by OzFabia

Why are dealers messing you all about

If the 'fix' doesnt work...ours didnt..the Service Manager ordered a new engine straight away

Now ....with new engine as specified by a Skoda bulletin....uses no oil at all!!

Are they still using oil ? Skoda needs to recall these first engines not fit for purpose

Hello,

I am posting you experince of my oil issues from Turkey/Istanbul.

I bought the first new VRS to my wife in November 2011 and it was using a lot of oil. I did 14000km (8750miles) and can not remember how many liters i added.

The service checked oil consuption tests and told me to piston rings should be changed (that was in Spring 2012) . But i told them i did not want to touch the new engine.

So Skoda Turkey told me they can buy the car back to my buying price and give me a new Skoda. It was a good deal for me. So i ordered a new VRS with expection of better oil consumption after 2 years. The new VRS was produced in June or July 2012 and arrived to us in August 2012 (CAVE engine)

The first VRS got the piston rings replaced under waranty before the 2nd VRS arrived and the mechanic told me there was no mistake at the engine. They measured new rings and old rings. There were no difference.

Now new VRS is at 8000km (5000 miles) and still using more than 0,5 litre. We did breather change and oil lamp came in 1000km. We put the original breather back and did another 1000 km oil test. The oil lamp did not light but the oil level was at the orange bal after 10 minutes. And the service made me wait for 25 minutes and checked again the oil level and the level was at the bottom edge of hatched area. The service manager said that consumption is now 0,5 litre and it fits the VW standards )) We added another 0,5 litre and doing another test but i am sure the oil lamp will appear in 600-700km because oil consumption is about 1 litre/1000km. They are trying to trick customers like making them wait for 25-30 minutes for oil level check.

By the way the car is driven 90% in heavy traffic. My target is getting a replacement engine to (maybe) end this problem

Mert

After 2 years/20,000 miles and some more, of Oil Changes on a few Twincharchers

& checking oil Hot & knowing were it is Cold with 3.6 or 3.7 litres of oil in an engine that does not use oil.

I now check the 'Jabozuma way'.

(Not the VW/Skoda way of a warm/hot/up to normal running temperature engine and wait a few minutes,

which is not 25-30 minutes.

even Translated from German or CZ, a few is not 25-30 minutes).

I open the bonnet, dip the oil cold,

and i know thats going to be at the top orange marker.

Then start the car engine and stop it again immediately.

I dip the Oil and its at the top of the Cross hatched area.

When checked as a hot engine it gives the same reading.

Top of the Cross hatch.

george