Hello, all.

New to the marque – so new, in fact, I don't yet own one – I'd appreciate your opinions. I'm strongly considering a secondhand Superb diesel automatic. 1.9 or 2.5? You tell me.

I'll tell you: my budget is about £4,500; I'm er, 'not young', so any difference in insurance-premia is unlikely to be significant; I don't drive fast; and, simply, want s - m - o - o - t - h, serene-at-70, m'way cruising.

I'm not a fan of modern, rubber-band-round-a-cotton-reel, low-profile tyres: I want comfort. Could you kindly give an opinion, too, on the optimum combination of rim and tyre-size?

I would also very much like bi-Xenon headlights, so would you kindly tell me which model-variants include these, please?

There are bound to be other questions (I'll suddenly remember just after I've logged-out) but that should do for now.

Thank you,

AF.

Hi

My opinion, for what it's worth, and that of many, but not all, others in this forum is that you should go for the 1.9 which is cheaper to run and apparently much more reliable than the 2.5, at little performance difference.

Mated to an auto box the 1.9 is a bit slow off the mark for me - I borrowed one for a week before I bought a manual - but other than that it drives very nicely, and will certainly suit you cruising at 70.

As regards wheels/tyres - mine came with 225/45x17 alloys, fitted with Michelin Pilot Premacy. I did think these might create a bit of a hard ride, but not at all. The ride really is comfortable and quiet.

Xenons - they come with the Elegance model, along with other toys. Exactly what other toys will depend on the age of car, but think electric/heated leather seats, sunroof, folding mirrors, maybe sat nav etc.

Bottom line - 1.9TDi 130 Elegance (or Limited 100 or L&K, but probably not on your budget unless with mega mileage)

check through the threads on the forum, there's lots of info about typical faults to look for - and opinion about what model's best!

Happy hunting

1.9 130 PS engine is the best option. If you don't mind basic trim, retrofit the cruise and the xenon lights - both can be done very cheaply. Given the very high depreciation of the Superb, buying the base model and retrofitting the bits you want can save you a lot of money.

Remember also that buying a higher spec model does nothing for the car's worst points - soggy handling, poor dealer network, VAG UK (I'll say no more), rainwater ingress etc. For a given power unit, they all go the same and handle the same.

16" wheels, preferably steel, will give the best ride, minimum tramlining - although they all do it a bit - and by far the lowest tyre replacement cost. I bought a pair of 205 55 x 16 Continental sportwhatevers for under £70 each.

rotodiesel.

Thank you both very much, sidewaze samm and rotodiesel. The notion of buying the base-model and retro-fitting bi-Xenon headlights appeals, particularly. How do I go about that, please? (I don't even know if it's a 'bulb-'n'-wiring' swap or whether it's entire headlamp-units.) I've replied immediately I saw that you'd both written, and now will search the threads. If retro-fitting bi-Xenons is already covered, do excuse me.

Thank you again.

AF.

Retrofitting the xenons is easy if you leave main beam alone and just convert the dipped beam - they are separate bulbs on the Superb. The main beam performance with the halogen lamp fitted is OK - the dipped beam is poor.

The dipped beam lamp uses a standard H7 bulb and a xenon unit will fit the holder without modification if you buy the correct type. You then just need to route the wiring and fit the ballasts - not a problem.

rotodiesel.

Retrofitting the xenons is easy if you leave main beam alone and just convert the dipped beam - they are separate bulbs on the Superb. The main beam performance with the halogen lamp fitted is OK - the dipped beam is poor.

The dipped beam lamp uses a standard H7 bulb and a xenon unit will fit the holder without modification if you buy the correct type. You then just need to route the wiring and fit the ballasts - not a problem.

rotodiesel.

Retrofitting the xenons is easy if you leave main beam alone and just convert the dipped beam - they are separate bulbs on the Superb. The main beam performance with the halogen lamp fitted is OK - the dipped beam is poor.

The dipped beam lamp uses a standard H7 bulb and a xenon unit will fit the holder without modification if you buy the correct type. You then just need to route the wiring and fit the ballasts - not a problem.

rotodiesel.

Thank you, rotodiesel; 'if you buy the correct type' ? (Unless given a map and full written instructions I invariably get it wrong: I'm not called 'AllFumbs' for nothing!)

AF.

Hello, all.

New to the marque – so new, in fact, I don't yet own one – I'd appreciate your opinions. I'm strongly considering a secondhand Superb diesel automatic. 1.9 or 2.5? You tell me.

I'll tell you: my budget is about £4,500; I'm er, 'not young', so any difference in insurance-premia is unlikely to be significant; I don't drive fast; and, simply, want s - m - o - o - t - h, serene-at-70, m'way cruising.

I'm not a fan of modern, rubber-band-round-a-cotton-reel, low-profile tyres: I want comfort. Could you kindly give an opinion, too, on the optimum combination of rim and tyre-size?

I would also very much like bi-Xenon headlights, so would you kindly tell me which model-variants include these, please?

