Collected new 1.2 SE TSI today. Not happy.

[Minimoke]

Just picked up my wife’s new Fabia 1.2TSI SE and I’m not a happy bunny.

I ordered this car 2 weeks ago (ex stock) based on the June 2010 brochure specifications which I understood to be the current version for the 2011 model year.

The car that was delivered does not match the specification in the brochure despite confirmation that the vehicle’s VIN is for a 2011 model year car.

There was 1 obvious omission on the car. The “chrome effect” interior door handles and vent surrounds were absent. No big deal I thought, but it made me suspicious and I examined the car in a lot more detail. Next I find that there is no tinted windscreen, and no tinted side windows – this is meant to be standard on a SE spec car. I begin to wonder what else may have changed.

I had to accept the car as the dealer has the usual terms in the contract regarding changes of specification before delivery.

I therefore phoned Skoda Customer Service. They confirmed immediately that the “chrome effect” bits and bobs is in fact not being fitted to 2011 model year cars – however they were a bit startled about the tinted windscreen and are now “checking back with the factory”. They told me that the brochure has been amended but the June 2010 version is still the one offered for download on their site and the detailed specification list on their website also shows that tinted glass and windscreen should be fitted.

I am really wound up over this mainly because I had exactly the same experience with my new Octavia Estate which I purchased last year. Stuff that was in the brochure was not on the delivered car. I swore at the time I would never buy another Skoda because of this, but SWMBO wanted to chop in her old Fabia for a new one so I relented. Looks like I never learn from my mistakes.

Rant over. I feel better now.

[stevensmith91]

Just picked up my wife’s new Fabia 1.2TSI SE and I’m not a happy bunny.

I ordered this car 2 weeks ago (ex stock) based on the June 2010 brochure specifications which I understood to be the current version for the 2011 model year.

The car that was delivered does not match the specification in the brochure despite confirmation that the vehicle’s VIN is for a 2011 model year car.

There was 1 obvious omission on the car. The “chrome effect†interior door handles and vent surrounds were absent. No big deal I thought, but it made me suspicious and I examined the car in a lot more detail. Next I find that there is no tinted windscreen, and no tinted side windows – this is meant to be standard on a SE spec car. I begin to wonder what else may have changed.

I had to accept the car as the dealer has the usual terms in the contract regarding changes of specification before delivery.

I therefore phoned Skoda Customer Service. They confirmed immediately that the “chrome effect†bits and bobs is in fact not being fitted to 2011 model year cars – however they were a bit startled about the tinted windscreen and are now “checking back with the factoryâ€. They told me that the brochure has been amended but the June 2010 version is still the one offered for download on their site and the detailed specification list on their website also shows that tinted glass and windscreen should be fitted.

I am really wound up over this mainly because I had exactly the same experience with my new Octavia Estate which I purchased last year. Stuff that was in the brochure was not on the delivered car. I swore at the time I would never buy another Skoda because of this, but SWMBO wanted to chop in her old Fabia for a new one so I relented. Looks like I never learn from my mistakes.

Rant over. I feel better now.

Is it really such a big deal just because you missing a bit of Bling and the windows are not tinted ? I could see the point if the car had lots of faults but assuming it's has not and everything work's why get wound up ?

Your obviously happy with your Octavia's performance and build quality because if you were not you would have got rid , so to say that you will never buy again is cutting your nose of to Spite your face

[gallego1968]

I never checked mine, but i will now.

[Minimoke]

I made it quite clear that I'm not worried about a bit of chrome bling. But do you know how much tinted glass costs? Its not cheap and the car is therefore not as advertised. What do you expect me to say, "whoppee"?

I object strongly to an organisation which consistently advertises one thing in its brochures and delivers another. This is not an isolated incident with Skoda UK who are increasingly looking accident prone with their brochures.

If you think I am over-reacting look at the posts in the Octavia forum over the wing mirror **** up. Skoda started to compensate people in the end.

I will not buy another Skoda. Its got nothing to do with cutting off my nose to spite my face its to do with the value for money propostion. Skoda are losing it.

Edited 29 July, 2010 by Minimoke

[Minimoke]

Hi gallego:

Check your model year by decoding the VIN.

From what I've found out so far from Skoda it looks like 2010 MY cars may meet the 2011 MY brochure, but the 2011 MY vehicles may not.

How weird is that !!!!!!

Edited 29 July, 2010 by Minimoke

[gallego1968]

Mine has the new front grille which i presumed is the 2011 model.

[ChrisRs]

Ive never seen an accurate Skoda brochure yet..and the salesmen dont know any better either.

Its time you got a grip Skoda!!!

