here is the page from brochure

So has anyone had any decent responses from Skoda?

So has anyone had any decent responses from Skoda?

I think we're all waiting for the update from Skoda.

I thought I'd replied to allan1888's picture from the bochure - clearly not so.

 

Thanks allan1888.

I bet someone at Skoda got their backside kicked when they saw they'd listed 17" brake discs. That'd be impossible inside any wheels on an Octavia. 17" converts to approx. 432mm. The original poster was querying a reduction from 340 to 312. In old money that's around 13.4" down to 12.25".

 

Does anyone have paper copies or PDFs of Octy 3 brochures before March 2014?

I have also spoken to Nathan.

1. I have been told that axles may not be able to take bigger brakes - the old 2015 car can so I'm sure the 2016 one can too unless there is a fundamental structural and mechanical difference. This would also fall under the realms of further adjustments/changes......what else has been changed for lower quality parts?

2. ECU can't be programmed with data for bigger brakes - the 2015 model ECU managed it so I'm sure the 2016 one can too. Pretty sure software can be updated/changed and is likely backwards compatible.

3. He told me that the 312mm brakes work just as well as the 340mm brakes - I asked why then is the TDI the only car which has the change. Maybe the TDI should be called vRS-Lite or Diet-vRS.

Apparently the 2015 model is a far superior TDI by all accounts compared to the 2016 model. If this was the case and I'd been informed, I would have gone for a TSI.

It's starting to smell very much like a cost cutting exercise especially when VW have had to spend money fixing their diesel emission problem (I have one of those cars as well, 1.6 TDI) and looking to skim money off new TDI drivers to fund it.

He will get back to me next week.

I have spoken to the head of my Skoda dealer who is going to back me.

There is a Nathan at Skoda UK that has been telling owners things for over a year that turn out to be total nonsense once a senior Customer Service Manager like Tom Chadwick or John Good was on the case after Alasdair Stewart Brand Director was contacted.

 

Now Alasdair Stewart has gone and the new Brand Director is in place things seem to have been getting handled better.

Maybe escalate the Complaint and get someone that is not just qualified as a Communications Manager and get someone 

with Technical Knowledge.

Maybe there is more than one Nathan, lets hope so.

Interesting, he called me on Friday but I missed the call so getting back to me Monday so see what they have to say.

I informed Nathan of the complete rubbish that was being said.

ECU not able to be programmed.

Axles that can't take them.

Absolute load of rubbish......I'm not automotive genius but that stinks.

Told him that the cost to replace the parts would be far less than the cost if people were to go to the media, reject the car etc and never to purchase from Skoda again.

Food for thought, eh?

I doubt there is much anyone can do, it's like the model year changes things get added or removed as Skoda see fit and it's put in the small print that changes can happen. Unless it's on the order from that it should have the bigger brakes which it won't be, the 312mm set up is adequate for the vehicle it would even be fine for the Tsi vrs as that's what the mk2 vrs had fitted. Skoda won't fit the bigger brakes nor will they give cash back.

Reject the car on what grounds ? The manufacturer made a change to the spec which they are entitled to do ?

Edited 14 May, 201610 yr by allan1888

I have also spoken to Nathan.

Apparently the 2015 model is a far superior TDI by all accounts compared to the 2016 model. If this was the case and I'd been informed, I would have gone for a TSI.

Did Nathan elaborate as to why the 2015 model is "far superior" to the 2016 model? I'm hoping there's no other surprises.....like less power!! [emoji848]

That's just my words but basically what it sounds like from what I was being told.

So either he's talking through his a**e or there are more changes to the 2016 model's running gear than just smaller brakes?

 

If the axles can't take the bigger disks then have they been made weaker? have the drive shafts been altered too?

its likely thats the standard response when it comes to retrofitting. its usually always the same when you ask can something be retrofitted the answer is always no 

Re Airborne's posts - that Nathan sounds like he's on work experience. What a load of guff.

 

And what a salesman - last year's model is better than this year's. That'll help meet sales targets.

It makes it a good for 'Skoda Approved Used Car' Salespeople and other Traders.

 

'It is the Older Euro 6 Emission TDI but has the Superior Engineering, bigger brakes and is basically a better car that the later models'.

