Skoda's life under VW ownership has seen them more or less shake off their 'Skoda joke' heritage. Now they are well reviewed and competent cars. But as the Roomster and new Fabia become familiar on the road, I fear that their hit-and miss styling that has more to do with looking different from VWs than aesthetic taste could make Skodas a laughing stock once again!
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Time will tell... I don't remember too many jokes doing the rounds when the hideous last version of the Granada/Scorpio was launched; Ford seemed to get away with that, although the Granada was never replaced... Gone to that great graveyard of ugly cars, where it will be far from alone...
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People laughed at the Scorpio when it was launched but now it's influence can be seen on the front of many modern Mercedes, from the Sprinter van to the CLS 4-door coupe!!!
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People laughed at the Scorpio - the rear end was worse than the front - wouldn't be seen driving it so it was dropped.
The Roomster looks as though they were designed by several teams who didn't get on with each other.
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Personally, I like the quirky looks of the Roomster - its form is definitely following its function. Thinking about it - what other shape could it be? .. It's designed (to my mind) as an upmarket, slightly smaller, more-car-like Berlingo, with a raised rear seat area & full height 'boot' - I'd have no qualms or fears of pointing fingers if I drove one. As for the new Fabia - crumbs, it's a small family car for goodness sake: inoffensive, again slightly quirky, but with good space & (..to use that contentious cliche...) build quality.
In fact, perversely perhaps, comments about styling show just how far judgemento-meter has moved, you could say it's on a par with BMW in that case - engineering & more subtantive quality metrics have become subsumed in a debate about 'looks'.
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I like the look of the Roomster too, don't ask me why.
I feel we have waited too long for a word from the real authority on this subject. So:
From a Beemer-booting zoomster to a shyster in a Roomster
Might be thought a status climbdown or at least a Skoda joke.
So explain to us PugUgly why the Roomster's warm and snuggly;
Then during the Backroom booze-up everyone your ribs will poke.
:o}
Couldn't bring myself to edit such a work of literary genius, but the eighth word in the first line is very close to the mark - think of a better one, email it to me and I'll edit it in. Thanks! PG
Edited by PoloGirl on 17/12/2007 at 20:58
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The roomster is function plus quality it brings and possibly opens a market to people who didn't like the car -derived van ie Belingo/Partner Doblo etc but who like the benefit of space etc.
The funny thing is Merc's Viano which has the badge and nothing else ? MB can hardly say that was a sucess the Roomster has reputation and price on it's side.
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Well - I've unexpectedly piled on the miles in it due to a distant family crisis and I have to say it suits me. Its in another league as regards the 535 quality wise though - honestly and its in the the league below Mrs P's Golf but for what I paid and what it does I'm quids in. There needs to be more gadgetry that's for definate, I've listed them somewhere else on the site and keep adding the bits I miss from the BMW.
Otherwise I actually er...love it. Its like a faithful dog really, it just unpretentious motoring. The commodious boot just swallows stuff.
The plus side of it being quirky is that you can find it easily in car parks.
One of the only problems my 13 year old Cocker hates it with a passion, she's been in a dozen cars, but none of them have made her howl like this....she really hates it - I think she has a problem seeing out of the privacy glass.
The Scout is the prettiest of the lot, the body kit and privacy glass soften the edges of the other versions. Its a Marmite car.
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 17/12/2007 at 23:02
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think of a better one email it to me and I'll edit it in. Thanks! PG
Of course I don't think PU is any sort of bad lawyer American or other. It's just the -ster ending that makes it irresistible. Call it poetic licence.
Anyway it just means 'lawyer' in admittedly insulting demotic American. If PU thinks it's genuinely offensive change it to 'lawyer'.
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One could interpret 'close to the mark' as meaning 'accurate'. Maybe our esteemed moderatrix was being very subtle there!
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I seem to recall that even Mr Clarkson liked the roomster. See his review in "the other place".
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1959 - BMC launched the Austin 7 and the Morris Mini Minor (later to be renamed "The Mini"). People thought it was naff - how many did they sell?? And before that, VW launched the Beetle - and despite a few styling changes, it still goes on 60 years later.
Skoda have the ability to match the longevity of minis / beetles but will be able to do this with a level of quality that other mainstream manufacturers (Vauxhall, Peugeot, Renault, Citroen) can only dream about.
The only mistake ever made was that VW allowed the Skoda name to continue. Personally, VW could learn a thing or two about quality and price from Skoda.
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I'd rather Skoda produce something which causes discussions like this rather than a euro-box on wheels. You mention Skoda to a non-Skoda owning motorist and they only have praise for them. I read a report from the Met police vehicle evaluation unit on the Fabia and Octavia and they thought they were very worthy cars for the job required of them.
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Not whilst the likes of the G-Waz, I mean G-Wiz, is around.
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Traffic plod on the M3 has a couple of unmarked Octavia vRS's and judging by the number of times I see them on the hard shoulder behind another car, with all the occupants "having a chat" suggests they do their job very nicely.
One thing I have noticed is how the Fabia vRS in particular seems to attract some really venomous comments from petrolheads. I think it's the combination of being a diesel, a Skoda, dirt cheap and incredibly quick in the real world. It seems to polarise opinion like no other car in its class just, as far as I can make out, because it doesn't follow an established formula.
There is simply no other way as far as I can make out to get anything like that level of performance, tunability and proven engineering for under £12k (as it was). My mate's bog standard vRS took us to the Race of Champions on Sunday and even 3 up it felt effortlessly quick. Mate number 2 in the back, who has a new 320d Coupe on order for a Jan delivery was impressed with it as well, despite a little scoff at the badge to start with. Reckoned on feel alone, it was on a par with the 320d in grunt terms.
Cheers
DP
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
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This thread just serves to re-awaken a question in my mind.
Why in the name "o' the wee man" do otherwise rational people give a flying....teddy bear....what anyone else is driving ? As long as it is road legal and being driven with courtesy who cares ?
It's as sensible as scoffing at someone because they chose a different microwave !
Playground values IMHO.
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I'm not offended in any way ! In fact I feel somewhat flattered that I made Lud's muse rise.
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grumpeyscot has it. The Skoda to me is what the Morris Minor Traveller should have evolved into. Even down to the eccentric glove-box. It laughs in the face of the mileages its done this last couple of weeks and plenty fast enough for motorway cruises. Its all a matter of perspective !
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I saw a grey Roomster on the M6 toll N'bound yesterday PM. Lady driver + gentleman passenger bent over what appeared to be a laptop. Surely not ? ............
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shoespy
Doubtless the lappy was loaded with VAG-Com and they were trying to figure out what ailed it.....
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What's more.....fairly sure it had a non-standard aerial ! Curiouser and.......
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I thought, fingers slightly crossed, that you would be cool with it PU...
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Lud - I do hope you didn't think I was having a go at you ? On the contrary, my point was entirely general. It was not, I promise, a sense of humour failure !
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Of course not shoespy. My message was in reply to PugUgly's just above. Sometimes messages don't appear where you want them to.
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It wasn't me. Mrs P rarely goes in it let alone drive it. I am sitting here trying to put off the moment for starting back up to Wales....another half hour then.....
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