Smashed Sump Octavia

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Sat 25 Jun 2005 20:10
Smashed Sump Octavia - Carl
I hit a speed hump (the tabled kind with entry and exit ramps) a bit too hard on Thursday. It was early morning with the sun shining straight at me, so I didn't see it until it was too late.

As a consequence I have cracked the sump

It is made of die cast alloy rather than pressed steel, which would have just dented, which I guess has shattered / split. It looks like I have just caught the back of the sump where the drain plug is.

Car has been recovered to the nearest Skoda dealer, as it is still under warrenty. They can't do the repair for two weeks as they are too busy. The nearest other dealer to them has recently burn't down, so they are rammed with work.

Dealer is quoting £200 - £300, with 1.3 hours of labour. Has this happened to anyone else with a similar VAG car? and can anyone give a definite cost (London labour rates)

I know that the Octavia rides very low, as does the Mk IV Golf which it is based on, and also that VAG sell steel underbelly's which replace the existing plastic cover. Is this a common problem???
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Sat 25 Jun 2005 20:25
Smashed Sump Octavia - rtaylor
i would be tempted to small claims summons it from the council for bad road design
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Sat 25 Jun 2005 20:32
Smashed Sump Octavia - Carl
I have already had a quick read of the Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1996, but it appears a bit wooly with lots of recomendations and "to be determined by the highways authority", with no real teeth other than max/min heights

I intend to do some research, but I unfortunately work for the very same council, and they are truely useless at everything that they do!!!
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Sat 25 Jun 2005 20:35
Smashed Sump Octavia - mare
I hit a speed hump (the tabled kind with entry and
exit ramps) a bit too hard on Thursday. It was early
morning with the sun shining straight at me, so I didn't
see it until it was too late.
As a consequence I have cracked the sump


My sympathies, this was one of the things i couldn't stand on my Octavia,loud crunching over every single speed hump. Suggest that it's not poor road design, but poor car design!

Appeal to Skoda dealer and Skoda UK and try to get a contribution. Cars ought to be able to cope with speed humps. I'd be amazed if they haven't had this before.
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Sat 25 Jun 2005 20:48
Smashed Sump Octavia - none
Over the last couple of years I've had to replace three VW caddy van sumps. The damage on all three was the same, the sump plug takes a knock and the sump cracks around the plug. On two of them the plastic undertray was ripped off, but on the last one the tray was intact and undamaged. Whatever hit it caused the damage by forcing the tray into the sump, the tray then returning - unmarked, to it's normal position. The VW parts delivery girl reckons she delivers a couple of sumps a week.
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