Not only have I a Skoda, but a Skoda Roomster, (the ugly Skoda child kept in the loft). When I got it I had quizzical and some disparaging remarks. Every one who has been in it gets out a convert (not in a religious way, I'm not jack the Zealot). It is like Prof Pat Pendings ConvertACar from Wacky Races, I drive a Skoda because it does all I want in the best possible way.

In some cases it has been strange though, turn up in a new 14k Roomster and to some it appears your 4rse is hanging out of your trousers, turn up in a £5k Rover P6b 3500 and people think your minted.

 

Best post of the thread so far.

I like my Octavia, because it is a bit understated and anonymous, but at the same time it's a nice car. I see more and more of them every day and for me that's a good thing. The Octavia is certainly not the bargain priced car that previous versions were, however I didn't and couldn't have afforded to pay anything like the full list price on mine as I bought an ex-demonstrator. 

 

The Octavia's marketing in terms of pricing and availability of premium options is a bit at odds with the rest of the range and seems to my mind at least to be heading in a new direction, meanwhile the Rapid stayed with the same pattern as the cars that went before it that got Skoda it's current reputation.

 

Generally speaking cars are getting more expensive, sure there are deals to be had on Audis that could be considered run-out models, but adding options to them can also become very expensive.

 

Brand value or perceived value is always going to prevail, but if the groups in charge of the various brands feel they can make money by releasing an expensive model under a 'budget' brand, then of course they will. 

Skoda are probably one of the best car companies out there now:

1. They are a quality built car. Realistically can you now tell the difference between siting in a new Octavia and a latest Golf?

2. The price is right. Not cheap but not as expensive as Ford, Vauxhall, VW etc. The fact that they have risen in price is due to Skoda being proud of their latest cars and place themselves up there with the other manufacturers.

3. The Octavia has one of the best petrol and Diesel engine ranges on the market. Power mixed with excellent fuel economy. Who the hell wants anything more than 200bhp these days anyway. You can't use it effectively!

4. I Dare any Mercedes & Bmw driver to step in a new Octy and say its a bad car! It's simply not true.

5. Skoda have own award after award for several of there cars, that's says something. They have only 4 simple grades; good, better, brilliant and VRS!

Be proud because you are actually driving one of the best cars on the roads today!

Yes, and there always will be.

 

This.

 

If you care about it, don't buy one as you will get abused/teased etc etc. 

This.

 

If you care about it, don't buy one as you will get abused/teased etc etc. 

 

And Skodas aren't unique there. Any make of car will have some people making comments. I had plenty on here when I bought a Fiat.

And Skodas aren't unique there. Any make of car will have some people making comments. I had plenty on here when I bought a Fiat.

 

Yes, but generally from people that couldn't argue against your point of logic so switched tactic to being negative about your car.

Skoda are probably one of the best car companies out there now:

1. They are a quality built car. Realistically can you now tell the difference between siting in a new Octavia and a latest Golf?

2. The price is right. Not cheap but not as expensive as Ford, Vauxhall, VW etc. The fact that they have risen in price is due to Skoda being proud of their latest cars and place themselves up there with the other manufacturers.

3. The Octavia has one of the best petrol and Diesel engine ranges on the market. Power mixed with excellent fuel economy. Who the hell wants anything more than 200bhp these days anyway. You can't use it effectively!

4. I Dare any Mercedes & Bmw driver to step in a new Octy and say its a bad car! It's simply not true.

5. Skoda have own award after award for several of there cars, that's says something. They have only 4 simple grades; good, better, brilliant and VRS!

Be proud because you are actually driving one of the best cars on the roads today!

Slight rose-tinted glasses there.

1. Most reviews say that the Octy is getting closer to Golf quality, but not quite there yet. Checkout the cheap plastic door bins for example.

2. Granted, list prices for Skoda are better than Ford and Vauxhall, but nobody pays list prices. Focus ST's (closest Ford VRS rival) can be had with £6K disounts over list price. However Skoda wins easy taking residuals in to account.

