Skoda - Why did you buy one?

[Wakey]

This is my third Skoda; a vRS230 combi, previously I owned a black edition rooster and a mk2 Fabia vRS concurrently.

 

I love the brand largely because of its geeky cool image and great styling. I know a lot of people still see the Skoda brand as a cheap choice, but for me the quality is great and the styling very neat.

 

I didn't buy an Octy vRS as a performance model but more of a swift family car that looks sharp and goes well

 

How about you guys?

[Rustynuts]

I bought my Yeti because it's practical 4wd motoring with loads of space in the back for all the gear. There wasn't anything else on the market which ticked the boxes for me.

[philbes]

The Octavia vRS CR DSG had the right combination of performance, economy and boot space that I needed when I bought it 3-1/2 years ago. The car has fulfilled all my needs and I have mainly enjoyed driving it. The car has been totally reliable except for a collapsed upper side bolster on the driver's seat which is a known problem but Skoda insist I pay for the repair despite my car being manufactured almost two years after the fault was first known.

My mileage has now dropped and I also no longer need such a large boot. I love the DSG so my next car will probably be a petrol Leon, Golf or A3; but will definitely have DSG.

Edited 31 August, 2016 by philbes

[Gromle]

I bought mine because it was one of the few cars that would give me space, petrol engine, 4x4 and automatic transmission without costing a fortune.

[Dodgy]

On my 5th Octavia. I've had an SLX, Elegance followed by 3 vRS'. Up to this point, the Octavia (especially in vRS form) was a thinking person's alternative to Audi, VW etc. Almost nothing else could match it for the blend of performance, value for money and quality. 

 

Things are changing, bolstered by finally shedding the Skoda (largely undeserved) reputation from years ago, together with strong sales, prices are going up and yet Skoda still very much plays second fiddle to the other marques in the VAG stable.

 

I have never been ashamed of being in a Skoda, far from it, I actually enjoyed demonstrating that I was secure and able to choose the best car for the money. But now I'm thinking I can be in a 'premium' car for the same if not just a little more money.

 

Unless my dealer manages to pull something out of the hat, I'll be off  :|

[Czechers]

I originally wanted a Golf, but ended up with the Octy because;-

I could have a heated windscreen without speccing the advanced phone prep.

It was on a much cheaper lease deal.

The Race Blue paint was much nicer than any of the drab colours available for the Golf.

[moley]

On my sixth Octavia combi, Wife's on her second Fabia, soon to have her third.

[gullyg]

Bought a 2006 mk1 Fabia vRS back in 2011-2012 (i think) and was so impressed I ordered the Octy 3 vRS when it came out, especially as the fabia held it's value so well.

However I've had so many niggley little issues with the car and SUK's suckyness in addition to Skoda's increase in cost and penny pinching/restriction of options (1.8i 4x4 or 4x4 petrol vrs or 4x4 non dsg vrs etc etc) that I'm not buying another.

Plus VAG's lieing on safety, security and emissions.

F-Pace or XC60 is looking like it's going to be the next car, although I'm still trying to get SWMBO to look at the S3, we're off tomorrow to look at the Ford Edge and BMW X3 so I might "stop" next to the audi garage.

Edited 31 August, 2016 by gullyg

[Brooksuk]

Boot capacity sold it for me. Had a mk2 Blackline estate and chopped it in for a TSI vRS estate as I wanted to swap to the DSG box. Love it.

[Item]

Like the low-key, handsome styling

Like the drive and performance

Like the practicality

 

At that price-point I couldn't find any other new estates that ticked the same boxes - Golf GTI was too small and more expensive and I sure as hell wasn't going to buy a Holden SV6 wagon.

[silver1011]

It was cheap and the boot is huge.

[VRS230]

Practicality and performance mainly.

 

Also, the interior quality has come on leaps and bounds, I've come from VW and Seat as recent cars and the quality is on a par with my VW Scirocco and better than anything that Seat offer now in my eyes.

 

That and my local VW dealer ****ed me off when I was looking at a Golf R

[Paul007]

Had Octavias since 2003. Affordable and, that boot.....

[vRSAnt]

One argument could be because its NOT a

VW, BMW, MERC, FIAT, CITROEN, PEUGEOT, VAUXHALL, etc

[TonyD]

Current car is my 3rd VRS estate. Love the boot space (I have always had rescue greyhounds and lurchers). Love the space and comfort as a family car but really love the pace and refinement of that 2.0L TSI. Family now grown up and I'm retiring in a couple of years without a dog and to be honest Ford Focus RS is calling

Edited 31 August, 2016 by TonyD

[ednmra]

Had a Primera GT before they went and ruined the look of the next version. Came home from holiday and found a local advert for the Mk. 1 vRS hatch and went for a test drive.

