Skodaphobia

[Jollyroger]

Great thread and I'm in the first timer camp as well. I have just changed jobs and placed an order for my first Skoda 4 weeks ago which is a fully loaded VRS estage tdi with DSG box. I've had years of VW's, Audi's and more recently BMW's. All very good cars, my last one which went at xmas was an F10 5 series which I had for 3 years and it was the best car I have had. The only reason I considered the Octavia is because I need a big boot for all of the family stuff as we go away a lot. Drove all of the usual german stuff and then read the my CAR magazine review on the VRS. How can a car based on the Golf have a bigger boot than a 5 series and A6 estate?!?

 

Having read CAR magazine for over 20 years it has always been spot on and they love it. When I test drove one I was well impressed, the wife has a Mk 6 Golf and that is a cracking car, the VRS felt better and certainly from the same stable, which it is of course. The best bit was when I mentioned it to my best mate who is the chief engineer at Lotus Cars, I was expecting a major kicking, but he was straight on the positive bandwagon, being a lover of Golf's etc. His colleague has just got one and loves it, as he put it I'm getting a car that has more room than his 3 series touring and like for like is £10k cheaper.

 

I truly hope I won't be dissapointed and based on what I read on here I won't be. Roll on delivery....whenever that is!

[XMW345]

I'm a skoda first timer too. Was offered a test drive of a vrs diesel estate when I was looking to change in October last year and having driven it off the forecourt and about a mile down the road decided I had to have one! Currently waiting delivery of my candy white Vrs diesel estate with a few toys. Was build week 4 so shouldn't be too long left to wait!!!

[ssfan]

This one made me laugh!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTJ_TPraLQ

[aixlad]

I remember the jokes of the 80's - and the ribbing on of my fellow apprentices got when he drove a 120L in the early 90's.  The fact we were all running 20 year old Minis and Escorts and he bought a 4 year old Skoda for the same money...  At the time (round my way), you could spot a miner/ex-miner as they drove either a Lada or a Skoda - both had dealerships in the area.  Type casting, maybe...

Cor blimey, that takes me back.  I vividly remember a fellow apprentice of mine, he turned up one day at the factory in a Skoda Rapide Coupe, in bright Yellow.  It was 4 years old, had done less than 20k miles, and was absolutely immaculate - he paid just £70 for it at the local motor auctions.  It was so plush inside, it had loads of dials and also a rev counter which was very rare in those days. The rest of us were driving 'better' cars like truly knackered 1100cc Escorts, Austin Maxi's, Morris Marinas, etc,  which we'd all paid £400-500 for.  His Skoda was epic compared to the rest of ours however, at least the factory had painted the bodywork behind the bumpers on ours, unlike on the Skoda  .

[littleade]

Interesting to see a thread full of the very people who might have taken the **** out of me at some time .

I had a 1.2 Clio for over 10 years before my 1st Octy, so I don't fit your group of potential abusers! It's name was sh1tty. I ordered my Blackline without test driving a vRS. It was a fun 1st drive. 30 minutes later I was back in the dealers grinning like a complete idiot rather pleased with my choice....not looked back since (apart from whem I'm using the mirrors)

[gadgetman]

I think the Mk2 Superb and now the Mk3 Octavia have brought in a lot of new people to Skoda.

 

There's about 6 Mk3's on our estate where there was only a mk1 vrs and our old Mk2.  Driving around everyday I'm seeing more and more Mk3's.

[james_19742000]

I forgot to put why I am a Skoda driver!

 

Yes, I remember as a kid in the 80's all the odd looking Skodas, the engine at the back, the poor reliability etc etc etc.

 

Then, I remember them becoming part of the VW group, and realised they would be the budget brand, anyway, was shopping at Tescos many years ago and there was a Skoda Octavia parked outside with dealer stickers all over it (like you get outside supermarkets sometimes) and I remember looking at it and thinking, thats a smart looking car, then a while later they released the vRS model, I saw it and thought, wow, it ticks all the boxes, decent size family car so keeps the wife and kids happy, looks great, got some performance with it so pleases me, but, at the time I couldn't afford a brand new car, besides the family grew etc, so we went through a succession of 7 seat MPV vehicles.  Then as my kids got older the oldest would rarely be in the car as she was out with her friends etc, and it was coming up to time to change the car so I thought, time to look at the Octavia in vRS grade.

 

So, off I go to the dealers, get all the brochures, have a look at the showroom model, my Mrs was a real badge snob, saying there was no way we were having a Skoda blah blah blah, anyway, after about 6 months of constant moaning at her and buying her a second car that she was happy with, I finally decided to order a new car, I went for a 2.0 TSI DSG hatch in Candy White with a few options, waited a few months and it turned up, and I felt like I had died and gone to heaven it exceeded my expectations in so many ways!

 

All my friends etc that had teased me about buying a Skoda etc all started to eat humble pie!  However, as good as the TSI DSG was (and it was a fantastic car) despite doing relatively low mileage I simply couldn't cope with the constant visits to petrol stations, so I traded it after 12 months for the same spec but a diesel version, by this time the black alcantara and black wheels were available so I had them added onto the car, that was nearly 2 years ago now, and it has been a faithful servant to me, but when the mk3 was released, despite having initial reservations about it and not being too impressed with the car initially it grew on me, and once the 0% deal kicked in and a nice discount could be achieved and the fact that even with all the optionsI wanted it could be had for £50 per month less than I am currently paying, plus cheaper to insure, plus hopefully a bit more economical with a newer refined engine with stop/start etc, I could hopefully be saving around £70 per month, so it was a no brainer!  So I ordered in September last year, I got a good deal, it arrived at the dealer today after a long build time and will collect it March 1st, so overall really pleased and excited!

