Mirrorlink - update from Skoda UK 29/5/2015

[gadgetman]

If you're in Bedfordshire, contact the JVS show

[kevrs16]

If you're in Bedfordshire, contact the JVS show

 

Cambridgeshire - does that count?

[Gazbull17]

I think you maybe flogging a dead horse as the car is in essence still fit for purpose, buying a compatible phone or being supplied one would solve the issues, a dash cam won't.

I appreciate the frustration, especially when the car isn't cheap but giving dealers ultimatums won't force their hand but I do hope you get things sorted, it's been a long drawn out affair.

[Mick 50]

I hope you get this sorted out Kev and as quick as possible.

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[kevrs16]

I think you maybe flogging a dead horse as the car is in essence still fit for purpose, buying a compatible phone or being supplied one would solve the issues, a dash cam won't.

I appreciate the frustration, especially when the car isn't cheap but giving dealers ultimatums won't force their hand but I do hope you get things sorted, it's been a long drawn out affair.

 

I don't believe for a minute the dealer will let me go ahead and reject the car, but I will if it is not sorted.

 

Nothing will fix Mirrorlink in my car, only a new car will do that.

 

The Mirrorlink system in my car is out of date, the new one has Android Auto, which is what I was waiting for. This is why I have not suggested a 'compatible' Smartphone for my current car, as it won't give me the Android Auto system that I was expecting to get updated.

 

There is NO fix, apart from a new car.

 

Skoda have had ample opportunity to sort this out, I will accept the Kenwood and a dash cam as a last resort, as this will save me money on what I was going to do anyway - but it doesn't solve Mirrorlink.

 

Skoda have been at great pains to tell me that there is nothing they can do to upgrade my system, so the rejection would be on that basis.

It will be interesting to see if it gets that far, if the story changes.

[Mick 50]

I haven't got smart gate on my car so with swapping phones it has sorted my problems out .I itemised my out of pocket expenses to customer service but was told that the compensation is the sat nav or £115 which is the cost or so they say of the sat nav.I was told this was the only compensation available to everyone ,so I find it interesting that they offered you £125 in car tech Kev . So clearly there is a divide and conquer tactics going on.

I wish you well with your fight Kev .

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[kevrs16]

Update:

 

Skoda UK are being their usual obnoxious selves and have said that the offer of £125 remains, but no more.

My dealer therefore won't move either.

 

So.....

 

I have called VW Financial services to complain and start the ball rolling.

 

Interestingly they were VERY surprised to hear that Skoda had not told me to contact them, and that they basically should have.

 

I will get a letter within a week or so from VWFS, with a complaint ref number, and I will be assigned a contact to deal with.

This enters me into an 8 week period during which VW will make a decision.

 

I am going to wait for my complaints ref number, then reference that on a rejection letter to Skoda UK and my dealer, and probably VWFS as well, just so everyone is in the loop and knows where I stand.

 

Look at that Skoda, I am keeping people in the loop with the latest info.........take note hey!

[gadgetman]

Cambridgeshire - does that count?

Worth a try as it's still in their patch.

[pandiver]

Had another heated discussion with Skoda yesterday and was told under no circumstances would any customer get more than the Garmin 5inch satnav and that has to be obtained via the dealership. Spoke to Citizens Advice as they are passing information on my case to TS and was advised to check if the dealership and Skoda was a signatory to A D R (Alternative Dispute Resolution) if so follow there complaints system I suppose Skoda will just blag that off as usual but apparently it is an avenue that is open but I do hope all on here are contacting there TS.

[gadgetman]

Trading standards makes sense as it's not as advertised.

[mattbrewsterlewis]

Reading this thread makes me glad I did lots of research before committing to a new car!

I visited two dealerships and was told something along the lines of "mirrorlink is not iPhone compatible, an updated system is coming but we don't know when". The first dealership didn't really know much else and simply changed the subject to other features, at the second place the sales guy showed me that an iPhone is still usable with the system, just not with the mirrorlink element. I pointed out that mirrorlink is needed to allow any kind of sat nav and he suggested that if that was an issue I could purchase an aftermarket unit, I even asked if mirrorlink was upgradable when the newer system is launched and he admitted that nobody really knew yet but that even If it was it would be unlikely that they would upgrade every car, it would probably be available at a cost.

As far as I could see no brochure or part of skoda UK website mentioned CarPlay or Apple compatibility, they suggest that mirrorlink works with most phones which is a bit of a overestimation and also rather vague but that's it.

I think Skoda were a bit stupid to launch the new Fabia with a half-finished system that they knew was becoming obsolete within a year of production! In many countries mirrorlink wasn't fitted at all in preparation for a launch of the full system and that was probably the right way to go to avoid misleading customers. However, I don't see that anyone has a case of misselling unless they can prove that a dealer or skoda UK told them that their iPhone would be compatible, simply assuming that it would because they didn't tell you otherwise is not enough.