Traded it later for Mk.2 2 litre Elegance hatch, then that for 1.8Tsi hatch (which I must admit was my favourite to date.)

 

After about 6 years traded that for the present 1.4 TSi, on a 3 year PCP, but looking at the current new prices I'm not sure I'll go for another unless there is a very good deal.

The prices have not just crept up a little, they now bear no comparison with previous deals.

[dsj20v]

I wanted a mk6 golf gti then stumbled on my lovely rallye green mk2 fl petrol vrs, 62 plate for what at the time would've been 5k cheaper than golf, never looked back

[Rodge]

Good reviews, big, looks good, lots of toys as standard and cheap.

[stu53]

I'm new to owning a Skoda. Loving so many things about it. Quality feel, excellent value, so many features, DSG, performance, economy, great ground clearance ........

[ExSEAT]

Needed out of my SEAT, would never pay for a golf, never had a Ford and would not have one, BMW was poverty spec for top class prices, not one for french cars, toyotas are bland these days, honda is a mid life crisis boy racer car at 30K+ and I wasnt going to go backwards on spec or space. That left me with few choices, the VRS just happened to have a strong engine and be on a good deal. I have no badge snobbery so going for the taxi didnt bother me in the slightest and I have no regrets!

[SkodaCB]

Father bought a Felicia Estate in '96 again in '00 never had a single issue with either of them. He died in '04 so the family was without a car for a year till I turned 17.

Our main dealer Martin Barrett knew my dad well, having been the very first cash sale Martin had on a Skoda. He cut me a solid deal on a '00 Felicia Estate. That unfortunately didn't end well driver pulled out on me without looking and caused the car to be a right off.

Went back to Martin again for a '00 Cordoba which after 2 years of ownership started giving trouble. Electric windows stopped working, whole mechanism fell apart, clutch pedal fell to the floor, gearbox started to fail, decided to trade that in for a new Octavia Estate in '08, cut me a deal €5,500 for the Cordoba even with all the problems it had.

I owned that for 6 years and 75,000 miles thing was absolutely bulletproof, but decided in 2014 to trade it against a new Octavia, once again bulletproof, and come next February I'll be trading my current car in for a 171 Octavia VRs.

[Chuck222]

Have always had a Toyota.. had an avensis for 12 years and decided it was time for a change.. needed something that could transport whatever needed transporting.. wanted a petrol model, automatic hatchback.. checked the market.. very limited choice.. mate had previously had an Octavia and we thought it was good.. wife has an auris hybrid so we weren't bothered too much by fuel consumption.. went to the local skoda dealer did a couple of test drives.. had a chat with the dealer, did a couple more test drives and decided on a vrs 230... great choice (so far) it's ticks all the boxes and on top of that, My God, doesn't it put the fun back into driving...

[j1mg]

We originally went in to trade in our SEAT Ibiza, with every intention of getting a Leon, but while we were walking around, we started looking in the other side of the Showroom (Joint SEAT and Skoda Showroom) and the Octavia caught our eye.

It probably wouldn't have, but it was the Black Edition, so had the body kit, as the standard body still looks a little "Grandad" to me. What swung it was the finance offers that Skoda seem to offer over SEAT.

 

Haven't looked back, in fact... I pick up a second one in 16 hours!

As I needed a new car for my business, and getting my kit in the MINI Convertible that I've been trundling around in was starting to kill my back.

[M12MKD]

Because I'm a fanboy (apparently).

No really, I trust the brand and out of the dealers, they actually listened to what I wanted to buy, not what they wanted to sell me.

As well as a few of the above points.

[Gerrycan]

There are not many reasonably priced, medium wagons (estates/combi to you) available in Australia and many are compromised by:

overt styling affecting the driver/passenger vision through windows

relatively poor internal efficiency

excessive weight and/or poor power outputs and transmissions.

 

That pretty much only left the Golf and Octavia and Megane and since I wanted a manual the Octavia 1.4tsi gave me by far the best bang for my buck.

Any more power is a total waste on our heavily policed roads. In the course of one short 81 km journey last weekend I negotiated a fixed average speed camera complex, a separate manned mobile speed camera and I was stopped at another site and breathalysed (sober). On the plus side I averaged 80kph and 4.8L/100 (58mpg)

 

The bonus of the Skoda Octavia is that apart from being consummately practical, it is proving to be economical and really enjoyable to drive.

 

I have done the family SUV and people mover thing and I have found them, particularly the Korean built versions, sadly lacking in driving pleasure.

The big sellers in this country are Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Holden (GM owned).

Local manufacturing from Toyota, Ford and Holden are closing and things are getting quite desperate here...

Edited 1 September, 2016 by Gerrycan