I'd like to talk to a Skoda dealer who really knows his (or her!) stuff. In particular, someone who has their finger on the pulse of new models. Just thinking ahead about whether it will be possible to go from my current car to a hybrid version, or if actual availability is going to be a problem.

 

Any recommendations?

Best use Derren Brown because even a CEO of UK's major dealer group could not tell you anything more or will not than anything VW Group spin in Auto Car or Autoexpress who say Factory Insiders tell them.  That will be Skoda, VW. Audi. SEAT media personnel.

 

If you want a story from someone that was told a story by someone that knows everything, maybe a man / women in a pub and knows all about what models will be available when, 

talk to an Arnold Clark sales executive and pass their palm with a deposit, then wait a year or so, or more.

Actually, that's probably a good idea. I just need to get him to sit down in front of Skoda's European head of marketing and  give him a grilling!

8 hours ago, thewinelake said:

I'd like to talk to a Skoda dealer who really knows his (or her!) stuff. In particular, someone who has their finger on the pulse of new models. Just thinking ahead about whether it will be possible to go from my current car to a hybrid version, or if actual availability is going to be a problem.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Skoda seem to be planning a Superb PHEV and electric Citigo sometime in 2019

Then the electric small SUV (vision X) in 2020

Some more by 2025, so how long do you want to wait ?

 

https://www.skoda-storyboard.com/en/innovation/skodas-electric-future/

Mmmmm "entering production in 2019". Don't know how reliable this is - and it could be December 2019. Might be a bit late for me. Not sure if VWFS will want to continue my lease (which expires in Feb 2019) sufficiently beyond 3 years to enable that. 

 

But let's assume that they do it earlyish in 2019 - how would I get high up on the waiting list? Would leasing vs outright purchase affect this?

10 minutes ago, thewinelake said:

Mmmmm "entering production in 2019". Don't know how reliable this is - and it could be December 2019. Might be a bit late for me. Not sure if VWFS will want to continue my lease (which expires in Feb 2019) sufficiently beyond 3 years to enable that. 

 

But let's assume that they do it earlyish in 2019 - how would I get high up on the waiting list? Would leasing vs outright purchase affect this?

 

VWFS will extend your lease no problems. 

 

My mate was due to.return his 220tsi Octavia on a 3yr lease.  He rang them up and extended it by 12 months and they reduced his monthly by £55.

 

Ah, good. I did wonder if there might be something about cars older than 3. Guess the maintenance amount might go up.

Personal view only - I'd avoid version 1.0 of any new model like the plague. Unless you are happy to beta test the new model for them on an unpaid basis.

But it's not exactly v1.0, is it? I'd say the Passat was 1.0. This is 2.0 or 1.1....

I assume the OP is referring to hybrid. If so, definitely version 1.0.

V1.0 for Skoda, but I don’t know how much help they can get from others in the group - like those behind the plugin hybrid Passat. Maybe very little?

Skoda / VW might have to rethink Hybrids they were going to import to the UK with no real range on battery power. 

Maybe change their plans for those that are still polluters as having an electric motor does not mean those getting VED / cash money breaks run them far on electric motors.

http://bbc.co.uk/news/business-44008098 

Sorry @thewinelake my previous post was a bit curt. Yes I mean v1.0 for Skoda. I'm very cautious as a consumer,  especially since I rely so much on my car. Any v1.0 product will have a small number of issues. These may or may not be major (I'm thinking about the adblue and xenon issues that some early SIII Superb suffered from for example). The big concern for me about a step-change like hybrid/PHEV is the ability of dealers to resolve such issues in a timely way, more than the fear that Skoda can't come up with a fix in the first place. I read on here of main dealers having to bring in equipment (with attendant delays for customers) to resolve known issues. I will be waiting at least one year after introduction of any new model to see what issues arise before risking a change. But like I said it's a purely personal choice / opinion. 

Yes, it’s a fair point - just burying my head in the sand! ;-)