Hello. Does anyone have any experience of ordering Kodiak assistance packs? A relative is test driving a Kodiak 150 DSG diesel 5-seat tomorrow. She may well order. We are trying to get our head around the assistance packs and are somewhat confused.

 

 She does a lot of driving on her own with kids (no partner) so safety is v important. 

 

So definitely...

 

Lane Assist and Blind Spot Detection

Adaptive Cruise Control

Rear view camera

 

We're wondering about Park Assist also. If anyone has any thoughts on this, we'd be grateful to hear.

 

With thanks

 

MM

 

Edited 13 May, 20188 yr by MasterMunchkin

Hi MasterMunchkin.

 

I've recently taken ownership of a Kodiaq with all of these. 

 

Lane assist and Blind Spot Detection are OK - Could get a little annoying to some - but I like the double assurance that the motorway lane next to me is empty. 

ACC- First time I have ever driven a car with it.  I wouldn't be without it after just two weeks use.  Excellent bit of kit - Definitly a really good safety feature - Makes driving long distances on motorways effortless.

 

Rear view Camera - I specced this as a last minute decision - Glad I did - it's a big car, so always nice to have the assurance of a rear view when backing into spaces/manouvering in tight spots - I swear they are making parking spaces smaller these days..!

 

No idea on park assist .

 

M

 

 

Which trim level are they looking at? If you start adding LA + BSD + ACC to the lower trims, the price pushes them up towards the Edition very quickly, so it may be worth thinking about that from the start (especially if funding on PCP as the GMFV will be higher and so the monthly payments less).

 

Also, if you want LA + ACC, then on a DSG I'd go for the 'Assistance Pack' which then also includes Traffic Jam Assist.

 

Personally, I'd avoid Park Assist - it's not particularly useful and (in my experience) it is more 'stop somewhere vaguely in a space' assist. I had it on my Octavia and used it two or three times in 3 years (mainly to freak the kids out when I first got it!). On the Kodiaq, I think the Area View is much more useful (although more expensive), and I really don't think I'd order another one without it now I've got used to being able to see how close to the curbs etc. I am when parking. If you want a reversing camera, why not go for all-round vision?

Park assist is a bit of a gimmick. I have it on my car and I only use it as a party trick...

 

I agree with Wiggos, Assistance Pack is definitely worth it if you're going for those systems already & Area View being much more useful than Park Assist.

First, much thanks for the replies, some far-flung. Great. To be clear, we're looking at a 2.0 litre 150PS DSG SE L DSG 4x4 with the Alcantara trim. This is a cash buy, not PCP, so the headline figure won't be so attractive and probably rule us out of some incentives. We are coming from a very heavy 2001 Mercedes ML 2.7 CDI, now on its last legs. 

 

The Assistance Pack & Area View sound good. It was very good to hear your collective views on Park Assist. So, narrowing down the options I think we're looking at...

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Rear view camera
• Traffic Jam Assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Lane Assist and Blind Spot Detection (I think linked to Traffic Jam Assist)
• Area View – possible but v pricey

I will take a look at the assistance packs and see which will absorb as many of the above. I'm aware that the blind spot/lane assist may be annoying but I think it's possible to turn off (individually or both).

 

We are open to the idea of 'speccing the higher 190PS engine for an extra margin of power/safety. 

 

Thanks again.

MM

Edited 13 May, 20188 yr by MasterMunchkin

34 minutes ago, MasterMunchkin said:

We are open to the idea of 'speccing the higher 190PS engine for an extra margin of power/safety.

 

Power != Safety. I have no idea why people think it does.

I understand what you're saying, WSB. The extra dollop is just a bit of extra reassurance. The vehicle will spend a lot of time in the Scottish Highlands.

Have you specced a real spare wheel, jack and tools won that a flat tyre can be changed at the roadside (by a breakdown company if she cannot)?

If safety is of key concern then most of the assistance packs are of limited value in my opinion.

 

ACC and Blind Spot Assist are great, but I've heard of people becoming reliant on them which invariably can make drivers less observant / lazy.

 

If passenger safety is of key importance I'd be looking at adding:

 

Crew Protection Assist

Electric Child safety Locks

ISOFIX on Front Passenger Seat

Rear Side Airbags

Temporary Spare Wheel

 

The cash you'd put towards ACC and BSA would be better going towards some premium winter / all season tyres and the best child seats on the market...

 

 

 

 

 

I wouldn’t bother with any of those frivolous trinkets 

 

Just enjoy driving the car.

