Bye Bye Skoda

[SteveHut]

After two years and 53k my two year old Superb is going this week. Its due a service and needs two tyres and I have the option of handing it back now so decided its a good time to get something else.

 

While its been a good car its never one that I have really bonded with, though my Dad is on his 3rd Superb. I had an Audi A6 previously and while you don't get as many toys I much preferred it to the Superb. The main reason being seating position and build quality. The Superb was bought for the 4x4 and price difference compared to the Audi, more space in the rear for the kids and the lower service costs enabled myself to buy a new mountain bike. The car over my time has done 38mpg which is similar to the A6.

 

Good Points

Good dealer service

Space

4x4

Looks

Not many around

Toys (I ticked just about every option)

Power & torque when fully loaded

ACC never thought would like it, though only ever use it in roadworks on motorway.

Ground clearance, less likely to catch the bottom of it off road like I did with A6 several times

 

Bad Points

Build Quality too many squeaks and rattles

Required Cam Belt change completed under warranty and additional work required

Seating position, like to sit in a car rather than on it which I feel like with Superb

Value. Its worth the same as my Audi A6 3yrs with 130k.

DSG, hesitates when changing gear when getting a move on

Small petrol tank

DCC noisy

4x4 not always engaging. Sometimes it would work other times would spin its front wheels

 

It goes Thursday to auction so will appear next week at a BCA auction in Midlands somewhere.

 

Now gone for something completely different mainly to wanting to get out of PCP trap and not doing 40K a year now.

[Rainmaker]

What's your new motor Steve? Enjoy it either way mate.

[GaSelle]

Would have loved an A6 as well, if it was´nt because... It´s smaller on the inside, it´s due for replacement and the prices are "slightly" higher.

 

In DK the cheapest Superb Combi starts at £35300 (1.4 TSI 125 Active ("S") manual) and the cheapest A6 Avant starts at £72700 (1.8 T(F)SI S-Tronic). A compareable Superb (1.8 TSI DSG Style (SE-L)) is around £50200.

Edited 19 March, 2018 by GaSelle

[SteveHut]

Rainmaker

 

I have gone for a new Landcruiser as it ticks all the boxes and can also tow a double axle caravan if required and some really goo deals to be had. Nearly went for another A6 but they sold the one I was after.

[Mickey43]

Good point about the ground clearance.  

 

I had an A6 s-line which was very low.  The car good because of this, but I scraped the front underside umpteen times especially when laden with people.  Could also feel it sometimes on the ridiculous speed bumps I have where i live. 

 

The driveway at my parent's house has a kind of bump on it as you drive in, the Audi almost bottomed out !  Had to ask the wife and kids to get out before i drove into it   

 

The Superb sitting a bit higher is better.

[MorrisOx]

Interesting observations, but ‘small petrol tank’? I reckon 66 litres is pretty handy unless you’re living life on the red line...

[Rainmaker]

34 minutes ago, MorrisOx said:

Interesting observations, but ‘small petrol tank’? I reckon 66 litres is pretty handy unless you’re living life on the red line...

 

For the size of the car I do agree with him, especially for us with larger petrols. My second car ever was a Peugeot 405 with a 90 litre tank, and that was a diesel! If you want to drive from Newcastle to the Nurburgring or Southern Italy, a Fiesta sized petrol tank isn’t really great.

 

In practice though, Superbs are decent enough on fuel and certainly my bladder won’t go more than 500 miles without a pee.   If it was returning 20mpg it’d be much more of an issue. 

[GaSelle]

New Landcruiser - that’s thumbs up in stereo. 

[Blowhard]

I was offered a new a6  se executive for exactly the same monthly payment but higher final value as for my superb sportline 

the dealer was discounting it by at least 10 grand, I would have taken it but I found out it was being replaced this summer and I did not want to end up with a discontinued model after just six months,pity because it was a beautiful car 

 

[Blowhard]

Oops the discount was 7 grand not 10 

[JR RS]

12 hours ago, SteveHut said:

Small petrol tank

 

i find the Superb has a good sized tank, in comparison to other similar sized cars.

while its officially a 66L tank - i regularily fill 70L plus and get approx 900km per tank.

i have a 220 though, not the 280 4x4 like u had. 

