Skoda Sales

[2009fsi]

VW Australia own Skoda Australia, as a result, they decide what models, the pricing, servicing and the marketing strategy for Skoda.
VW Australia will not aggressively promote the Skoda brand when they have their own to sell.
Everywhere else (worldwide), Skoda does their own thing, governed by VWaG.
Here, Skoda can't do their own thing. They do as per VW Aus.
As long as this is the case, don't expect to see Skoda up there with strong sales in Australia.

Thanks for that explanation dArK5HaD0w, it explains a lot. I thought Skoda ran the operation here as they do elsewhere in the world. If VWag calls the shots 100%, then you can bet executive KPIs & annual bonuses will not be served well by selling more Skodas. That would also explain why one doesn't see a single Skoda in vicinity of the Chullora HQ anymore.
If one remembers the history, Czechs & Germans have not exactly been the best of mates through the last century. My impression in deciding to buy my Superb was the Czechs nationally & Skoda are striving to recapture their pre 1940s reputation for high quality engineering & innovative design; the very reason old Adolph invaded them first.

Various have made the comment that people who notice their Superb or sit in it are always impressed. I've had the same response. Numerous people have approached me around shops or in carparks, to ask about the car when they see the boot/hatch transition used. (BMW are introducing similar in new models) Without exception the sedan boot space amazes everyone. They look at the car from the outside & presume the boot must be tiny.

People who actually sit in the car are amazed by the ease of access. Not braining ones self on the roof or pilar when getting in, for starters. The quality of finish impresses some, including a Automotive trimmer I know who was very interesed in how Skoda had engineered aircon outlets through out the car & the standard of the stitching of the leather upholstery. When one goes over the two, the Superb gains a huge amount over the Passat on only a small increase in Chassis length. Far be it for me to suggest VWAG ought to rebadged the Superb as a "Passat" & drop the current Passat, they might sell a damned sight more cars in the Medium/Family market. I see no sense in having two cars in the same stable competing against each other. Mind you, I wouldn't buy a current model Passat, because they are cramped compared with Superb. Both really only seat 4 adults, but at least the Superb has room enough for comfort. Sadly, I think VWAG's likely action before long might be quite partisan & bury Superb.

Cheers to all.

PS: I don't know if I'm the one to upset someone by starting this particular thread, but my post as I saw it was all in the context of Superb, a great car, lost in the wildreness.

[brad]

it's a good thread but i think it isn't just relevant to Superb.

I often recomend Skoda (new or used) to my friends. They know I've had fantastic service from mine but I may as well tell them to shove a cucumber up their date because their reaction & response is quite similar. They just think I own some weird, quirky, low volume, niche vehicle that was made in a dilapidated Eastern Block factory by a bunch of Vodka influenced comrades.

One of my mates wants to buy a 2nd hand mazda3. I suggested a 118TSI Octavia because for the same age & mileage they are about $3k cheaper. It's like piddling into a strong Southerly.

[BluChris]

Can you blame them Brad? As a now ex-Skoda Octavia owner I freely admit that while I thought of Skoda in the European context when I bought - a proud, long-existing manufacturer that went to the dogs under communist rule and successfully resurrected itself when conditions improved in the Czech Republic and VW injected money, in reality VAG positions Skoda as a weird, quirky, low volume niche brand here. The stagnant sales and lack of push from VAG is testament to that.

I could live with the fringe nature of the product, but very many people in Australia fear being seen as non-conformist. They need the approval that comes with mainstream acceptance. Even enthusiast friends thought I was resonably insane to risk a Skoda.

I couldn't live with the inconvenient and ridiculously expensive dealer servicing, (expensive) misdiagnosis of simple problems, (expensive) regular minor issues my car seemed to develop at 4 years old but with low K's, frustrating uncertainty about what servicing needed to be done when and endless repeat visits to (not) resolve said minor issues.

