Crossroads - decision time ?

[JKW]

My 3rd Skoda ( 2 Octy's & a Karoq), all performing faultlessly. I've been looking at the Kia e Niro all electric, a couple of test drives & visited 3 different Kia dealerships. Despite being very impressed with the car itself, I've been very disappointed  with the knowledge of the sales teams, including Business  / Finance Managers, each dealership giving conflicting answers to my Q's - I know they're franchises, but they sing from different song sheets and don't even know what some of the car's functions are. In fairness most points raised are being investigated  to provide some answers  but I'm  not confident they'll be reliable.

So, the "crossroads" ! I'm now verging towards remaining with the Karoq, changing the current one for another Edition version.

Has anyone looking in had DCC on their Karoq ? Is it worth the extra £1k ? I'd really appreciate the experience with the system from users - thanks in advance 

 

[Tim1631]

9 hours ago, JKW said:

My 3rd Skoda ( 2 Octy's & a Karoq), all performing faultlessly. I've been looking at the Kia e Niro all electric, a couple of test drives & visited 3 different Kia dealerships. Despite being very impressed with the car itself, I've been very disappointed  with the knowledge of the sales teams, including Business  / Finance Managers, each dealership giving conflicting answers to my Q's - I know they're franchises, but they sing from different song sheets and don't even know what some of the car's functions are. In fairness most points raised are being investigated  to provide some answers  but I'm  not confident they'll be reliable.

So, the "crossroads" ! I'm now verging towards remaining with the Karoq, changing the current one for another Edition version.

Has anyone looking in had DCC on their Karoq ? Is it worth the extra £1k ? I'd really appreciate the experience with the system from users - thanks in advance 

 

 

2 completely different cars you are looking at. Dcc was on on my vrs but personally I don't think it's worth the extra money 

[CanIDrive]

After 3 Octavias, 1 Yeti, a Citigo and a Karoq it is time to move on and after how I was treated by Skoda and my dealer over the absence of the phone charger, my wife and I decided no more Skodas, .  Only resolved the charger issue to my satisfaction by telling Skoda Finance I wanted to reject the car. 

So we've decided to go electric and have already ordered an E-Niro.

The response at our local dealer has been tremendous and no doubt we'll be treated better than our Karoq experience.

 

Go for the Kia.

[Tim1631]

30 minutes ago, CanIDrive said:

After 3 Octavias, 1 Yeti, a Citigo and a Karoq it is time to move on and after how I was treated by Skoda and my dealer over the absence of the phone charger, my wife and I decided no more Skodas, .  Only resolved the charger issue to my satisfaction by telling Skoda Finance I wanted to reject the car. 

So we've decided to go electric and have already ordered an E-Niro.

The response at our local dealer has been tremendous and no doubt we'll be treated better than our Karoq experience.

 

Go for the Kia.

 

So your advice for the OP is to go for a KIA because you were treated badly over a phone charger? 

 

That makes a lot of sense......not

[Tilt]

@JKW What were the questions that you asked, with conflicting answers??? 

 

Maybe folk on here may have the answers???

[CanIDrive]

25 minutes ago, Tim1631 said:

 

So your advice for the OP is to go for a KIA because you were treated badly over a phone charger? 

 

That makes a lot of sense......not

Maybe not.  It is all down to personal experience.  Not one of the previous Skodas required anything from Skoda or the dealers other than than servicing.  When I discovered that my Karoq had been delivered without the wireless charger, despite been advised by the dealer 3 days before delivery that is was fitted and be working even though the dealer had the car on site, the dealer didn't want to know neither did Skoda Customer Services.  After 3 months of table tennis between the dealer and customer services it was resolver by Skoda Finance.  It is the after sales service that has coloured my judgement.  Not helped when I took my car in for the first service and the dealer couldn't give me my car back as the keys were no longer on site.

The Karoq is a good car, personally I wouldn't say great, that would be the Octavia 1.8 Tsi DSG I bought in 2009.

We chose the e-Niro because we wanted an electric car which has been proven i.e. not a brand new model which was still being road tested by customers.

If you want an electric the Karoq doesn't fit the bill.

As Tilt has suggested why not ask your questions here?  Someone may be able to help.

[CanIDrive]

Here is a link to the Kia e-niro 2020 UK Driver's Manual.  https://www.speakev.com/attachments/e-niro-2020-uk-manual-pdf.132703/

[JKW]

2 hours ago, Tilt said:

@JKW What were the questions that you asked, with conflicting answers??? 

 

Maybe folk on here may have the answers???

Questions regarding the functions (ie, heat pump, battery heating system, LED headlights with bi function projection  etc), were answered with answers varying from bluff to "Don't know). A serious  Question regards (God forbid, but looking at all angles) my death during the contract hire - what happens bearing in mind my wife doesn't drive & probably couldn't afford the repayments?  Dealer 1 - "I don't know, never been asked before" but did send me a Finance brochure that DIDN'T answer either.

