New Car Checks

[SuperbGlos]

Hi all,

 

I am excited to say that in a couple of weeks I'll be joining the Skoda Superb club with a brand new SE L Exec! I have been reading the forum for a while but wanted to ask what should I check for when I go and collect my car. I know things like umbrellas for example, but should I be given a manual, service book, how many keys and so on.

 

Should I expect a certain tyre manufacturer or will I get something random?

 

Is it reasonable to ask for the garage to check everything first before I travel 100 odd miles to pick it up? Are there be any obvious questions I should ask?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but this is my first new car as always had used cars before and had my Mondeo for 14 years.

 

Thanks everyone in advance for your help.

[FelisBengalensis]

Check that all of the travel blocks have been removed from the suspension as well.  It has been a fairly common event!

 

Tyres could be whatever the factory had at the time, but are usually a premium brand.  Mine were Pirelli.

[Ootohere]

Take a tyre pressure gauge with you.

At hand over look at the tyres, check all 4 tyre pressures, if random pressures or over inflated tell the Salesperson / Hand Over Employee to go get the Dealer Principal to see and the Master Tech out to take the car to do a PDI while you wait.

If you are happy with the pressures they are at be sure to set the TPMS, it might not have been done.

 

Open the bonnet, check the oil level with the engine cold so you know where you start from. (You can check the Operating Temp level when you get home.)

When collecting the car look at the Coolant level, know where it is cold.

 

Enjoy the car and take it easy for a few hundred miles on green tyres.

Listen for noises etc as the car gets 'driven / run in'.  New Brakes, Suspension etc. 

[xman]

Check the servicing regime is set to what YOU want. Either fixed (10k/1 year) or variable (up to 18k/2yr). It comes from the factory set to variable which is fine even if you still change oil every year, ie early. However some dealers change it to fixed to force their customers to come in every year even though an extended regime would suit the customer better.

 

Dont ask them, but check it on the infotainment under vehicle menu. If wrong, get them to change it, it takes less than 5 minutes with their workshop laptop. And yes, they can change it at will, dont let them fob you off.

 

One thing I missed were the scuff plates fitted inside the doors, one had a badly applied plastic foil which I didn't notice for months.

Edited 16 February, 2019 by xman

[Mph25]

I picked one up a couple of weeks ago. Three keys, one very lovely and shiny - and two plasticky ones!  Mine has Pirelli tyres.

 

Can I suggest you ask if they include someone with a degree in Computer science/philosophy to interpret the manual for you which appears to have been badly written in Serbo Croat and then translated by somebody for whom English is his third language!

 

[BriskodaJeff]

1 hour ago, Mph25 said:

Can I suggest you ask if they include someone with a degree in Computer science/philosophy to interpret the manual for you which appears to have been badly written in Serbo Croat and then translated by somebody for whom English is his third language!

 

You're a whole lot closer to the truth than you realise. My understanding is that it is originally written in very good Czech, then translated into German, then translated from German into English. A complete nightmare of "Chinese Whispers" when it involves technical stuff. The good news is that an hour just playing with the car will make most things clear since it's generally pretty intuitive once you can actually press the buttons. For anything else just ask on here as someone will have figured it out.

 

Regarding stuff to check out, I agree with all of the above. I'd also advise you to check all three keys work with your car. As said, one will be shiny and the other two black plastic. It's all too easy for the dealer to mix up "back-up" keys, and a pain for you to go back to get the right ones. If you are going to be parking somewhere height-restricted, I'd suggest you set the opening height for the hatch separately with each of the keys before you leave the dealer. It will prevent a nasty bang and lots of swearing when you first use it in anger. And if you've ordered a spare wheel, make sure it's actually there. Obviously you should give it a good look around to note if there are any scratches etc, though if you are like me you will be too excited to look too closely. So you can either do what I did and take and follow a check-sheet (plenty available on the web and exactly what the dealer will use to assess your trade-in if you have one) or if this is too anal for you then take a photo from front, back and both sides, while you are still with the dealer (and tell them why you are doing it). Then if you find something when you get home, you can refer to the picture and see if it was there at pick-up. It gives you something to back you up when the dealer tells you that you must have done it.

