Picking up the new car - what to look for?

[C4miles]

I shall be collecting my new  2.0 TDI Elegance Combi at the end of the month. I decided against free delivery; I would rather travel up to the Midlands to get a chance to look at the car before parting with the balance of the purchase price.

 

However, I will not have as much time for a careful examination of the car as I would like.

 

I know that any problems can be (hopefully) sorted by my local dealer, but does anyone have any advice as to potentially serious problems/deal busters that I should be looking for?

 

What are the most important things to check?

 

Any advice gratefully received.

[dobbey]

I'd say the most important things to check are the little things like paint and wheel damage. That won't be covered by warrenty so is important to spot before you leave the dealer.

[skovirg]

There was a whole thread on this not long ago with some great advice. I can't remember it all. I would agree about the wheels though, quite a few seem to get scuffed. SD card for sat nav seem to go walkies, so does the oil and locking wheel nut tool from the boot. There's also a buyer on here with issues with panel gaps on the rear tailgate so I'd check that the gap is consistent between all panels and along their length. 

 

The danger is, in your excitement that you forget to check something like a spare key. What I would do is ask them to recheck tyres pressures as lots seem to be all over the place.

 

Happy days - enjoy

[Mence]

Cosmetics are important as there will be no comeback if you drive it away and spot an issue when you get home. As others have said, scuffed alloys and damaged paint issues should be looked for, any signs that it might have been knocked between the manufacturer and you.

Try and view in good light, small dents are easier to spot.

[C4miles]

Thanks for the advice, folks.

 

Having waited 3 months (I know, nothing compared to the vRS wait)  it would have to be a fairly substantial problem for me not to drive home with it!

[CBT]

Their was a thread about some telescopic headlamp washers not retracting and a dashboard amber warning light alerting a problem with a dipped beam (possibly when starting car with lights set to 'auto'; neither a problem and easily sorted under warranty but probs not on day of delivery! A few of us have also had squashed insulation rubber on the n/s door shut at the bottom of the A pillar, again not a problem but needs a fix which is easy. these were all on a vRS's I think...

 

Enjoy!

[Pumatron]

I picked mine up from dealer in midlands and travelled up from kent via rail. All ok, nothing missing, had look round car no damage. I travelled home, some 200+ miles. On real close inspection found a scratch on front wheel which had been attempted to polish out. Only knew as polish dust was still trapped in wheel rim edge near tyre. Also found very tiny crack in a rear reflector. I emailed dealer straight away and they admitted trying to cover up wheel damage. Reflector damage was new to them. Sent me a cheque to rectify locally which I was happy with. So check REALLY carefully, I thought I done a good job, obviously not good enough but luckily it worked out ok.

[Web Ferret]

Should I expect there to be a bottle of oil in the boot when I collect mine?

[CBT]

Yup...

[jtypecav]

There was a whole thread on this not long ago with some great advice. I can't remember it all. I would agree about the wheels though, quite a few seem to get scuffed. SD card for sat nav seem to go walkies, so does the oil and locking wheel nut tool from the boot. There's also a buyer on here with issues with panel gaps on the rear tailgate so I'd check that the gap is consistent between all panels and along their length. 

 

The danger is, in your excitement that you forget to check something like a spare key. What I would do is ask them to recheck tyres pressures as lots seem to be all over the place.

 

Happy days - enjoy

 

Thanks Skovirg. I was going to say just that as it's me!

 

SUK tolerances are 4mm+1 for boot lip to bumper top. I have that one side, and 8-9mm on the other. However, I think an adjustment of the alignment at hinges may sort this.

[Web Ferret]

Yup...

So when the bottle of oil isn't there where do I quote to say that this should be included?

[CBT]

So when the bottle of oil isn't there where do I quote to say that this should be included?

There was a thread on this sometime back that I read whilst waiting four and a bit months for my first ever Skoda; a vRS DSG Combi that I got on 1st March. I forgot about the free oil until I picked the car up and the salesperson mentioned it like they were doing me some kind of favour . Later, whilst scouring the manual like a sad git with a new toy :love: , I came across a mention of it, pretty sure it was in the manual saying that it's provided for free. Check it out but I'll have a look m'self just to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

Still lovin' it...

[Steveh3]

Nothing free in France we have to pay 347 Euros "Pack Livraison". Don't know what that includes exactly.

Edited 22 March, 2014 by Steveh3