Is seat really above Skoda in the foodchain?

Im asking because I havent seen a Seat in several years. Seat Norway went bankrupt, and no one wanted to take over, so its atleast 10 years since a new Seat was sold in Norway.

Maybe Norway market is not a good example but in the UK they are clearly above the skoda brand.

Is seat really above Skoda in the foodchain?

Im asking because I havent seen a Seat in several years. Seat Norway went bankrupt, and no one wanted to take over, so its atleast 10 years since a new Seat was sold in Norway.

Seat is a very poor 4th in the VAG food train.

 

It doesn't even make a profit from selling it's own models, but it does assemble cars for VW & Audi, so it has it's uses.

 

In terms of %age profits per car,  it's Audi, Skoda, VW & Seat.

 

Not so sure re. market share though, that will vary a lot between the countries.

 

DC

Maybe Norway market is not a good example but in the UK they are clearly above the skoda brand.

Que? How / why would you think that, numbers of vehicles sold, profitability?

 

DC

I cannot for the life of me see why people buy skoda time after time after time.

Never before has any car I have owned either new or used spent so much time at a dealer.

Ive had

6 panels resprayed

3 replacement tailgate struts

2 airvent modules

Door card removed and securely attached

Now the leather (or whatever they call leather in chezh) is wearing off the seat.

All in 18months and after a measly 8000 miles. Would I buy/lease one again..NO. 

The brand is still a joke as was 20/30 years ago.

Erm....

 

Bought a 4 year old Oct vRS in 2011, 25k miles & really tidy inside & out, enjoyed it for 2 years & swapped it for a 9 month old Superb.

 

I still have the car, love it to bits & can't fault it for quality or reliability.

 

SWMBO changed her VW for a 2 year old vRS in 2013, again good build quality, reliability & performance & it's been swapped this for a new VW.

 

So, up to now, we've enjoyed the three Skodas that we've owned, (outright, not bought on tick or leased.....)., but we did get very close to buying a 2015 vRS, but walked away from it on perceived interior quality grounds.

 

Maybe Skoda has been cost-cutting on Octy 3's, to pay for all the new toys but we are unlikely to own one unless the make some improvements to their interiors.

 

Now, if you were considering a Superb 3, that's very much nicer than the Octy 3, to drive & to be in, it still feels like a good quality vehicle.

Which is why I'm not swapping my Superb 2 for an Octy 3 & we've bought a VW instead.

 

Maybe you've proved that buying any new model car is a mistake for the 1st year or two?

 

 

DC

I have to consider why seats are priced higher than skoda in the UK and the cupra derivatives receive more powerful powerplants than skoda.

Maybe they 'sell' fewer due to the pricing? I don't mind owing a car at the bottom of the ladder.

My favorite car was a Subaru Impreza. 

 

Snap!  Fettled the engine, brakes and suspension to turn it into a beast for not a great deal of money.  My wife could hear the exhaust burble all the way along our road as I drove home.

 

Arrival of kids and house move meant it had to make way for something more practical :(

I cannot for the life of me see why people buy skoda time after time after time.

Never before has any car I have owned either new or used spent so much time at a dealer.

Ive had

6 panels resprayed

3 replacement tailgate struts

2 airvent modules

Door card removed and securely attached

Now the leather (or whatever they call leather in chezh) is wearing off the seat.

All in 18months and after a measly 8000 miles. Would I buy/lease one again..NO.

The brand is still a joke as was 20/30 years ago.

I bought a 1998 Octavia 1.8-20V SLX in 2001 - and still owns it. After 340.000 km its still going strong and has never had a major failure of any kind.

Now its rusty and ugly after several minor accidents but it just run and run and run and.............

In 2010 I bought an 2004 Superb 1,8 T, I sold it this spring with 230.000 km and it was always a comfortable and reliable car.

 

So why shouldnt I bought Skoda again?

It looks like the mk3 Octavia is a worse car than the older one, if I read all the faults that people writes about in this forum. But time will tell.

After two months of ownership I am still happy and the only complain I have is the road/wheel noise that was better in my old Superb.

I have to consider why seats are priced higher than skoda in the UK and the cupra derivatives receive more powerful powerplants than skoda.

Maybe they 'sell' fewer due to the pricing? I don't mind owing a car at the bottom of the ladder.

I think VAG sees SEAT as it's sporty, young and trendy brand. Skoda is more reserved and directed at the family, practical, old fogey market. VW is mainstream lower-premium class, and Audi is the premium sporty hairdresser sales-rep derivative. Pecking order is Audi > VW > SEAT > Skoda.

Edited 9 June, 201610 yr by Orville

I bought a 1998 Octavia 1.8-20V SLX in 2001 - and still owns it. After 340.000 km its still going strong and has never had a major failure of any kind.

Now its rusty and ugly after several minor accidents but it just run and run and run and.............

In 2010 I bought an 2004 Superb 1,8 T, I sold it this spring with 230.000 km and it was always a comfortable and reliable car.

 

So why shouldnt I bought Skoda again?

It looks like the mk3 Octavia is a worse car than the older one, if I read all the faults that people writes about in this forum. But time will tell.

