mbrock

As mentioned on another thread, I am in the market for an estate and ended up with a shortlist of Superb vs. Sportbrake. A bit of a price difference but - with the facelift launch and the demise of both the 0% VAT and the 2.0TFSI to which it applied, it came down to the 170 DSG vs. Sportbrake 2.2d 200PS (for similar performance). With the lack of Superb offers and the generous discounts on new Jaguars (along with the other "premium" marques who are also discounting heavily) the price difference is not as much as you would think. I managed to drive both on the same route one after the other, and - good though the Superb was in isolation - the Sportbrake was more refined, the chassis was more composed and the 8-speed gearbox seemed more predictable than the Superb's DSG (I am already familiar with the latter on our Yeti). That, plus the prospect of better residuals, swayed me towards the Sportbrake. The loadspace, incidentally, is almost identical. It will be interesting to see if offers appear soon on the Superb, as they did fairly quickly on the all-new Rapid and Octavia. It's a buyer's market out there! Mark

Our dealer in Swindon seemed to think the order books were already open. The pricing for the facelift has been announced and - given that production starts in a couple of weeks - if they don't have any orders, they won't know what to build! The Skoda UK Facebook page is quite handy and they seem to respond to questions fairly quickly. Mark

I wasn't so keen on the old nose, too awkward and like a squashed Fabia. Personally like the new version, still distinct from the rest of the range but simple and classy - not as bland as a Passat or contrived and ugly like an Audi.

Not according to this link: http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/superbhatch/new-superb/prices The default pricing on the SUK site still lists the 2.0 TFSI but all the listings are "stock only", i.e pre-FL. Quite what the logic of dropping the 2.0 TFSI (which is still available in other markets) but keeping the V6 escapes me.

I specifically asked this question on the SUK Facebook page and the answer was no, the 0% VAT doesn't apply to the facelift Superb even in petrol form (and they've dropped the 2.0 TFSI anyway). They did hint that other offers might be in the pipeline, frankly I would be surprised if there isn't something else soon. Dealer finance deposit contributions seem to be the favourite at the moment, even BMW and Audi are at it.

I drove both before buying my present car, and would have picked the Superb over the C-Class even if the prices were reversed. Ride was awful on the C-Class (admittedly it was a "Sport" spec but so was the Jag I had at the time) and chassis composure fell apart on rough surfaces. The 220CDI was rough and unrefined (looking at current road tests this is still the case) and had the common M-B failing of the auto box being ill-matched to the engine characteristics. Basically it just seemed like hard work to make any progress on a typical B-road. Perhaps the latest C-Class is much better. Mark

I did force myself to configure a Passat - I know they are nice refined cars even though they look (IMHO) mind-numbingly dull compared to the Superb (and the Sportbrake). The price with options was again in Sportbrake territory - the same applying to other "premium" estates even in the class below. The Superb's non-premium competitors are generally saddled with horrendous depreciation which as a private buyer I am not keen on. Hence, with the demise of the 2.0TFSI (and not even considering the thirst of the petrol V6!) my shortlist is now - for similar size, performance, equipment and running costs - Superb 170 TDI DSG vs. Sportbrake 2.2d. Both excellent cars, the latter having better residuals and a few other niceties, but a higher price. So, dealers, it's calculators at dawn!

And for the estate: http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/superbestate/new-superb/prices Notably the 2.0 TFSI appears to have been dropped, which is a shame as that was the model I had my eyes on (especially with 0% VAT). Trading in an XF, with some good deals on the Sportbrake (which - apart from height - has a very similar load area) the difference is going to be very much closer than I had anticipated.

Thanks for the comments so far. mbeadle - interesting that you find the DSG better than the XF's ZF unit (is yours the 6- or 8-speed?) as I thought my 6-speed was pretty good and pickup excellent - unlike the 2.7d XJ I had on loan which was scarily sluggish. How do you find the audio? I have the standard Luxury fit but even that is vastly better (on classical music anyway) than the 12-speaker "Sound System" in the Yeti. I've never listened to the Portfolio's audio but you would be well qualified to pronounce on the L&K's 10-speaker setup! Any more input welcome! Mark

Interesting - fuel consumption sounds not too far behind the XF, and of course petrol is cheaper. I've hardly ever used the XF's paddles, but often wished the Yeti had them. I suppose with DSG, things go awry when it's guess of the next gear to preselect turns out to be wrong.

Thanks for the link - "He is strong, fierce acceleration and fast on the highway...." sounds good but not sure about "....galloping also a talented drinker". Hopefully the reduced pace of galloping in the UK might result in something closer to your results. Any more views?

