Why not buy a VW?

[jonathane1976]

I have been buying Skoda's for years.

 

I use them for my business and they have always been (relatively) reliable.

 

I've been buying Skoda since before Skoda became fashionable. And the prices have been rising along the way.

 

I had one of the diesel fabia vRS, which was a brilliant car, mechanically superb but the interior fell to bits after 3 years of abuse by learner drivers. I had to replace the vRS as it is not type rated for towing otherwise I would still be driving it!

 

I replaced the vRS with the new shape fabia level 3 with the same engine as the vRS. After 3 years the window switches gave up and the interior trim was starting to fall to bits. The only notable problem with that car was the little orange clip that holds the bonnet support up. The orange clip fell off as it didn't fit properly, I got a new one and that didn't fit either. I had to replace the fabia as the DSA now require ballast in trailers for the driving test, so I needed a Yeti

 

So my current manual car is the Yeti. Had to buy second hand as I was not expecting to be replacing my car at that point in my financial cycle. The car has a few build quality issues, the dash board creeks when I use the A/C in summer, the interior is showing signs of wear. The heated seat elements needed replaced. The door electrics need replaced both sides as the wire broke in between the A pillar and the door. Oh and the little orange clip that holds the bonnet support arm doesn't fit properly! lol

 

I am of the opinion that Skoda's are built to last 3 years, after that they fall to bits. Hence the 3 year warranty.

 

So why not buy a VW? 

 

Should you pay an extra £10K to ensure the little orange clip on the bonnet fits properly? 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alfredius]

I am of the opinion that Skoda's are built to last 3 years, after that they fall to bits. Hence the 3 year warranty.

 

 

 

and which car is not these days?

[jonathane1976]

and which car is not these days?

 

Sadly this is true. 

 

I just wonder how they manage to make them last precisely 3 years and 1 minute?

[Llanigraham]

Well mine is over 3 years old, has 78k miles on the clock, and the only warranty issues have been a broken DRL bulb and the foils on the rear door. No problems with any electronics, a few creaks, but at my mileage and useage I'd expect some, and no great problems anywhere else.

 

Would I buy a VW? No, as they don't produce a suitable equivalent to the Yeti. And if anyone says Tiguan, well having had one for 3 weeks whilst mine was in the Bodyshop having a new off-side fitted, they are not comparable in size, consumption or usefullness.

 

And to both of the above, I know plenty of people who are running around in 5 or 6 year old cars, of various makes, many with very high mileage, who have no or very few problems. Perhaps you need to realise that you are dealing with machines, being used in a non-friendly environment, so no car manufacturer has ever produced a vehicle that is totally perfect. Even Rolls Royces break down!!

 

If you don't believe me, look at any car make Forum; they are all full of people reporting problems, and that includes VW!!

[BossFox]

Sounds like the answer is to add the 5 year warranty when buying new...

[@Lee]

ten and a bit year old Fabia MkI 1.9TDi PD100 (and a bit ) no issues apart from a duff door lock, no leaky doors (not even needed to do the door seal fix). Battery is at least four years old as I've never replaced it, no need to yet. Original clutch. Serviced on time if not before, correct oil etc, in fact it's just well looked after (bar a thrash around Castle Combe). And the icing on the cake? Passed its MoT on Thursday with no advisories. :sun:

 

SWMBO was a devout 'dubbist' having had a VW since passing her test some moons ago. After the Golf MkV decided to shat it's innards in 2012, I convinced her to get a Yeti. She's happy, as am I.

[mcalp]

My MkII Fabia 3 1.9PD TDI estate is 6 years old in March, done 130000 miles still drives like new and does not use any oil between changes. Never needed any warrranty work and only usual things like tyres, brake pads and discs, and light bubs have needed replacing. Sales through the MOT every year with no advisories.

[mikep]

I bought my Yeti secondhand with 4 months left on the warranty Skoda added another 1 year used car warranty which I've just extended for another year. So far the warranty has paid for:

2 Drivers seat heating elements

1 EGR replacement

Which has more than paid for the cost of the warranties.

It didn't cover the stuck locking wheel nut, but I didn't really expect it to.

