Hi All

I seem to have started a bit of banter about the relevent quality of certain brands. Having owned 2 BMW'S since an Audi my comments would be-

1. You cannot beat a Audi interior.

2. Audi dealers are excellent.

3. BMW engines provide more performance and better fuel economy

for similar power outputs.

4. Nothing handles like a BMW but by christ the rides firm! (And our roads are sh.t)

5. BMW dealers are very up themselves. (Have had issues with S...r of Lincoln)

I still fancy a Yeti although a waiting time of around 9 months would put me off.

I also like the look of the facelifted Nissan X trail and the Honda Crv.

Perhaps in 9 months time there will be a few more low milage 170bhp Yeti's around (with extra's) for a sensible price.

Here's hoping anyway!

As an after thought does anyone have any experience of Dennis Horton Skoda in Lincoln?

Michael.

Edited 25 October, 201015 yr by Micky H

Hi All

I seem to have started a bit of banter about the relevent quality of certain brands. Having owned 2 BMW'S since an Audi my comments would be-

1. You cannot beat a Audi interior.

2. Audi dealers are excellent.

3. BMW engines provide more performance and better fuel economy

for similar power outputs.

4. Nothing handles like a BMW but by christ the rides firm! (And our roads are sh.t)

5. BMW dealers are very up themselves. (Have had issues with S...r of Lincoln)

I still fancy a Yeti although a waiting time of around 9 months would put me off.

I also like the look of the facelifted Nissan X trail and the Honda Crv.

Michael.

I agree with all your points. Although I was lucky that my BMW dealer (David Holmes in Stockport) was a family owned franchise and provided simply the best service I have ever received from any dealer. I have heard horror stories about other BMW dealers who are as you describe however. Having said that I found that Horners Skoda treated me with a fair bit of indifference whilst I had my Octy :(

I am a big fan of the X Trail (I sold them many years ago) and reckon if you actually go off road they are great value for money. In fact I nearly bought one a few years ago, but opted for a 123D BMW instead

Interesting thread.

My daily drive is a two year old V8 diesel Range Rover. Yes, it's nice. But every time I get in the Yeti I am genuinely surprised how Skoda have managed to make a car to that standard for the price. It's an absolute bargain if you stay away from the top end 20k models. Our 1.2 DSG with options was a little over 16k and has the important things.

Is Skoda a premium brand? No.

It's getting a name for great customer service, but that is not the same thing.

A premium brand has luxurious leather interiors. Skodas dont, in the same way that more expensive Fords don't. It's nice, but it's not a premium leather interior IMHO. If you want to argue this point come and sit in my RR. That's why we went for the cloth.

A premium brand has other things too, like adaptive cruise control, parking heaters (audi don't though ???) cooled seats and a whole host of other things that Skoda are not allowed to add by VW as they want Skoda to keep it's place as the more budget option.

I think Skoda has done great.

They make very good cars and the ownership experience is very good. And in most ways they are perfect transport, you get a good car at a good price without all the expensive bits you don't really need.

But at the end of the day it's a family brand making good vehicles with great customer service. And I am fast becoming an enthusiast. :yes:

They make other 'regular' cars from VW, Vauxhall, Ford etc seem overpriced.

Hi All

I seem to have started a bit of banter about the relevent quality of certain brands. Having owned 2 BMW'S since an Audi my comments would be-

1. You cannot beat a Audi interior.

2. Audi dealers are excellent.

3. BMW engines provide more performance and better fuel economy

for similar power outputs.

4. Nothing handles like a BMW but by christ the rides firm! (And our roads are sh.t)

5. BMW dealers are very up themselves. (Have had issues with S...r of Lincoln)

I tend to agree with the above points, absolutely on point 4 which rules out a BMW for me as I don't like to bounce over every single piece of grit on the road. I don't see any shame in accepting that Audi for example use better quality finishing materials or have extra little touches over our Skoda's. Blimey, for the extra you pay I would expect that. What I look at is that for the next grouping of car mfrs where does the finish and materials use in a Skoda fit. Right at the damned top, that's where. If I want the finish of an Audi, and if only I had won the Euro lottery I would have been there for an A6 or maybe a Jaguar XF, then I will pay the extra £10-£20,000 (okay I wouldn't but you get my drift). I would rather pocket that money and look at all of the regular mfrs, the Japanese, French, VW etc. Skoda sit with the very best of them. The standard is high and good enough for me. Chill out, have a cup of tee, dunk a biscuit and enjoy your car.

Hi All

I seem to have started a bit of banter about the relevent quality of certain brands. Having owned 2 BMW'S since an Audi my comments would be-

1. You cannot beat a Audi interior.

2. Audi dealers are excellent.

3. BMW engines provide more performance and better fuel economy

for similar power outputs.

