your view on skoda?

davebax22

davebax22

davebax22

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Joined
30 Jan 2005
Posts
363
Location
Germany
mine is that they have done well and produce some decent cars, however the name still carries a stigma of a cheep mans car.

however the RS models seem to do well again and look quite smart.

Would you have one?
would you let your dad have one?
 
I just don't like Skoda. I think the cars look horrible tbh. I wouldn't have one, though my dad could if he really wanted, as long as he let me make fun of him :)
 
Get rid of the manky grill design and the ugly badge and they would look great.
 
When the taxi drivers have finished with Octavias I might get one as a cheap runaround, they're quite appealing for some reason.

If I were forced at gunpoint to drive a diesel car it's likely I'd choose that Fabia vRS thing.
 
I like them in the right trim. Problem I've found when looking at them 2nd hand is that the majoity of people have chosen base/poverty spec versions and thus the 2nd hand market is full of well priced dull looking Skoda's, and the nicer ones (with factory alloys, colour coding etc) are few and far between - but for not much more £.

The vRS' are very nice in Fabia or Octavia form
 
Hey,
I was a car snob, the family having bmws, jags etc etc. I was after a new car either a clio 182 or something similar. The fabia vrs looked smart had all the kit and was good economy. Basically its a VW so to me it didnt really matter. Get the odd joke but people are starting to appreciate them. Look at all the reviews they are getting lately, in fact they are doing so well they are putting their prices up. In the next few years, skoda will be up there with the likes of vw and audi. In my opinion i couldnt be happier, its better than its equivalent polo and saved me 4k. Win win situation.

Just my 2p
Rich
 
Would I buy one? Nope, but that's because I have more faith in the reliability of Japanese cars and would generally buy a Toyota, Honda, Mazda or similar.
In addition, I have a bit of a dislike of VAG cars. Everytime I've gone near a dealer they've been nothing but off hand with me, guess I'm just unlucky as I'm fine with other manufacturers. Additionally I've got a problem with the VAG view that perceived quality (as they do usually have some of the best interiors out there) translates in real quality under the skin. To me, their designs are aimed at showroom buyers and not at real drivers, which explains why there cars are generally heavier than most equivalents and have for years suffered from complaints about their handling abilities, only recently being improved upon with the mk5 Golf et al.

So no, I wouldn't buy one, but that's not because of image, it's because it's a VAG and I simply don't like them.
 
The weekend I found my Impreza, I was about to buy a black 51 plate Octavia vRS.

So yes, I'd have one. Not bothered about badge snobbery. Can't be to much of a snob owning a Subaru these days!
 
Skoda doesn't have that much stigma outside UK - at least not as much as FSO or Lada has. It was always meant to be value VAG car for central Europe - cheap, reliable car, low spec, cut down version of polo and golf. Like Diacia is for Renault or Daewoo is for GM. And in most countries it actually is. In Poland and Slovakia low spec Fabia costs below £5000. In UK however Skoda is currently following Seat trend - because of the niche use (taxi drivers in this case) Skoda diesels are almost as expensive as VW and Octavia is certainly selling better than Passat, which kind of defeats the point for VAG even having cheapo brand if the only thing it does is drive sales away from the mothership.

Fabia vRS is not as fast as small car with huge 1.9l engine should be but it's still one of the best picks on the used market atm. It's a shame next Fabia will be one minging fugly car.
 
Octavia in Red looks top. A mate got one a while back for 13k full 3 year warranty and they know he is a Taxi company. He has put 90k odd on it already and loves it.
VW running gear takes care of reliability so no worrys there.
There is definetly still a stigma surrounding Skoda though as another mate proved by spurting out I'd never have a Skoda there crap. No reason for it other than Kudos.
I just laughed in his face and told him he is odviously not man enouth to decide for himself whether a car is good but would rather beleive the crowd and pay a premium for a different badge.
The way i see it owning a Skoda now means you are a man of independent thought. You are big enouth to recognise a good product and are comfortable with your own self enouth to drive a car that is laughed at by the unknowledgable.

And by the way i dont own a Skoda or have shares. Its just how i feel.
 
davebax22 said:
would you let your dad have one?
Click to expand...
Missed this bit.

"Let"? My Dad buys whatever he wants, it isn't my decision!

For the record, my Dad actually drives a Lada Niva.
 
Either VRS models rock! Have been contemplating a fabia VRS for ages but havn't 100% justified to myself I want a diesel. I like petrols! Might wait until I am 21 (december) then an an octavia VRS might be more insurable.
 
Dont have a problem with the badge at all, there's something wrong if you can't see past the badge to what is a very good car.

My Mum drives an Octavia Estate Elegance 1.9TDi and she covers about 15k miles a year and its not missed a beat yet. The boot is also HUGE and it will take anything you throw at it. Oh and its not slow either, much to the distain of my mother I managed to get it up and past 100mph on my own personal motorway ;)

I wouldn't mind one of the new vRS's either, yummy :)
 
The whole 'bad Skoda image' thing is very 90's, alongside Fiat's falling apart, Ford's being boring & Porky's being yuppie mobiles. It's only the arrogance of BMW that still rings true today! ;)

Anyways, the only Skoda's i'd consider are also the vRS models, however, i'd still be more likely to pick the competition as the styling is a bit to 'normal' for my tastes.
evo Henry Catchpole made a great comment this month regarding the new Octavia vRS:
"You'd expect to see Octavia's delivering minor delegates to a European parliament conference".
Pretty much sums it up, great if you want a capable stealth-car.
 
I think that badge snobbery regarding Skida still exists in the general public, but not among anyone who knows a little more about cars.
 
My parents have a Superb 2.5 V6 TDI. its by far the best car they have ever had.. I have nothing but praise for Skoda Customer Service (certainly better than i have recieved off Honda) and the car is bulletproof. No problems in 2 years of ownership apart from a blown bulb the other day :)
 
Above all it's a Skoda. And it's still a point of immature ridicule in my generation :D
 
octy.jpg


This is my mk1 vRS. I liked it so much when I test drove one I bought it on the spot.

Bad points:
Compared to other "hot" hatches it's the cheap option.
There is a stigma attached to the badge, although generally by people who have never driven one.
Not a huge dealer network.

Good points:
0-60 in 8seconds, 180bhp, 150mph.
Huge boot.
Reasonable fuel economy.
Tuuuuurbo! :D
Immensly tunable for relatively little money.
Leather, climate, electric everything.

As an aside for reliability - I borrowed a mk1 1.9tdi the other day that had covered 300,000 miles and apart from looking a little worn had nothing really wrong with it.
 
My wife Octavia Estate is excellent. Comfortable, hugely spacious, reasonable interior and just plain nice to drive. With 78k on the clock everything feels really taut and smooth, like a car with a tenth of the mileage. The 2.0L 8v engine is a bit on the gutless side for the size of the car (115bhp) but it will return around 40mpg on a motorway run at 80mph.

Personaly I'm tempted by an Octavia vRS for my next car.
 
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