Skodas don't look as good as Audi's?

[robmawer]

Of course there is a difference.

Only a cosmetic one. It's the same plastic and it's the same quality. Soft-touch is more tactile, but to attribute it higher quality as a consequence is just a halo effect.

Wood's not a good comparison, it's a natural product with natural variations and it's creating something according to these variances that determines the cost/quality. As with leather, you can leather shoes for £20, you can get leather shoes for £600 - but the plastics bits on the end of the shoe laces will be made of the same plastic.

[900000]

The A4 is a handsome car. This is indisputable fact. Sorry that it true. :(

That I certainly don't dispute. Especially the Avant. Mean and purposeful.

[taff170]

As said earlier, i have had both in last 2 years and can honestly say that the Skoda is just as well finished as the Audi both inside and out.

Not biased towards either simply because I'm lucky enough to be able to choose either.

I chose the Skoda this time because I felt it ticked all the right boxes,

Looks

Interior

Engine

VAG quality

As said next time may be a seat maybe a Merc, it's about choices!

I simply found the Audi very dull.

Sorry but its true!

Please see my earlier post.

Also got to say, Audi drivers are the BMW drivers of old though.........

Make of that what you will!

I do 30000 miles a year and have noticed that they either they sit in outside lane, assume they have more power(often wrongly) and stick to your back bumper when you have no room to move over!!'

And the worst one.

Putting their foot down as you overtake them because they don't want you to pass them!!

[Lady Elanore]

Only a cosmetic one. It's the same plastic and it's the same quality. Soft-touch is more tactile, but to attribute it higher quality as a consequence is just a halo effect.

Wood's not a good comparison, it's a natural product with natural variations and it's creating something according to these variances that determines the cost/quality. As with leather, you can leather shoes for £20, you can get leather shoes for £600 - but the plastics bits on the end of the shoe laces will be made of the same plastic.

We are talking about appearance and therefore cosmetics is totally relevant. Tactile surfaces are nicer than hard plastics. I don't know why human nature finds them so, but we do (perhaps you don't?). You will never find shiny, cheap, lightweight, rattly plastics in any car that wants to be seen as Exec or such. BMW has dumbed down the plastics on it's X1 for instance and been criticised in the press. In fact it put me off in part, when I looked at one. Wood can look like the stuff you make palates out of, or a finely crafted thing from Chippendale. It is totally relevant to the appearance and hence ambiance in a cabin.

I've also just had a look at Autocar, CAR, Autoexpress and What Car to see what they said when they first reviewed the A4. Delicious looks, looks smart, great looks, it looks classier than before, suave looks, low key design merits closer examination and will delight the aesthetically literate, Form and function? Again, Audi fundamentals and brilliantly executed.

These are all quotes about the standard A4s, not the S4 of future RS4.

I hate the way Skoda drivers hold me up Taff

[robmawer]

We are talking about appearance and therefore cosmetics is totally relevant. Tactile surfaces are nicer than hard plastics. I don't know why human nature finds them so, but we do (perhaps you don't?).

My (and Johann's) original point - in this country people find them more pleasant. In other countries, not so. Lexii always tended to use shiny plastics...not sure if this is still the case or whether they've Europeanised in recent times, but they were always aiming for the exec sector.

Wood can look like the stuff you make palates out of, or a finely crafted thing from Chippendale. It is totally relevant to the appearance and hence ambiance in a cabin.

Yes, but completely pointless when the subject was comparisons of plastic. It costs significantly more to get a higher quality finish with wood, just as it costs significantly more to get a higher quality finish with leather - this is not so with plastic.

[FellyMagic]

We are talking about appearance and therefore cosmetics is totally relevant. Tactile surfaces are nicer than hard plastics. I don't know why human nature finds them so, but we do (perhaps you don't?). You will never find shiny, cheap, lightweight, rattly plastics in any car that wants to be seen as Exec or such. BMW has dumbed down the plastics on it's X1 for instance and been criticised in the press. In fact it put me off in part, when I looked at one. Wood can look like the stuff you make palates out of, or a finely crafted thing from Chippendale. It is totally relevant to the appearance and hence ambiance in a cabin.

I've also just had a look at Autocar, CAR, Autoexpress and What Car to see what they said when they first reviewed the A4. Delicious looks, looks smart, great looks, it looks classier than before, suave looks, low key design merits closer examination and will delight the aesthetically literate, Form and function? Again, Audi fundamentals and brilliantly executed.

These are all quotes about the standard A4s, not the S4 of future RS4.

