[PrabirTalati]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

Thanks a lot Srikant! I tried to convince him to operate the sunroof but as told there was so much of dust on the sunroof I had rather not operated it just yet. Will check, double check, check again, double check again! Before taking delivery. I hope I have a trouble free ownership as was the Laura ownership besides the regular Skoda issues like the AC, hope thats rectified here. Although mine is the first TSI in the state of Gujarat, bhp-ian Prabir Talati has already posted about his experience with the beast and I think he officially still is the first TSI Octavi-er on the forum. Mine is black though, a nice metallic black, head lights look even mpre stunning amd the car becomes more of a sleeper! Love that fact about the Octavia. Thanks again, and a very Happy Diwali to you and all Bhp-ians out here!

Hi, I'm sorry I haven't been able to post pics due to incessant travel over the past few days. I'm typing this post from a hotel room in Delhi at present.

Adi, congratulations on the imminent delivery of your car. The black looks the most stunning of the range, in my view, so I think it's a great choice!!

So after a few days, ownership report is as follows: about 7 kmpl average in Mumbai in mostly city driving (6 km to office and 6 km back with some odds and ends for the family). Jumps above 8.5 kmpl the moment I get to stretch it beyond 60 kmph. Transmission shifts really quickly and I've found myself in 7th gear at speeds as low as 60 kmph. Best fuel economy seems to be in a band from 70 to 100 kmph. Best driving enjoyment seems to be in a band between 140 kmph and infinity (although you understand I would never drive that fast on Mumbai roads since it's above the speed limits :-). Very very precise braking at those speeds. Rock steady steering wheel. Not a sound from the brakes when you apply them.

Btw, on the topic of the sunroof - there's only a net below it, by the way. Not a solid partition. Much to my annoyance, you can't totally shut out light from above. So I'm learning to like it now. :-) what it does mean though is that if anything happens to that sunroof, it's into the workshop for the car. So do give that sunroof a thorough check, Adi.

Leg room at the back: even more spacious than I imagined. Transmission tunnel bump in the middle coupled with rear ac vent cramps leg room somewhat in the middle passengers seat at the back so this spot is now designated for my 4 year old son.

Very faint sound in the rear left of the car. I can't hear it, my driver picked it up. Very very faint but he's a real pro. Anyway, I went to the workshop for the orientation on Saturday and it took a skilled technician to confirm my driver was right. So the car is going back tomorrow so they can hoist it and check. Skoda Aurangabad has been informed as well. I will post an update once we figure out what this.

Gizmos all working brilliantly (havent tried them all yet because there's so many of them; cruise control being one notable example) . The Parktronic is excellent. You really don't need a rear camera with this Parktronic, it's that good.

No power outlet at the rear. Did I mention how cheesed off I am with this incredible omission? I'm very cheesed off.

Accessories - took the rear loading plastic protection strip and the black decorative mirror protectors. Asked for some others - the netting, subwoofer (so that I can offer Navin a respectable musical experience when we travel together :-) and a couple of other minor items. Nothing arrived at the dealer yet.

Extended warranty - still work in progress? I need to keep following up with the dealer (JMD). Adi have they said anything to you about extended warranty?

Hope you find this useful. More as I learn more.

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by PrabirTalati

Hi, I'm sorry I haven't been able to post pics due to incessant travel over the past few days. I'm typing this post from a hotel room in Delhi at present. Adi, congratulations on the imminent delivery of your car. The black looks the most stunning of the range, in my view, so I think it's a great choice!! So after a few days, ownership report is as follows: about 7 kmpl average in Mumbai in mostly city driving (6 km to office and 6 km back with some odds and ends for the family). Jumps above 8.5 kmpl the moment I get to stretch it beyond 60 kmph. Transmission shifts really quickly and I've found myself in 7th gear at speeds as low as 60 kmph. Best fuel economy seems to be in a band from 70 to 100 kmph. Best driving enjoyment seems to be in a band between 140 kmph and infinity (although you understand I would never drive that fast on Mumbai roads since it's above the speed limits :-). Very very precise braking at those speeds. Rock steady steering wheel. Not a sound from the brakes when you apply them. Btw, on the topic of the sunroof - there's only a net below it, by the way. Not a solid partition. Much to my annoyance, you can't totally shut out light from above. So I'm learning to like it now. :-) what it does mean though is that if anything happens to that sunroof, it's into the workshop for the car. So do give that sunroof a thorough check, Adi. Leg room at the back: even more spacious than I imagined. Transmission tunnel bump in the middle coupled with rear ac vent cramps leg room somewhat in the middle passengers seat at the back so this spot is now designated for my 4 year old son. Very faint sound in the rear left of the car. I can't hear it, my driver picked it up. Very very faint but he's a real pro. Anyway, I went to the workshop for the orientation on Saturday and it took a skilled technician to confirm my driver was right. So the car is going back tomorrow so they can hoist it and check. Skoda Aurangabad has been informed as well. I will post an update once we figure out what this. Gizmos all working brilliantly (havent tried them all yet because there's so many of them; cruise control being one notable example) . The Parktronic is excellent. You really don't need a rear camera with this Parktronic, it's that good. No power outlet at the rear. Did I mention how cheesed off I am with this incredible omission? I'm very cheesed off. Accessories - took the rear loading plastic protection strip and the black decorative mirror protectors. Asked for some others - the netting, subwoofer (so that I can offer Navin a respectable musical experience when we travel together :-) and a couple of other minor items. Nothing arrived at the dealer yet. Extended warranty - still work in progress? I need to keep following up with the dealer (JMD). Adi have they said anything to you about extended warranty? Hope you find this useful. More as I learn more.

