i just want to know why they were so bad and from the abuse i get verbally as a young driver with a skoda how they managed to build up such a seemingly bad reputation, was it down to reliability, performance looks what i dont knwo as you dont really see many of them around here, becoming a bit like the dodo me thinks.

thanks

Combination of a few things. Most of all they looked rubbish.

they looked rubbish

they looked rubbish :orb_cool:

Oi you two.... Behave.

Maybe they did but they were little mirracles.

Think of the situation in the then Czechoslovakia. Communist rule with aparachicks in most of the senior positions, including Skoda. These guys had no idea how to run a car firm.

Than you had Moscow - who wouldn't allow Skoda to develop a decent car (even if the cash was available) for fear of messing up Lada.

Skoda had a number of front engine front and rear wheel drive cars ready in the early 1970's. One looked like the Audi 80 of the time, the other like the VW Polo. They were shelved in favour of the Estelle.

Even the Estelle was designed with a front radiator specifically for a front engine. But again Moscow said no.

The biggest miracle was the Favorit though. Designed and built on a shoestring in just over 2 years.

I have no doubt that had VW not taken over and the cash had been available, Skoda would be producing decent cars on their own. OK the VW influence wouldn't be there and the cars would have been a little quirky (think reliable Citroen) but they still would have been good.

The use of cheap contaminated steel in the body construction also meant that rust was a built in guarantee in the rear engined cars etc .

Skoda actually goes back to the twenties ( i think?) and pre war / pre communism they actually produced some high class ( if a little quirky looking ) quality cars ... eg the original Superb ..

That said, the 'old' communist rear engined cars if you could keep on top of the rust were great fun to drive , and did win their class on the RAC rally ( now WRC GB ) for about 25 years running ! Fit a pair of 45 Webbers and away you go .......... brilliant !

I believe most of Skoda's bad rep came from the fact that they were assembled by convicts in the 70s and 80s from designs drawn up in the 60s - a design / human resources decision that even British Leyland wouldn't have made!!!

The ones that were properly put together were very good AFAIK - the rally versions of the rear-engined models (don't know enough to say what they were called) were pretty competitive.

Also, according to Wikipedia, Skoda means 'pity' in Czech and Slovak, which can't have helped motivate the company workforce!!!

Oi you two.... Behave.

Maybe they did but they were little mirracles.

Think of the situation in the then Czechoslovakia. Communist rule with aparachicks in most of the senior positions' date=' including Skoda. These guys had no idea how to run a car firm.

Than you had Moscow - who wouldn't allow Skoda to develop a decent car (even if the cash was available) for fear of messing up Lada.

Skoda had a number of front engine front and rear wheel drive cars ready in the early 1970's. One looked like the Audi 80 of the time, the other like the VW Polo. They were shelved in favour of the Estelle.

Even the Estelle was designed with a front radiator specifically for a front engine. But again Moscow said no.

The biggest miracle was the Favorit though. Designed and built on a shoestring in just over 2 years.

I have no doubt that had VW not taken over and the cash had been available, Skoda would be producing decent cars on their own. OK the VW influence wouldn't be there and the cars would have been a little quirky (think reliable Citroen) but they still would have been good.[/quote']

We were only joking. But I still think that they were rubbish. No, I also disagree that it would have took a very,very long time for Skoda to crawl out of the pit of 'joke cars' as well. You may know your stuff on history, but little miracles they were NOT. As for 'reliable Citroen', well, that's another joke as well.

Have a look here

http://digilander.libero.it/cuoccimix/ENGLISH-automotorusse9-B(skoda).htm

a design / human resources decision that even British Leyland wouldn't have made!!!

Not sure that's true - they just didn't think of it

see if this link works? http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?... click vortex forums then down 2 buggati /skoda. o eye. check out the skoda calender. not as good as ours. but nice accessaries.

A wide range of historical articles here:

http://www.briskoda.net/modules.php?file=index&name=Content

Some of the problem stems from the above, and a slight bombing raid by the allies days before the end of the war...no factory sets you back a bit.

Pre war they were arguably leaques ahead of others and of course around before many off shoot brands of today.

Some good reads in the history section.

Also' date=' according to Wikipedia, Skoda means 'pity' in Czech and Slovak, which can't have helped motivate the company workforce!!!

Yes Skoda - Pronounced sh-god-a means pitty and or sorrow, in the context it's a pitty that................. It's a shame that...... etc

Carry on laughing about the old skodas guys!

My 2 do very well for 17 yr old cars and my blue one takes me to work each day. Its cheaper to run than a TD Octy estate and hasnt let me down on cold wet mornings like the other makes the guys at work drive.