 

In my time of ownership, I had the problem injector the petrol engine, that was replaced and meant about a week in a hire car which Skoda arranged and were fantastic at arranging it, plus the radio went faulty which they replaced without quibble.  So I can't fault Skoda overall.

 

The comments and old jokes, are just that now, old jokes, Skoda have to there credit come a long way, the cars are good looking, come with everything you need in a mourn car, are nice to drive and reliable, and are at a price point that is no longer cheap, but its not expensive and certainly a great alternative the more mainstream Fords, VW's, Vauxhalls and even some more upmarket brands, BMW, Audi etc

 

Whilst I think Skoda offers excellent value for money, my only gripe with them is that whilst the cars are excellent, you can sometimes tell where the cost savings are, sometimes it can be seen in a few things missing in a spec of a car, or sometimes in slightly inferior materials being used, or sometimes things that would expect in a car not being there, and in reality, whilst they are good value generally, they are no longer cheap to buy, so therefore they should be offering slightly better things in what I have mentioned.

 

Ok, well seems I have rambled enough!

[C4miles]

To the OP did you really cancel the order on the basis of the Electronic Handbrake? 

 

Oh yes. Look on the VW Passat forums, it is hard to find anyone that likes it!  

You are sacrificing reliability for what exactly? The ability for the driver to get out of the passenger door more easily?

[C4miles]

This one made me laugh!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTJ_TPraLQ

 

 

That is a very funny clip, even raised a laugh from the management!

[SteveWCombivRS]

Plus 1 on the 'Would never drives Skoda wagon' 

 

Most people at work laughed when I ordered a Skoda octavia vrs as my company car. Car turns up, people stop laughing... People drive car, now Vauxhall Insignia's are not looking so clever and I walk away with a smile on my face. So much for confirming...

[Steveh3]

"Why are Skoda's so cheap? cause the manufacturing build team has only got one pair of hands"

 

To all the still Skodaphobics out there, you have missed the boat as this the Octavia has already won WHATCAR Car of the award, Best family car 2014 and is in the last 7 shortlist to be crowned European Car of the Year 2014 (CotY2014)

 

If you order now you will be at the back of a very long queue... nothing to do with the joke, simply in demand baby !!

Edited 8 February, 2014 by Steveh3

[polanglo]

It's nice to read such a positive thread. My Octavia is my first Skoda and I hope it won't be the last. My ex had a 1.9tdi Octavia 2 from 2007 which I drove a lot. The first time it blew me away - solid, big, comfortable and just went like a dream. To be honest that was the only good thing to come out of that relationship! So I've had my 2012 Octavia for over a year and so far, fingers crossed, nothing has gone wrong. Diesel, winter tyres, and one rear number plate bulb. That's it. And it's very economical, too. I should keep it for another 3 years and then probably a new Octavia in 2016 or early 2017. Ok, so it doesn't have the best handling in the world, but it's quiet and comfortable. I can understand if someone wants an Audi or VW, perhaps because the trim is nicer and the soundproofing is a bit better, but that doesn't bother me.

I live in Poland and Skoda have been the best sellers here for donkey's years. Another boon is that the factory for the Octavia is only 150 miles away, so at least I shouldn't have to wait long for any parts.

[kenny]

One thing I will say after owning a skoda you will go ultra defensive of the skoda brand and begin looking down on other brands in the same way others look down on skoda

[pipsyp]

Curren VAG build, tech and dynamics in what is still comparably a bargain basement package there really is not alot to dislike.

People who still turn their noses up at the brand are just daft, after all they are now all just re-bodied VW's; have been for years to be fair.

Edited 8 February, 2014 by pipsyp

[ssfan]

That is a very funny clip, even raised a laugh from the management!

Then you will enjoy watching this one!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSTMMsTqgg8

[jonnybgood]

Oh yes. Look on the VW Passat forums, it is hard to find anyone that likes it!

You are sacrificing reliability for what exactly? The ability for the driver to get out of the passenger door more easily?

Never had a problem with the electronic handbrake on my last car so not sure what the reliability issues are.

My wife liked the extra storage space that they put in where the handbrake lever would have been.

Must admit when I bought that car I was uneasy with it at first but now I'm back to the manual I kind of miss it.

[Dodgy]

People don't like change.

[Smeghead]

Then you will enjoy watching this one!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSTMMsTqgg8

PMSL.  I do remember watching that one and thinking "that bloke runs fast for his size"

[cortina63]

Even the skodas of old were not as bad as people made out, compared to ladas nsu and moskovitch that were about then,plus all the rally championships they won in showroom class, later group n, celebrated by the fabia montecarlo,

[tuonopepper]

About 5 minutes into the ownership of my mk1 vrs. I took great pleasure in.showing some 'better' brands a clean pair of heels on a regular basis in my 'skip', something I also enjoyed in wifeys mk2 VRS and will again in my mk3 :-)