[Soupyrn]

i believe i can still uphold my problem of misselling because my mirrorlink will not work...at all. it will not connect to any phones i have tried.

 

i have a complaint with VWFS currently and Skoda UK. Skoda UK will not budge on their offer of a free sat nav to solve this.

 

i recently spoke to VWFS who said they have spoke to Skoda and started the ball rolling, then Skoda contacted me to tell me that they havent heard from VWFS.

 

Im getting really stressed out with all of this nonsense. i want to take this to trading standards but im unsure whether to wait from the VWFS outcome or not?

[BadBob]

 However, I don't see that anyone has a case of misselling unless they can prove that a dealer or skoda UK told them that their iPhone would be compatible, simply assuming that it would because they didn't tell you otherwise is not enough.

 

 

Think you're missing the point here. We don't expect it to work with an iPhone, Mirrorlink isn't supported by Apple. We do expect it to work with phones which are listed by the CCC as certified on the Mirrorlink website. This is the site Skoda referred to in the original Fabia brochure as the site to check for compatibility. I did and my phone (and virtually all others listed) just don't work....

[kevrs16]

The more I hear of other peoples issues with Mirrorlink and Skoda - the angrier I get.

 

I cannot stress enough, if you are p*ssed off with Skoda regarding this, then badger them and VW financial services if you have it on finance.

 

The more of us that do it.............blah blah blah

 

It's time to get angry and get some results.

[grajolee]

Morning all! Be gentle with me I'm a first timer! I also have been having all the problems with mirrorlink. I have a pre 22 model. Having an iPhone and not wanting to change it, I decided to get a Samsung galaxy S5 just to use in the car. It was on the 'list' but although the phone found the car the car just keeps saying connection cancelled. I took it to dealer and they tried unsuccessfully too. Many phone calls later I also was offered a garmin. As I told Kate at skoda, I stressed when I bought the car that I needed a reliable sat nav like the one in my previous Fabia. I didn't want to pay over 18 grand for a car that doesn't do what it said it would and didn't want a sat nav stuck on my windscreen. Yesterday I recieved call informing me that my Samsung should work! Asked if I had paid version of sygic, no I said why pay for an app if my phone won't connect, I do have the free version. I have now been advised to take car back to dealer for them to try again. Head and brick wall comes to mind!!!!

[AdamJMK]

Morning all! Be gentle with me I'm a first timer! I also have been having all the problems with mirrorlink. I have a pre 22 model. Having an iPhone and not wanting to change it, I decided to get a Samsung galaxy S5 just to use in the car. It was on the 'list' but although the phone found the car the car just keeps saying connection cancelled. I took it to dealer and they tried unsuccessfully too. Many phone calls later I also was offered a garmin. As I told Kate at skoda, I stressed when I bought the car that I needed a reliable sat nav like the one in my previous Fabia. I didn't want to pay over 18 grand for a car that doesn't do what it said it would and didn't want a sat nav stuck on my windscreen. Yesterday I recieved call informing me that my Samsung should work! Asked if I had paid version of sygic, no I said why pay for an app if my phone won't connect, I do have the free version. I have now been advised to take car back to dealer for them to try again. Head and brick wall comes to mind!!!!

 

Same with me, i've got a Note 4 which is on the mirrorlink approved list on their website and it does exactly the same, I too stressed that after having the Amundsen in my old Monte that the new car had to have a comparable sat nav solution, was told mirrorlink + sygic would offer that but neither work.

 

The system is inherently flawed

[pandiver]

Good to see there is a degree of continuity within Skoda as Kate told me exactly the same rubbish and guess what no connection. I really do think all of us should report them to the trading Standards as when I spoke to them they were not aware of any problem. 

[gadgetman]

Has everyone emailed [email protected] yet?

[Mick 50]

Yes gadgetman and tweeted but nothing in reply, but since I swapped phones I've not pursued them.

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[vc-10]

The idea that you cannot upgrade the head unit is, frankly, utter b*ll*cks. After all, it would be ridiculous to assume that every Bolero unit in every Fabia 3 has worked flawlessly and not had to be replaced under warranty. Would those cars with a failed unit (rare, I would expect, but not impossible) be stuck with no radio for the next 15 years? No. Obviously.

 

Skoda can replace the old Boleros with new Boleros. Even if it does require a bit of re-wiring, it has to be a possibility. If they were sensible, they'd do it. 

[gadgetman]

Yes gadgetman and tweeted but nothing in reply, but since I swapped phones I've not pursued them.

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Maybe Lady Eleanor might have an insider who can give you a phone number for them?

