[n.devdath]

Thus far, the poll seems to have come some distance and we have the following conclusions:

1. Apart from the 7 speed DSG, there have been negligible/no major issues with Skodas.
2. Skoda manuals have been very reliable and have ensured high levels of owner delight, however, the ASCs still need to improve.

***Calling out to the other Skoda owners on the forum to cast their valuable votes.***

[dkaile]

Although I feel it is too early for my car to give a proper reliability report, here goes -

a. Make and model year.: 2012 Superb 1.8 TSI 160bhp Elegance, 6 speed Manual Transmission
b. No of Kms done.: 5,200
c. Kind of environment traveled in (Hot climate or moderate climate): North Indian Hot Climate till date.
d. Self driven, driver driven, or both: Self Driven
e. If you are happy with the Skoda/Skoda ASC support that you have received for your car, and finally,: Yet to test them fully. But if you are a hands on person like me who stands on their head to get his job done then issues should be minimal. This is applicable to any ASC in India.
f. If you would buy another Skoda and/or recommend it to your loved ones.: Only the value for money ones. I feel the Laura and Yeti are over priced. Perhaps after another 15~20k kms I can give a proper feedback on this.

My car too has had ZERO issue till now. Reliability is at par with my Toyota's till date. Luxury surpasses all other cars I have owned. It is the BEST car I have owned in my life TILL NOW (fingers crossed) and has given me tremendous value for money in initial purchase price.

People should stay away from the AT Petrol with the DSG-7 by a bargepole.

Here is my Initial Ownership Thread - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...t-destiny.html

[dkaile]

With about 92% of the respondents reporting NO ISSUES with Skoda, I would rate its reliability at par with other manufacturers. Skoda woes certainly seem to have been blown out of proportion.

What do others think?

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by dkaile

With about 92% of the respondents reporting NO ISSUES with Skoda, I would rate its reliability at par with other manufacturers. Skoda woes certainly seem to have been blown out of proportion.

I was on this thread in the morning and was about to say the same thing dkaile.

I am now confident that Skoda is as good as any other brand in the country today.

[.anshuman]

Recently my Laura DSG went through 12 days/3300kms of torture(non existent roads and offroading) in drive to Ladakh, came back with zero issue to report, not even a single puncture or any kind of damage. Not even a single squeak or rattle to report. As good as it was on day one.

[shuvc]

OT: in a mechatronics thread.

Originally Posted by dkaile

With about 92% of the respondents reporting NO ISSUES with Skoda, I would rate its reliability at par with other manufacturers. Skoda woes certainly seem to have been blown out of proportion.

What do others think?

I have never owned a Skoda, but have glanced at one whenever I have been in the market for one, wondering if I should take the plunge. While there are a few Skoda 'horror story' threads in the forum, there are also many happy ownership threads. Which basically indicates that the cars are quite reliable.

However, it is not the cars that kept me away from Skoda. What has kept me away is the common aspect in most of those 'horror story' threads.

- Unscrupulous dealers (some)
- Skoda apathy towards customers, IF a problem arises.

I'd love to get a pre-owned Octy Tdi right now. Among their most reliable cars. But I'm scared. Whereas if I were in the market for one, I would buy a similar vintage Corolla with much less trepidation.

This is totally my perspective. But I suspect it is the same for many such potential customers, resulting in loss of business for the brand.

[dkaile]

Skoda asks its top officials to start performing. Even after being in the market since 2001 it has only 1% of the market share. maybe somebody ought to tell them its because of their 'perceived' frightful after-sales experience. They have solid products let down badly by the shoddy image of its after-sales. If they really want to pull things together they have to work on ONLY one area and i.e. better after-sales-service and reducing its costs.



Sorry mods, couldn't find any other relevant topic and hence posted this in this Skoda reliability topic.

[dkaile]

My personal letter to Sh. Sudhir Rao (MD), Skoda Auto India, regarding reliability concerns about Skoda products in India and what he can do about it -

To
Sh. Sudhir Rao (Managing Director)
SKODA Auto India Private Limited
A-1 / 1, M.I.D.C.,
Five Star Industrial Area, Shendra,
Aurangabad - 431 201
Tel: +91 240 6631 111 / 222 / 333,
Fax: +91 240 6631299, 6631199
24 hour helpline: 1800 209 4646 &
1800 102 6464
Dated: 14-09-2012

(I would request the Customer Care personnel to kindly forward this email to Shri Rao personally, as it is of important concern)

Dear Mr. Rao,

I was and am a die hard Toyota fan for the sheer bullet proof reliability and go anywhere attitude of their vehicles. They lacked in many luxury feature but out lasted all my other vehicles due to their fantastic built coupled by excellent after-sales-service. I have owned a Corolla (my long term ownership thread is here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...55-000-km.html ) and recently I also bought a Fortuner (ownership thread is here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...uilt-last.html ).

That aside I was looking for something more as I moved up in life and wanted to taste some more luxury. So even after hearing many Skoda after-sales horror stories, I decided to put my money on a Skoda Superb Petrol MT a few months back. My ongoing detailed ownership thread of the said vehicle is here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...t-destiny.html .

Now as will be clear with the 'tryst with destiny speech' analogy on my aforementioned thread, we (meaning me and many of my co-Skoda owners) are quite worried about the bad reputation that Skoda after sales has built for itself over the years. One clear case is of Mr. Harish which has gone awry (reference - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...d-4-years.html ). There are several other threads especially on the concern for the "Ghost of Mechatronics" (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...hatronics.html ) especially the 7 Speed DSG that you put in your Petrol Superb's which has got a very high failure rate in India (Thank God, I opted for a Manual transmission Superb). Also people even started topics on guidelines to buy cars like Skoda and what to expect (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...opean-car.html ).

