I thought I'd have placed an order for a new Octavia by now, but haven't even bothered to visit my local dealer yet. Ironically, the excellent information and discussions on this forum have put me off - others seem to be having such a lot of problems, I'm probably going to leave it at least until the end of the year.

 

It just seems such a mess:-

Delivery times which seem to keep getting put back, and which seem ridiculously long in the first place

No clarity over exactly what equipment is included in the different trim levels, and dealers who seem not to know either

Equipment available in other territories, but not in the UK

 

People spending £20k plus deserve a lot better

 

I imagine that, like me, most people on this site will be Skoda enthusiasts, and will have owned Skodas before, which may be why the long suffering members seem so patient, but I wonder how it looks to people who are new to the marque, and are considering a range of other options.

 

Were it not for the fact that I realise the Octavia is an excellent car, and far and away the best value for money, I'd be in a Hyundai by now.

Edited 8 September, 201312 yr by trevman

As a Skoda noob I have found the delivery times a frustration.

That being said, if you order now and you spec a hatch, you may well be one of the first to get a 14 plate, if you leave it til the end of the year then set your heart on a 64   :think:

Edited 8 September, 201312 yr by soapywetdish

If you believed everything you read on forums we'd all still be living in caves waiting to invent the wheel.

 

I don't think it is fair to criticise until you have at least walked through the door of your local dealer... 

If you believed everything you read on forums we'd all still be living in caves waiting to invent the wheel.

 

I don't think it is fair to criticise until you have at least walked through the door of your local dealer... 

Fair point, I guess, but I've taken what people have said in good faith.

I've not owned a Skoda before and the wait isn't bother me that much as my p/ex is set in stone.

 

However, it is the first new car I've bought that I have no idea whatsoever, when it will arrive.

what's made me smile is Skoda are advertising the vRS hatch big time on the box so imagine the situation when non Skoda owners go to their local dealers and ask to see one. 'Sorry sir/madam but we won't have any for you to see until 2014' Exit potential customer.......

I bought my vRS estate 2nd Sept and have been quoted at week 51 build. This is my first Skoda and I am a little miffed to have to wait 3.5 months just for the build of the car let alone the transport to the UK. At £28k, I agree I would expect the whole experience to be better.

 

As you said, the Octavia is an awesome car and the options we've chosen (pretty much all of them bar the panoramic sunroof and leathers) at the price we've paid represents excellent value for money IMO. I've never had a car with so much hi-tech kit in it!

 

The only real reason my patience has been bought is because I think the deal I got was pretty damn good for the money.

I ordered my vRS on the 5th of August and it's being built this week and expected to be delivered 3-4 weeks after that making it 9 week after ordering, can't complain at that

Edited 8 September, 201312 yr by Neily03

By any chance did you have a vanilla build or only a few options?

If you believed everything you read on forums we'd all still be living in caves waiting to invent the wheel.

 

I don't think it is fair to criticise until you have at least walked through the door of your local dealer... 

I DID walk through the doors.......signed on the dotted line first week in July (£29000 lighter)......still haven't been given any confirmation.

So me for one this kinds of sums it up nicely.

By any chance did you have a vanilla build or only a few options?

black pack, metallic paint, mitsumi, power boot, spare wheel, privacy glass and cruise iirc.

Edited 8 September, 201312 yr by Neily03

I DID walk through the doors.......signed on the dotted line first week in July (£29000 lighter)......still haven't been given any confirmation.

So me for one this kinds of sums it up nicely.

Agree with silver 1011; ordered mine with quite a few options in the last week of July. No confirmation of build week but my dealer has suggested a possible December delivery... or maybe not!

It's taken me until this weekend to see a new Octavia hatch in the wild and my initial thoughts were that the rear looks as if it's had some sort of heavy impact collision! Maybe it had?

