So, I'm a confirmed Skoda man on my second Octavia vRS DSG Estate.  Had a 2010 car for 7 years from new (Silver, leather, Columbus) and over 88,000 miles and now run a 2014 in white with Columbus and Pano.  Loved the first one, hugely enjoying the second one.  

 

But, I feel like I need more go and more luxury.......

 

So, I have narrowed things down to three choices. 

 

First and cheapest option is to upgrade the power on my current Octy.  My local Indy is a Revo agent and will help me with a Revo Stage 1 map at £500 and waive the VAT. (Isn't it a shame that Shark Automotive has folded!)

 

Next is a simple switch to a Superb 3 280 in either hatch or estate.  Both are roomy enough for our needs I think.  A Sportsline would be great, but a L&K would be good too.  These are getting down to low £20,000s now, 2017 with low miles.....  huge amount of car for the money.  A Pano roof is a must though as the kids love that in my vRS.  With patience, this is doable for under £25k.

 

Or, option 3 is a Kia Stinger GT S.  365 bhp, all the toys you could possibly want and I think probably enough (although not as much!) room for me, Mrs Dunc and the saucepans.  These can be had for £30k or slightly over for a 2017 car with very low miles - i.e. less than 5k, often in the hundreds.  They are usually demonstrators and there are more than 20 of them available right now.  

 

The appeal of the Kia for me is that they feel, as a company, like the new version of Skoda. A brand that produces bland, cheap hatchbacks that has just gone up to the next level in terms of quality and desirability. Also, I love the idea of people not knowing what it is and having to ask, just like people used to do with Skoda. 

 

I would love to hear the thoughts of the S3 crew, especially those of you with the 280.  

 

Thanks all.  Cheers.

Edited 29 September, 20187 yr by dunc69

For me i would have the s3 280, imo quality of kia isnt there yet.  The superb is a v nice car with bags of room! And 4x4 is a bonus whereas stinger is rwd.  Real world driving i think the 4x4 is more advantageous

Shark remaps are still available from Racingline Performance where Ben now works. 

 

I am am a bit biased for the recommendation of your next car though as I’m on my 4th Superb, but they do take some beating. 

I am, admittedly, very biased but my Sportline 280 Combi is just brilliant.  Capable, comfy and perfect as a long distance cruiser, and then if you give it a bit of stick it becomes a bit of a monster. The 4x4 is something new to me but it really makes a difference, I don't think I've made it loose traction yet, and I have tried. I really can't fault it. 

Thanks guys, I accept that, on here, the views may favour the S3, but it's still interesting to hear your thoughts. 

 

@Adrian55555, have you actually driven or sat in a Stinger GT S? 

I have yes, they have improved but a lot of the plastics are a bit scratchy. I feel maybe next generation it will improve more.  U do get a lot of kit as standard for the price.  For me the 4x4 wins it for me. 

Agree the 4x4 is a powerful selling point. 

 

In terms of interior plastics & interior in general, the Kia is ahead of Skoda all day long. 

 

Both have ‘scratchy’ plastics lower down, but so do most brands. 

 

Have a close look at the Stinger - don’t confuse its quality with other Kias. 

 

 

Edited 29 September, 20187 yr by dunc69

Doesn't the Stinger have an AWD version?

 

Also, I have always wondered what it means to buy a demonstrator car, do those cars even get a proper run-in?

No AWD here, just in the US and Canada. 

 

Demonstrators have almost certainly been driven hard, but is that a bad thing? That’s a whole debate on its own, as is the necessity to run in modern engines. 

 

What is true is that Stingers with low mileage, some in the hundreds, but most 3-7k, are £10k off list at less that one year old. 

^^^ Time for Oil & Filter changes.

Sitting outside all the time on forecourts, engine started a few minutes every day, washed everyday, sometimes taken for a few miles of a drive and never up to normal or efficient operating time and occasionally thrashed from cold and running 95 ron unleaded.

 

Time that these Ex Demonstrators were priced to get them punted really, there is no point pretending the demand outstrips supply.

 

Winter will be here again and many will still be First Registered to dealerships.

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by Offski

I looked at the Stinger but couldn’t drive it as it was sold and another GTS wasn’t available near me. Shame as there’s quite a few about now. 

 

The quality is there but its still a little bit behind the Superb BUT it’s nowhere near as dull and utilitarian. The Superb could really do with a much better looking interior, rather than just looking like what the A6 did a few years ago. I don’t think the Stinger would be a bad place to spend a lot of time and it seemed comfy enough. The Superb does offer more space in every dept however. 

 

I think you’d have to decide if an interior with a bit more flair trumps a step up in quality.  It’s similar with the MB C class, looks great but way off an Audi A4 in terms of tactility. 

 

Kia warranty is a bonus and build quality is meant to be improving all the time. Dealer support is meant to be good, if you find a long established dealer rather than a franchise to which Kia is just another brand in their portfolio. Skoda is similar IME, there are some awful dealers out there. Just look at some posts on here. Skoda aren’t quite the bullet proof marque that the JD power survey bangs on about; but there’s much worse out there. 

