Still undecided about ordering a Superb...

[cellist]

Hi, briskoda members!

 

I have been silently reading the forum for a few years now - three years ago it played an important part in my decision to buy an Octavia (III combi 1.6 TDI elegance), eventhough the Fabia (1.2 TSI   ) it replaced has been a definition of disaster and was probably a friday-the-13th-car.

Well, the past three years passed very quickly and my (not faultless, but still beloved) Octavia has 145.000KM on the odometer - it might be the best moment to change it now. And here comes my dillema:

a year ago I test-drove a new Superb III hatch 2.0 TDI DSG SE-L (Style), which I absolutely loved. The ride quality, noise level, build quality and materials were absolutely perfect - the car had 8.000KM.

So now the first choice was also a Superb! Since I need a lot of space for my equipment, only Combi comes as possibility. Time for another test drive! Another Style, this time as Combi and small 2.0 TDI manual and 32.000KM on the clock (1 year old). And it was shocking.

The car was falling apart! Central console cubby was broken and laying loose, glovebox was soon to follow, noises were coming from the dashboard, the interior and its materials were worn off. After one year!

Is it something that I should also expect from my car? If that's the case, I will unfortunantely have to think of some other solution, since Octavia is also not very brilliant in this chapter.

Because on the other side, there is the horribly boring, but well-built and enormously spacious VW Touran, which I could get for less money and also the new Seat Ateca, which I am test-driving tomorrow!

To sum up - my question to you is: how is Superb's build quality? Should I trust Škoda for the third time and hope this one will (finally) be fine or give up and look for other options?

 

 

Thanks in advance for your answers and help! Greetings from Slovenia

 

 

[dodsi]

I suppose it is all down to how well the car has been treated. If not treated with care any car will fall apart.

I think the build quality is good and I can't foresee any issues with my car - however it has just over 1k miles on the clock.

Buy a superb or don't buy one - that's a decision only you can make. One thing is for certain... asking on a superb forum is not going to yield you a unbiased response.

[Rainmaker]

Only you can decide, but... 

 

Skoda Superb

VW Touran

Seat Ateca

 

You do realise they're all basically the same VAG parts with different badges slapped on the front and back? At least test drive some alternatives from other marques like Ford, Mazda, BMW etc to get a taste for alternatives. That's my advice. As dodsi said, it is much more about how you care for it than anything else. However, there does seem to be more complaining about the Superb mk3 than the last model, perhaps as a result of more cost cutting and weight saving. Our 2.0 TSI is over 5,000 miles now (8,000 KM) and is still as perfect as the day we collected it (some minor annoying factory paint defects aside).

[Kungfugerbil]

So...an MPV, SUV or saloon?

I would choose which one of those you want first, then choose the car

Build quality on mine (1yr old now) is fantastic. It was treated well by its previous owner, and it's been treated well by me. Nothing falling off, no trips to the dealer, no squeaks, no wear...

The Ateca does look nice, but I would wait for the Kodiaq if you can!

[Lol6]

Best maintenance, best tyres, best fluids. Take care of the body and interior. Spend some time on it. Treat it with sympathy. You should be rewarded with a good car in the long term. There are always exceptions but the same should apply to most cars these days.

[russ1610]

Love my car but its a private car with only 6500 on the clock since April, However what I would say is they appear to stand up well considering how many are being sold as Taxi's, Now those guys don't exactly look after their cars and the drunken passengers certainly don't but they are lasting well, if they didn't the taxi company's would not be buying them.

[fromglo]

Well i was in similar situation, my Octavia MK3 lease was coming to an end this December. And wanted to go for Superb.

 

I only did 18000 miles in Octavia according to my local dealer i am still in negative equity. So, they are not that keen in doing a deal with a new superb.

 

In the end i went and order Seat Ateca with same engine with good discount on that car and full finance settlement on my Octavia by Seat dealer such a shame Skoda dealer was not ready to settle the finance. How-ever i am happy with my Ateca, its a good car although inside is not as posh as Superb.

