Superb sportline estate buying advice

[IJW333]

Hi All 

 

Currently have a BMW 330d m sport with full leather.  Need more space (camping, dogs, bikes) and am not doing the mileage I was when I last purchased plus don't fancy getting involved with a diesel right now again (who know's future of diesel and problems with ad blue etc).  

 

I have seen this vehicle for sale https://www.marshall.co.uk/skoda/used-cars/8658192-skoda-superb-2.0-tsi-sport-line-5dr-dsg/ and welcome views on the kit level and most importantly anything experienced skoda owners would consider a 'must have' it doesn't have. I am also trying to secure a 280bhp 4x4 for an extended test drive just so I can make a personal decision on fuel consumption based on my day to day commute and driving style

 

I think the cabin is a smart comfy place to be but am a little nervous about the alcantara - any real life thoughts on that from other owners?  Is it standing up like full leather would?

 

cheers

[freelunch]

Initially, the price looked good, but a couple expensive options are not on it: DCC, the adaptive suspension; front and rear parking sensors plus rear camera; the Canton sound upgrade. Depends on how you drive, whether the suspension upgrade is worth the money and maybe you don't care about a sound system, but this is a really long car and the parking sensors and rear camera are a necessity IMHO. 

 

I've got the alcantara seats and think they're good. They buff up under a brush or hoover and wear well, but I've only put 8K miles on the car. I think they're more comfortable than leather. I've also got a sunroof, which I find wonderful, but it would be easy to do without it. 

 

Ask about the parking sensors and camera. Maybe I missed it on the spec sheet.

[IJW333]

thanks, they were items i had noted missing and wondered about retrofit.  Canton would be nice so maybe I will wait until a better spec vehicle.  

 

Thanks for info re the alcantara, as I had hoped

[penguin17]

Agree with freelunch WRT the Alcantara seats.  I much prefer them to the leather seats have had in the past; not as cold in Winter, no sticking to them in Summer and a doddle to keep clean.  I had my previous Sportline for just over a year and they looked as good as new. 

 

All round parking sensors are a must on this car IMO, it's big!  BUT if you have sensors then I don't think a camera is an absolute must unless you are planning to use a trailer where the hitch function is apparently a big help. 

 

Canton - I think it's a great system, I had it on my first Sportline and didn't hesitate to spec it a second time.  

 

Both the 220 and 280 are fabulous engines.  I went through 220 vs 280 period before making my mind up and after back-to-back test drives the 280 defo has the edge but only when you're really giving it the beans.  In most driving situations there's not much in it.   The engines have same torque so only at high revs does the extra bhp of the 280 make itself known.  As good as modern traction control systems and tyres are, I still think that 200-220bhp is about the limit that you're asking the front wheels to do a bit too much.  I didn't notice any wheel spin when testing the 220 but it was dry; other owners report some spin on greasy/wet roads when pulling out of junctions.  I've not detected a hint of wheel spin in the 280 so far and the weathers been pretty wet recently.    

 

Consumption wise, I'm just over 1k miles in and it seems to be ~31mpg.  I now only do about <12K miles per year, if I was doing more miles then I think I'd have given more consideration to a 220.  More than 16-17K then I'd have just stuck with a diesel.  

 

The 280 is a great car though and if you can get a test drive I think you'll be very impressed.  I went 20 miles for a loaf of bread on Friday 

 

 

 

 

Edited 4 June, 2018 by penguin17

[freelunch]

11 minutes ago, penguin17 said:

I went 20 miles for a loaf of bread on Friday 

 

You're clearly not a Londoner! Must be nice...

[penguin17]

2 minutes ago, freelunch said:

 

You're clearly not a Londoner! Must be nice...

Clearly 

 

[freelunch]

Looks like 280 territory to me! 

 

Makes for an expensive loaf of bread, though. 

[Sagalout]

My how times have changed. 

 

 

[IJW333]

thanks all for your input.  

[edwards]

So I've had my 280 for 3 months and 3500 miles.

 

Short version: 

 

Buy one, they are awesome. 

 

Long version: 

 

If you can put up with 28-30mpg  dependant on driving style and type then the 280 is more power than you'll probably ever need, but the traction and grip, plus excellent brakes, make it a real 'grand tourer'.

 

Front sensors help. Rear camera is pretty much a must have for me having used it, brilliant for parking up to a wall/post etc. I do tow as well and for hitching up its just perfect. Factory towbar is good. I have stock suspension and find it perfectly fine. Variable floor works well for me as can have level floor normally for gearing up with diving kit, getting dog in and out etc and can drop it down when need massive capacity. I'm not an audiophile so the lack of Canton doesn't bother me. Spare wheel was a must for me but you can get aftermarket ones.

