[k491]

Hello,
This is the tale of a 2014 Skoda Rapid 1.6 TDI Elegance.
It was 2014, My dad owned a 2009 Wagon R at that time and it was due for upgrade after putting in a decent mileage of 2.1 lakh kms on the odo. Dad liked the Hyundai Verna, mom liked Honda City. I was leaning towards Honda City as well, it was 2014 Akshaya Tritiya and we decided to book the car on that day, we were heading to Honda showroom after taking the test drive of the Verna. On the way dad stopped at skoda showroom just to see if we would like the car, at first I said let's not waste time and go book the Honda City, but my dad insisted on checking out. At that time I was still a bike guy so I never bothered about learning about all the cars in the market. I didn't even know anything about the Skoda cars.
We went to inside and let's say it was the best salesman I've ever seen.
He explained all the features and I didn't even listen. He took us for the test drive, I was the first one to drive, the executive made me wait till the road ahead cleared and then asked me to step on it and I did. It was mind-blowing, the acceleration, sprint to very high speeds, overtaking a car at that speed, the awesome feedback from the steering wheel (compared to the dead feeling from verna). Now I was the one insisting to buy the car, my dad didn't take the test drive, he just sat there for almost an hour thinking about it and he wrote the cheque for booking amount.
We got the car about 45 days later, it was supposed to be dad's daily driving car.
He wasn't impressed with few things, the heavy clutch, engine noise etc.
He always complained about the car and still does to this day. The only thing he never complained about was the performance, he went from a sedate driver to a maniac.

It was time for first service and it was immediately apparent that the maintenance cost would be through the roof. My dad is a civil engineer and he drives almost 150 to 200 kms everyday from one project site to the other.

Fast forward a few months, an innova driver T bones our car, it just damages the right rear door, and it took the service center 15 days to replace it. Back then some of the spares weren't readily available and it took 2 to 3 days for a regular service.
Recommended service interval is 1 year or 10,000 kms, but my dad drives that much in 4 to 5 months.
It was atleast 3 services a year, 30 to 40k rs per service easily.

Another major incident and my family is very thankful to the build quality of skoda. My dad and others were sitting inside the car discussing something. The jcb driver was taking a U-turn, don't know what he did but he dropped the bucket on the roof of the car. The car withstood the impact, not a single scratch on any of the 4 occupants. I can't even imagine what would have happened if it was any other brand car. It took another 30 days for the service center to fix the car.

At this point there were minor issues popping up here and there. The major one came in 2019, I don't know what exactly happened but the cylinder head assembly was burnt and it had to be replaced. This is where the problems started, I believe the engine reassembly wasn't done properly. They didn't even fit one of the bolts that holds the engine. There was some noise in the engine bay, the mechanics were astonished that nothing happened the way engine was held together. My dad is a soft spoken guy and didn't even give them a warning for the negligence of the service center.

It was around October 2020,this time it was my fault. I took the car to visit relatives and it was an empty road(it truly was), I drove the car at very high speeds for almost 60 kms. As soon as i reached the destination and slowed down there was a whistling noise, immediately I knew I messed up big time. I am not familiar with diesel engines to immediately find out what was wrong, but I narrowed it down to either a leakage in the exhaust pipe or turbo leakage. There were just local garages and my uncle suggested against getting it checked over there. On the way back a warning signal popped up, there was no power above 60 kph, I called the service advisor and also my friend. I was asked to either slowly drive back the car or get it towed. I drove all the way back home at 60 kph.

The service center guys fixed it, atleast that's what they told my dad, but the whistling noise persisted, the power issues popped up now and then. They even kept the car for a week to find out the issue but they said they couldn't find any problem or replicate the issue. This time I took the car to service center for the first time and it was apparent for them that I wasn't nice like my dad. My friend put me in touch with another service advisor, he listened to the issue, inspected the car and said there was play in the turbo fan and it had to be replaced. We replaced it, the power issues seem to be fixed but the whistling noise still exists.
A month later I notice there was oil spillage where the car was parked, I check the oil levels and it was almost empty. I get it towed and the service advisor said there was issue with the EGR which needs to be replaced and it would cost upto 1 lakh rs. My dad said no and got a temporary fix from a local garage.
I occasionally drive the car, it feels like the power is gone down by 30 to 40%, we never drive it about 100 kph at any cost and my dad has clocked 2.66 lakh kms on the odo, I have contributed about 10k kms in that.

It was time for an upgrade and I too have to buy a new car. I am a big fan of skoda octavia but I can't afford it yet, I also love the polo but the bookings for polo have been paused.
The used car market for Diesel Polo and octavia is inflated, recently found a 40,000 kms driven polo GT diesel(2019), asking price was 9.75 lkhs.

I asked my dad to book any car of his choice and I would keep the rapid for a few months while a search for a good deal on Octavia or Polo GT.
It just flashed that I could get the Rapid's engine overhauled or replaced and enjoy it for another few years while I save up for the Octavia.

Thanks for having the patience to read the long story and here are my actual questions.

