[Dose]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

He just feels that a large failure like this should not have occurred in a car like this, given the fact that it has hardly run 10,000kms.
Could the experts here perhaps explain how such a failure could occur?

Whether it has run 10 km or 1,00,000 km, it's still a German car. What does he expect? Owners who own these cars outside the warranty period need to have deep pockets, patience, and a backup Japanese car.

Actually he should be happy. If this is the only major problem he has had in three years, it's excellent for a German car. And the fact that the problem was diagnosed early by the dealer instead of it suddenly failing, leaving him stranded on the side of the road, is a bonus.

[Sideways]

Originally Posted by Dose

Whether it has run 10 km or 1,00,000 km, it's still a German car. What does he expect? Owners who own these cars outside the warranty period need to have deep pockets, patience, and a backup Japanese car.

Actually he should be happy. If this is the only major problem he has had in three years, it's excellent for a German car. And the fact that the problem was diagnosed early by the dealer instead of it suddenly failing, leaving him stranded on the side of the road, is a bonus.

If you have nothing sensible to contribute, then don't say anything at all.

[ashthedivx]

I am so sick to hear such service horror stories of Skoda every other day, last week a colleague of mine got his ECU replaced for a whopping 53K for a issue where-in he was feeling knocking while idling.

Somehow i feel one has no other better alternative to get it done from Service Center only as they might ruin remaining warranty otherwise, if left.

[Dose]

Originally Posted by Sideways

If you have nothing sensible to contribute, then don't say anything at all.

Sideways,

If you did not understand something I wrote, please ask and I will be happy to clarify.

[harry10]

Skoda repairs are expensive. Am quiet wary of them now after reading so many stories on the forum. My cousin has spent already around 2lac on his Laura which was bought in 2007 and he has vowed not to buy skoda again.
Yes 36k sounds less for a 17-18lac car however money is money and it pinches if any goes out like this.

[Jaggu]

Sam is it a DSG tranny car? If so driver error cannot be quoted as a reason for flywheel failure. 10k kms is too short a time for failure, i think the concerned person needs to get in touch with somebody senior from Skoda or Dealership to help. If its not working i think this has to be taken to a consumer court.

First thing take the car out from garage and do an independent validation of the problem (hope the gearbox has not been dismantled yet), DONOT repair, open up or work on the car while doing this. Just to confirm its flywheel which is the culprit as quote by dealer.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

By the way, it is not Sahil's but his father's car.

Umm..But who is Sahil?

[supremeBaleno]

Sahil would be Sam's MD's son - I guess that's how the company got the name Sahil International.

[suman]

Sam, sounds like a defective component, the Company should replace it FOC, irrespective of whether the warranty is over or not. Haven't heard of a flywheel packing up in 10k kms under normal circumstances (and from what I understand, he's a careful driver).

Originally Posted by revhappy

Rs 36,000 for a 15 lacs car is not much dude it is like 2000 bucks for a maruti 800. So tell your MD not to lose his peace of mind and get it fixed.

This is brilliant logic

Originally Posted by Dose

Whether it has run 10 km or 1,00,000 km, it's still a German car. What does he expect? Owners who own these cars outside the warranty period need to have deep pockets, patience, and a backup Japanese car.

Actually he should be happy. If this is the only major problem he has had in three years, it's excellent for a German car. And the fact that the problem was diagnosed early by the dealer instead of it suddenly failing, leaving him stranded on the side of the road, is a bonus.

OT: Completely exaggerated & does not answer Sam's query in any way. By the way, I think Sideways has understood your post very well, perhaps you haven't understood his

[Thad E Ginathom]

More techie ignorance here, but --- a flywheel is just a heavy steel wheel that maintains impetus, yes? All it does is rotate, no?

Apart from cracking up, which must surely be a manufacturing defect, what can go wrong?

OK, I'm no engineer, but I don't think I ever heard of such a thing.

[crackingride]

Hehe. This is a coincidence. If sahil international is the JBL distributor, including for the showroom on Lavelle Road, in Bangalore, this brings to mind a similar case of early failure under warranty.
I had picked up a JBL ipod dock from said organisation, and the AC adapter promptly stopped functioning after two days. Sahil International refused to change the part, choosing instead to pry the (sealed) adapter open and fix it, gluing the part back together when done.
Naturally i refused to accept this kind of a fix, especially two days after picking up a boxed, new product!
So, warranties ( if they exist) are also no guarantee of prompt replacement.
My two bits!

[Dose]

Originally Posted by suman

OT: Completely exaggerated & does not answer Sam's query in any way.

Which part of what I wrote was exaggerated?

Sam asked how such a failure could occur. The answer is simple. It's German. People who have done their homework do not buy German cars because of their world-class reliability. No, sir. They buy them for other reasons. And they know very well to always have a Japanese backup so that they do not risk blowing their top each time their German car...achtung...blows its.

[aaggoswami]

Flywheels dont pack up with in three years and after just 10K kms. Go to higher Skoda officials demanding free of charge replacement and not even a single penny paid. Or else go to consumer court. Rs. 36K is not the amount one is expected to spend after just 10K kms. This is glorified cheating under the pretext of quality. Skoda is at fault here and not the car owner.

Also ask the dealership the reason why the fly wheel needs replacement, i.e. what is the precise reason for the damage.

Fly wheel mostly helps keeping the rotation of camshaft steady when the power and torque dictate unsteady motoin of camshaft. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[manveet]

Make it clear that you are not asking for a part replacement FOC because it is under warranty. To that, they have already replied.

The crux is that Quality Defects should not happen so early in the product life, measured BOTH in years and kilometers run; an owner should not be penalized for using the car sparingly.

IMHO, the correct method would be for the MD to approach Skoda saying that as a Owner, he is utterly disappointed & dismayed that a Car like the Skoda Laura can have such an issue in JUST 10,000 kms. He is feeling SO bad that he is going to either take this up with the Media, Consumer Court, or someone higher up in Skoda Company (not dealership). Make it appear you are doing this just because you don't seem to have another option and don't really want to go to sucg lengths if you don't have to.

At this stage you are playing the victim card, and not confronting them or getting aggressive. Give them space to retreat, be nice o you and replace the flywheel without hurting their own ego.

For Skoda, it's not worth fighting for such a small issue (in their perspective), they'd rather just replace your flywheel and keep you happy. FOC.

Edit:
My suggestion is based on a similar issue I faced with my sparingly used Accord in 2007. Expense was 12k for Disc Brakes which they replaced FOC. Dad did have to get slightly assertive though.

[Mpower]

Sam. What problems is he experiencing with the car currently?

Since he only gave the car for regular servicing, I am wondering is the flywheel is really bad or is the dealer overeacting?