[MCG1975]

I've had my Superb just over 8 months and have just under 22,000 miles on it so far.  Everything still seems OK - couple of minor snags on the steering wheel covering where it's got caught, but everything is still holding together and seems OK, nothing loose or rattling.  For the most part it's just me using the car, so only the driver's seat gets used for the majority of the time, but that's all fine and I've no concerns thus far.

 

Of course, I've said it now...waiting for something to fall off over the weekend  :peek:

[Silverage]

How could you be in negative equity on a lease that was ending in 2 months? If you are leasing the car, you never have any equity in it at all. Your only obligation is the remaining lease payments.

[cellist]

Guys, thank you for the answers!

First, I did test-drive a few cars. Mazda 6 isn't my type of car, and the boot is a joke. You can only transport flat packs from Ikea in there! Mondeo was written off immediately when I sat in at the dealership (bad seats and materials, strange ergonomy) and the BMW is just too expensive. I didn't even bother to look at Insignia (from what I read it's a fat thirsty old unreliable car) and Peugeot 508 (after reading a horrible comment about it in the Octavia section here); however, I did consider Talisman, but Renault do not offer a demo with less than all extras - of course, the 45k€ Talisman is not a bad car, but when I finally found a reasonable trim level with manual (just to sit in, without possibility of a test drive) it was a completely other story.

And today, the situation got much easier. I test drove the Ateca and loved it - it's a fantastic car, very comfortable, well built and lots of great gadgets too, but there are only 32 vehicles available for our area this year, which will be used as demos - it's only possible to get a car from the beginning of the next year!!!

Also, at the VW dealership we found out that all available Tourans are set to arrive in Jan 2017. Too late...

But then, we found a car by accident! It's a Passat variant, Comfortline/SE trim level, 2.0 TDI 150KM manual with led low, small satnav and rearview camera in a beautiful dark grey color for the same price as Superb. So now, the dilemma is on another level:

Passat has the satnav, ACC and camera, which I would very much like to have, but it misses heated seats, blind spot warning, electrical boot, KESSY and a few other little extras. It's a bit more expensive to service and the boot is not marginally smaller. Also, the overall feeling is more cramped than in Superb, and the materials did not seem so great either!

At the moment, I'm still leaning towards the Superb, borrowed it for the night and it grew on me again. Have until tuesday to choose, will keep you informed!

[grenness]

from what i've heard, skoda is now the VAG brand with the lowest rate of warranty complaints per number of sold cars. meaning skodas leaving the chech factory have an average higher build quality than even audis.

a friend of mine working in VAG told me this.

[Rainmaker]

So you've been busy cellist! I loved our new model 6, but we did get the tourer which has a much more usable boot space. I'm surprised you didn't like the new Mondeo's seats, I thought they were excellent. While I don't like their use of gloss piano black trim (more than in the Superb), Fords generally lack the squishy touch points of VAG cars but they are just as well screwed together. Don't mistake 'perceived' quality for actual build quality. That aside, if you don't like them you don't like them - I was just saying.

 

Regards the Passat v Superb, it depends what spec Superb you're looking at for the same money? If it's L&K then go go go, but if you can get a decently specced Passat with toys for the same as a low spec Superb it'd be a tougher call. Both cars are fairly dull, fairly reliable A to B transport, so just pick your poison. The Passat will probably have marginally better residuals (VW versus Skoda) but look at the TCO including servicing and depreciation as well as whether the things like whether they have heated seats.

 

Either way I don't think you'll be disappointed, they're fairly similar motors underneath after all.

[MartiniB]

year ago my choice list were

1. Škoda Superb 2.0 TSI 220ps 6DSG Style + huge count of options ~40k euros

2. Hyundai Tucson 1.6 T-GDI 177ps 7DSG 4WD Premium ~36k euros

3. Peugeot 508 hrx 2.0 e-HDi HY4 163hp/200hp ETG6 4WD ~40k, third place only cause no gasoline engine in list

 

now I'm crying because of my stupid decision

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/410523-rattles-vibrations-mediocre-handling-questionable-paintwork-and-other-general-negativity/?p=4707765

 

[fromglo]

How could you be in negative equity on a lease that was ending in 2 months? If you are leasing the car, you never have any equity in it at all. Your only obligation is the remaining lease payments.