[Minimoke]

Hi gallego

You can confirm the MY by using a VIN decoder such as the one in the link below (without the spaces or the X):

http:// igorweb X .org/ X vindec

[Brimma]

I had to do a double take for a minute - I didn't think you could get a new car in 2010 without a tinted windscreen :S

[Minimoke]

I can assure you its just plain glass - but with the wire in the middle which everybody thinks is a crack.

But there again its a 2011 MY not a 2010MY

Edited 29 July, 2010 by Minimoke

[Brimma]

I can assure you its just plain glass - but with the wire in the middle which everybody thinks is a crack.

But there again its a 2011 MY not a 2010MY

I wasn't doubting you for a second - I just thought plain glass windscreens went out with the ark :|

[Minimoke]

Brimma,

I would be interested to know why you say that.

For example, my understanding is that the 2009 Octavias only had tinted glass from the B pillar back on the SE and above. There was no tinted windscreen even on the Elegance in the brochure and mine does not have it. The vRS is different I think and has tinted glass all round.

[DavidY]

I wasn't doubting you for a second - I just thought plain glass windscreens went out with the ark :|

I thought the same - I thought all windscreens were routinely tinted at the maximum level of tinting that's legally allowed (which isn't very tinted). Edited 29 July, 2010 by DavidY

[Brimma]

Brimma,

I would be interested to know why you say that.

For example, my understanding is that the 2009 Octavias only had tinted glass from the B pillar back on the SE and above. There was no tinted windscreen even on the Elegance in the brochure and mine does not have it. The vRS is different I think and has tinted glass all round.

I say it because I thought that a basic tinted windscreen would be standard on almost anything these days, often with a darker band at the top - I obviously must have dreamt it

If all this is correct, and according to the May 2010 Octavia brochure, not even an L & K Octavia has a tinted windscreen over and above the S model - I just find that staggering for such a high spec model :S

[Minimoke]

Brimma,

I shared your surprise about this at the time, but I think the brochure was correct. Even my Elegance only 1 down from a L&K) does not have a tinted windscreen..

My wife's 2001 1.4 16V Fabia Eelegance had got tinted glass. She is now beginning to wonder if she did the right thing changing it for a 2010 1.2 TSI....I think she has for other reasons to do with VED, petrol consumption and insurance but thats another story.

[The Plumber]

Thought the lack of silver/chrome was a known discrepancy between the brochure and the actual FL spec :wonder: certainly aware of it before I ordered.

Regard checking the model year, look at the 10th digit of the chassis no -

Model year

9 - 2009

A - 2010

B - 2011

Regards,

TP

[Minimoke]

Hi TP,

So how was this a "known" discrepancy? The dealer did not know it and was surpised by it - he says he was not informed by Skoda. This discrepancy still exists today on the Skoda website. Skoda are still issuing brochures with this discrepancy even today.

And what about the tinted glass? is that also a known discrepancy? Any others I should have known about? Please advise.

[aj.]

Hi Minimoke, just wondering if your car may have originally been designated as a 'S' as according to the brochure this doesn't seem to have the tints, rather than an 'SE" model it was sold as, may explain the non tinted glass, is there a way through the chassis number to check which trim level it started out as?

[Mike Wrightson]

Hmm, my windscreen is tinted, as all the cars I've had have been. Often they have a darker band at the top, but not always. My side windows are tinted slightly darker, as is normal. Your SE should be exactly the same. (So will the S) (my parents Octy Elegance is tinted too)

Unless you partially open a window and compare, you won't notice the tint on the windscreen, it really is very light as it's all that is allowed by law. The rest of the windows will also be tinted to the maximum level allowed for the front door windows, which hardly looks tinted unless you compare.

There were quite a few photos about of the FL interiors before it was released and all showed the lack of chrome trim, I didn't expect mine to have any chrome inside. Since I knew it was a facelift car, I pretty much disregarded cosmetic features listed in the brochures. Was this the first FL Fabia the dealer had ever got in? My dealer knew about the interior changes, and he had one in the showroom on the day I went to sign the purchase forms (back in May), so how your dealer didn't know about the changes after the FL has been around all this time, I have no idea :S

Edited 29 July, 2010 by Mike Wrightson

[The Plumber]

Hi TP,

So how was this a "known" discrepancy? The dealer did not know it and was surpised by it - he says he was not informed by Skoda. This discrepancy still exists today on the Skoda website. Skoda are still issuing brochures with this discrepancy even today.

And what about the tinted glass? is that also a known discrepancy? Any others I should have known about? Please advise.

Hi minimoke,

regard the silver/chrome effect trim, pretty sure I have seen it mentioned on the forum in the dim and distant past, plus I queried it with two local dealers after looking at the brochure photos and an SE in the showroom and noticing it missing. Both dealers stated it was a printing error (possible a carry over from the pre FL) which lead me to believe it to be a known error.