The service advisor said it would cost upto 3 lakh rupees to replace the engine. he also suggested getting a used engine from Delhi and getting it replaced which would cost about 1 lakh.

1. Should I go for the engine overhaul or get the used engine or replace the engine in service center itself by paying the full amount. I want to know if anyone here has done that.

2. Is it possible to retrofit the new skoda infotainment system onto our car? if not any recommendations for a good third party infotainment system please.

3. How will the abs and brakes behave if I opt for 16 inch wheels (most likely that from polo GT).

We thought of selling the car, it would fetch hardly 1 lakh rupees, but we don't get the diesel engines anymore so I would like to revive this old and abused beauty and enjoy it for atleast 5 more years.

Thank you.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by k491

We thought of selling the car, it would fetch hardly 1 lakh rupees, but we don't get the diesel engines anymore so I would like to revive this old and abused beauty and enjoy it for atleast 5 more years.

Don't opt for any major rebuild work on a car that very low residual value. Very rarely rebuild projects have a time-bound, with-in-budget happy ending.

Sell it and buy the same model used car with lower mileage if you like the model a lot.

[SideView]

No on the rehaul from me too. I think you will be better of buying a new car or a good second hand one.

I think there are lot of sporty vehicles available now why not testdrive a few! (Why not the Hyundai N line?)

Originally Posted by k491

It was atleast 3 services a year, 30 to 40k rs per service easily.

I am surprised by this cost, 30k to 40k per service that too for rapid. (Was this a typo?)

Or did you mean for the whole year.


If indeed true I think that you/your dad were been taken for ride by the service center

[k491]

Originally Posted by SideView

I think there are lot of sporty vehicles available now why not testdrive a few! (Why not the Hyundai N line?)

Me and my friends have test driven almost all vehicles in our budget range, and I personally despise all Hyundai cars, Also buying two cars at the same time is a big dent on our wallets, hence the plan to rehaul. If they resume the bookings on Polo GT or if I'm lucky to find a sweet deal on Polo GT diesel or Previous gen Octavia I'll go for that.

Originally Posted by SideView

I am surprised by this cost, 30k to 40k per service that too for rapid. (Was this a typo?)

It wasn't a typo, the cheapest service I can remember was around 14k, there was always some part to be replaced, or something to be fixed. Most of the time I too felt the service center was ripping of my dad, but I also had to consider the miles he was putting on the car.

Maintenance part of the rapid was a nightmare for my dad, if it was anyone else they would have replaced it in the first couple of years.

[scorpian]

If you are very keen on keeping the car for couple of years i would suggest get a engine from a reliable source and use the car.
Recently a friend of mine did the same for his fiesta, sourced a used engine from a reputable used parts dealer and installed it in his car. His fiesta diesel had also done close to 2.5lakh kilometres and ford had quoted a very high amount for engine overhaul.

The other option is to sell ofcourse you will fetch very little money for this car and buy a used car as a replacement.

[Turbohead]

Please buy a new / good second hand example.

Your car has gone through a lot- roof rebuild, lots of engine work etc along with poor after sales support.

Totally not worth spending on the Rapid anymore- you guys have used it well and it's time to go.

[EV NXT]

Your car has long gone past the point of no return both by abuse and incompetent service technicians.

Buy a well maintained 1.6 TDI.

You’re right, once hooked on the 1.6 TDI, very few cars can take its place. Not even the 1.5 TDI, forget Hyundai.

[OffRoadFun]

Engine overhaul/rebuilding is rarely worth the money and effort. Considering it is driven a lot, I would assume any niggling problems with rebuilt engine, which are likely, will be unacceptable. Just sell it and buy a new one. That it stood for 2.4L kms with you itself is no mean achievement!

[jeeva]

Originally Posted by k491

At this point there were minor issues popping up here and there. The major one came in 2019, I don't know what exactly happened but the cylinder head assembly was burnt and it had to be replaced. This is where the problems started, I believe the engine reassembly wasn't done properly. They didn't even fit one of the bolts that holds the engine. There was some noise in the engine bay, the mechanics were astonished that nothing happened the way engine was held together. My dad is a soft spoken guy and didn't even give them a warning for the negligence of the service center.

Looks like the engine overheated and the head gasket was blown to start off with. Perhaps the head is warped.
EGR is a pain to manage. The best thing is to block it mechanically, and get a custom map done (soft delete), so that the CEL won't come up.
If you intend to retain the car, I'd suggest you to run away in the opposite direction of the Skoda ASS towards a competent independent garage. Used parts are available in abundant in Bangalore.

[Cresterk]

The fact you even managed to get a skoda to 2.66l kms without it leaving you stranded multiple times is a stroke of luck in itself. The car has been involved in accidents and it has also been poorly repaired multiple times by your local Skoda service center. Honestly I would have stopped going there the moment the warranty expired. Its best that you find a reputed third party garage and have them take a look at the car. If they can offer to get it running somewhat decent for cheap, go for it else scrap/sell the car because its a ticking time bomb at this point.

