Skoda Octavia vRS..... would you?

[Professor Farnsworth]

i like Skodas and i also like Seats.. had a Seat Ibiza base model CLX a while ago, grey, 5 speed, bit gutless but it was so much fun. Was not cheap to repair though! Clutch cable went and had to be custom made, cost nearly a grand, yes seriously. The spark plugs in it were $50 each.

Still loved the car though. I'd get another, i love the newer models.

Skodas are solid units too, quite a fan.

[SumoDog68]

Skoda has a good chance to fill "quirky" end of the market that used to be occupied by Subaru. Subaru have lost their plot and they used to rule cycling /ski/snowbording niches. I see quite a few Skodas replacing Subarus.
Octavia in wagon shape is a great size for small family with a pram who cycles or owns a dog.. Medium sized non suv wagons are a bit thin on the ground and VRS Octavia would be the pick with choice of petrol or diesel and and man or dsg.
Overall question is how long will VAG keep Skoda in Oz for as many feel they might get tired of cheap Skoda selling less the premium Audi..

[Bossxr8]

Skoda's sell for thousands less than VW's in Europe, here its in the hundreds. Wheels knocked a few back from Wheels COTY due to this, and other handling issues.

Why would you buy a worse looking Skoda for a few hundred less over a better equipped and better looking VW, apart from slightly better quality, makes you look like a povo who can't afford a VW. They have the same DSG issues as VW do too.

[calais]

Originally Posted by new2ford

Have a look at the build quality of the Superb and compare it with the Falcon and Commodore which it directly challenges. If VAG has this mission of knocking off GM and Toyota for global market domination it needs, in Australia, to bring down service, parts and insurance costs and improve parts availability to the level of Holden and Ford. Then it will have a real chance of walking all over the local market.

After having owned my Octavia now for over two years, I can say without doubt, that parts, servicing, insurance and cost of ownership have been more than competitive with what local manufacturers have been offering.

In fact I would go as far to say that I have spent less time (ie none) getting stuffed around by problems caused by build quality than some of my more unfortunate car buying mates who bought vehicles which otherwise compete with the vRS Octavia.

At around the same time I bought my Octavia, my neighbour bought an XR5 Mondeo, he had no end of electrical failures with interior functions. CD player, climate control, immobiliser system randomly playing up. His car spent more time at the dealers than he was happy with. His Mondeo lasted 12 months in his care, and was traded on a Golf GTI which he hasn't indicated any need to update.

Mind you, I am aware of people having issues with the first generation DSG gearbox failures in VAG vehicles. Which has been attributed to a faulty mechatronic module which controls the clutches. It is now a much easier and more cost effective repair should it become necessary. (I bring up this issue in particular because it is the most commonly used reason for tarnishing the VAG brands)

I guess what I am getting at is that every brand of car will have its own issues throughout its model cycle. And in my ownership experience of a Skoda, I am left with an overall very good experience, and very good reason to recommend Skoda as a product.

[Sam_Boss260]

Interesting thread. I'm not in the market for a Skoda, but am seriously considering a golf Gti with dsg this year as a replacement to the xr8

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Skoda's sell for thousands less than VW's in Europe, here its in the hundreds. Wheels knocked a few back from Wheels COTY due to this, and other handling issues.

Why would you buy a worse looking Skoda for a few hundred less over a better equipped and better looking VW, apart from slightly better quality, makes you look like a povo who can't afford a VW. They have the same DSG issues as VW do too.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Who really cares what Wheels publish, because they are right on everything then yeah?
VW are bloody overpriced, when i bought my XR5 it was a choice of the VW GTi (No DSG), Mazda MPS and the XR5.
After driving the GTi i liked it until i started looking at options etc then even the base price for a GTi is overpriced IMO you are just paying for the badge, then you look at service costs.
Base model vs base model the XR5 wins hands down and looks better in my eyes. (Off topic i know as it isnt about VW)
Anyway, id own a vRS anyway seen a new black one today it looked fantastic, looks far from povo.

[Bossxr8]

If VW are overpriced then that goes double for Skoda, and they are priced within less than 1k of VW's, and they are supposed to be be VAG's budget brand. And less equipment to go with it, so the Skodas are even more of a ripoff.

Maybe because they are selling in such tiny numbers compared to VW here, they have to jack the prices up to compensate, to keep profit levels viable.

[Sam_Boss260]

Just a question, what does 'VAG' stand for in the context of this thread? VW Auto Group?

