I accidentally bought a Rapid

[Dr Zoidberg]

My whole point was that say in a heavy side impact where the passenger's door can't be opened and the bonnet would need to be opened quickly to disconnect the battery or whatever to extinguish some electrical fire or whatever it wouldn't be an easy task ...

That's such a rare occurrence, that it wouldn't concern me at all.

If I've been in a heavy crash and the car is on fire I'm not going to mess around trying to disconnect the battery, using tools I don't have with me, I'll just get out and watch it burn.

[M12MKD]

My whole point was that say in a heavy side impact where the passenger's door can't be opened and the bonnet would need to be opened quickly to disconnect the battery or whatever to extinguish some electrical fire or whatever it wouldn't be an easy task ...

I see you point but surely if the impact is that great then the emergency service would be on hand and they would have the skills required to put out said fires.

As for the price, I'd be very tempted of one for the price of a 5dr citigo.

[BossFox]

What about a frontal impact where the bonnet can't be opened to disconnect the battery?

These are probably far more common.

[silver1011]

Skoda was always about excellent value for money, the trouble is Skoda UK forgot about it. They are in process of getting a painful revenue lesson on that topic.

Skoda are more profitable now than they have ever been. Painful revenue lesson, that made me smile!

Skoda aren't cheap anymore. The reason is because they don't need to be.

I don't think they'll lose any sleep if your next car isn't a Skoda. It might make life a little easier for the rest of us too

[silver1011]

The person who gets the car after you will be taken for a ride with unneccessary maintenance requests, but let this not worry you, I'm allright, Jack.

So let me get this straight, are you saying that if one of us was to buy a brand new car with the intention of selling it on after three years we should consider at the point of purchase how much it might cost the second or even third owner?

Sod Jack, that's what I say.

[dieselV6]

I'd recommend re-reading the thread, looking at who actually bought Rapids and for how much. Focus on what Rapids are being sold - ex demos at huge discounts. SUK is not making anywhere near they'd hoped. Elsewhere in Europe Rapid is sold as an upmarket stretched Fabia, SUK thought they can convince people Rapid is an Octavia class car. It isn't. though I still like the Rapid more than Octy 3 (bar the lack of 2.0CR), and have said so on several occassions. So the price has to be closer to current Fabia/Roomster than to the Octavia. Even people who did buy the Rapid have stated repeatedly in this thread that they would never go for it at anywhere close to list price levels.

Skodas are selling well because of great Mk1 and Mk2 cars, Mk3 cars look to be less enticing, though would be good enough if sold at value for money price point. Together with SUK pricing, I predict a slowdown of private Skoda UK sales in the near future, as soon as Mk2 cars are finished. I know it for a fact that local Skoda salesman has seen reduced private sales, it's BIK/fleet sales that are the target at the moment for Octy 3.

Finallly, if you re-read my post that so deeply offended your intent to ignore the needs of any other car buyers, it merely points out that first owner's 3 years free servicing does not remove the need to service the car afterwards, and this will be the point where garages will take their freedom (as in charging for unneccessary maintenance, as it happens with BS 4 year timing belt jobs now). The 3 years free servicing is actually 1-3 oil changes and a pollen filter, by the way, marketing value is priceless, actual value is about £60-£170 and about 30min-1.5hr if you DIY.

Bottom line, you are better with a service jobs list in your hand than without it, if only to double check with the garage if they carried out all tasks required, be it paid of for free.

[RapidRonnie]

I'd recommend re-reading the thread, looking at who actually bought Rapids and for how much. Focus on what Rapids are being sold - ex demos at huge discounts. SUK is not making anywhere near they'd hoped. Elsewhere in Europe Rapid is sold as an upmarket stretched Fabia, SUK thought they can convince people Rapid is an Octavia class car. It isn't. though I still like the Rapid more than Octy 3 (bar the lack of 2.0CR), and have said so on several occassions. So the price has to be closer to current Fabia/Roomster than to the Octavia. Even people who did buy the Rapid have stated repeatedly in this thread that they would never go for it at anywhere close to list price levels.

I concur that I wouldn't have paid list price for my Rapid (but then who does pay list price for any car these days?). I would be happy to pay Drivethedeal type prices for a new one though or maybe even slightly more. I am positively surprised by the car, it does feel a decent step up from the Roomster in overall quality/refinement.

[littleade]

I guess with any new model the manufacturer will try to recoup some of the significant development and set up costs early on and with the Octy III being bigger and costlier than the outgoing mk II Skoda see the Rapid as a cheaper alternative to the new Octy and have priced it accordingly. Early indications as they say on the lottery indicate they haven't picked the right numbers, so at some stage they will have to do something if they want to increase private sales.

