Skoda and Street Cred

[stupep]

So are people's attitudes to Skoda changing?

I've just taken delivery of my new Octavia (though only a lowly 1.6 Ambiente). Most comments I've had have been positive, even if pointing out the Volkswagen heritage (and then generally viewing this as being an asset).

But one "boy-racer" advised me never to let my 17 year-old son be seen to have a lift in it, for fear of losing his entire "street cred". Apparently my son driving a K-reg Fiesta is OK, but Skoda is No Go.

:confused: So should I ban him from the Octavia or not? Am I risking his entire social life, or would I be boosting it? Those looks I get as I pass youngsters - are they amusement or just envy?

Needless to say, I personally am proud to be seen driving it!

[cheezemonkhai]

I'd take the "boy-racer" mate out and have him shot personally.

Oh and welcome

[Guest]

I'm sorry but anyone who still uses the term 'street cred' is not someone whose views I would take seriously.

[moley]

I think attitudes towards skoda varies within age groups. I'm of the age where practicallity rules over style (sad but true). However I gave a colleague a lift the other day and after loading his gear in the boot along with mine, he was amazed at the load space of the Octy estate. Once inside he was impressed with the car and wished he had chosen the skoda over the Focus estate as his company car.

[Sonic_Vrs]

I'm sorry but anyone who still uses the term 'street cred' is not someone whose views I would take seriously.

It is true - only those who know little about cars still refer to knew skodas as being sh!te. They arent.

Octavia/A3/Golf

Fabia/A2/Polo

who knows? lol :P

[cheezemonkhai]

Hate to say it but neither the Fabia or Polo are like the A2.

[mannyo]

Hate to say it but neither the Fabia or Polo are like the A2.

They still make the Fabia and Polo, the A2 has long since been discontinued.

[Guest]

Two other points:

1) It's a new car, - don't let your 17 year old drive it, period.

2) Assuming his boy racer mate is also a spotty 17 year old, how the hell can he even remember Skoda when they were in fact crap!

[VRS195]

Hate to say it but neither the Fabia or Polo are like the A2.

True - the A2 was a unique product.

It shared engines with the Polo etc, and some electrics with A3.

But it was an unique aluminium chassis and body and even the engine was oddly mounted on an angle for packaging and crash worthinesss - a bit like the A-class Mercedes.

It had a unique single wiper system - with the odd effect of rocking the whole car, apparently.

Exceptionally expensive to build - AUDI lost money on every vehicle, like the First Gen A8 it was a development study in aluminium car manufacturing.

It was not that popular, probably due to its small size and big price - so now discontinued. If there is another A2 it will be Polo or Fox based.

[Harry_vRS]

I've been driving skodas for 3 years, since I was 17. I'm now 20 and I could not give a **** about what people think.

All my cars have been FAR superior to what my mates drive - the likes of fiestas etc. which aren't even worthy to be classed as competition.

Skoda FTW

[Mendoza]

Just ordered my first Skoda (company car) and am switching from an Audi.

Basically it was the best car I test drove, including BMW 5 series, SAAB, Lexus.

Was tempted by the 5 series, but how could I justify an extra

[cheezemonkhai]

They still make the Fabia and Polo, the A2 has long since been discontinued.

That plus the A2 was an aluminium beastie

[dstev2000]

Who cares what people think. There are quite a few other badges out there to laugh at nowadays.

[Lance]

Who cares what people think. There are quite a few other badges out there to laugh at nowadays.

I'm with you 100%...........I couldn't give a damn what others think of my car (or anything else I buy). I don't seek anyones approval before getting my car and don't seek it after!! I also don't get bitter and twisted if they don't like it.

If I'm honest though, and if most Skoda owners are honest too, there is no (or very little) street cred in Skoda ownership other than by other Skoda owners.

Lance

[dstev2000]

I still get the "yeah it's a VW passat underneath though innit"

If I want a car with a bit of credibility I will buy a small engined base model Audi and drive in a world of poverty spec for a few years.

