Company Car SE Business VS Elegance (and towbars)

[DukeNukem]

Hi All,

 

I have gleamed a huge amount of very good information from this forum so far, particularly regarding towbars, so thank you.

 

I am soon to be ordering a new company car to replace my BMW 318D. I need as much space as possible with 2 children and plan to do camping trips pulling a folding camper (max 1000kg).

 

I have a Passat Estate demo booked soon but since that I have pretty much decided on a Superb Estate. I am now trying to decide which model to go for.

 

Tinted rear windows is a must for me. As it is a company car I need low CO2 to keep the BIK down. Leather would be nice but not essential. I plan to have a towbar fitted by towbar specialist after the car has been delivered.

 

At the moment I am thinking of a 1.6 Greenline SE Business. This has pretty much everything I need with the bonus of not having to pay out of my own pocket for tinted glass.

 

The Elegance has leather, the Columbus system and the special headlights, but is significantly more money therefore costing me a lot more in Tax. I would also have to pay to have tinted windows. Is there anything else I have missed that the Elegance has over the SE Business which could justify a bit more tax?

 

I also noticed that the 1.6 Greenline is not configurable with the Towbar preparation. However it is more than capable of pulling my folding camper and my towbar fitter confirmed it is not a problem for the install. It just seems strange why this option is not available and wondered if anyone had an answer?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[silver1011]

Everything about the Greenline is economy orientated.

 

Towing is not good for fuel economy so they don't want you to put a towbar on it.

 

You've summarised the Elegance quite well. Aside from some small additional features the main benefits are electrically adjustable leather seats, Columbus Sat Nav, 18" alloys and the bi-xenon headlights.

[Coops]

Looking at the specs I would have the SE Business (against the Elegance) - many owners on here have Greenlines and the economy figures from the real world are impressive. My only concern is that of towing with the 1.6 engine.

 

Aside from that the SE half leather / half alcantara seats are great, and I prefer them to full leather, plus you get the Amunsden sat nav. Good spec and a halfway house between SE and Elegance.

[DukeNukem]

Everything about the Greenline is economy orientated.

 

Towing is not good for fuel economy so they don't want you to put a towbar on it.

 

You've summarised the Elegance quite well. Aside from some small additional features the main benefits are electrically adjustable leather seats, Columbus Sat Nav, 18" alloys and the bi-xenon headlights.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Electrically adjustable seats would be nice. Think the alloys would be Greenline specific ones (16"?). Not too fussed about the Columbus. 

 

All considered probably not worth extra for my needs.

 

Colour choice next 

[silver1011]

Yes, good point, even the Elegance spec Greenline makes do with the 16" alloys, all to do with economy again.

 

I just built an SE Business on the Skoda configurator. The only options I would add are the bi-xenon's (£1,000 - ouch!) to get the LED (instead of incandescent) DRL's as well as the awesome night time vision offered by the Superb's xenon's, spare wheel (£100) and perhaps the heated front seats if I was feeling adventuress!

[DukeNukem]

I did not realise the seats were half leather - thats great. The Amunsden with DAB looks sufficient for my needs, especially as I tend to use Waze Android app for sat nav.

 

Towing with the 1.6 has been a concern and I need to do more research but the folding camper is lighter and more aerodynamic than a carvan and the specs of the Skoda look fine. I also found this article, although I can see the car is slightly different with a 5 speed gear box:

 

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/8488111/ccmfebcartest.pdf

 

Extras would have to come out of my own pocket so I am unlikely to get the lights and heated seats. Saying that the lease price willl be a hell of a lot less than a 3 series or A4 so maybe I can swing it..

[Coops]

Yes the seats are alcantara in the centres and leather on the sides & rear.

 

I switched from an Audi A4 to a Superb and as such got a drop in BIK (from a 159g/km A4) so I decided to go for the 140 engine on SE spec with a couple of extras (sunset glass and heated seats) - this still gave me a saving over the original BIK.

[Superb170]

 

 

I just built an SE Business on the Skoda configurator. The only options I would add are the bi-xenon's (£1,000 - ouch!) to get the LED (instead of incandescent) DRL's as well as the awesome night time vision offered by the Superb's xenon's, spare wheel (£100) and perhaps the heated front seats if I was feeling adventuress!

