This is the response I got from emailing Skoda:

Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:47:53 -0000

From: "Skoda Customer Services"

st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } Dear Mr X

Thank you for your email.

I am pleased to learn that you have recently purchased a Skoda Octavia Elegance 1.9 TDi PD. I can confirm that you are able to use 5% RME (Rapeseed Methyl Esther) in your vehicle providing that the fuel conforms to the standard EN590. The use of this fuel requires no modifications to the vehicle or changes to the vehicles’ maintenance schedule, and this does not affect the vehicle warranty.

The use of 100% Biodiesel has not been type approved for Skoda vehicles that have been purchased within the United Kingdom, therefore, we are unable to comment on any damage this fuel may cause to your vehicle or the affect the fuel will have on your vehicles’ components. I can advise that we do not recommend using 100% Biodiesel in the Skoda Octavia model that you have purchased.

I trust this information will be useful to you and I would like to thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Terry Gallagher

Customer Service Specialist

SkodaAuto Customer Service

Dear Mr Di Sciullo,

You will be pleased to know that I have now purchased a 2007 Octavia Elegance 1.9 TDI PD. What you might not be so pleased about is that I am not happy running it on dinosaur diesel because it is expensive, it stinks and it is not very kind to the environment. I want to use biodiesel.

I would therefore be very grateful if you could tell me what damage would be caused to the vehicle by using 100% biodiesel and what action a person who was determined to use 100% biodiesel in one of your TDI's could take to prevent such damage whether it be replacing rubber parts, fuel injectors, engine maps, etc.

Thank you,

Mr X

Has anyone else had similar correspondence with Skoda about biodiesel?

when we bought the vrs in march i do have it in writing from the dealer that (and this is paraphrasing) - "stick biodiesal in it and it will pretty much blow the engine and we will not cover it on the warranty".

MJallday - Please ask the dealer to refer to pages 167 to 168 in Skoda Fabia Owner's Manual for the manufacturer's position on biofuel.

when we bought the vrs in march i do have it in writing from the dealer that (and this is paraphrasing) - "stick biodiesal in it and it will pretty much blow the engine and we will not cover it on the warranty".

Blow the engine!? As in a nuclear explosion? Will your house blow up as well? Come on! I have done too much reading on the subject to believe that. That sounds like the dealer has not got a clue what biodiesel is or has been watching too many US movies.

From the responses I keep getting from Ford and Skoda it sounds like these guys don't have a clue what biodiesel does to an engine, or at least, they don't want to tell us and just want to fill us with scare stories because they cannot be bothered to deal with us if something goes wrong. I am really not impressed with the feedback I am getting from Skoda so far.

ill dig out the documentation we got .... its in for a service tommorow so ill clarify the position... however just checked with wifey (who was more likely than me to be paying attention) and she confirms.... - she also says it says on the diesal cap not to use biofuel ....

incidently "blow up" was my paraphrasing, not the dealers words - he said "screw up"... my way sounds more "die hard :)"

right, ive just been out and grabbed the manual....

page 167 - shifting early saves fuel information - no bio info there?

page 168 - regular servicing informaiton - nor there...

however, page 187 says you CAN fill up with biodiesal (providing its above -10c) (i dont live in siberia) AND PROVIDING the biodiesal is EN14 214 compliant with DIN EN590 - failure to do this will result "in damage to the fuel systems"

HOWEVER there is a dealer stamped flyer in there to say that the biodiesal supplied at our local refinery does NOT comply with the above standard and warns us not to use biodiesal "damage caused by this will NOT be covered under your warranty"

didnt check the diesal cap cos its too b****y cold!

hope this clarifies for people...

right, ive just been out and grabbed the manual....

page 167 - shifting early saves fuel information - no bio info there?

page 168 - regular servicing informaiton - nor there...

