Just noticed the results of the recent Top Gear Survey...

http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2005/11/stories/01/1.html

76,000 people took part, 159 cars and the Octavia came in 5th!!!!

The Superb came in 4th and deservedly so.

The Superb came in 4th and deservedly so.

There was an article in the Daily Mail a couple of weeks ago [mainly headlined about how bad French cars were!] and it showed the top ten and bottom ten, according to customer satisfaction. There were at least 3 Skodas in top ten [superb, Octavia and Fabia]. I think Honda S2000 was top, then Lexus's. The Accord was in there somewhere too.

The bottom ten was filled with Renaults, Peugots, Citroens and Fiats.

All 3 Skoda models in the top 9, Skoda second in the overall manufactures league

Seems like the secrets out !!

Indeed, Stuart. Only the Nippon giant manages the same feat of getting 3 models in the top 10. Having said that, Honda have more than just 3 models, so I think Skoda overall are better having all their models in top 10

Were the Top Gear Survey results not discussed a couple of weeks back?

Were the Top Gear Survey results not discussed a couple of weeks back?

Just trying to spread the good news. Apologies if this is a repost.

I find it interesting that VW has a much lower score than the skoda.

Take the new octavia <-> golf mk5 for example.

They should practically be the same cars ! And still the scores are different.

I think that the expectations for a VW are much higher than for the Skoda. When people get their skoda, they are surprised with the quality, because of the bad image the brand had before (and still has, I see a lot of cars here in belgium with the logo removed... a real shame !). And so they give a GOOD rating.

People who buy a VW have higher expectations, and the car then just meets there expectations, but it doesnt exceed them. That's why they give a worse rating.

And also the buying price offcourse, the skoda is about 2000 euro's cheaper here than the VW.

Also the support after sale seems to be better in general.

I find it interesting that VW has a much lower score than the skoda.

Take the new octavia <-> golf mk5 for example.

They should practically be the same cars ! And still the scores are different.

I think that the expectations for a VW are much higher than for the Skoda. When people get their skoda' date=' they are surprised with the quality, because of the bad image the brand had before (and still has, I see a lot of cars here in belgium with the logo removed... a real shame !). And so they give a GOOD rating.

People who buy a VW have higher expectations, and the car then just meets there expectations, but it doesnt exceed them. That's why they give a worse rating.

And also the buying price offcourse, the skoda is about 2000 euro's cheaper here than the VW.

Also the support after sale seems to be better in general.[/quote']

Not sure I agree totally. The standard of quality has come on leaps and bounds with most new models during the past few years. I can understand that a Skoda buyer may be impressed with the quality of their car for the money but VW's are still built to an icreasingly higher standard. My mates Mk V Golf has a great fit an finish but it's the reliability that has let it down. Been back to the dealer for repair (including oil leaks etc) 3 times in 3 months. Don't hear of any Octy's on here being that bad. That's why Golfs have bonnet lifters and Octy's don't.

I find it interesting that VW has a much lower score than the skoda........

Better quality control at the Skoda plant. I spoke to a quality specilaist about a year ago who told me that the Czechs are excellent at quality control.

In a previous job the company ran a fleet of Cortinas. A colleague and I took delivery of identical cars on the same day, mine was built in the UK, his in Germany. At the end of three years his was still pristine, mine was showing considerable signs of rusting. Same parts, same assembly lines, different quality control.

Better quality control at the Skoda plant. I spoke to a quality specilaist about a year ago who told me that the Czechs are excellent at quality control.

In a previous job the company ran a fleet of Cortinas. A colleague and I took delivery of identical cars on the same day' date=' mine was built in the UK, his in Germany. At the end of three years his was still pristine, mine was showing considerable signs of rusting. Same parts, same assembly lines, different quality control.[/quote']

What's a Cortina

What's a Cortina

It's a kind of council dustbin - I had two Mk. III's back then, so I know. Couldn't keep up with the rust.

Yes people I work with who own a variety of cars BMW 330i Clubsport, Ford, Mondeo and Focus etc... All claim the only reason Skoda does so well is that there owners aren't expecting much so are happy when the cars exceed there expectations, where as the BMW owner says that people like him expect better quality etc....

Having said that My Skoda has not been the best example of the marque!!

Irrespective of make everyone can make an exceptionally reliable car or a complete duffer.... Same goes with dealers etc....

Dazz

It's a kind of council dustbin

Weren't they called 'Daganham dustbins'

Weren't they called 'Daganham dustbins'

Probably - but I went to school in Dagenham, and lived about 3 miles from there, so they were our "locals"! Mind you, before the Cortinas I had a Superspeed Escort [when I was single and well-off!].

