fed up with boring over rated superb

[charlie h]

have driven new superb from new for over a year now as a taxi and i have hated every minute of it.i cant believe why this car is so well regarded and why the reviews have been so favourable.i have even seen reviews comparing this car to an e class merc.are you kidding or what?the only comparison is that they are both called motorcars.yes its cheaper than most if not all its competitors to buy and run and yes the leg room in the back is unbelievable but as the person paying for it i only really care what its like to sit in the front and thats the problem.the drivers seat and cabin space is not spacious at all and the seat is far too high with very little adjustment.the car doesnt feel big when your driving it.in fact the car doesnt feel like anything when your driving it.i mean whats to like?i have the 1.9tdi and its just so boring.i would imagine the newer 1.6 derv is much the same.all the power is at the start of the pedal and dissapears almost immediatly.im afraid to overtake in mine.and the car feels really light for such a big car which means your getting no feedback from what the car is doing on the road.it understeers very badly and feels so stiff in every way.its so uninvolving.i think the previous superb was a much better and much more comfortable drivers car.i cannot find any bad reviews on these cars anywhere so this will probably go down badly with most of you but it would be interesting to know if anyone else feels the same as i do.surely im not the only one.oh and just to finish off,why are the dealers trying to and mostly succeeding making people pay for new clutches when they know the dmf is causing them to go.mine was faulty from day one and they still tried to charge me for a new one.it might surprise you how many people pay up for it.

[Gizmo]

I take it you bought a fairly basic model? As the Elegance is certainly nothing like that.

(neither was the S I have driven briefly TBH).

EDIT: Now I can see your details (I was on my iPhone earlier) It appears that indeed you have bought the cheapest model available and then criticize them all

Perhaps if you had bought a higher spec car then your opinion would be the same as many of the test drivers reviews and the owners on here?

As for your comment:

"as the person paying for it i only really care what its like to sit in the front and thats the problem"

Why the hell did you buy a Superb then when a Octavia would of given you what you needed at a lower cost (or heaven forbid a higher spec)?

[ddyer79]

I am so pleased with my Twindoor Elegance 170 CR Tdi DSG that I have just ordered a replacement Combi. It is down to personal opinion, but everyone that has been in the car can only praise it for it's comfort, space and unbelieveable specification for the money. I have covered over 50K miles now and at an average of a genuine 46+ mpg I have absolutely no complaints. It is a shame you have not enjoyed it as musch as I have and maybe it is just down to specification.

[digidoctor]

Diesel is Diesel. And the 1.9 and 1.6 are the dark side of the Diesel in the Superb. So why are you complaining? Buy a decent motor and have fun with the superb.

And who stated that the Superb is spacious for the driver in the first place? It is a longer Octavia in every aspect.

[Caspian]

It is sad to hear that you are one of the few people who are disappointed with their Superb 2. I confess that when I test drove the more basic models, I did feel that these models did not have the same appeal as the top of the range diesel. I have had my Elegance CR170 TDI DSG twin door since October 2009. I compared Ford Mondeo, Audi A4 & A6, BMW 5 and 3 series, various Mercs and Volvos and a lot of other similar cars. In the end I preferred the Superb 2 that I bought. Nothing has changed since. I still find its a really nice and enjoyable car to drive, very pleasant to be in, very economical for its very useful performance (43mpg typically) and I have had no problems or issues with the car.

[charlie h]

i dont doubt the superb is appealing compared to fords,vauxhalls,citroens etc and the cost of buying and running one is good.i also find them nice looking inside and out but all the reviews i have read praise these cars beyond belief.to compare this car to a 5 series bmw or an e class merc is just unrealistic.the bmw is a great driving car while the merc is just a dream to drive and sit in.there really is no comparison.am i really the only person who does not like this car?btw whoever replied diesel is diesel,have you driven a modern diesel car?i would not entertain a petrol car.much prefer the way a diesel engine drives.apart from my one of course.lol and also im not commenting on elegance models or 2.0 ltr 170bhp or dsg models.and i didnt buy an octavia because im a 6 foot tall taxi driver abd they are too small.

