Skoda: yay or nae?

DMC

I'm in the market for a 2nd hand car atm, and I'm wondering what peoples experiences are with this marque.

Pricewise (01-03), reliabilty, cost of servicing etc. but also, driving experience.

I'm easy with either a Fabia or an Octavia.

Your thoughts are welcome.

mike65

Dont do it! Spends a few thousand more and buy a badly specced older VW instead! Er....

Buy a Skoda and smuggly know you spent your money wisely. If you're flexible I'd go for a slightly older Octavia 1.9 TDi but it depends your everyday requirments.

Mike.

dceire

Yay, I don’t have one my self but know of people with Octavia's and the reports are v.good. There basically VW's underneath so no reliability problems and servicing should be reasonable. Not too sure about the driving experience though. Anyway from what I've heard there v.good solid cars

voxpop

yeah its only the badge really - its a cheap vw - just nick a vw badge and your storted

GristlyEnd

My brother bought a 01 Octavia 1.4 last week for 10k. Nicely spec'd.

Curran

A BIG THUMBS UP FROM ME !!!!!

Go for it...........get almost everything on the Skoda's Octavia that you have to pay top dollar to get on the VW Passat!

Cant understand why people buy the Passat - understandable if its a company car but otherwise people that squander their money on a badge should walk around with their trousers around their ankles with a sticker on their back saying "the nice man at the VW dealership shafted me GOOD!!!"

stratos

Every fibre in my body wants to agree with the above. arghhh I just can't do it no no no don't buy a Skoda . I would rather use a bmw hubcap and a stick to go down the street with!

Curran

stratos wrote:

Every fibre in my body wants to agree with the above. arghhh I just can't do it no no no don't buy a Skoda . I would rather use a bmw hubcap and a stick to go down the street with!

Personally....i wouldnt buy one myself.......but im having a go at the ppl that buy the over priced, pay for everything you want extra, VW's !!!!

If I was buying German engineering - id pay good money for a BMW !!!!

But i do know 2 lads (fairly young lads 23 and 25) that drive Octavia's and they are every bit as good as the Passat!!

Not my style though!!!

Curran

Curran wrote:

Personally....i wouldnt buy one myself.......but im having a go at the ppl that buy the over priced, pay for everything you want extra, VW's !!!!

If I was buying German engineering - id pay good money for a BMW !!!!

But i do know 2 lads (fairly young lads 23 and 25) that drive Octavia's and they are every bit as good as the Passat!!

Not my style though!!!

I know the BMW's are overpriced too..........but theres not cheap alternative!

Silvera

My brother has a 2003 Octavia 1.4 and he has nothing only good comments about it......so much so that he is currently thinking of selling it and buying an '04 Octavia ?!

Curran

Silvera wrote:

My brother has a 2003 Octavia 1.4 and he has nothing only good comments about it......so much so that he is currently thinking of selling it and buying an '04 Octavia ?!

Why not change it to a repossed 05 ...spend a few more pennies!

ds20prefecture

DMC wrote:

I'm in the market for a 2nd hand car atm, and I'm wondering what peoples experiences are with this marque.

Pricewise (01-03), reliabilty, cost of servicing etc. but also, driving experience.

I'm easy with either a Fabia or an Octavia.

Your thoughts are welcome.

My sis had a Fabia and I share an Octavia with my wife. Great cars - ours has been faultless in 5 years/60k. Absolutely devoid of image, which I think can only be a good thing.
You might try for a Superb, they depreciate quicker than an Octy, and yet are a much bigger better equipped car.

In all cases, try to go diesel if you can. Either 90 or 110 can be chipped to about 130bhp. PD engined one (115bhp) can be chipped to 180, if you are so inclined. Octavia vRS is a very quick machine, but rare and generally thrashed for their lives.
Pick of the bunch would be a 1.8T 4x4 Estate, chipped to about 210bhp. This is probably rarer than a Bentley Continental GT, though.

You might consider looking to the UK to buy - Skoda's don't hold their value quite so well over there, and come much better equipped than here. Check out www.briskoda.net for a large Skoda specific forum.

Costs wise, the petrols are not very economical, the diesels are brilliant. Dealer servicing in Dublin is eye-wateringly expensive (€500-700!) but go to Navan or Longford and get it for half price.

They are primarily intended to be comfortable rather than sportscars, so don't expect the liveliest handling car in the world. Better than a MkIV Golf, though.

HTH

Saturnine

They look like something from the late eighties .Crap slow engine and dead handling.

DMC

I think you have made my mind up for me, cheers lads.