 

ETA - you will be given a manual (it may already be in the glove-box), but no service book as they are all electronic now. Tyres will most likely be Pirelli P7, which are premium, but sadly in name only. There are lots of threads on here about that. It won't spoil your enjoyment, but you may decide to change them for something quieter before they wear out. As noted, the dealer should have carried out a Pre-delivery Inspection (PDI), but these can be variable in quality and Skoffski gives good advice on how to check how well yours has been done.

 

Above all - enjoy. And get some pictures on here once you have it.

Edited 16 February, 2019 by BriskodaJeff

[FelisBengalensis]

If you have KESSY then buy yourself an RFID key pouch to keep the active key in it when not in use in the car.  Keep ALL spares in a metal tin well away from your house front or rear doors.

[Mph25]

49 minutes ago, BriskodaJeff said:

You're a whole lot closer to the truth than you realise. My understanding is that it is originally written in very good Czech, then translated into German, then translated from German into English. A complete nightmare of "Chinese Whispers" when it involves technical stuff. The good news is that an hour just playing with the car will make most things clear since it's generally pretty intuitive once you can actually press the buttons. For anything else just ask on here as someone will have figured it out.

 

 

 

I’m sure you’re right - I came across the word ‘mit’ instead of with.

 

I liked these gems too:

 

Do not press the brake pedal if braking is now required. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking distance and ex- cessive wear - risk of accident!

 

The automatic transmission performs an automatic gear change irrespective of the engine load, the operation of the accelerator, the vehicle speed and the selected driving mode.

 

 

Gosh!  Still, I understand the bit where it tells you not to drive sitting sideways with your head out of the window and the door open! 

 

 

 

[BriskodaJeff]

According to my Spec Sheet my car has

 

 

  and

 

 

So apparently it's a hunchback with a lap-dancing bar in the middle that doesn't have leather shorts. I'm still to verify all of the equipment...

 

 

[Ootohere]

A member posted this cracker in a thread in the Kodiaq section.  

[daveo138]

12 hours ago, FelisBengalensis said:

 

 

Tyres could be whatever the factory had at the time, but are usually a premium brand.  Mine were Pirelli.

 

 

Mine came fitted with Falkens. Possibly the worst tyres I’ve ever had - certainly the worst on a new car. 

 

My new Superb is due at the end of March. I can’t wait to see what that has fitted. 

[SuperbGlos]

Thank you everyone for your input. I have started a spreadsheet with the suggestions written down.

 

I did get a call with the garage saying that they would prepare documentation and send it to me on email to sign. I may have misunderstood, but I presume I shouldn't sign anything until I have seen the car?

 

Curtis about the KESSY comment. I am sure it is another thread but if you put it on a Faraday bag of some description when you are in the car then it wouldn't start would it? I thought the KESSY only works at a distance of around 1.5m? I presume I can lock the car on the door handle which would mean you would need the key to open the door next time (hence KESSY would be disabled)?

[TerryMcK]

You get used to putting the key into the bag when you have finished driving (normally at home). You probably know the idea behind the Faraday shield bag is that it helps to prevent relay theft of your car - normally done in the early hours  with their eBay equipment by scroats. 

 

[Fantantonio]

I thought the issue with remote car theft had been eliminated with the latest batch of KESSY keys? I was under the impression they now only transmit signal when moving. Have I missed something?

[Mph25]

3 hours ago, Fantantonio said:

I thought the issue with remote car theft had been eliminated with the latest batch of KESSY keys? I was under the impression they now only transmit signal when moving.

With some models like BMW, yes.

[Fantantonio]

So definitely not the case on the MY19 Skodas?

[Mph25]

Not unless it changes - mine came straight from the docks two weeks ago.

 

But see

 

 

suggests MY 19 will have the new system - eventually!

Edited 17 February, 2019 by Mph25

[Fantantonio]

6 hours ago, Mph25 said:

Not unless it changes - mine came straight from the docks two weeks ago.

 

But see

 

 

suggests MY 19 will have the new system - eventually!

 

Fingers crossed. I'll grill the dealer when I pick up my superb this week (MY19)