So far all the old skoda jokes have backfired mine hasnt let me down!

Skoda have a long history of inovation from development of a 'flying saucer' to artillary in the second world war. The comunist regime meant that ideas they had for new cars had to be shelved so competition against Lada would not be too great. Development of the rally cars shows what they where capable of and would have produced in their own good sweet time had the oppurtunity been available. with the fall of the wall vw recognised this and moved in. Only the PR machine says that Skodas are based on VW's but we all know that the FAbia was the first to use the new ,polo, chasis, that skoda developed the 64 bhp 12v engine etc. so maybe vw got the best deal and not skoda????????

cheers guys thats all made some interesting reading, i just tire of hearing how bad they were and wanted to know why.thanks

:confused: I'm constantly amazed that people on a Skoda enthusiasts forum continually slag off the cars that form a big part of Skodas history, yet obviously have no idea what they are talking about!! I think you'll find that most people who actually have EXPERIENCE of the old Skodas and have some actual real KNOWLEDGE to back up their comments, will agree that the rear engined cars were among the best engineered cars in the world, and damn good at doing excactly what they were designed for. Add to that their undoubted charm, quirkiness and fun, and the ability to cope with the toughest conditions.

I'm sorry to sound so miserable, but these cars were truly great in so many ways, and to see people who are apparantly Skoda enthusiasts and have probably never been near one say such rubbish appalls me:thumbdwn:

I'd have another one They were robust and reliable. I found them to be very well built in an agricultural way, no sexy little bits of metal just good robust engineering.. I never worried too much about bodywork unless it would cause concern to scrutineers. Yes, I used to rally them and they were brilliant for that

:confused: I'm constantly amazed that people on a Skoda enthusiasts forum continually slag off the cars that form a big part of Skodas history' date=' yet obviously have no idea what they are talking about!! I think you'll find that most people who actually have EXPERIENCE of the old Skodas and have some actual real KNOWLEDGE to back up their comments, will agree that the rear engined cars were among the best engineered cars in the world, and damn good at doing excactly what they were designed for. Add to that their undoubted charm, quirkiness and fun, and the ability to cope with the toughest conditions.

I'm sorry to sound so miserable, but these cars were truly great in so many ways, and to see people who are apparantly Skoda enthusiasts and have probably never been near one say such rubbish appalls me:thumbdwn:[/quote']Things like the starving in Africa, Child abuse, Rape, Murder... that appalls ME. Get a life. The original thread asked WHY peoples opinions of Skodas were (and to some degree still are) of a jokey nature. Joe Bloggs aint interested in Skodas military history or the fact that they were rear engined reliable workhorses. The average person on the street just 'sees' what they see and although years ago I did know a thing or two about Skodas and did appreciate what they stood for, the public saw them for what they looked like. Dig deep, but in most peoples heart of hearts, they looked rubbish. Note the word 'LOOKED'. That's where the stigma came from my friend, that answers the question and that's life.

Look rubbish? Nonsense!

Look rubbish? Nonsense!

No mate, you too are missing the point. This car is a classic example of a great car (to me and you) to the GENERAL PUBLIC in the 70's and 80's, Skoda were a joke. I remember when I was a kid as well. I LIKE OLD SKODAS ! Now live with it, most people DO NOT like old Skodas. How many times ......... :(

No mate, you too are missing the point. This car is a classic example of a great car (to me and you) to the GENERAL PUBLIC in the 70's and 80's, Skoda were a joke. I remember when I was a kid as well. I LIKE OLD SKODAS ! Now live with it, most people DO NOT like old Skodas. How many times ......... :(

No, you're missing the point. They never looked rubbish, it's just the stigma of the badge that would make most people say that.

No, you're missing the point. They never looked rubbish, it's just the stigma of the badge that would make most people say that.

Don't be rediculous !! Do you honestly think that prople in the 70 & 80's looked at the badge and thought " ooh !! don't like that name". This thread originally questioned WHY people had this stigma. They saw the car then the badge. You need to climb out of your Skoda high horse and read the thread properley.

FOR THE 3RD TIME, I LIKE SKODAS, MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T OR STILL DO NOT.

:ready2go:

Fight, fight, fight!

:sofahide:

No, in all honesty, Witchfinder loves and adores the Marque. I can see where he is coming from. It just that for most people (years ago and today) a car is simply a fashion item & status symbol. Years ago, Skoda was niether. That's why there was a stigma. Anyone who has some knowledge of Skoda cars of the past will already know about the points mentioned by the other guys, but the thread asked where the stigma cam from. I started joking (as did another member) and obviously this touched a raw nerve with some. Chill out anyway.