My resale was acceptable, but there are plenty who feel they have been burnt (largely with the more expensive variants it seems).

You have to ask - for most people, why would you buy a Skoda? if you want this kind of product VW seems a safer bet in terms of recognition, resale, dealer network etc.

Otherwise, like me, you go mainstream and steer clear of all VAG products. A real pity because I still like Skoda but the downside is too great and I'm no fan of VW servicing either...

[brad]

No, I can't blame them.

I'll be keeping my Octy until it is no longer an economic repair. Why? Because it's worth <$10k if the similar 118tsi's on carsales are any indication (2007/2008 models with 80,000km - 100,000km). Normally this would annoy me but the timing is right as my eldest is about to start driving so i'll transition ownership to her over the next couple of years & make it the family hand-me down for the 2 kids.

Would I buy another? maybe I'll consider either a used Superb wagon or a Roomster if the depreciation is similar to my car. Otherwise I might get a WRX or maybe a used Renault Megane or a SAAB (may as well get a really marginalised/niche vehicle)

[Lemonskin]

I've dealt with him too, his name was Vojta. Unfortunately he left the dealership and is now selling Audis. Having said that, he was very passionate about Skoda and being Czech probably had a little to do with it too. I think I might have mentioned somewhere else that he actually prepared and gave out his own material on Skoda cars, such the company car and model history, articles of interest, etc...

And agreed, his conduct was great, he sold us our Superb but left the dealership before it arrived. Nonetheless, he sent an SMS (tried calling) explaining he's leaving the company and providing details of people that will continue to be in touch with us.

The following salesman were actually quite good too but admittedly he had limited knowledge of Skodas being lifted from the Kia arm of the dealership on short notice.

That was him! He'll do well selling Audi's. He's one of the two best car salesmen I've ever met (The other guy was at the Toyota dealership in Parramatta, his name is Sarge. He's probably selling Ferrari's by now!)

[VAG newbie]

VW Australia own Skoda Australia, as a result, they decide what models, the pricing, servicing and the marketing strategy for Skoda.
VW Australia will not aggressively promote the Skoda brand when they have their own to sell.
Everywhere else (worldwide), Skoda does their own thing, governed by VWaG.
Here, Skoda can't do their own thing. They do as per VW Aus.
As long as this is the case, don't expect to see Skoda up there with strong sales in Australia.

Actually if we look from another angle. Skoda's boosted up its number at the end of last year by registering lots of demos. So many of the sales this year would have been those demo's which didn't count into the stat. So in reality, there must be more sales this year cmpare to last year. May be not 200% more, but 50% maybe?

[brad]

Actually if we look from another angle. Skoda's boosted up its number at the end of last year by registering lots of demos. So many of the sales this year would have been those demo's which didn't count into the stat. So in reality, there must be more sales this year cmpare to last year. May be not 200% more, but 50% maybe?

You can't have it both ways. The tally is the number of registrations. If Skoda chooses to skew the figure in 2011 by registering lots of demos & executive vehicles then you can't change the goalposts & count when they were sold as a used vehicle/demo.

The numbers are what they are.

[Buzy_Robot]

This year I'll be replacing my current Passat and was seriously considering the Superb, but the following commentary over at CarSales is quite off-putting:

The car that took out the TB (True Battler) gong is one we actually like a lot and one that has received more than a little praise from motoring journalists around the country. But with just 653 sold for the year, confronting looks and a brand name that either continues to be mistrusted or remains an unknown quantity in the marketplace, the TB in the large car segment is the Skoda Superb.

The wooden spooners of 2012

[brad]

I don't think the edepreciation could be any worse than a Calais, Statesman or G6E (or whatever Ford call the Fairmont these days).

Try the car, if you like it, buy it.

