Skoda whats so Funny

SixShot

hi All just wondering Why the hell people still laugh if you have a Skoda Im talking bout those Little Micra Muppits they tend to look at a Skoda Fabia & laugh.
Even if the car can out proform there little 1.0 Lts I know in the past Skoda had a bad Name Come on its 2006 & Skoda have inproved with Cars that are Good to drive pritty fast & Look better then a Crappy little 99 Micra for Exsample the Skoda fabia 02 has a 1.4Lt & its a VW Polo Or Golf type engin or something like that

maidhc

Do people still laugh? Do skoda owners care?

mondeoman

it don't see anything to laugh about these days from skoda i quite like the
'Superb' myself & i passed my test in an Octavia.
now i can understand why people could laugh at the 'Rapid';)

fletch

Who laughed at your Fabia....obviously some very ill-informed boy racers as anyway with any interest in cars would know that Skodas are excellent these days & the Fabia with a nice set of alloys is a lovely looking little car.....far prettier than a Micra anyday!

ds20prefecture

mondeoman wrote:

now i can understand why people could laugh at the 'Rapid';)

You can? Is there something wrong with them?

mike65

Don't knock the Rapid - rear wheel drive, rear engine monster! Nearest thing you could get to a 911 without breaking the bank.

Mike.

Big Balls

Dunno what anyone driving a Micra has to laugh about a Skoda.

Fabia VRS - anyone heard of it?

Boy racer and Nissan Micra shouldn't even be in the same sentence, to race means to go fast.

colm_mcm

the Fabia's 68 bhp isn't exactly set the road on fire, but i take your point,
there's nothing worse than oiks in souped up Micras

Big Balls

colm_mcm wrote:

the Fabia's 68 bhp

Fabia VRS?

You're having a laugh aren't ya?

130bhp in a car that size... yes please!! Clarkson whipped one around the track.

http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=145&i=8014

colm_mcm

they're not laughing at the VRS. they're laughing at his '02 1.4 model.

like for like, a 1.3 micra will have 75bhp.

Big Balls

No, the thread is about laughing at Skodas and I think they have more than proved themselves in the performance stakes company to ironically, Nissan for example.

Shadow_2k5

I personaly Love skoda there A good motor that works & Not such a slow Little Car is the Fabia. I Drive the Octavia Me self but I did Drive a Fabia before it & I can safely say Little boy Racer's don't understand that a Fabia could Take out there Little Micra go Skoda

Shadow_2k5

the only Downfall is the Resale Value of the Fabia they are a Good motor but Like the punto the Value Drops a lot quicker then a Polo Or Golf

Peace

Maybe they are seeing their own reflection in your shiny paint work and laughing before they realise they are laughing at their own reflection?

colm_mcm

yeah but how many VRS (or even TDI) Fabias are there in Ireland compared to the amount of 3 cylinder 1.2 or stone age technology 1.4 Fabias.

weemcd

why would you care what a micra ricer thinks in the first place?

Dagon

They may not be a "drivers car" as such, but Skoda are highly recommended and very reliable. There's nothing to laugh at anymore!!

If you want a no-nonsense motor at a good price that gets you from A to B safely and reliably, go for a Skoda :cool:

colm_mcm

an unusually pro-skoda post!

unkel

colm_mcm wrote:

an unusually pro-skoda post!

Nope. Do a wee search and you'll find a lot of people recommending Skodas here

watsgone

weemcd wrote:

why would you care what a micra ricer thinks in the first place?

Exactly, they probably wouldnt know a good car if it backed over them while flashing lights.

Skoda has developed a lot these days.

kluivert

Skovwdi

Thats what those cars should be called as Skoda VW and Audi share alot of parts.

The gf parents got a 06 Octavia and i want one, its great and so better than the Golf imo and interior fit is spot on and performance is not going to blow you over but the drive is great. Love Skoda love yourself

If you want performance and drive get the Fabia VRS its a rocket, loads of pull that would embrassis some red hot hatches out there.

Big Balls

kluivert wrote:

Skovwdi
its great and so better than the Golf imo and interior fit is spot on

The only thing an Octavia has over a Golf is possibly more room and a cheaper price tag.

