Time from Emden

[MrTrilby]

26 minutes ago, mantrahalos said:

 

Anyone know what the cost of wireless charging as an extra was on a lower spec car? 

 

Thanks.

 

M.

 

 

I’ve attached the relevant part of the price list from February. It was a £370 option for our SEL, and a £280 option on the Edition -cheaper to reflect that the Edition comes with the colour trip computer and wireless charging as standard. The trip computer is a £90 option, so on that basis, the wireless charger is “free”. 

 

Our dealer has  said absolutely nothing to me yet about the issue, and my car is being built next week. Clearly I’m not going to be getting the wireless charging, but I will be checking very carefully to make sure the other aspects of the £370 Technology pack are included in our build, and considering our options if they’re not. It’s a question of how big a deal it is for you - wireless charging helped sway our decision away from the Tiguan AllSpace, which at least according to the VW promotional material still comes with wireless charging as standard. 

[mantrahalos]

Thanks Mr Trilby - I'll give them a call tomorrow to see what the situation is.  Not sure I understand the  £280 for the edition, as the wireless kit is standard  on the car?

 

I'll feedback in here when I know what is going on -   Not impressed it is likely to delay the pick up date either. 

 

M.

 

 

[TumnusCat]

I'd also be really concerned about the future value etc. Would you buy a car that you knew had something disabled because it wasn't safe? I find it hard to accept in a new car.

[Jfhuk]

I think they have to either remove the chargers as a recall or fix them.  The last thing the VAG group needs is another scandal.

[MrTrilby]

13 minutes ago, mantrahalos said:

Thanks Mr Trilby - I'll give them a call tomorrow to see what the situation is.  Not sure I understand the  £280 for the edition, as the wireless kit is standard  on the car?

 

I'll feedback in here when I know what is going on -   Not impressed it is likely to delay the pick up date either. 

 

M.

 

 

I assume the £280 on the Edition is for the WLAN, rSAP, external aerial and LTE functionality. It’s the LTE and external aerial functionality that I particularly wanted. Wife wanted the wireless charging to charge her phone with. 

[TumnusCat]

17 minutes ago, Jfhuk said:

I think they have to either remove the chargers as a recall or fix them.  The last thing the VAG group needs is another scandal.

If they remove the car is not as per the published specification on the date I ordered. That means price and terms need to be renegotiated...

[Jfhuk]

12 minutes ago, Mark1982 said:

If they remove the car is not as per the published specification on the date I ordered. That means price and terms need to be renegotiated...

They’ll probably be a lot of price and refund negotiations going on, both on new and delivered cars if they simply remove them or don’t fit them.

[Yogi-Bear]

23 minutes ago, MrTrilby said:

I assume the £280 on the Edition is for the WLAN, rSAP, external aerial and LTE functionality

 

My Edition had all that as standard.

 

And fwiw, I have noticed that my iPhone X gets rather warm when it's been on charge wirelessly in Yogi... but it doesn't when it's been sat on my Anker wireless charger on my desk. And the rubber mat of the phonebox/charger itself is slightly warm, but I wouldn't say it is overheating.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mourn the loss of wireless charging - you've got to plug your phone in anyway if you want to use CarPlay/Andoid Auto so I'm not sure I see the point of the wireless charger if I'm being brutally honest. Wireless charging and wireless CarPlay - now that would be cool (and will probably be available this time next year as it's already available in some cars). Having said all that, I would hope Skoda realise that they cannot simply remove functionality from a car and not compensate owners for it; and yes, a free service would seem to me to be about the correct level... generous enough to make me feel like they care, but not over the top like some people (and I'm not suggesting anyone on here!) will feel like they should be entitled to because they have no perspective.

 

Those who have not taken delivery should be able to cancel without penalty if they feel that strongly, but I really do not see it being grounds for rejecting the car if you have owned it for a while. But this is all speculation anyway - they may decide to replace the wireless charging units, in which case no harm done (provided they don't mess up peoples' interiors carrying out the replacements!).

[TumnusCat]

I would assume they have looked at the possibility of replacing the charging units and ruled it out for whatever reason, hence the decision to remove them from newer builds entirely.

 

I think if replacement isn't an option I would want the charging pad/ box removed completely. I wouldn't want it sitting there as a reminder of something that doesn't work. Maybe a storage box fitted in its place.

 

With regards to goodwill offers, although a free service might seem financially viable and appropriate, remember that most Kodiaqs being sold now have 2 free services already as part of a finance deal and there's only so far a free service goes when it comes to making up for poor quality control.

[Jfhuk]

Talking to Skoda CS, what they done on cars just or being built is install the standard plastic storage shelf used on models that don’t have the wireless charger.

 

They could also replace installed chargers with this, if they go down the route of not offering wireless charging anymore. 