[gadgetman]

God the A2 was ugly. Like any citroen.

Give them a drive in a VRS and ask them if they still prefer their Nova SR

[WW_VRS]

I couldn't care less about street cred - Hayley's got a Kia Picanto, which is a fine car for what it is, similarly there are many cars out there that get slagged off, be it Skoda, Citroen or other.

It always amazes me how 'even' on a Skoda site there is a lot of badge snobbery still going on, the 'French cars always suck' thing, all vauxhalls suck, etc etc.

The beauty is that there are loads of cars out there, and IMHO most manufacturers have produced crap ones at some stage, be it a few on a monday morning/friday afternoon, or even a whole range. I drive a Skoda Fabia vRS, which as it happens works out to be the car I want to drive.

Others have had the same car, didnt like it, had it falling to bits on them, and moved to a different brand or a larger/different model in the Skoda range.

And why not - at least we still have some choice

[Lance]

It always amazes me how 'even' on a Skoda site there is a lot of badge snobbery still going on, the 'French cars always suck' thing, all vauxhalls suck, etc etc.

Well said WW, I've made the same point a couple of times myself on here.........the anti BMW are the usual culprits, the way some tarnish all BMW drivers with the same brush in particular.

There's definitely a large chip on some Skoda drivers shoulders.

[QuattroGmBh]

Why does it matter? We clearly enjoy our cars. If anything, the street cred issue is on our side currently since it results in lower insurance premiums.. Octy II VRs is 2 groups lower than the Golf GTI :-)

[irin]

Stoped twice this year for speading by the irish police , first "very nice car!" then the usual : where you from ?, driving licence?...., get the fee in the post :(

Where I am working (construction site) it is well aprediate like "You must earning big money to have a car like this" , that's close to builders vans and jeeps.

On the roads if it just polished,like every black magic, will turn heads!

[VRS195]

I still get the "yeah it's a VW passat underneath though innit"

Well its a converstaion starter, you can then correct them and tell them it's actually a Golf underneath.

[djgritt]

There is Badge Snobbery on every automotive forum out there

Im generally not fussed by other marques, im a Regional Organiser for the Vauxhall Owners Network Club (I have a modifed 2.0 16v Cavalier Track/Fast Road Car), im into Fords a lot as my family used them for Rallying and my cousin has a very nice Escort RS Turbo, and my Uncle has a Rally Prepped Escort Mk2 RS2000, and 2x Mk1 Mexicos.

Anywho, onto Skoda and Street Cred.

I have found that the people most likely to give you stick for having a Skoda, are the people most jealous of it. Generally they know it (the Marque) has become an excellent example of a decent car in terms of build, reliabilty, comfort etc, all sold at a VERY reasonable and hard to beat price. Especially against well footed Marques/Models like a Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Vectra etc etc

look at the vRS Range as the prime example, overlooked as "Hot Hatches", but extremely capable, very well specced, and generally

[SteVRs]

I used to quite enjoy the fact that people used to slag my Skoda then STFU as soon as they went in it or couldn't keep up.

Badge snobbery exists in us all at some level IMHO, be it hatred of BMW drivers, laughing at French reliability, chuckling at Smart cars or maligning cheaper brands such as Kia\Hyundai\Skoda. It's perfectly natural to defend whatever decision you've made & by defending the vehicle you've bought you may well need to compare against or poke fun at another brand.

In essence I think badge snobbery is a defense mechanism to deviate criticism away from ourselves & our own choices.

O/T: The A2 was actually larger inside than the A3 due to clever packaging

[runboy]

A2 - worst car I ever owned for problems. The first one the dealer agreed to replace, and the second was just as bad (the dealer was just as bad too!). My first and last Audi. Stupid fool me, caught up in the badge thing "oooh, Audi, must be class".

Skoda have a good name now so don't worry about any negative comments, they just haven't caught up with the times yet.

[cheezemonkhai]

God the A2 was ugly. Like any citroen.

Give them a drive in a VRS and ask them if they still prefer their Nova SR

What is it with you and Citro