Hi woke one morning last week  to find someone had taken the small grill and radar unit from my Octavia right outside my front door ! the car still drives without this but I've got warning light galore, had a word with my local Skoda dealers and they are rubbing their  hands and welcoming me to the garage with  quote  over £800 to fix a new one and calibrate it. 

Haven't  taken them up on this as yet, decided to do some research on a cheaper option, The dealer would not help with a part number said it was against the policy. So I did some googling and found the part number searched on ebay and found someone who was selling the unit at a very reasonable price, so I ordered and it arrived, on installing low and behold didn't work, friend of mine has a snapon diagnostic unit and sadly that did not communicate with this unit. So do I bite the bullet and head down to the dealer or can any one kindly advise anything else I can try?

VCDS is required to code the unit...BUT you still need to calibrate the unit..even the same old unit if they have been moved even a small amount...

 

& you require what's called a "domino board" to help with the calibration..& it takes ages...

 

I'd have just got the dealer to do it as that cost is cheaper than the £1,000 audi etc are charging...& then claim of insurance...

 

I am sorry to say that you have to visit the dealer no matter what you do.

This unit (among many others) has a "component protection". That means that your new part must be linked to your car, something a dealer must do (online with Skoda I believe)

And you have to adjust the radar, something you cant do you self.

But if your new part has the correct parts number you should be able to use it

 

My radar was destroyed after I hit a rabbit. I bought a new one online (200£) and experienced the same as you; it did not work.

My local dealer fixed the component protection and calibrated it.

It cost me about 450£

 

I dont know if they agree to fix the component protection if you bought a used one.

And I do think that who ever stole it has experienced the same thing 

Edited 6 April, 20188 yr by norsko

Thank you much appreciated advise I guess the dealer will be pleased to hear from me tomorrow. But what I dreading is that after all this, I'm sure I'll be a victim again The unit is fitted in such a easy place to be nicked on these Octavia it's stupid, The small grill is conveniently cut out so it can be pulled out without any  screws, the radar unit itself just pulls out of the clips, within a minute it's removed and gone. For such an expensive bit of gear you would of thought they would of designed it a bit better.

3 minutes ago, matjill said:

Thank you much appreciated advise I guess the dealer will be pleased to hear from me tomorrow. But what I dreading is that after all this, I'm sure I'll be a victim again The unit is fitted in such a easy place to be nicked on these Octavia it's stupid, The small grill is conveniently cut out so it can be pulled out without any  screws, the radar unit itself just pulls out of the clips, within a minute it's removed and gone. For such an expensive bit of gear you would of thought they would of designed it a bit better.

 

Theyre now situated behind the top grill on newer models. Not that it helps you though. 

I gonna suprglue everything 

Might wanna coat it all in a novichok.

Use your insurance

Insurance is gonna knock my NCB and the excess is £500, so no real point as the dealer has quoted me around £860 inc VAT.

I have booked it in with them and see how we get on, have to bite the bullet on this one 

On 4/7/2018 at 13:18, Jono said:

coat it all in a novichok

 

If you got any spare send some over.

Seen this on the facebook vrs page no idea if you live near by and someones nicked yours to cover up damage. http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/police-appeal-for-the-driver-who-killed-helen-maybrey-s-dog-in-a-hit-and-run-in-cuffley-1-5464326

3 hours ago, matjill said:

Insurance is gonna knock my NCB and the excess is £500, so no real point as the dealer has quoted me around £860 inc VAT.

 

But remember the question that insurance companies are very keen on is not:

have you been at fault ?

or

have you made any claims?

but instead it is

have you suffered any losses? and what was cost of any losses?

19 minutes ago, Mike97 said:

Seen this on the facebook vrs page no idea if you live near by and someones nicked yours to cover up damage. http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/police-appeal-for-the-driver-who-killed-helen-maybrey-s-dog-in-a-hit-and-run-in-cuffley-1-5464326

Very sad news poor women heart goes out to her, no I live no where near.

14 minutes ago, Octy0GG said:

But remember the question that insurance companies are very keen on is not:

have you been at fault ?

or

have you made any claims?

but instead it is

have you suffered any losses? and what was cost of any losses?

I guess there no harm in calling the broker and getting his opinion, thanks