I currently have a Mk3 Octavia and a Mk7 Golf and as much as I like the Skoda and think it represents a fair bit of car for the money....the Golf is the better car.

Its tiny by comparison and so not half as useful for family/load lugging duties but it beats the Octavia in every other sense.

Firmly of the mind though that I wouldnt now part with nearly 30k of my own money for a Golf though.

I'm of the opinion Skoda are filling the niche that saab left. I am of the opinion you start to fall into dangerous ground when you judge a car by the person who drives it, especially if it puts you off a brand, and actually you just depriving your self of a good car, in BMW's case.

Edited 13 March, 201610 yr by Alpha2110

True it could be judgemental. Unfortunately when I moved into our new house the neighbour blatantly boasted about her 'sports' car...a tigra as the roof opened up.

She never spoke again though about it after I rocked up in my boxster.

I travel the country up and down on a day to day basis! 65k a year. The most common cars on the road today behind vauxhall/ford are BMW, audi and mercs, I have a vrs mk3 tsi and can clearly tell the difference from the back (2 backboxes) between the tsi and tdi, so obviously taking notice when I see one I usually have a gander and I average seeing an octavia vrs about once a day and I see millions of cars, and should one pass me on motorway I check and it's always a tdi... I've only been behind 2 tsi vrs since I've owned mine for 10 months. I actually see more AMG 63 mercs and golf Rs than I do octavia vrs. I wouldn't call that a common car in fact there's not too many about.

I think you are right, a very small club we are in still

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=skoda+octavia+vrs

 

Roughly 2k total of the TFSI models registered so far? So its probably easy to be convinced they are cheap, common, ten a penny - but far from true for the petrols.

Actually... It is not just you

I am 43, a team lead, previously drove a Saab 9-3 Aero (the V6 one...) and am very happy with my Octavia vRS TSi.

I couldn't give a rats ass what anyone thinks of what I drive provided I like the car.

As was said in the thread, all my petrolhead friends, without exceptions, have approved and been enthusiastic about the car.

It has a bit of a similar vibe to the Saab in terms of aura, but the brand value is a bit far.

I know a guy who drives a BMW 520d, which is a crap car, and he is an obnoxious arrogant **** - people like him are enough to put me off of an entire brand.

I recently test drove a BMW 428i and a BMW 335i and... Dare I say it, the Skoda doesn't owe them much - more spacious and comfortable for sure...

In what way is a 520d a crap car? I'd almost certainly wager that it's better in every measurable way (maybe apart from speed of a petrol vRS), and overall boot space on saloon vs hatch. It's considerably more refined, better built and miles more comfortable. I'm a massive fan of the Skoda brand as the cars are great value for money, and the only reason I didn't opt for a BMW (would have either been a 520d SE or 325d) was because I wanted all the toys the L&K came with. But take away the extras then the BMW's win hands down.

I think for the same money I'm paying I could have had a Mercedes CLA. If I could get the same deal as a friend was offered for an M135I (an unbelievable 8k dealer contribution) I could have one of those too, I could have forsaken those and paid the extra for a golf R. So why didn't I? The merc was big standard and there's not a dealer for 60 miles, the BMW would cost the earth and is too small and I hate the golf with a passion, in fact I blame golfs for modern hatchback prices being acceptable.

Oh and I'm not a junior engineer for the record, maybe a good few years ago lol

Serious question, why do you hate the Golf so much. If it wasn't such a success you wouldn't be ordering an Octavia. 

I also don't get your drift re. modern hatchback prices.

 

DC 

I'm 34 years old. I remember the first civic type R being on special offer at 17k. I've watched hatchback prices double in just my time driving. Ive watched bland fat golf evolve from bland fat golf, increasing in price while people accept it. Everyone comparing every hatchback to the golf. It simply doesn't deserve it's title, it's took the hatchback market down the wrong expensive road and has done little to deserve it's throne for the last 10 years. All my opinion of course. Don't get me started on the 'mini'. If it makes you feel any better I hate the SEAT Leon too.

I think you mean that without the golf the Skoda wouldn't exist? I understand that. On the other hand you wouldn't catch me quoting the old 'but it's a golf' line either. Also I hate the game golf just as a side note!