[Buzy_Robot]

Hi Brad - I actually wasn't thinking of depreciation at all, to be honest. Although now that you mention it, that could certainly be an issue for some. I'd read this post and then the CarSales article which confirms the image problem which seems to be festering too often for the Skoda Superb. A crying shame given how good it is, but when one factors in pricing and features in relation to the MY13 Passat, it really doesn't hold enough sway to entice me. Is a reversing camera even available as an option on the Superb?! Some seriously skewed thinking by VW Australia when it comes to the Skoda Superb.

[Yao]

I've long resigned myself to the fact theat the resale value on my Superb is going to be nothing to write home about. But that's three years away when my lease is up. In the meantime, I am going to do my best to absolutely enjoy my car which, I must say, is err, Superb

[Albervin]

This year I'll be replacing my current Passat and was seriously considering the Superb, but the following commentary over at CarSales is quite off-putting:

The car that took out the TB (True Battler) gong is one we actually like a lot and one that has received more than a little praise from motoring journalists around the country. But with just 653 sold for the year, confronting looks and a brand name that either continues to be mistrusted or remains an unknown quantity in the marketplace, the TB in the large car segment is the Skoda Superb.

The wooden spooners of 2012

When I drove out of my workplace yesterday, 2 people called out "Nice car". Both young (20 ish) men. The Superb wagon is IMHO one of the better looking medium/large cars on the road. I am afraid the same cannot necessarily be said of the sedan.

[VAG newbie]

Hi Brad - I actually wasn't thinking of depreciation at all, to be honest. Although now that you mention it, that could certainly be an issue for some. I'd read this post and then the CarSales article which confirms the image problem which seems to be festering too often for the Skoda Superb. A crying shame given how good it is, but when one factors in pricing and features in relation to the MY13 Passat, it really doesn't hold enough sway to entice me. Is a reversing camera even available as an option on the Superb?! Some seriously skewed thinking by VW Australia when it comes to the Skoda Superb.

No, you can't get a RVC as a factory option although it is easy to get a third party one and make it look like a factory one. It will have problems and that's why I'm on a campaign to make RVC compulsory.

You are right, in terms of value for money, Passat is probably better than Superb, which is hard to understand.

But if you take a look at the Superb, it is way bigger than a Passat and the ambience is far more luxurious. So I guess that's how VWa is justifying its cost. Ie, the car is one size/class up, thus more expensive.

What I can tell you though, is it is amazingly practical with its huge boot and the twin door system. So when it comes to loading luggage, you'll really appreciate it. I was very fed up with the lack of RVC and was thinking of getting a Passat next time. But when I loaded the luggages of 3 friends coming from USA, I was pleased that I got the Superb. They were all amazed how big the trunk was and surprised that all their luggage fit! They called it "supersize trunk"!

And besides the badge, the Superb looks really upmarket.

[aware]

Already posted this in the Octavia thread, but thought I'd put it here as well.

Another article on Carsales: Who is Skoda?

[2009fsi]

Already posted this in the Octavia thread, but thought I'd put it here as well.

Another article on Carsales: Who is Skoda?

A lot of truth in there some won't like. I also question the value Skoda is getting out of big budget sponsorships. Sponsoring GWS AFL team must be costing a fortune, but who is watching? Not many in Sydney, that's for sure. As for sponsoring the lycra set big time in Australia, I think this has much more to do with Global exposure than as an effective strategy in Australia. While I like & follow cycling, mostly on Fox's Eurosport channel, being the snails behind the pack in an event which has struggled for coverage & profile in Australia for years, I doubt it is catching the eye of anyone but the already informed.
It would be cheaper to put a fleet of brightly coloured corporate cars on the road driving around with big SKODA logos right up the side. Do what Ford & Holden did for years & just bribe a few journos to do stories in print & on TV about the "Skoda flying circus". How much can it cost to sling their missus/mother/daughter/son a free car for a year?

BTW, Did anyone else notice Czech tennis players being labeled "Quirky" by my favourite tranquiliser, Bwuce, during Ch7 tennis coverage? Quirkiness seems to be spreading like a virus to anything Czech.