[Tgo]

Please! No rebuild/second hand replacement on the engine. If you change the engine block, it has to be supported by the manufacturer or the RTO will not change the engine number on the RC. You can only imagine the consequences it can have in terms of insurance claims, RC renewal, PUC tests etc.

Please also check the compression on all 4 cylinders of the engine. That will tell you the true health of the engine and whether it requires a rebuild or not.

What I understand is that the guys are not diagnosing the problem correctly. Happens when you have older cars. It is difficult to explain to them how the car is not the same as it used to be.

I would suggest you go step-by-step…

-Whistling sound could be a turbo regulator related problem too. It is a vacuum operated solenoid. I had it replaced in my Duster at around 160k km.

-It could be a leaky vaccum line. Vacuum lines help control lots of engine related controllers.

-Check the intercooler for leaks too. You might have picked up an odd stone or two to damage the intercooler. Check the hoses in this system too. With the engine running without a mounting bolt, it is likely some hoses are misaligned or the joints need to be checked.

-It could be a leak in the exhaust/intake manifold specially since your engine head was removed from the engine for repair. A sudden failure of a manifold gasket can be the cause.

-EGR system is not a big issue. If it has failed completely. People go for the EGR delete mod and remove it completely without any effect on the performance. But yes, emissions suffer marginally.

Some comparison with another car of same model year in real time might help the SA understand your problem better. Most of the issues I mentioned above might not register in the on board diagnostics module, so manual checking is the only way to go.

[model-t]

The car has already done 2.XX kms. It is almost 8 years old. The engine has major issues.
No rebuild will keep you happy as the issues will most probably persist/crop up again.

The best thing you can do is to exchange it for something nicer. Or sell it and keep the money in a FD for the time being till you can get the dream car you want. Another option is to go preowned maybe?

Will save you money (Check)
The current car can be exchanged as well (Check)
Will be atleast 20-30% cheaper even if you go for a less driven, 2year old example. ($$ savings check)

[Livnletcarsliv]

Well, here is my suggestion/recommendation - probably taking a different route to what most of them mentioned here.

Points to be noted
1. You are emotionally attached to the car.
2. Your car has gone through major/minor repair works in the past.
3. Your car is now out of warranty
4. You know the car in and out since its first day of ownership.

Now coming to your situation,
1. Forget about the Skoda ASS going forward and henceforth. Never even turn back to them. They never did a good job of servicing your car.
2. ASS (even for the big germans and luxury cars) works well until the car is in warranty period. Once the car is out of warranty, the ASS WILL treat you as a cash cow.
3. Find a reputed and good FNG. Many FNG's across India do a good job (even better than the ASS). Since you are from Bangalore, there are highly professional and reputed FNG's.
4. Given your Rapid has done high mileage, while also facing a lot of issues, your car needs a thorough evaluation in the first place. And this should only be done by the reputed FNG and not by anyone else.
5. We are auto enthusiasts here and we don't have to go by the mind always. So let us take the heart route. I don't think it is going to be challenging to fix your car (since the issues earlier were not addressed by the ASS appropriately).
6. Replacing the engine is definitely not a good idea. Particularly since the formalities are cumbersome and of course, it will be an expensive affair.
8. Evaluate the car. Try to fix it for your satisfaction. Based on the information that you've shared, I also don't think that it will cost a lot to fix. Of course, be mindful about what you want to fix and what you don't want.

Your situation is like a sick person checking for remedies/treatment on google. The right treatment is decided only after the complete diagnosis is done. So, please do the physical evaluation first before deciding on anything.

[spidysense]

Hi,
The details provided help understand the conditon of your car. If i were you, i would do this (keeping emotions aside)

- Sell my Rapid for the best cost i can get. Even if it's 1 lakh for a 8 year old car that's driven 2.5 lakh kms and severed itself in the process....i mean with all the times the occupants of the car were safe, the car took a beating

- buy a brand new Vento. It's the same brand - big brother company. Ventos are going out at huge discounts at the moment as VW plans to phase out this model and being in Viritus or something. You could always wait for the Slavia to come in too....with Slavia and Vento, you won't have to save big and yet get a feel very close to Octavia....I mean Octavia is surely drool worthy, buylt Vento and Slavia aren't half as bad. If you are considering a Polo, then Bento and Slavia could really make it to your roster....(the last I checked VW is giving upto 2.75 lakhs off - obviously there is an exchange bonus you could milk in your case...try and get the best deal from a VW guy himself - they really are looking at exhausting their stocks....) Who knows you might just end with their Automatic too

With a new car, comes updated tech, new warranties...and even bank loan interest rate aren't as high as they are for used car deals.

So, if I get 1 lakh from selling a car + say 1.5 - 2 lakh of the cost I am willing to put in to restore the beauty....the opportunity cost here is already 3 lakhs...
In these 3 lakhs, only some bits change, the car may/may not run as it did before and where's the fun in keeping a car that you loved to revvv and now don't even cross 100 (although i am all in for safe driving, but you know what I mean)