 

 

Sorry my mistake its not a lease its a PCP.....

[Kungfugerbil]

now I'm crying because of my stupid decision

We're all suffering because of your decision

[cellist]

@MartiniB - so sorry to hear that! Hope that the troubles that can be resolved will be resolved shortly! But - do you really think you would be happier with a Hyundai? I also test-drove the new i40 and found it quite horrible - the engine (1.7 140hp diesel) was just as quick as our other car, a 6yo 122hp Golf Plus and consumed just as much (on the other hand, the 2.0 TDI Superb didn't show a difference compared to my 1.6 TDI Octavia!)

 

@Rainmaker - I also tested the 6 Tourer - it might be OK for carrying bags (or loose liquid  ), but for my type of load it's as suitable as a Fabia combi. My back didn't like Monde's seats, and the cheap plastic really put me off. Hatch's boot was massive, but lacked any kind of simply-clever solutions (hooks, additional storage spaces, false floor,...) and it was just impossible to find a Turnier - when they found one three weeks later, I just wasn't interested anymore.

 

Both Passat and Superb are SE spec - so not bad, but nothing special. Passat lacks the KESSY, which I found a great addition when driving the Superb again, but has the reverse camera (could be retrofitted) and the satnav (Carplay just isn't the right replacement).

 

Would you have issue with Passat standing at the dealership for the last 4 months

[MartiniB]

@MartiniB - so sorry to hear that! Hope that the troubles that can be resolved will be resolved shortly! But - do you really think you would be happier with a Hyundai? I also test-drove the new i40 and found it quite horrible - the engine (1.7 140hp diesel) was just as quick as our other car, a 6yo 122hp Golf Plus and consumed just as much (on the other hand, the 2.0 TDI Superb didn't show a difference compared to my 1.6 TDI Octavia!)

who knows, who knows

but from today's point of view chances looks higher

cause with previous 2009 Hyundai Sonata 2.0 CRDi 4AT 155ps(€21500) i had only ~12 service visits in seven years

instead ~10 in half year with Superb(€38270)

and with Hyundai Tucson i had unexpected "Bruce Almighty" efect what i can't say about Škoda Superb

[cellist]

I'm glad to let you know that I decided to go for Superb! For the exactly same conditions as Passat Comfortline (SE), which is unfortunantely quite a basic trim, I got a Superb Style (SE-L) with no extras, but our Style spec includes more than I would personally add to the car myself - bixenon, ACC, KESSY, electric seats, electrical boot with virtual pedal, heated front seats, blind spot sensor,...

And the best thing - it's on stock!

I'll be collecting it latest next friday as I'm trying to say goodbye to my faithful Octavia for a little more money than my dealer's offer. I'll miss her!

The deal I got is fantastic, my saleswoman looked quite desperate at the end... She also promised to give me 4 winter tyres!

As soon as the car comes, pictures (and it's quarty grey) will be posted.

Thanks for all your help!

[Superb170]

I'm glad to let you know that I decided to go for Superb! For the exactly same conditions as Passat Comfortline (SE), which is unfortunantely quite a basic trim, I got a Superb Style (SE-L) with no extras, but our Style spec includes more than I would personally add to the car myself - bixenon, ACC, KESSY, electric seats, electrical boot with virtual pedal, heated front seats, blind spot sensor,...

And the best thing - it's on stock!

I'll be collecting it latest next friday as I'm trying to say goodbye to my faithful Octavia for a little more money than my dealer's offer. I'll miss her!

The deal I got is fantastic, my saleswoman looked quite desperate at the end... She also promised to give me 4 winter tyres!

As soon as the car comes, pictures (and it's quarty grey) will be posted.

Thanks for all your help!

That's sounds like a great deal plus you don't have to endure an agonising wait like most!  Best of luck with it.