2001 Skoda Octavia Ambiente review from Dominican Republic

Many things has gone wrong over these 6 years:

First the transmission broke down leaving me stranded. Had to town it to the dealer. Was out of warranty by then and the bill was HUGE. They decided it was a computer fault (seems like the transmission has it's own dedicated computer) and charged me a small fortune for the labor. The computer itself wasn't that expensive, but they have to change most of the cabling. They also rebuilt the transmission valves set that was damaged (supposedly) by the computer fault. The car spent almost 2 weeks in the shop.

About 1 year later the transmission broke down again. This time the replaced the whole transmission and the bill was REALLY HUGE. On the bright side the gas millage (680 Kilometers per fuel tank in the city) and acceleration jumped ahead like when it was new.

Besides the transmission:

The front bumper had a slow tendency to hang lower and lower until it became troublesome with the curbs. Was easy and inexpensive to fix on the dealer and they confirmed, off the record, that it was a common problem on that make year.

Rubber supports for the engine broke, causing a very disturbing sound when driving at low revs.

Electric motor for the left rear window broke down, leaving the window down. Replaced out of warranty.

One of the cooling system fans stopped working without a warning or alert on the dash. As long as you were running with the AC on everything was fine. Got caught in a traffic ham? Better start praying because oil temperature started to sky rocket, to the point of the on-board computer ordering you to STOP THE ENGINE at once!

Recently replaced the door gaskets on both doors at the driver side. Rain water was entering the cabin.

The AC started spitting foam pieces trough the vents. Did a AC cleaning at the dealer and they found nothing out of place. 6 months later the AC started misbehaving, the compressor had to be replaced, again an expensive repair.

Got the car brand new and was love at first sight. Gas mileage was a blessing, likewise handling, acceleration and looks.

Interior space is a successful exercise of good design and you wouldn't believe the things that I have managed to fit inside the trunk (here is a clue: a machine you you do your laundry in, and a machine you keep your food in). People never can believe how big the trunk is, especially since it looks so small from the outside.

The controls are easy to use and very well laid out, with a solid German Engineering feel to it, just don't expect ultimate luxury.

UNFORTUNATELY, the car is a clear Dr.-Jekyll-and-Mr.-Hyde case. The cabin loves you, but the engine hates your guts and your wallet.

The fuel economy savings you are supposed the have (and the reason why the diesel version´s tag price is higher than the gasoline version -at least on the local market) are totally consumed on mechanic bills and owner frustration. Maybe I got a VERY BAD sample.