Not only other body parts are hung on the frame, but also the drive unit, axles and other chassis mounting units. The profile stampings that form the supporting part of the body are welded, and in some places even glued with special glue. In the main places that require greater strength, the hollow profiles are doubled.
The load-bearing part of the body has towing eyes at the front and rear. The eye is welded to the right side member at the front, and at the rear it is located under the bumper, also on the right side.
In the rear right side there is a round hole for the plug that closes the fuel tank neck.
In the rear part of the floor – in the luggage compartment – there is a slot for a spare wheel. To increase the tightness of the body, spot-welded joints are sealed with a special mastic based on PVC (PVC) – plastisol. As indicated in subsection 2.62, this mass is applied to the floor surface and wheel wings from below. The body, and therefore the entire vehicle, complies with the UN / EXC instructions for a head-on collision. In addition, it meets the special instructions of the VW group, which are more demanding than the standards of the UN EXCC. The group's instructions require, for example, an additional test of the so-called offset collision with a fixed obstacle placed at an angle of 15°, which affects only the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and later a side impact test.
From a repair point of view, especially in case of large deformations after an accident, any intervention is undesirable. In case of damage to the frame, a special repair is needed in a Skoda service, which has control templates at its disposal, allowing to determine deviations, and knows the control points (holes) for strengthening the bridges and the drive unit in the correct coordinates, indicating that the frame is not twisted or skewed. Points that need to be controlled (in three-dimensional coordinates), there are several dozen. The exact values are known to the Skoda service workers. They also know the safety instructions that must be followed when working with welding equipment during sheet metal work. As already mentioned, a protective and sealing layer of mastic is applied to the body (plastisol). When burning, this mastic releases products, some of which are toxic.
There is another argument that can not only be logically deduced, but also verified. Each car, starting with its prototype, in the case of homologation (permits for manufacture and operation) must pass destruction tests. This determines the strength of the car, mainly its supporting part, in conditions close to emergency. Based on the results, the survival rate of the crew is determined. A new car meets safety requirements. However, it is worth thinking about an old car, which, due to poor maintenance, has seriously suffered from corrosion of the supporting part. A rusty car frame cannot provide passengers with the protection prescribed by safety instructions. Therefore, based on the interests of your own safety, as well as operational safety in general, it is advisable to check the integrity of the frame, as well as the surface protection, and in case of damage to the anti-corrosion layers, subject these areas to immediate high-quality treatment. In Skoda Octavia cars, the durability of the body is achieved by using galvanized sheets, the most modern paints and the latest technology for applying them. An additional movable part, an upper hatch, can be installed in the roof of the body. The front part of the frame is not firmly welded to the front wall. This wall is an independent assembly unit.