With this being my first Skoda i cannot help but notice some stupid little niggles about the car, Be it build quality or just general wear and tear. After owning Nissans for a number of years, (Pre the Nissan Renault partnership)   The Nissan cars didn't seem to suffer from some of the things that this car has had. My last Nissan was a  Primera P11 SRI where the engine had to be beaten to death with a stick before it was scrapped at 15 years old   , It just seemed to go on and on, It was even still on it's original clutch..   Dunno' if i would buy another Skoda, Something i would have to seriously think about, Don't get me wrong they are very good cars but just suffer from some annoying problems.   

What problems are specifically annoying you?

 

I'm on Skoda #6, out of a total of 9 VAG vehicles.

 

I'll always consider other manufacturers, but I'm likely to keep coming back to Skoda or another VAG marque.

 

No manufacturer will ever be 'bullet proof' - I know a fair few people who've been disappointed by Nissan, for example - using your example.

nope. my Honda is way nicer/fun to drive and seems to suffer from fewer "common faults"

Which Honda have you ended up with Andy? Must have missed that swap

The way I am feeling at the moment no probably not.

 

I am beginnign to prefer the french (I know I know) styling, and a 2 year old laguna costs about the same as a 7 year old octavia, and I would say comparing the cars that I know, the french cars are by far less problematic. Everyone with VAG's I know so fa this  year the problems I can list are:

 

2007 Octavia - DMF, DPF, Sludge in sump, Turbo, rear wiper

2012 A3 - NEW DSG, DPF, DMF, ESP Module

2008 Golf Plus - Turbo, DMF

2013 A4 - DPF, Turbo, Lighting Module for Xenons

2003 A3 - DMF, Turbo, Gearbox, Pipes

2008 A4 Allroad - Turbo, Fuel Pump, injectors

2004 Octavia - Turbo

My first Skoda and an "old one" ... yes definitely would buy another if this nice example at 11 years young and 126,000 miles is anything to go by ... ... surely they would not be so popular with taxi owners if they were inherently unreliable.

 

Alan.

The ''niggles'' i've had are new door mirrors cos' the heaters in them packed up and started to fall out, New EGR valve, New ABS sensor, New wheel bearing, New suspension spring, Had to strip out and dismantle/repair the radiator fan motors because the smaller fan didn't work, Starting with rust on the sills where the protective layer of whatever it is doesn't come far enough up the sill to protect them..Was going to include having the timing belt and water pump changed but the Nissan had a timing chain so not the same.   I know Nissan is plagued by some build quality faults now but that is just since Renault got involved, So i blame them  

Which Honda have you ended up with Andy? Must have missed that swap

S2000, still got the Ibiza but it's characteristically broken :(

Maybe. The Octavia A4 has been good to me, but the A5 just isn't as nice a place to be in. OTOH I can say the same of Ford, PSA and Vauxhall alternatives.

Every car has its faults, VW customer service, Seat and Audi are all way better than Skoda uk, they are shamefully bad and might as well put their fingers in their ears and go La La La than admit a fault that is present across the board in Vag cars . Why when the others pay out you are left high and dry save for some pathetic goodwill Gesture . You want to feel valued as a customer, even the French have got that right, and way behind brands like Hyundai. The car is just the first step its the support that really counts, when Skodas were as much as 4 grand cheaper model for model you could put up with it, but they think as they have a waiting list they can just hemorrhage existing customers!  

Maybe but probably not a Skoda.

 

They're just too expensive now I'd probably spend teh money on a used Audi if I was going VAG again. And having tried something else the corner cutting with Skoda makes for a car I probably wouldn't want any more (sound proofing for a major example).

 

I was thinking Merc next time but I note they're pretty far down the reliability charts.

 

I've always wanted a Jag as well.

I have to say my Octavia may well be my last Skoda , I think the brand has got more expensive without a rise in quality but the biggest issue by far is the dealers , more and more of the good dealers forced out by corporate VW style dealers , thats not what I want.

 

To add some balance to the previous tales of woe, these are cars our family alone have had in recent years 

 

2004 Skoda Fabia VRS - No faults during ownership (5 years)

2006 Skoda Octavia VRS PD170 - couple of dpf pressure sensors replaced under warranty in 5 years and 70k

2009 Skoda Superb CR170 Elegance - one dpf pressure sensor in 6 years 85k everything else was fair wear and tear

2011 Skoda Fabia VRS - Faulty ECU replaced under warranty - still going strong

2012 Skoda Fabia VRS - Corroded alloy wheels replaced under warranty

2015 Skoda Octavia - please,  its a month old it better not break yet !

 

Skoda's are not bad cars nor any less reliable than anything else

I am a big Skoda fan, but the closure of my local dealership, boring new cars all looking the same but scaled up or down and the focus on sensible cars rather than sporty really means there isn't a single one currently on sale I want.

id have another skoda anyday

I am a big Skoda fan, but the closure of my local dealership, boring new cars all looking the same but scaled up or down and the focus on sensible cars rather than sporty really means there isn't a single one currently on sale I want.