Dealer 2 - Business / Finance Manager " No problem, the Finance company will take it back without any early termination fees"

Dealer 3 - Business / Finance Manager - "Don't know, but think your wife would need to pay the full remaining contract payments from her estate".  Salesman - "It's like a rental, so if you weren't renting (leasing) the car then you wouldn't pay anything". When I pointed out Skoda's policy of having a dedicated Customer Solutions Team available in the case of bereavement and, I believe, the maximum exit fee would be 50% of any contract left, Dealer  said "Oh, that's probably what our finance company would do then " !!

My experience of 3 different Kia dealerships ( not one could quote me the price of a service without the VRN being offered - "I haven't got the car yet" says I, "Can't help you then. Try & get the number of a car in the street & then we'll be able to get a quote" !! ) & their product knowledge leaves me confused, frustrated and loathe to change from Skoda, from whom I've received top notch service in every respect from Mitchell's at Cheshire Oaks, near Chester, plus I really like the cars they sell !

So far, no-one has said DCC is worth it on the Karoq - does anyone recommend it ?

 

[CJJE]

If you were happy with the standard suspension in your Karoq, and are looking at a Karoq with the same size wheels, you know what you'll be getting. I'm ordering DCC with my new Karoq because it comes with 19 inch wheels and ride comfort is important to me. As well as letting you choose your preferred setting as road conditions change, I've read that it actively reacts to different surfaces to constantly improve the ride. Is it essential? No. But I fancied splashing out on the basis of other's comments. 

 

Electric cars suit certain users - those who do mainly short journeys, or don't mind breaking long journeys up into short hops with stops in between. (assuming that they have planned their route to find suitable charging points on the way!) While my weekly trips are well within an electric car's range (especially at the moment!) we also make long trips across Europe each summer which would be very tedious in an electric car. If I had to go that way it would need to be a hybrid, but then the extra costs and reduced boot space would also be a killer for me. 

[JKW]

My Q regarding DCC is because my current Karoq , Edition version, has 19" wheels as standard and the ONLY (slight) criticism is the ride comfort on our pock marked roads, so I was therefore considering DCC to hopefully improve things. I've read all about the benefits, but there's nothing like a users personal experience to confirm its usefulness- any takers ?

 

The Kia has a real world electric range of 250 miles, plenty enough for my motoring needs these days, probably one or two charges a month would suffice, but despite the eNiro in 4+ spec having even more toys than the Karoq,  my recent experience with  their dealerships gives me cause for concern. I'm in no rush, but at the moment I'm veering more towards another Karoq, with or without DCC.

Edited 13 August, 2020 by JKW
missed a bit out !

[Sanqhar]

When I was looking to get rid of my Yeti at the end of  2018 I checked out the Niro.  We really liked it, however we were surprised to find the UK version was not type approved for towing. You could legally get a tow bar fitted but not tow with it, just use it for a bike rack. No good for me.

If you need to tow (even a small trailer) it would be worth checking this out. . 

Ended up back with Skoda and a  Karoq. 

 

tom

Edited 14 August, 2020 by Sanqhar

[JKW]

I have no need to tow so that fact, interesting as it is, has no relevance for my choice ta. What IS relevant is that Kia Dealer 3 , despite promises to email answers to my questions ( once they've found them out ! ) & prices, have failed miserably to do so after 2 fuĺl days since my visit to their premises. Having had 3 Skoda's I'm just not used to such poor service !! 

Still looking  for someone with experience of DCC on a Karoq to enlighten me !

[croquemonsieur]

I'm assuming DCC refers to the adjustable dampers feature - I've difficulty remembering jargon - a problem for me in this day & age.  FWIW, "Which" in it's annually published car ratings supplement, indicated the ride quality of the Kodiaq as 5 stars but the Karoq only as 3 stars.  I think the Kodiaq they tested had the adjustable dampers but the Karoq was one of the larger wheel versions without (but annoyingly as usual they don't really give you the model variant and the details).  But just maybe an indication that DCC could be worthwhile, if that's any help.  I think DCC has only just come out for the Karoq, presumable why you're not getting any reports here as yet, but I myself would very much like to hear how effective it is.   I'd have very seriously considered it a year ago if it were available then.

 

Wanting to change to a car with a smoother ride than my then current Yeti, when looking for a new car a year ago, I tried 19" & 18" wheeled Karoqs before deciding that the 17" wheels on the SE Tech gave a rather better ride - still find the Karoq ride over pot marked roads a little joggly and with a bit of bump thump, but probably better than most modern cars in this repsect.  (I think "Which" would rate the ride with 17" wheels as 4 stars).  Caveat, I didn't check the tyre pressures before the various test drives, so my comparisons may not have been fair, but I also wonder if "Which" check the tyre pressures in their reviews.

 

I should note, I don't altogether trust reviews in "Which" at the best of times, particularly on cars, where they don't test enough versions of each car model to give good recommendations.  I keep thinking I should unsubscribe.

[kenfowler3966]

I think the ride of my new Karoq on 19” wheels is much smoother than my previous Yeti on 17”?

A Yeti on 16” is pretty good and about the same.

