I hear what you are saying about the build quality, we went looking for a replacement car for SWMBO on Friday, the short list was a TT, Fabia vRS or Elegance, Polo, Scirocco and a MK6 Golf GTD.

1st car we saw (but could not test drive) was a TT, SWMBO loved the look and interior of the car, this car was next door to a Skoda dealer so we popped in and test drove a 1.2 Elegance Fabia, spec looked good on paper but the drive was less than inspiring.

Next up was a Fabia vRS, which drove nice, quick (if a harsh engine IMO) 7 speed DSG was MUCH better than the Superb one I drove just over 18 months ago, SWMBO was REALLY tempted to have one.

Onto the VW dealer, the Polo was ruled out as the largest diesel engine was (IIRC 90BHP) and SWMBO has a couple of steep long hills to contend with on her commute from work, so that was ruled out.

We looked at the Scirocco (I personally do not like the rear end on them) and when SWMBO saw one close up she came to the same conclusion.

Then there was a 7 month old Golf GTD that she loved - and wanted....... for a while!

Finally we went to the Audi dealership who had several TT's in stock, but only one TDi, which we both test drove, to quote the advert.... 'it drives just like a Golf' .... but you can actually see more of the bonnet than in a Golf.

SWMBO was REALLY upset when we left without buying the car (think 'stroppy teenager' ) but the spec was not quite right (no adjustable lumbar support on the seats - 99% of TT's appear to be either ordered completely std or with very few options)

I have since found another and have seen lots of high res. photo's - enough to put a deposit on it (it is nearly 300 miles away!!) on the understanding that if it is not 'as described' then this will be returned ... albeit with a well pi##ed off 'Gizmo'

Tried the polo to similar to the fabia, missus won't have a Audi? I had a look at the scirocco but it's to low for old foggies, but the golf was perfecto

Now now ! I have been with skoda 30 years and I've earned my time away from them, it's the same engine as the fabia although a little more refined lol, standard spec is awesome in the golf and I got a bargain, 2 years servicing and gap as well , full tank of fuel and taxed till November, and 3 1/2 k off the list price win win I think

Hes worked for a vw dealer for years even before i was born and both him and my maw have had vws for asfar back as i can rember and thats been the only seriuse malfunction so have to say the reliablity is top notch except on the odd occasion.

Have to say i would much rather have had a polo gti than a vrs but they were wayyyyy out my price range even with some insider discount :(

Hes worked for a vw dealer for years even before i was born and both him and my maw have had vws for asfar back as i can rember and thats been the only seriuse malfunction so have to say the reliablity is top notch except on the odd occasion.

Have to say i would much rather have had a polo gti than a vrs but they were wayyyyy out my price range even with some insider discount :(

Yes much more expensive but if the vat offer wasn't there wouldn't be much innit, so when the vat stops sales will drop

Have to say i would much rather have had a polo gti than a vrs but they were wayyyyy out my price range even with some insider discount :(

I'd sooner have mine, even with the annoying faults

Yes much more expensive but if the vat offer wasn't there wouldn't be much innit, so when the vat stops sales will drop

I was looking at ex demo, low mileage cars and the closest polo to what i paid was 7and a bit grand dearer with more mileage but if i had the cash i would have taken it

I was looking at ex demo, low mileage cars and the closest polo to what i paid was 7and a bit grand dearer with more mileage but if i had the cash i would have taken it

And on the new chassis lol, VW knocked at least 4k with the gap and service 2 years car new which was in November was 23k I had it for 18,250k so I'm happy enough, it was ex demo with less than 4 k on the clock

Only vw i owned was a 2001 (so 10 years old when i got it) golf mk iv 2.8 4motion and have to say loved the 4wheel drive and the power but omg i owned it for nearlly a year and i didnt even break the 2000 mile mark spent thouands repairing it.

well only think u can compare vw and skoda on is build quailty (how its put together) but we all know skoda use vw/audi parts. with all the vw's going about one of the main problems you will find i believe is electrical faults and they are a pain in the arse to trace half the time.

I have owned 97 mk2 clio first car loved 1.2 16v nippy wee thing

2001 vecra 1.8 hated it broke gearbox blew engine

2001 saxo 1.1 (still use) gd wee car no power but gets from a to b

finally 2011 skoda fabia vrs compared to the rest love it few wee problems but getting sorted.

