Skoda is the Best Volume Vehicle Manufacturer UK 2012

[ausspace87]

VW Australia... Clearly your strategy is not working!

Mr Money: Why Skoda is the consumer champion - Telegraph

[BluChris]

Strategy? They have a strategy? I hadn't noticed, unless you count directly competing pricing against its own brand (ie VW), very small dealer network that charges VW/Audi prices and still often knows less than the owners...

I bought expecting Skoda would repeat in Aus what it had done in the UK. Boy, was I wrong.

[dArK5HaD0w]

I bought expecting Skoda would repeat in Aus what it had done in the UK. Boy, was I wrong.

boy were u mislead!!!

skoda oz will never ever b anything like skoda uk, or skoda cz, or skoda india, or skoda china.......as long as vw oz controls everything.
they decide on wat skoda models to bring, the pricing, the marketting, the servicing, the dealerships, the warranty....u name it. even the skoda oz website is owned, controlled & managed by vw oz!!!
vwag have given vw oz the power & control for everything skoda oz.

everywhere else (worldwide), skoda stands on its on two feet.
unfortunately australia is "special", meaning special arrangements.

even in nz, skoda does not sit on vw's shoulder.

[zei20t]

we are probably the smallest skoda market in the world - besides NZ.

having less running costs of the business keeps the cars cheaper..........

[BluChris]

Yup, stupid me. I thought a budget brand would be sold and serviced at budget prices. FFS they were the first time they were here.

Mmmmmm, cheaper here because of the business model? Base Octavia hatch in the UK is stripped out compared with ours but starts at $20,813 (current exchange rate) drive away. This is close to a base model Astra there (a few hundred pounds difference), so here would compete with base Cruize et al. That's where Octavia should start IMHO - as a larger, value alternative to the mainstream machines.

Now, to make all you RS owners cry, the most expensive vRS listed (TDI DSG) is $34,917 list price drive away. For my post code here, $46,343. There might be equipment differences, but $11,000? Think how much better they would sell if the prices reflected the UK market alignment.

Skodas are anything but cheap here. I'd hate to think what they'd cost if the business costs were higher.

[dArK5HaD0w]

Now, to make all you RS owners cry, the most expensive vRS listed (TDI DSG) is $34,917 list price drive away. For my post code here, $46,343. There might be equipment differences, but $11,000?

u sure that's not a dealer demo?!?
in ACT, a tdi dsg recommended price is $46,717. a couple hundred more than ur postcode price.

Skodas are anything but cheap here. I'd hate to think what they'd cost if the business costs were higher.

u should try buying a new vrs in singapore - approx. $92,000 SGD, or $71,000 AUD!!!!

[BluChris]

Nup, not a demo - straight off the Skoda UK website. Straight rack price, no haggling. That's one of the reasons they sell so well. They are super cheap, and Skoda UK have (largely) sorted the dealer network.

I get that they have supply issues, but the potential here would be big if they'd copied the model. Would have helped justify manufacturing expansion to meet global demand. Imagine people having the choice of an RS against an ordinary spec Japanese of Korean mid size, or a base Octavia against smaller competition. Would have to do well.

Oh well, perhaps I should just follow the sheep and buy a Corolla. Or not

[zei20t]

dont forget they have to ship the car here, and then the government stings them for import duties and taxes.

the UK is MUCH closer to the Czech Republic. i bet their import taxes are cheaper too due to population vs car ownership

[Mysticality]

TDI DSG in my postcode is $49,326.00 ... Directly from the website.
$46,921.00 for mine, TDI man.

[gabriel]

Dealership network is quite weak, esecially in NSW...