Mirrorlink - update from Skoda UK 29/5/2015

[Oli3000]

Get stuffed is the polite version for sure.

The whole point was to have an integrated unit that communicates with a phone offering fluidity, live information (traffic etc.), is updatable, and without the need to clutter the dash. She may as well have offered a £10 screen mount and a charging cable for the phones as it has the same result.

[fabmk3]

As per others comments I'd not find this acceptable.

 

Strikes me someone at Skoda thought "what's the cheapest way to get these people off out backs" rather than "how do we do right by our early adopters and maintain our excellent customer service reputation" I guess the one small upside is that by offering an alternative (however poor and unreasonable) it shows the Skoda acknowledge that have failed to deliver, have an issue and need to do something about it.

 

Kevrs16 I trust you made it clear to them that offering a Garmin Satnav to was as unreasonable to us as us expecting Skoda to replace our cars with brand new post wk22 models would be to them!    

Edited 19 June, 2015 by fabmk3

[charlio]

Hi,

 

I've just registered, because I recently (about 2 months) bought a Skoda Fabia with the Bolero sound system, so I'm also affected by this change. I've called Skoda Spain and I'm waiting for an answer at the moment. Will post when I get one.

 

BTW, I also find unreasonable and poor the solution they've offered to Kevrs16, but as fabmk3 mentioned, at least they're acknowledging they failed.

[kevrs16]

As per others comments I'd not find this acceptable.

 

Strikes me someone at Skoda thought "what's the cheapest way to get these people off out backs" rather than "how do we do right by our early adopters and maintain our excellent customer service reputation" I guess the one small upside is that by offering an alternative (however poor and unreasonable) it shows the Skoda acknowledge that have failed to deliver, have an issue and need to do something about it.

 

Kevrs16 I trust you made it clear to them that offering a Garmin Satnav to was as unreasonable to us as us expecting Skoda to replace our cars with brand new post wk22 models would be to them!    

 

I am keeping my response under my hat for the moment, so that I get a true idea of what others feel.

Make of that what you will!

[Mick 50]

I would say no ,based on the fact the sat nav in my Citigo pid was a Garmin and I hated it . The fact they are offering a cheap sat nav is probably their opening offer and an admission at last that they are responsable.

[EdinKent]

Did Skoda say to you that they would be contacting all pre week 22 build car owners, Kevs16? It isn't clear from your update if this is something offered only to you, to get you off their backs or if it is a public admission of failure and offer of compensation to all..

I'd take a free Garmin, but would Ebay it for the fun of it. Seems terribly lame to me, as one of the world's best selling car manufacturer that they didn't read their own contract with their software providers and seem to have no means or channels to pursue that company themselves.

We are all customers, even Skoda, and in this instance they are the customers of Mirrorlink but I seriously doubt anyone from Skoda or VW Group has even contacted Mirrorlink about it... too busy doing lunch! They don't give a cr*p.

[bluecar1]

thing is I looked at this when I was starting the process to change my car in February, I could see mirror link was of no use to me as I my phone is windows not android, also looking at the very limited list of approved apps

 

this combined with the issue of the three main brands in the VAG stable coming closer together when you compare like for like spec and engines (it became apparent to me the main differentiator was the spec of the base level spec )

 

to me at that time skoda UK was trying to move up and challenge VW's polo this then split the market,

 

we then have watched the issues with mirrorlink, and the bad press and issues on forums like here and the poor response from customers services

 

this also seems to now have had an impact on the brand as now skoda UK are offering 0% on all cars on PCP

 

surely if skoda had offered a better solution by march / april  it would not have had such a negative effect

 

I also wonder how much skoda have been hung out to dry by VAG as there does not yet seem to be an equivilant of mirror link in the VW or Audi stables

 

would it have been better to go a similar route to the citygo with a PID like device (but that also has its own issues with some apple devices)

 

I think this issue with mirrorlink has marred what is basically a good car and a good brand, skoda could come out of this with some credit if they make the right decision reasonable quickly, but it will cost them a fair bit of cash if they need to swap head units out

 

they worst thing they could do is carry on treating those who have already taken delivery of cars as crash test dummies who they don't appear to care about

 

I do feel sorry for the dealers who appear to know less than most of us on here and they are caught in the middle and have to deal face to face with unhappy customers

[JoePeddos]

I have a tomtom satnav why would I want a Garmin. Does this mean if we accept this Skoda UK will wash their hands of any updates to Mirrorlink. I bought the Skoda because I liked my old Skoda and was happy to stay with them and the fact it had an updateable system .

