Hi All,

I've owned a 2004 plate Octavia 1.9TDI PD130 since the Summer.

I noticed, shortly after, a bit of corrosion around the boot handle, on both sides. Was a bit dissapointed as I do plan to have the car for as long as possible and this will obviously get worse as the years go by.

I understand that there would have been a 10yr anti-corrosion policy when the car was new? Which would mean this would be finishing next year on my car. Does anyone know if this might cover me? Could I literally walk into a Skoda dealer and expect them to rub it down and spray it under the warranty?

Yes you can as long as it is coming from inside out.

I had two new wings on my 2004 Bora 18months ago under the anti corrosion. It took 18months of fighting and several failed repairs though. I was one day away from filing a small claim when VWUK relented.

So in short yes but be prepared to battle with SUK.

Some dealers will be more helpful than others with this, but it should be covered.

Interesting thread on this:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/225695-rusty-tailgate-and-warranty/

I'll try my chances at my local Skoda dealer. Expecting to me messed about by the sounds of it (although at least the Tailgate is a common issue, as opposed to trying to claim for corrosion elsewhere...)

Took my octavia estate to dm Keith's in Leeds last week to see if I would qualify as I have the blistering around the number plate (very similar to yours) and also where the glass meets the tailgate. The really helpful and enthusiastic guy took some photos and details and sent them to skoda uk. He was pretty confident it would qualify. He phoned me the next day to say they would do it. Just need to set the date. My car is on an 03 plate and he told me it was a 12 year corrosion warranty. A fairly painless experience for me. Good luck!

Hmmm, 10 or 12 years? Under my boot handle there is a little starting too.

I did question the 12 year warranty but he was pretty certain. He said they had done quite a few mk1 Octavias already, so it wasn't the first time he had encountered the problem. They apparently fit some sort of rubber seal between the boot and light cluster/handle.

I might well call up then! Ta

This method of putting a gasket in, after the respray and repair is rather damning. Hard to see how Skoda UK could reject my claim. Will pop down and see them next week and update you guys with progress / reception! Bit concerned about some of the comments in the thread I linked above, where work was done by local garages and the rust came back through after only a few months.....

Apparently its 10 years,. Spoke to DM Keith also who said 10. Any idea who spoke to you in DM Keith?

Skoda say 10 too. Looks like I may have to tackle this myself before it gets worse.

Are there any guides on removing that plastic boot handle?

Edited 26 March, 201313 yr by Liverpool-Lad

I had mine redone and they packed out the boot handle with some spacers:

Sadly it made no difference and the paint went white and then rusty. Skoda (and the approved bodyshop) washed their hands of it and left me with a rusty tailgate.

Sadly it made no difference and the paint went white and then rusty. Skoda (and the approved bodyshop) washed their hands of it and left me with a rusty tailgate.

Oh dear, that doesn't bode well. Was it actually 'worse' after the rust reappeared? (i.e do you wish you'd have left it?)

I just had my boot replaced on a 10 year corrosion claim. My L&K had rust all over the boot. It took a while but it was done.

Oh dear, that doesn't bode well. Was it actually 'worse' after the rust reappeared? (i.e do you wish you'd have left it?)

I had a bit of rust at the bottom of the tailgate glass which they fixed, sadly the area around the boot handle is rusting quite nicely now. I might try and take a picture later/tomorrow.

What really made it worse is when I went back to the body shop to complain and the workshop (retard) manager poked it with his fingernail and I guess the lacquer then broke and it started to rust even worse. W***ers.

Apparently its 10 years,. Spoke to DM Keith also who said 10. Any idea who spoke to you in DM Keith?

Skoda say 10 too. Looks like I may have to tackle this myself before it gets worse.

Are there any guides on removing that plastic boot handle?

It was a guy from the Leeds dealership, that's where the body shop is. It could well be that the mk2 is a 12 year warranty??? Mine would still qualify under 10 years as it was registered in June 03.

Edited 26 March, 201313 yr by Bosco1980

Aye, I think its 12 for the Mk2.

Original Poster here.

Visited my Skoda dealer today and showed them the Corrosion. Dealer rep said that 'there was no way he could submit that as an anti-corrosion claim" and that "Skoda wouldn't even look at it", if he did.

He stated that the Anti-corrosion warranty is for corrosion that is "Inside-out" and that the corrosion in my case is simply bodywork / paintwork, which is only a 3yr warranty.

He also added that the car would have to have a FULL Skoda Dealer Service History in order to even start a claim, and that would have to show that a full 'inspection' was completed on each service. We looked at my Service Book, which is fully Skoda Serviced until the very last Service stamp last year (which is an independent VW garage), and all inspection boxes are ticked.

The only advice he could give me, when I mentioned the successfull claim anecdotes here on the forum, was to lodge this as a Customer Services complaint and maybe detail it as a 'Design issue' for the numberplate plinth.

Will most likely go down that avenue but it would strengthen my case significantly if I could point to a precedent.

If anyone who has had a claim accepted (and the issue was similar to mine: i.e rust around the boot handle, prob due to plinth vibration against the body) and could furnish me with ANY details at all which Skoda could use to check that claim on their system (I guess a number plate might be enough, but an actual claim reference number would be magic), I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

Edited 11 April, 201313 yr by Odgeuk

I think VAG have had so many claims on the corrosion warranty that they are now trying to wiggle out of paying out. On my audi the roof gutters were bubbling, best they would offer was a 70/30 split on costs, it still works out cheaper for me to get it done privately as warranty labour rates are charged out a lot more.

odgeuk

just go to another dealer and try, rather than banging your head against the wall or a poor dealer.