After two months of ownership I am still happy and the only complain I have is the road/wheel noise that was better in my old Superb.

 

My father-in-law is a self-employed taxi driver and lives in Penzance.

 

He says that over the past six or seven years, almost all of the local independent taxi drivers down there have moved over to Skoda.

 

Mostly Superbs (understandable).......the general consensus, apparently, is that the brand is unremarkable but solid and dependable.

 

If you apply that to Joe Public, then if you want a car that'll reliably get you from A to B without bells and whistles then Skoda is your brand.......if you want a few luxuries then Seat, Audi or VW should be your focus.

 

Personally, my VRS has provided me with all the in-car luxuries that I need but your mileage might vary.

I do like the appearance of the seat sports tourer cupra with 280BHP. I agree for sure that seat is marketed as sporty, the high output engines indicate.

I too had a 1.9 TDI mk 2 and it was faultless in the 4.5 years I had it. It was sadly written off, and there was only one car I wanted to replace it with.. a mk3.

 

I too have had some mechanical issues with the car, all of which have been rectified by the very good dealer in Oxford and I have experienced some of the trim rattles which really winds me up. It is a lovely looking car - one of the best looking out there I think, however I have been disappointed by the build quality in comparison to my mk2 (and mk1 before that).

Economy is excellent though and it feels more nimble than the MK2. Road noise, transmission noise are not so great though.

 

For value for money though it really is hard to beat and it is very practical and comfortable.

 

 

 

I haven't really 'gelled' with it yet in the 6 months I have had it, I am hoping I do so in time. I may look to move on to something else if I have any further issues, but nothing else really appeals like the Octavia.. possibly V50 Volvo?

I too had a 1.9 TDI mk 2 and it was faultless in the 4.5 years I had it. It was sadly written off, and there was only one car I wanted to replace it with.. a mk3.

 

I too have had some mechanical issues with the car, all of which have been rectified by the very good dealer in Oxford and I have experienced some of the trim rattles which really winds me up. It is a lovely looking car - one of the best looking out there I think, however I have been disappointed by the build quality in comparison to my mk2 (and mk1 before that).

Economy is excellent though and it feels more nimble than the MK2. Road noise, transmission noise are not so great though.

 

For value for money though it really is hard to beat and it is very practical and comfortable.

 

 

 

I haven't really 'gelled' with it yet in the 6 months I have had it, I am hoping I do so in time. I may look to move on to something else if I have any further issues, but nothing else really appeals like the Octavia.. possibly V50 Volvo?

very useful, thank you. I also have been thinking about a V50. The old chap across the road has one and it appeals to me. Right size, and a nice looking car I think. I ill probably take a drive in one. I drove an XC60, but did not like the drive, the steering was awful, way too heavy at speed to be enjoyable, even though it cornered quite well. I' in a position to spend more if I want, but based on the cars I have driven so far I don't see the point. I can't believe that cars a couple of years old are not as good as the 1989 Audi I had

I do like the appearance of the seat sports tourer cupra with 280BHP. I agree for sure that seat is marketed as sporty, the high output engines indicate.

It looks pretty, but it's cramped inside & as for interior quality & dashboard layout / materials / colours, yeuk!

 

SWMBO just said no, my old Octy looks / feels better.

'Tis a shame, it would have been cheaper to buy than the R, but possibly not so true if leased or acquired using a PCP. 

 

DC

I'd say the materials were going to be on a par with the skoda. The skoda is no Bentley after all. Agreed the dashboard doesn't appear so aesthetically pleasing but it has adaptive dampers, LSD, 280BHP and looks much better than the vrs.

I'd say the materials were going to be on a par with the skoda. The skoda is no Bentley after all. Agreed the dashboard doesn't appear so aesthetically pleasing but it has adaptive dampers, LSD, 280BHP and looks much better than the vrs.

If an estate car looks" good" then it's not going to be very usable, which is where the Octy, & to a lesser extent, the Golf score.

 

The Leon is not unlike to Focus ST to look at, but both are too small to be useful. The Octy 3 wagon is big enough for most of us that want or need a decent size estate.

 

I'd would have purchased a Superb 3 kombi, but the predicted residuals are dreadful so we decided to keep my current Superb for the foreseeable future & buy a Golf estate instead.

 

I don't know who actually buys Seat cars in the UK, but apart from the Alhambra they don't have a full range of vehicles just small / medium hatches & MPV's.

They will be selling a brand new SUV soon, but that's a rebadged Skoda.

 

Seat don't seem to have the resources to develop, style & manufacture a complete range of cars whereas Skoda does seem to have that ability.

 

 I still can't see Seat being number 3 in the VAG pecking order!

SEAT are making noises about returning to the Aussie market again now that Skoda sales are beginning to become economically viable.

They aborted a half hearted attempt a few years back due to lack of interest then.

Skoda do not sell at much of a discount to the equivalent VW product here compared to the UK.

The Aus market is a bit weird, the big sellers in the medium car class are the Mazda 3 and Hyundai i30, the big movers though are SUV, utes and V8s. The V8 mustang has a waiting list.