Apologies but not much help with tinted glass as this is not something I looked into myself. Still have an April brochure which only mentions tinted windscreen, with the darker 'sunset' glass from the 'B' pillar back as an option.

All my previous experience regard Fabia's is with Mk I's which appear in a number of ways better spec'd when it comes to little details like proper chrome handles instrument lighting dimmers (noticed that missing after order) etc. Definite cost cutting sadly taking root at Skoda; might have somthing to do with CZ not being in the euro :wonder:

Despite these little things I still think the Fabia FL is a great little car particularly with the TSI motor, although I've yet to drive one

Anyway I hope you can resolve these issues to your satisfaction as it's disapointing when the car you have been waiting for turns up not as you were expecting. Had this with the Yeti, first one arrived up missing an option so ended up reordering :S

Regards,

TP

[Minimoke]

Mike:

I think it would be helpful if I recapped. Sticking to the Fabia issue...........

- 2 weeks ago we sat in a a brand new unregistered SE Fabia in the dealers showroom. This had the tinted glass and the chrome surrounds. It's spec matched the 2011 brochure in every respect.

- We have been delivered today a 2011 model year Fabia. There is no chrome and the window glass is NOT tinted (even slightly).

- Skoda have admitted to me that the brochure is incorrect regarding the chrome. It should be present on pre 2011 MY cars, but not thereafter. The current brochure for MY 2011 is therefore incorrect. The dealer says he was unaware of this - and I believe him.

- The car delivered today does NOT have tinted glass. Skoda UK cannot account for this. They cannot provide an answer at the moment and are seeking advice.

- Skoda have been unable so far to provide an explanation as to why their brochures (printed as being valid from June 2010; and on their website as at today's date; and their detailed equipment listing also on their site as at todays date) - which they admitted to me may be incorrect - remain uncorrected.

(f) Skoda UK told me they have had an email stating that the chrome will no longer be fitted from here on, thus the UK brochure is incorrect.

Quite frankly I don't give a stuff about the chrome - it was just that the absence of it that alerted me to a potential issue. Thats when I started to really look at the car and then identified the tinted glass issue. Question is what else has Skoda amended and not bothered to tell their customers? It makes me wonder, especially as this is the second time Skoda have stitched me up in a similar manner. It will be the last time I promise.

Edited 29 July, 2010 by Minimoke

[Guest]

I can understand your displeasure too Minimoke. Gotta say though that the specs can and do sometimes change from what is listed in the brochures and this is usually made plain in the brochures and usually by the sales guys. This is common to all manufacturers. I speak as someone who has always bought at least one or two new cars per year over the last 30 years. And these have been from all the main stream manufacturers. However, they are usually small changes. For example when I bought my Fabia estate I had expected the same radio and CD unit shown in the catalogue along with the centre console shown. However, when the car arrived it had a much better radio/cd unit and a much much better looking and more useful centre console. I noticed the small print in the brochure telling me that some specs on uk cars may differ to that shown in the brochure. But obviously, I wasn't disappointed in this instance. And that's the thing to make sure you see, the small print. However, if you car has arrived with something quite significantly different to what you had expected then Skoda will I'm sure look into it and correct anything that is unreasonable.

And yes...I've had issues with Ford, Fiat, Toyota and Vauxhall...all of whom have changed the spec on my new cars after I had ordered them. Only on one occasion did I make a fuss about it (due to the interior trim being changed from leather to fabric). On all other occasions it was just minor dashboard stuff and minor electricals.

Edited 29 July, 2010 by Estate Man

[sdwilliams72]

No chrome handles on the SE we picked up yesterday, but the windows defo look tinted to me....

[Minimoke]

I've now had my happy pill and have calmed down.

What got me going was that I went through all this last year when I brought my Octavia. The spec didn't match the brochure, and not to put a too fine a point on it I was lied to by both the dealer and Skoda Customer Services over the cut off order date for the mark 1 (original) VAT free offer. To cut a very long story short, the consequence was that I bought a stock car (which didn't match my spec 100%) when in fact I could have ordered the car I wanted under the VAT deal.

So when this happened today with my wifes new car you will appreciate I could have kicked myself for letting myself be stiffed twice by Skoda in a 12 month period. "Never again" is now engraved on my heart - now more in sorrow than in anger.

Edited 29 July, 2010 by Minimoke

[Black]

Just checked my 1.2 SE and it definately has a tint. Compared it with our passat which has sunsrt glass on the back section. The fronts on the Fabia and Passat have identical levels of tint. To check it out just put a bit of white A4 behind it.