 

anywayz - enjoy the beast of a LandCruiser

 

[SteveHut]

When I had the A6 I found that the trips I used to make I would normally require to fill up at home where in the Superb I would need to fill at 1/3 of a tank when A6 would be at half a tank, enough to get to London and back again for example.  Not a massive deal just more frequent trips to the pumps and vat receipts to deal with.

 

Really didn't want to be driving an old A6 after six months even with discount and also driving a lot more backroads and 20" wheels put me off as well.

 

If had the choice again I think I would have gone for another A6 and not the Superb if hand on heart.

 

Be interesting how the Landcruiser compares to life with me and needs.

[Rifleman]

I’m leaving the fold too. I’ve ordered a Volvo XC40 First Edition (D4 190ps Deisel,AWD,8spd Auto) to replace my Superb L&K.

Fancied a change & the First Edition was a really good deal.

Think I’ll miss the Superb though. Maybe I’ll come back in 3 yrs time....

[FelisBengalensis]

Pushed the button on a new BMW 220d Gran Tourer today so my S3 L&K 190 DSG 4x4 will be collected any day now and put through the BCA Auction too.  Being Rosso Brunello there might be a bit of interest in it.

 

Just fitted new tyres all round and it will go with 1/3 tank of fuel and 5litres of AdBlue.

 

Neither Škoda nor the Dealer here seem interested in it having the warranty niggles sorted out before it goes into auction - which surprises me.  Virtual Pedal hasn’t worked for a year and none of the attempts to fix it have worked.  Castor/Camber is out and the rear suspension knocks away to itself.

 

The S3 is a good car but is (in my case) hamstrung by an unwilling engine map, poor economy and a DSG gearbox map that can’t make its mind up about changing gear or which one to be in.  The Auto Stop is IMHO downright dangerous as it cuts the engine and steering before the car stops.

 

Roadtested the Gran Tourer today and ours will also be the xDrive version with a 190bhp engine and 8sp auto.  I know it’s a little lighter than the S3 but the power train is far better.  Pulls like a train from the off and just keeps going.  It just feels much more lively and willing.  More expensive - it’s a BMW after all - but having got more than £6k off it, it is comparable to an L&K with all the toys.

 

Considered a Kodiaq or a Karoq but the Dealer showroom cars were in a poor build quality state with seat stitching coming apart and the electric seat in the Karoq broken!  Not the best way to sell cars!

[Bud]

18 minutes ago, FelisBengalensis said:

Pushed the button on a new BMW 220d Gran Tourer today so my S3 L&K 190 DSG 4x4 will be collected any day now and put through the BCA Auction too.  Being Rosso Brunello there might be a bit of interest in it.

 

Just fitted new tyres all round and it will go with 1/3 tank of fuel and 5litres of AdBlue.

 

Neither Škoda nor the Dealer here seem interested in it having the warranty niggles sorted out before it goes into auction - which surprises me.  Virtual Pedal hasn’t worked for a year and none of the attempts to fix it have worked.  Castor/Camber is out and the rear suspension knocks away to itself.

 

The S3 is a good car but is (in my case) hamstrung by an unwilling engine map, poor economy and a DSG gearbox map that can’t make its mind up about changing gear or which one to be in.  The Auto Stop is IMHO downright dangerous as it cuts the engine and steering before the car stops.

 

Roadtested the Gran Tourer today and ours will also be the xDrive version with a 190bhp engine and 8sp auto.  I know it’s a little lighter than the S3 but the power train is far better.  Pulls like a train from the off and just keeps going.  It just feels much more lively and willing.  More expensive - it’s a BMW after all - but having got more than £6k off it, it is comparable to an L&K with all the toys.

 

Considered a Kodiaq or a Karoq but the Dealer showroom cars were in a poor build quality state with seat stitching coming apart and the electric seat in the Karoq broken!  Not the best way to sell cars!

 

So you didn't like the Škoda diesel engine and bought a van

 

 

[FelisBengalensis]

I like vans......