Aside from the fact that the Skoda uses the previous platform the price difference between them all is quite a bit!

Assuming this is just OTR price for the top of the range of each (before ANY discounts including VAT offer) - Basing all cars on 5 door with met paint

Skoda Fabia Elegance - 1.6 TDI 105ps - 14,685.00 (20% vat off makes it 11,766.67)

Skoda Fabia VRS - 1.4 TSI 180ps - 16,415.00 (20% vat off makes it 13,100)

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Seat Ibiza Sport - 1.6 TDI 105ps - 14,755 (Was hard to get 'top of the range' here before the cupra versions and the FR TDI 2.0)

Seat Ibiza Cupra Bocanegra - 1.4 TSI 180ps - 18,280

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VW Polo SEL - 1.6 TDI 90ps - 16,165

VW Polo GTI - 1.4 TSI 180ps - 19,415

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Audi A1 Sport - 1.6 TDI 105ps - 16,830

Audi A1 S Line - 1.4 TSI 185ps - 21,220

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Now I know it's not exactly the same due to each car having slightly different spec.. but just as an idea. The fabia vrs is almost £5000 cheaper than the audi but factor in the VAT offer and your looking at savings of £8000 easy! Do you feel like you have any less of a car than a Seat, VW or even Audi owner (with the savings?) I don't!

£8000 could buy you the following:

Assume insurance is £500 per year - Insurance for 16 years

Assume petrol is £1.33 a litre - 6015 litres (or 1336 gallons!)

4 nice holidays at £2000 a pop

Another car!

You could tax your car for 61 years (at £130 tax)

A lot of other crap you probably dont need :p

Edited 3 June, 201115 yr by adamc260

I looked at getting a Cupra/Boc before the vRS but for basically the same car in different shell I couldn't justify the extra price.

Do I think it's less of a car.......no freaking way, was a bargain and I love it. Does the same job as the others and is a bit different to the norm.

Exactly, all the oily bits are pretty much the shame, just a diff look... and quite frankly I like how the fabia looks, think its a smart looking car thats practical too! Just goes to show by banging a badge on the front, how much extra they can charge for a few subtle differences.

I have to say I really like the A1 in S-Line trim. The forthcoming 4x4 version would be quite nice.

Yes, it's far too expensive and would be 24k with the options I want. But it's aimed at a different market anyway.

Exactly mate, I don't see how a badge can justify such a massive increase in price. I love the practicality side of the Fabia, having a 5 door car is a win as I don't have to keep getting out to let people in

I have to say I really like the A1 in S-Line trim. The forthcoming 4x4 version would be quite nice.

Yes, it's far too expensive and would be 24k with the options I want. But it's aimed at a different market anyway.

Yeh, a market where badge snobbery is top of their list... they're just driving around in a polo with an audi badge on it, simple as really. I looked at the A1 before I ordered my fabia and to get a 'similar' A1 I would be spending 3-4k more just to get an Audi badge on the front which yeh would be nice but... I aint got rocks in me head!

While this is true and badge snobbery does seem to be a problem when buying it can also be useful when trying to sell.

If you look on the WhatCar Depreciation Calculator where I have compared the 4 cars you can see that over 4 years you do actully lose the lowest percentage of the cars inital value if buying the polo.

The vRS does lose the least amount of actual cash but it is the highest percentage loss. If you believe the figures from What Car then the price over 4 years of ownership is only £400 more for the polo than the vRS.

This of course is totally untrue if (like me) you were lucky enough to buy a vRS at VAT free prices as then it becomes much cheaper than the other 3 cars

Mine was cheaper than VAT free, but then I didn't buy it brand new.

If I were to spec my car without the VAT (and I don't think it is fair to compare VAT Free Skoda to a full VAT Audi/VW) - my car was £17890. I paid £13500 for it...

Mine was cheaper than VAT free, but then I didn't buy it brand new.

If I were to spec my car without the VAT (and I don't think it is fair to compare VAT Free Skoda to a full VAT Audi/VW) - my car was £17890. I paid £13500 for it...

I compared with and without the VAT free offer

I was having exactly these thoughts earlier as I crawled into the Blackwall tunnel alongside a brand-new very smart looking Audi A1. I couldn't help thinking, OK, it's got an Audi badge, and funky lighting, but was it really worth paying twice the price I paid for my fabia? Probably not! Not like he could get anywhere quicker than me in my Greenline either the traffic was that bad!

Edited 3 June, 201115 yr by Redline Greenline ii

I compared with and without the VAT free offer

That'll teach me for skim reading....

never mind the price difference (although its important) i wonder what quoted delivery differences are as they share a lot of the same parts

never mind the price difference (although its important) i wonder what quoted delivery differences are as they share a lot of the same parts

Aye, guess we'll never know unless you know someone ordering an ibiza, polo and a1 :p

Aye, guess we'll never know unless you know someone ordering an ibiza, polo and a1 :p

dont know anyone that flush im afraid, all skint (tight) like me

dont know anyone that flush im afraid, all skint (tight) like me

I would imagine it would be in that order.