They used to drop a 3 litre Capri engine into a Mark 1 Escort Twin Cam, close ratio Rocket gearbox, good Koni uprated suspension and so on. That was a tough little crate and held an E type up to 90 mph [they said.] Those were the days [sigh...................]

Yes people I work with who own a variety of cars BMW 330i Clubsport' date=' Ford, Mondeo and Focus etc... All claim the only reason Skoda does so well is that there owners aren't expecting much so are happy when the cars exceed there expectations, where as the BMW owner says that people like him expect better quality etc....

Having said that My Skoda has not been the best example of the marque!!

Irrespective of make everyone can make an exceptionally reliable car or a complete duffer.... Same goes with dealers etc....

Dazz[/quote']

As a first time Skoda owner (I previously had VW's and BMW's) my main gripes have been squeaks and rattles. I used to return the BMW to the dealer to fix its rattles, The VW never rattled or squeaked, it just had numerous mechanical and electrical problems.

In the six months I have owned my Octy2 elegance estate all I have experienced is rattling door trims which I corrected myself.

I had a friend called in the other day to show off his brand new Audi A3 2.0 tdi Quattro sport 's'line etc etc.. and he parked next to my Octy estate. Apart from the "quattro " bit, the paintwork was not that much better,he had a lot less space inside, a lot less toys, (I ticked virtually all the extras except DSG and leather) and the cabin in the Audi was without question a bit more up market. The only bit was that I paid over four grand less for mine and the icing on the cake was the renewal premium for my insurance came in yesterday and the premium has dropped by over

In the six months I have owned my Octy2 elegance estate all I have experienced is rattling door trims which I corrected myself.

Tell us how, please :orb_not_w

I've had my first Octy for about 18 months now and I have alredy decided to go for an Octy II come April time.

VAG will always have to keep the Skoda slighty lower down the pecking order with regards to fit and finish and overall quality, silly things like gas ram bonnet lifters and damped grab handles and so on.

As an overall package they cannot be beaten, I have looked at alot of other makes and models before choosing the Octy II and none of them touched the Skoda for levels of kit (apart from the Nissan Primera but my old one fell to bits and had it's own ramp at the local dealer).

Mine has done over 66,000 hard miles without a single cough which is more important that anything else.

Tell us how, please :orb_not_w

I used Wurth silicon spray grease around all the joints, although I will confess that the very cold weather is bringing back the odd 'rattle,

I used Wurth silicon spray grease around all the joints, although I will confess that the very cold weather is bringing back the odd 'rattle,

I get similar results with Holts Rubber & Nylon Lubricant [aerosol] but I've had it about 96 years so I don't know if it is still on sale.

The cold morning definitely affects it [our first frost down here today]. I guess that is why rattle tends to go away after the car is warmed, but I still don't get why it stops immediately I opened the wiindow the smallest crack, and I never get the trouble at speeds above about 35.

I sprayed along the whole of both top rubber seals and down the sides, and wiped away surplus. It is a weird, if minor, problem.

I have to ask. Was 96 years a typo or are you the oldest living Skoda driver in the world?

I have to ask. Was 96 years a typo or are you the oldest living Skoda driver in the world?

No, it just feels like it!

Seriously, I must have had that stuff since the late 1970s.

Thanks, GK and ednmara. I have this sort of problem on my A6 in hotter weather on poor roads, particularly on a bumpy local hill, but its long gone now for this year (-4C here last night). I'll try this trick next spring/summer.

As a first time Skoda owner (I previously had VW's and BMW's) my main gripes have been squeaks and rattles. I used to return the BMW to the dealer to fix its rattles, The VW never rattled or squeaked, it just had numerous mechanical and electrical problems.

In the six months I have owned my Octy2 elegance estate all I have experienced is rattling door trims which I corrected myself.

I had a friend called in the other day to show off his brand new Audi A3 2.0 tdi Quattro sport 's'line etc etc.. and he parked next to my Octy estate. Apart from the "quattro " bit, the paintwork was not that much better,he had a lot less space inside, a lot less toys, (I ticked virtually all the extras except DSG and leather) and the cabin in the Audi was without question a bit more up market. The only bit was that I paid over four grand less for mine and the icing on the cake was the renewal premium for my insurance came in yesterday and the premium has dropped by over

I had a reliable golf gti mk3 for years with no problems.My audi A4 1.8 T was a lovely car but had niggles that drove me potty (indicator they could never fix properly.Double ticking drives you mad I can tell you)

Skoda has been great