Like all my other cars,my MkIII has some minor niggles but on the whole it is an improvement. It has hill hold, a heated front screen and folding dipping mirrors. The seats are bigger and the car itself is larger, it rides and drives quicker and more comfortable. If you look at the Octy MkI forum there will be similar posts. If rose-tinted glasses are removed, whilst they were great cars, the MkII and the FL had some niggles and irritating, expensive faults. Minor details like wing mirrors and footrest position probably don't matter to the company when compared with simplified production costs. The truth is that Skoda has moved forward, established a brand and is leaving some of its previous owners behind.

Edited 16 December, 20169 yr by Redboy

+1

My driveway, where I park, is so narrow that I have to park with the passenger door mirror about 1/4" (6mm) from the neighbours house wall so there is enough clearance for me to get out the drivers door, so if the battery ever went flat we would have to push the car about 20 feet (6.5m) forward before being able to open the passenger door to reach the bonnet release lever before being able to charge the battery.

IMHO the bonnet release lever must always be on the drivers door side.

The issue being highlighted is that the passenger door CAN'T be opened when the battery is flat...central locking doesn't work, and door is automatically deadlocked so can't be opened from inside.

The issue being highlighted is that the passenger door CAN'T be opened when the battery is flat...central locking doesn't work, and door is automatically deadlocked so can't be opened from inside.

I know, and that's why I said that IMHO the bonnet release lever MUST always be on the drivers side, so at least you only have to open 1 door with the key.

 

I was highlighting another consequence of needing external access to BOTH doors for anyone, like me, who has to park in a confined space.

The issue being highlighted is that the passenger door CAN'T be opened when the battery is flat...central locking doesn't work, and door is automatically deadlocked so can't be opened from inside.

So if the battery is flat and the car is locked, can't it be unlocked by manually turning the key in the lock? I presume it might be a problem for KESSY but surely you must be able to undo the doors with a flat battery, otherwise it doesn't matter where the bonnet release lever is situated.

So if the battery is flat and the car is locked, can't it be unlocked by manually turning the key in the lock? I presume it might be a problem for KESSY but surely you must be able to undo the doors with a flat battery, otherwise it doesn't matter where the bonnet release lever is situated.

Yes, provided you can get access to the lock - but if, like me, the driveway where you park is so narrow that you have to park wth the passenger door (on a RHD car) within a couple of inches of a wall then you can get into the drivers door but you can't open the bonnet to be able to access the battery terminals to charge it!

Yes, provided you can get access to the lock - but if, like me, the driveway where you park is so narrow that you have to park wth the passenger door (on a RHD car) within a couple of inches of a wall then you can get into the drivers door but you can't open the bonnet to be able to access the battery terminals to charge it!

Have you actually tried?

The passengers door only needs to be opened a fraction to operate the bonnet lock - the wing mirror will take up most of that.

Attach a tow rope and pull the car out of the space to get full access.

Have you actually tried?

The passengers door only needs to be opened a fraction to operate the bonnet lock - the wing mirror will take up most of that.

The gap between the door and the two storey high wall of next doors house is about 3 inches - there's no way I can even reach the door handle from the outside let alone open it! And as it will be deadlocked I can't open it from the inside, and without battery power I can't open the window to get to the door handle.

Edited 18 December, 20169 yr by PetrolDave