I think it has been a cynical ploy by Skoda to get the cars out to the public knowing full well they were still negotiating with Apple

All the car reviews were really excited at the thought of Mirrorlink and what you would be able to do with it and I nievely bought into the hype Joe

[domhnall]

 

I also wonder how much skoda have been hung out to dry by VAG as there does not yet seem to be an equivilant of mirror link in the VW or Audi stables

 

 

vw call it "car net app connect" and their web site says "pleae connect your dealer to find out whether your phone is compatible"

[Happycatphil]

No way accept the Garmin, they are £30 trade, we need a better solution. Maybe they could get a bulk trade deal with Pioneer.

[Mick 50]

I know this is really important to us all but it just reminds me of this.

[Mick 50]

I'm sorry for posting above I shall retire gracefully and find a tin hat.

[kevrs16]

Did Skoda say to you that they would be contacting all pre week 22 build car owners, Kevs16? It isn't clear from your update if this is something offered only to you, to get you off their backs or if it is a public admission of failure and offer of compensation to all..

I'd take a free Garmin, but would Ebay it for the fun of it. Seems terribly lame to me, as one of the world's best selling car manufacturer that they didn't read their own contract with their software providers and seem to have no means or channels to pursue that company themselves.

We are all customers, even Skoda, and in this instance they are the customers of Mirrorlink but I seriously doubt anyone from Skoda or VW Group has even contacted Mirrorlink about it... too busy doing lunch! They don't give a cr*p.

 

I have been lead to believe that this would be available to all, not just me. 

 

I have told them that this is not good enough and does not solve the core issues.

 

It is not an integrated solution, and feels like a cheap fob off. I have a Sat Nav, why would I need another?

It is not an Updated Mirrorlink system as promised - simple as that.

 

Having to offer customers an item from another company is pretty embarrassing, and the longer they carry on with this line of compensation (?!) the more damaging it is for them.

 

I will be talking to her again on Tuesday, she has told me to 'think it over' uuuummmm NO! I needed 3 seconds to come to that conclusion, and told her so, I do not need 4 days.

 

I have come up with 4 possible solutions so far:

 

Retro fit Amundsen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

 

Replace my car with a post week 22 car of equivalent specification. 

 

Take my car back - give me my deposit back and I will walk away.

 

Refinance my car at the 0% rate, and refund me any interest paid up until now (not a solution, but compensation for possible residual value loss)

 

I like the car, and don't really want to get rid, but Skoda have really managed to take the shine off of it for me (and others) and have cheapened the brand.

 

We will see what happens on Tuesday.

 

Anyone have any other thoughts?

[Oli3000]

I have been lead to believe that this would be available to all, not just me. 

 

I have told them that this is not good enough and does not solve the core issues.

 

It is not an integrated solution, and feels like a cheap fob off. I have a Sat Nav, why would I need another?

It is not an Updated Mirrorlink system as promised - simple as that.

 

Having to offer customers an item from another company is pretty embarrassing, and the longer they carry on with this line of compensation (?!) the more damaging it is for them.

 

I will be talking to her again on Tuesday, she has told me to 'think it over' uuuummmm NO! I needed 3 seconds to come to that conclusion, and told her so, I do not need 4 days.

 

I have come up with 4 possible solutions so far:

 

Retro fit Amundsen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

 

Replace my car with a post week 22 car of equivalent specification. 

 

Take my car back - give me my deposit back and I will walk away.

 

Refinance my car at the 0% rate, and refund me any interest paid up until now (not a solution, but compensation for possible residual value loss)

 

I like the car, and don't really want to get rid, but Skoda have really managed to take the shine off of it for me (and others) and have cheapened the brand.

 

We will see what happens on Tuesday.

 

Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

The only addition I would consider is if they cannot retrofit a proper radio, then I want an equivalent. A sat nav is not an equivalent, but a Pioneer retrofit with CarPlay/Android Auto is. That gives us the same functionality and is integrated.

 

http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/newsroom/news/carplayandroidauto/page.html

 

From Skoda's perspective I don't see it likely that they will replace the car with a new one, or give refunds, as it wouldn't be feasible for every car sold. Obviously they might do it on a case-by-case basis. It would probably be ideal to be allowed to re-order a new car and hand the current car back, receive the deposit back, and just end it at that. Yes It's cost 6 months of PCP payments, but I could cope with that.