Don't get too carried away at the same time now.

kluivert

BB

Same engine same, chassis as the Golf. Has the nose of the old Passat and the rear end of an Audi. Please...

The Octavia has more room, more equipment and a cheaper price tag.

Ask an taxi man for his or her opinion.

Your just extra paying for the badge....Now where was that picture of the mugs.

Big Balls

kluivert wrote:

BB

Same engine same, chassis as the Golf. Has the nose of the old Passat and the rear end of an Audi. Please...

Ask an taxi man for his or her opinion.

Listen, I've owned a brand spanking new Audi and there's about as much in common with one and a Skoda as there is between Michael McDowell and Martin Cahill.

Back to the Golf, the interior is completely different, you can literally see the difference in the quality of the materials used. That said, as I earlier agreed, they are a great car for what you pay.

And the day I rely on a taxi driver for his opinion is the day I'll buy a Nissan Micra which started the thread.

Jip

Big Balls wrote:

Listen, I've owned a brand spanking new Audi and there's about as much in common with one and a Skoda as there is between Michael McDowell and Martin Cahill.

Apart from the door handles, light switches, indicator stalks, trip computer.........

kluivert

I never said they where the same, i said they share common parts.

Your still paying for the Badge though.

Ok that the new Toyota Agyo... Citreon and Peugot have the exact same car with a few minor cosmetic changes... same car though.

Same story with Audi Skoda and VW.

You ask any motoring journalist to give there opinion on the Audi A3 1.9 TDi and the Golf 1.9 TDi, same car expect Golf is cheaper and better value for money.

Ok the Audi will not depreciate as much as the Golf, thats because people buy for the Badge.

Skoda rules in this three some and it shows in there financial performance against there partners Audi and VW.

yellow012

Big Balls wrote:

Listen, I've owned a brand spanking new Audi and there's about as much in common with one and a Skoda as there is between Michael McDowell and Martin Cahill.

Back to the Golf, the interior is completely different, you can literally see the difference in the quality of the materials used. That said, as I earlier agreed, they are a great car for what you pay.

And the day I rely on a taxi driver for his opinion is the day I'll buy a Nissan Micra which started the thread.

Sorry Mr Big Balls, I beg to differ here, having owned a Mk 5 Golf 1.4 Base and 2 Mk2 Skoda Octavias one was the Ambiente model and my current car is the elegance model. There is absolutely no difference in the interiors of the base model Golf and the Ambiente version of the Octavia.
The only difference I could find between them is the damped action of the grab handles.
The elegance model is a much nicer package than the base Golf but I understand its not comparing like with like. So don't be fooling yourself into thinking your Golf is someway superior, they all share parts from the same bin.

maidhc

Big Balls wrote:

Listen, I've owned a brand spanking new Audi and there's about as much in common with one and a Skoda as there is between Michael McDowell and Martin Cahill.

The octavia elegance practically shares the entire center console with the 06 Passat (Radio, climate control etc), which incidently is far better designed and easier to use the the dated one used in the present A4! The quality of fabric in the Skoda is as good as the Audi. Really, you can play spot the audi bit if you are sitting in traffic lights in an Octavia!

I believe Skoda's statistic is that they rob 60% of parts from the VAG warehouse, but I stand to be corrected.

If you want to loose the least amount possible on a car do not buy an audi, look at loosing 5-6k a year on an A4, not sure about an A3, but I doubt if they hold their value as well as the golf. I dont know about the Octavia, they seem to hold their value ok though: they used be poor enough.

Gatster

Wasn't there a thread on here a while ago showing Skoda concepts (a soft-roader from memory that I definitely would have bought)?

Was on a work jolly, er, trip, in the South of France last year and was driven round in a black 2.5 diesel Superb and it was, well, Superb. Beautifully made and huge inside with all the toys (DVD's in headrests etc, don't know if that's a factory option). They're so expensive here (the Superb), and the residuals are sh!te...

In comparision to say Hyundai or most of that badly designed Korean crap they are amazing, nothing to laugh at.

alias no.9

kluivert wrote:

BB

Same engine same, chassis as the Golf. Has the nose of the old Passat and the rear end of an Audi. Please...

