Who or what is the biggest threat to SKODA?

[Ootohere]

Skoda,

their own worst enemy.  They need a website that actually announces Recall Actions / Service Campaigns and stop calling themn Recalls if Registered Keepers are not told, or only told if a car is in at a Main Dealers.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/472548-skoda-recalls-there-are-just-so-many-and-so-many-that-never-hear-of-them

 

 

 

Edited 29 September, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Mr Grump]

Who or what is the biggest threat to SKODA?

 

IMO VW marketing/pricing and warranty methods.

When I first bought into skoda, customer service /warranty was excellent.

The battle I had getting stuff done to fix the issues I had with the Kodicrap was off-putting, although they did eventually replace the items, they failed to take note that the issue was inherently poor design/manufacture and so the replacements suffered the same fate.

Eventually I managed to swap the car with some SUK help to a Superb which was a much better built machine iMO, although I still ended up out of pocket having to foot half the bill for the exchange. This was the point at which I decided I was not buying a new Skoda again.

 

Add to that, losing a great local small independent dealer due to Skoda/VAG wanting them to conform to a showroom cookie cutter that meant it was a financial issue for a smaller dealer to conform. Result is now all the nearest Skoda dealers in the area are frankly not nice to deal with and of questionable ability.

Then there is pricing, which has crept up and now often you can comparably buy some of the so called "premium" brands (I word that word loosely because I am not into badge snobbery) for similar money.

Spec a Karoq up to the level of equipment my current car has, and it comes in at 1k more list price and that's with a much less powerful motor (190ps) as the 300ps motor (or anything near) is not available on that model.

Typically in Skoda pricing that would add another 2.5-3 K or more for the older spec 280/272ps unit (I don't understand why Skoda haven't replaced that with the 300ps unit were they do have it available TBH).

In terms of manufacturers outside of VAG, my recent experience with Kia suggest they are not quite there quality wise, but not far off, and are a reasonably amount cheaper for similarly equipped vehicles even on their most expensive cars. I can see them being a direct threat in the near future if they keep it up.

 

 

 

 

 

[johnlod]

I think always having to play second fiddle to VW is going to hurt Skoda.

 

Is there any chassis or engine design done at Skoda anymore.

 

I had a Felicia some years ago, and at least that chassis and engine were designed and manufactured by Skoda. I think one of the early Fabia's could claim the same.

[Ootohere]

Mk3 Fabia came out in 2014 and were getting to owners late 2014 to early 2015.

The Fabia started in 1999, then the Mk2 in 2007, and went to 2014 with facelifts, so the all new 3rd generation Fabia was about the 5th version.

So, 

coming up for 6 years of the mk3 and look in that section and the kind of reported faults are now appearing much the same as they did with the Mk2,

Looms of Doom type issues. Gearbox issues and the likes.

 

Look at the Karoq section and people having problems opening fuel filler flaps.

It is like Skoda never actually understood 'Vorsprung Durch Technik'.   Lets hope with Mild Hybrids, Plug in Hybrids and EV's they finally put the kind of faults that go from generation to generation and new model after new model are finally addressed.

 

Skoda did discontinue the Euro 6 1.2TSI pretty quick after its introduction and went 1.0 TSI and then 1.0TSI with GPF.

Only time tells with any VW Group engine developments and evolution. Vorsprung durch technik.  Drop them and fingers crossed the same old will not get carried over to the next lot.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/468348-fuel-leak

 

Edited 13 July, 2020 by Roottoot

[Noms]

Newbie here, and this is my first post.

Some very interesting thoughts on here, my apologies in advance for not reading all 14 pages of comments.

Interesting certainly for me, as I am coming across to SKODA from BMW.

I've had a BMW 5 Series for 6 years, and am after something more dependable, and something cheaper to repair when things do go wrong (or wear and tear).
The BMW is  a lovely car, stye, comfort and power; but is very expensive to maintain. This may be possible for some people, but just not for me.

I'm now searching for an Octavia VRS, which is a similar size to my BMW 5 Series, with hopefully a decent amount of power too.

 

I've always owned cars from the VAG as long as I've been driving (almost 30 years), the BMW was my first venture out, now I'm hoping to return to VAG land.

[Ootohere]

Skoda CZ and their parent company VW Group are the biggest threat to Skoda.