Edited 16 October, 2011 by charlie h

[Octygone]

If the 1.9 is boring why not get it remapped ...it will change the car so much :yes:

[T-1000]

If the merc and BMW are so much better why did you not buy one? Did you test drive the car first? I'm sorry but you are in the minority on these forums. I'm not arguing that the merc and BMW are not better cars they are, but you pay for that and pay over the odds imho. I brought my superb without driving one I've driven many cars and the superb is right up there with the mercs and BMWs.

[SJFISHER67]

I had a Superb Elegance 170 DSG and it was a brilliant car - if it hadn't filled up with water I would probably still have it. As for handling it was ok, but then if you want amazing handling, buy a sports car!

Superb - Nuff Said!

[darren tt]

Buy the 170tdi 4x4 elegance estate, handling wise, for an estate its limits are hard to find. Really, buy cheap buy twice, I'm sure if you bought the entry level BMW of merc, you would be severely unimpressed. Why are people so quick to knock Skoda???

[dobbey]

Tbh, I can't see why you have posted that on a forum that is used by people who own and love superbs. What were you hoping to get out of this? One MAJOR advantage of skodas ( and peugeots) is that the optional extras are cheap. Ventilated seats in a superb: £400. Audi: £2000.

Satnav is standard on a £25000 skoda, while you have to pay £2000 in a £32000 BM 5 series. Don't be fooled by the standard small screen in the dash, that doesn't have satnav.

Also, I can see you have an S. that is similar in price to an a3 with a rubbish engine and no options. The interior is soooo dull in an A3 as well,so the superbs is good in that respect.

P.S, I mean no offence by this post, it is my opinion on an open forum

[rocktheroad]

I think that comparison with BMW and Merc doesn't stand. It is another league, and price difference can't level that. I love my Superb, but there are things that bothers me. I still didn't find ideal seating position, and don't think I will ever. Also I have problem with height, as I am almost hitting ceiling.

Does anyone know does Panorama Roof lowers ceiling comparing to standard roof? With electric seats, I can't lower enough seats. All I can do is to recline backrest, but than I am too far from steering wheel.

[digidoctor]

Are you sure that you wont hit almost the celing as well in a BMW?

[veloplus]

If the 1.9 is boring why not get it remapped ...it will change the car so much :yes:

My non-DPF remapped Superb 1.9Tdi has been a great car and will have covered a faultless (apart from the fog light and boot latch recalls) 95,000 miles in 33 months when it is replaced this week. Its replacement? Another Superb; this time a SE Greenline Combi.

If I have one critism, it is the fact that I found the driver's seat more comfortable in my previous car; a Octavia Mk2. Specifically, the seat base appears narrower than in the Octavia. It is also a shame the Superb doesn't have foot reat for the right foot, as in the Octy Mk2. Okay, that's two criticisms; I'd better stop now before I'm blackballed!

My 'S' spec Superb was far from basic in terms of standard equipment, however, I do confess to adding cruise, Maxidot, headlamp washers, Bolero, rear sunblinds and a three spoked wheel to give a little individuality.

[Superbjoser]

i dont doubt the superb is appealing compared to fords,vauxhalls,citroens etc and the cost of buying and running one is good.i also find them nice looking inside and out but all the reviews i have read praise these cars beyond belief.to compare this car to a 5 series bmw or an e class merc is just unrealistic.the bmw is a great driving car while the merc is just a dream to drive and sit in.there really is no comparison.am i really the only person who does not like this car?btw whoever replied diesel is diesel,have you driven a modern diesel car?i would not entertain a petrol car.much prefer the way a diesel engine drives.apart from my one of course.lol and also im not commenting on elegance models or 2.0 ltr 170bhp or dsg models.and i didnt buy an octavia because im a 6 foot tall taxi driver abd they are too small.

