Hi all,

 

In amongst a house purchase, new baby on the way and various other life speed bumps, our 2011 1.2 TSI octavia estate has bitten the bullet after the timing chain went a week or so ago. We bought car in 2013 at about 24000 miles and it had just reached 58000. On a short trip out to town we had the Traction control warning, followed by engine management warning. Pulled into forumla 1 garage for a diagnosis which flagged timing issues and clearly needed a mechanic with more substance. Was going to drive the 500m to our skoda dealer and the belt went and engine lost power. Mechanic friend has identified damage to pistons/ valves and suggesting a £2k job to repair but having researched further the sugestion seems to be it may need a new engine. Cars value is about £5kish. I'd welcome views on

 

-feasibility and cost of repair

- replacement engines and who to approach

-scrap and start again (and if so where to sell scrap)

 

We have moved from South London to Kent, so previouslyI would have taken car to Volksauto in Sutton, but haven;t been in the new area long enought to find a go to mechanic.

Nasty. No idea what it would fetch but might be worth selling on eBay as a non runner?

15 hours ago, W0nky said:

Hi all,

 

In amongst a house purchase, new baby on the way and various other life speed bumps, our 2011 1.2 TSI octavia estate has bitten the bullet after the timing chain went a week or so ago. We bought car in 2013 at about 24000 miles and it had just reached 58000. On a short trip out to town we had the Traction control warning, followed by engine management warning. Pulled into forumla 1 garage for a diagnosis which flagged timing issues and clearly needed a mechanic with more substance. Was going to drive the 500m to our skoda dealer and the belt went and engine lost power. Mechanic friend has identified damage to pistons/ valves and suggesting a £2k job to repair but having researched further the sugestion seems to be it may need a new engine. Cars value is about £5kish. I'd welcome views on

 

-feasibility and cost of repair

- replacement engines and who to approach

-scrap and start again (and if so where to sell scrap)

 

We have moved from South London to Kent, so previouslyI would have taken car to Volksauto in Sutton, but haven;t been in the new area long enought to find a go to mechanic.

£2k sounds ball park right if it needs head off, valve replacement, timing chain and tensioner and related bits and pieces, head gasket etc.  maybe a bit more with pistons I would of thought but if you've got a mate who's capable that helps quite a lot and probably reflected in price...

 

Depending on how hard it has hit, you might be able to get away with only the valve repair. Your mechanic friend should be able to have a look through spark plug openings with a an engine endoscope to get a better idea. Why not have more of a talk with him and get him to inspect a bit further and see what he thinks. 

 

I can empathise with the situation as a similar things the that sequence happened to me including first child!

 

I'd want to bottom out the prospects of a repair a bit further or possibly a transplant engine if non viable. It'd be a shame to write off a £5k car to give to someone else to repair and benefit from, that you know the history on and is in good condition?  You could sell on after a repair. 

Thanks, am in a similar place, ideally would have the car repaired and hold on to her, but there's a bit of a cash flow issue having just shelled out for a picasso grand. Any views on whether it would make the repair more problematic if the car sat for a month or so while I improved the cash flow situation!

Sell the Picasso

3 hours ago, W0nky said:

Thanks, am in a similar place, ideally would have the car repaired and hold on to her, but there's a bit of a cash flow issue having just shelled out for a picasso grand. Any views on whether it would make the repair more problematic if the car sat for a month or so while I improved the cash flow situation!

Yes x 2, sell the picasso! I don't think it will harm anything to let it sit for a month or so (or even a bit longer) while to consider your options and maybe buy some time for the mechanic you know to have a better inspection? You may as well disconnect the battery, or keep it charged, so it does not fail prematurely and add another £80 to your costs.  Is it safe where it is stored and on solid made up ground.

Edited 21 February, 20179 yr by TheClient

Talk to Skoda UK. This is a well known issue and should have picked up by Skoda dealer earlier on. Even though out of warranty, they may offer goodwill as timing chains should not fail at 58000 miles.

 

Correct. Try to push them and do not do anything out of any authorized dealer until you get any answer from Skoda. 

 

In my case (engine is fine - just asked them to replace whole chain kit) Skoda did not help - I have raised it directly with Volkswagen and they agreed to pay.

 

You have nothing to lose - at least try. I believe without new engine, I would not trust the car after all.

I agree it's worth a try, also agree the parts and their design, are not up to endurance expectations,  but I wouldn't get my hopes up based on my own experience with a VW group car at 4 years (edit: actually thinking about my recollection, it was nearly 5 years at the time) and under 40k miles.

 

Not a penny from VW UK! 4 out of 5 services at VW Dealerships. A known fault with a TPI issued. This was for a timing chain stretch issue on a mk5 golf.  The is no contract with VWAG or Skoda UK when you buy a used car from an independent dealer or privately or even approved used after the warranty runs out.  It is entirely at their discretion (VWAG UK) under the goodwill banner and seems to depend on how they feel at the time.

 

6 years + I don't like the chances myself but if you have some time to invest.

Edited 21 February, 20179 yr by TheClient

Talk to the Skoda dealer, and if they fob you off, as they often do, then talk directly to Skoda uk and get them to raise a case.

 

In law there all manufactured goods need to be of a reasonable quality and have a reasonable life expectancy. Timing chains are not service or wear and tear items. Quote there is a documented history of stretched and failed camchains on this and other vag forums, and the known existense of tpi's relating to this problem which is evidence of a fault acknowledged by the manufacturer. As Istanbullu did, if Skoda dont play ball, go up the tree to VAG uk. If you don't ask you won't get. Some perseverance will be required......

Those implied conditions you refer to are to do with the sale of goods (now contained in the consumer rights act), which is all consumer law based. It applies to a selling dealer only as party to the sale contract. They never applied or apply to a manufacturer themselves in the strict sense although they (the manufacturer) may have offered a manufacturer backed limited warranty when you buy a new car and have liability under that but that will be long past by the sounds of this case.

 

The effect of this is important, in that you can not bring an action against the manufacturer for consumer law based claims and implied conditions of sale where the vehicle was not purchased from them.  Only cases of negligence really can be brought against the manufacturer themselves after their liability for warranty has expired for claims like this and that is a much more difficult claim to prove than satisfactory quality or fit for purpose claims..