They are almost the same price but maybe you are better going for the slightly older one, there is only 1 months difference on the Build Dates.

Very true, GoneOffSki! But you don't expect to hear it from the people trying to sell new cars.

Maybe Nathan will be getting some retraining because they might say at Milton Keynes, 'do not listen to Briskoda', 

 

but they do follow Briskoda on quite a few subjects,

and just in case they are not there are those that used to be sure they were sent for the attention of Alasdair Stewart, 

and the Communications Managers, and the Media Department, 

before forwarding to the various Editors at the Motoring Journals.

 

It does catch their attention.

The new Brand Director has enough experience now to know the power of Social Media and Internet Forums.

 

Vorsprung Durch Technik, but in Czech & English.

Edited 15 May, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

Lets hope they're following this one - 268 posts and rising!

I take delivery of my 4x4 vrs on Wed, given the retail cost of the car and the spec that was being delivered on order I will be extremely disappointed if I receive the smaller brakes. (I'm now expecting to) I think I will be adding a further complaint to the list.

Two pages from the October 2013 Brochure (think it was the first one to feature the vRS)

 

Extract pages from brochure_octavia.pdf

 

Extract pages from brochure_octavia2.pdf

 

I think the reference is meant to say something like "brakes require 17" wheels" but was lost in translation Nothing else makes sense

 

Hope it helps

I'm expecting my call back today, I'm not in any way wanting the parts retro fitted (although I'd seriously consider it in the unlikely event it was offered), I want them to acknowledge the error they have made in changing a major "performance" aspect of their flagship "performance" model and accept that buyers and potential buyers should have been informed and I would like some sort of recompense for this. I took many things into consideration when buying this car and those brakes were one of them, I'm feeling increasingly conned it has not been delivered as expected.

I tell you what though if the axles/drive shafts have also been "downgraded" in such a way that they can no longer take the brake set up originally fitted to the model in question that rings massive alarm bells to me, it would appear that "performance" is not in any way a priority for the VRS tag anymore, at least not the diesel variant anyway.

I'll also be asking for any explanations in writing too.

Edited 16 May, 201610 yr by VRS1878

To be honest I can see nothing that they could have done that would realistically stop you fitting the larger disks. Whether you would want to is a different matter. People have been fitting bigger brakes to cars forever, the limiting factor tends to be the clearance to the wheel fitted. They are just trying a bit of BS baffles brains. 

 

The only thing they may have done is adjusted the springs and dampers to match the lower unsprung weight of the smaller brakes (it is not an insignificant amount of weight) if you just stick the weight of the 340s back on without changing them it may possibly upset the ride a bit. A check of part numbers would easily confirm that.

 

All highly unlikely, but possible.

Thanks for those pages, flybynite. it looks like they listed the brakes as 17" from launch, then realised the error after the March 14 brochure. As you say, probably got lost in the translation. (just like huge sections of the owners manual!).

 

Let's hope VRS1878 gets a sensible and constructive reply.

 

I don't think they can argue that the diesel version is not a "performance" car - anything that can do over 140mph and 0-60 under eight seconds still counts in my book.

I have been following this thread with interest..... My PCP is coming up in December and another vRS was on the cards..... This is looking less and less likely....

I think this falls into two issues really. If I had bought a car on the basis of what the car was at the time and what I received was different (say, to the one I saw in the showroom) I would be hacked off (unless it was better!). They may have the right to alter the spec but they should inform people with pending orders of any significant changes through the dealer network and give them choices. You expect it a bit over the MY change period but this was pretty random. Because it was not overtly written in the advertised spec at the time it makes things a bit more difficult.

 

As to to what brakes should be on the car it is less clear. The 312/272 setup is on the 1.8TSi and the Golf GTi which are in the same performance bracket without issue. I use them daily without issue.

 

Just as we get V8 performance of yesterday from a 2.0 other things have moved on a bit, however in the great scheme of things 312mm is not a small disk especially if you drop it on your foot 

 

I have always wondered about the use of the 340x30mm front disks without the corresponding 310x25 vented rear disks that are used elsewhere in the VAG range, (like the GTi Performance Pack or the Cupra) especially on a road car.