[croquemonsieur]

Ken - I agree with that Yeti/Karoq comparison - I had changed my Yeti wheels from 17" to 16" when fitting Michelin Cross-Climates - in spite of the stiff XL sidewalls of these tyres, there was some ride & road noise improvement.  The 1st Karoq I tried was a diesel 4x4 with 19" wheels and thought the ride & road noise comparable to my 16" wheeled Yeti, but I was anxious for a significant improvement in this regard.  It took a while to find a garage that could give me a test drive of a Karoq with 17" wheels - but for me was worth the wait - some people prefer a firm ride, but the rather softer quieter ride of the lower spec Karoqs suit me much more, though would like better ride still over broken road surfaces.  In due course I'll fit 16" wheels again, this time with quiet Goodyears, once the Turanzas are worn and see how far that gets me.

[SurreySlowCoach]

I thought JKW's questions about possible death during a contract were one's that a dealer selling a financial product should have been able to answer. Decades since I studied any law but I suspect there would be something buried in the contract that it ends up with the estate of the deceased to settle which likely involves early termination fees, hopefully not so steep as they'd probably be should you just decide to end early. Often wonder about the car insurance issue as though my wife is a named driver my policy must automatically cease when I die meaning my wife would no longer be covered. As ownership of the car passes to her and also because it has no valid insurance at that point the driving other cars insurance on her own policy would be ineffective. I wonder how many recently widowed partners are driving around in uninsured cars immediately after a partners death while sorting out death certificates, funerals etc, I suspect thinking about car insurance isn't much on your mind.

[Tilt]

@SurreySlowCoach You say your policy must automatically cease............

 

I do not see why this would be the case if you have paid a full annual premium.

 

I could easily be incorrect though as I am only going on my logic but I would expect it to cease only once the policy end date arrived.

 

The fact of the ownership of the car passing to a named driver partner could throw a spanner in the works of this way of thinking though...

[SurreySlowCoach]

I think it would cease because the contract was between me and the insurers and I've just died. It's a question I've been meaning to ask my insurers, not just for car but also house and contents insurance where you can put another name on the policy. Currently utilities are all in my name, again might be one less thing for a widow to worry about if they're put in joint names. No imminent plans to depart but I am getting to an age where such things need to be thought about.

[john999boy]

On 13/08/2020 at 22:00, JKW said:

My Q regarding DCC is because my current Karoq , Edition version, has 19" wheels as standard and the ONLY (slight) criticism is the ride comfort on our pock marked roads, so I was therefore considering DCC to hopefully improve things. I've read all about the benefits, but there's nothing like a users personal experience to confirm its usefulness- any takers ?

I've got the equivalent Ateca with DCC and would probably only use the 'comfort' setting for longer motorway journeys. Anything else and it's usually in one of the firmer settings to provide more corner hugging grip.

That can have other downsides though:-

Not too sure if I'd actually pay the extra for it as my last 3 vehicles all had it as standard.

[JKW]

Thanks all for the responses - having seen the way petrol is creeping up in price again, and having given huge thought to all the  pro's & con's of each car, certainly weighing up the running costs too, I've now veered more to the e Niro. In spec 4+ it has everything I could possibly want, the local dealership has grovelled their apologies after I'd let rip, and have offered me a really good deal. The car itself has been given excellent reviews in the motoring media & on You Tube video clips, getting many awards, so I feel confident in placing an order. There's a minimum 6 months lead time, but that suits me as I'll be much closer to the end of my current Skoda lease, & so if I have to terminate early much less to repay Skoda Finance who, incidentally, I have found very helpful over the years.  

[Mark-Surrey]

I’m also interested in switching to a fully electric vehicle. My wife has a 1-year old Karoq 1.5 SE-L DSG, and I have a 4-year old BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer 220d xDrive. I really like her Karoq, but want something electric. The new Skoda Enyaq is apparently due to be officially released on 1st September, and available early next year. The initial reviews of prototypes by various motoring press magazines look very positive. It’s apparently going to be smaller than a Kodiaq on the outside, but similar interior space to Kodiaq. It will apparently offer a battery option with up to 311 miles of range. There will be a 4WD option, with the added bonus of no transmission tunnel eating up the space of the centre rear passenger. It will be Skoda’s first electric vehicle based on the VW group’s “MEB” platform, which will also include VW’s ID.3 and ID.4 models. Lots to like about this new Skoda Enyaq, from what I can see so far.....

[JKW]

12 minutes ago, Mark-Surrey said:

I’m also interested in switching to a fully electric vehicle. My wife has a 1-year old Karoq 1.5 SE-L DSG, and I have a 4-year old BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer 220d xDrive. I really like her Karoq, but want something electric. The new Skoda Enyaq is apparently due to be officially released on 1st September, and available early next year. The initial reviews of prototypes by various motoring press magazines look very positive. It’s apparently going to be smaller than a Kodiaq on the outside, but similar interior space to Kodiaq. It will apparently offer a battery option with up to 311 miles of range. There will be a 4WD option, with the added bonus of no transmission tunnel eating up the space of the centre rear passenger. It will be Skoda’s first electric vehicle based on the VW group’s “MEB” platform, which will also include VW’s ID.3 and ID.4 models. Lots to like about this new Skoda Enyaq, from what I can see so far.....

Agreed Mark - Surrey, but the projected £40k starting price before any options ( like paint !! ) put me off !