Driver Power Survey reveals 3 Skoda models in the top 4 cars, and best manufacturer overall (Again).
No great suprise these days, I know, but there are a few when you look further down the rankings - Mazda's poor showing for example.
www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/driver_power/265621/overall_winner.html
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Surprised that my C5 didnt fair better. Happy with mine and nothing other than a service over the two years I have had it. Reading the details I must be the exception rather than the rule
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Only eight 'percentage marks' separate the top 50 cars.
I reckon there's little difference in the ownership experience if your car is number one or number 50.
Or even number 54, mikey. :)
Last edited by: Iffy on Thu 14 Apr 11 at 19:39
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A worthless survey. Tiny sample averaging 230 cars of each type and info gathered from a select group based on their biased and amateur perceptions.
The fact that the Rover 75, an old car forgotten by most already, does so well speaks volumes about their readership and therefore the results.
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You do wonder what they are getting at when the Volvo V50 is 24th and the S40 is 71st.
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>> You do wonder what they are getting at when the Volvo V50 is 24th and
>> the S40 is 71st.
These surveys are always full of discrepancies like this. Essentially the same car, save a handful of body panels, sold and supported by the same dealer network, and given two vastly different ratings. It doesn't make sense.
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Have to agree FL, the only reason Skoda's near the top are because owners end up fanatics - i fully admit to having the bug as well.
Used to see it with the new shape Mini's, naming them, taking photos of them in crazy places and posting them online, flashing each other on the road etc. etc.
Why do they end up fanatics? Haven't a scooby, for me it's probably all about cost when you take it right back to the root. If i had a bigger piggy bank last year i'd no doubt be driving a 6-pot 3 series or an Audi A4 with this engine, but i'm glad i didn't.
It's comfy, it treats me well, it's always rewarding to drive, i could afford a decent spec where in the Audi i'd have been on cloth seats and missing all the gadgets. Everyone always likes to feel a little bit different in positive ways and i'm sure that factors into it too - plenty of people still turn their noses up at Skodas, that appeals to me.
Does it deserve to rank above one of the new BMW 5 series, in absolute terms of course not. In my personal circumstances, yeah it does rank above a 5 series by quite a margin in my own circumstances - purely because i can't afford a new one of those.
So i can see why you end up getting figures that are inflated past what's deserved in absolute terms. Every submission is supremely biased. It works the other way too if you bought an expensive S class then found it lacking compared to the XJ you test drove for the same price, you're going to be much harsher than the car deserves.
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>>Have to agree FL, the only reason Skoda's near the top are because owners end up fanatics - i fully admit to having the bug as well.>>
............
>>Does it deserve to rank above one of the new BMW 5 series, in absolute terms of course not. >>
Its down to expecations, people have lower expectations of Skodas than VWs and Audi therefore because they are very similar cars the Skoda is more likely to exceed their expectations.
I also agree with the above, the % spread between 1st an 50th is minimal.
EDIT: and 76% for the old Ka at 100th place is not a disgrace ...
Last edited by: Cheddar on Thu 14 Apr 11 at 20:32
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I noticed that the new Renault Megane has gone from 5th to 33rd in one year. That didn't last. But as someone said further up, pretty worthless survey really - the data is based on owners biased opinions. Skoda do well because I suspect the owners are quite defensive about their cars after all the flack aimed at them years before. They share the same components with Audi, VW and Seat so they must have on average have the same number of well known faults (Teves ABS, water leaks, blocked scuttle drains, aircon compressors) as these. The difference is that they feel they are treated better when having the cars repaired.
Last edited by: corax on Thu 14 Apr 11 at 21:17
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Agree fully with the sentiments above. 76th place for my current car seems absurdly low, although in absolute terms it's less than 10% behind the winner. And when I had a Skoda I evangelised about it to anyone who'd listen.
Note no.59 "Passat 2000-2005" vs no.56 "Passat old", as well as no.82 "Focus 1998-2004" vs no.52 "Focus old" and no.30 "Mazda6 new" vs no.60 "mazda6 old". Several other popular models are also listed separately for two generations, but NOT the Skoda Fabia, Octavia or Superb!
Probably because then Skoda would occupy 6 of the top 10 spots! ;)
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi {P} on Thu 14 Apr 11 at 21:59
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IIRC Skodas have been in the first three in the majority of these surveys for quite a number of years now.
It surely can't all be due to owners' fanaticism or evangelism....?
Mind you our local taxi drivers (probably 80 per cent plus have Octavias along with the odd Superb) certainly sing Skoda's praises and have done for many years.
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I am of the firm belief that the dealer makes all the difference in terms of perception. I would feel better about a car that had suffered a handful of faults but been put right easily and quickly, and with some sense of professional pride, than one which had one minor fault that had taken half a dozen visits to get sorted.
My sister is currently going through the mill with a Vauxhall dealer who have taken four attempts to cure a simple immobiliser / key problem. The car (a Corsa) hasn't otherwise put a foot wrong in the 18 months she's had it. But she has been tearing her hair out with frustration, and I can tell you if anyone had asked her, today, what she thought of her car, it would have been unprintable.
But the car has been pretty good. It's the dealer, and therefore the ownership experience that has soured the whole view.
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>> four attempts to cure a simple immobiliser / key problem
See also: Clarkson / Ford GT.
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Skoda Rule, OK. - mikeyb
