Our less than year old L&K seems to have an issue with the centre caps corroding. Every one on the car is doing it with the attached pic being the worst offender.

Anyone had this and is it something they'll simply replace under warranty?

Well known issue, warranty no problem, but the new ones will go the same way.

That's what I thought! Due a service soon so will get them to sort the same time, looks like it might be something done at every service then lol!

Our less than year old L&K seems to have an issue with the centre caps corroding. Every one on the car is doing it with the attached pic being the worst offender.

Anyone had this and is it something they'll simply replace under warranty?

This is normal on most brand of car.

Has anyone tried the Superskoda centre caps - and if so, are they any better lasting ?

This is normal on most brand of car.

The ones on my BMW are over 2 years old and still perfect.

The ones on my BMW are over 2 years old and still perfect.

I did use the word most.

Certainly the skoda ones do not last. The skoda is also not a so called premium brand either.

What I have noticed though that after 2 years my octavia is looking 'old' especially if side by side a Korean car or Japanese box.

It seems to be VAG - wife's Mk5 and Mk7 Golfs had/have similar, as well as with wheels, while I've never had any wheel or cap corrosion issues with multiple Hondas (which isn't a premium brand either).

 

...which tallies with my experiences in the industry - VAG take suppliers and squeeze them until they squeak, then keep squeezing.  Jap manufacturers (well, Toyota/Honda) seem to understand the Tier-1's actually need to make a profit to survive, but send in people to ensure / improve efficiency and then take a lot of the benefit (not a bad method, actually).  US manufacturers (inc. Ford and Jag) are just aggressive but historically haven't been as professional so ways to get around them / make a profit, esp. on change management.  BMW are very methodical - "THIS is the costing method we accept, either you make it work for you or you don't".  Which makes it very hard to put one past them but also very straightforward to justify genuine costs.

 

Shame, as VAG are actually making some very good cars at the moment...just not sure I'd want one outside of warranty...

Has anyone tried the Superskoda centre caps - and if so, are they any better lasting ?

I have the black VRS Superskoda centre caps & they are much better, have been on my car for over a year with no corrosion, just don't take a dirt lance close to them, as I did  :| & made the little black circle within the centre cap fall out. My own stupid fault 

I thing the VAG comment could well be true. Our old mk5 golf gti suffered terrible white worm on the badges and centre caps. Never noticed it on any other cars I've owned!

Mine are knackered to. Im not even going to ask the dealer as most likely thay will try to avoid replacing them and probably spin some bull why there not covered.

Its only a bit of printed foil with lacquer on top, so quickly degrades.

Think if you pressure wash it too much or use wheel cleaner it might not help.

I had the caps on my 2010 Ibiza changed under warranty after twelve months or so, similarly I had the caps on my 2011 Leon changed. It is a little surprising as both cars had winter wheels on over the winter so did not endure salt from the roads.

I'm expecting to have to hassle the dealer for my current Leon as I'm sure the problem has not yet been rectified yet.

Its only a bit of printed foil with lacquer on top, so quickly degrades.

Think if you pressure wash it too much or use wheel cleaner it might not help.

Probably true.

Maybe this is the only car brand that will actively corrode through taking 'care' of it by washing it regularly.

VAG should have a disclaimer in their car manuals "frequent cleaning of your car may cause corrosion problems" ;-)

Same ****, different model.

Basically they cant engineer foil badges to not corrode for the pennies they pay for them.

So they take the approach that its cheaper to replace some under warranty for the few owners who care about the car's appearance.

Basically they cant engineer foil badges to not corrode for the pennies they pay for them.

So they take the approach that its cheaper to replace some under warranty for the few owners who care about the car's appearance.

Totally logical.

Same principle for the 'leaking' power tailgate struts.

I was naive to think that as most of the VAG parts are shared between the brand a certain level of quality was mandatory.....wrong.

Thing is my elegance spec is not looking elegant lol. For what is far from a basic spec (S,SE,Greenline,blackline) it certainly does not have an air of quality anywhere.