There are bound to be other questions (I'll suddenly remember just after I've logged-out) but that should do for now.

Thank you,

AF.

Then go for the 1.9TDI (130bhp) Automatic Elegance then. Frugal, comfortable and no messing about making changes. Please however be aware of all the advice on the 'forum' and the things that are a 'potential' issue with the car - because they could cost quite a bit to sort out if they arise (every car has potential problem areas). The Elegance has bi-xenons, comes with cruise control, the auto box makes motorway driving easy, comes with climate control and it is comfortable. The Elegance (I can only speak for the leather seats) are FAR MORE comfortable than those in the new Mark 2 Superb. Downside is that it is a 'big' car and is therefore more difficult to park - in 4 years I never really managed to learn to judge where the front was. The Elegance has rear parking sensors and I relied upon them for parking.

There's a lot of anti V6 TDi sentiment on this forum there's the odd sound argument - they do use a bit more fuel. Having driven both a 130 and a V6 I know which one I'll stick with - I'd imagine the V6 would be a heck of a lot better on an auto than the standard 1.9 as well.

If you're looking for smoothness, and dont mind the drop in economy I'd head down the V6 route, esp for an auto motorway cruiser.

Classic spec is your standard.

The comfort spec comes with a lot of toys, such as the reversing sensors, rain sensitive wipers and the information display on the dash - also cd changer.

Elegance spec has all the toys, hardest to find at a reasonable price unless you're going big petrol.

At the end of the day, you need to go with what you're comfortable with - have a drive of both and see what you think.

I've only had my V6 for a couple of weeks, and it's been cold, snowy and wet, but I'm really pleased with the performance and the fuel economy.

On a dry, sunny day with a trip of 55 miles on a mix of traffic free dual carriageway, A and B roads, and driving along enjoying the sunshine and keeping within the speed limits, the trip averaged 53.6 mpg, which I find astounding for such a big car with a big engine.

Having said that, it's very dependent on your right foot. Keep the revs below 2,000 rpm and it will produce remarkable fuel economy, play with the seemingly endless waves of torque and power available and you'll pay for it with much lower fuel consumption.

On one 6 mile, mainly flat, dry road, going through a couple of villages, maintaining 55 mph on the straights and changing gear at 1250 rpm (max torque), and just giving the throttle the slightest pressure, it averaged 74 mpg before I got to the town. You'd never get that in normal driving, but it shows how efficient it can be.

Over the last 400 miles in all this snow, slush and water, it's currently showing 45.6 mpg average.

Does it have to be diesel? You'd get a very good price on a 2.8V6. The 1.8T's aren't too bad either from what I hear.

The favoured engine for the Superb on here is the PD130, though probably best to try a few for yourself and see what you think.

Don't forget what our dear Government will be doing to the road tax levy... they will get you in the end.

The V6 diesel has a high CO2 figure for its power output due to its poor efficiency - the petrol V6 is just an environmental disaster. The 1.9 diesel gives good figures and hence economy because it's an efficient engine - I'm still impressed with mine (when driven gently). It also goes pretty well when I ask it to.

rotodiesel.

I'd recommend a V6 TDI Tiptronic Elegance.

I have purchased my V6 TDI a week ago and I am extremely happy with it. The auto box is ideally suited to the V6 and I get the feeling such a big car will struggle with a smaller engine, especially if it’s an auto. While the hike in road tax will hit the V6, it is no where near as astronomical as the 2.8 petrol and I do get over 40mpg which seems good for this size of engine. The Elegance model has all the toys (leather, satnav, cruise, xexons, heated front/read seats, and some nifty cooling in the glove box and arm rest)

Hi - also new and hijacking AllFumbs thread ( apologies....).. North Herts resident and we visit the local Skoda garage from time to time to see what's about.. it's a bloke thing, we take ages to buy a car, the dealership is local and they appear to be very friendly......

Like MR AF.. old tired and dont race anymore... I need a presentable car but nothing that flash that clients feel that they are being overcharged.

Currently have a '53 Vectra 1.8SRi LPG jobbie and it has (once you can get used to the vagaries of LPG) been excellent with only a broken windscreen wiper linkage and fan resistor blown in 75K over 5 years..

One of the car supermarkets currently has old shape Superbs ..2007 (57) Elegance 1.9 Diesel 115 Manual with 5000 on the clock at £11K or 2008 (08) 1.9 115 D manual Classics with 1-2K on the clock at £9.5K ( seems the Skoda dealers dont want Mk1 Superbs..)

Being 6'4 and a bit, I just like the space these cars have...and 50 to the gallon appeals...

My question would be which is the better buy.. good value..? or am I buying a heap load of trouble ( as in 1-2K in 12 months..) ? - I got the feeling that Skodas were ultra reliable and that everyone was a happy driver but after trawling through this forum kinda feel .. perhaps I should stick to the griffin... :confused: ( but realise a lot of forums like this one, the bulk of it will be assistance with problems)

Any assistance appreciated...and apologies if this should be a separate thread..