[J400uk]

SUK thought they can convince people Rapid is an Octavia class car. It isn't.

It is though. Look at the wheelbase measurements, longer than a MK1 or MK2 Octavia which places it firmly in the C-segment sector. The exterior and interior measurements exceed those of most other cars in the class too e.g. Golf and Focus. Based on those facts you can see why they've pitched it the way they have. The new Octavia 3 is really getting on for Mondeo/ Passat size hence there is a gap between that and the Fabia which the Rapid occupies.

Skodas are selling well because of great Mk1 and Mk2 cars, Mk3 cars look to be less enticing, though would be good enough if sold at value for money price point. Together with SUK pricing, I predict a slowdown of private Skoda UK sales in the near future, as soon as Mk2 cars are finished. I know it for a fact that local Skoda salesman has seen reduced private sales, it's BIK/fleet sales that are the target at the moment for Octy 3.

They are still selling well and will continue to do so. As a brand they are moving further up-market but as long as they continue to offer VW based cars at a cheaper price they will continue to be popular. The awards from the press keep flowing and so will the new customers.

[Jockdooshbag]

Sounds like a good spec, will be interested to hear how you get on.

I'm surprised how rude some members have been on here about the Rapid. I think it seems like a decent value car. Far prefer it to the Octavia MK2 which is ugly, old-fashioned and just looks like a glorified minicab. The Rapid is a handsome and practical little motor, and when its loaded to the hill with kit becomes very appealing.

Talk about being rude. Pot calling the kettle black.

[dieselV6]

I think a quick sit in a Roomster will convince you that Rapid is much closer to it than to Octavia in anything but the dashboard shape. By the way, Roomster has exactly the same wheelbase as the Rapid, as it is a very similar hybrid platform, in fact Rapid is a further evolution of Roomster platform. Wheelbase has grown over the years and quite rightly so as people are on average taller than 20-40 years ago.

Let's judge how well Gen3 Skodas are selling in a year or so, though Rapid is by now obvious, Octavia 3 will be better but the question is by how much. Fabia, Roomster and Mk2 FL Superb will continue to sell well, as will the Citigo.

[J400uk]

Roomster and Rapid wheelbase is not the same length, suggest you do your research before posting! The two are completely unrelated.

Much of the Rapid platform was developed by VW and started life as a stretched Polo 6R, which uses the PQ25 platform not utilized by Skoda elsewhere.

Current Fabia and Roomster are very tired and dated now, both end of life. They are overdue full replacement and past the point of facelift.

The 'new' range is the Citigo, Rapid, Octavia MK3 and FL Superb MK2.

[Ad Lav]

Having just come out of an 11 plate fabia vRS estate and hopped into a Rapid I can safely say the Rapid is very well built in comparison.

[dieselV6]

Roomster and Rapid wheelbase is not the same length, suggest you do your research before posting! The two are completely unrelated.

Much of the Rapid platform was developed by VW and started life as a stretched Polo 6R, which uses the PQ25 platform not utilized by Skoda elsewhere.

Current Fabia and Roomster are very tired and dated now, both end of life. They are overdue full replacement and past the point of facelift.

The 'new' range is the Citigo, Rapid, Octavia MK3 and FL Superb MK2.

I recommend to rely less on marketing and more on hard facts, plus not posting suggestion to do research without checking the facts beforehand. Here are hard facts for you, which you can verify by looking at the relevant Skoda brochures and comparing the dimensioned diagrams:

Roomster is almost exactly the Rapid's wheelbase, Roomster 2608mm, Rapid 2602mm. That is one main reason why, being 6ft5 tall, I bought the Roomie. Looking further, Roomster's front track is marginally different, Roomster 1436mm vs Rapid 1463mm, while rear track is identical at 1500mm, most importantly front track is still significantly narrower than rear track (opposite is true for Octavia and Superb). No surpise there, as both Rapid and Roomster platforms are a merge of Fabia 2 front and Golf 4 rear components. Parts numbers may change, but the narrower front track gives the game away.

Also, front suspension, rear suspension, the boot floor pan, the fuel tank, the electrics, the wheel size and bolt spacing all point very nicely to Rapid being a slightly evolved Roomster, regardless of how many platform name changes and marketing blurbs happened between one and the other. The main change was more eye pleasing body shape, and the dashboard made to look more like Octy 1.

Finally, I like the Rapid, but functionally and engine range wise it offers nothing over the Roomster other than more streamlined body shape and more eye pleasing console. Yet the UK list price when reasonably kitted out is 30% over 0%VATted Roomster. That is the reason why Rapids sell only at a huge discount in the UK, and reasonably well elsewhere in Europe where list prices are sensible,

Edited 8 April, 2013 by dieselV6

[Ad Lav]

It's a new polo front suspension and Octavia 2 rear from what my master tech said.

