Forum Newbie in Dumfriesshire

Hi folks,

Having hit the forum on odd occasions in the past when searching queries, I thought it time to sign up now I've just landed a 3 year old Superb Estate.

I have just made a quantum leap in car terms (not finding fault with my new car !) from a very expensive to run monster estate (E55K AMG) to the Superb. In doing so, I've got a 300Bhp gap, but to be honest although it was a great car to drive, with the mileage I do it was getting seriously expensive to keep everything up and together as it should be.

There aren't a huge number of things with the boot space of the E-Class estate, so much as I have wondered about a Vrs Octavia, when I actually had a look and a drive, it just wasn't big enough. The superb has astonishing rear leg room and a huge boot so I decided that was the right option. I'm not a diesel fan as I have run everything on LPG for years now, so it had to be the 1.8TSI, much as I'd like a new 2.0 with 280Bhp.

We live in the back of beyond, so I wanted a 4x4 variant with a manual box. Inevitably these criteria meant I couldn't find one locally and had a 220mile drive home to start to adjust to the new girl and I have to say the motor is remarkably flexible and the 6 speed box is very good. My daughter was also impressed withte level of technology in the car (as was I in reality!).

It looks great with the 18" wheels, but on the roads here, I have got fed up with replacing expensive rims that are cracked or buckled beyond recovery, so first downgrade was a set of refurbed 16" wheels with winter tyres via Ebay, collected on the way home. They are on the car now!

As I've played around with a few cars before, rather than wait and then wish I'd made the change earlier, I have already ordered a stage 1 ECU upgrade.

Not our first SKoda as a family, years ago when we lived in Bristol I had a "proper one" - a 4 door Estelle. Much as it was basic/primitve I did like it for it's quirks. My wife ran a 1.6i Felicia for years until earlier this year which she loved and it was a really handy and robust day to day car.

Interesting to see how the marque has developed in a couple of decades and the elegance is  a comfortable and well spec'd car.

Hopefully I can learn a bit from the forum and contribute in time too.

Cheers

Paul