Scum in coolant reservoir

[spinifex]

Yeh - Skoda Assist has helped out by paying for a hire car for the first week at least.... which is good.  I can't complain about that.  Will see what happens if it goes past this coming Wednesday if they continue to pay for the hire or not.

[spinifex]

So it appears the cause is a broken oil-cooler/radiator - which apparently in the Octy III, is a single-piece unit.  Unsure if this is common, but the issue is apparently common in earlier VAG cars, like Passats and Jettas in the early 2000's.
I'm surprised the engineering issue hasn't been rectified in the last 10-15 years or so.

So the replacement has been ordered from Germany - because there's no spares available in Australia.
So could be a few more weeks till it arrives and gets installed.

I asked if Skoda would authorise just removing a radiator/cooler unit from a stock car awaiting sale, to repair mine, and then replace that one when the new item arrives from Germany. I'm not holding out much hope on this, but it would A: get my car back to me quicker, and B: save them another couple of weeks of paying for my hire car.

[spinifex]

Quick update for those interested:  spoke to the mechanic today at some length. He was awesome and explained everything clearly, and not once did I feel he was bullsh**ting me, which put my mind at ease.

It appears the oil cooler has developed a leak - they think that once it's removed and inspected, it will be something simple like a baffle plate internally has come loose/not been welded in place properly, which has caused it to break loose and allow the mixing of fluids.

They've got about 99% of the parts coming from Sydney warehouse (should have arrived today) and there's just one little valve or something that wasn't available, so it's been ordered from Germany.

But on checking their stock control system, it appears a couple are already on their way from a previous restocking order and are already in Singapore, so hopefully they will arrive in Sydney in the next few days, then overnight bag to Brisbane again to finish it off.

They're basically replacing everything coolant related - radiator, oil cooler, all hoses, thermostat and water pump even!
I can't complain too much about that, as it seems pretty comprehensive.
The only thing they're not replacing is the heater core, which is inside the cabin and would require removing the dash, which I'm glad they're not doing. A thorough flush through with whatever solvent they use should get rid of any gunk....

So hopefully only another 4 or 5 days to get it all back and running again.

They're also going to drain/replace the engine oil & filter - they've taken some samples for testing, to see if it's contaminated at all, but visual inspection appears to be clean new oil in very good condition.

So, just a waiting game for the next few days to see what comes about once it's all finished.

I must say - while this is frustrating, and a lot of my friends/family are giving me the typical "you bought a lemon" crap, I've hopefully just been unlucky and got that one bad apple from the tree. The car has performed brilliantly and I've loved every moment in it, in the 2 short weeks I've owned it before pulling it off the road.

Looking forward to getting it back though..... a Kia Cerato just doesn't cut it!!! (the hire car Skoda have paid for, while mine is out of action - another thing I can't complain about)

[octavia5]

Sounds like you are on the home straight - hope it all goes well

[octavianestate]

Good luck. Lets hope nothing else goes wrong for you. Remember though this was a new car?? Correct me if I'm wrong, so you should be seeking some goodwill gesture(s) for your inconvenience.

Its not exactly a minor fault/glitch.

[spinifex]

That's true.

I figure the fact that Skoda Assist is paying for a hire car for me in the interim, is enough goodwill.  I'm not exactly covered for it under their usual policy - they would normally only provide a hire car for up to 3 days, IF you are stranded with a breakdown more than 100km from home, so I figure that's a pretty big gesture of goodwill.

 

And the service agent is part of the same dealership-group where I bought the car - but they are Jeep & Chrysler dealers.  They've only just expanded to take on Skoda as an additional manufacturer, so I can't push there too hard.

I plan on continuing there for my servicing needs - again for future goodwill - mainly due to the fact I've heard bad things and had my own negative experience with the "main" Skoda service agents/dealership in my city which would be where most people use for servicing.

(The actual dealership I bought from, is located about 200km away in another city)

[spinifex]

OK - further update regarding the car.

Firstly - I have NOTHING bad to say about the service agent/dealership.  They've been nothing but helpful all through this, and the holdups seem to have been with Skoda Australia identifying & authorising the repair, and now waiting for parts from overseas.

