I just bought a Skoda......

[Alveron2001]

As some of you might have seen from my postings, after some hemming and hawing. I finally settled on the car to buy and bought a blue 1 year old Octavia AMB.

 

(heh... Koolaba will be happy)

 

Was originally gunning for a New Lancer at $51K. Then went to test drive the Octy and became a convert. But Price difference was a big $9K more. While agonizing if we should top up to $60K for the Octy, we came across our current purchase.

 

Was very worried about getting a used car vs new. So far there are some hit & misses.

 

 

PROS

====

- Leather Seats & Steering Wheel

- Center Armrest already included

- Car in general good shape

- Driving feel is as good as the Test Drive at CA

- 15" 195R OZ Sports Rims

- Managed to change Trip computer from L/100KM to KM/L

- Got a good price. Hope the fixup job won't burn my savings.

 

CONS

====

- After Driving for 100+km. "Service Now" message came on.

- Sent for full servicing + 30K check. Found 1 Fan Faulty. ($250 burned)

- Got 3 small dents in the body & a light 2cm scratch on the paint.

- Interior a bit dusty. (nothing a vacuum cannnot fix)

- Driving for 1 week and FC shows 8.5-10.5 km/l. Quite poor.

- Ashtray cannot popup. Spring maybe snapped. (Anyone know how to fix?)

- Only 1 Key. Need to spend $$$ to make spare. (Any good recommendation ?)

 

Now I only need to learn how to claybar and try to DIY a wash, clean and wax up the body work.

 

Oh yeah and need to vacuum up the whole interior of the dirt & leaves in the boot. Maybe apply some cleaner to the Leather & the Dash.

 

Will get started this coming weekend.....

 

Checked with Hwa Keat for making a spare. Was quoted $160 for just a Transponder Key. Dun think it includes the remote Lock/Unlock that is in the original Skoda Auto Key. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and spend the dough.

 

But I would much rather get a flip key remote unit like what VW, Volvo & Audi is using. Believe that the current Tours on sale is using this Key... Cuz that was what the Demo Octavia at CA was using.

Edited April 3, 2006 by Alveron2001

[Koolaba]

Welcome to the Skoda family!

 

Hope that the FC will improve after you have sent your car for servicing. My experience with a new Octavia Tour manual indicates that 9.3l/100km is possible under hard driving.

 

BTW where was your servicing done?

 

For the ashtray, you should be able to get it from Xinzhong. If not, PM me and I will try to get one for you in Austria.

 

If you decide to rejuvenate your ride to 'brand new' condition again, pay Ronnie a visit and he can work out the details on a full body respray with or without change of colour.

[Alveron2001]

Thanks for all the great support and advice. I think we should all nominate you unoffical Skoda Ambassador.

 

Have been thinking hard on the colour part. Think maybe it has grown on us. So don't mind it so much now.... But the dents......

 

Maybe wait a bit for bonus.... cuz feeling a bit poor now.

 

Right now the Ashtray can still come up with a manual push. But pop-up is of-course way cooler. Can use it to store coins n stuff. Will try to see if I can hook back the spring somehow to make it auto-popup again... If not... maybe PM you for a purchase.

 

How was your Austria Trip ? Nice weather ?

[Koolaba]

Skoda Ambassador...CA should seriously consider this idea.

 

In fact in Austria, most, if not all the Skoda distributorships, have a publicity vehicle for every Skoda model. It has advertisements pasted on the car body and are driven by their staff or sometimes to motoring review magazines for long-term test drives.

 

Now is Spring. However the weather is quite rainy for this week.

 

For dents, you can get it fixed up at Ronnie's neighbour, Lye Designs. The cost is more competitive than the PDR outlet in Capitol Centre.

[Tashi]

hi mate

Welcome to the family! I am certain you will enjoy your Skodie to no end! I second that bro Koolaba be nominated as our Skoda ambassador. Maybe we should persuade CA to create such a scheme, similar to how Apple Macintosh was first sold, through "evangelism".

 

bless

tashi

[Lightspeed]

Ahhh.... so you're the new owner!

 

Welcome to the club!

 

Your poor fuel consumption figures are by looking at the dash?

 

Try your own calulation, how much petrol you pump in divided by the distance you travelled... on board 'puter sometimes screwy and not accurate

Edited April 5, 2006 by Lightspeed

[Skodarr]

Congrats for the new ride dude ...

 

Good choice indeed ...

 

Anyway, I think the car in overall service you well. Only some minor setbacks ...

 

Key is different from the Tour as it's using a different immobilizer code in order for the remote to work. I think you can try to reprogramme the remote. If I am not wrong, Servo can do it but don't know the exact price. Can drop by or call them directly at 65534200 for more info on it dude ...

[Alveron2001]

Good idea... will ask if servo can do anything about it.

 

But I will still need to go get the Flip Key unit from somewhere....

 

CA said if order from factory will take 6 weeks and $300. Don't know if it will be the flip key unit or just the normal key type.

[Lightspeed]

CA? Hahahaha... I paid them $150 for a key that can't open my door and they have the cheek to put the blame on me

[Alveron2001]

????

 

Then how ? $150 down the drain ??? At the very least as the Distributer, they should return the key to Factory for an exchange, right ?

 

What was the reason they used to blame you ?

 

So Hwa Keat the only way ?

[Lightspeed]

Personally I wouldn't go back to CA at all... but since your ride is still under warranty, if you're afraid of warranty issues, then you go back to them...

 

$150 down the drain... folks here reckon I was too soft and didn't bang tables hard enough... Well.. I was just utterly sick and disgusted and too disgrunted to continue to deal with them....

[Koolaba]

Are you duplicating a key or trying to get a flip key? Did the previous owner provide you with the key code?

[Fluffy]

congrats on the Octy purchase. It is a good car. Hope you get the ashtray and the key sorted out. CA or Xinzhong would be able to help.

 

Service message can be reset (should be in the manual) or if you want, just drop by Servo and they can reset for you.

 

As for the FC, it should be in L/100km.... you would need to reset the trip computer to get a more accurate reading.

 

dunno about the fan problem....strange that Skodas have the same problem with the fan cos the parts all come from the VAG parts bin and the SEATs and Boras/Golfs, A3 don't seem to have such a problem.....

[Alveron2001]

Thanks for all the encouragement....

 

Besides all these issues... In general still enjoying the ride and the drive.

 

 

Me: "Darling... do you need milk from super market ahh ???"

Wife: "No"

Me: "How abour eggs ? Need eggs right ?"

Wife: "no.."

Me: "I can go buy bread for tomorrow breakfast you know... Drive down only.. very fast one..."

[Kanr]

Good car,bro!!!

[Cola80]

Congratulations and well done

 

Upgrade your ICE if you haven't done so and you probably wish you can live in the car instead of house thereafter!

[Skodarr]

That's a good one dude...

[Fluffy]

i also have the 1.6SR 4-speed auto.

 

for FC, was getting about 9-10km/l (but i have a heavy right foot)

 

now, after port and polish, about 9km/l because right foot even heavier!

 

 

friendly advise is not to use the K&N filter, leave it as stock. It messes up the MAF sensor and also the throttlebody. Which could bring about higher FC.