On the point about getting a Golf or a Beemer... I would dearly like one, but I know that around Dublin, these cars are known to go missing in the middle of the night. There is prestige, but also prestige amougst criminals. I know of someone who has had his '03 Golf stolen 3 times. He got it back each time, as it was part of criminal racketeering looking to sell on. He doesn't want another Golf now.

Interesting comment on the petrols, ds20prefecture. I would be looking at a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol myself, the diesels are still a little out of the price range. Anyone else find the petrol uneconomical?

ando

i seen a VRS a few days ago and I have to say I was impressed. Interior was really nice and 180 horses as standard

rugbug86

my mum works for skoda in ireland so we get cheap cars every year. we've had 5 of them now, just got a new one there, an octavia. its a lovely car. has loads of extra's. my uncle has a passat but the skoda is a much nicer drive.

ds20prefecture

DMC wrote:

Interesting comment on the petrols, ds20prefecture. I would be looking at a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol myself, the diesels are still a little out of the price range. Anyone else find the petrol uneconomical?

According to the trip computer, we average 28mpg with mostly city driving out of our 1.6 Octavia. My sister was getting close to 40 in the 1.4 Fabia, but that was all country driving.
My brother is getting about 30mpg from a 1.4 Octavia - all country driving.

For a fabia, the 100hp 1.4 is a great engine, but the 1.9TDI is a flier in this small car.

eoinm1

I bought a Skoda Fabia 3 weeks ago.
I went for it as it is a Polo for a lot less euro.
The drive is nice and comfortable but I was upgrading from a car in it's teenage years with a drink problem, so I may not be the best judge.

The power stearing is nice but took a bit of getting use to.
Rear view in the Sedan model is a bit restrictive this makes it a bit harder to reverse into a tight parking space.

With regaurd to running cost and service cost I can not comment yet as the car it still quite new to me and i have not been keeping an eye on the running cost.

All in all I' very happy with mine.

By the way I'm on the look out for a radio for my car if any one can help.
See here.

Thank you,
Eóin

Curran

eoinm1 wrote:

Rear view in the Sedan model is a bit restrictive this makes it a bit harder to reverse into a tight parking space.

Has the Fabia got no mirrors ??

Hate to see you drivin a van with blocked out back windows!
Never driven a van....but only time i use my back window when reversing into a spot is to pick my stoppin point!

unkel

mike65 wrote:

Buy a Skoda and smuggly know you spent your money wisely

Agree

DarrenG wrote:

My brother bought a 01 Octavia 1.4 last week for 10k. Nicely spec'd.

Proof that Skoda depreciation is not bad at all - contrary to popular belief. It's retained 60% of its value after 4 years! The last car in this class that I bought was a Nissan Primera. It only retained 50% in 3 years, so 50% MORE depreciation per year

BTW the boot of the Octavia is as big as the boot of my BMW 7-series. The Octavia has been awarded the best family size car of the year for 4 consecutive years now by owners in the JD power customer satisfaction survey. It is not a great car by any means, but it is superb value for money

Dilbert75

Mother has 00 Fabia 1.4. Not the fastest but perfectly adequate. Reliable. Cheap to run. Solid. Comfortable. Inexpensive to buy. Would buy one myself, particularly an Octavia.

PaddyFagan

Hi Folks,

I'd say go for it! I picked up my new Octavia vRS last week - love it to bits!
(unfortunately the paint work on the door was damaged on delivery, and it's back in the garage for a re-spray at the moment In fairness to the garage, explained and apologised as soon as a I got in the door of the dealership...)

Haven't had it long enought to comment on fuel economy though...

Paddy

alias no.9

The octavia and fabia are good honest comfortable cars. They are reliable and good value for money. I would like to clear up one thing though, the octavia is not based on the passat, it's based on the golf, think of it as a liftback version of the bora and you'll be making a fair comparrison and the prices are still somewhat in favour of the octavia unless you're buying the bora from a vw dealer in which case the prices are seriously in favour of the octavia.

prospect

PaddyFagan wrote:

Haven't had it long enought to comment on fuel economy though...

Well, don't expect much, especially if you enjoy 'spirited' driving

gafarrell

I traded in my Xsara for a 03 Skoda Octavia 1.4 Ambient.
It is a really nice car, lots and lots of space, very comfertable to drive and as powerful as I want it to be. I would really recommend an Octavia.
On average i get about 34 MPG which isnt all that bad.
Whats the point in paying alot more for a VW when you will have the same car at the end of the day (Except for the badge)

Tobias Greeshman

Personally I'd go with the Octavia, they hold their price okayish, and are a lovely car to drive. But the Fabia really dont hold their value that well and there a really nice car too, pity about that.