 

But I would go for the maximum horsepower, which proved both useful and enjoyable on my drive today as I easily overtook a few crawling Sunday drivers on an A road.

 

None of the listed trinkets would have been any use at all.

Edited 13 May, 20188 yr by BoxerBoy

On 13/05/2018 at 11:46, MasterMunchkin said:

This is a cash buy, not PCP, so the headline figure won't be so attractive and probably rule us out of some incentives.

 

Buy it on PCP, collect the incentives, then pay off the loan with in the 14 day cooling off period. Everyone who has the cash available does that. Or if no cash available do it anyway and get an unsecured loan form the bank at probably much lower rates and pay the bank back over time. You will own the car and can sell it etc anytime as during the PCP agreement the car is not legally yours.

16 hours ago, BoxerBoy said:

None of the listed trinkets would have been any use at all.

 

Until 30 seconds later...

 

11 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

 

Until 30 seconds later...

 

 

 

Guess front assist didn't work there then 

1 hour ago, TonyTonic said:

You will own the car and can sell it etc anytime as during the PCP agreement the car is not legally yours.

 

You what now?

 

You are the owner and the registered keeper of a car on a PCP agreement. You can sell the car at any point, as long as you clear the finance in the process.

4 minutes ago, WiggosSideburns said:

 

You what now?

 

You are the owner and the registered keeper of a car on a PCP agreement. You can sell the car at any point, as long as you clear the finance in the process.

You are the registered keeper, are you sure about the legal owner?

 

Yes you can sell if you clear the finance FIRST (and the final baloon payment at the end), of course. I certainly would NOT buy a car that had outstanding finance on it.

 

Maybe I'm wrong  but when we bought our last car on HP (similar to PCP except no payment at the end, you just pay it off per month until all is paid off)  the finance company was the owner until the last payment was made because the it is not an unsecured loan, they can take the car until you pay it off.

Edited 14 May, 20188 yr by TonyTonic

2 minutes ago, TonyTonic said:

are you sure about the legal owner?

 

It depends what you mean by owner. As with any secured finance (same as a mortgage), the lender retains 'ownership' of the asset until the finance is settled. However, that ownership means next to nothing, and it certainly doesn't stop you from selling it at any point - which is what it looked like you were trying to say.

2 minutes ago, WiggosSideburns said:

 

It depends what you mean by owner. As with any secured finance (same as a mortgage), the lender retains 'ownership' of the asset until the finance is settled. However, that ownership means next to nothing, and it certainly doesn't stop you from selling it at any point - which is what it looked like you were trying to say.

I understand what you are saying but I don't think you can just sell the car like that, without informing the finance company. I dont know I may be wrong/

Just now, TonyTonic said:

I understand what you are saying but I don't think you can just sell the car like that, without informing the finance company.

 

No, you have to settle the finance to sell the car. But they can't stop you doing that at any time.

 

In that way, it's different to selling a car you have financed through an unsecured loan - but if you can afford to sell your car without paying that loan off, and then buy another one, you have a lot more money than I do!

8 minutes ago, WiggosSideburns said:

 

No, you have to settle the finance to sell the car. But they can't stop you doing that at any time.

 

In that way, it's different to selling a car you have financed through an unsecured loan - but if you can afford to sell your car without paying that loan off, and then buy another one, you have a lot more money than I do!

Of course they can't stop you. But your suggestion requires you to have the funds to settle the PCP finance BEFORE someone else  (may or may not) come along to pay you back those funds. Now that requires a lot more money than I have!

LOans from the bank will have three if not more advantages: 1. Usually a lower interest rate, 2. Longer terms (if needed) 3. You can sell your car and then settle the loan afterward (probably between two monthly payments)

 

 

Anyway I digress, I have derailed the post, apologies. I was just recommending a saving for the OP if they are buying cash to take PCP and pay it off immediately.

Edited 14 May, 20188 yr by TonyTonic

6 minutes ago, TonyTonic said:

But your suggestion requires you to have the funds to settle the PCP finance BEFORE someone else  (may or may not) come along to pay you back those funds.

 

Not true. Your buyer (motor trader or private individual) can pay off the finance for you as part of the sale... Of course, if you're in negative equity, then you have to stump up the outstanding amount.

 

10 minutes ago, TonyTonic said:

I was just recommending a saving for the OP if they are buying cash to take PCP and pay it off immediately.

 

On this, we agree