Skoda in general aren't a million miles away price wise from there equivalent, vw and audi counterparts. I do think the extra money goes into producing a slightly higher quality car.

It's a myth calling them the same car, even mqb platform cars only use Base technology, there is more to a car than engine, gearbox and electronics. For example think of bulkhead sound proofing that the Skoda doesn't have a lot off, or inferior suspention components. This stuff costs money so I believe you get a better car with the vw and audi. Whether this is important to you, in my case not, I can live with it. My boss worked for vw in wolfsberg, so I hear a lot of first hand experiences from someone who worked on a engineering team.

Interesting, I don't see, hear or feel much difference in the interior quality of my Superb or my E0S.

Maybe VW  allowed Skoda to spend more money on sound-proofing, etc. on the Superb?

 

Both nice cars to sit in & drive, obviously differences in performance & interior spaced, but we enjoy both cars.

 

In summer the EOS can be a bit noisy, but only when the roof stowed away in the boot.......

 

DC

Third Skoda and second VRS Petrol. VRS 230 Estate 900 miles on the clock. Gave it a good run today and it was fast and rewarding. Had Honda's before I switched to Skoda's in 2010, bullet proof reliability but not engaging drive wise. Agree with others, I could pay more for another make but the VRS ticks all the boxes for me. My wife would drive a Citigo as cars don't interest her (nothing wrong with a Citigo). My daughter who is 12 is a badge snob would you believe, Mercs, BMWs, Range Rovers tick her boxes. Skoda ticks mine as previously stated.

Third Skoda and second VRS Petrol. VRS 230 Estate 900 miles on the clock. Gave it a good run today and it was fast and rewarding. Had Honda's before I switched to Skoda's in 2010, bullet proof reliability but not engaging drive wise. Agree with others, I could pay more for another make but the VRS ticks all the boxes for me. My wife would drive a Citigo as cars don't interest her (nothing wrong with a Citigo). My daughter who is 12 is a badge snob would you believe, Mercs, BMWs, Range Rovers tick her boxes. Skoda ticks mine as previously stated.

Would disagree there...EP3 Type R was the best hot hatch of its day and by some margin, and the S2000 was an absolute hoot, once they had ironed out the suspension and steering issues with the Revision 2 in late 2003. I owned both and easily 2 of the most engaging cars I have ever driven.

Yes apologies and I wouldn't disagree with your view. I drove one Accord (2.0) and four Civics (1.6 & 1.8).

I'm 34 years old. I remember the first civic type R being on special offer at 17k. I've watched hatchback prices double in just my time driving. Ive watched bland fat golf evolve from bland fat golf, increasing in price while people accept it. Everyone comparing every hatchback to the golf. It simply doesn't deserve it's title, it's took the hatchback market down the wrong expensive road and has done little to deserve it's throne for the last 10 years. All my opinion of course. Don't get me started on the 'mini'. If it makes you feel any better I hate the SEAT Leon too.

I think you mean that without the golf the Skoda wouldn't exist? I understand that. On the other hand you wouldn't catch me quoting the old 'but it's a golf' line either. Also I hate the game golf just as a side note!

I'd better tell 't wife to cancel her order (Golf), I just can't get her buy a new Octavia. She feels that the Mk 3 has lost some interior quality compare with her old Octy FL vRS.

I am allowed to replace the Superb, if I want to, but not with a vRS!

 

I'm a little older than you (68), & probably remember the 1st small hatch-backs being cheaper versions of the saloons, they have indeed evolved into expensive little cars.

 

The traditional C/D segment cars are usually better value for money, but are no longer popular in the UK, the small / medium crossover seems to have taken that segment of the

market instead. 

 

For me, replacing  the Superb with a Golf-sized hatch-back would be daft, even if it were to be quicker or more economical to run.

 

DC 

I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound condescending! I just remember my sister buying a golf gti DSG in 2006 for 25k, which is what the VRS is these days. I'm not saying the octavia is the last word in hatchbacks, I have no buyers pride at all. I made my decision for many reasons some of which were circumstantial.

Always been able to afford a decent car, but have never been able to justify spending so much money on a car such as a BMW, Merc or Audi, when I could get something that does the same, i.e gets me from A to B.  On my 3rd Octavia VRS, after getting rid of an expensive Golf R, which was a great car, but I needed a car that did a bit better on economy.  So I got the VRS 4x4, just because it has AWD; its great.