 

 

 

 

[PSM]

On the parking sensors, I find the rears useful but not missing not having front ones. It is quite easy to see the edge of the bonnet and hence judge the distance/gap forward but the rears are useful since rear visibility is not the best (in the hatch anyway). I used to have a camera on our Nissan Leaf and never liked using it and preferred to use the sensors and my eyes (just could never get on with looking at the screen when reversing) so I would not spec one of those either.

On the Sportline seats, I did not like the fixed headrest. I am a taller person and found the head rest was just a little lower than I liked but there was no way to adjust it so that sort of ruled that model out for me. I also had alcantara on a Octy VRS a few years ago and it did not wear at all well so was very nervous of the alcantara seats as well (although the Octy had white/light grey alcantara so maybe that was the reason for the poor wear).

The car you linked too looks like a 220 and not the 280 or are you looking at both models at the moment?

Bear in mind if you want to order new it is going to be difficult as order books are shut and it is going to be sometime before they open again I suspect after talking to a neighbor who works for Audi. The testing that has to be done is extensive in terms of every variant of a vehicle has to be tested before it can be sold down to size of wheels, sunroof etc. So a 2l 280 with 18" wheels needs to be tested and then one with 19" wheels and then one with 18" wheels and sunroof and then one with 19" wheels and sunroof and so on and so on. So that is a lot of variations and a lot of testing!!!!!!

[RickTT]

i echo above, parking sensors front and rear are a must in my opinion.

[technics100]

6 hours ago, penguin17 said:

 I went 20 miles for a loaf of bread on Friday 

 

 

 

 

 

LOL...

[EddGee]

Front sensors are definitely a must. 

 

This thing is like an oil tanker and although a majority of Skoda drivers can and do park with ease, the sensors just eliminate any risk of that little potential prang that might just happen one day when concentration levels are low. 

 

Also Skoda now are fitting them as standard on the new batch of Sportline/plus models, so even they think that they are a must. 

 

Have a look on autotrader at the cars on sale. I check it everyday. Many of the Sportlines are missing front sensors and have been on there for some time. 

 

Tells you something I guess. 

[IJW333]

thanks for continued contribution.

 

Petrol (not the 1.4 version) is my main objetcive 220/280 for me the difference comes down to 4x4 traction and given the very limited of reasonable spec vehicles available on the nearly new market I don't think I can be too choosey.  

 

Interesting view on why the car i posted to had been around for a while and confirms what I thought - all around parking sensors a must.  

 

I had secured a good deal through carwow on a new one until I went to speak to the dealer and lead times were mentioned - completely pathetic, anyone know why?

[Sagalout]

1 minute ago, IJW333 said:

completely pathetic, anyone know why?

 

Upcoming intro of latest emissions and testing etc. New cars need to meet more stringent emissions and real life testing regimes for stuff like m.p.g.etc

 

Seems VAG/Skoda have scheduled upgrades too close to the deadline so no orders being taken at the factory for a while. 

[flumpie]

At the moment you can get a new Superb for less than a year old one due to the £4k PCP deposit contribution. But the problem is that you can't currently order a new one, and there are very few new cars in stock. I've just bought a 220 from a dealers stock, but most of the ones I spoke to said there were literally none left in the country.

 

I had wanted to get one with front parking sensors, but mine doesn't have them, and I don't find it a problem because the visiblity is pretty good.

[Mickey43]

Have the sensors but don't have the reversing camera.  I'd say the sensors are a must.

[juux]

The thing with the Superb that the front overhang is actually pretty small. It's a larger car than my old S124 300D or E61 535d in pretty much every dimension but feels much smaller to park than either. Sensors are handy though, as is the camera which allows millimetre-perfect parking, handy when many parking spaces are so short for such a long car.

[Mickey43]

18 minutes ago, juux said:

The thing with the Superb that the front overhang is actually pretty small. It's a larger car than my old S124 300D or E61 535d in pretty much every dimension but feels much smaller to park than either. Sensors are handy though, as is the camera which allows millimetre-perfect parking, handy when many parking spaces are so short for such a long car.

Agreed about the front.

 

My previous A6 was huge at the front.  Superb smaller, hence more space elsewhere.

[PSM]

3 hours ago, IJW333 said:

 

 

I had secured a good deal through carwow on a new one until I went to speak to the dealer and lead times were mentioned - completely pathetic, anyone know why?

 

I mentioned the reason in my earlier post and as someone else mentioned it is due to the new emissions testing and the fact it has to be done on every variant/option for a vehicle. So if a car/engine is offered with 2 or 3 different wheel sizes each one has to be tested separately and the same for sunroofs etc. Audi are also having big issues with certain models as well.  Seat have gotten around the issue somewhat by restricting the options they are offering customers which cuts down the variants they need to test but this will reduce the amount of customer choice for a while. Any car not sold (and registered before September) that has not been tested has to be scrapped which is why they are stopping orders since they do not want to have a load of cars coming into August that will then have to be scrapped if they are not sold.

Edited 5 June, 2018 by PSM