If you're doing any amount of night driving try go for the bi-xenons.  I got them as an extra on an Octavia a few years back for the same sort of money and I definitely got value from them. Countless times I have come across people on dark roads at night dressed completely in black and I have been VERY grateful for the xenons illuminating the road fully!

[100andthirty]

if you're towing and you get the estate, go for the 2l TDi. There significantly more torque and the BIK is only 1% higher. Also search for threads on towing on Briskoda. I don't tow so don't remember them in detail but there have been issues of compatibility of towbar system and rear parking sensors (and other electrical issues) is not integrated properly into the complex electrical system. I recall something called a "towbar preparation" that is an extra in the options list

[DukeNukem]

if you're towing and you get the estate, go for the 2l TDi. There significantly more torque and the BIK is only 1% higher. Also search for threads on towing on Briskoda. I don't tow so don't remember them in detail but there have been issues of compatibility of towbar system and rear parking sensors (and other electrical issues) is not integrated properly into the complex electrical system. I recall something called a "towbar preparation" that is an extra in the options list

 

Thanks for your input. I do need to make a decision between the 1.6 and 2.0 however it does seem that the greenline will perfectly capable of towing my folding camper,.

 

I have found a lot of information about towbars by searching. I believe the towbar preparation is not necessary as the towbar fitter can do this (cheaper. My fitter has confirmed they will use vehicle specific wiring kit and also recode the vehicle so that all the electrics work correctly.

[Kilkenny]

You are correct. The car does NOT need the tow bar prep. With regard to the towing capability of the 1.6 it should be more than able for a 1000kg folding camper as the trailer is not any higher than the car so therefore there is no wind resistance. Just my €0.02 worth..

[Danny 57]

You are correct. The car does NOT need the tow bar prep. With regard to the towing capability of the 1.6 it should be more than able for a 1000kg folding camper as the trailer is not any higher than the car so therefore there is no wind resistance. Just my €0.02 worth..

 

Actually it is only about £0.016 worths at todays exchange rate.    

Edited 30 May, 2014 by Danny 57

[silver1011]

I'm biased, but go for the 2.0 TDi CR140

 

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/news-and-events/awards/towcar-of-the-year-2014/vehicles-£25,000-£31,000/škoda-superb-elegance-estate-20-tdi-cr-170ps-4x4-dsg

 

[DukeNukem]

For the past 3 days I have had a demo 2.0L 140 Elegance. Really loved the leather interior and now I want it! Also found the engine very responsive and giving excellent fuel economy so heading towards that over the greenline.

 

I have been trying to find pictures of the alcantara/leather seats that I would get in the SE Business but cant really find any. Does anyone have any?

[DukeNukem]

Also - with the amundsen unit (RNS315) would I also have control of phone/radio etc via Maxidot?

[silver1011]

Just search on Autotrader, loads of pictures.

 

Add SE into the keyword box as this model gets the half leather / alcantara seats as standard...

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/search/used/cars/skoda/superb/postcode/sl13yd/radius/1500/keywords/SE/sort/default/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew

[silver1011]

The online instruction manual for the Amundsen head unit can be downloaded here...

 

http://new.skoda-auto.com/en/mini-apps/owners-manuals/superb

[100andthirty]

A combination of the Amundsen and the Superb manuals is needed to work out how the various hands free phone functions via Maxidot and the steering wheel controls work. With this specification you get voice activation - 'call xxxxx' - and things like the recently dialled list on Maxidot. There are plenty of phone functions on the Amundsen itself, but hardly what I would call hands free.

[Coops]

For the past 3 days I have had a demo 2.0L 140 Elegance. Really loved the leather interior and now I want it! Also found the engine very responsive and giving excellent fuel economy so heading towards that over the greenline.

 

I have been trying to find pictures of the alcantara/leather seats that I would get in the SE Business but cant really find any. Does anyone have any?

 

 

Front Seats:

 

 

Rear Seats:

 

[DukeNukem]

Got the go ahead to get an elegance so I have ordered the 140, cappuccino beige with ivory leather, tinted windows, spare wheel, and sunset glass.