 

It ain't about the badge any more, the car is quality and just as good as the VW; so that's where I rank it in this weird world of ours.

Interesting, I don't see, hear or feel much difference in the interior quality of my Superb or my E0S.

Maybe VW  allowed Skoda to spend more money on sound-proofing, etc. on the Superb?

 

Both nice cars to sit in & drive, obviously differences in performance & interior spaced, but we enjoy both cars.

 

In summer the EOS can be a bit noisy, but only when the roof stowed away in the boot.......

 

DC

 

I would agree about the superb, a relative of mine has a top spec elegance with all the options. the superb is better built than to Octavia and feels like a luxury car not premium. maybe i was being a bit general. I was really meaning the Octavia as i have been in all the mqb platform cars and as i say not a million miles away. But there is a difference. the funny thing is you end up in c class and 3 series territory when you start specifying all the options on a SE-L, those luxury cars have a lot more kit than they use to.

 

I think the huge price difference that people talk about between VAG group cars is a myth, as i  mentioned before you have to compare like for like.

In what way is a 520d a crap car? I'd almost certainly wager that it's better in every measurable way (maybe apart from speed of a petrol vRS), and overall boot space on saloon vs hatch. It's considerably more refined, better built and miles more comfortable. I'm a massive fan of the Skoda brand as the cars are great value for money, and the only reason I didn't opt for a BMW (would have either been a 520d SE or 325d) was because I wanted all the toys the L&K came with. But take away the extras then the BMW's win hands down.

 

Absolutely no "maybe" about it mate 2L BMW diesel is miles off Like comparing the 2.0 TFSI to the old 1.8 ! (if the old 1.8 wasn't 0.2 seconds quicker to 60 that is.......)

 

I agree though I don't believe the 520d is a crap car though its just incredibly common car to see on todays roads, but that doesn't make it crap in any sense, no more than seeing lots of newer shape Octavia 3's makes them crap either. They serve a purpose, both models, whether that be taxi, rep mover, family car, etc etc.

 

On your other points though I'd be tempted to automatically agree, despite having never actually directly experienced such a modern BMW -otherwise

BMW would be ripping the hell off of punters and whilst there certainly might be some degree of that,

I don't think they quite got to packaging their goods exhorbitantly unreasonably to the same degree as you might see with say, an Apple device.

 

But you know what, its not for me to go down that (expensive or older car) route.

Whether perceived or actual comfort (probably the latter), I'm also very much the A-B guy as many others and happy to take the "aldi" style route of Skoda brand.

 

Plus if you get there quicker in the TFSI you don't need so much bells and whistles so badly

On price comparison though, it would be fairer to compare with a Superb 280 4x4 ( on comparison price ) as I think if you don't its like comparing apples and pears. As the common denominator is what you can afford with a given amount of money usually unless you want to factor in other costs of ownership as well but are user-variable anyway.

In which case Skoda wins, you can't trump a fantastic Superb 280 4x4 at the same price as the rep mover diesel, IMO.

Edited 14 March, 201610 yr by vRSAnt

On my fifth Skoda now, this one being a Octavia vRS TSI DSG Estate. Think it depends who you're talking to, my friends who are into their cars love it, people who aren't into cars just call it Daves 'old man estate'. Where as if it was a 5 year old, base model Audi/BMW/Merc theyd all be loving it. They'll always be Q cars and that's why I love mine.

Many people who are not in cars, when hear Skoda? Say "Skoda are lame ugly cheap cars in VW shadow". But when they see new MK3 with better spec. Many comets were "is this Skoda? Looks like BMW, AUDI or other expensive brand". "Nooo, Skoda rally?"

"Wow Skoda has improved!" And then the space, lots of them are wow. And technology! Yes not so quality as VW but close. And the price? Must be very expensive now? Then you say wat you paid for it. Wow not bad! Good compromise. Very comfy!

It's not the greatest but it offers a lot in price range. And I rather drive wheel spec Skoda then and base model BMW 3 series or AUDI A3 with cloth seats.

Only thing that's wrong Octavia is more a limousine/sedan not hatch as is Superb.