1) Audi

2) VW

3) Seat

4) Skoda

Since they're making the least out of us... we're last in line for anything.

Could be any number of reasons.

Maybe certain colours are done quicker because there is more demand - i.e. more production runs of that colour?

I used to work for a manufacturing firm and it made sense to do production runs in batches.

But then, what do I know?

they do do production runs but i doubt its down to colours, more likely down to model types

ive spoken to suk c/s today to enquire how a car is given a build date and actually asked if it was down to even the colour but he (Richard) said no but models would affect whats coming off the line

he seemed well versed in excuses to which i said so, laughing at him, that i bet im not the first nor will i be the last to be pi$$ed off with the different wait times we all have irrespective of when an order has been placed

they do do production runs but i doubt its down to colours, more likely down to model types

ive spoken to suk c/s today to enquire how a car is given a build date and actually asked if it was down to even the colour but he (Richard) said no but models would affect whats coming off the line

he seemed well versed in excuses to which i said so, laughing at him, that i bet im not the first nor will i be the last to be pi$$ed off with the different wait times we all have irrespective of when an order has been placed

It's starting to get on me wick, 2 months in and still dont know really when the cars going to be made.. I get close to the build week they give me and poof... its pushed back 1 month! The biggest reason I'm sticking with the fabia is... I can't go elsewhere and get the same level of kit/engine type for the money im paying with Skoda, if I want to spend more (which I cant really afford to do) then yes I could go elsewhere.

Well before getting the fabia, I had a look at several cars A1,1 SERIES,C30 and the polo to be honest the finished car is better than skoda fabia , the A1 is a lovely car to drive more regal a drive smoother yes but not a great deal build quality is better in an audi, the 1 series was a 116d 2.0 diesel 120bhp I think but was 24k before anything on it but quality wise the fabia is sooo much better found the 1 SERIES an awful car to drive and rear leg room non at all, the c30 is again a nice drive but not practical, the best was of course the polo refined,great package stunning little drive but for me the little fabia is not only cheaper but a better car all round,practical great leg room in the back, fantastic engine great in the corners "well a little wobbly" but for the price a bargain, cant wait for the octavia to come out concept or design something or other

I paid £24,300 for my super elegance combi cr tdi 170 dsg with a few extras... I priced up a 5 series touring to the same spec... £39,950....!!!! And I doubt BMW would be giving much off the rrp either!

We all know how much of a bargain it is. I don't bother telling people about it being an Audi for less, etc. As they say a fool is easily parted with their money. If people are happy to pay extra for 4 rings on the bonnet then Audi will keep charging high prices. It's all down to image. Did a delivery today and the customer, who knew my boss commented on how nice her car was. The car in question is £36k (yes £36k) of Audi A5 2.0 TDI 140 Convertible, in white. Imo it's far too heavy, not that fast, cost too much and has no rear legroom. But people like that aren't interested in the oily bits. All they want is stuff that's shiney shiney and they can brag to their mates that they have an Audi. All of us have the last laugh knowing we've paid a lot less.

People who bought skodas used to get laughed at.

Now people who buy skodas are the ones laughing at others

That's how I look at it

To be fair and IMO the only real quality difference between the cars is the interior. However the cost difference is possibly more to do with glass palaces and the width of Audi salesperson's ties

It was the salesbloke's excellent service at Audi Bedford that made me decide to get an A3. He was honest and open. Which is more than can be said for the mantruncheonhead at both Seat Milton Keynes and what must of been his twin at VW bedford. Both of which spent the test drives slagging off Audi.

Whereas the Audi chap (adam) commented that both the Leon and Golf were good cars. And that was as much as he said about them, spent the rest of the time talking about the Audi.

Could not fault them. Yes they might be a lot more expensive but that bloke and that branch were faultless.

If it were not for the VAT off offer I'd be in another one. I paid 19.6k for the A3 sportback sport 170 which is several grand cheaper than the GTD!!

It was the salesbloke's excellent service at Audi Bedford that made me decide to get an A3. He was honest and open. Which is more than can be said for the mantruncheonhead at both Seat Milton Keynes and what must of been his twin at VW bedford. Both of which spent the test drives slagging off Audi.

Whereas the Audi chap (adam) commented that both the Leon and Golf were good cars. And that was as much as he said about them, spent the rest of the time talking about the Audi.

Could not fault them. Yes they might be a lot more expensive but that bloke and that branch were faultless.

If it were not for the VAT off offer I'd be in another one. I paid 19.6k for the A3 sportback sport 170 which is several grand cheaper than the GTD!!

Good salesman because he had an INCREDIBLE name.. Adam ! *cough cough*