Hi Prabir, thank for listing out your experience with the beast till now not too happy to hear about the FE though.. Do you go 0-60 in 7 secs to the office commutes and back home? indeed i found the parktronic was too intuitive while i was having a test drive of the car. How much is the subwoofer for? I am going to receive an accessory list tomorrow. My dealer is offering Extended Warranty for some 30 odd thousands. Gonna take it at time of delivery. Thanks and keep updating! Next time with pictures!

[venkat kumar]

Hi,
My son took delivery of a new Skoda Octavia on the 17th of October 2013 and the car developed a knocking noise from the engine after it had just run 400 kms.The car was sent to their dealership to have the problem sorted out and it has been nearly a week and nothing has happened till now.
I had made a complaint on their toll free no and all you get is an system generated acknowledgement.My son is very upset and he says the new car ownership feeling is all gone.After having spent 21.32 lakhs on the car,I believe that he has every right to be upset.
Can anyone give me ideas as to how to go about the whole thing.
I am beginning to wonder whether this is the clever thinking part of Skoda to produce a defective car and then let the customer spend sleepless nights.
I hope we have some sort of forum by which we could take these irresponsible car manufacture to task.Hoping to hear from all of you as to how to proceed.

Regards
Venkat Kumar

[nitinbose]

Originally Posted by PrabirTalati

Asked for some others - the netting, subwoofer (so that I can offer Navin a respectable musical experience when we travel together :-) and a couple of other minor items. Nothing arrived at the dealer yet.

How is the subwoofer integrated to the car? Are you adding an external amp?

Originally Posted by venkat kumar

I hope we have some sort of forum by which we could take these irresponsible car manufacture to task.Hoping to hear from all of you as to how to proceed.

You could send a mail to the mail ids mentioned on the Skoda website. This would actually register the issue in their system. Alternatively, you may also engage by posting on the Skoda FB page! Please keep all documentation for future reference. Do you have any other dealer in Coimbatore? I'm surprised you're greeted with an electronic message from the Skoda customer care. I've never had this experience and was always connected to an agent.

[venkat kumar]

Hi Nitin,
I have already sent them a mail.By the way there is no other Skoda distributor in Coimbatore.I only hope they take this complaint of mine seriously ,rectify and deliver the car early
Regards
Venkat Kumar

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by venkat kumar

Hi, My son took delivery of a new Skoda Octavia on the 17th of October 2013 and the car developed a knocking noise from the engine after it had just run 400 kms.The car was sent to their dealership to have the problem sorted out and it has been nearly a week and nothing has happened till now. I had made a complaint on their toll free no and all you get is an system generated acknowledgement.My son is very upset and he says the new car ownership feeling is all gone.After having spent 21.32 lakhs on the car,I believe that he has every right to be upset. Can anyone give me ideas as to how to go about the whole thing. I am beginning to wonder whether this is the clever thinking part of Skoda to produce a defective car and then let the customer spend sleepless nights. I hope we have some sort of forum by which we could take these irresponsible car manufacture to task.Hoping to hear from all of you as to how to proceed. Regards Venkat Kumar

Venkat, feel sorry for what you are going through. Skoda has this habit of producing some percent of their cars that turn out to be lemons. This along with their pathetic service can really take away the excitement and the new car ownership experience. I am sure Skoda is watching and reading through this thread and Team BHP is also a very strong forum. Apart from what Nitin has suggested,I would suggest you also call a few Auto Magazines like Autocar and ask them for their help. I have personally seen the auto companies react differently to calls made from these magazines. All the best and keep us posted.

[Arjun Reddy]

Guys. Just think about it. I guess so far we have had 2 or 3 deliveries of the New Octavia. Haven't we had a problem with each one of them?

[Red's]

As far as i can see , there are already a few exclusive customers , also Skoda mentioning that the car has bagged 1000 bookings is great , for a brand which had been pulled down due to other factors . But its sad to see that some members are already facing problems with a brand new car . Though these could be small niggles , it could shake the confidence of a customer . I own a Laura 1.9 PD and from day one the car has been mostly trouble free . Though technology is moving at an incredible pace i no longer find that tank like build on a car . I recently got a chance to check the Passat and though the car reeked of premium feel , it just didnt feel right in a place or two . Skoda please take time to address to customer issues . You have a competent winner at hand but sadly u would lose yet another chance due to the careless attitude of ur sales representatives and service issues . I myself am such a loyal fan of Skoda and in span of 4 years a lot of things have changed but in a wrong direction . I am slowly losing that immense faith and confidence that german engineering had on me .