3. The engines are refreshes of existing VAG Parts. They are very good, but not up to BMW standards in terms of performance, refinement or emissions.

4. The Octy is very nice, but my 3 year old 320D feels better put together, has equal performance vs the VRS TDI and handles better. My company lease is up next month and I am considering purchasing my own car for a change. Skoda's 0% offer and the Octy's practicality is what makes me consider one.

5. So have Dacia recently.

 

edit: I do not advocate BMW ownership or pretend they are the greatest of cars. The BM was simply the best choice available on my comapnies lease list at the time. One thing I will say for them is that my car has not developed a single rattle after 3 years. I did not get the same feeling from either of the two Octy III's (VRS TSI & VRS TDI) I have test driven.

Edited 1 October, 201312 yr by Orville

Its entirely the bang per buck thing for me.

My MK2 CR DsG vRS Blackline estate was a steal at 20k, 95% Golf GTD with more room and practicality at much less cost; i could forgive it the 5% (slightly less classy feel, perceieved quality and refinement) for the 5k sum it saved me on a new GTD.

however it has to be said even with the new car there still probably exists that 5%. Compared to the MK7 Golf the Octavia doesnt quite have it matched for classy feel, perceived quality or general refinement) but with less difference in cost I personally find it harder to abide.

Id still buy an Octavia vRS over a GTI/GTD purely for the fact I need the room; but Im still not sure im prepared to pay 25k for one. The 0% PCP offer does soften the blow a bit but possibly not enough.

Our local agricultural merchant (a privately owned family business) was running Insignias, classic rep-mobile stuff.

I teased the owner when I espied the row of 3 No. brand spanking new BMW's, (and they may even have been 5 series) and  that I would be taking my valuable trade eleswhere, if they were going to throw money around like that.

Not so said the boss.

These were cheaper to lease.

I scratched my head as I walked away, but understood the Finance companys simple arthimetic.

Over 3 years the BM's were cheaper for them to own.

Edited 1 October, 201312 yr by dieseldogg

It's all in the mind of the worriers, tell tales and mischief makers.

Skoda make good vehicles at a fair price.

The designers have had a bit of fun with the new Octavia VRS, and it is this vehicle which propels them forward beyond other mid rangers. The marketing team have clearly worked closely with the design team to create an eyecatcher with performance and economy as part of the package. Some other manufacturers now look done, tired, and perhaps even cheapish.

With the Octavia VRS, Skoda offer reliability and appealing visual design which is perfectly pitched for the customers that they seek. They have identified their customer target wisely and have produced a vehicle that shall reward them handsomely.

Well done Skoda!

 

piggies a "ringer"

or an undercover SKODA UK "plant"

I can only imagine.

Or did he just write the Press release.

Or sommat.

piggies a "ringer"

or an undercover SKODA UK "plant"

I can only imagine.

Or did he just write the Press release.

Or sommat.

Ha ha!!

When I lived in London people mocked me for driving a Skoda (57 Fabia 3) but now I'm back home in Yorkshire people appreciate value for money and are more likely to have a negative impression of the "flashy" and "more money than sense" Audi or BMW driver.

As far as Skodas are concerned the North-South divide is very evident

Skoda's stigma is a direct result of misconception rather than actual experience. Unlike Lada and FSO, back in the day Skodas were actually still very decent car. Certainly better in handling and power than anything made in Britain in that market section at the time, even for up to twice the money. Rear engined 130R and Rapide kept winning RAC Rally in the under 1300cc class for seventeen years running. After VAG took them over they won Formula 2 World Championship outright in early nineties, just one year after entering. The stigma was misguided presumption that it somehow had to fit between Yugo and Polish Fiat just because it was made in Central Europe. Yes they were not the prettiest, and yes they rusted, but everything did at the time. There is a reason you don't see Morris Itals and Austin Allegros around.