[fabmk3]

The idea that you cannot upgrade the head unit is, frankly, utter b*ll*cks. After all, it would be ridiculous to assume that every Bolero unit in every Fabia 3 has worked flawlessly and not had to be replaced under warranty. Would those cars with a failed unit (rare, I would expect, but not impossible) be stuck with no radio for the next 15 years? No. Obviously.

 

Skoda can replace the old Boleros with new Boleros. Even if it does require a bit of re-wiring, it has to be a possibility. If they were sensible, they'd do it. 

 

That's what I told Kate a few weeks ago when I spoke to her, but in slightly more diplomatic terms. After offering me the satnav (rejected) and to pay for Syic (rejected) she then asked me what I wanted. I replied a  car with the same functionality as a post wk22 car and answers to the following questions:

a. why it can't be a software upgrade?

b. why it can't be a hardware upgrade / harness update?

 

Kate said she didn't know the answers, but she was having a call with the factory and would ask. I was somewhat surprised that she doesn't know, but gave her the benefit of the doubt. I left my e-mail for her to update me.

 

No e-mail, but she tried to contact me by phone a few days later. Unfortunately this conversation was like the previous one had never happened! I was offered the satnv (rejected again). She then said that they were working on a solution and started talking about a box that had been used in VWs and was now being tested with Skoda. I asked two questions: Will it give me the ability to use Android Auto and Carplay and when would it be available? To which I got a vague answer that was something along the lines "it improves connectivity" and "September".

 

Now I'm pretty sure that she is talking about the Kenwood box and as far as I'm aware it doen't "improve connectivity"....so I can see further difficut conversations on the horizon!

 

I note that Skoda appear to be very keen to do everything over the phone which of course don't leave an audit trail. Does anyone actually receive e-mails from Kate or have an e-mail address?

 

With regards trading standards, does anyone know how they work with a national supplier issue? Does each regional Trading Standards body take up the cases separately or do they pass it to the Trading Standards team for the area in which the company is based i.e. whoever covers Milton Keynes in Skoda's case.

Edited 17 July, 2015 by fabmk3

[kevrs16]

That's what I told Kate a few weeks ago when I spoke to her, but in slightly more diplomatic terms. After offering me the satnav (rejected) and to pay for Syic (rejected) she then asked me what I wanted. I replied a  car with the same functionality as a post wk22 car and answers to the following questions:

a. why it can't be a software upgrade?

b. why it can't be a hardware upgrade / harness update?

 

Kate said she didn't know the answers, but she was having a call with the factory and would ask. I was somewhat surprised that she doesn't know, but gave her the benefit of the doubt. I left my e-mail for her to update me.

 

No e-mail, but she tried to contact me by phone a few days later. Unfortunately this conversation was like the previous one had never happened! I was offered the satnv (rejected again). She then said that they were working on a solution and started talking about a box that had been used in VWs and was now being tested with Skoda. I asked two questions: Will it give me the ability to use Android Auto and Carplay and when would it be available? To which I got a vague answer that was something along the lines "it improves connectivity" and "September".

 

Now I'm pretty sure that she is talking about the Kenwood box and as far as I'm aware it doen't "improve connectivity"....so I can see further difficut conversations on the horizon!

 

I note that Skoda appear to be very keen to do everything over the phone which of course don't leave an audit trail. Does anyone actually receive e-mails from Kate or have an e-mail address?

 

With regards trading standards, does anyone know how they work with a national supplier issue? Does each regional Trading Standards body take up the cases separately or do they pass it to the Trading Standards team for the area in which the company is based i.e. whoever covers Milton Keynes in Skoda's case.

 

I can't answer your trading standards q's, but I am using this forum as my evidence against Skoda, as like you say, we have nothing in writing.

The more people that post their experiences of being sold and using Mirrorlink (if possible) then the less likely it is for Skoda to deny that a problem exists.

 

You are right about the Kenwood, it ignores Mirrorlink completely, as does every other 'solution' that Skoda has offered anyone so far.

 

I wonder why that is Skoda?

 

I also wonder why Sygic has been 70% off for the last month or so..........mmmmm, oh yeah, cos it's c*ap.

 

Skoda:

Mirrorlink is flawed, the way it was sold to pre week 22 customers was abhorrent and you knew it would be outdated when you sold it to us.

This is not going away, deal with it.

[Mick 50]

Well thanks for the reply gadgetman yes "I'm alright where I am thanks"or so the song goes .

Sorry no phone number though.Perhaps watchdog just don't give a "****" just like Skoda .

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[Mick 50]

Sorry it looks like my reply to gadgetman has killed this thread but you can only try so many times to contact programs.If buying a compatible phone comes over like I'm alright jack then so be it .I've been trying has hard as anyone to get this sorted and have passed on all my findings with other phones to help others out.

I hope you all enjoy the car and don't let mirror link fiasco spoil it.

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