7 Simple Guidelines if you're buying a European car This thread is to help prospective buyers of Skoda minimize problems while owning a Skoda car. They are intended to help buyers increase reliability of their car and have a better ownership experience. These steps should help increase reliability of all cars (especially the other German ones), but you have a larger margin for error in the likes of Toyota, Maruti, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai.
So here are the guidelines and am trying to keep it as simple as possible:
1. If you are buying a car for the first time and have not been interested in cars before this, it is better not to buy a Skoda and stick to other brands such as Toyota, Maruti, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai etc which are time proven brands in terms of reliability, after sales service and customer friendliness. As a general rule, the Japanese and the Koreans are better in this area and so one can also safely assume that the likes of Nissan would also tread this path; certainly in the area of reliability, if not anything else.
2. If you are the type who cannot be bothered to understand a car, its functioning, its occasional subtle feedbacks and would rather drive and enjoy the car and leave it to the A.S.S to look after all service related issues it would again be better to stick to the Japanese / Korean brands.
3. If your car is going to be driven by a chauffeur it is better to avoid buying a Skoda. Also, even if you do not have a chauffeur, avoid having multiple drivers on your car (loaning the car to friends etc).
4. The adage “Less is More” is very apt for Skodas/ VW if you do not want to be a part of the VW Group’s Global R&D wing. Simply put, avoid the DSG’s and the L&K variants. Stick to manual gearboxes and at max the Elegance trim.
5. This is the most important one - Avoid Accessorizing Your Car – avoid ICE upgrades, reverse parking sensors, extra lights, change of original lights, change of horns, sun control films, seat covers (where the seats and pads have to be removed to fix them) etc even if the accessories are the original ones. Satisfy yourself with what is available in the higher variant and stick to the stock car. This will help improve the reliability. If you cannot do without accessories, then it is better to avoid a Skoda.
6. If you are buying a Skoda read through the manual, separate the EU specific instructions from the ones for India, and follow the instructions in the manual. You could possibly get away with not doing this when you buy a Japanese / Korean model. For those who would like to go to Level II and learn more about your Skoda, go to erwin.skoda-auto.cz. This site will give you the complete workshop manuals, maintenance guidelines and technical data. However, this information would be of value if you are seriously technically inclined and is not otherwise required. And dont bother if you aren't. The ownership manual would be more than enough.
7. The final step before you buy a Skoda is, I believe, to set yourself certain exit criteria. This is to be used in the worst-case scenario so that one does not get frustrated / disgruntled and start beginning to hate the automotive experience. And this is where you have to decide how much you are willing to put up with before exiting or whether you are willing to exit if you have to. I have put myself a max of 2 reliability issues (or even one if it is major involving the car being off road for more than 7 days) or a max of 2 major service issues. I have decided that if I face any of these I would sell my Skoda at whatever price is prevalent at that time. And move on. Over to you to decide on this one.
Happy Motoring ! |