Hi Charlie H!

Apparently the basic Superb isn't for you and thats fine. I have a friend of mine in your size that had my car for a test spin. He liked it lot, especially the power of the car, and you do not. But one can't win them all, can you? I'm fairly happy with mine, but thats me. I can somewhat understand your affections for the BMW:s since I got a soft spot for them my self, but they have an totally unrealistic price tag. So maybe you should move on to the Audi:s, BMW:s, Merc:s or whatever and look up their forums. You might find more support for your feelings there instead of a Skoda forum, I guess.

/Superbjoser

[infoschumi]

This is how I see things:get a 2.0 CR 170 Elegance,remap it,get 245/18" wheels,and you'll have a powerful car(faster than 525d/E250/A6 3.0TDI),with great mpg,with a great handling(trust me) and many features...or spend >10.000 pounds and get a basic 525d/E250/A6 with no extra features.

And even if I had an extra 10k pounds to spend,I would have gone for the same car,probably the 3.6.Why?Because I would never buy a car just because of the look of it,I buy it depending on how I feel at the wheel.Why would I go for a merc without navi,bluetooth,heated seats...even without xenon lights...all these for extra 10k?I could ask you the same question about why you got the Superb and not an Elegance 2.0 Octavia?And I won't believe that you don't fit in the Octavia...I'm also very tall and I owned one before and it was no different.

[Lew0-VRS]

Taxi driver opinion on a motor = epic.

Why the fook you buy it ? Did you not think the un thinkable and drive it prior to YOU paying for it ?

sent from being sat in my racist chair using Tapatalk

[charlie h]

im not trying to offend anyone on this forum.why would i want to do that?its just with all the first rate reviews i read before i bought it, i thought i couldnt go wrong and i wanted to know if i was alone in not enjoying this car.not being able to adjust the drivers seat to get comfy is a bit difficult to swallow when your sitting in it for 10 hrs at a time.why is it so far off the floor anyway?i test drove an elegance so maybe the higher spec has more adjustment.i dont know.its soo uncomfortable that im getting rid of it.as i said previously the mk1 superb was far more comfy and quicker and that was the basic model with the same engine.i do notice that most of these replys are from 170bhp dsg drivers.is it perhaps that the top of the range superb is the only good one to drive.at that price point it would need to be damn good.

[Tankdave]

I think your problem is not the Superb but you not properly testing a car that had the same spec as what you where buying.

[Twelvebears]

Perhaps the problem can be identified by the fact that many love it while you do not.

You have bought a 1.9 PD base S model, presumably to be a big and cheap taxi. Therefore your objectives were different to many Superb owners, who go for a decent spec and power-plant as a way to exec quality on a budget.

The question I have, if size is presumably a priority, is what else you possibly think you could have got for the same money which would have been better??

Rather than ranting about your car (which would be in no way comparable to mine, so I really can't appreciate your point), why not stop and think about what you could have done to improve things - i.e. Test, or at least properly understand the differences between the car you drove and the one you ordered. That's what the brochure is for.

Either dig a bit deeper for a decent model or get a top end Octavia.

[stevehg]

to compare this car to a 5 series bmw or an e class merc is just unrealistic

Not in my case. Moved from an Range Rover to superb. Looked at BMW, E class and A6 estates about a year ago ( latest A6 estate wasn't out then)

Ended up buying a new elegance 170 4x4 estate for £22,500 after being recommended by a friend to look at them. This was ~£16,000 less than the A6 Quattro I was looking at and about £10,000 less than BMW and Merc. The only thing to choose between superb and A6 was better interior, leather quality and more oomph from 3.0 engine. Otherwise they were very similar in handling and superb had edge on size.

BMW 520 engine was good, wasn't impressed with manual box, so would have ordered with auto. Better interior quality all round but lacked 4x4 option and space of superb for 3 kids and 2 dogs for me.