 

The poor Quality Control and releasing vehicles for sale with functions that have faults, glitches or that are not yet fit for use is an issue.

If they are just turning out as many vehicles with lower emissions as soon as they can to meet the low average they need to then that is another scandal from VW Group.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/488974-faults-reported-to-dealer

Maybe Skoda UK should be doing something more about the vehicles they import not being fit for purpose.

Maybe the Motoring Press & Journalists should be asking questions of the CEO's, Brand Directors and Board of Management of VW UK.

 

Buying & driving older Skoda really is 'Simply Clever'.

 

 

Edited 13 January, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[SiSenor]

Great original question.

 

I came into Skoda because of the reviews of the Superb (and I fell for the cycling sponsorship branding). I bought the 1.5TSI with a manual box and I love it APART from engine noises that would drive anyone crazy.

 

I can't believe the brand just ignore it. I've called and written to the CEO, but I'm told this is normal.

 

Maybe I made the mistake of falling for the veneer instead of investigating the engineering. Next...Perhaps I would head to Hyundia next (did I just say that?) or an older Merc E Class Estate.

 

 

App

 

 

[shyVRS245]

Personally having driven over 200,000 miles in various Skoda's from Fabia's to Superb's the main reason anyone buys a Skoda is not the brand name but the fact you get a lot of car for your money. They are spacious, practical choices not sexy or exciting to drive but the customer is left with 2 choices depending on budget and having had 3 Mk3 Superb's since 2016, the 1.4TSi manual SE OK but a bit boring, the rapid 2.0TSi 272 with 4WD and DSG is probably the best car Skoda currently make yet can be still economical given sufficient will power and my current diesel which after 100 days of ownership is probably the best car I have ever owned in 38 years of driving due to the equipment (has Canton, DSG, Virtual Dash, Reversing Camera, Blind Spot Monitors) yet is still on the third tank of diesel after more than 2,200 miles (3,500km) averaging 61mpg (14km per litre) which is amazing for such a large, comfortable and quiet cruiser. The sweet spot in the Superb range for me having owned SE and Sportline Plus models is my current SEL which has everything most owners require and I paid only £22,800 (less than 25,000 Euro's) for a 8 month old current 2020 face lift example (with only 6,250 miles or 10,000km) which is remarkable value in anyone's book. The 2 choices I should make clear are which engine and which level of specification to choose which makes all the difference to whether you love it our despise it.

[wellsy1]

On 20/10/2020 at 17:38, Noms said:

Newbie here, and this is my first post.

Some very interesting thoughts on here, my apologies in advance for not reading all 14 pages of comments.

Interesting certainly for me, as I am coming across to SKODA from BMW.

I've had a BMW 5 Series for 6 years, and am after something more dependable, and something cheaper to repair when things do go wrong (or wear and tear).
The BMW is  a lovely car, stye, comfort and power; but is very expensive to maintain. This may be possible for some people, but just not for me.

I'm now searching for an Octavia VRS, which is a similar size to my BMW 5 Series, with hopefully a decent amount of power too.

 

I've always owned cars from the VAG as long as I've been driving (almost 30 years), the BMW was my first venture out, now I'm hoping to return to VAG land.

Hi , 

sorry this is a late reply to your question. 
for me I wouldn’t touch Skoda if your issues with bmw are repair costs. 
skodas are not cheap any more and the repair costs are crazy . 
ive just been quite £850 for a engine coolant flush Only at a dealer . 
im also not sure how they get ratings  so high.  I purchased my new Octavia 4 years ago and I would say it’s been the worse car I’ve owned. Noisy lack of refinement And repairs Bills are crazy . 

[Baxlin]

We have had two previous Skodas, (Fabias) the 1.2 3cyl kept needing new coil packs, and it’s replacement had the infamous 1.6 Golf diesel, which (we should have known better) wasn’t good for the short journeys it was used for. 

 

It was replaced with a Nissan Note, and we soon read the doom and gloom merchants on that forum.

 

My new (to me, anyway) Octavia replaced a Volvo, which in the 4 years I had it, cost me at least half of what I paid for it originally in major repairs.  Not alone, according to the Volvo forum.

 

As I had a Merc a few years ago, I still read the Merc forum. And although my car had no problems whatsoever, many forum members have different experiences.

 

I suppose what I’m saying is that car-wise, forums tend to report more bad news than good, and from what I’ve seen, Skodas seem to be no worse than any other.

