Hello all

 

Have just ordered a new car, and it looks as though the next three years will see me in the world of Skoda ownership.

 

Old enough to remember all the jokes (and the cars) from the 80s and early 90s, so this feels a bit weird - mind you I've had six Alfas so I'm used to having to defend my car choices.  But I confess I didn't ever think I'd be a Skoda owner.

 

Currently in one of those hideous German 4x4s (sorry) which is very capable but ridiculously expensive to run, and, frankly, a bit ridiculous full stop.

 

So for somebody with three kids, two dogs, and an ever-tightening wallet but who loves driving, the brief for replacing the Merc was space, pace and economy.  Lots of all three preferably.  Oh, and it had to pass my 13-year-old's "cool wall" test.

 

Considered everything from a used C63 AMG, which came up a tad short on the economy score, but for a weekend's test drive was pure heaven, to various estates (Accord, Legacy, Mondeo, Insignia), all of which were just too damn dull and/or ugly.  Ruled out the German options as too predictable (and 3 series etc too cramped, 5 series etc too much like barges).  Likewise Golf GTD, Giulietta and other hatches too small.  4x4s too unwieldy and poor to drive, and I've been there, done that (have also had an XC90).  People carriers and soft-roader crossover things too sad (although the Yeti was on the list for a while, but I wasn't wild after a test drive).  Used Alfa 159 SW almost there but too unreliable for drives to the south of France.  Focus ST estate drives amazngly well, but feels as though it's made of cardboard and is all a bit boy racer for me.  Volvo V60 got some serious love, but the D5 engine is a dog...

 

And so just when I was really started to feel like Goldilocks...something came over the horizon that looks utterly gorgeous, is faster than the Merc, has a bigger boot than the Merc, uses a third of the diesel, handles beautifully, but is big and comfy enough for a family of five.  Oh, and is half the price.  And should be reliable.  And did I mention gorgeous?

 

So it was pretty much a no-brainer, and I placed the deposit on Friday and Skoda are going to build me a...drum roll please...silence at the back...

 

...white Octavia vRS TDi estate, with the dark alloys and the black design pack (so pretty well identical to the one in all the Skoda press stuff).  She's also going to have heated seats, the 10 speaker stereo upgrade and the 8" sat nav. 

 

Yup, I am going from Mercedes to Skoda and I am genuinely beyond excited.  As is my 13 year-old who is in love with red brake callipers and those stunning twin exhausts and who is genuinely amazed Skoda were ever the butt of any jokes ("because Skoda is cool - just look at the Yeti").  And so is my bank manager: he's less smitten with red brake callipers, but he loves Skoda's 0% finance, free servicing, £30 road tax (rather than £480), and fuel economy that's out of this world: I have never had a car that's given me more than 25mpg.

 

Sorry to blather on.  I'll shut up now.

 

Al

Edited 8 September, 201312 yr by raiderfan

Hi and welcome aboard.