The octavia will be more expensive than the golf per month if they have no offers on

Try specing a similar vauxhall to the vrs diesel. The Skoda is about £2000 less, or was when I looked at the insignia earlier this year.

Nobody buys Vauxhall's at list price. Other than fleet purchases at massively discounted prices, buyers only consider GM if they are eligable for staff discount. I do not know a single person who has purchased a new Vauxhall from a dealer, although I do know several who have received them as company/lease cars. Vauxhall are like DFS Sofas, where nobody ever pays full list price.

 

It also wasn't too long ago when it would have been considered madness to spend £24K on a mid-sized diesel family car carrying a Skoda badge. Skoda have certainly made great leaps in quality and image during the past decade, but so have their prices. With readily available discounts you can buy a new UK dealer supplied Audi A4 Avant CR 177 or a Merc C200D Estate for the same £24K.

Edited 26 September, 201312 yr by Orville

Nobody buys Vauxhall's at list price. Other than fleet purchases at massively discounted prices, buyers only consider GM if they are eligable for staff discount. I do not know a single person who has purchased a new Vauxhall from a dealer, although I do know several who have received them as company/lease cars. Vauxhall are like DFS Sofas, where nobody ever pays full list price.

 

It also wasn't too long ago when it would have been considered madness to spend £24K on a mid-sized diesel family car carrying a Skoda badge. Skoda have certainly made great leaps in quality and image during the past decade, but so have their prices. With discounts you can buy a new Audi A4 Avant CR 177 or a Merc C220D Estate for the same £24K.

 

That's true but even with a rather large "partner" I get through work they're still about the same price as a Skoda and not as well built inside.

 

As for the Audi and Merc, you might be able to get them for £24k with discounts, but what can you get a Skoda for with discounts - especially if you're not taking the PCP?  I've never looked at the list cost of the Merc C class or Audi A4 to be honest.

 

I know my old boss now swears he'll never have another Merc because of build quality and dealers and has moved from an AMG C63 to a Audi fairly recently (either a S4 or RS4 Avant - I can't actually remember as he told me but I've not seen it yet)  after the good experience he's had with his wife's golf GTIs (Get a new one every few years).  Of course that might not be representative of the whole Merc brand.

 

I think overall you pays your money and takes your choice - a car is a very personal choice, and depending on your finances some cars represent better value than others.  Personally with the 0% finance upgrading to the Mk3 vRS makes a lot of sense, but without the 0%?  Probably not. 

 

As for Audi, I don't like the associated image plus the Skoda is still a little left field (I drove a Volvo 850 when I was 21, not exactly a normal car for the age) which I like.  Where I work most people are now driving BMWs, Audis a couple of Range Rovers and the occasional Merc - Skoda is a bit different, especially in Race Blue rather than grey/silver/black

 

[edit]Really can't spell tonight[/edit]

Edited 26 September, 201312 yr by gullyg

Don't be too concerned with the 42month option as you aren't as tied in as you think. You could after 3 yrs part ex the car for another pcp deal and still have a bit of deposit left. Ive gone for 42months as monthly payment lower plus dealer said they usually contact people after about 30months for a new deal!

That's my plan too - PCP over 42 months to lower the Monthly payment, but part ex it after 36 months to avoid MOT, and having to pay for extended warranty, excess mileage charges, and running into possibly wear & tear expenses (tyres, brake pads / discs, cambelt etc) all of which should last for 3 years OK.

I just hope Skoda have a similar zero percent/ free servicing deal at the time !

JKW

That's my plan too - PCP over 42 months to lower the Monthly payment, but part ex it after 36 months to avoid MOT, and having to pay for extended warranty, excess mileage charges, and running into possibly wear & tear expenses (tyres, brake pads / discs, cambelt etc) all of which should last for 3 years OK.

I just hope Skoda have a similar zero percent/ free servicing deal at the time !

JKW

thats what ive just done with my white one.  The new VRS arrived just in time as I PX'd it the day before it turned 3 years old

 

There will be a very good condition White CR VRS in Mitchell Skoda soon  Should still have a nice layer of dodo supernatural wax on it

 Should still have a nice layer of dodo supernatural wax on it

 

Not by the time the dealers valets have had a go at it!

Not by the time the dealers valets have had a go at it!

lol. I hope they dont destroy all my hard work on it as its 3 years old and swirl free :(

Has anybody any experience of how much minor chips and scratches affect the end value, when looking at either trading in or walking away?

I read some stories on other forums about being charge large sums to get scratches polished out, etc

Has anybody any experience of how much minor chips and scratches affect the end value, when looking at either trading in or walking away?

I read some stories on other forums about being charge large sums to get scratches polished out, etc

Dealers tend to go via "book value" so having a really clean car will not make much difference whatsoever. They are much more likely to subtract value for scatches and dents than they are to add value for better than average condition.

 

With private sales things are difference. Really nice examples are far easier to sell and people will pay a premium for them. You will alwys get more from a private sale and negotiating on dealer margins than you will from a straight trade-in.

Rule of thumb, smart repairs £30-50, panel repair £250, alloy £50, windscreen £300+

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