Sorry, anst11.

But Kev, the recall letters from Skoda aren't arriving on my door mat anytime soon.. This is because Skoda have not admitted liability.. They've hinted at it, with offers of Garmins, and changes in optional extras like Amundsen etc, but that issue of ownership of the problem is real, because of all those things I keep saying about which company is responsible for what.

I don't like analogies because they never work, as evidenced by all the ones above, but in my line of work - tickets for theatres, I am the equivalent of Skoda in that I work at the source, the theatre itself. If the theatre sells a bunch of tickets to an agency, and that agency then touts the tickets for vast profit, the theatre receives the majority of the complaints, but what the customers don't understand (why should they) is that once the bulk sale is made to the naughty agency, the theatre is not then legally responsible for the subsequent mis-sale. The theatre will review its policy to provide that agency with future allocations of seats (this is the stage Skoda are at with Mirrorlink) but those individual battles are between customer and agency, not us the theatre.

This isn't a direct comparison because its a very different situation for a car manufacter sourcing components externally, as well as software, but it does illustrate the opaqueness we as consumers receive from companies because we were not there when the contract was signed. If Skoda are responsible they will say so.. eventually. I applaud your ability to apply pressure in that process, but I don't think blaming Skoda is appropriate. If anything it's counter-productive and may cause a closing of ranks that even the press - WhatCar, Watchdog etc can't penetrate.

Edited 20 July, 201510 yr by EdinKent

Post week-22 as far as I understand it all radios will have Smartlink (which encompasses mirrorlink, apple CarPlay and android auto). I would ring and triple check this with your dealer.

IF it only has mirrorlink you will only get Bluetooth audio from your iPhone. Be that music, phonecall or directions. It won't show anything on the display.

In any case anst11, Oli3000 answered your questions perfectly right at the start. It all depends on Smartlink (which is a piece hardware that works like a Wifi dongle). If you have that, then the options for displaying your phone's data, screen, and/or apps on the car's screen really open up.. Just don't spend your whole life looking at the wonders or you'll die in a horrible accident..

Edited 20 July, 201510 yr by EdinKent

Sorry, anst11.

But Kev, the recall letters from Skoda aren't arriving on my door mat anytime soon.. This is because Skoda have not admitted liability.. They've hinted at it, with offers of Garmins, and changes in optional extras like Amundsen etc, but that issue of ownership of the problem is real, because of all those things I keep saying about which company is responsible for what.

I don't like analogies because they never work, as evidenced by all the ones above, but in my line of work - tickets for theatres, I am the equivalent of Skoda in that I work at the source, the theatre itself. If the theatre sells a bunch of tickets to an agency, and that agency then touts the tickets for vast profit, the theatre receives the majority of the complaints, but what the customers don't understand (why should they) is that once the bulk sale is made to the naughty agency, the theatre is not then legally responsible for the subsequent mis-sale. The theatre will review its policy to provide that agency with future allocations of seats (this is the stage Skoda are at with Mirrorlink) but those individual battles are between customer and agency, not us the theatre.

This isn't a direct comparison because its a very different situation for a car manufacter sourcing components externally, as well as software, but it does illustrate the opaqueness we as consumers receive from companies because we were not there when the contract was signed. If Skoda are responsible they will say so.. eventually. I applaud your ability to apply pressure in that process, but I don't think blaming Skoda is appropriate. If anything it's counter-productive and may cause a closing of ranks that even the press - WhatCar, Watchdog etc can't penetrate.

 

Skoda know they are in the poop as they have a special 'Mirrorlink contact' for complaints - and as you say have offered compensation of sorts, so guilt to a certain extent is implied.

 

My main issue with Skoda is that when I was sold the car, they must have known that they were installing completely new units from week 22, but all the dealers were under the impression it was an update.

The miscommunication could easily have been rectified, and kept affected cars to a minimum. Unfortunately they chose to carry on selling cars that they knew would be out of date within months.

 

The fact that they offered larger contributions on stock vehicles is a clear example of their thinking - and is also a type of forward compensation, to clear 'bad stock'.

 

I would not expect to buy a brand new type of vehicle (not just a mid life refresh) and see the wonderful brand new tech to be out of date so fast, let alone the whole mis-selling issue.

 

If this level of tech is the 'way forward' for cars these days, then I think it may well turn a few people off.

Can we move on? Kev (and others) are complaining. Edin (and others) won't. I'm sure there are plenty of people who bought the Fabia and couldn't care less what features the radio has.

In any case anst11, Oli3000 answered your questions perfectly right at the start. It all depends on Smartlink (which is a piece hardware that works like a Wifi dongle). If you have that, then the options for displaying your phone's data, screen, and/or apps on the car's screen really open up.. Just don't spend your whole life looking at the wonders or you'll die in a horrible accident..

Are you sure about the piece of hardware that is a wireless connector ? Because i don't see anywhere that smartlink use wireless connectivity...

You buy the car from Skoda.

The car doesn't work as sold to you by Skoda.

This is Skodas problem, no one else's!

Smartlink is USB only

Are you sure about the piece of hardware that is a wireless connector ? Because i don't see anywhere that smartlink use wireless connectivity...

At present, CarPlay atleast is only via cable. Apple have allowed from iOS 8.4 for this to be wireless, but whether Skoda have updated to match yet, I do not know.