OK, you've probably read about my woes at the moment. I'd like to take it up with Skoda as I'm fairly sure (as are the engineers I've talked to) that my engine failure was related to fatigue, rather than modifications. OK they may have accelerated the process and I don't want to appear to be extracting the urine, but my car has only done 120,000 miles and should be covered by warranty (at least partly). To me a conrod snapping (especially in the way it did ie lengthways rather than widthways) is not "wear and tear".

I know I'm probably flogging a dead horse on this and have already managed to find a replacement engine (cheers Paul Palmer and Des ) but I feel the need to moan at someone

Thank you!

Well, I can't help with any suggestions about who to talk to at Skoda (cue LadyLoki?), but I imagine if you get past the wall of pen-pushers and bean counters, and talk to a real engineer, they might actually be willing to buy back the engine. It must be a unique testbed - especially if its ultimate demise was due to metal fatigue or a manufacturing flaw rather than neglect or abuse (abuse? nah ).

From what you told me I would agree. They just dont break that way & despite all the hard testing you did I would still feel as you do

Niki is probably your first port of call & she should be able to suggest someone to contact.

It might be an idea to try & talk to someone in the competition department, they will probably have experience of many Blow ups & might have similar experiences, if not its pointing more to a fault.

Also why not talk to VW, Audi or their competition departments, after all they all use the same engine as a basis.

They wont be able to help but they may just give you some amo to throw at Skoda.

Having said all that, ITS DONE WELL Hasnt it. If that had been a Subaru you would be on the 4th or 5th lump by now

At worst they should at least have the decency to provide a replacement conrod......... :(

At worst they should at least have the decency to provide a replacement conrod......... :(

lol.. and ablock and piston and valves that were damaged by the conrod when it went.

btw Kris Nissen is very high up (very) at VW motorsport.. and as a former DTM star am pretty sure he would know who to talk to about your engine Jon. If only you knew a personal friend of his who could find out for you....

It might be an idea to try & talk to someone in the competition department' date=' they will probably have experience of many Blow ups & might have similar experiences, if not its pointing more to a fault.

[/quote']

Didier and Toni are pointing to the engine (which is basically a bored out 1.8T) as the most underperforming part in Skoda's WRC equasion, so you might be on to something there, Stuart...

Perhaps you could ask if this was one of their reasons for changing the warranty from unlimited mileage to 60,000 miles :sqwink: If moddying it was the cause then fine but to not investigate and dismiss out of hand that is out of order.

Keep on at them and good luck.

Having said all that, ITS DONE WELL Hasnt it. If that had been a Subaru you would be on the 4th or 5th lump by now

Glad I didn't buy a Scooby then - that suggests their engines only last between 20,000 and 30,000 miles. I'd have needed a new one already!! :(

Perhaps you could ask if this was one of their reasons for changing the warranty from unlimited mileage to 60' date='000 miles :sqwink: If moddying it was the cause then fine but to not investigate and dismiss out of hand that is out of order.

Keep on at them and good luck.[/quote']

I may be wrong, but isnt the first 2 years of the warranty still unlimited mileage, but year 3 only applies up to 60 K ? :confused:

I may be wrong, but isnt the first 2 years of the warranty still unlimited mileage, but year 3 only applies up to 60 K ? :confused:

I think that is the case since 1 April 2002. My car was registered at the end of March 2002 so has unlimited mileage cover in the third year.

I think that is the case since 1 April 2002. My car was registered at the end of March 2002 so has unlimited mileage cover in the third year.

Wooo Hooo !!

Thanks Denis !!!

My dealer said my car was on 2yrs UL + 1yr to 60k.

The car was registered at the end of March, so I made a call to Skoda Towers (where someone picked up the phone without realising, so I had a five minute "evesdrop" into a conversation about Austin Powers !!).

Anyway I called back & spoke to Jeremy who agreed with the dealer, Aha I said what about the April 1st change date ?? He went away to check & Bingo !!

3 Years Unlimited !!!

Guess I will be keeping the car longer than I expected !!

Graham

3 Years Unlimited !!!

Guess I will be keeping the car longer than I expected !!

Does that mean you will only own a car that's covered by a warranty, Graham?

Do others have this policy too?

Do you all throw away your domestic appliances etc. when the warranty expires, too?

Inquiring minds want to know ...

Do you all throw away your domestic appliances etc. when the warranty expires, too?

They usually break shortly after the expiry period, and it's usually the case that I'll either want a better one anyway, or the cost of repair is uneconomical.

I'd run a car out of warranty though, I'd just be less fussy about things going wrong (eg. one strip of the heated rear window fails, under warranty get the screen replaced, out of my own pocket I'll get used to it)...

Rob.

I actually quite like it when stuff I own goes out of warranty, because it means I can fiddle with stuff myself. When it runs out on my car, I'll be much more willing to get hands on with it, and be more willing to alter things that I may have been in two minds about.