Edited 2 October, 201312 yr by v0n

Skoda's stigma is a direct result of misconception rather than actual experience. Unlike Lada and FSO, back in the day Skodas were actually still very decent car. Certainly better in handling and power than anything made in Britain in that market section at the time, even for up to twice the money. Rear engined 130R and Rapide kept winning RAC Rally in the under 1300cc class for seventeen years running. After VAG took them over they won Formula 2 World Championship outright in early nineties, just one year after entering. The stigma was misguided presumption that it somehow had to fit between Yugo and Polish Fiat just because it was made in Central Europe. Yes they were not the prettiest, and yes they rusted, but everything did at the time. There is a reason you don't see Morris Itals and Austin Allegros around.

You do not have to be good at building road cars to win Motor Racing World Championships. Just look at Red Bull recently or Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, Fiat, MG, Talbot etc in the past. Skoda's stigma is a direct result of producing poor cars during the 70's, 80's and 90's. The kids who laughed at them then are the adults who consider buying new cars now. Hell, even British cars were rated much higher than Skoda at the time and look what has happened to them since. For a very long time Skoda remained viable through State Aid and selling prehistoric cheap rubbish to Eastern Euorpeans (ex-Soviet block States) who didn't know any better. After the Soviet Union collapsed, so did Skoda and they suffered bitterly during the 90's until VAG scooped them up for next to nothing. First impressions take a long time to rub off. It is like trusting the Italian Army to guard your flanks, even 70 years after The Second World War the common perception is that Italian tanks have more reverse gears than forward gears, even if it is not entirely true.

 

Do not forget that the crappy old British cars have won many more Championships as well.

Anyone who knows their cars knows that Skodas are rebodied, built to a cost VW's.

I think the truth really is that if VAG had not bought them and rubbed their abilities to build a decent german engineered peoples car onto them we'd still be making the skip jokes now.

Same for Seat, they were just horrible government built rebodied Fiats before VAG took then under their wing; interesting though that people havent really bought into the "budget Audi" marketint ploy theyve used with Seat and are faced with going the same way as Saab if they dint start to become more popular.

It seems Skoda are becoming very popular within emerging markets, where they are judged upon quality and value rather than carrying ghosts from the past. Skoda (VAG) wishes to boost brand prestige, whilst cutting costs, upping prices and margins, and selling more cars, This may prove difficult to achieve because as prices approach VW & Audi levels, people will begin to ask why not just buy an Audi or VW? There is already very little difference between the real-world (disountedt dealer) pricing of an Octaivia VRS TDI and an Audi A4 TDI 177 Technik. The Skoda is slightly faster and offers more rear space, but the Audi actually has more kit, including 7" Satnav and Leather as standard.

You do not have to be good at building road cars to win Motor Racing World Championships. Just look at Red Bull recently or Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, Fiat, MG, Talbot etc in the past.

What I'm saying is that they weren't actually bad or terribly built (not compared to cars back then). I know they were butt of many jokes but the myth of alarming handling and brutalistic soviet simplicity was more of a result of general public putting them in one bin with Polonez and Riva (both based on 1967 Fiat 124 and 125) and inexperienced drivers doing stupid things with their RWD cars. Any motoring nut and journalist in eighties would agree Rapid/coupe version of 130, 135 and to a degree 136 (R, RS) had handling modelled on Porsche 911 and RSK, and as soon when you stop laughing and google it up you'll discover they were actually genuinely renown for being as close to 911 as any maker ever got at the time and Skoda platform was used for countless kit cars across the world for that very reason (I think even Covin and Banham used Estelle as base for their Porsche kit cars in UK).

 Any motoring nut and journalist in eighties would agree Rapid/coupe version of 130, 135 and to a degree 136 (R, RS) had handling modelled on Porsche 911 and RSK, and as soon when you stop laughing and google it up you'll discover they were actually genuinely renown for being as close to 911 as any maker ever got at the time.

Any motoring nut and journalist in the eighties would agree that the Porsche 911 handling was *far* from ideal unless you wanted to go backwards through a hedge all the time, so I'm not sure that's the best comparison to make.

