Octavia - Where's all the elegance ?

ChewyLuey

Highly aclaimed car and I've had a look at whats on offer in carzone (realistically won't be changing car until November). Seems exclusively ambient model in the second hand market. The main "extra" that I would insist on is Air Con. Does this come only in the elegance model or can it be part of the ambient package aswell? Are the elegance model really scarce second hand or am I just not seeing any ? Cheers

bazz26

ChewyLuey wrote:

Highly aclaimed car and I've had a look at whats on offer in carzone (realistically won't be changing car until November). Seems exclusively ambient model in the second hand market. The main "extra" that I would insist on is Air Con. Does this come only in the elegance model or can it be part of the ambient package aswell? Are the elegance model really scarce second hand or am I just not seeing any ? Cheers

The Ambient model is by far the most popular model in Ireland. The more expensive Elegance model is less common because when you go to sell the car on you get very little extra over a similar Ambient model. This plus the fact that the Elegance model was not available in 1.4 litre. The 1.4 petrol and 1.9 TDi being the most popular engines bought in the Octavia range.

Afaik air conditioning is an optional extra on the Classic and Ambient model. I think it cost around €1,500 so not many people opted for it. The Elegance model has dual zone climate controlled air conditioning as standard.

If I remember correctly Skoda offered the Ambient A/C and Ambient Climate Octavia models towards the middle of 2006. These had air conditioning and climate control respectively as standard. These still cost alot less than the Elegance model. Might be worth having a look out for one of these models.

It BeeMee

Actually I've noticed more Elegance models on the road in the last while (you'll know them by the alloys and the dark strip on top of the windscreen)

As Bazz says, not very many people will have put air-con into an ambiante-spec car, generally cos by the time you put alloys on, you're almost up to the price of an elegance anyway.

yellow012

I think the Irish car buying public is becoming a lot more sophisticated in their requirements when buying. I've sold a fair few second hand cars in the last few years and the one's we've had problems shifting have all been base model's.
I just sold a Octavia Elegance model privately and got approx €1000 more for it than a Ambiente model I sold the previous year, exact same condition, mileage etc. The guy who bought it wanted climate control in his car and was prepared to pay. The alloy wheels and leather package was just an added bonus.
Personally myself I wouldn't buy a car that didn't have climate control or AC.

ChewyLuey

Ya. I never really got how people could spend a hard earned €2x,000 on a new car and not even get Air Con or E/W. A friend spent a crazy amount of money moving from a 01 well-spec'd Megane to a new Peugeot 307 in 2005 and practically had to push the thing around it was so badly kitted out. I just couldn't see the point. Obviously performance and reliability are paramount in a car but its the little extras that really make a car special.

colm_mcm

Octavia drivers are usually tight and rarely buy extras

yellow012

colm_mcm wrote:

Octavia drivers are usually tight

Damn right:)

Dilbert75

colm_mcm wrote:

Octavia drivers are usually tight and rarely buy extras

In other words, they buy reasonably well-equipped Octavias instead of loaded-up Corollas or Avensi for double the price so the Skoda dealer gets the sale instead of the Toyota dealer....???:rolleyes:

colm_mcm

Dilbert75 wrote:

In other words, they buy reasonably well-equipped Octavias instead of loaded-up Corollas or Avensi for double the price

No, they're just tight.
And a Corolla is only double the price of an Octavia second hand.

Dilbert75 wrote:

so the Skoda dealer gets the sale instead of the Toyota dealer....???:rolleyes:

Toyota outsell Skoda by a gigantic margin, so that would not usually be the case.

junkyard

colm_mcm wrote:

Octavia drivers are usually tight and rarely buy extras

Ha, Ha, I was going to say that too. Thats how copper wire was invented, two Skoda owners fighting over a penny.:) Anyone I know who owns a Skoda are unbelievably mean, they're the ones who botch up a bodywork repair, then bring the car out with a bag of bits and pieces they bought in Halfords or some place over the years and can't understand how you won't use the stuff and knock it off the price of the job.

colm_mcm

I traded in an Octavia last year and the owner told me had only washed the car 3 times in as many years. one of the times was before he brought it in for a price (that's not made up!)

junkyard

colm_mcm wrote:

I traded in an Octavia last year and the owner told me had only washed the car 3 times in as many years. one of the times was before he brought it in for a price (that's not made up!)