I hate the way Skoda drivers hold me up Taff

You read those arse licking mags do you Amanda? All of them suck up to the ones who have given the most money in advertising that month. Impartial? My backside! What Car, and Auto Car & Auto Express have been proved to be a bunch of ignorant jackasses when it comes to cars for years. How many times has AE been revealed to be the scamming photoshopper for crying out loud?

And the next Audi that tailgates me on the A14 is getting a dose of the footbrake, LOL

[Lady Elanore]

My (and Johann's) original point - in this country people find them more pleasant. In other countries, not so. Lexii always tended to use shiny plastics...not sure if this is still the case or whether they've Europeanised in recent times, but they were always aiming for the exec sector.

Yes, but completely pointless when the subject was comparisons of plastic. It costs significantly more to get a higher quality finish with wood, just as it costs significantly more to get a higher quality finish with leather - this is not so with plastic.

So you agree there is a higher quality of finish available. And as the wood doesn't actually serve any purpose other than adornment, I have to rest my case. You have proved it for me. As I said before, You won't see tacky plastic in a Jag etc.You seem to be in a tiny minority indifferent to the differences of the two types of plastic. I prefer the heavy spongy type and so do most people. in fact I haven't met anyone who expressed the reverse. Lexus will use squisgy plastics if they do not want to be seen as cutting corners.

[Lady Elanore]

You read those arse licking mags do you Amanda? All of them suck up to the ones who have given the most money in advertising that month. Impartial? My backside! What Car, and Auto Car & Auto Express have been proved to be a bunch of ignorant jackasses when it comes to cars for years. How many times has AE been revealed to be the scamming photoshopper for crying out loud?

And the next Audi that tailgates me on the A14 is getting a dose of the footbrake, LOL

Then all that stuff they write about the Yeti that is spouted about in here must be poo. Shame, there are a lot of Yeti owners who believed all that tripe. How much money did Skoda waste on Autocar, Car Autoexpress and What Car i wonder?

[Lady Elanore]

And the next Audi that tailgates me on the A14 is getting a dose of the footbrake, LOL

Typical young thruster Skoda driver

[David 8]

This isn't really going anywhere now is it ?

Let me know when you want it locked

[Brimma]

Audis are dull, boring, overpriced, overrated........

OK, I'm happy if you want to close it now :rofl: :rofl:

[Lady Elanore]

Audis are dull, boring, overpriced, overrated........

Only the bits that Skoda are allowed to use and they don't look as nice

Oh and Rob, here is a quote from Autocars latest test of the new hybrid Lexus

If there’s one thing Lexus can do well, it’s design and equip a cabin. Considering this is a £25,000 car, you’ll be taken aback. The leathers are tactile and beautifully finished, the plastics soft and substantial.

You should close it forthwith :D Quick!!

Edited 23 March, 2011 by Lady Elanore

[David 8]

closed whilst sat in bed

[David 8]

Reopened whilst sat in work .............

Carry on regardless but lets keep to the point, whatever it is/was, I'm lost tbh.

And lets not use this as a brand bashing thread either,

FTR I like Audi's and BMW's

[Fab Estate]

Audis are dull, boring, overpriced, overrated........

OK, I'm happy if you want to close it now :rofl: :rofl:

The A3 is dull, boring and just plain ugly.

[robmawer]

So you agree there is a higher quality of finish available.

No - there are different finishes available. The perception of the quality of each finish is subjective and varies from market to market.

But the plastic itself is actually all the same quality.

And as the wood doesn't actually serve any purpose other than adornment, I have to rest my case.

You've lost me now...manufacturing wood finishes is a completely different process than manufacturing plastic. It's more expensive to create a higher quality wood finish - this isn't the case for plastic. So I'm not really sure why you introduced wood as a counterpoint anyway...?

You seem to be in a tiny minority indifferent to the differences of the two types of plastic.

Go ahead and quote where I've said anything of the sort. All I've done is backed up Johann's brainwashing/perception point:

1. You can have two things of the same quality (interior plastic) but with different finishes.

2. Some people will prefer the soft-touch matt plastics and think they're better quality.

3. Some people will prefer the hard shiny plastics and think they're better quality.

If there’s one thing Lexus can do well, it’s design and equip a cabin. Considering this is a £25,000 car, you’ll be taken aback. The leathers are tactile and beautifully finished, the plastics soft and substantial.

Like I said, they may have Europeanised their interiors in more recent times - this quote suggests they have. Bet the actually quality is still the same though, despite the surface finish.

[900000]

Where they are miles ahead though, is the interiors, they're just about the best in the business and knock spots off BMW's and even Mercedes.