I normally buy new cars and run for 3 years, but decided to try a secondhand Yeti for a couple of years. I'm very happy with the Yeti and only slightly miffed by the 2 heating element failures. The EGR failure is apparently a 'common fault' on the CR140 engines across the VAG range, now I know how to code the damn thing out of the system, I'll ignore any further problem with it.

Overall it's been a success, the reliability hasn't been better or worse than my previous A3 or VW Scirocco, so I'll probably stick with a Yeti for my next vehicle and run it for 5 years with warranty, after that I'll get a motorised zimmerframe.

[Alfredius]

Mcap and Lee01 you both are talking about old reliable, unbreakable 1.9 TDI designed in 1991...

Those time are gone for good.

[The Plumber]

Sounds like the answer is to add the 5 year warranty when buying new...

 

Would even question that after Friday

 

Our dealer wanted me to sign a job card with a £138 bill attached to fix a rattle behind a door card from new. Reason given being that we might have caused said rattle and it wouldn't be covered by warranty :wonder:

 

Can only assume they think I moonlight in my spare time as a door fitter at Skoda Mladá Boleslav

 

Declined to accept or pay any bill for what should clearly be a straight forward warranty job, so they refused to fix the door :S

 

 

Oh and before anyone asks, I haven't done any DIY on the Fabia apart from fit mudflaps and better headlight bulbs.

 

 

TP

[gadgetman]

And if anyone says Tiguan, well having had one for 3 weeks whilst mine was in the Bodyshop having a new off-side fitted, they are not comparable in size, consumption or usefullness.

I thought they used the same floor plan and were essentially the same car with different shells?

[The Plumber]

I thought they used the same floor plan and were essentially the same car with different shells?

 

No strangely not, the Yeti floor pan is made up from a combination of Yeti and Golf V part numbers, whereas the Tiguan it's Tiguan and Passat numbers.

 

The Yeti does use a Tiguan rear subframe for the 4x4 and MY10 only 2wd.

 

 

TP

[Llanigraham]

Mcap and Lee01 you both are talking about old reliable, unbreakable 1.9 TDI designed in 1991...

Those time are gone for good.

 

Oh grow up! 

The point raised by the OP is that NO Skoda is "safe" after 3 years, and no particular model or engine is mentioned. 

It would appear that there are several here who can debunk that assertion!!

You really are starting to sound more and more like the troll, Offnote.

 

I thought they used the same floor plan and were essentially the same car with different shells?

 

They may be, but we found it a very different concept. It feels much bigger externally, the interior is not as spacious or "nice" and the boot was smaller. Also it didn't seem to handle as well and felt more "wallowy"

 

(crossed posting with Tim)

[Nick P]

I thought they used the same floor plan and were essentially the same car with different shells?

 

They're closely related but the Tiguan is based on the larger PQ47 variant of the platform. The Yeti is the standard PQ36.

[jonathane1976]

I "built" a yeti on the Skoda website last night just for fun, my wife wants to replace the fabia with a DSG yeti. I would like to pay off the cars and spend money on other things, but my wife knows best.

 

I noticed you can add 4 or 5 year warranty at point of ordering a new car.

 

Do they have 3 different production lines. Or do they build the car at a different time during the week?

 

If you have the standard warranty it gets built on a friday afternoon?

 

If you have the 4 year warranty it  gets built on a Wednesday morning?

 

If you have a 5 year warranty it gets built mid morning on a monday?

[The Plumber]

Regard extended Skoda warranty then no, how and when they build them is not effected. You can apply an extended 5 year warranty from new before first registration. Our Fabia has this option and we requested the dealer add the extension after the car was built, while in transit from the factory to the UK.

 

 

TP

[jonathane1976]

Regard extended Skoda warranty then no, how and when they build them is not effected. You can apply an extended 5 year warranty from new before first registration. Our Fabia has this option and we requested the dealer add the extension after the car was built, while in transit from the factory to the UK.