 

Perhaps the hardware changes they need to make are simply too complicated. It seems unlikely, but maybe it is. If that's the case put a radio system in that does do the job as they can't argue that the Pioneer won't work. If you challenge along those lines they will either cave and admit that the Amundsmen can be retro-fitted as that'd be cheaper than buying x number of pioneer units, or they'll hopefully give us what we want!

 

Either way, if they haven't got anything better for you on Tuesday the bad press will continue in the Car magazines so they should be thinking very hard about their next actions!

[Eddy08]

Would there be any reason why a new head unit couldn't be retrofitted?

I didn't take it as a confirmed yes, but I contacted pioneer and the bloke I spoke to seemed to think it could be.

I don't think there are any fascia kits compatability with the 2015 fabia available yet either but I'm no expert on how it works.

[gadgetman]

The Skoda units now need to be coded to the car. As I understand from the Octavia 3 posts on retro fitting a different infotainment unit, only Skoda can do this at the moment.

[Mick 50]

Option one Kev ,Amundsen with Apple car play etc

[Eddy08]

So if the bolero is coded to the car would that hinder only a retrofit of a different skoda infotainment system ie the amundsen.

Or would all aftermarket stereos like alpine or pioneer models be impossible also?

[gadgetman]

So if the bolero is coded to the car would that hinder only a retrofit of a different skoda infotainment system ie the amundsen.

Or would all aftermarket stereos like alpine or pioneer models be impossible also?

Not sure. No one's done it yet.

[EdinKent]

I can just imagine the next board meeting at Skoda HQ..

- They want WHAT?

- Yup, apparently we sold them something that doesn't work, and the b*ggers have spotted that we're including Amundsen as an "extra" and they want us to be good to our word and retro-fit it from day one production line cars. Sorry Sir.

- And.. How many cars are involved? How much would this cost? Have you said YES??!

- err.. approximately 300,000 vehicles if you include the Asian market but we could get away with not telling them as Skoda's website has been banned by China so they can only look at pictures of rice fields anywhere East of Cairo. Cost we estimate near £3 million if we assume only Western democracies force it, and yes, we are thinking of saying yes, but only if Kevrs16 stops emailing us... Would you like me to type up my resignation now, or tomorrow..?

- NOW.

[kevrs16]

I can just imagine the next board meeting at Skoda HQ..

- They want WHAT?

- Yup, apparently we sold them something that doesn't work, and the b*ggers have spotted that we're including Amundsen as an "extra" and they want us to be good to our word and retro-fit it from day one production line cars. Sorry Sir.

- And.. How many cars are involved? How much would this cost? Have you said YES??!

- err.. approximately 300,000 vehicles if you include the Asian market but we could get away with not telling them as Skoda's website has been banned by China so they can only look at pictures of rice fields anywhere East of Cairo. Cost we estimate near £3 million if we assume only Western democracies force it, and yes, we are thinking of saying yes, but only if Kevrs16 stops emailing us... Would you like me to type up my resignation now, or tomorrow..?

- NOW.

 

And the Oscar for best dramatization of a real life event goes to......................

 

EdinKent...........woop woop.

 

Hopefully that is exactly how it will go, but somehow I doubt it.

 

I will still keep hassling for now, at the moment the offer is a Garmin Satnav, next could be a Yeti soft toy, the possibilities are endless!

[gadgetman]

Of any Mk3 owners are at the meet, Skoda might be there.

[bluecar1]

Of any Mk3 owners are at the meet, Skoda might be there.

will they be easy to spot due to TIN HATS and full PPE for protection from irate mk3 owners?

[pab567]

There are some solutions that allow you to integrate navigation into Fabia's Bolero - one is from Pioneer, another form Kenwood, plus couple of other WinCE or ANdroid based solutions (Navitech, WondeProud, EGlober). I'm currently waiting for pricing info - will share with you as soon as I get it.

[MrDriver]

I recently had a talk with my dealer again and he asked me if I solved the Mirror link issue 

 

So I explained him it was his problem and not mine and I again requested a compensation.

 

I'll contact them again next week and ask contact information for the national level, dealers are clearly not informed.

 

I would surely reject an external TomTom satnav, this is a joke.

 

A new car radio or Pioneer GPS system are my two integrated proposals. 

 

The phone offer from Seat can be used as a counter argument to show they are aware of the issues inside the VW group.

 

Keep sharing info, we can all benefit from the proposed solutions.

 

PS: In a few months the currently compatible phones (and new ones) with MirrorLink should go down in price and become more interesting if this is the only option.