4. Nothing handles like a BMW but by christ the rides firm! (And our roads are sh.t)

5. BMW dealers are very up themselves. (Have had issues with S...r of Lincoln)

I still fancy a Yeti although a waiting time of around 9 months would put me off.

I also like the look of the facelifted Nissan X trail and the Honda Crv.

Perhaps in 9 months time there will be a few more low milage 170bhp Yeti's around (with extra's) for a sensible price.

Here's hoping anyway!

As an after thought does anyone have any experience of Dennis Horton Skoda in Lincoln?

Michael.

Very helpful and approachable small dealership.We had a long unsupervised test drive in their 110tdi Yeti........Discounts? Not really.Our 170tdi arrives at an outer London dealer next month (nudge,nudge,wink,wink.)

Very helpful and approachable small dealership.We had a long unsupervised test drive in their 110tdi Yeti........Discounts? Not really.Our 170tdi arrives at an outer London dealer next month (nudge,nudge,wink,wink.)

Thanks bilun777

I see your from my part of the world. Did you get a better deal from a dealership towards London rather than going to Horton? What colour have you ordered with what extra's?

Regards Michael.

Like many other expectant Yeti owners on here we used Drivethedeal. Waiting for a 170TDI elegance,Storm Blue with Gobi leather. Extras, spare wheel, 3 spoke multifunction steeringwheel and Annapurna alloys. Hopefully here next month as we've been told it's now built. (and Yes , about 18 miles north of Lincoln.)

I personally don't think Skoda is a premium brand and I hope it never will be!

If you looked at the above about VW wanting Skoda to lose equipment and going back to cheaper material to differentiate other VW products, this would be bad news for future Skoda's!

If Skoda becomes a premium brand or even slightly above that of Ford or Vauxhall's then the cars will cost even more than that of Ford and Vauxhall's which are frankly a complete rip off. At the moment, I would say Skoda is about right, ask yourself, where can you find a car similar to the Superb for £16k?

I hope Skoda would stay where it is, so we can continue to afford bargains and quality!

The thing is, and I suspect it with most buyers, if they have £25k to spend, or burning a hole in their pocket, they would choose the Q5, because they can, I am not saying people who buys Skoda's are less well off, on the contrary, people who buy Skoda's are more likely to be people who worked hard and earns quite a lot, and know how to spend money wisely. As my local dealer once told me, people who buy Skoda's pay cash or on a debit card and seldom on finance, unlike other mainstream brands. However, I could not imagine a billionaire driving a Skoda, not sure about millionaires though..... they might like the discreetness and reasonable luxuriousness of Skoda's (well mainly the Superb), without sacrificing their safety.

Edited 26 October, 201015 yr by My_Yeti

Oh yeah, also try bikes cars and vans, I have never used them or assocaited with them, but they seem really cheap. A Polo for under £8k!

My local bicycle shop had an ok racing bike for £10,000.

Mike

Funny you mention about Skoda buyers being more likely NOT to use finance.

we didnt as it happens, plus on an earlier visit to the dealers the Missis was chortling on the way home about the wad of cash "fit to choke a donkey" that the salesman & backroom bod were counting. We, I hasten to add, did not use cash.

This dealership I understand would do a lot of business with customers from the South, who might, just might be buying "off the books" i.e. just like poor N I farmers used to be able to :no: , sigh.

cheers

M

Thanks bilun777

I see your from my part of the world. Did you get a better deal from a dealership towards London rather than going to Horton? What colour have you ordered with what extra's?

Regards Michael.

I'm just on the path to trading in a Yeti for another Yeti (our 12th Skoda ) so some reason it reminded me of this post.

Find this debate regard Skoda being a premium brand interesting as until the last great war and the iron curtain got in the way then yes Skoda was a premium band and VW was the budget brand, set up by a certain German dictator to provide a car for the masses. Belive Skoda own the oldest car producing facility in the VW Group at Mladá Boleslav which if I'm correct started building cars in 1905 Having owned a Golf V and an Octavia II I would have to say there was little to choose between them in terms of quality or drive-ability. Feel if VW are cutting Skoda's 'flight feathers' then it's very short sighted and you could say they are 'cutting their nose of to smite the face'.

Anyway regard dealers; if your willing to travel you might try Allams, offered me a far deal, with no pushy sales stuff, very straight forward to talk and discuss terms with and appear to have an interest in the product, which makes a change. Obviously early days but hopefully the rest of the ordering and delivery process will follow in the same vain

Regards,

TP

This dealership I understand would do a lot of business with customers from the South, who might, just might be buying "off the books" i.e. just like poor N I farmers used to be able to :no: , sigh.

cheers

M

Care to expand on this Southerners buying off the books business:p?