Oops sorry, apparently I can't read manuals, type, watch the telly and answer the phone at the same time. There are times I wish I was a girl..

i dont think thats just you... if i had boobs i wouldnt get any work done....

still might raise this tmr with the dealer... if i can save 50p a litre i will lol

right, ive just been out and grabbed the manual....

however, page 187 says you CAN fill up with biodiesal (providing its above -10c) (i dont live in siberia) AND PROVIDING the biodiesal is EN14 214 compliant with DIN EN590 - failure to do this will result "in damage to the fuel systems"

HOWEVER there is a dealer stamped flyer in there to say that the biodiesal supplied at our local refinery does NOT comply with the above standard and warns us not to use biodiesal "damage caused by this will NOT be covered under your warranty"

Oh so YOU can use it. What year is your Fabia? My Octavia is 2007 and it says on the fuel flap NO BIODIESEL. You see I don't know what that means. To me it says, "There have been some idiots out there putting SVO (straight vegetable oil) in their cars thinking it is biodiesel and because we think that people are ALL idiots we will just say no to biodiesel". That sucks! I object to being treated like an idiot! They are not even trying to help - they just give a blanket NO - tarnish everyone with the same brush and I don't appreciate it. I am surprised they don't put labels inside the fuel flaps such as NO WATER, NO MILK, NO BEER, NO P*SSING. It is ridiculous!!

I have done a lot of reading on biodiesel in books and on the Internet and I have used a 50% mixture in my old (2006) Ford Focus for about 5000 miles with NO problems even though Ford Technical only approve 5% and they say that their "highly sophisticated" engines (that cannot even officially run on BD - except the official government 5%) will die a horrible death if they sniff BD above 5%. Ask them to be specific and they can't because they don't have a clue!

What is my point? Facts that I have read about BD as opposed to all the rumours and fiction that abound to scare us into making the big oil companies and this thieving labour government richer by the day:

1) Eats rubber fuel lines - should not be used these days so check.

2) Cleans fuel system out - replace fuel filter.

3) Higher NOX emissions but carbon neutral.

4) Using recycled oil reduces pollution - we do not need to demolish all the forests on the planet.

5) Food costs will not go up if we use Jatropha as D1 Oils and BP are doing, and no, not everyone will suddenly switch to 100% BD use tomorrow! OK?

6) At least 20ppl cheaper than normal diesel.

7) Exhaust smells great from 50% BD and up!

8) Dieselbob says TDI engines fine with 100% BD: Diesel Bob Tuning - Vegetable Bob and they have emailed me as well confirming this. Email them yourself and ask.

9) I am sure there is a conspiracy out there against using BD. Someone is very scared!

I would like everyone on here to write / email their vehicle supplier and ask why their cars are not approved for 100% biodiesel use if the stuff has already been successfully tested over millions of miles in countries like the USA, France and Germany. Why do we have to reinvent the wheel?

Look at this: BusinessCar - Morrisons launches B30 biodiesel into mainstream

Perhaps us greenies (and money savers) should switch to Ford and Citroen?

Ok I think that is enough from me tonight but you can see how I feel about this, right?

my vrs is on an 07 plate

i have absolutely no problem with the concept of using biodiesal - and i agree with your points as above, im sure they are technically correct and im sure you know a damn site more about it than i do... to be honest, if i thought i could stick it in my car without it harming it - fine... because it will cost me £20 a week less... great..

My point, however, is that when my dealer says "dont do something or it will invalidate your warranty" what do you think i (and others in my position) are gonna do? its an 07 car with a 3 year warranty that i need in order for myself and wifey to get to work - so in my case, scaremongering or not, i have to tow the line - because i cannot afford the consequences of not.

i hope you see my point - i certainly agree with your sentiment though.

save the whales (but not the welsh )

Do you know what I would LOVE? I am not looking for freebies here.

I would like to find ONE forward thinking, helpful Skoda / TDI mechanic to say this to me:

"I admire your persistence to use BD and if you change the following parts in your 2007 Octavia 1.9 TDI you should be able to run it on 100% BD with no problems, but even if you do have a problem, we can sort it out for you."

That would be SO refreshing!

Is that too much to ask?

Sorry, good night now.

Do you know what I would LOVE?

I would like to find ONE forward thinking, helpful Skoda / TDI mechanic.

goodnight dude, night chatting .

Sorry I lied. I am on a roll.

MJallday, you make good points too. VRS! You lucky bugger! I bet she is gorgeous!!

I, personally, feel SO strongly about using BD that I am willing to take the risk and costs of something breaking so I can then get around the problem and share the information with the rest of you on here. I LOVE my car, don't get me wrong, if I could park her in my bedroom with a warm blanket over her I would.

