Superb in trouble?

[DGW]

The following is a Google translation of an article about the Skoda Superb in AutoJournal.fr dated 7 Oct 2002:

"The luxury suits him so badly

Skoda Superb is sold badly. Its rate/rhythm of production passed lately from 150 to 100 units by day. Bernd Pischetsrieder, the owner of the Volkswagen group, implied that the days of top-of-the-range were counted. The production should cease the next year. Since his repurchase by VW occurred in 1991, the Czech manufacturer literally metamorphosed himself. The reliability of its range does not make any more fear, it has even serious assets. From there to collect customers attracted by the trucks of luxury, there is a step which the consumers are obviously not ready to cross."

Is there any truth whatsoever in this article?

[tavia4x4]

I can well believe it, I don't think I've seen more than one out and about.

Shame, cos it's a really nice car, saw an L&K octy this morning so people are happy to spend serious money on a luxury skoda.

[philc]

I think the Superb suffers from it's lack of market niche -it's a cheap luxury car, which confuses buyers of such cars, because they expect to pay lots of money for a big car. Personally, I like the Superb because it's huge inside -I often take my parents-in-law out in my Octy, and, at over 80 years old, they can find it hard to get in the back -especially behind me!

If I ran a private hire company, I'd buy all the V6 diesels I could get!

Phil

[DGW]

Phil

You own a Superb? Why haven't you joined the Superb usergroup so that we can all see Superb Owner against your name? Don't be shy - be the first to own up.

[robmawer]

Another factor could be that most cars of that class are not bought by

private individuals but as company cars - here the badge usually matters,

and even for those who would choose a Skoda, the fleet manager may

have limited their choice.

I'd get a Superb, but then I like big cars and it's not unaffordable -

and I think the Skoda badge looks classier than the VW or Audi

And for those who don't believe it's finding favour in high places...

http://www.worthing.gov.uk/news_story.asp?id=1311

Rob.

[philc]

Originally posted by DGW

Phil

You own a Superb? Why haven't you joined the Superb usergroup so that we can all see Superb Owner against your name? Don't be shy - be the first to own up.

No, I just phrased the e-mail badly, that's all. (edited to improve clarity) Still got the L&K estate for the forseeable future. Looking at my tax code, it's time I thought about ditching my company car. Got a meeting later this week to discuss it........

Phil

[robmawer]

Originally posted by philc

at over 80 years old, they can find it hard to get in the back -especially behind me!

On this subject, does anyone have problems with backseat passengers

getting their feet stuck under the front seats? Well, not proper Frank

Spencer style stuck, but just awkward Or maybe I just need to put

my seat height up a bit...

Rob.

[philc]

Oh, yes. Always a problem for me. I'm 6' 3" tall, and need the seat a long way back. They only get their feet stuck if they can manage to straighten their legs, though!

Phil

[robmawer]

Well, I'm not quite so tall so I can have the seat a bit further forward,

although I put it further forward than I would if I never had people in

the back...

I suppose that's one thing I'd change about the Octavia - take a couple

of inches off that ridiculously large boot and give the back a bit more leg

room. Although I suppose if the rear seats were a bit further back it

would start impacting head room (on the hatch, at least!).

Anyway, this thread appears to be veering off topic :oops:

Rob.

[Dmac1969vRS]

The only Superb ive ever seen on the road is my dealers 02 reg V6 TDi demo , never seen another!

[rich1068]

The Superb issue has got to be down to how VW/Skoda market the car. I see plenty of pretty awful large Daewoos/Kias/Hyundais plus more 'niche' marques such as Mitsubishi and Mazda (6 excluded). The people who buy these cars should be the target for Skoda and the Superb. I get the feeling that VW don't really know what to do with the Superb, the advertising seems a bit 'half arsed'.

Re: rear leg room, don't forget the Octavia is basically a stretched Golf but stretched over the front and rear wheels so cabin space is still the same.