A 1.9 Octavia TDi will get about 50-60 mpg and is quite lively to drive too!

PaddyFagan

prospect wrote:

Well, don't expect much, especially if you enjoy 'spirited' driving

Those 180 horses would be a bit of a waste if I didn't use them once in a while

Based on comments on a skoda site in the UK, I'll probably end out around 25-30 mark. But, I knew that when I ordered it, fuel economy wasn't high on my priority list!

Paddy

prospect

Bout 25 sounds right.

My cousin has an RS, it is a lovely car, heated seats, nice, minimalist interior, and fantastic speed and road holding!

My only quibble, they shoulda put in a 6 speed box.

Best of luck with it.

fletch

What's the 1.4 Fabia like (performance wise)? I know there is 2 power outputs, a 75bhp and a 100bhp.....anyone driven the 100bhp version?

caesar

Curran wrote:

...........get almost everything on the Skoda's Octavia that you have to pay top dollar to get on the VW Passat!

i thought it went like this VW Golf=Skoda Fabia (or Seat Leon)
VW Bora=Skoda Octavia (or Seat Toledo)
VW Passat=Skoda Superb

anyone agree

Curran

Well the Octavia cant seem to make up its mind....can it!

I mean.....its bigger than the Bora.....not much smaller than the Passat!

Either way....the VW's are over priced for what you get!! Much cheaper on the Skoda!

bazz26

The Skoda Fabia uses the VW Polo platform.
The Octavia uses the Mk IV Golf/Bora platform.
The Superb uses the Passat platform.

peasant

The Octavia is based on the Golf floor pan. So are VW Bora, Seat Leon / Toledo, Audi A3.
The Fabia is based on the Polo floorpan. Same as Seat Ibiza / Cordoba.
The Superb is not based on the current Passat floorpan (that would be the Audi A4), its actually an old model Passat floorpan stretched by 10 cm (used in Chinese made Stretch-Passats ...I believe they're used as Governement Limos there ... incidentically so is the Superb in the Czech Republik )

edit: ahhh ...bazz was quicker :rolleyes:

Curran

peasant wrote:

I believe they're used as Governement Limos there ... incidentically so is the Superb in the Czech Republik )

Why cant out Governement use cars like this....instead of stretched Merc's and high class Jets etc etc..............wasting our poxy money on their luxury! :mad:

Dont turn it into a politics thread now!

Back to the point!............Its a Yah for me on the Octavia!

bazz26

I'm not a fan of the new Octavia exterior styling. I prefer the original Octavia especially the vRS version. Fine performance for under €27k new.

I test drove a Superb once and found the handling to be terrible, the steering was very vague. I didn't like the style of the dash either. It had too may edges and corners imo and looked very 1990s. There was overkill also on the wood around the dash and doors. The 130bhp TDi was great though but it could have done with the VW six speed gear box.

Also you can get the Fabia in vRS form but it is only available with the 130bhp TDi diesel engine.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=164523

Must be a rocket with that engine :eek:. Don't fancy paying €26k for it though.

Given the choice I would rather have an original Octavia either the 130bhp TDi or the vRS.

PaddyFagan

bazz26 wrote:

Given the choice I would rather have an original Octavia either the 130bhp TDi or the vRS.

Just to note there is no new vRS yet, they're still selling the "old" style one. The new one is due at the end of the year - if the rumors are to be believed there will be two engine options:
a 2.0T petrol, same as the new Golf GTI (guessed to be set up for in the region of 200bhp)
a diesel option (maybe the 2.0 TDI PD170 from the new Passat)

Paddy

alias no.9

Curran wrote:

Well the Octavia cant seem to make up its mind....can it!

I mean.....its bigger than the Bora.....not much smaller than the Passat!

Either way....the VW's are over priced for what you get!! Much cheaper on the Skoda!

The mkIV golf based cars golf/bora/beetle/A3/leon/toledo/octavia all have the same wheelbase of 98.9" and have transversely mounted engines. The octavia is the biggest in terms of overall length at 177.6" followed by the toledo at 172.3" and the bora at 172.3".

The A4 and Passat have longditudinally mounted engines, a very significant difference in design, with wheelbases of 103" and 106.3" respectively and overall lengths of 176.3" and 183.9" respectively.

So in terms of overall length, the octavia falls half way between the bora and passat but in terms of cabin space and construction it's all bora.