I currently have a Jaguar XF 3.0d but really need an estate and can't justify the cost of a Sportbrake, and was impressed driving the Superb in 170 TDI and 1.8 TSI forms when it came out. I did have a trawl through posts but couldn't find a lot about the 2.0 TFSI engine. What do owners think - does the DSG work well (wife's Yeti DSG is good but can be a bit inconsistent compared with the XF), how do they perform, what is the real-world fuel consumption, any problems? Thanks, Mark

I've driven the XF in most conditions apart from cold weather since fitting the Z G2s (245/45R18 100Y) in July.They seem very stable and responsive including in deep standing water, just slightly heavier at town speeds. I would rate them above the SP Sport 01s (let alone the dire factory-fit P Zeros), so - assuming they wear OK - I would definitely fit them again- even ignoring the fact that they were substantially cheaper than any of the OEM options. Unfortunately, I don't think the latter is the case in Yeti size. Mark

I couldn't wait to get rid of the P Zero Neros on my last X-Type or the P Zeros on my XF. Both suffered from tramlining and poor performance in standing water - the SP Sport 01s which I fitted to the XF were a great improvement, and the Nokian Z G2s I currently have fitted are better still. Having said that, our new Yeti's P Zero Rossos don't seem too bad - no experience yet in winter conditions, but none of the problems which I experienced with Pirelli-shod Jaguars. Still likely to go for Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons when they wear out, though - as the Nokian eNtyre seems to be no longer available. Mark.

I've had HID headlamps on my last 3 Jaguars, my wife's New Beetle and both her Yetis - a cumulative total of 16 years and 280,000 miles use. The only failure was a control module on the first Yeti, replaced under warranty. I wouldn't want to be without them, especially on the Yeti with the cornering function - or indeed on the Jaguars where the standard lights are truly awful. Mark.

4x4 models are now excluded from the free servicing - although we managed to get it after having a rant at Skoda UK as (i) the restriction was applied after we'd ordered the car and (ii) it wasn't highlighted on the website. It is now: http://www.skoda.co.uk/gbr/finance/offers/low-rate-finance/low-rate-finance-examples/Pages/LowRateFinanceExamples.aspx

It is rather bizarre - we were looking at the Golf/Golf Plus when we bought our first Yeti. Although the VW has damped grab handles and gas struts to raise the bonnet, some of the Yeti equipment simply isn't available - even as an option - except on the GTI - in particular the excellent (and standard) Elegance headlamps. I can live without the VW's "luxuries" but we would really miss some of the standard equipment on the Yeti. I just hope that VW don't start chipping away at the underlying engineering - the appearance of a torsion-beam rear axle in the Rapid is a worrying trend, though I believe the new Octavia will be based on the new MQB platform, shared with the new Golf.

Personally I would consider upgrading to a 3-way setup, as Skoda fit with the "Sound System" upgrade. My mid-range add-ons did make an improvement, and the Sound System on our current car is better still. I would imagine a proper crossover helps too - the standard fit seems to consist of just a capacitor in series with the tweeter. See my thread below for the midrange fitting - we didn't change the existing speakers so can't help with that - sorry. http://www.briskoda....ge#entry2715108 Mark

Tell them to sit up straight! :yes: Ours are currently at about the same angle as those in the back of the XF, so hardly bolt upright - and like most cars, the Jag's back seats don't recline anyway.

You would only be able to recline the seats with the DB3 by any significant amount by moving them forward - I don't know if there is a slightly shallower Lintran which would still be big enough for a Border Collie. We've had ours (who is about Collie size) and a chunky Chocolate Lab in it - the lab whinged a bit but he's not used to crates, there was enough room for them. The DB2 is slightly smaller and would give you another inch to play with. The problem I suspect would be finding one with the "hatchback doors" - ours has the standard full-height doors as we have the spare wheel option. If you are buying used, note that the more recent models have key-locking doors, earlier models had sliding bolts. I'll tell Piper how privileged he is being allowed to ride in a Jaguar, and that other dogs are not so lucky! Although you might encounter Don Baldry and his Lynx Eventer if you go to any Jaguar shows - along with perhaps an Afghan or Golden Retriever in the back! Mark

We are very happy with our Lintran DB3 Tracker - they are expensive but hold their value well and, being fibreglass, contain dirt better than a mesh crate. They keep some models in stock but as you don't have a spare wheel, you will need the modified "hatchback" option. http://www.lintran.co.uk/db3-tracker-128.html Alternatively you could use a soft kennel - we have a Maelson on the back seat of the XF - it has access from the side or the end, and all sorts of straps to attach it to the car. Again a bit expensive but worth it in terms of quality. http://www.easyanimal.co.uk/maelson-soft-kennel.html?gclid=CLC-k8qV7bECFVJ3fAodgD0AOg Mark

It's a Cessna 182T!

As of two days ago, we are also on our second Yeti, having clocked up 43k on the first one. Although the new one is a DSG, I am finding it more difficult to swap between driving it and my XF. You'd think swapping between two automatics would be easier than an auto and a manual, but not only is the Jaguar's drive selector totally different, I am also used to the EPB automatically disengaging when you accelerate away, which of course the Yeti's manual handbrake doesn't do. Which is embarrassing.... Mark

Incidentally, back to the Yeti, I notice that the aerial is now a "stubby" similar to the Honda S2000 one we fitted so it would go into our garage. However it is still a bit longer than the Honda item so we'll have to see if it fits. Also, the park sensor screen graphics have changed, and there seem to be more setup options on the Maxidot (e.g bleeper frequency and volume for front and rear) unless my memory is failing me. Apologies if this is all listed on a post somewhere. Any other little surprises,I wonder?

Only done about 30 miles so far - initial impressions are that they are a bit quieter and more compliant than the Dunlops, but steering response is slightly less direct. I do wish other manufacturers would adopt their wear indicators.... Mark