Appreciation of body work

[SoupDragon]

I washed my week old Octavia MK4 hatch SE on Monday because I had used it a lot at the weekend and the weather had been very wet and foggy and the country roads very muddy. The best way to appreciate the build of a car is to wash it because you look and touch every part of the visible body work. I was so impressed with the build quality that I thought I would write a few words.
The clam shell bonnet is really quite soft and yielding, I guess this is to reduce pedestrian injury and to reduce weight. The bonnet is large and stiffened by the longitudinal creases but the metal yields easily under light hand pressure but readily springs back into shape.  The bonnet is supported open by two gas struts and my guess is that this stops it flopping. This is all incidental, the fit of the bonnet to the wings and the radiator fitting is perfect to millimetre accuracy all round when it is closed.
The bonnet-close on the front wings merges into a deep sharp crease in the front doors at the A pillar and this is where I started to think about the design. That crease continues along the front doors, along the back doors, along the rear wings, across the hatch where it forms a neat  rear aerodynamic wing and matches into the rear light clusters. It then obviously continues along the other side back to the front wing. 
There are about 9 large and heavy body components, all independently fixed to the frame of the car, involved in matching up to this crease line, and they are all absolutely perfect.
All the other fits, the doors and the hatch, were all perfectly set up, but the long continuous crease made me stop and think.  The manufacturing ability and confidence in matching up that crease line impressed me a lot. 
The paint work is also perfect. My Octy is petrol blue and I think it looks great. The only thing that grates is third gear, but that's another story.
 

[J.R.]

Its mine and I will wash it as fast as I like!

[Dyrnog]

5 hours ago, SoupDragon said:

I washed my week old Octavia MK4 hatch SE on Monday because I had used it a lot at the weekend and the weather had been very wet and foggy and the country roads very muddy. The best way to appreciate the build of a car is to wash it because you look and touch every part of the visible body work. I was so impressed with the build quality that I thought I would write a few words.
The clam shell bonnet is really quite soft and yielding, I guess this is to reduce pedestrian injury and to reduce weight. The bonnet is large and stiffened by the longitudinal creases but the metal yields easily under light hand pressure but readily springs back into shape.  The bonnet is supported open by two gas struts and my guess is that this stops it flopping. This is all incidental, the fit of the bonnet to the wings and the radiator fitting is perfect to millimetre accuracy all round when it is closed.
The bonnet-close on the front wings merges into a deep sharp crease in the front doors at the A pillar and this is where I started to think about the design. That crease continues along the front doors, along the back doors, along the rear wings, across the hatch where it forms a neat  rear aerodynamic wing and matches into the rear light clusters. It then obviously continues along the other side back to the front wing. 
There are about 9 large and heavy body components, all independently fixed to the frame of the car, involved in matching up to this crease line, and they are all absolutely perfect.
All the other fits, the doors and the hatch, were all perfectly set up, but the long continuous crease made me stop and think.  The manufacturing ability and confidence in matching up that crease line impressed me a lot. 
The paint work is also perfect. My Octy is petrol blue and I think it looks great. The only thing that grates is third gear, but that's another story.
 

 

 

Is your 3rd gear difficult to select, feels like pushing through 2 "notches"

 

EDIT- just read your other post about gear change, my Karoq is exactly the same. Going to pick up pet protection pack tomorrow- had not been delivered when I picked up the car will ask them to check gear change

Edited 12 November, 2020 by Dyrnog

[SoupDragon]

Rep[l;y to Dyrnog, yes exactly

[SoupDragon]

Dyrnog, it seems the gear box in the Mk 4 is very new, 2019,  what year is your Karoq? What you say is what I get: two or three layers of strong resistance. Sometimes, quite often, I think I have got third gear selected and when I let the clutch up it either jumps out or I find I have not properly selected third gear. Then I get the grating.  Still like the body work.

[Dyrnog]

18 hours ago, SoupDragon said:

Dyrnog, it seems the gear box in the Mk 4 is very new, 2019,  what year is your Karoq? What you say is what I get: two or three layers of strong resistance. Sometimes, quite often, I think I have got third gear selected and when I let the clutch up it either jumps out or I find I have not properly selected third gear. Then I get the grating.  Still like the body work.

Built n September this year. I like the body work as well :-) .To be clear I have a 1.5 petrol Karoq, assume that is same gearbox?

Spoke to tech/mechanic today and he thought it was ok and I would get used to it & will loosen up a little. With lockdown have done less than 300 miles so hopefully he is right. Longest trip was today at 40 odd miles taking it to the dealers and it did seem a bit better. It still has to improve though or will be chasing dealer.

Edited 13 November, 2020 by Dyrnog
typo

[SoupDragon]

I was told the same but I am taking the car back soon for the dealers to test it for a few days. I will let you know what happens.

[DHood121]

I did appreciate the bodywork.

Edited 5 October, 2021 by DHood121

[SoupDragon]

NORAH!

[SoupDragon]

Sorry to hear that, cboyle7, I'm half scared to drive mine in case something like that happens.