[Kingsley]

Yes, the advertising stinks. Why go on perpetuating and trumpeting the fact that there are still ignorant people who will never like Skodas? This is why the Superb cannot take off, all the time that this drivel goes on, because people just won't know it's there. See my new mail with an email to Fallon, the advertsing people. Can't we all do something about this together?

[tavia4x4]

Though I would like Skoda to become as successful as possible, some people will never get over the badge, no matter how good the car or pricing is.

You can't force a square peg into a round hole, it really is their loss, so I will not lose any sleep over it.

[robmawer]

Originally posted by Tavia4x4

You can't force a square peg into a round hole

Upgrade your hammer

Rob.

[wele]

Hi,

last week I've ordered my first Skoda, a Superb Comfort 2,5 V6 TDI.

Where can I find this superb usergroup? Does anybody know good Superb Pages?

Thanks a lot!!

Wele

[robmawer]

Nice choice of car and welcome to Briskoda! :wave:

To join the Superb user group, at the top of the page under the banner

bit there's a link for "Usergroups". If you follow that, you should see

an option to "Join a Group" - ask if you need any further help from here,

but I'll let you try it first...

Don't really know of any Superb pages, and even our resources on this

site are fairly light on the Superb as it's quite a small usergroup. How

do you fancy being a pioneer?

Rob.

[Kentish]

I have recently myself agreed a trade-in of my Octy for a Superb TDI 130 Comfort, the main reason for this is that I am 6ft 1 with 32 inside leg. My eldest daughter is 13, 5ft 2 and 33 inside leg, so rear leg room is the reason and only reason I am changing. There aren't very many cars with this sort of rear legroom that don't cost half a mortgage, which to me is how they should be pitching the Superb.

Anyway I don't mind being a Skoda driving rarity again, we quite enjoyed it 4 1/2 years ago when I bought the Octy estate.

Cheers

[philc]

Welcome to BriSkoda! I have to agree with the legroom point - I'm 6' 3" with a 33" inside leg, and I was OK in the Octy, but anyone stuck behind me wasn't! If they'd decide to do a Superb estate I'd bite their arms off! I've only found 5 cars which don't require me to have the seat right back:

Volvo V70

Vauxhall Omega (which I'm driving at present)

Saab 9-5

Jaguar XJ8 (a man can dream, can't he?)

Rolls Royce -all models -I did consider a 1977 Silver Shadow....

Phil

[Dan]

I'm new - hello!

My first post.

I too read that the Superb was for the axe, shortly after its launch. It's a great car, especially for someone tall like me (6ft 5). However, I think in the UK the car will be hindered by badge snobbery - for the money, consumers would probably rather have a smaller, possibly less equipped VW or Audi. The whole group possibly needs to rethink its niches - enter in through Skoda, pass through VW, and top out at Audi (the smaller Audi, the A2, according to rumour, will not be replaced).

I've seen one Superb since launch on the road, and I think it was someone having a test drive.

[DGW]

Welcome to Briskoda, Dan. We're about as friendly a bunch of people as you can meet!

[ross]

Interesting to hear how well or not the Superb is doing - I reckon I have seen as many Superbs as Octavia vRS up here - not a huge number but certainly a few - maybe us canny Scots see what a bargain it is.....

[BAAHEED]

I agree with Ross up here there beginning to get quite common.

Time to take the Bishop for a Bash.. :?

[Delcac]

Originally posted by BAAHEED

Time to take the Bishop for a Bash.. :?

Are we talking church fund raiser here :lol:

[mellowyellow]

Delcac Wrote

Are we talking church fund raiser here?

I hope so , I certainly hope so :shock:

[Freakcrab]

The solution to raising Superb sales is simple.

Sell it to the Americans!

How hard can it be to sell a good car to a country which buys so many Toyota Camrys?

Good size, good price, quality and the all important V6. The Superb has it all.

Sell it for $27,500.

They'll love it.

They'd love it more if it came in a pick-up form.