Fabia mk3 Red Line, have Skoda lost the plot?

[Raker]

On 27/01/2018 at 12:38, globalste said:

I drove the new Tsi engine as a courtesy car, I think it was 90bhp but not sure.  Anyway, it was a brilliant car, quite pokey off the mark but not much torque on the motorway for overtaking, but would happily sit at 70mph.  The car had a 6spd gearbox and it easily did 50+ mpg on the motorway, I was quite staggered and almost gutted I didn’t spend the extra on the newer petrol montecarlo!  I can squeeze 58-63mpg out of mine on a sensible motorway run.

 

Ive had my montecarlo a 9mths and the naughty dealership did the emissions update without asking me when diagnosing a rattle.  It’s run ok so far, I’m going to keep it maybe another 9mths as I have the VAG trusted measures thing which is effectively 2yrs warranty on your DPF, EGR, turbo (and anything else you can wrinse out of the emissions hotline) and then I will offload it.

 

ive noticed that the sale price of similar Monte Carlo cars is currently higher than when I bought mine, so currently, I’m not suffering from depreciation.  

 

You could get a small small loan out, pay off what you owe now and keep the car, get the emissions update (current data suggests the 1.6 doesn’t suffer like the 2.0) and you’ve got 2yrs of VAG trusted measures.  Then part-ex it when it’s likely to have blown over because there is another motoring scandal the tabloids want to lay into.

 

******* won't remove the decals!  Claim that they're 'put on a certain way to last 10 years and removing them will damage the paint'.  Wtf!?  Ha ha ha!!!! 

[Ootohere]

^^^ 

They just make it up.

Hot air gun and off they come, They are not applied and lacquered over.

[Raker]

11 minutes ago, AwaoffSki said:

^^^ 

They just make it up.

Hot air gun and off they come, They are not applied and lacquered over.

 

I thought not.  They just can't be arsed.  Also read through the proposed PCP agreement today and the car's cash price is £11,250, not £10,995 as advertised.  Weird one.  I fecking hate sorting out cars.  It's been a right pain in the arse this time around.  :(

[Ootohere]

There will be bargains to be had as the year progresses. 

They are not selling loads of cars and it looks like manufacturers will be dropping models and engines (diesels & petrols) as they get to having cars that have undergone the Real World Emissions tests. 

 

[Raker]

49 minutes ago, AwaoffSki said:

There will be bargains to be had as the year progresses. 

They are not selling loads of cars and it looks like manufacturers will be dropping models and engines (diesels & petrols) as they get to having cars that have undergone the Real World Emissions tests. 

 

 

I've got until the end of March [PCP] to pay for the current car, go through a 4-week VT debacle or swap it.  I want this Redline - the stripes are a deal breaker.  They'll be having it in Newport.  Bloody *******.  Grrrr.

[Radders1977]

Whys no one a fan of the redline?

[SurreyJohn]

10 hours ago, Radders1977 said:

Whys no one a fan of the redline?

 

Probably because many on this forum grew up in 1970s and early 1980s

 

consequently associate these go-faster stripes with worst of boy racers and the naff things that people with 5p budgets did to cars then.  It’s like bringing back soap-on-a-rope.

 

 

 

[Dr Zoidberg]

On 08/02/2018 at 18:49, Raker said:

 

I thought not.  They just can't be arsed.  Also read through the proposed PCP agreement today and the car's cash price is £11,250, not £10,995 as advertised.  Weird one.  I fecking hate sorting out cars.  It's been a right pain in the arse this time around.  :(

 

They are probably concerned that if they go to remove the stripes and accidentally damage the paintwork, you won't want the car and they'll struggle to sell it to anyone else.

Personally I quite like them, but if you are convinced they come off easily then do it after purchase.

[Ootohere]

^^^ Exactly.

 

Skoda did these 'Limited Edition' s2000.

Not many around with the Decals / Wrap on, even Dealerships would remove it.

(Some had their own applied after they had left the factory and they were not s2000)

Edited 11 February, 2018 by AwaoffSki

[Radders1977]

4 hours ago, SurreyJohn said:

 

Probably because many on this forum grew up in 1970s and early 1980s

 

consequently associate these go-faster stripes with worst of boy racers and the naff things that people with 5p budgets did to cars then.  It’s like bringing back soap-on-a-rope.

 

 

 

I think it looks ok, different to all the other fabias on the road  (although mine might come off and the mirrors go to black)

[Raker]

Dealers refused again point blank to remove the stripes.  I haven't got the time or the inclination to remove them myself - I just want to pick the car up and drive the thing.    Found a Monte Carlo for similar money with same engine so we're getting that hopefully. 

 

[Skodaboy1983]

On 8 February 2018 at 18:27, Raker said:

 

******* won't remove the decals!  Claim that they're 'put on a certain way to last 10 years and removing them will damage the paint'.  Wtf!?  Ha ha ha!!!! 

 

From the one I looked at, if you caught the strip the wrong way at say the edge on the bonnet with a wash mitt it could easily start to peel.

 

Think the dealer is talking rubbish about removing the stickers as you will prob find the stripes may go on the car at the dealers at a graphics specialist.

 

Davy

[Ootohere]

& if it is not sold / first registered by the end of the quarter it will get First Registered, maybe then be used as a Demonstrator and after 3 months / 3,000 miles be sold.

If nobody buys it because they hate the stripes they might just get removed.  Just the usual Main Dealership story.

 

Someone will buy though, and just go to some detailer maybe and have the stripe removed. 

'Simply Clever' simply done.

[Raker]

23 hours ago, AwaoffSki said:

& if it is not sold / first registered by the end of the quarter it will get First Registered, maybe then be used as a Demonstrator and after 3 months / 3,000 miles be sold.

