7 years experience with the SKODA Octavia

Exterior

 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

 

Ride Quality & Handling

 

Final Words

I have used a brand new Skoda Octavia for 7.5 years. I always liked the car and had expectation that it would provide life long sturdy service as expected of a German car. Those expections were belied. The first problem was rain water flooding the firewall protection in front and filling up the entire passenger compartment to 3 inches of water! I accepted this as a non-technical problem and it was resolved by the Company learning to provide drain holes ini the Firewall compartment.

In the next 4 years, the airconditioning had to be CHANGED on advice by Gurudev Motors. Each time I paid Rs. one lakh fifteen thousand for this replacement. I learnt that I was a victim of a European car manufactured in India with uncertainties. The parent company never came to the front to understand these things.

Paradoxically I never had any technical problem in terms of engine, or gearbox or breakdown. However all the same Gurudev motors typically fleeced 10 to 20 thousand for each annual maintenance. I accepted them thinking it was in the best interest of the long term vehicle maintenance.

This year early in January ( my car was never exposed to the dreadful Chennai floods of last year), the car just stopped on the way. Gurudev motors towed the vehicle, tried to understand the problem by trial and error and finally told me to CHANGE THE ENGINE and that would cost Rs. 9 lakhs! Mind you, the vehicle was maintained in impeccable condition, just no accidents, and done just 35,000 kilometers.

It was a horror to realize that a proven European car could let me down and with absolutely no backing from either SKODA or from the exclusive monopolist service agent Gurudev Motors.

I felt totally let down and learnt a lesson that dont go by the hype of GERMAN PERFECTION. I have unlearnt from an assumption I had about German technology. And worst the Company did not have any qualms or any explanation whatsoever.

The only consolation was that Gurudev used car company agreed to buy it from me for Rs. 1 lakh/-. I parted with the car to forget it as a bad dream.

GURUDEV MOTORS ARE RUTHLESS, WITH A BENIGN FRONT. SKODA ARE JUST COLD BLOODED GERMANS WITH A BENIGN FRONT. IT IS MY DUTY to tell customers not to get carried away by the German hype or the blazing adveritsements of the new SKODA Rapid.  My motive is not to malign the German company or Gurudev, however they showed no care for the customer whatsoever. Please see I have not coloured this narration with any subjective statements. This is for the help of the general public.

 

Areas of improvement  

 

 

Sturdy, good looks, good powerThe bad experience of service dealer and parent company