hows Skoda in terms of maintenance and parts cost?

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js7319

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#272346 20-Jun-2020 20:46

Hi all,

I have browsed some small-medium cars for my wife and Skoda Scala seems to be the most attractive.

(I had test driven Nissan Qashqai, Honda HRV, Toyota Corolla hatch, and Skoda Scala so far)

My worry is compare to these japanese car brand, is Skoda car worth owning and will it be reliable?

I couldnt find the real world experience with Skoda services in NZ on the internet.

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#2508955 20-Jun-2020 21:26

We have a kodiq at work. Took three months for a replacement door, following minor ding. Now a has minor ding in tail gate, same issue it seems.

Otherwise no real issues.

If looking at Renault Nissan, look up issues with their Jatco CVT transmissions. I suspect it will put you off.

Have you looked at Suzuki Vitara or Scross 1.6? Non turbo.

Inphinity

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#2508957 20-Jun-2020 21:29

The Scala is built on the same platform as the current Golf, and shares a reasonable number of parts, so the Golf is probably a good marker stick for comparison - they have generally been reliable, and reasonably cost effective. Skoda's products in the last, say, 6 - 8 years, have been really good, well priced, but with good features, reliability, and service costs. They are fairly nice to drive, too, in most cases. While the vehicle is new, dealership servicing costs are, in my experience, on par with most other brands. If you're going to a third party mechanic, the Skoda will likely cost slightly more than say a Corolla due to volume of them anda vailability of parts etc, and you probably want to find a decent VAG mechanic for confidence.

MikeB4

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#2508960 20-Jun-2020 21:33

Don't do it. We had a new Skoda Fabia a couple of years ago and sold it with in a year. The service network is rubbish, parts supply is rubbish, quality is rubbish. With circa 15,000ks on the clock it had received a new aircon unit, new brake rotors, new DSG unit. Will never buy or recommend anything from the VW Group of companies.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

Jvipers2

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#2508986 20-Jun-2020 22:46

Maybe it’s worth to check out the Haval H2 and MG ZS if you’re concerned about cost...

They come from a place where everything is cheap! But the interior build and accessories will surprise most...

freitasm

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#2508992 20-Jun-2020 23:18

Ping @nate

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dejadeadnz

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#2508993 20-Jun-2020 23:45

If you buy a Skoda, you're buying into the notoriously dishonest and unreliable VW empire. My wife and I have both owned VWs and the experience lines up exactly with what @MikeB4 told you about Skoda. I wouldn't do it. In my wife's case, we took a 15K loss to trade in her garbage Golf (this was comparing what we got for the trade in price versus what we could have gotten trying to sell it second hand to some poor sucker who would have had no come back - at least any private buyer buying that from the dealer we traded to would be covered by the CGA) just to get rid of the nightmare. Frankly I might have just insulted garbage -- at least those eventually decompose.

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nate

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#2508999 21-Jun-2020 00:24

I've had two Skoda Octavias over the last five years (bought one brand new, the second was about a year old).

Had a few minor issues, all covered under warranty, and have been pretty happy overall.

eracode

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#2509015 21-Jun-2020 04:01

dejadeadnz:

If you buy a Skoda, you're buying into the notoriously dishonest and unreliable VW empire. My wife and I have both owned VWs and the experience lines up exactly with what @MikeB4 told you about Skoda. I wouldn't do it. In my wife's case, we took a 15K loss to trade in her garbage Golf (this was comparing what we got for the trade in price versus what we could have gotten trying to sell it second hand to some poor sucker who would have had no come back - at least any private buyer buying that from the dealer we traded to would be covered by the CGA) just to get rid of the nightmare. Frankly I might have just insulted garbage -- at least those eventually decompose.

Our view is that we have owned many VWs and Audis over the last 20 years and have had a great experience. IMO VAG make great cars and this is borne out by the fact that there are a hell of a lot of, say, 10- or 15-year-old VWs and Audis still in the road.

We bought a new Audi and a new VW at the same time in 2014 - we still have them and they haven’t missed a beat.

I can’t comment on Škoda specifically in NZ but that marque is a much lower-volume seller and the service and parts backup may be lower. I drove a five-year-old Škoda Octavia in France for six weeks a few years ago and it was a lovely car - drove well and just like any other VAG product.