I could just cut & paste most of the above to reflect my feelings

This is my 2nd skoda 2nd fab too 4th vag out of 5 cars and I've never had a real problem with any of my vags few wheel bearings etc and a boost leak on this one [emoji20] you can get good and bad examples of all cars the % of good is just a bit higher on vag than anyone else but it all depends weather the car was built on a Wednesday or on a Friday afternoon just before home time

I am a big Skoda fan, but the closure of my local dealership, boring new cars all looking the same but scaled up or down and the focus on sensible cars rather than sporty really means there isn't a single one currently on sale I want.

Same here unfortunately. Mines likely to become a 'keeper' and I'll waste my money elsewhere....

Tbh my Octavia is the first Skoda I've ever owned but my dad and grandfather have driven then for many years. I have mainly owned fords with the odd drift for my 300zx and an astra and tbh I was quite impressed with the Octavia at first. My cousin has a 06 vrs and I gave that a quick spin and was impressed with size and space, however, having now lived with one for over a year I find that any work needing doing is mainly redoing things that Skoda could have done better from standard. Road noise and soundproofing is especially poor even compared to my old mk4 astra not to forget the rattles and knocks from poor fitting trims and general lack of any cushioning so all plastic on plastic creaks and rattles. Skoda also become more expensive for parts,servicing etc and I think that hits the type of clientel that wanted cheap motoring and looked to Skoda in the first place. It says quite a bit when my astra was cheaper to maintain, service, tax, and insure than the Octavia despite the same engine size. Fuel economy is better on the Skoda and I have it ATM as I can't afford to change cars just yet but this will also be my last Skoda.

I would have another..no doubt

My Octavia was 5 years old and no faults except for a new battery, when I sold it in March

But as Alan has said, they dont give a toss about their customers anymore

Shame!!

Definitely. Ive had vag group cars more than anything else since I finished uni.

Would I have a new one though? No chance. If I had to buy a new car, it'd most likely be Korean.

The way I am feeling at the moment no probably not.

 

I am beginnign to prefer the french (I know I know) styling, and a 2 year old laguna costs about the same as a 7 year old octavia, and I would say comparing the cars that I know, the french cars are by far less problematic. Everyone with VAG's I know so fa this  year the problems I can list are:

 

2007 Octavia - DMF, DPF, Sludge in sump, Turbo, rear wiper

2012 A3 - NEW DSG, DPF, DMF, ESP Module

2008 Golf Plus - Turbo, DMF

2013 A4 - DPF, Turbo, Lighting Module for Xenons

2003 A3 - DMF, Turbo, Gearbox, Pipes

2008 A4 Allroad - Turbo, Fuel Pump, injectors

2004 Octavia - Turbo

My colleague happily ran a Laguna until it's front McPherson strut spring snapped on the motorway. He upgraded to a newer Laguna with all the options. Including the eating its own turbo option, which self-destructed on another motorway. My 4 year old 5 Series 523i SE was shocking,new bottom half at 50000 miles, new cat, electric window motors, electric fan, I could continue... never again will I buy the ultimate driving machine. My MkII Octy VRS was brilliant but had the usual air con and ABS G60 and wheel bearing problems. Every car has problems unless it is usually a dull Japanese box which runs from A-B with zero drivers appeal, stand fast a few models like Type R, Nissan GTR.

125k miles on my VW Jetta, and I've had a faulty anti shudder valve. And a set of front pads & dscs, & tyres, & servicing, & a new bonnet due to corrosion. I also put a new battery on it because I had to spend some money. And I have to wash it sometimes.

 

On the plus side, I've never had to change a bulb, it does 55mpg driven like a hooligan and over 60mpg driven carefully, and it looks like new when I washed & polished it this weekend.

I only moved from Skoda because of a need for 7 seats. Only to VW though, but loads of issues so far dubious about another VW especially as also had numerous issues with the works VW.

If Skoda build a 7 seater, I'll return.

As far as Skoda go, I'd return but only with a older model, nothing new excites me. Seat, as much as it was a A4 dressed up I had a soft spot for a Exeo in sport trim. Nothing new grabs me. VW, I do love my mates MK7 Golf GTi, cracking all rounder and lovely inside, the bottom end stuff not so much. Audi, I'd consider a RS3/4/6/S8, or any A8 actually, in reality they're the the most likely marque to get my money. In reality though as much as it's a tarted up diesel I'm really taken with this 320d we're recently got for the mrs. It just feels so solid, premium, I know they're both a few years old now but comparing it to my mates A4 S Line of the same era there's no comparison. Never mind sounds just like a Golf, sounds just like a BM....  

My colleague happily ran a Laguna until it's front McPherson strut spring snapped on the motorway. He upgraded to a newer Laguna with all the options. Including the eating its own turbo option, which self-destructed on another motorway. My 4 year old 5 Series 523i SE was shocking,new bottom half at 50000 miles, new cat, electric window motors, electric fan, I could continue... never again will I buy the ultimate driving machine. My MkII Octy VRS was brilliant but had the usual air con and ABS G60 and wheel bearing problems. Every car has problems unless it is usually a dull Japanese box which runs from A-B with zero drivers appeal, stand fast a few models like Type R, Nissan GTR.

. Both of those faults abs and air con are covered out of warranty with other vag marks even cars with 85 k ! And no service history cost me 1500 pounds together for both with inverted commas goodwill from Skoda with only 33 k and full history