I know a bit off topic but cant see that because it has a vw badge on it, makes it worth soo much more

Only vw i owned was a 2001 (so 10 years old when i got it) golf mk iv 2.8 4motion and have to say loved the 4wheel drive and the power but omg i owned it for nearlly a year and i didnt even break the 2000 mile mark spent thouands repairing it.

well only think u can compare vw and skoda on is build quailty (how its put together) but we all know skoda use vw/audi parts. with all the vw's going about one of the main problems you will find i believe is electrical faults and they are a pain in the arse to trace half the time.

I have owned 97 mk2 clio first car loved 1.2 16v nippy wee thing

2001 vecra 1.8 hated it broke gearbox blew engine

2001 saxo 1.1 (still use) gd wee car no power but gets from a to b

finally 2011 skoda fabia vrs compared to the rest love it few wee problems but getting sorted.

I know a bit off topic but cant see that because it has a vw badge on it, makes it worth soo much more

I've had 9 new skodas, 1 new seat so the new golf comes from the same stable, so I'm pretty sure I'm qualified to pass judgement on skodas build quality, firstly my skodas have been fantastic no real issues over the years 30 to be precise, recently I've had a run in with the dealer ans suk have been hopeless, I know the skoda is 8k cheaper than the golf so should be thinking more Octavia than fabia and I did look at the Octavia but was not keen, the skoda does use a lot of the cosmetic stuff from VW as does seat and Audi but the way it's glued together may be different, I've had a great time with skoda never really let me down and so I'm never going to slag it down, if you want a reliable inexpensive vehicle get a skoda( not so inexpensive now tho) but if your needs change and you need a more luxurious place to sit in well it's a VW

TBH I would from experience say the Skoda built quality is better than VW's, they share most parts so there is no difference there, where you do notice that VW have stepped up the quality though is the trim - seats dash etc.

TBH I would from experience say the Skoda built quality is better than VW's, they share most parts so there is no difference there, where you do notice that VW have stepped up the quality though is the trim - seats dash etc.

and about the "refinenment" and "noise" seb like you say "same engine but more refined" ect ect ... its simply noise deadening material. insulating the cabin more. (which is why I quoted gizmo)

some people like me and can have removed some can so he can hear his supercharger more! me , just because I had to to get the dual controls in but I LOVE the noise of the twin charged vRS, I certainly wouldn't want it to be quieter and more refined

but we all have different priorities! hope you are happy with the VW, stick around, and lets hear your ownership experiance

Exactly I'm sure your happy and the Golf is a good car but its a lot of money to spend just to get rid of a few rattles. The only Golf I would ever buy is the Golf R. All the other engine and drivetrain combos are in Skodas. While some of the plastics aren't as soft tbh its not a problem for me. I don't spend all my time touching plastics I drive the car. As long as the wheel feels good, the seat holds me in and there's enough toys that are useful I'm happy. I have no rattles and occasionally get that rear squeak some have had but that's it. I'll be doing my 5000 mile review today.

I don't see why you can't stick around though as long as you don't troll too much

I agree with the noise deadening being a improvement, I agree that they use a lot of the same equipment and parts, it's like going to lidl and buying a cake tastes nice and looks nice and only £3 however you got to m&s may look like same cake but the ingredients are slightly better and baked with a bit more finesse oh and it's now £5.50, I get it I really do but after driving a new skoda albeit a fabia a top spec one elegance for the last 13 months and jumping in the golf no competition, I agree I can not go like for like as they area 2 different cars totally agree, it's an evolutionary thing eventually skoda will get there but VW will have moved on,if I would have stayed with skoda I would have been happy like pigs in poo, but I didnt if the VW performs as well as the skoda I will be happy, will I buy another ? Yes but in many years by which time the pricing will be identical, I will no doubt look back at my fabia whilst driving the golf out of the dealership with a moist eye, also I may get a fleeting glance of it passing me and I will have a pain right in the middle of my chest, however I will be sitting comfortably and luxuriously lol

Exactly I'm sure your happy and the Golf is a good car but its a lot of money to spend just to get rid of a few rattles. The only Golf I would ever buy is the Golf R. All the other engine and drivetrain combos are in Skodas. While some of the plastics aren't as soft tbh its not a problem for me. I don't spend all my time touching plastics I drive the car. As long as the wheel feels good, the seat holds me in and there's enough toys that are useful I'm happy. I have no rattles and occasionally get that rear squeak some have had but that's it. I'll be doing my 5000 mile review today.

I don't see why you can't stick around though as long as you don't troll too much

Marty I can't help myself ! Once a troll always a troll lol , it's warming when you troll and you reel someone in , it's a blast it's a great way to get a smile it's not just the rattles tho I was seriously lambasted by the dealer here and left me feeling angry, passing him everyday sitting in the car he sold me burns a hole in my brain, it's a 2 finger job to him really just pi££3d me off and I knew the fabias had to go, I'm happy with my purchase more than happy will it replace the fabia? Time will tell eh

TBH I would from experience say the Skoda built quality is better than VW's, they share most parts so there is no difference there, where you do notice that VW have stepped up the quality though is the trim - seats dash etc.