Agent X20

One of the car supermarkets currently has old shape Superbs ..2007 (57) Elegance 1.9 Diesel 115 Manual with 5000 on the clock at £11K or 2008 (08) 1.9 115 D manual Classics with 1-2K on the clock at £9.5K ( seems the Skoda dealers dont want Mk1 Superbs..)

Just to highlight to you guys who are potential owners, one of the points mentioned - (in respect of the preferred engine being the 1.9 130). The 115bhp version was used on the last of the pre-facelift Mk1 models, to distance it from the new 2.0 140 in the facelifted Mk 1 version (But do the 2.0 has DPF problems, and let's not start Roto off about 6-speed boxes!) Other than that there is the 100bhp version (and I think a 105 version too), which were only available as lower spec models. It really does depend on your preferred trade-off between age/mileage/spec, but there really are a lot more toys on the Elegance, if that's your thing.

AllFumbs: retrofit the Xenons? I've no idea about the simplicity or feasability of this - but be aware that legally, Xenons must have auto self-levelling and headlight washers (only on the Elegance as standard).

Agentx20: I think you're right about forums (fora?) part of the raison d'etre is to seek and provide help with problems. And bad news always travels faster and wider than good.

cheers

Edited 9 February, 200917 yr by sidewaze samm

There's a lot of anti V6 TDi sentiment on this forum there's the odd sound argument - they do use a bit more fuel. Having driven both a 130 and a V6 I know which one I'll stick with - I'd imagine the V6 would be a heck of a lot better on an auto than the standard 1.9 as well.

If you're looking for smoothness, and dont mind the drop in economy I'd head down the V6 route, esp for an auto motorway cruiser.

Classic spec is your standard.

The comfort spec comes with a lot of toys, such as the reversing sensors, rain sensitive wipers and the information display on the dash - also cd changer.

Elegance spec has all the toys, hardest to find at a reasonable price unless you're going big petrol.

At the end of the day, you need to go with what you're comfortable with - have a drive of both and see what you think.

Totally agree with above.

If you want a 1.9 automatic you are limited up to 2006, it got taken off the menu then, you can find them though, be careful buying high miler's, likely to have had cab use and not always very well cared for or have gremlins, my mate has/had a nice 05 Elegance with the roof/sat nav etc, but it gave box trouble at 92k and he had 2 rebuilds done which lasted 5 minutes and took it off the road, if you don't do lot's of miles the 2.5 is an option to you, I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as ppl make it out tbh, but it is a service monster, very expensive cambelt change so if the car has 70k on it be aware there's a £600 bill around the corner, might sell you my 04 1.9 auto complete with full cambelt change just done if your interested, it'll come in on your budget.

Just wanting a reliable car to poodle about in .. circa 12K a year.. and was wondering whether low mileage , but already a year old would cause more problems than they are worth... whilst the car supermarkets are (supposedly) good value, tis very much a case of once you drive out, thats it..:( ...So checking for damp footwell would be on the agenda...

Thanks for the reply samm... funny how the Superbs all seem to have generic problems irrespective of the 'luxury' level.... the extra toys on an Elegance dont seem to be the cause of many problems (or threads).

Was only looking at the 1.9's... the 2.5's are lovely motors but been there in a past life with Omegas, albeit petrol.....everytime you blink it's time for a belt change...

and was wondering whether low mileage , but already a year old would cause more problems than they are worth... whilst the car supermarkets are (supposedly) good value, tis very much a case of once you drive out, thats it

Surely if you are buying from a car supermarket the car is going to be pretty new anyway, so taking it back should not be an issue - it will still be under warranty, so take it back to a dealer.

Elegance model has all the toys (leather, satnav, cruise, xexons, heated front/read seats, and some nifty cooling in the glove box and arm rest)

Just to add my 2p and I am not sure if this applies to all Comfort models but I have the cooled Glove Box and Arm Rest in my Comfort spec..........

Just to add my 2p and I am not sure if this applies to all Comfort models but I have the cooled Glove Box and Arm Rest in my Comfort spec..........

Mine does as well.

Just to add my 2p and I am not sure if this applies to all Comfort models but I have the cooled Glove Box and Arm Rest in my Comfort spec..........

Yep, std Comfort feature

It's fitted to all Czech built B5.5s. It's also pretty useless...

rotodiesel.

also pretty useless....

Its enough to partially freeze a sandwich tho'

Yep, std Comfort feature

It's in my poverty spec as well.

At the risk of starting another debate on the subject, my money would be in a Classic or Comfort 1.9TDI or a 20vT if you want a petrol. I think these are the only two engines worth having really, from a strictly practical sense (I'm not starting a debate on the 4-pot vs V6 TDI again).

That said if you can stomach the fuel costs (and VED :eek::eek:) then the petrol V6's are smooth, fairly quick and are at absolutely rock bottom prices.