Tried an E220 estate and wasn't impressed with handling, the first dealer i tried had an E250 with sport package, rear air suspension as demonstrator. This was much better but still nothing to write home about and in that spec was just over £40,000. Again interior was good quality wise and space good too, but after I tried superb cost difference and lack of 4x4 swung it in direction of superb for me.

I've had numerous BMW's 735, M5, 528 estate, 530 saloon, 328 and 320 and M roadster from new. Four Range Rovers from new and plenty of other cars so good experience of 'premium' cars. I've been impressed with superb. It doesn't have the interior quality of others but is a very good package and for the price is excellent value for money.

[SkodaTC]

Think I will take this opportunity to reiterate: I love my Superb II, best car I have ever had.

[RDH]

Tbh, I can't see why you have posted that on a forum that is used by people who own and love superbs. What were you hoping to get out of this? One MAJOR advantage of skodas ( and peugeots) is that the optional extras are cheap. Ventilated seats in a superb: £400. Audi: £2000.

Satnav is standard on a £25000 skoda, while you have to pay £2000 in a £32000 BM 5 series. Don't be fooled by the standard small screen in the dash, that doesn't have satnav.

Also, I can see you have an S. that is similar in price to an a3 with a rubbish engine and no options. The interior is soooo dull in an A3 as well,so the superbs is good in that respect.

P.S, I mean no offence by this post, it is my opinion on an open forum

People do love the Superb but having owned an Elegance 170cr from October 2008 my initial enthusiasm has worn off.

The Superb is big, well equipped and cheap but it is, like all cars, not perfect. The durability of the interior leaves a lot to be desired especially the leather seat bolsters which wear out regularly. It has neither the reliability of a Toyota or the driving dynamics of a Ford, therefore it probably is overrated.

The original post said the Superb is boring to drive. I agree; if it was not for the rather cramped and uncomfortable driving position you would fall asleep. I am fortunate in having another car that is fun to drive so it serves well enough in getting us from A to B but I never look forward to a long journey in the Superb.

[Peter'ssuperb]

6ft2 owner of 2011 CR170 Combi Elegance and have no trouble getting comfortable seat position. No issues with head hitting roof. I will in no way criticise you as this is an open forum and you are perfectly entitled to voice your opinion. To date this is the best car I've ever owned.

[veloplus]

People do love the Superb but having owned an Elegance 170cr from October 2008 my initial enthusiasm has worn off.

The Superb is big, well equipped and cheap but it is, like all cars, not perfect. The durability of the interior leaves a lot to be desired especially the leather seat bolsters which wear out regularly. It has neither the reliability of a Toyota or the driving dynamics of a Ford, therefore it probably is overrated.

The original post said the Superb is boring to drive. I agree; if it was not for the rather cramped and uncomfortable driving position you would fall asleep. I am fortunate in having another car that is fun to drive so it serves well enough in getting us from A to B but I never look forward to a long journey in the Superb.

A fair point about the driving dynamics. A few months ago I drove a diesel Mondeo hatchback around Millbrook's famous alpine circuit and found the experience preferable to the new Focus, let alone the Superb. The Mondeo has a perfect combination of handling poise, supple ride and precise steering. I'd rate the Superb as 7/10 in the driving department against the Mondeo's 9/10.

That said, I prefer the Superb's lovely legible clocks and think the quality is a tad better.

The Superb's seats aren't its best point, however, I once drove non-stop from Worcester to Nairn (almost 500 miles) with no aches/pains at the end of the journey.

As to whether the Superb is overrated, on balance, I think not. The price of a well-specified Mondeo/Passat is higher than the equivalent Superb, while the boot and rear passenger space is that of a class or two above. I'd like to see VAG offering a transferrable 100,000 mile warranty to compete against Vauxhall, however, I suspect this will take a good few more years.

Edited 17 October, 2011 by veloplus