 

I hope I’m not wrong (I bought extended warranty just in case......🤫)

[wellsy1]

Extended warranty is a good idea. 
I was really looking forward to the Octavia, i liked the looks ( I know some say it’s boring but I liked it) and space was good . However refinement is very poor. I find it uncomfortable to drive on poor motorways for long distance.  
the issue I find crazy, now my warranty as ended Are repairs are crazy . Silica bag design in the engine coolant reservoir means engine massive bill just to change engine coolant . 
Hopefully you want have these issues with your extended warranty 

[Noms]

8 hours ago, wellsy1 said:

Hi , 

sorry this is a late reply to your question. 
for me I wouldn’t touch Skoda if your issues with bmw are repair costs. 
skodas are not cheap any more and the repair costs are crazy . 
ive just been quite £850 for a engine coolant flush Only at a dealer . 
im also not sure how they get ratings  so high.  I purchased my new Octavia 4 years ago and I would say it’s been the worse car I’ve owned. Noisy lack of refinement And repairs Bills are crazy . 

Thanks for your reply. An update from my last post on this thread is that I actually purchased an Octavia VRS 230 a few weeks ago.

I would say that compared to the BMW, there is no comparison on refinement. The materials used in the Skoda are obviously cheaper, the sound insulation is extremely poor and the car as a whole feels much 'lighter', and less 'solid'.

However, to put things into perspective with regards to my BMW ownership, I had the car for almost 7 years.

For the first 14 months, everything was fine. Then things started to break down. Immediately 2 injectors needed replacing along with other parts. The car became non-driveable. And his continued every year. Every time something would go wrong, I would get it fixed, and a year later, something else would go wrong. To the extent that last year the ECU short circuited and needed replacing.

In 7 years of ownership, I have spent in the region of £10,000 on repairs at an independent garage that has very reasonable rates, (it's the cost of the parts which is eye watering).

When purchased, the car had done 72k miles, and has now reached 85k miles, so I have driven around 13k miles in 7 years.

I was warned a few months ago by my indy that pretty soon, the injectors would need replacing again (yes, all 6 of them). Thankfully I was able to part exchange the car when purchasing the VRS.

 

I have realised that with Skoda, the quality and refinement will never be the same as the BMW. However it's fun to drive, the leather seats are comfortable, and I'm sure I will get used to the noise.

I have already started modifying, and have a whole list of mods that I want to make.

I also realise that Skoda's don't hold their re-sale value as much as some of the other marques. But it has more power than my BMW, and is cheaper to insure, and cheaper to tax.

When things do go wrong, as they do with every vehicle, I'm hoping the parts will be cheaper to purchase than BMW parts, which will be better for my pocket.

 

[Noms]

8 hours ago, wellsy1 said:

Hi , 

sorry this is a late reply to your question. 
for me I wouldn’t touch Skoda if your issues with bmw are repair costs. 
skodas are not cheap any more and the repair costs are crazy . 
ive just been quite £850 for a engine coolant flush Only at a dealer . 
im also not sure how they get ratings  so high.  I purchased my new Octavia 4 years ago and I would say it’s been the worse car I’ve owned. Noisy lack of refinement And repairs Bills are crazy . 

Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't a 'Coolant Flush' involve forcing several litres of cleaner, water and new antifreeze through the system to get rid of all the old antifreeze and the contaminants that may have built up?

Why on earth would this cost £850?

[Baxlin]

Sounds like my Volvo, Noms!   I bought it at 28k miles, sold it at 51k.  DPF, injectors, EGR valve, Turbo, software replacement, etc etc

 
I really got my money’s worth out of the aftermarket warranty, hence buying it with the Octavia.......

 

 

[wellsy1]

3 hours ago, Noms said:

Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't a 'Coolant Flush' involve forcing several litres of cleaner, water and new antifreeze through the system to get rid of all the old antifreeze and the contaminants that may have built up?

Why on earth would this cost £850?

Good morning , 

yes you would be right. However all dealers are quoting the same ( I would say, they do replace 1 thing, coolant reservoir  Which costs£30 ) They say it will takes at least 5 hours on the computer to make sure all contaminates are out of the system. ( from talking to the last dealer I believe there could be a service bulletin from skoda /VW regarding doing this process) 
If you check out vw engine silica bag In engine coolant reservoir you will find the cause of the issue .
ive spoken to 4 Skoda dealers now and all say the same.  
ive even spoken to Skoda direct, complaining this must be a design issue. The silica bag was to help reduce the need to replace engine coolant however there are many reports on the net of the bags splitting and these deposits cause discolouration. 
So yep, normally a simple job however VW turn it into a massive repair bill for the dealers . 