If nobody buys it because they hate the stripes they might just get removed.  Just the usual Main Dealership story.

 

Someone will buy though, and just go to some detailer maybe and have the stripe removed. 

'Simply Clever' simply done.

 

True.  Although the Monte Carlo is a much nicer spec.  Not surprised they didn't offer i to us though - it would have made things far too easy. 

 

[Radders1977]

1 hour ago, Raker said:

 

True.  Although the Monte Carlo is a much nicer spec.  Not surprised they didn't offer i to us though - it would have made things far too easy. 

 

What do you get on the monte carlo that you dont on the redline, apart from the panoramic roof?

[Raker]

On 2/12/2018 at 20:15, Radders1977 said:

What do you get on the monte carlo that you dont on the redline, apart from the panoramic roof?

 

Nicer [imo] alloys, fogs, and in this instance less miles and no stupid decals. 

[dnlbwls]

tbh the engine power is apparently good for 177bhp so i have read they are trying to tweak it for a vw range car , don't think it's too bad tbh a car's a car probably still go further than a bmw in snow and ice lol

 

[Guest]

On 11/02/2018 at 13:05, Raker said:

Dealers refused again point blank to remove the stripes.  I haven't got the time or the inclination to remove them myself - I just want to pick the car up and drive the thing.    Found a Monte Carlo for similar money with same engine so we're getting that hopefully. 

 

 

It's usual for dealers to refuse to remove such a large amount of stickeridge on a new car! If you take a hot air gun to the stickers it's likely the process will damage the paint.The paint is still quite vulnerable as it's a new car.  The adhesive they use on the stickers these days is not designed to be removed unless the panels are being treated (resprayed). While it's possible most of the stickers would come off without any real problems, there is a very high possibility that the paint will be damaged somewhere on the car and it will need some airbrushing or better still a complete respray to a panel. That's costly for them and unwarranted on a new car. This has an effect on the factory paint warranty too and the dealer becomes the fall guy as they have to pick up the pieces if everything goes bad down the road, not Skoda. In other words you'd be buying a car that doesn't have a proper paint warranty. Very undesirable for both parties as you will be the guy doing the jumping up and down when the paint starts to show blistering, flaking, discolouration, or other damage a year or so down the line. If you don't like the stickers it's best to avoid it and do as you are doing. Good luck mate!

[Ootohere]

Fortunately they remove easily without damage to the Factory Paint from the Red Line.

[dnlbwls]

only gone out and bought one with trade in slightly over 8k with less than 2.500 miles on it why not petrol  not coming down anytime soon full tank with it and shine whatsimijig all over prob be last car i get anyway for 10 years anyhow

 

[Guest]

21 hours ago, Offski said:

Fortunately they remove easily without damage to the Factory Paint from the Red Line.

 

Not what I'm hearing from the my nephew's body shop (where I occasionally fill in when they are short of people). The adhesive is different now, as is the make up of the stickers themselves. This has been done for reasons of durability to actually make sure they don't come off. Mind you, I've never tried to remove any myself from a Redline but it didn't go well on a Corsa which has the same new type of stickers. it's lots of work to get the paint back. Dealers aren't daft...just saying be careful if anyone is entertaining this idea

[Ootohere]

I have removed them from a Mk3 Fabia, has your nephew?

 

Do not ask a Dealership to do it then, (leave them to do it themselfs on vehicles that are not selling because of rubbish factory applied decals, or on the likes of the 230 stickers on an Octavia Mk3 vRS 230, or Sport stickers on a non Sporty Skoda Rapid),

best ask a Bodyshop or detailer that can assess and do without damage, or can guarantee no paint damage will result from removal.

Edited 26 May, 2018 by Offski

[Guest]

My nephew is an independent VW/PORCHE approved body shop. Believe me, he knows his stuff. The point being that many body shops now won't g'tee that the stickers will come off without some damage of some sort. But, there is a difference between you or some other owner removing stickers and a dealer doing it, who has to g'tee no damage now or in the future. I've removed more stickers than you've had hot dinners, but I'm kinda nervous about doing it now on some new motors as I've seen the damage it can do if you are unlucky.

Edited 26 May, 2018 by Estate Man

[Ootohere]

If he knows his stuff, then has there been an issue removing the stripes / decals from a Mk3 Fabia or not?

Did it ruin the paint?

[Guest]

Hi Offski, what model year was the car you removed stickers from on a Fab Mk3? It's a very recent thing I understand. I don't know if my nephew's body shop has had any issue with the new Fabia Mk3 stickers. They have had issues with Vauxhall and some Mitsubishi. The point I am making is that the dealer has probably been made aware of the fact there are possible issues with the newer stickers on just about every make of car now. It's also probably written into his franchise agreement NOT to remove or alter new cars that are up for sale. That's usual and he will be in breach of his agreement if he does remove stickers and often of course the cars will not belong to the registered keepers but to VW/Skoda finance who do not officially allow the removal of stickers during their ownership of the car. Note also I said possible issues with sticker removal. It's not a given there will be a problem but the chances of a problem are much higher now because of changes to the stickers. When I removed the stickers from a Corsa, 98% of the removal went well with just a little extra heat being needed, then suddenly I was left with a couple of areas of exposed primer, such was the adhesion of the sticker. Even with good heat it pulled the topcoat right off. It was probably also down to a weakness with the original paint adhesion. But that's the point. You cannot g'tee no damage and in a professional situation it's a load of hassle and costly. I had to repaint an entire panel, and guarantee it. 

 

After careful research, I found you can use this method....it works!

 

 

Photo Courtesy of: Transversetight & Streetfire

Edited 26 May, 2018 by Estate Man