[calais]

VAG = Volkwagen Auto Group (of companies)

[calais]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

If VW are overpriced then that goes double for Skoda, and they are priced within less than 1k of VW's, and they are supposed to be be VAG's budget brand. And less equipment to go with it, so the Skodas are even more of a ripoff.

Maybe because they are selling in such tiny numbers compared to VW here, they have to jack the prices up to compensate, to keep profit levels viable.

I don't quite understand your attitude towards Skoda. If your a hater, fine, your views have been made clear repeatedly so perhaps it's time to leave topic well enough alone?

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by calais

I don't quite understand your attitude towards Skoda. If your a hater, fine, your views have been made clear repeatedly so perhaps it's time to leave topic well enough alone?

Agreed, if you dont like it fair enough but no need to keep posting the same opinion.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

If VW are overpriced then that goes double for Skoda, and they are priced within less than 1k of VW's, and they are supposed to be be VAG's budget brand. And less equipment to go with it, so the Skodas are even more of a ripoff.

I don't know the other models very well but the Superb has been knocking off the Passat in other markets because it offers more for the money. But yes I do have an issue with Skoda's Australian pricing - rather bizarre, but you still overall get a better-built car for your money than the equivalent VW.

For the record I own an Australian Ford because the Falcon and Territory are very good designs - something we've done very well at. But there are definite quality compromises with a Ford, it's fair quality, far from poor, but not top. And I think the operating costs of the locals are better - I'm yet to be convinced that VAG cars are within the ballpark on that from my enquiries with dealers.

I also like to support local industry but hardly anybody else seems to nowadays, so if the general attitude is to sell the country down the river I have to go along with it! I might as well keep an eye on what's going on with other brands since one day the local ship will probably sink under our feet! I know the European industry quite well and I know Skoda is a good one to go with - which is why I'm in this discussion.

[drew`SEVNT5]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

If VW are overpriced then that goes double for Skoda, and they are priced within less than 1k of VW's, and they are supposed to be be VAG's budget brand. And less equipment to go with it, so the Skodas are even more of a ripoff.

Maybe because they are selling in such tiny numbers compared to VW here, they have to jack the prices up to compensate, to keep profit levels viable.

Son, this here is what you call a one man crusade.

Octavia VRS is cheaper than VW Golf GTi, and is a half-size bigger.

OMG SUCH A RIP OFF.

[dkpioe]

Originally Posted by new2ford

Have a look at the build quality of the Superb and compare it with the Falcon and Commodore which it directly challenges. If VAG has this mission of knocking off GM and Toyota for global market domination it needs, in Australia, to bring down service, parts and insurance costs and improve parts availability to the level of Holden and Ford. Then it will have a real chance of walking all over the local market.


You don't need a flame suit, just a bit of perspective! Skoda is over a century old, I think about the 4th oldest car manufacturer in the world. It made high quality cars up to the 1940s when its country was captured by communism. Consumer goods weren't a high priority of that system and Skoda was also isolated from the international market and exchange of ideas. Nevertheless the cars, although having finish and reliability issues, were solid and long-lasting. You can't judge today's cars by what happened during that period.

All that's totally changed since 1990. They're top of the quality and reliability tree and there are now several million of them sold around the world, including police, taxi fleets - they're even a fleet supplier to the NZ government. We're always complaining about how public preconceptions work against Ford - aren't you doing the same thing with Skoda? Don't let the facts stand in the way of a preconception lol!

Good reply, im surprised people that remember soviet era skodas arent smart enough to realise that the cars are of a totally different quality now! i think it is just brand hatred, which is a shame, you would think people who write in motoring forums love cars and could look beside brand naming, but unfortunantly that is how it is, especially in Australia with the ford vs holden mentality. it seems people are so bored with their lives that they need to support a competition of corporate names! why cant people just look beyond brand names and respect the machinery for what it is. Its like the bikie gangs in australia, they started after the vietnam war, almost like a protest to American and Australian involvement in the war, and then they plaster themselves to the Harley Davidson brand - an American Corporation! and slag off every Japanese bike as a "rice burner", even though they are often better bikes. I really dont understand this brand loving attitude to vehicles, both 2 and 4 wheel.
By the way, i love all vehicles, be they ladas, skodas, fords, holdens, harleys or yamahas. i am posting on this website because i am a Ford owner! i like my ford, it has good points, and many bad points, but i respect it.

i wish others could be more open to the diversity of the cars we have on offer in this great country and not be so "brand name" orientated. i wish these people who love "brand x" knew that "brand x" does not love them, they just love their dollar.