Yes the VW emissions scandal was unconscionable but that poor management judgement is not a reflection on the quality and reliability of their cars.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Benjip

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#2509055 21-Jun-2020 10:01

dejadeadnz:
If you buy a Skoda, you're buying into the notoriously dishonest and unreliable VW empire. My wife and I have both owned VWs and the experience lines up exactly with what @MikeB4 told you about Skoda. I wouldn't do it. In my wife's case, we took a 15K loss to trade in her garbage Golf (this was comparing what we got for the trade in price versus what we could have gotten trying to sell it second hand to some poor sucker who would have had no come back - at least any private buyer buying that from the dealer we traded to would be covered by the CGA) just to get rid of the nightmare. Frankly I might have just insulted garbage -- at least those eventually decompose.

Goodness me, you sound very bitter about your experience with VW. Might I ask what went wrong?

My experience with VW has been nothing short of fantastic; I’m currently on my third Golf GTI (MK7), having had a MK4 and MK5 prior to that and a BMW in between. I don’t think I had issues with any of them.

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#2509058 21-Jun-2020 10:19

Skoda is part of VW.

VW deliberately installed software into its vehicles with the sole objective of deceiving its customers and regulators.

Not a company I'm going to give any of my money to.

duckDecoy

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#2509063 21-Jun-2020 10:40

Benjip:

Goodness me, you sound very bitter about your experience with VW. Might I ask what went wrong?

My experience with VW has been nothing short of fantastic; I’m currently on my third Golf GTI (MK7), having had a MK4 and MK5 prior to that and a BMW in between. I don’t think I had issues with any of them.

@Benjip a golf gti is something my partner is currently considering, mk6. Any golf specific tips on what to look for when getting it checked out? E.g. i know to ask of the DSG service has been done at ~65km.

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#2509065 21-Jun-2020 10:43

This is a quote i had on my Skoda Octavia Scout 2017 Diesel

for a service plan

3years or 45,000km* $1200.0 incl gst

5years or 75,000km* $2400.0 incl gst

didn't take up the option but 1st service which is at 2 years was $394.50

Had a gearbox issue in January this year and Skoda NZ were amazing in there response it took 3 weeks to get gearbox from Germany to Dunedin

dejadeadnz

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#2509325 21-Jun-2020 21:29

Benjip:

Goodness me, you sound very bitter about your experience with VW. Might I ask what went wrong?

My experience with VW has been nothing short of fantastic; I’m currently on my third Golf GTI (MK7), having had a MK4 and MK5 prior to that and a BMW in between. I don’t think I had issues with any of them.

If I had to detail every issue, it'd be close to a page long but as a high level summary:

2013 VW Polo that my mother bought brand new and basically didn't use - we bought it at a discount. Note all but the last fault occurred inside the first 3 years

- A/C compressor completely died once inside warranty period

- Some minor (dealer admitted to be 100-odd dollar part) AC part failed and they took 3 weeks to source the right part - my mum went without A/C for weeks during the summer

- Endless door alignment issues

- Random loss of power issue traced back to some wire under the steering wheel that was frayed - took 3 trips to the dealer to fix

2015 Golf bought brand new by my wife - traded in inside 2 years

- A/C compressor leak

- Ridiculous oil consumption - took 2 trips to the dealer to diagnose

- Endless rattling that the dealer could never fix

- Power window failure x 2

- Central lock failure

- Windscreen auto-wipe feature never reliably working

- LED headlight randomly flickering

- DSG or whatever their automatic gearbox is called often not changing gears smoothly

I am pretty sure there could be more but this is all that I can remember. My mother also gave me her 2001 Polo when I was at uni (bought brand new again) and that had its own challenges but nowhere as bad. We certainly won't touch anything VW-related ever again.

freitasm

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#2509357 21-Jun-2020 22:05

@eracode I would prefer you attack the argument, not the person. Removed part of your post that did not add anything to this topic.

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#2509454 22-Jun-2020 09:15

eracode:

Yes the VW emissions scandal was unconscionable but that poor management judgement is not a reflection on the quality and reliability of their cars.

Yes the VW emissions scandal was unconscionable but their criminal conduct is not a reflection on the quality and reliability of their cars.

(let's call out VW's behaviour for what it was).

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