 

I bet the manufacturer of those is happy. ;-)

[Rayskoda]

Mine seems to work fine without getting warm.

It will be interesting to see if there is a recall on existing cars to have the function removed and, if it’s the same tech in VW, if that’s affected

[Jfhuk]

My dealer also supplies Seat. Who sent them this.

 

"Delivery stop for vehicles fitted with wireless smartphone charger, advanced telephone connection and business mobile phone interface

Retailers are to stop delivery of all new vehicles containing certain optional phone preparations to customers with immediate effect.

These phone preparation options normally include a component which amplifies mobile phone signals. Regrettably, due to technical and regulatory constraints, we are unable to provide this function at this moment in time.

All other functions of these options, such as wireless charging and dual phone Bluetooth connection will continue to be fully operational without any restrictions."

 

In the Karoq forum people have mentioned that the dealer is disconnecting the phone box, asking them to sign a disclaimer and hopefully allowing the car to be collected tomorrow. 

 

 

[Yogi-Bear]

1 hour ago, Jfhuk said:

These phone preparation options normally include a component which amplifies mobile phone signals. Regrettably, due to technical and regulatory constraints, we are unable to provide this function at this moment in time.

 

So it's nothing to do with the wireless charging then...

[Jfhuk]

Reading this it appears to be something regulatory with the mobile signal amplifier.

[TumnusCat]

1 hour ago, Jfhuk said:

Reading this it appears to be something regulatory with the mobile signal amplifier.

Maybe using some authorized/ unlicensed frequency?

 

Disappointing I've heard nothing further from dealership if there is a fix in place though.

[abaday789]

Use of mobile phone signal boosters isn't fully permitted in the UK 

Would presume it's something to do with OfCom https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2017/10/ofcom-uk-approve-indoor-car-mobile-signal-booster-devices.html

Edited 20 April, 2018 by abaday789

[Yogi-Bear]

25 minutes ago, abaday789 said:

Use of mobile phone signal boosters isn't fully permitted in the UK

 

If this was a new technology, then I could believe it's something like that. But it isn't - this sort of thing has been around for several years at least.

 

At this time, speculation is pointless. Until VW / Skoda / Seat release information about it and perform the recall, there's not much point in worrying about it. Unless, of course, excess heat from the wireless charging unit sets fire to your car .

[TumnusCat]

Apparently this is what has been sent to SEAT dealers.....

 

Delivery stop for vehicles fitted with wireless smartphone charger, advanced telephone connection and business mobile phone interface

Retailers are to stop delivery of all new vehicles containing certain optional phone preparations to customers with immediate effect.

These phone preparation options normally include a component which amplifies mobile phone signals. Regrettably, due to technical and regulatory constraints, we are unable to provide this function at this moment in time.

All other functions of these options, such as wireless charging and dual phone Bluetooth connection will continue to be fully operational without any restrictions.

[silver1011]

This was already quoted earlier ^

 

Luckily it sounds as though the fix is quick so delaying delivery by only a couple of days.

 

Skoda will soon sort it out.

[TumnusCat]

54 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

This was already quoted earlier ^

 

Luckily it sounds as though the fix is quick so delaying delivery by only a couple of days.

 

Skoda will soon sort it out.

Sorry didn't see this!

[Jfhuk]

Just got an update that my Bear is on Malacca Highway which is due in to Sheerness on 22nd at 2am, then another seven days to get to the dealer, plus PDI. Early May looks a likely date as to when I’ll get it. SCS stated that it has no charger, so that it wouldn’t be delayed.

Edited 21 April, 2018 by Jfhuk

[Jfhuk]

You have to be impressed with the people doing the car unloading from the ships. Malacca Highway docked in the early hours this morning and she’s already on her way back to Emden for the next lot.

[Yogi-Bear]

53 minutes ago, Jfhuk said:

You have to be impressed with the people doing the car unloading from the ships.

 

Or mildly concerned about how quickly they evidently drive brand new cars in an environment where there is plenty of potential for damaging them.

[TumnusCat]

11 minutes ago, WiggosSideburns said:

Or mildly concerned about how quickly they evidently drive brand new cars in an environment where there is plenty of potential for damaging them.

Don't know if it's the case for Skoda but some brands transport modes limit speed and rpm.

[Yogi-Bear]

You don't have to be going fast to cause a lot of damage to a car (or even multiple cars if you're being especially careless).

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm sure the job done is fantastic and professional at all times... but just like everyone else, I'd rather they towed my new car round on a trailer carefully whilst having it wrapped it bubble wrap and cotton wool for the journey. Overall shipping speed might suffer slightly, and transportation costs may be a little higher, but I'm sure VAG could swallow up the additional costs and still make enough money .