The nose may look similar to the old passat but the nose of the old passat it ain't. The old passat had a longditudinally mounted engine and the octavia has a transversely mounted engine. The front end of the passat needs to be longer with the engine essentially lengthways out in front of the front wheels. The front end of the octavia is all golf. Come to think of it, I dont see why the rear end would be anything other than jetta either.

maidhc

alias no.9 wrote:

The front end of the octavia is all golf.

I would think so, you get the impression because lights the Octy are *very* similar (almost identical) to the previous passat.

I think the rear end is all Bora though, but with fancy rear lights! The Octavia Combi is an interesting looking car though. It is *exactly* the same length as the hatch, and the slope on the rear window gives it the profile of a c-class. I am half tempted by one, even though I have no use for an estate!

Big Balls

Have a look here all who hail the mighty Skoda..

This is the flagship Octy at the moment. Fantastic car, 37k for a new one.



Now are you all really trying to tell me you can't see the difference between the plastics in this and this A4 (not to mention the type of leather used!) - both cars are sport models. If you can't you should all head to Specsavers.



As for how you pay for the badge, do Skoda do an A3 esque model? No! Maybe I don't like the Golf in anything but GTI trim.. who knows! But don't always assume people are buying cars purely to say look I drive an Audi. Keep that stereotype for the BMW brigade who own a 1992 316i and think it's an M3.

In simple terms, yes they share a lot of parts, no they are not identical cars to look at.

alias no.9

maidhc wrote:

I would think so, you get the impression because lights the Octy are *very* similar (almost identical) to the previous passat.

I think the rear end is all Bora though, but with fancy rear lights! The Octavia Combi is an interesting looking car though. It is *exactly* the same length as the hatch, and the slope on the rear window gives it the profile of a c-class. I am half tempted by one, even though I have no use for an estate!

The rear end of the Mk1 is bora but the MK11 is jetta, being on the new platform and all that. I know what you mean about the combi and the c class too. I think that's a play for the european taxi market.

kluivert

I dont think that anyone is saying that they are identical just similiar.

Obvious the main difference is the materials used, Audi use more expensive materials and this is why they re more expensive.

If you take away the interior your still driving a car similiar to that so a Skoda.

BMW drivers are on a different planet altogether, but you're saying that the cars are totally different...well the interior is anyway.

But if you look at those pics you can see similiarities between the two. Eg Centre Console.

Jip

How can you differentiate between plastics in 2 photos, one that's a realtime photo, the other a staged brochure shot. It's more than specsavers you'd need to do this !

Big Balls

kluivert wrote:

But if you look at those pics you can see similiarities between the two. Eg Centre Console.

Most cars have a centre console. It's not that unusual.

I've been around VAG cars since I was born, I love them.. my point which maybe some of you will get from the pictures, is you get what you pay for and although a car may share a chassis, they can still differ quite a lot.

maidhc

Yes, but most people who buy Skodas get 1.4, 1.6 or 1.9 TDI engines, in either Ambiente or elegance. The most expensive combination in this situation is about 26k list.

An A4 on the other hand is 40k for a 1.9Tdi in base trim. You pay your money and take your choice.

EDIT: Look at the passat center console: It is a carbon copy of the octavia (or is it the other way around...)

Big Balls

Jip wrote:

How can you differentiate between plastics in 2 photos, one that's a realtime photo, the other a staged brochure shot. It's more than specsavers you'd need to do this !

Both brochure shots I'm afraid.

Maybe Skoda use a cheaper camera.

kluivert

Jip wrote:

How can you differentiate between plastics in 2 photos, one that's a realtime photo, the other a staged brochure shot. It's more than specsavers you'd need to do this !

Thats my point....

At the end of the day, there is a QUALITY FEEL about the Audi that Skoda is missing.