However, I have read far too much good information and tests on using BD that this outweighs the scaremongering and prolific lack of knowledge regarding BD in this country.

Sorry I lied. I am on a roll.

Toilet or Sausage?

VRS! You lucky bugger! I bet she is gorgeous!!

Oh yes! i wanted the octy vrs but wifey thought it was "too big" for her and i relented... idiot that i am.

MJallday, you make good points too.

that is because i am an evil genius

I, personally, feel SO strongly about using BD that I am willing to take the risk and costs of something breaking so I can then get around the problem and share the information with the rest of you on here.

erm, OK, each to their own... frankly i dont have that much money!

I LOVE my car, don't get me wrong, if I could park her in my bedroom with a warm blanket over her I would.

ok now your scaring me... i like my car, but not THAT much!

However, I have read far too much good information and tests on using BD that this outweighs the scaremongering and prolific lack of knowledge regarding BD in this country.

totally, we pander to the nanny government in this country - but thats another argument

Sorry I lied. I am on a roll.

MJallday, you make good points too. VRS! You lucky bugger! I bet she is gorgeous!!

I, personally, feel SO strongly about using BD that I am willing to take the risk and costs of something breaking so I can then get around the problem and share the information with the rest of you on here. I LOVE my car, don't get me wrong, if I could park her in my bedroom with a warm blanket over her I would.

However, I have read far too much good information and tests on using BD that this outweighs the scaremongering and prolific lack of knowledge regarding BD in this country.

Oh, don't get me started on the nanny government!

Hello

I thought I'd add a reply as I have been speaking to just about everyone at Skoda regarding this.

I have a 53 plate Fabia VRs. My manual says I can use 100% Biodiesel. Skoda customer services says I can use 100% Biodiesel. Skoda Technical says I can use 100% Biodiesel. The local dealer says don't use biodiesel, despite what your manual says. I am thinking that the dealer didn't know what they were talking about.

The only thing I have to make sure about is the fuel filter will now need replacing every 20,000 miles instead of every 40,000 miles. And I have to make sure its international standard biodiesel.

However, they do say that all Skodas manufactured after 26/06/06 (or something like that) are not guaranteed to run on biodiesel. I didn't ask why - sorry.

This is the answer that keeps eluding me and Skoda refuse or are clueless to answer the question: Why can you not use 100% biodiesel in Skodas after 26 June 2006 and what can we do to make them compatible?

This is the answer that keeps eluding me and Skoda refuse or are clueless to answer the question: Why can you not use 100% biodiesel in Skodas after 26 June 2006 and what can we do to make them compatible?

Looking at my (04PLATE )manual ,there is a caution there that biofuel not to E51606 can damage the fuel SYSTEM . Could Skoda have changed something in the fuel system ?? Else ,it might be worth asking VW about this engine and Bio

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I think it all might be something to do with euro IV emissions rated engines. EGR valves or some such...

I did a lot of looking at the whole bio issue a while back and seem to recall seeing something along those lines. Can't find it now, of course!

There are a lot of factors involved. Basically, it's SUK covering their a55 again possible warranty claims (Which they have every right to do) but a lot of it is to do with oxidisation.

Bio production is largely unregualated. Most of the producers won't have their product up to the EN spec because at the scale it's produced it would cost too much to test each batch.

It can be a lottery. I have been using it for about 3 years and I found out everything I know from TRYING IT OUT.

The world won't move forward if everyone sits around talking about it...

MJallday - Please ask the dealer to refer to pages 167 to 168 in Skoda Fabia Owner's Manual for the manufacturer's position on biofuel.

The above information about page numbers relating to biodiesel use is correct for the manual dated 2003 (mine is a 2004 vRS).

After many phone calls and e-mails to Skoda customer services, they finally told me that the VRS will not run on full Bio-deisel, due to extra strain on the pump and injectors. You can use a 5% mix of bio-deisel, ie normal deisel mixed with bio-deisel, which unless it offers any performance or economy advantage, won't really be worth buying as it's probably the same cost. My understanding is that bio-deisel has a hight citane level and therefore will give better performance and economy, as yet there are no plans to make Skoda deisels run on bio-deisel, guess at some point they may be forced to?????