Any motoring nut and journalist in the eighties would agree that the Porsche 911 handling was *far* from ideal unless you wanted to go backwards through a hedge all the time, so I'm not sure that's the best comparison to make.

Handling of most cars of seventies and eighties was "far from ideal". Type 930 was undoubtedly demanding and challenging and looking from perspective of years perhaps emulating its driving characteristics in a family car might be a little questionable, but hey - that's what they set to do, that's what they achieved, it was definitely not your typical ZAZ, VAZ or Wartburgh and the image Skoda had together with critique was quite undeserved. I can think of many more cars at the time that really deserved to be joked about and instead they became classics.

Edited 2 October, 201312 yr by v0n

If only the golf was as reliable as my skoda....

"inexperienced drivers doing stupid things with their RWD cars"

Von, Run that bit by me properly so my aged, befuddled, reared to corner on the throttle, looking through the side window, in RWD Fords, can understand the point being made. Are you saying FWD cars prevent inexperienced drivers doing stupid things with their cars?

What I'm saying is that they weren't actually bad or terribly built (not compared to cars back then). I know they were butt of many jokes but the myth of alarming handling and brutalistic soviet simplicity was more of a result of general public putting them in one bin with Polonez and Riva (both based on 1967 Fiat 124 and 125) and inexperienced drivers doing stupid things with their RWD cars. Any motoring nut and journalist in eighties would agree Rapid/coupe version of 130, 135 and to a degree 136 (R, RS) had handling modelled on Porsche 911 and RSK, and as soon when you stop laughing and google it up you'll discover they were actually genuinely renown for being as close to 911 as any maker ever got at the time and Skoda platform was used for countless kit cars across the world for that very reason (I think even Covin and Banham used Estelle as base for their Porsche kit cars in UK).

Now that's proper Skoda-knowledge geekery! Hats off to that man!

I remember my uncle in the early seventies saying "£1200 for a Ford! What's the world coming to?" (He was commenting on the price of the Capri). Here we are 40 years later saying the same thing but this time about Skodas.

The Skoda brand has come on leaps and bounds since VW took over in the 90's. There's nothing to be ashamed of buying a Skoda and those poor ignorant people who turn their noses up at Skodas (usually Audi and VW owners) are just badge snobs. The engines, parts, paints etc are all shared across the brands, all the major manufacturers do this to minimise costs, they just stick the relevant badge on the steering wheel and charge more for the Audi one so maximising profit. Don't forget that VW have a say in the pricing of the Skodas in the UK, it has been in the press over the last few years that VW have been worried about the sales Skoda have been taking from VW in Germany. The solution is to up the prices of the Skodas and offer less standard equipment so making the car less attractive to buy.

As for the price of the new Octavia, don't forget that the car is bigger than the last one, has better green credentials, better fuel consumption and in most cases costs less to tax than some of the old models. The 2.0 tdi SE estate 4x4 only costs £105 to tax in the second year onwards and has pretty impressive consumption figures (on paper). The way the manufacturers can do this is to make the car lighter which Skoda have done through manufacturing improvements according to their press stuff, and of course new technology costs money and new models are nearly always more expensive than the old one.

IMHO I think the new Octavia is good value for money and I am happy owning one, well my fifth Skoda. Why be a badge snob and buy an Audi when you can get VW quality for a fraction of the price. Anyway why would I want to buy an Audi when they don't come with indicators!

Guys,

I applaud v0n for his insightful comments.

I too have a soft spot for the Soviet era Skodas, despite never owning one.

Before the Soviets took over, Skoda had had a fine and innovative history of excellent engineering, across a wide spectrum of products, incl "state of the art" armour plating.

A local rallye supporting mechanic ran one for years, mostly cos it was dirt cheap reliable motoring.

In that respect I believe VW made a well-founded schrewd decision to invest in Skoda, for the expanding East European market if nothing else.

Tatra is another over-looked, very respectable firm with a sound engineering ethos.

I like firms that do not conform, IF, they reckon there are sound engineering reasons not to do so.

m