I'd believe it, and he probably saved up tokens for the free washs too.....tight b**tard.:rolleyes:

maidhc

junkyard wrote:

Anyone I know who owns a Skoda are unbelievably mean,

Hummm... I would have thought a BMW "SUV" driver would be sensitive to generalisations...

bazz26

colm_mcm wrote:

I traded in an Octavia last year and the owner told me had only washed the car 3 times in as many years. one of the times was before he brought it in for a price (that's not made up!)

I can hazard a guess at how often that car was serviced then (assuming it was serviced).

colm_mcm

I didn't care, it went stright to the trade like all VAG products.

Dilbert75

So what's the problem with Skodas then? It seems to me that they offer pretty good, unexciting, reliable value for people who don't put much store in badges or the premium that goes with them. They regularly come at or close to top the JD Power survey and satisfaction with dealers seems to be pretty high (admittedly the other marque which has the same characteristic would be Toyota). So why the need to slag off them or their buyers?

colm_mcm

There are loads of reasons why people buy Toyotas.
The only reason you'd buy a Fabia instead of a Polo is because it's cheaper.

Dilbert75

..or because it has the newer chassis several years before the Polo does, or because the dealers don't make you feel privileged to get their attention, or because you prefer the appearance, or because the standard equipment is more generous....???

And what's wrong with choosing one car over another very similar car on the basis that its less expensive? Several brands have marketed themselves on the basis that they are more exclusive or desirable than others, when they are essentially little different. Your statement could just as easily have been phrased "the only reason you'd buy a Polo rather than a Fabia is that you perceive that they are worth the premium price", could it not?

Supercell

colm_mcm wrote:

There are loads of reasons why people buy Toyotas.
The only reason you'd buy a Fabia instead of a Polo is because it's cheaper.

Yep , as a Fabia owner I'd agree 100%
Why the hell should I pay €€€ extra for the same car for snob badge value??

If I could afford a similarly fitted "better" badge i probably would consider it (I'm talking Porsche affordability here), but for the moment I'll spend my money on the Skoda and get more car for my Euro thanks very much!

I had a 06 Skoda Octavia 1.9Tdi I sold it as I am off to Australia but Damn what a fine car - ambiente model - it had vents for the people in the back seats and vents that ran from the dash through to the front doors and vented warm air where the door meets the windows - to demist the windows CLASS
Great car oh and could get 1200 Kms out of a tank of diesel and the engine wasnt even run in yet
The only logical reason you would buy another brand would be if you traded up regularly (keeping up with the Jones`) as other brands dont depreciate as much.
A friend of mine changes car every 2 years - has a lovely 05 A3 2.0 Tdi with a 07 A3 2.0 Tdi QUATTRO on the way he thought VERY POORLY of Skodas until he saw and drove our Octavia - the dash and many other parts including the very important diesel engine range are shared between Audi, Volkswagen and SKODA.

VeVeX

Longfield wrote:

Yep , as a Fabia owner I'd agree 100%
Why the hell should I pay €€€ extra for the same car for snob badge value??

If I could afford a similarly fitted "better" badge i probably would consider it (I'm talking Porsche affordability here), but for the moment I'll spend my money on the Skoda and get more car for my Euro thanks very much!

This whole its only a "badge" thing is complete rubbish.

What you actually have in a Fabia is an economy Polo.

Granted the VAG platforms and engines are used in most cases across the board. Thats were the similarities end. The quality of materials used to make the rest of the car vary (downwards) from brand to brand. Forgetting about ultra VAG brands i.e Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti, Audi and VW are their premium lines. To think that they are going to kit out a Skoda exactly the same as a VW and sell it for a reduced price purely because of the brand is a complete fallacy. Corners are cut and these corners are materials.

bazz26

VeVeX wrote:

This whole its only a "badge" thing is complete rubbish.

What you actually have in a Fabia is an economy Polo.