I've waited for my estate since the middle of June and will hopefully be able to pick it up in a couple of weeks. Of course the waiting is unbearable at times, but I'm thoroughly convinced that I've chosen the right car. My other options were a new Golf estate with the 1.4 ACT engine, BMW 316i estate or the (chosen) Octavia 1.8 TSI estate. Considering the amount of kit I got with the Octavia (the 1.8 is only available in the Elegance trim) along with the stellar engine and the DSG gearbox, sealed the deal. The two others could not match the value I got with the Octavia - and that is the main reason I'm willing to wait. I remember the dealer saying that options like the sun roof, the ACC and sports suspension were typical kit items that would delay the delivery of the car. Luckily, none of them were added to mine.

 

It's a brand new model, so I factored in some waiting since the Norwegian market isn't the biggest one for Skoda - although they are extremely popular here.

Edited 9 September, 201312 yr by Daniel_HM

I think the main problem is expectations. When I ordered my car I signed knowing it could well be 12 weeks before I saw it. The dealer has made optimistic noises & my build week moved forward 3 weeks. I now find that even though my car was built over 3 weeks ago it has only made it as far as Emden. It still has to be shipped, transported, PDI'd etc & the dealer is unable to say how long that will take. Skoda claim 3/4 weeks from build to delivery to customer,but if after 3 weeks it's only got to German port seems to make a mockery of that.

Being an "oldie" I have had many new cars but never waited as long - will never do it again.

what's made me smile is Skoda are advertising the vRS hatch big time on the box so imagine the situation when non Skoda owners go to their local dealers and ask to see one. 'Sorry sir/madam but we won't have any for you to see until 2014' Exit potential customer.......

 

Isn't it more like

 

I'd like to buy that car in the advert "Sorry sir/madam but you can't order that car as it included parts which are not available as a factory order. We can fit them but note you will need to notify your insurance you have a modified car and not a factory model"

It's taken me until this weekend to see a new Octavia hatch in the wild and my initial thoughts were that the rear looks as if it's had some sort of heavy impact collision! Maybe it had?

 

Gotta agree here. I think the rear end of the saloon is hideous

I don't know why you're so worried. You aren't going to be looking at it much, not unless you have a fetish for rear ends. 

I don't know why you're so worried. You aren't going to be looking at it much, not unless you have a fetish for rear ends. 

 

It was one of the things that put me off even looking at a Superb as that rear:-

 

 

always reminds me of these:-

 

 

As for rear end fetish's, they certainly don't come much better than this:-

 

 my initial thoughts were that the rear looks as if it's had some sort of heavy impact collision! 

 

 

Think it happened in Halfords John

The majority of posters will be here to report issues so using that as a benchmark isn't necessarily representative

Just thank your blessings, it is not only Skoda....

My farther in law ordered his new Seat Leon 1.8 tfsi very first week in April 2013...still no delivery or build info at all, he had 3 dates all missed, last one was July, now they refuse to give him any info/hopes!

I would also like to add that comparing with Hyundai, Kia, Et Al, where the specs are not tailor made, you choose a level 1, 2 or 3, and then they call it off from a field in the middle of Lincolnshire, having already spent 3 months on a slow boat from the other side of the world so it only takes a couple of weeks from placing your order but Skoda allow you to create your own spec so ok you have to wait on average 3-4 months but for the pleasure of knowing you are driving a car that was built with your name on it from the moment the first spot weld left the robot! Worth waiting for in my book, I think it all adds to the pleasure of parting with your hard earned cash! Also, after the initial mad rush, there will more than likely be batches of standard spec cars or with a few popular extras made available pre-manufactured and offered with a quicker lead in for those who can't wait for a personalized factory build!

Well said. Anyone who wants a custom made ??car, it has to wait. Almost all manufacturers have a delay. My friend orderd Golf GTI in april, still no build info, so ...

Matt Pez, thanks for that. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that we are ordering cars with personalised specs. Of course once it arrives, all this frustration will be forgotten and in 12 months time we'll be saying "Well there was a bit of a delay in building it, but now it's here..."