 

BUT - I have a gripe with Skoda...... I've had possession of the car for a total of 19 days since I bought it.  Then it got towed to the repairer and it's been there for 16 days.  The parts are still several days away, then another day or so for the repair to be finished then another day for it to be returned to me.  So it will be OUT of my possession for longer than I've had it.

 

NOW:  While I fully understand Skoda is a relatively new brand in Australia, with not many dealerships, I find it astounding that in a warranty case such as this (less than 1500km on the vehicle), they would not approve a warranty repair by allowing the service guy to order the required IDENTICAL parts from the VW warehouse, and the parts HAD to be ordered as genuine Skoda part numbers, from Skoda factory overseas.

 

In this electronic age - whereas the Mark 3 has electronic logbooks - I'm really p*ssed that they couldn't just use an identical part with a VW part number, and simply write it into the logbook as to what has been done.  Surely some creative accounting in honouring a warranty claim on a part number that doesn't exist (probably a total of $20 for a radiator hose) because it's VW, instead of forking-out several hundred $ of hire-car fees and heartache..... would have been more beneficial to the company, and to myself.

 

So now we wait for Australian customs to clear the container of parts, then deliver to Sydney warehouse and unpack and check into the system, then pick the urgent order and airbag it overnight to Brisbane, then another day to fit, flush, fill and test the system, finish the warranty paperwork, road test, and then another day for me to arrange getting over there to pick up the car and return the hire-car.

 

Frustrating...... not a good sign for customer service or lateral thinking, considering it's part of perhaps the largest automotive group currently in existence worldwide.

 

Needless to say - I'm desperately missing my new car!

[Gaz]

.... are giving me the typical "you bought a lemon" crap, I've hopefully just been unlucky and got that one bad apple from the tree.

 

So your friends have never experienced component failure on a car?  Lucky them.

 

I don't see any evidence you've 'bought a lemon', or a bad apple for that matter.  Sometimes things don't happen as they should during manufacturing (or build).  And then it might fail. C'est la vie.

 

Duff experience for you of course, and it must be very frustrating I'm quite sure (and I'm with you on just getting the same bit from VW), but once it's fixed and you're merrily on your way, where's the lemon then?

 

It's just unfortunate.

 

I'm one of those interested in your updates - hope it's on the road to recovery very soon.

 

Gaz

[octavianestate]

Hope your courtesy car is of equal quality to your car that's off the road?

I discussed non payment of my hire plan whilst my car was out of action. Worth doing in your case?

Goodwill, compensation call it what you like but I would chase it.

Enjoy the car thereafter but vote with your feet maybe?

[AccoSnr]

BUT - I have a gripe with Skoda...... I've had possession of the car for a total of 19 days since I bought it.  Then it got towed to the repairer and it's been there for 16 days.  ........ So it will be OUT of my possession for longer than I've had it.

 

NOW:  While I fully understand Skoda is a relatively new brand in Australia, with not many dealerships, I find it astounding that in a warranty case such as this (less than 1500km on the vehicle), they would not approve a warranty repair by allowing the service guy to order the required IDENTICAL parts from the VW warehouse, and the parts HAD to be ordered as genuine Skoda part numbers, from Skoda factory overseas.

 

In this electronic age - whereas the Mark 3 has electronic logbooks - I'm really p*ssed that they couldn't just use an identical part with a VW part number, and simply write it into the logbook as to what has been done.  Surely some creative accounting in honouring a warranty claim on a part number that doesn't exist (probably a total of $20 for a radiator hose) because it's VW, instead of forking-out several hundred $ of hire-car fees and heartache..... would have been more beneficial to the company, and to myself.

I'm with you on this and would have blown my gasket and everything else. But often nowadays seems customer first comes last, and certainly the more remote you are from the big guns the less responsive they become. You would think they might have their own business reputation at the front of their minds, though. Also seems they do not like people to exercise a bit of ingenuity, or people are afraid to take it on board themselves. At the end of it all I hope you get to enjoy your new car without further problems.