I'm lucky to have a couple of mechanically minded mates who can also help me out of any sticky situations. (like recently when an expensive bedside lamp bust - two of us took it to bits and the one with a degree in electronic engineering got an old switch wired into the main lead, and connected the lamps internal wires to be permanently "live")

Whenever anyone, and I mean ANYONE, tries to flog extended warranty on items I buy, especially domestic appliances, I always tell them, politely of course, where they can go. "please remove ones-self in a sexual fashion"

This is the first time I've had the luxury of a three-year warranty

The Citro

Whenever anyone, and I mean ANYONE, tries to flog extended warranty on items I buy, especially domestic appliances, I always tell them, politely of course, where they can go. "please remove ones-self in a sexual fashion"

Oh...maybe I'm just cruel, but I like to encourage them to try and sell it to me for 20 minutes before I say no...

Rob.

"maybe?"

Getting the sales hopes up of some spotty 18 year old trainee in Dixons for 20 minutes, and then pi55ing on his bonfire... Sounds like real cruelty to me!

No harm in them trying it on, I always think, unless it's during the January sales when shopping for 'leccy gizmos get's very stressful.

No harm in them trying it on, I always think, unless it's during the January sales when shopping for 'leccy gizmos get's very stressful.

Though whenever you actually *want* them to try and sell you something, they're bloody useless. Like when I wanted to buy a fridge - wander round the fridges looking for someone to help, 15 minutes later someone comes along who I then have to *ask* to help me. Give them the model number I'm after, they type it into their computer and say "no, we don't have that one".

And that is the end of the conversation. No attempt is made to sell a similar brand, or to take your number to call you when stock arrives, or to be in any way helpful in the slightest.

I'm not sure if a lot of these salespeople have been told *not* to give the hard sell, and have mistaken this for not making any effort at all.

So I feel no guilt whatsoever when I've gone to all this trouble and then I make them beg me to do their finance deal and take their extended warranty...

Rob.

Oh...maybe I'm just cruel' date=' but I like to encourage them to try and sell it to me for 20 minutes before I say no...

Rob.[/quote']

not cruel, sporting, after all, you are giving them a chance :rofl:

not cruel, sporting, after all, you are giving them a chance

That's the illusion I'm creating for them, but in reality I'm never ever going to say "yes" to them...unless they're offering me another coffee...

Rob.

I think that is the case since 1 April 2002. My car was registered at the end of March 2002 so has unlimited mileage cover in the third year.

It doesn't matter either way to me.

Unless there's a drastic change in my circumstances (something like being stupid enough to work down south again :p ) then there's no way the car will get anywhere near 60K in 3 years.

Ahhhh the joys of a company van

Does that mean you will only own a car that's covered by a warranty, Graham?

No Nick, not necessarily, but it means that I Definitely WILL NOT be changing it until the warranty runs out !!

Do you all throw away your domestic appliances etc. when the warranty expires' date=' too?

Inquiring minds want to know ...[/quote']

NO not when the warranty runs out because as we all know (& so eloquently put by Jason) extended warranties are not worth a kick up the A**e !!

No, I tend to upgrade frequently !!

:bouncer: "OoooH Look this one goes Ping AND has Flashing lights !!!" :bouncer:

One more point regarding an extended warranty, The Curry's, Dixons of this world will sell you a warranty knowing that they will make profit on the sale of it, try to claim & you struggle. The warranty you get with a car is different as the dealer effectively is happy for you to claim on it as this generates income for him which he re-claims !!!

or I am I just a Cynic ???

G.

Sorry Jon, Totally OT !!

Well that sparked some interesting OT debate. I asked because although I have driven company cars with warranties, this has been the first car I've ever owned with any warranty other than the usual 3 months given by a garage written on bog paper. And pretty useful it's proved, a couple of times. However I'm not sure I'll miss it that much now it's expired. I can, if I choose, now go back to my favourite independent garage for my servicing, knowing I'll pay cheaper rates and get a more professional job.

I've never bought a new car, so was interested to see if the warranty was one of the things that made people do that. I thought perhaps people like yourself, Graham, bought a new car and replaced it each time before the warranty ran out so as to be permanently protected. It had never occurred to me before that you could do that (naive, or what?!). I will probably still never buy a new car though, unless I win the lottery, and I never buy tickets, so that's unlikely ....

Hijack over :p

Nick , the vRs is the first new car I have bought in 25 years , and one of the reasons I bought was for the 3 year warranty .........and what do I do within 8 months of ownership ........I have it remapped ! , hopefully as I only do 10K miles per year , the warranty issue won't occur .

After 3 years I probably will get rid of it , and hopefully have a newer version of the vRS , if it is available , if not I would be more than happy to stay with Skoda in one form or another , as the other main reason I bought a Skoda was for the value for money .

Nick,

I did not buy the car from new (it was a demo). I like you would not normally buy a new car as the first 12 month loss would make me weep uncontrollably.

The demo car had 6.5K off of list when I bought it at 4k miles.

I get a very generous mileage allowance from my company, which effectively means that the car pays for itself (purchase & running costs) in 2 years max.

As it is my car, it is in my best interests to minimise my losses.

It hurt to let my Vectra V6 go for 3.5K, but it was effectively pure profit as the car was paid for & more !!

:drive:

Graham