 

The 280...my 2nd mk3 Superb, previous was a 150 TDI, both Sportlines.  I was already very impressed with my 1st Superb. It’s just so capable and a pretty much a car for every occasion but adding 4x4, a great gearbox and 272 BHP makes it nigh on perfect IME.  It’s actually not too expensive to run either, well it’s took some getting used to after 11 years of diesels but economy wasn’t really a requirement for me, this time.  I dare say a V6 turbo would be quite thirsty...

 

It could be a touch sharper to drive, even a little stiffer but that would probably have a knock on effect with refinement and comfort. Still that’s being critical, as it’s still not bad for a big, heavy car. 

 

My 280 is the best car I’ve ever owned and I love the fact it’s almost invisible and looks like ‘just another Superb’. 

 

I’d still like to try the Stinger but I think it would be less of an ‘allrounder’; something the Superb is and pulls off really well. 

 

When I look at pics of a Superb online or in a mag, they don’t do it justice. When I seen the Singer for the first time I think pictures in mags and online actually flatter it. 

 

Tough decision though and I think it’s all down to what you want from the car. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by penguin17

Actually. If I’d have got the chance to drive the Stinger. I could have chosen it over the Superb. It was defo the more ‘exciting’ to look at or sit in. 

 

The thing to to remember is that this is the first attempt at a performance coupe/CC for Kia. They’ve spent a lot of money getting the right engineers etc. It’s a scary rate of improvement when you look at the Kia Rio from 5 years ago 

 

I hope Kia/Hyundai expand on their performance cars in the coming years. The next generation will likely be scarily good. I’d defo consider one if and when I fancy a change. 

 

 

Question is simple for the next 6 months when the road is wet, icy or even a dusting of snow and you are carrying a precious cargo of wife and kids would you rather be in a safe 276bhp 4WD car or a nervous 370bhp RWD car?

Oh have you looked at a V60 Polestar? This was the only car I loved more than the 280, when I was looking. 

 

I’ll be honest. I wanted one, couldn’t afford it. Simple. Volvo don’t offer the deals that Škoda were willing to. 

 

Quality and performance are on a different level. Ultimate Q car with the most comfy interior I’ve ever sat in. Infotainment was fiddly though. 

 

Theres now a lot more ex-demo’s and nearly new ones around so may be a bit more ‘affordable’ 

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by penguin17

if you can stretch to £30000 for a used Stinger then you may be able to get a new 280 Sportline for that. Have a go on Carwow and see what quotes you get back

UK Stinger or Superb with Haldex then the Superb every time in winter.

 

Winter time if it was a Karoq AWD or Octavia 245ps with a remap & FWD,

that would be the Karoq AWD or the Stinger RWD with the correct tyre over the Octavia vRS with the right tyres every time.

Karoq FWD even but with the right tyres would maybe be the better choice over the Octavia.

Nothing with the Tyres that Skoda or KIA have as OEM when they import to the UK for winter though.

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by Offski

11 minutes ago, Offski said:

UK Stinger or Superb with Haldex then the Superb every time in winter.

 

Winter time if it was a Karoq AWD or Octavia 245ps with a remap & FWD,

that would be the Karoq AWD or the Stinger RWD with the correct tyre over the Octavia vRS with the right tyres every time.

Karoq FWD even but with the right tyres would maybe be the better choice over the Octavia.

Nothing with the Tyres that Skoda or KIA have as OEM when they import to the UK for winter though.

Fortunately when it snows wife works from home so I take her FWD Karoq which has good grip on its standard Michelin Primacy tyres IMHO.

Fantastic tyres for grip, hence on the rear of the GT86 / BRZ with 200ps for a bit of tail end action in the dry.

 

& These are just the bees neez for a nice frosty road.

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by Offski

^^^ what a god awful colour. Who would ever chose such a minging grey?! 

 

Looks great IMHO 

1 minute ago, penguin17 said:

^^^ what a god awful colour. Who would ever chose such a minging grey?! 

 

Looks great IMHO 

Looks much better in RED.

45 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Looks much better in RED.

And faster too

17 minutes ago, penguin17 said:

And faster too

So true Red Ferrari's always faster than Yellow ones unless driven by Seb Vettel. Go number 44, another win for the Silver Mercedes.

3 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

Question is simple for the next 6 months when the road is wet, icy or even a dusting of snow and you are carrying a precious cargo of wife and kids would you rather be in a safe 276bhp 4WD car or a nervous 370bhp RWD car?

Interesting point and makes me pause for thought. 

Gents, thanks for your input. Always interesting and not as Superb 3 biased as I thought! 

 

Interesting that no-one has gone along with Option 1, i.e. mapping my Octy 3 and keeping it for a while longer.

 

Perhaps I’m on the wrong forum for that!  

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by dunc69

?

How about not remapping the Octavia so saving £400 and just hold on and get a good sporty car with AWD and go & not the size of a whale?

Or do you need a big car?