[VeyronSuperSprt]

Originally Posted by joethomasv

Attachment 1347435

I got this reply from Skoda/ Marikar regarding the diesel and pollen filter change. According to them fuel filter change is not mandatory at first service. That's a relief.

The diesel filter has to be changed during the 15k service. The letter does not state the actual fact but can however be used if there is a problem and you have to take matters up legally. Be warned that proving problems with your fuel systems will be difficult as it can always be attributed to quality of fuel supplied at the pump.

The real reason for the filter not being changed is lack of spares (another long story with Marikar) and Skoda guidelines do not state that the fuel filter need not be changed. The letter cannot be a substitute for the important purpose of actually filtering your diesel and it is better that you have the diesel filter changed at the earliest. As a worst case scenario, ask them to change it at your cost to protect your car.

[Jeroen]

I am no expert on the Skoda bit as a rule you don't clean pollen filters, you replace them and you cant tell the state of any fuel filter from the outside either. So again, the only option is to replace. Now, back in the USA or Europe you would be hard pressed to find instructions that would say to replace a fuel filter every 15000km. Not so sure here in India. Replacing a pollen filter after 15k seems more inline with common practices. Bear in mind that the pollen filter will not just catch pollen, but all particles of the same size. There are a lot of those particles in most major Indian towns Im familiar with.

Jeroen

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by joethomasv

I got this reply from Skoda/ Marikar regarding the diesel and pollen filter change. According to them fuel filter change is not mandatory at first service. t's a relief.

That is a very lame excuse given by your Skoda dealer. As veyron has said, the fuel filter change is compulsory and that is the reason why other ASC's have changed it for Octavia owners.

Marikar has not even changed the air filter, there is not even a single city in India where the air filter will not get clogged in 15k kms of running. Shoot a mail to Skoda and get these essentials changed, they will help a long way in maintaining health of your car's engine and other parts.

[ishlinea7260]

It's best if you get the fuel filter changed.
My Skoda which covers relatively covers less kms per year and every time I take the car for service, if the kms covered are not significant as in ~ 7500 kms a year or even less the Skoda A.S.S. sometimes does not change the air and pollen filter but they do clean them duly but they ALWAYS changed the fuel filter and oil filter along with the oil.
It's good that you have an e mail sharing this particular concern with the dealer, but I along with the other members who have already advised you will suggest that you get it changed.

[shreyak_ss]

Hi Joe!
Just got my Octavia TDI DSG serviced today from Fahrenheit Auto, Delhi.
According to them, the air, oil and a/c filter was a mandatory change and has been changed accordingly.
Now I don't know why your dealer says the opposite...
Regards,
Shreyak!

[joethomasv]

Thanks guys for the replies. I'll get the filters changed ASAP. I did mail the Skoda customer care but got the reply from Marikar CRM. I guess that's how the customer care at Skoda works.

I'll try sourcing the OE fuel filter from somewhere else.

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

Hi Joe!
Just got my Octavia TDI DSG serviced today from Fahrenheit Auto, Delhi.
According to them, the air, oil and a/c filter was a mandatory change and has been changed accordingly.

Shreyak, so they didn't change the fuel filter?

[joethomasv]

18500 km update:

I tried sourcing the diesel filter from outside but no one seems to have it in stock. The Goa guys will have it only in July. I'll try my luck in Bangalore next month.

A fellow Bhpian was kind enough to lend me his VCDS (thanks a ton man!) cable and I did some digging. The oil temperature sensor is very much there in my car but I just couldn't find the option to display it. Maybe the version I had was not fully compatible with the MQB platform. I did stumble upon the option that shows the live data on the computer screen though.



I activated the needle sweep and the TPMS. I do get a few false alarms once in a while but that is worth the trouble.

The tires look good for a few thousand kms more. Looks like they'll be crossing the 20k mark. They do make a lot of noise when going over concrete roads. Grip levels are still good. I've been tracking the fuel consumption from the 4k km mark and it's been around 14.5 kmpl till date.

The low frequency boom from the rear suspension do get a little annoying at times, especially when you are on less than perfect roads. On highways they disappear completely.