[wellsy1]

3 hours ago, Baxlin said:

Sounds like my Volvo, Noms!   I bought it at 28k miles, sold it at 51k.  DPF, injectors, EGR valve, Turbo, software replacement, etc etc

 
I really got my money’s worth out of the aftermarket warranty, hence buying it with the Octavia.......

 

 

Yeah I’m definitely looking into warranty’s on my next car. Especially cars like Hyundai (5 years) Kia (7 years ) or Toyota with 5 year . When you consider the rising cost of cars ( Skoda can not be classed as a cheap car now) plus the spare part prices, companies should offer better warranties than 3 years. Especially on large components. 

[Doug1]

Don’t know about a threat!  I traded in my mk 2 Octavia for a Volvo S60.  What a mistake! Missed the practicality of the Octavia.  Also the Volvo is noisier and not as smooth being quite choppy over uneven roads.  However the seats are very comfortable and I will miss them, because the seats in the Škoda are no way near as good.  So if anyone is looking for a replacement for an Octavia please do not swap it for a 2017 style S60.  You will be disappointed.  I am just about to go back to an Octavia 1.5 petrol.

[wellsy1]

3 hours ago, Doug1 said:

Don’t know about a threat!  I traded in my mk 2 Octavia for a Volvo S60.  What a mistake! Missed the practicality of the Octavia.  Also the Volvo is noisier and not as smooth being quite choppy over uneven roads.  However the seats are very comfortable and I will miss them, because the seats in the Škoda are no way near as good.  So if anyone is looking for a replacement for an Octavia please do not swap it for a 2017 style S60.  You will be disappointed.  I am just about to go back to an Octavia 1.5 petrol.

Thanks for the heads up on Volvos,  I’ve no idea what to look for next . 
Ive got a Octavia mark 3 diesel . Def love the practical side and economy . 4 of us drove from the midlands to Brugge before Covid. Full car plus boot for of beer and we did the trip there and back on 3/4 days of a tank ! Crazy. However refinement On some roads can be terrible. Driving along the M5 a perfect example.  road, wind and engine noise boom in the cabin  
ive heard the 1.5 petrol are quiet and smooth so maybe it’s just my experience with vw Diesel engines 

[Doug1]

Just to say the latest Volvo S60 is beautiful to drive, much better then my model.  They are expensive though.

I am hoping that the 1.5 petrol version of the Octavia is a lot quieter.  I will comment in a few weeks time, once I have had chance to get used to it.

[wellsy1]

Is it the new one, Mark 4 or make 3 Octavia ? 
lots of people say the Octavia petrols are quiet so I think it’s just the diesel one. The thing I found strange, sometimes it seems quiet,, but then certain roads just drive me mad 😡. Then the combination of engine, wind and road noise can boom the cab. I think the push to reduce weight means sound proofing have been sacrificed. 

[Benjum]

If other Skoda dealerships are as bad as the one I bought my 67 Superb from, the brand is doomed! Soooo badly treated. To them, the customer's experience is unimportant.

[Doug1]

The car is the one with the twin headlights.

[wellsy1]

1 minute ago, Doug1 said:

The car is the one with the twin headlights.

Ok cool , Mark 3 face lift then. It’s got the nicer touch screen  to mine . 

[Doug1]

As long as it works I am not overly fussy.  Also I do not think the twin lights look particularly good 

[wellsy1]

1 hour ago, Benjum said:

If other Skoda dealerships are as bad as the one I bought my 67 Superb from, the brand is doomed! Soooo badly treated. To them, the customer's experience is unimportant.

I do think it’s hard to find a good dealer for most brands. With all the cars I’ve owned I’ve always used main dealer ( more fool me I guess, I pay a lot more for servicing but I felt comfortable expecting a bit of loyalty) 

Loyalty is missing from lots of companies now. 
I also think the online service records Are naughty . Ok I like the idea but they will only record services processed at a skoda dealer. You can purchase a skoda service book to collect stamps but to move over to online system and only allow dealers to record is naughty.