Skoda Octavia....................no seriously!

[kante3]

My wife currently drives an A3 1.9 tdi but due to a change of circumstances needs to upgrade to a larger car. We have been looking at the A4 and test drove a 2.5 tdi which was, frankly disappointing.

We then started looking at a 1.8 turbo - which is nice but pricey. The Skoda Octavia VRS has the same engine, comes fully loaded and is considerably cheaper. Obviously they have the badge snobbery to overcome but does anyone have experience of actually owning one?

Come on - admit it, I promise not to tell anyone!

[Bushy]

Seen a couple at AmD being chipped and tuned, good car for the money without a doubt

[Ruical]

Obviously they have the badge snobbery to overcome

Does the 'They' mean you? [img]images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

A friend of mine has one, and is delighted with it, when I mentioned the AMD mods available, he is going to talk to his bank manager, say no more [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

[dog]

My father had one 40 years ago but upgraded to a Skoda 1000 MB
It was afine vehickle.

[kante3]

[/quote]

Does the 'They' mean you? [img]images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[/quote]

Actually the 'they' means Skoda (in terms of pricing the car cheaply) but there is a bit of 'they' in 'me' as in wife - as I'm sure you'll understand when her heart is set on a Touareg or a Lexus.

I believe that this is what in marketing terms would be called an "expectation gap" [img]images/graemlins/spineyes.gif[/img]

[Ruical]

Good luck in the forthcoming battle, Martin [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[DavidT]

Well, VW's and Audi's are good cars, so Skoda's must be too, who cares about the badge if it gets you what you need/want cheaper ?

Plus, their standing in the marketplace continues to improve as ownership increases and the positive message spreads.

[Ruical]

True David, but is it that the Skoda's are 'under-priced', or the VW's and Audi's are 'over-priced'? (Especially in the UK)
[img]images/graemlins/24430-audibash.gif[/img]

This ploy then stops them competing with each other for certain sectors of the market. [img]images/graemlins/033102bad_1_prv.gif[/img]

[DavidT]

True David, but is it that the Skoda's are 'under-priced', or the VW's and Audi's are 'over-priced'? (Especially in the UK)

This ploy then stops them competing with each other for certain sectors of the market.

Yes, I'd say that's true. The VAG group has used Skoda and Seat as a very effective way to get market share at lower price points in the market with what are fundamentally the same cars.

In the case of Skoda, they have proactively marketed them on this basis too 'you won't believe its a Skoda' etc etc, not sustainable in the longer term but I suspect it is working for them at the moment.

[markcanderson]

I've often heard people say regarding people who buy a Volkswagen that they are, 'too poor to buy an Audi, too stupid to buy a Skoda'.

I don't know if thats true, since I've owned all manner of Volkswagens in the past.. however....

The last time I was at The Nurburgring (a few weeks ago) I saw this.. and it was certainly quick.



http://137.226.73.44/~alex/webpics_neu/ ... 4_0316.jpg

[dog]

They have sure changed since the 1000 MB

[Inigo]

Having watched in utter disbelief as an (albeit Jabba'd) Octavia not only overtook but also PULLLED AWAY from an Evo 6 over 5 laps on track, I had to quickly adapt to what I was seeing. I so couldn't believe what had just happened so I HAD to have a ride. We got cut short after 2 laps but in that time we'd already managed to make an E30 M3 Evo pull out of the way and waltzed past. I've seen it all now [img]images/graemlins/062802drink_prv.gif[/img]

They're cheap as chips (lack of soundproofing was noticable and a general lower level of NVH refinement) but my god does that car go! I think the car, tuned (chip, ported/gas flowed head, large FMIC totalling 250bhp) with big brakes and totally sorted suspension came in at around 19k new! Next on the cards according to the owner was a hybrid IHI turbo conversion good for 350bhp!!!!

I don't want to be anywhere near it on track when THAT happens!! [img]images/graemlins/suicide.gif[/img]

[JamesB]

I have no personal Skoda experience but have a friend who bought a vRS about 3 months ago. So far, he's absolutely delighted. He has yet to find any faults with the car although admits it could be a little quicker. But it sounds like you get a lot of bang for your buck if you take the mods route. I believe the Octavia finished something like 3rd in Top Gear's recent ownership satisfaction which only confirms the rumours I suspect we've all heard.

I think the badge snobbery thing is fading fairly quickly as people realise that they make good cars at low prices with excellent dealer support.