That is not to say that there are no satisfied Skoda owners in India. There are many including me (up to now). But the ghost of our predecessors still haunts us. Whether we will get Toyota levels of after sales service or not with Skoda? Whether my fine running car will be ruined at the hands of ill-trained technicians the moment it enters your workshop here in Meerut (U.P.)? Whether I will be fleeced with high cost of spare parts once parts like clutch etc. give way after a few years? These are questions which always create a doubt in our mind about Skoda ownership in India.

Now today morning I read an interesting article in the newspaper regarding "Skoda asking its senior officials to perform" (http://m.economictimes.com/news/news...w/16391807.cms ). Now this got me thinking, where has Skoda gone wrong that it has only 1% of market share even after being in the Indian market for 11 long years. It has solid products which are very luxurious and provide reasonable value for money (at least in the case of my Petrol Superb). As a recent Skoda owner I can tell you that you have to strengthen ONE THING and one thing ONLY. And that is your "AFTER-SALES-SERVICE", its quality and lowering its costs. This alone can allow you to garner the confidence back from existing and prospective Skoda owners. I visited your workshops/dealerships at Meerut and at Faridabad but NONE of them provided me the confidence that I (meaning me and my Skoda) will be well looked after once I need to go there, which is going to be soon in my case, as I am nearing 6 months of ownership (for the 6 month/7500km checkup).

I hope you will take this letter in the positive spirit that it is written by a Skoda owner (and now a converted fan from Toyota) and you will take immediate corrective steps in this regards.

Hoping to hear from you personally so that I can pass your point of view to the general public through forums like TeamBHP which will help in negating the bad image the company has built up over the years.

Warm Regards


DXXXXX KAILE
MEERUT - 250001 (U.P.)
Mobile: xxxxxxxxxx
Email: xxxxxxxxxx

[ACM]

Love my Laura but it scares me as well. 2006 L&K DSG AT 1.9PD - 85,000 Kms

Issues till date:

Turbo and Intercooler Replaced twice. (Once under warranty) Rs. 70,000 - for work done outside. Would be Rs. 125000 at authorized centre.)
Horns replaced 4 times - now have a cheaper alternative solution in place that lasts much longer. (3 times under warranty) (Rs. 3000 each at authorized Centre)
EGR replaced once. Rs. 7000 - work done outside.
Did routine timing belt and water pump replacement when due. Rs. 25,000
Replaced Flywheel once. Rs. 42,000 with some other part.
Replaced AC Belt and Fan once. Rs. 7000 + Rs. 3000
Replaced Thottle Body once. Rs. X - Dont remember
Replaced one of the Turbo pipes once. Rs. 3000 Approx
Replaced Sun Roof Once - Repaired outside with a swap with another accident car roof - The Sun Roof Hinges had totally rusted. - Rs. 15000.
Replaced Roof Lining once - I guess interior cleaning once too often (by the authorized centre) brought the lining down. Rs. 10,000 Approx
Replaced Music Head unit once - under warranty.
Replaced AC Compressor once. Rs. 36,000 - work done outside.
Replaced DSG Connector Switch once. Rs. 25000 (under warranty free)
Have had to get AT DSG Unit disassembled and reassembled once to solve issues with the DSG that came to light after flywheel replacement.
Replaced Half Front Axel Once - Rs. 25,000.
Replaced front headlight washer spray nozzel cap twice.

Then there is minor accident work, 2nd bought set (3rd overall set) of tyres, Third Brake Pad Set, Logo and wiper replacement etc that should not be considered.

Yep it has given me trouble - a lot of it, but when it rides well it is still a dream.

I feel most issues come up after 2 years and 40,000 kms. So a check of users who have clocked 40,000 + kms and had the car for 3 years plus would probably be better to get a reliability idea.

[dkaile]

From the latest issue of AutoCar India, Skoda MD, Mr. Sudhir Rao, gets serious about after-sales experiences and takes over its reins personally -



Seems like our hue and cry is having some effect.

[dkaile]

Received back this reply from Mr. Sudhir Rao, MD, Skoda on the aforementioned letter -



And that too on a day I faced my first issue with the Superb (discussed here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post2920995 ).

He also mentions to continue sharing our feedback directly to him or through our preferred forums (meaning TBhp), which can only mean that they are now proactively watching this forum and links I have sent. Nice to see this pro-activeness. If Skoda remains on this path, it's happier days ahead for it and it's customers.

[yash.giri]

Nice to see some serious initiatives being taken up. I think, we have to wait a bit to see tangible results/changes.

Yes, one thing that has changed ... prices of spare parts have come down substantially.

[AlphaKilo]

Super Dkaile! That's a Car man talking! Good to see Mr. Rao taking intiatives and being pro-active, most important reading TBHP. I am sure we will see good responses anymore, which have already started.(seen in few new skoda owners ownership threads that they getting good service).

[Swanand Inamdar]

Thats a great move DKaile. Its even more wonderful that the MD does take cognizance of the letter; and the issues.
Kudos to you for doing this, and to Mr. Rao for taking time out, to reply to your letter.

[ac-cobra]

Have the 7 Speed DSG issues been fixed?

I have been speaking with a few Skoda dealers recently and have menioned the 7 Speed DSG mechatronic issues that have plagued many Superbs on the forum.

The response I have been getting is that in 2010, Skoda had modified their DSG units and the mechatronic defects have been resolved.

Is this true?