Don't know how you can say skoda is better quality than a VW have had 2 VWs 2 SEATs and 2 skodas (still own one) VW is better but Skoda is a great car but the Fabia is now a little out dated needs a fresh new modal

Don't know how you can say skoda is better quality than a VW have had 2 VWs 2 SEATs and 2 skodas (still own one) VW is better but Skoda is a great car but the Fabia is now a little out dated needs a fresh new modal

+1 maybe some time before the fabia get the new chassis, but I've been very happy with skoda however variety is the spice of life

I was seriously lambasted by the dealer here and left me feeling angry, passing him everyday sitting in the car he sold me burns a hole in my brain, it's a 2 finger job to him really just pi££3d me off and I knew the fabias had to go

I think we're getting to the real reason now! And I can symphasise with you as I have had a similar experience with a Skoda dealer.

My solution was to travel 50 miles to a different, and far better dealership. I too now also give the other dealer a 2 finger salute when I drive past.

Don't know how you can say skoda is better quality than a VW have had 2 VWs 2 SEATs and 2 skodas (still own one) VW is better but Skoda is a great car but the Fabia is now a little out dated needs a fresh new modal

Perhaps because Skoda have more of a point to prove than VW?

I have owned 3 Skoda's and have never had to tighten up silly things like dashboard mounting bolts (these were not just loose but had unwound themselves half a dozen threads on SWMBO's MK5 Golf) door latches etc.

Skoda seem to build them correctly, whereas VW don't, this is just my experience of what I have owned and looked after,

My MKI Octavia was better BUILT than SWMBO's MK5 Golf

My MKI Superb was LOADS better than the equivalent mileage (but newer) Passat I drove several times.

My MKII Superb is better than the younger Passat I have also driven.

The MK6 Golf does indeed appear to be much better than the MK5 however.

it's not just the rattles tho I was seriously lambasted by the dealer here and left me feeling angry, passing him everyday sitting in the car he sold me burns a hole in my brain, it's a 2 finger job to him really just pi££3d me off and I knew the fabias had to go, I'm happy with my purchase more than happy will it replace the fabia? Time will tell eh

Yeah there's not much you can do about a bad dealer. Apart from write a pretty damning review on the biggest Skoda forum there is. Just a thought

One of the reasons I bought my car was because my dealer is excellent and I knew I'd get good service. Just my local dealers Suzuki and Renault are mostly useless and Suzuki were insulting when I took my parents Swift there last time. Ford and Vauxhall aren't much better either.

Unless you pay the same it's hardly a fair comparison and an 8k gap in price is huge. There are lots of superb cars out there at 8k more than a fabia. Surely you pay your money and make your choice and the Fabia is actually good value for the money. I do hope you enjoy the VW. they are great cars.Good luck.

enjoy your golf i cant say im impressed with vw service or build quality ive had enough of the rattles in my polo :(

Edited 5 March, 201214 yr by daydotz

Renault are mostly useless

Some things never change then

Keep u in the loop the dealer I got shafted by will loose his franchise, great success will only now sell used cars so he's not going to be there much, as for the golf well if I specked the fabia up to what I've got on the golf wouldn't be much innit really

Seb sorry your going (gone).  Good luck with the golf.  My dad has a TSI 160 GT (59 plate) and he has had a few niggles, so occassionaly they get through - although my dad liked my vRS and thought he would consider one next time.  He liked it being higher (he is an old foggie as well) and he liked the extra power 180 vs 160 and felt it gave the vRS quite a faster feel than his TSI.  Just a comment from him on golfs.

Thanks for all the help you have given me in the past

Do stay around  

thank god for that i knew there was a reason i liked VW's

but in all seriousness, enjoy the new car, after 30 years i think you deserve a change and a medal coz 30 years ago these cars were pants

i for one know if i could justify the cost difference id have bought the golf myself, albeit one with a little more poke, there just that little bit better all round but not for the difference id have had to pay

Edited 5 March, 201214 yr by the mad monk

Thanx for the comments chaps, I will not disappear into the ether just yet lol just have some contact from the head of skoda uk mr hazelwood he is not happy he will be taking a special look at the dealer, also the new vag showroom is costing 6 million to build in Llandudno junction all the vag group will be there and closing all dealerships down