2000 Skoda Octavia 2.0l SLX from Singapore

Faults:

Having owned the car for 2 years, I expect that most of the common faults have surfaced. These include:-

Boot locking mechanism replaced twice (after 2 to 3 months)

Service interval warnings are stupid and dealer can't seem to program them properly. Told them to turn the indicator off.

Coolant level warning indicator comes on even though there's no problem with the coolant. Replaced coolant tank and sensor (after 1.5 years)

Window lifter on driver's side had to be replaced (after 2 years)

Road noise and vibrations are quite obvious, especially at highway cruising speed. Had to change tyres which help to reduce noise.

Poor fitting leather trim seem cheap.

Fuel line leading from fuel tank to engine had to be reconnected after I went over some road debris which hit the fuel line.

General Comments:

Handling was good compared to Japanese car. Boot size is great (good enough for 4 golf bags). Body shell is hard and gives good protection in case of accident.

Body roll during cornering is quite bad.

Rear leg room is not enough.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th July, 2002

2000 Skoda Octavia Elegance 1.8 T petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Practical performance

Faults:

Sunroof rattles

Front tyre wear quicker than expected

Paint finish badly affected by bird droppings.

General Comments:

Car is quick for the money, but suspension could be stiffer to improve cornering.

Body stiffness could be improved to reduce assorted creaks form doors due to flexing.

Overall package excellent value for money.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st July, 2002

2000 Skoda Octavia GLXi Kombi 1.6 (74KW/101BHP) from Israel

Summary:

Excellent car for little money

Faults:

Air conditioning system has lost gas and therefore was unable to cool the car (a very serious problem in Israel).

Rear-Left power-window went down but didn't go back to the normal closed position.

The lights of the air conditioning control panel have died.

General Comments:

A very comfortable car, very stable at any speed.

Huge boot space could contain a whole house hold.

The 1.6 litre engine is a bit too small for a car that heavy (it weighs about 1400 kilos empty), this makes fuel consumption a bit high and slow accelleration.

Not much leg room for people over 1.70 meters in the back seat.

My next car is a new Skoda Octavia TDI Kombi.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th August, 2001

2000 Skoda Octavia GLX 1.9 TDi from Netherlands

Summary:

Is that a Lancia, a SAAB or a BMW?

Faults:

None whatsoever.

General Comments:

Extremely reliable car.

Huge boot (550 liter).

Good build quality.

The new model is not as budget-friendly as this one. I guess I would have to advise to get a secondhand one, because I see no point in buying a new one, since it is so reliable.

Fuel consumption is great. Fast car too...

Nice: people think it's a BMW, SAAB or a Lancia.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th December, 2000

2000 Skoda Octavia SLX Turbo 1.8 20v turbo from Colombia

Summary:

High performance and lots of accessories at a reasonable price

Faults:

Lots of noise in the doors.

Oil pressure sensor not well mounted, caused false alarms (corrected by the dealer).

General Comments:

A carter protector is needed on dirt roads and bumpy zones. The soft springs and low height will push the car onto any obstacle in the road.

Very nice and soft driving on highways, good sense of control at 200kmph (125mph).

Very large boot space.

Although the front seats can be adjusted in many ways, they are not as comfortable as expected.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th November, 2000

2000 Skoda Octavia LX 1.6 from Singapore

Summary:

A good budget car spoilt by bad service at the local agent

Faults:

- Water vapor in Skoda badge.

- Difficult to engage 2nd gear.

- Airbag warning light does not go off despite having been reset by the dealer.

General Comments:

Bad quality of work done by the Skoda service center here in Singapore.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 8th October, 2000

25th Dec 2000, 00:44

I'm a resident of Singapore and am just thinking of buying an Octavia. The new car will be available in about 4-6 weeks from now (Feb 2001) according to the only one local agent.

My worry is very true after reading this article. The local exclusive Skoda agent is very new in Singapore and is privately owned. This means if the business is really bad, they may be bust over night and leave us alone in the dark sea.

To run a business for marketing such an unknown brand is difficult enough, not to mention to build a strong service support team to compete the first class Nissan and Toyota services.

With selling less than 30 cars a month and just started promoting less than 3 months in the market, without strong manufacturer backup, even the best car will fail to survive in this highly competitive market.

Whoever lives in Singapore and felt interested in this excellent car will have to take a risk of lacking service backup for many years to come. It's really a pitiful situation. Why don't VW undertake the service internationally and charge to Skoda?

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