 

 

TP

 

I see the problem you have had with the warranty. If you decide to add the warranty after they have built the car, then the car has the wrong failure date built into it and they have difficulty honoring the warranty as they car will fail before the warranty expires. lol

[The Plumber]

I see the problem you have had with the warranty. If you decide to add the warranty after they have built the car, then the car has the wrong failure date built into it and they have difficulty honoring the warranty as they car will fail before the warranty expires. lol

 

Oh that's a dealer not a warranty fault; they lost a good/helpful member of staff (moved on) and replaced them with a jobsworth one

 

Admittedly frustrating mind, as I might need to move dealers for a while

 

 

 

TP

[bettysman]

Having recently gone from a Yeti to a Tiguan I can say that it is far better built.

Bob

[prodata]

Having recently gone from a Yeti to a Tiguan I can say that it is far better built.

 

Which one is 'far better built'? It sounds like you mean to refer to the Tiguan?

[BossFox]

Which one is 'far better built'? It sounds like you mean to refer to the Tiguan?

 

Yes, that sounds like what he is saying.

 

I had a run in a new Golf at the weekend and it felt better built than most of the Skodas I've been in/had.

 

Unfortunately I just find them rather bland looking as they (along with Skoda now) are following the Audi "one face fits all" styling which drives me crackers as I find it really boring.

 

Sadly, that's why my next car will probably not be from the Skoda/VW/Audi empire.

 

 

We may all love the Yeti as a great all round car.

But it's not the best built car out there.

It's just the most practical and best for the price. (IMO)

[Yeti_Man]

Yes, that sounds like what he is saying.

 

I had a run in a new Golf at the weekend and it felt better built than most of the Skodas I've been in/had.

 

Unfortunately I just find them rather bland looking as they (along with Skoda now) are following the Audi "one face fits all" styling which drives me crackers as I find it really boring.

 

Sadly, that's why my next car will probably not be from the Skoda/VW/Audi empire.

 

 

We may all love the Yeti as a great all round car.

But it's not the best built car out there.

It's just the most practical and best for the price. (IMO)

Couldnt agree more. Its where - 'better' and 'adequate' get defined imo.

 

Spent a fair amount of time in VW's and Audis latest offerings over the last few months and the latest ones are better (the Tiguan being 'better' is actually one id disagree with, mainly down to that awful double stacked circular 'old skool' dash design...) The latest VW's tend to have a little more of the soft touch stuff.... a little lower down in the cabin... they do feel more luxurious and they do feel a little more solid with panel gaps just that little bit tighter.... does it make a difference in day to day use? No, not imo. Does it create a nicer cabin ambience? Yes, imo. Is it worth a few extra ££££? That depends on your income I guess. They also tend to feel slightly more 'developed' even if its just the fact they are better insulated fromt he outside environment with additional sound proofing.The older I get, the more im concerned with the cabin design, look and feel and less with the external design although I agree with Richard, the outsides are getting rather bland and samey! Then again, look at the new FL Yeti/Rapid/Octavia. :(

 

Personally, the only thing Ive had fail on my Yeti has been coolant pump (covered by tsb, turned around extremely efficiently by Skoda Letchworth and in some ways nice to get a new one in there just before the 3 year warranty expired!) Ive also had the panoramic sunroof leak into the cabin but I resolved that myself. So in nearly four years and 40 odd thousand miles, I think thats pretty damn good. The engine runs sweet as a nut, never uses any oil, no interior trim parts have ever broken/become detached and as an all round car, Im STILL struggling to find something to replace it with. Different cars offer bigger strengths in differing areas but no car ive yet driven offers the all round ability that the Yeti does.

[domhnall]

We have two VWs and a Skoda. A Transporter, a Golf and a Yeti. I really cannot say there is any discernible difference in build quality. The golf seems most prone to niggling electrical faults though.

[briwy]

We are on our fourth Skoda, Fabia Vrs (diesel)  2 Octavias and now the Yeti.

The only problems we have had in a total of around 330k miles were with the first Octavia where the DMF exploded taking the gearbox with it.

To say VW quality is better is a myth in my opinion. We also have a one year old VW California which considering the cost new is about twice any Skoda the build quality is crap and this is general, not just ours. Rattles, leaks, gearbox, rear diff and paint blistering on the roof problems to name a few.

Think I'll sell up and get an MGB GT, at least I'll be able to mend it myself.

[freedie]

We also have a one year old VW California...

Luxury.

Our Dad has a ex-brickies wheelbarrow to take us on holiday...