:eek: Hi,

just wanted to warn Octavia owners of a potential rust problem due to poor grille fitment.

My Octavia is only 5 months old and today I noticed paint worn through on the bonnet edge at each side where the grille surround panel fits.

The problem seems to be not enough clearance between the surround panel and the bonnet or lack of a plastic gasket between them that may be found on more up market cars.

My solution was to remove the grille assembly, apply touch up paint to the bonnet edge, make up four plastic washers (from a fairey liquid bottle) and refit the grille assembly with the washers between the bonnet edge and grille retaining screws. This seems to provide enough clearance between the two and prevent the paint wearing through again.

Probably a good idea to closely inspect your Octavia because if this goes unchecked I'm sure horrible rust blisters would eventually appear.

Off course I could have taken mine back to the dealer and claimed under the warranty, but I'd rather put up with my paint touch up job than a bonnet respray which would probably never exactly match the original paint colour.

hope you fine this useful.

I bet you have a gold Blue Peter badge ;-))

I found some on mine the other day when I cleaned it. One the rear of the offside arch stones had made some hefty chips, and these are beginning to corrode. thime to do something with them, not sure what yet though.

I thought the body's are galvanized??

I thought the body's are galvanized??

You mean galvanized like Felicia tail gates!!!

I found some on mine the other day when I cleaned it. One the rear of the offside arch stones had made some hefty chips, and these are beginning to corrode. thime to do something with them, not sure what yet though.

ChipsAway : welcome ,,,,,, it'll "suit you sir"

Another warning!

I noticed the paint on the tail gate cracking at the outer edges of my tail gate handle.

So I removed the colour matched handle and discovered that the paint had worn through at the contact points of each end of the handle.

The handle has a rubber inset gasket which is meant to prevent this, but the plastic handle is poorly moulded and contacts with the paint work at each end.

Had to pair away a little plastic from the handle at each end and touch up the tail gate paint before refitting the handle.

Looks OK now as most of the touched up paint is below the handle fitting. (better than two horrible rust blisters in a few years time)!

Why are you doing this yourself if your car is 5 months old?

Why are you doing this yourself if your car is 5 months old?

Do you know this gezza, by any chance. :confused:

No, why?

Actually the object of the original post is to warn Octavia owners of possible corrosion problems in the future. Not to solicit hindsight posts.

(Of course the alternative to dealing with this problem myself would have been to return the vehicle to a Skoda dealer and have the tail gate resprayed under warranty,most likely the result being a different paint shade from the rest of the vehicle) .

Actually the object of the original post is to warn Octavia owners of possible corrosion problems in the future. Not to solicit hindsight posts.

(Of course the alternative to dealing with this problem myself would have been to return the vehicle to a Skoda dealer and have the tail gate resprayed under warranty,most likely the result being a different paint shade from the rest of the vehicle) .

Our tailgate on the Mk 1 octy started rusting last year, its a 2002 car with just over 120,000 miles on it. To their credit Skoda did it under the body warranty without a quible & did a cracking job as well. No complaints about Skodas body warranty from me

No, why?

Sorry mate, the thread started yonks ago, I didn't read the whole thing.

Anyway, TK must be some sort of "div" to think that, Quote; "most likely the result being a different paint shade from the rest of the vehicle".

I guess it takes allsorts!!!!

Seems that WK must be a professional car body work spray painter then?

:dnfnoob:

HELP HELP HELP

I have a New Octavia (54 plate) and it seems to be rusting on the lip on the tailgate. A Pajero tyre reversed into me and but this was near the number plate.

The rusting is on either side where the top lip is wealded to the rest of the tailgate - eg at the end of where the opener is.

Anyone got this or is this a design fault.

Cheers