Phil

Slightly OT, is the new series of Fifth Gear being shown on Discovery on Sky possibly Tuesday nights ? Looks like the same episodes to me ?

Great video

It's quite an old video (but good) I just wish they'd stated the obvious at the end, rather than 'the Skoda can hold it's own against the Merc' how about 'the fully optioned Merc is almost twice the price of the std Skoda when kitted out the same'

It's quite an old video (but good) I just wish they'd stated the obvious at the end, rather than 'the Skoda can hold it's own against the Merc' how about 'the fully optioned Merc is almost twice the price of the std Skoda when kitted out the same'

I posted this in January.

What the reviewer needed to state was that the Superb has much much bang for your buck.

Spec up the Merc or Audi to the Skoda's standard kit and you are looking at 10 to 15k extra.

Phil.

I posted this in January.

What the reviewer needed to state was that the Superb has much much bang for your buck.

Spec up the Merc or Audi to the Skoda's standard kit and you are looking at 10 to 15k extra.

Phil.

You are right, I was a bit generous with the price differential, since it's a wet Sunday I had time to check both build sites, the Merc E220 optioned up to the std Superb Elegance 170 costs just under £14k more. Not quite twice as much but a lot of money for the badge. One thing the review didn't mention is, there is no option with MB for AWD. RWD Merc in the winter means pay even more for winter rubber or risk getting stuck. AWD Superb even on std rubber means more likely to not get stuck.

RWD Merc in the winter means pay even more for winter rubber or risk getting stuck. AWD Superb even on std rubber means more likely to not get stuck.

Well, I do question that one! Winter tires is a must (at least for me) with low temps and a lot of snow. Me for one does not trust a AWD on summer tires in the winter! It will be just like Bambi on ice so to speak.

/Superbjoser

Well, I do question that one! Winter tires is a must (at least for me) with low temps and a lot of snow. Me for one does not trust a AWD on summer tires in the winter! It will be just like Bambi on ice so to speak.

/Superbjoser

For where you live I'd completely agree. Fitting winter tyres in certain months is an insurance requirement for you is it not? I was refering to the type of winter we get in the UK (I should have been more specific) which is predominately slush rather than deep snow. The AWD system with std fit conti tyres manages fine on that (in my experience)

For where you live I'd completely agree. Fitting winter tyres in certain months is an insurance requirement for you is it not? I was refering to the type of winter we get in the UK (I should have been more specific) which is predominately slush rather than deep snow. The AWD system with std fit conti tyres manages fine on that (in my experience)

OK, point taken. Thanks for the reply. Regarding winter tires; its not only a insurance requirement, its the law! By the winter months (December until Mars) no summer tires is allowed. Heavy vehicles like trucks and buses excepted for some obscure reason. The result of that is obvious every year... Our friends in Norway have a slightly different approach to this I think.

And vice versa, through summer time no winter tires allowed. In this case it all have to do with what temperature the tires is supposed to operate in. In the winter the rubber in summer tires get too hard (that is: no grip). In the summer winter tires get too warm (and explode/fall off).

/Superbjoser

Edited 20 July, 201114 yr by Superbjoser

OK, point taken. Thanks for the reply. Regarding winter tires; its not only a insurance requirement, its the law! By the winter months (December until Mars) no summer tires is allowed. Heavy vehicles like trucks and buses excepted for some obscure reason. The result of that is obvious every year... Our friends in Norway have a slightly different approach to this I think.

And vice versa, through summer time no winter tires allowed. In this case it all have to do with what temperature the tires is supposed to operate in. In the winter the rubber in summer tires get to hard (that is: no grip). In the summer winter tires get to warm (and explode/fall off).

/Superbjoser

Eh, even in Britain people start understanding the wonder of winter tires

I still love studded tires the most, and we have the conditions. That's why I ordered a 4x4.

Well winter tires can be used in summer but they have too soft composition and wear off very quickly. Some more consious people remove the studs when wear limit is close and also use them in the summer without a problem (marking). There's also a difference in thread depth (summer 1,6mm vs. winter 3mm).

Trucks are excepted somewhy. I think the reason is legislation, long distances and high costs of tires.

Trucks are excepted somewhy. I think the reason is legislation, long distances and high costs of tires.

Part of the reason is that truck tyres have a much higher proportion of natural rubber and thus don't suffer the same hardening off that passenger car tyres do at low temperatures. However they still suffer in extreme Nordic low temperatures which is why you can get studless winters for buses and heavy goods in both steering and traction designs.

Also I suspect stud and road life would be quite short with the footprint.

Every year, typically in the first October / November snows, we get some visitor trucks stuck because they are on the lorry equivalents of summer tyres. This is about 2-3 hours north of Stockholm on Baltic coast btw. Usually it's some long distance guy from Marseilles, Spain or similar, but last winter we had one guy from Latvia completely stuck, and jack-knifed across the High St. If anyone should know about crappy winter conditions it's those from other side of the Baltic.

Well winter tires can be used in summer but they have too soft composition and wear off very quickly. Some more consious people remove the studs when wear limit is close and also use them in the summer without a problem (marking). There's also a difference in thread depth (summer 1,6mm vs. winter 3mm).

Well, for me its non studded tires. Cant stand the sound of the studded tires against the road. Therefore extremely cautious when I suspect black ice. Normal driving with this type of tire is OK (but not legally) even in summer but if you have to do a emergency maneuver you are practically without a chance.

Regarding Stålmunk's reply I have to add this: It should be mandatory with winter tires (non studded) on heavy trucks/buses as well when this conditions appear. Or else they should put up with the money for towing/repairing costs for all vehicles involved. And that should apply to all heavy vehicles, even local buses... OK, sorry for all this OT, I'll leave this topic for now. Thanks! Over and out.

/Superbjoser