[spinifex]

I'm waiting for a response to my complaint email to Skoda Australia.  I'll probably end up hitting them up for either a heap of free scheduled services, or a couple of weeks of non-payment of my loan for the car.

 

I don't think JUST paying for a hire-car is enough compensation for a brand new car having such an issue.  While the mechanical "issue" itself is definitely a case of "bad luck" and I understand this, the biggest issue is something simple like genuine radiator hoses not being available in their Australian parts warehouse.  Some obscure valve or internal engine component I could understand, but something basic like a radiator hose (which is a basic inspect & maintain item) should be stock-standard spares to carry in stock.
It's the delay in sourcing this item from overseas that has caused the bulk of the issue.

 

In terms of the courtesy/hire car, it's a Kia Cerato - so NOTHING like an Octavia RS, but it's comfortable enough and I'm not complaining about that too much.

[spinifex]

OK - I finally cracked it today.

 

Have emailed both the mechanic and Skoda Australia insisting my car is repaired and returned to me by Monday next week, which will be the 3-week point of it being under repair.

 

Otherwise, I'm going to escalate it further and insist on them just replacing the car with a brand new one.

 

I think waiting 3 weeks for a repair, after owning for only 2, is being patient enough with all the excuses about "logistics" and "freight delays" on receiving a frigging radiator hose from Skoda overseas.

 

These parts should have been urgently air-mailed from wherever they come from - I shouldn't STILL be waiting for a container of Skoda parts to arrive in Australia, be cleared through customs, delivered to warehouse, received into their stock inventory & packed away in warehouse, my parts order picked & packaged, then air-bagged from Sydney to Brisbane overnight, then another day or 2 to fit, flush, test and document the required paperwork before releasing the car back to me.

 

Can't believe this debacle now and I'm seriously p*ssed at the continual delays.

 

Give me a new frigging car, and do what you like with the faulty one once the parts are available to repair it.

 

(I can hear you all saying "yeh good luck with that mate... not gonna happen")

[octavianestate]

Dont buy skoda again?

Good luck though with demanding a replacement car. Thats a tough ask.

Edited 4 November, 2016 by octavianestate

[AccoSnr]

Whether you get a replacement or not it shows you mean business, so, 'good on yer, mate'. Hope it is now soon sorted to your satisfaction.

[octavianestate]

I dont disagree. Did the same thing 2 years ago. True, in that it does send a serious message that your not happy.

I made an issue and got £1500 cash back for my troubles. Shout loud enough and you sometimes get proper compensation. Good luck.

[spinifex]

Yep thanks guys.

I don't think I've been unreasonable and I haven't been hassling the mechanic twice a day every day!

I'm going to do some calculations over the weekend as to how much this has actually cost me. I'm not out to "make money" and ask for unrealistic compensation..... I LOVE the car and seriously want it back but they can damn-well pay me for my out-of-pocket expenses so far plus some goodwill factor thrown in on top.

As others have said, I seriously doubt they'll accommodate me with a replacement vehicle - that will just cause more headaches with transferring details over on the original purchase loan, etc etc.... but I agree it shows I've had enough delays and will start shouting louder and louder until I get the car back.

I don't want to bad-mouth Skoda or the mechanic..... I know systems are I place to maintain accountability and QS and chain-of-custody and all that stuff..... but these systems MUST have some flexibility in them for redundancy and the unforeseen circumstances such as these.

SOMEONE in authority should be able to override the normal procedure when it's necessary to keep the customer happy and within a realistic timeframe.

I haven't heard back from either the mechanic or Skoda Australia since my email yesterday..... and since it's now the weekend here, I doubt I'll hear back until Monday......

[spinifex]

UPDATE:  07-Nov - YAAAAYYYY.... Car is fixed finally and back in my possession.

You can't imagine how much I was grinning like an idiot once I got back into the groove of driving it and gave it a little boot here and there.  SOOOO much better than a Kia Cerato!

I can only hope the warranty issue is now all sorted and finalised and I can get on with owning & enjoying my RS