Granted the VAG platforms and engines are used in most cases across the board. Thats were the similarities end. The quality of materials used to make the rest of the car vary (downwards) from brand to brand. Forgetting about ultra VAG brands i.e Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti, Audi and VW are their premium lines. To think that they are going to kit out a Skoda exactly the same as a VW and sell it for a reduced price purely because of the brand is a complete fallacy. Corners are cut and these corners are materials.

VW marketing at it's best but since when did they become a "premium" brand?

maidhc

VeVeX wrote:

To think that they are going to kit out a Skoda exactly the same as a VW and sell it for a reduced price purely because of the brand is a complete fallacy. Corners are cut and these corners are materials.

The fact VW still put a 1.9TDi in a skoda and an Audi seems to suggest VW don't distinguish between the marques as much as they should. Corners are also cut on Audis!

VeVeX

bazz26 wrote:

VW marketing at it's best but since when did they become a "premium" brand?

Read what I said again. I didnt say premium brand.

Im working on cars every day, I can draw opinions from experience.

I have nothing against Skodas I quite like the new Octavia.

Its the illusion crafted by some Skoda owners that they have somehow pulled a fast one because they could live with a badge and every one who has bought a VW is mental because its the same car, thats what bugs me.

colm_mcm

maidhc wrote:

The fact VW still put a 1.9TDi in a skoda and an Audi seems to suggest VW don't distinguish between the marques as much as they should. Corners are also cut on Audis!

My particular favourite is the 8 valve 1.6 engine in the Audi

Supercell

VeVeX wrote:

This whole its only a "badge" thing is complete rubbish.

What you actually have in a Fabia is an economy Polo.
To think that they are going to kit out a Skoda exactly the same as a VW and sell it for a reduced price purely because of the brand is a complete fallacy. Corners are cut and these corners are materials.

You are right, they do have some VW parts in my Fabia - the VW stickers are still on them, I get reassurance that in pretty much every reliability survey around that my Fabia comes out better than the so called premium VW and Audi versions
I've no problems agreeing that some parts are different- show me a a recent golf or polo that scores better in reliability than a Fabia in recent years?

Plus for a lot less I get electric heated mirrors, , windows , abs etc for far less than a VW badge, I'm laughing all the way to the bank.

Then again I'm a Skoda owner and I do like to save money as Colm and others have pointed out

If I want extras I'll buy the Vrs version (next car..)

Dilbert75

Well if I had say €35k to spend on a car tomorrow, I'd probably go for the fastest & biggest car I could get for that money. And, given that I'd be paying for it myself, the most economical and the least likely to stand out in the crowd (if its showy, it'll be nicked or vandalised). I'd probably go for this, though for the same money in its sister range, I could get this.

Now I'm not going to argue that these are equivalent cars - obviously one is far superior to the other. Just, apart from the badge, it seems that the bigger, more powerful, better equipped and all-round better value car is not the one with the four rings on the badge.

el diablo

Dilbert75 wrote:

Well if I had say €35k to spend on a car tomorrow, I'd probably go for the fastest & biggest car I could get for that money. And, given that I'd be paying for it myself, the most economical and the least likely to stand out in the crowd (if its showy, it'll be nicked or vandalised). I'd probably go for this, though for the same money in its sister range, I could get this.

Now I'm not going to argue that these are equivalent cars - obviously one is far superior to the other. Just, apart from the badge, it seems that the bigger, more powerful, better equipped and all-round better value car is not the one with the four rings on the badge.

well I know what I'd choose (and it's not the Skoda)....:)

unkel

Dilbert75 wrote:

the bigger, more powerful, better equipped and all-round better value car is not the one with the four rings on the badge.

A lot of people insist on the badge and are prepared to pay for it. Even though, with the badge removed, it is only really a mainstream econobox with a stylish interior (in fairness that has to be said). Like yourself, Dilbert75, I'd take the Skoda with the superior engine any time

Jip

VeVeX wrote:

Granted the VAG platforms and engines are used in most cases across the board. Thats were the similarities end. The quality of materials used to make the rest of the car vary (downwards) from brand to brand.

Have you ever driven, say a Golf for example, and then jumped straight into an Octavia ? The majority of the switch gear is identical, the light switches, indicator stalks, electric window and mirror switches and the interior door handles, May not apply on every Golf but the similarities are there.