Roomster is a fabia 1 front and Octavia 1 rear.

[Tech1e]

It's a beam rear axle so not Octavia 2.

[RapidRonnie]

It's a new polo front suspension and Octavia 2 rear from what my master tech said.

Roomster is a fabia 1 front and Octavia 1 rear.

It's new Polo front end, Octavia 1 rear end.

[Ad Lav]

Maybe that's what he meant lol

The new Octavia has a torsion bar rear? Yet vrs models will get multi link rear?

[dieselV6]

Does not matter if its Golf/Octavia or Polo/Fabia. What does matter is that rear is mk4 Golf platform derivative (as was Mk1 Octy), while front is current Polo platform derivative. Actually, the Fabia 2 which is the front half of my Roomster , has an almost identical front suspension to Mk1 Octavia "sport" suspension. All they did with the Rapid is to merge the front to rear transition better, which is great as long as you are not asked to pay 30% more for the largely cosmetic job.

[silver1011]

That is the reason why Rapids sell only at a huge discount in the UK.

Says who?

Do you know how many have actually been sold?

Do you know Skoda's forecasted volumes for the UK?

As far as you know they may well be doing very well vs. target.

[silver1011]

...it merely points out that first owner's 3 years free servicing does not remove the need to service the car afterwards.

Agreed, but if the first owner has no intent of keeping the car beyond its third birthday why would they care if you as the second owner had to pay for a cambelt change in year four, irrespective of if it needed doing or not?

Can you see them complaining to the salesman at the point of handing over his £20,000 that someone who he doesn't know or will never meet might pay over the odds for to swap out the pollen filter at some point in the cars 15 year life?

The thought wouldn't even cross my mind, and why should it?

[J400uk]

Dieselv6, stop trolling and talking nonsense.

Edited 8 April, 2013 by J400uk

[dieselV6]

Frankly, I see 2 trolls desperately trying to wind me up. J400uk, you have not read the Rapid nor Roomster brochures, at least not the pages with dimensioned drawings, I quote facts, you reply with nonsense. Have you ever actually been near to a Skoda Roomster and/or Rapid?

Silver1011, I guess the phrase "I'm alright, Jack" comes to mind again when it comes to 3 year servicing and your reply, I am not of this disposition so find it hard to accept it in other people. Just remember even if you only buy new cars now, you may have to buy a 3-5yr old car some day, and I am sure it will be then easy for you to judge and compare servicing costs without actual service jobs list and based on the always-so-honest salesman/service manager word. Not to mention just checking for yourself if your "free" service replaced all items required. Regarding Rapid sales, go and talk to any Skoda UK salesman, I am sure they will enlighten you. Or just actually follow the Rapid forum here, and see how much discounting is going on and how little sales interest the Rapid brings.

People looking for private purchase find the Rapid interesting until they look at the price, then it is Roomster/Fabia time if not time to exit the dealership. You can talk the Rapid up all day, but not everyone gets a car from their company and can overlook the actual cost.

Over and out, any more abusive and/or off-topic posts will be reported. Though I welcome fact based discussion.

[RapidRonnie]

I'm a bit sad my new car topic has descended into such bitterness guys :(

As I came from a Roomster to a Rapid I am perhaps better placed to comment on this than most. I loved my Roomster, but the Rapid does feel like a more sophisticated car all round. I haven't driven a Roomser with a TSI engine which I suspect makes up a large amount of the improvement but the ride quality, wind and road noise, overall build quality are all improved on the Rapid.

Remember the similar-but-not-the-same platform is only a starting point. The platform between the orginal Audi TT and Octavia1 4x4 are probably closer than these two for example

For what it's worth they seem to handle quite similarly, although you can feel the Rapid is lower and rolls a bit less. I really enjoyed driving the Roomster and the Rapid has a similar nimbleness in the way it handles. I think the steering rack is a bit slower though so it doesn't quite have the eagerness to turn in of the Roomster.

If you look at the LIST prices, the Rapid is actually not unreasonably priced compared to the Roomster - SE specs with the same 86TSI engine and the Rapid is only £765 more but you gain MDI, cruise, bluetooth and ESP although you lose panoramic roof and sunset glass. Sure the Roomster is available on VAT free, but the Rapid is available with similar discounts too if you negotiate.

[The Plumber]

It's new Polo front end, Octavia 1 rear end.

According to the parts book the front and rear suspension fitted to the Rapid is current generation Polo with the main components starting with 6R. The Fabia II that are coming of the line now are previous generation Polo at the back (6Q) and the front a mixture of 6R and 6Q.

http://vagcats.info/base/sk/3/195/726

TP

Edited 9 April, 2013 by The Plumber