But at the end of the day the point is there's nothing to laugh about when it comes to Skoda these days. They re a good car an a very good alternative buy from the Audi for those who dont have the money for one.

lomb

the skoda badge detracts strongly from the car, regardless of what it is. its still a skoda. and yes the badge matters when u are spending 20 grand+.
i looked at the skoda and saw zero savings for an equivenlent when i ordered the comfortline golf 1.6fsi tiptronic auto against the equivelent octavia, except for aircon. and tbh i wouldnt trade aircon for the vw badge. the value retention of the golf will be alot better than the skoda. no one can deny that.
also the comfortline is a different car from the base model. apart from beautiful semi recaro velour seats it has great overhead and footwell lighting, cruise control, rain s wipers, alloys, electrochromic mirror, and a few other bits and bobs.

Spitfire666

Im 19 with a bit of a racer attitude but I have to say,I love the Octavia,Id sooner buy it over the passat anyday. We've had about 7 Skodas in the family between my parants and my unccle and never had an ounce of trouble with any,my mam is driving an octavia with 100k+ miles on it and the only trouble its givin is the adjuster for the mirror broke off, and even at that it was more to do with a large force applyied to it then to the car itself.
I love taking the octavia out for a drive around,its very comfortable car to drive.
As for the Fabia VRS, how can you not love a hot hatch that can out preform alot of others in the market....thats a diesel???

Keyzer

I will be driving a Skoda Fabia until Thursday, have done for the last 2 years, and I have to say it never let me down, great car, nippy and economical...
I have been slagged many times about it, that its a "bitches car", and the usual "What are you driving" " A Skoda" "oh..." and the sympathetic look...
I dont care, great car.. there is a still a stigma attached to the name but mainly from people who dont have a clue about cars.
When you tell them the amount of polls its come very high people tend to take it a bit more serious...

Only time will weaken the Skoda's bad image...

colm_mcm

so would the general feeling then be that Volkswagens and Audis are ridiculously overpriced. given that it can't cost much more to produce an Jetta than it does to produce an Octavia.

Personally i think VW's are seriously over-rated

maidhc

colm_mcm wrote:

so would the general feeling then be that Volkswagens and Audis are ridiculously overpriced. given that it can't cost much more to produce an Jetta than it does to produce an Octavia.

Personally i think VW's are seriously over-rated

BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Lexus, Volvo: All play the same game. I doubt if it costs much more to build a BMW 3-Series than a Jetta or Octavia either. Although in fairness toyota dont make a mockery of Lexus by putting in miserable engines into the IS (etc.) as other "luxury" brands get.

I think VWs idea is their cars fit between the Fords and BMWs in terms of "prestige". They charge accordingly. They give people plenty choice: Bentley, Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda... I dont think anyone can complain.

gurramok

I bought a Fabia 2 yrs ago due to its reputation as bloody reliable and it has certainly lived up to its name!
Surveys have placed the Skoda as one of the best european makes on the market
http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/survey/top_10.shtml,
http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=214562&EL=3121185, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3641001.stm
Alot of taxi drivers drive Skodas as well as the usual Japanese makes for reliability hence their growing popularity and value for money!

ds20prefecture

maidhc wrote:

BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Lexus, Volvo: All play the same game. I doubt if it costs much more to build a BMW 3-Series than a Jetta or Octavia either.

I disagree. BMWs cost more to make than a Jetta or Octavia. They are made in smaller volumes, with more bespoke parts and fewer components shared with other platforms. Having said that this does not justify the ludicrous profits that BMW make on their cars. The badge does that, apparently.

alias no.9

ds20prefecture wrote:

I disagree. BMWs cost more to make than a Jetta or Octavia. They are made in smaller volumes, with more bespoke parts and fewer components shared with other platforms. Having said that this does not justify the ludicrous profits that BMW make on their cars. The badge does that, apparently.

Don't be fooled by supposed smaller volumes, the 3-series is the third biggest volume model range of the german manufacturers after the vw golf and opel astra.

mike65

The bmw 3 series outsells the Mondeo in Britain - its nowt to do with volume!

Mike.

unkel

mike65 wrote:

The bmw 3 series outsells the Mondeo in Britain

Dunno about recent years, but I remember very well that for many, many years, the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes C-class (190 before it) were 2 of the 3 bestselling cars in Germany. The other one in the top 3 varied...


Then again, a basic one of them cost about the same over there as a same-ish engine Ford / Opel / Jap / VW, etc. cost over here because of our tax system