Morning All,

 

my 13 plate MkIII vRS is off the road with the local Indy vag specialist diagnosing it as stretched timing chain, the car went into the garage as it sounded like a chain rattling off a casing... the car is on 70k and up to 60k was all full stealer service and I am the first owner from new (excluding dealer as was a demonstrator). 

 

First off off my biggest problem is my local Skoda garage is in Inverness and they recently got caught out by me lying and trying to mug us off over a headlight bulb - long story but it was the straw that broke the camels back. And the local Indy garage doesn’t have the tools for doing the chain and VW or Audi garages don’t want to work on a Skoda. I actually got them to say this sloth took some fishing. 

 

Faced with a 120m tow to the nearest Skoda garage is a pain but likely a nescessity, however, given the chains are not meant to fail and the car has been properly maintained and cars for do I have any grounds for calling on Skoda? I called them but they were not even interested in helping despite it being the 3rd time i’ve Told them about my dissatisfaction with their local franchise. 

 

I love our Skoda, it’s our second Octavia having bought  with the first one ten years ago I am now faced with moving it on and going with another manufacture as I have no real support or assurance from Skoda themselves. 

 

Thanks,

 

ali

Couple of things:

 

1: By law goods have a lifetime of 6yr (but it's up to you to provide the goods supplied were faulty at manufacture) so if your car is a 13 plate then you have a little time left. If you've maintained your car to the manufacturer's specs (which it sounds like you have), gather evidence that stretched timing chains is an issue with VW group cars (search the internet for examples, it's a known problem on the 2.0tsi) and take that evidence to the dealer you purchased the car from. Skoda themselves may offer a goodwill gesture but by law it's your supplying dealer who's responsible, not the manufacturer. (let the supplying dealer battle it out with Skoda). If they fail to resolve the problem, tell them you'll have the car repaired elsewhere then will recoup your full losses by presenting the evidence at small claims court.

 

example: chain failure

 

2: VW or Audi garages don't want to work on Skoda?  That's the first time I've heard any VW group dealer not wanting to work on another car - it's exactly the same mechanics / parts. Sounds more like they're hidding something. It's a simple job for a garage, parts are inexpensive, vast majority of cost is labour - it's good profit for them. Would have thought it very unlikely they're refusing this job just because of the SKODA badge.

 

edit:  who last serviced your car? Was it the supplying dealer? Was the timing chain checked? Perhaps worth contating them for comment.

Edited 4 September, 20187 yr by Guest

Skoda will insist that one of their franchised dealers inspects the car before even considering a "goodwill" offer, which is maybe not unreasonable even considering the OP's remoteness.   Generally they look upon cars always serviced by Skoda more favorably, so if yours hasn't that might tip the balance away from paying to get it taken it to alternative Skoda dealer miles away with no real guarantee they will pay for the work.  

 

I'd be inclined to take it to some kind of VAG dealer for a second opinion if there is one local. No disrespect to your local guy but if he can't replace a timing chain he doesn't sound like much of a VAG specialist.   

 

I think VW etc garages will definitely look at your car if you're willing to pay them, they probably aren't interested in looking at it for a potential goodwill repair job from Skoda, as Skoda will probably not entertain that. 

 

I guess the last thing to say is how bad is your relationship with the Inverness Dealer (Arnold Clarke presumably)?  If there's any chance that they would go in to bat for you with Skoda over a goodwill payment then they may be the least worst option.  

 

One thing is fairly certain, Skoda will not pay to take your car to an alternative dealer 120 miles away. 

 

 

Edited 4 September, 20187 yr by juan27

Great, now ****ting myself my 63 plate 2.0tsi will have a failed tensioner now  perfect timing for the ~200 mile trip I'll be doing in a day or two 

 

Edited 4 September, 20187 yr by Saints92

2 minutes ago, Saints92 said:

Great, now ****ting myself my 63 plate 2.0tsi will have a failed tensioner now  perfect timing for the ~200 mile trip I'll be doing in a day or two 

 

 

My 2010 Mk2 VRS TSi did 70,000+ from new on the original tensioner and showed no signs of failure whatsoever up to the day I sold it to buy another TSi engined VRS.   

 

Surely most of the issues were with early Mk2 FL TSi around 2009?  I thought we were a few revisions on on the tensioner by the Mk3?

 

(Not that that helps the OP much) 

So is it Arnold Clark Inverness we are talking about as your local Skoda Garage?

I feel for you.

 

Not sure that getting it to Perth is worth much.

Maybe best to Victoria Garage Maud, or any VW Specialist, Inverness, Elgin, Nairn or where ever.

10 minutes ago, Offski said:

So is it Arnold Clark Inverness we are talking about as your local Skoda Garage?

I feel for you.

 

 

A few years ago I was driving up the A9 to Aviemore for a weeks holidays and my EML came on.  Looked up who was the Inverness Skoda dealer and decided just to risk it for the rest of the holiday.  

Edited 4 September, 20187 yr by juan27

1 hour ago, Offski said:

So is it Arnold Clark Inverness we are talking about as your local Skoda Garage?

I feel for you.

 

Not sure that getting it to Perth is worth much.

Maybe best to Victoria Garage Maud, or any VW Specialist, Inverness, Elgin, Nairn or where ever.

Not think much of Perth? I’m quiet happy to tow it to Perth myself, my other car is a Navara so plonk on the transporter and away...

 

Kennys VW/Audi was the only place I know of in Inverness who is independent, everyone else is a dealer and seem not interested. 

 

 

?

Who are you going to go to, Skoda Specialist Cars part of the John Clark Group and £85 plus VAT an hour.

 

Best call Victoria Garage and head to Maud,  just IMO.   Go where there are mechanics available.