In other news a cat has decided to make the car battery his/her favorite spot. I'm looking for PETA friendly ways to move it from there but I prefer a cat to a mouse in the hood any day.

[joethomasv]

20,000 kms done. No issues so far. The tires will have to be replaced in around 2k kms. Which is a good thing.

I did some digging regarding the fuel filter replacement at 15,000 kms. Looks like Marikar motors were right. The Octavia maintenance manual recommends only draining the filter at 15,000 kms and replacement every 30,000 kms. This is specific to India.






They didn't replace the dust/pollen filter though.

[Vivek Jayan]

Originally Posted by joethomasv

Attachment 1234789

[
On 19th November I called up Marikar Skoda in Cochin, we were happy with the car and paid up the booking amount for the white Ambition TDI A/T. The manager and the sales staff was extremely courteous and promised delivery in 9 weeks.

Dear sir, I'm a fellow Keraleeyan who is looking forward to the new Octavia diesel as a long termer. Right now my heart wants the Octavia while aftersales concerns are pushing me towards the Jetta. Would you be kind enough to shed some light on your ownership experience so far? Any comments on the Skoda dealership in Cochin? Is the car giving you any complaints yet or is the ownership fuss free?
Thanks in advance!

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by Vivek Jayan

Dear sir, I'm a fellow Keraleeyan who is looking forward to the new Octavia diesel as a long termer. Right now my heart wants the Octavia while aftersales concerns are pushing me towards the Jetta. Would you be kind enough to shed some light on your ownership experience so far? Any comments on the Skoda dealership in Cochin? Is the car giving you any complaints yet or is the ownership fuss free?

Thanks in advance!

Vivek,

If it's a diesel car you're looking for then go for the Jetta. It's much more sturdy than the Octy. I've driven both extensively and can tell you confidently, I would have opted for the Jetta if it had a petrol automatic option. But the diesel and manual transmission combo is superb to drive.

[joethomasv]

Originally Posted by Vivek Jayan

Any comments on the Skoda dealership in Cochin? Is the car giving you any complaints yet or is the ownership fuss free?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Vivek, I've shared my ownership experience till now in this thread. I've mentioned the delivery and two service experiences.

The Marikar service centre in Cochin is seriously congested. Even the customer lounge is ancient They need to move to a bigger and better place. I'm not sure about their technical proficiency either.

But despite all that the car is brilliant. Zero problems till now. You need to service the car once every 15000 only is a big relief. I've said this before but the car is worth the crappy dealer experience.

If good dealership experience is your priority I highly recommend the VW. Good luck.

[joethomasv]

22,000 km done and still going strong. Tires should last another 1-2k. I thought I would never say this but the Goodyears are doing pretty good, especially for a 10 year old pattern. The next set is definitely going to be Michelins though.

[joethomasv]

25,000 update:



Crossed 25k yesterday. The tyres surprisingly looked good for 1-2k more but decided to change them anyways. The noise was getting ridiculous when going over concrete or paved surfaces.




Decided to skip Michelin this time and got Yokohama Decibels. Upsized to 215/55. I have driven only 100 kms on them so too early to comment.

[Mad Max]

Hey Joe, thanks for keeping us posted on the ownership experience. The thread was really useful.

How is the gearbox / transmission working so far? (touch wood) Since this is a wet clutch setup and newer than the DQ200 setup found in other Skoda / VW cars here. My only concern with this car is the gearbox and would like your feedback on the same. Are the shifts smooth when driving in the ghats? Anything that stands for concern?

[joethomasv]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Are the shifts smooth when driving in the ghats?

I believe the DQ250 6 speeder is older than the DQ200 dry clutch but a lot more reliable.

The only issue I felt is the slight lag in downshifting (from 3rd to 2nd I think) when going up ghat roads. This was there from day 1 when driving in D mode. Shift to S and the lag disappears but it is a bit too aggressive for my taste. Other than that, the DSG is a gem. So far.

I have the Ambition trim so no sunroof rattles. The only irritant is the noise from the mirrors. I've disabled auto folding for now. Need to get it checked at the next service which is due in another 3k kms.