I regularly go to all the major motor shows in Europe (Frankfurt, Paris and Geneva) and after every single show having sit in everything from a Tata to a Bentley and Rolls Royce one company's interiors ALWAYS stand out best: Audi. By a good country mile. In both design terms as well as materials, fit and finish. And on this front I will also state that Audi interiors do LOOK miles better than a Škoda's. (if you like shiny silver surrounds to everything that is!)

[Lady Elanore]

Reopened whilst sat in work .............

You mischief maker you

[Lady Elanore]

No - there are different finishes available. The perception of the quality of each finish is subjective and varies from market to market.

But the plastic itself is actually all the same quality.

You've lost me now...manufacturing wood finishes is a completely different process than manufacturing plastic. It's more expensive to create a higher quality wood finish - this isn't the case for plastic. So I'm not really sure why you introduced wood as a counterpoint anyway...?

Go ahead and quote where I've said anything of the sort. All I've done is backed up Johann's brainwashing/perception point:

1. You can have two things of the same quality (interior plastic) but with different finishes.

2. Some people will prefer the soft-touch matt plastics and think they're better quality.

3. Some people will prefer the hard shiny plastics and think they're better quality.

Like I said, they may have Europeanised their interiors in more recent times - this quote suggests they have. Bet the actually quality is still the same though, despite the surface finish.

Plastic is not of the same quality, it may have a similar chemical structure, but that is all. One type is a cheap and easyily made and the other is a heavy and much more worked on product. The whole of Europe likes the squidgy stuff (yourself apart), and lightweight, shiny plastics will not be making their way into any exec/prestige or whatever you want to call them, cars in the near future Audi, BMW and Merc do use the cheap stuff, but they put it were you can't see it (unless you look for it) It is hidden away on the ends of the dash etc. If it cost the same, the whole thing would be made of the softer version.and the press and general public wouldn't pick up on the cost saving. An old E class is made from the ame stuff as my old Lancia. one resisted dinks in carparks, refused to rust and held onto it's paint. The other was a Lancia. Same stuff, but manufactured in a different way and costing more to produce. There aren't any free lunches.

I also don't see how it cost the same to make a plastic finish that a child could make with a chemistry set and a pair of opposable thumbs. To make a uniformed, soft, matt finished plastic requires more sophisticated methods than cheap moulded, brittle plastic. It's like Marks and Spencer plastic bags and the free ones from Tesco. Both plastic, but manufactured in a different way and the result is one of them is a superior product, but costs more. You telling me they cost the same as they are both plastic?

I refer you yet again to my burger analogy. Same stiff, different result. Over the years of FIAT owning, many bits of brittle plastics broke of my cars, but never have I damage a soft expensive moulding, or seen one come apart. the shiny stuff is brittle is cheap and more importantly does not withstand the test of time so well. My Skoda resisted being mistreated, my Strada ended up glued together.

It's the small differences in cost that add up in a car and manufacturers will save pennies here and their if they can. if a dash cost £1 less to manufacture in shiny plastic, but you will make 4 million variants over time, there is a worthwhile saving if you can 'get away with it'. I know a chap who doesn't give a fig for the different types of plastics used (I am seeing him tonight) but he wouldn't care if he wandered around the streets in his underpants either (this could still happen after we leave the pub)

[Lady Elanore]

I regularly go to all the major motor shows in Europe (Frankfurt, Paris and Geneva) and after every single show having sit in everything from a Tata to a Bentley and Rolls Royce one company's interiors ALWAYS stand out best: Audi. By a good country mile. In both design terms as well as materials, fit and finish. And on this front I will also state that Audi interiors do LOOK miles better than a Škoda's. (if you like shiny silver surrounds to everything that is!)

I took the free option to have the shiny silver surround replaced in many places The result is the interior looks so dark i can only find anything at night when all the little lights come on

Edited 23 March, 2011 by Lady Elanore

[robmawer]

Plastic is not of the same quality, it may have a similar chemical structure, but that is all. One type is a cheap and easyily made and the other is a heavy and much more worked on product.

It's is the same quality, I can assure you. The cost differential between the two is neglible, and they will both be as durable as each other.

The whole of Europe likes the squidgy stuff (yourself apart

Am still waiting for you to quote where I stated anything about my personal preferences...

[Brimma]

I took the free option to have the shiny silver surround replaced in many places The result is the interior looks so bland i can only find anything at night when all the little lights come on

Amended where appropriate

[oilburninnut]

Am still waiting for you to quote where I stated anything about my personal preferences...

I like both men and women, Just saying!!!!!!!!

[Lady Elanore]

here is a short video of some proper quality. The car is made of nice shiny hard plastic and some metal bits. As Rob says, this car would no doubt be considered a quality vehicle to some people.

Robs Dream Car Linky?

[willis1337]

How about this?

mmmmmmshiney