12 minutes ago, Offski said:

?

Who are you going to go to, Skoda Specialist Cars part of the John Clark Group and £85 plus VAT an hour.

 

Best call Victoria Garage and head to Maud,  just IMO.   Go where there are mechanics available.

Will give them a call, are they a franchised service centre/dealer? 

A proper garage that can do repairs properly at a proper price.  All the gear and more than an idea or a few framed certificates with what looks like wax seals.

http://skoda.co.uk/dealers/victoria-garage 

http://victoriagarage-belhelvie.co.uk 

Edited 4 September, 20187 yr by Offski

5 hours ago, Offski said:

A proper garage that can do repairs properly at a proper price.  All the gear and more than an idea or a few framed certificates with what looks like wax seals.

http://skoda.co.uk/dealers/victoria-garage 

http://victoriagarage-belhelvie.co.uk 

It’s booked into them now, gave them a call and they won me over. 

 

Skoda are going to make a good will gesture, woman in Victoria garage says she puts it in the computer and it calculates the contribution.

 

just wish they where closer! 

9 hours ago, juan27 said:

I guess the last thing to say is how bad is your relationship with the Inverness Dealer (Arnold Clarke presumably)?  If there's any chance that they would go in to bat for you with Skoda over a goodwill payment then they may be the least worst option.  

 

One thing is fairly certain, Skoda will not pay to take your car to an alternative dealer 120 miles away. 

 

 

How bad? They lied to me, I told them why I knew they where lying, they then insisted they where telling the truth, I then provided photographic evidence, they then ignored all my calls and e-mails. If I didn’t work every day god sends and have two toddlers to do sine my free time i’d Have pushed the matter a lot harder. 

 

I dont mind putting it on it on a trailer for the round trip, what my issue is will be the future care of my car. I had intended to keep it for a lot longer, I have already had it for 5 years and it (until Thursday) drove like a new car. But with a family I just need reliability.

Damn! This must the first instance I've seen from Octavia and Golf forums on this generation of engine.

 

Sounds promising there is already a mention of a contribution via the dealer. The biggest obstacle it seems for this sort of thing is how willing the dealer is to push for any.

All skoda dealers can input the info to check for factory goodwill (saga/2 warranty system) . Takes 5 mins. Chassis no, mileage, date, and the 4 digit code and type of failure it is and hit the button and it shows instantly whether there is any factory goodwill.   

 

I hope mine will be ok, i have a 67 plate mk3 superb with the 2.0tsi 220.  I knew there were issues with the timing chain but hoped they had sorted by now....... 

'Goodwill' seems to be lost in translation.   On purpose from German to English, or German to Czech or Spanish to English.

It is fundamental design, manufacturing or material failings and lemons built and VW Group failing to accept they are responsible and panning those that get stuck with duff parts with 20% or so off RRP prices of parts that are cheap to the VW Group.

Over inflated labour costs as well before the 'goodwill' percentage is knocked off.

Yeah i know how it works from having worked at main dealers for way too long lol.  So glad i got out! 

15 hours ago, alis said:

It’s booked into them now, gave them a call and they won me over. 

 

Skoda are going to make a good will gesture, woman in Victoria garage says she puts it in the computer and it calculates the contribution.

 

just wish they where closer! 

 

Can you feedback when the diagnosis is confirmed?  Its disappointing that this is apparently still happening. 

I looked through my inspection hole today and looks like I've got the revised tensioner fitted, that's on a 63 plate car. 

34 minutes ago, Saints92 said:

I looked through my inspection hole today and looks like I've got the revised tensioner fitted, that's on a 63 plate car. 

What does this look like.... I assume with mine being a 67 plate i should have this.... 

31 minutes ago, Adrian55555 said:

What does this look like.... I assume with mine being a 67 plate i should have this.... 

 

 

 

Best photos I could get. Looks like the revised tensioner from what I can see on Google. 

 

Issue apparently was resolved in 2012 so you'll be fine. 

Yeah i hope so. It was my only concern as i came from a mk2 fl vrs diesel to a mk3 superb 2.0tsi, didnt want a diesel again as only do around 7k miles now. My friend had a mk6 gti and his timing chain stretched, which cost a few bob to repair! 

2 hours ago, Saints92 said:

Issue apparently was resolved in 2012 so you'll be fine.

 

Best waiting until OP updates the post.  His is a 2013 car that doesn't sound too healthy.

Any part can fail on any car at any time regardless of age, mileage, service history etc.

 

This is the first instance I've seen on here, on Golf forums, and on Cupra (Seat Leon) forums of a Gen 3 EA888 chain tensioner failure. Do a Google search of MK7 2.0TSI Golf failure and you'll struggle to find much. This engine is also fitted to a higher number of models than the previous generation where tensioner failure was a known and common issue. There were also plenty going pop well before 5 years and 70k.

 

I think it's too early to interpret this as anything other than an isolated issue. Let's see what further updates bring

Edited 6 September, 20187 yr by ahenners

First of all as the OP with my vRS firmly back home on the drive and running as sweet as nut I can only apologise for my hellishly delayed response.

 

Secondly to whom ever recommended Victoria Garage in Maud for the repair - I cannot thank you enough, a better garage I have never seem. I fear they are few and far between and a dying bread. They are just shy of 100mi from me - but as I own a NP300 Navara I don't mind throwing the car on a trailer for all future work.

 

The long and short of it all was that the engine problem was not as a result of timing chain or tensioners but as a result of blocked/jammed ports on the variable valve timing ports on the end of the cam shafts - both of which have now been changed.

 

I'll post a copy of the repair details and a detailed description later.

 

Cheers,

 

Ali