[adi_petrolhead]

Just had a rift with the dealer. I already fought and got approval from the Aurangabad office that I can opt for the insurance of my choice, and i did! Got a spectacular policy the ICICI Diamond plan. Covers zero-dep, consumables, hydro damage, tyre burst incidents (others give part claim) also covers the taxes that I pay on the car!! Any way, so I got a call today to submit the cover note before delivery, I asked about extended warranty, the lady bluntly refused! Yes, she refused! Stating that since I have not bought the insurance from the dealer, I can't get extended warranty. Here's the cost break up:
Dealer insurance covers zero dep and consumables: Rs. 85000/-
Skoda Shiled: Rs. 14300/-
Total: Rs. 99300/-

My insurance: Rs. 60000/-
Skoda Shiled: Rs. 14300/-
Total: Rs. 74300/-

They expect to pay 25000/- extra for a package less valuable, forceful, and completely illogical! I called customer care at Aurangabad and registered a complaint immediately. The person promptly told me that I can take the insurance later on as well before a stipulated period of time, even after the delivery(dealer says I have to get it at delivery else I can't avail it) I'll just have to wait for an answer tomorrow. Wish I had not made the payment just today for everything. Torque Automotive is just ruining my entire buying experience and once I take the delivery of the car I am going to the consumer forum. Any body wanna join?

[PrabirTalati]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

Hi Prabir, thank for listing out your experience with the beast till now not too happy to hear about the FE though.. Do you go 0-60 in 7 secs to the office commutes and back home? indeed i found the parktronic was too intuitive while i was having a test drive of the car. How much is the subwoofer for? I am going to receive an accessory list tomorrow. My dealer is offering Extended Warranty for some 30 odd thousands. Gonna take it at time of delivery. Thanks and keep updating! Next time with pictures!

I have no update on the subwoofer or any other accessories yet. Or Skoda Shield. I guess a personal trip to the dealer will be required. FE for a car of this weight in my driving conditions is pretty decent for our road and traffic condition in Mumbai. I'm getting a better average than my Corolla which is a much lighter car. I haven't timed my speed but I don't actually speed in city traffic - much more focused on a smooth experience so I can't say. (Autocar review says the car can do 0-100 in 8 sec ...)

Just one word on installing any accessories: be very careful about anything that links to the Electricals, even if it's done by the dealer. This model is still too new for them ... I'm having second thoughts about the subwoofer.

[venkat kumar]

Hi Adi,
Skoda after sales is so pathetic that they drive one to their wits end.I am sure that in this day and age they must realize that producing a car alone is not enough,keeping the customer happy is also important
I know for sure that they have lost a couple of definite customers after watching my experience with Skoda.I hope Skoda wakes up at least now.We have at least 4 or 5 other brands of cars and I have never had such a bad experience with anyone and this will be my first and last skoda.
Please keep me posted as to what is happening at your end.What Skoda must realize is that they cannot treat their customers like dirt.If I have further problems with the car I may also be left with no other alternative but go to consumer forum.

Regards
Venkat Kumar

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

Dealer insurance covers zero dep and consumables: Rs. 85000/- Skoda Shiled: Rs. 14300/- Total: Rs. 99300/- My insurance: Rs. 60000/- Skoda Shiled: Rs. 14300/- Total: Rs. 74300/- They expect to pay 25000/- extra for a package less valuable, forceful, and completely illogical

As I understood it, Skoda Shield extended warranty is bundled with insurance, and sourced from the insurance company. It is not sold separately. So if you want the extended warranty provided by the insurance company, you have to buy insurance from them. One way of looking at it is to assume that the extended warranty costs Rs. 40 k per year. Is it still worth it? Not sure - the biggest ticket item that can go wrong is mechatronics, and Skoda has been replacing it free of cost even after the warranty expires.

[F150]

Originally Posted by Hayek

the biggest ticket item that can go wrong is mechatronics, and Skoda has been replacing it free of cost even after the warranty expires.

Are there any such examples on the forum ?

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by F150

Are there any such examples on the forum ?

Personal experience + that of one friend. You can check my thread on my Skoda Superb - not sure how to link to it from the iPad app.

[BackInTheFold]

Originally Posted by Hayek

As I understood it, Skoda Shield extended warranty is bundled with insurance, and sourced from the insurance company. It is not sold separately. So if you want the extended warranty provided by the insurance company, you have to buy insurance from them. One way of looking at it is to assume that the extended warranty costs Rs. 40 k per year. Is it still worth it? Not sure - the biggest ticket item that can go wrong is mechatronics, and Skoda has been replacing it free of cost even after the warranty expires.

The Skoda Shield is effectively another insurance product which Skoda has developed with Bajaj Allianz. This is not linked to the normal car insurance, though the dealers would like us to believe that. After 2 years with BA for my car insurance, I switched to ICICI this year. My Skoda Shield still holds. I had a fuse box and AC issues resolved under extended warranty