Mid-range Conti car...

[Spawnstar]

Better check with Megane owners on the gear/transmission .. some people tell me something about it but i did not followup as i was not interested in the car .

 

However i did test drive Skoda Superb and it is really spacious and stable although the engine noise sound are not too "nice".

 

Was on the market for SUV else would have seriously consider it .

Edited May 2, 2006 by Spawnstar

[The01]

Totally agreed that the Focus II is a good handling car; but the Opel, C4, 307, Megane and the Golf V are all not far behind; especially the Golf V which I think is a much better balance car The only set back is CnC Cheers!

[Qwert]

Hey guys, thanks for all the comments and suggestions!!! Went to VW today to check out the new Passat. Falling in love with it man! My wife loves it too... Perhaps we can swing ourselves enough to spend that money instead. Saw the GTI, cool hatch.. tempting but I think a sedan would be better for me.

 

Went to see the Audi A4 after that. Not impressed with the interior on the face-lifted. Look almost the same as the last generation. Compared to the interior of the Passat, I thought the A4 interior looks a bit dated.

 

Anyone done a comparison between the A4 and Passat? Would love some comments on it.

 

The Passat is one nice ride! Decided on an A4 instead because owned 2 Passats, so did not want to have the number 3 in my list...also, the new Passat is huge , have FSI engine, but somehow the backside and side profile didn't suit my liking.

 

IMHO, the A4 has very nice interior too, you can say that the new B7 model's interior is the same as the B6 model...the finishing is better than my old Passat in terms of touch quality...

 

I would recommend the Skoda Superb...for value for money as well as a great car with 1.8T.

[Macan]

I have own at least 7 Japs before Conti and once you cross that mindset...hard to go back to Japs due to the overall feel and road handling...trust me you will love it...Conti is a class above in these areas.

 

OPEL Astra, Ford or Renault will be a good choice... there lots of them on the road now and join a user group for all the lobangs and workshops and parts...

[The01]

Pardon me cutting in.

 

The build quality of Audi A4 B7 is impeccable and much better than the Passat. Passat may have the latest FSI engine, but that doesn't mean that the A4's 'old' engine is lacking. The 4-cylinder 20-valve engine mated to the multitronic (probably the best CVT around) still commands good power output and refinement. I feel that the $9k different in px between the Audi A4 and the Passat is justified!

[Hatch_lover]

Before I got my B6 A4, which shares the same engine as the B7 A4, I took the B6 Passat out for test drive, 3 times actually. Somehow I feel the 2.0 FSI Passat engine performance is blunted by the weight of the Passat. On the other hand, even though the A4 2.0MU engine is 20Hp weaker than the 2.0FSI, it accelerates faster than the Passat. Ok, this is butt feel and I didnt compare side by side. Or it could laso be the gear ratios but I agree its worth paying the extra for the A4

[Qwert]

Yah, the engine is the same for B6 and B7, think the difference is the 7 speed gears in the B7 compared to the 6 speed in the B6.

 

Have not test-driven the B6 passat, but my previous B5 1.8T passat seems much more powerful even at 150bhp before chipping. Maybe the body weight and turbo plays a part.

 

For the price difference btw both, think that A4 is worth...unless the px is like 20K difference, then the passat would be a better choice in terms of practicality.

[Gary84]

get the focus...very nice F/L...

[Yleow]

I'm sure the price difference is less that 9k (if comparing listed prices). You definitely can get a lower price for A4 after some bargining... But not for the passat

[The01]

I think the 'on the road incl COE' px of Passat is $111,900 and that of Audi A4 2.0 MU is $141,000 as in Autocar Mag. Therefore the diff is $29k (rounded) if you're comparing LP. The promotion px of the A4 is $121k (after some bargaining according to your term) and thus the $9k diff.

 

Actually CnC SE just write down the px of the Passat ($111,900) on the piece of literature of the car given to me when I visited the showroom around the end of April. And I'm not sure how much one could 'bargain down' or the px is final? If it is the final px, then there isn't any diff between the 'listed px' and the actual px of the Passat[rolleyes]

[Putter]

On 2nd thought...after experiencing all the poor servicing from all these dealers (simple engine oil change needs 1 day), it may be even worth to consider getting from parallel importers and save you $20+K. Lots of people don't go back to original servicing center anyway and the outside workshop like Servo and CAG are as good for VAG car.

 

As for mid-range conti, I will have to agree with most of you that Skoda Superb is really a nice car to drive though noisier due to the light turbo charged engine. Car is real firm and solid. You won't feel the car falling apart even at 210km/h and still feel firm and can go on more (the highest speed I had tried so far...afraid the tyre could not take it).

 

Best part of all, you have a powerful engine (especially after mod with Revo or chipping) at lower cost of ownership (low roadtax and good fuel consumption). Recommended engine oil change is at 15K interval but totally disappointed with their servicing - poor turn around and very expensive. Very much cheaper to service at Servo or CAG, and other VAG workshops.

[Tashi]

hi bro

Just a thought, as a Skoda owner, I think you will find the Skoda Superb a nice alternative to VW Passat, for the sheer fact of being more affordable. You might be surprised to find the quality and performance very reasonable, given a 1.8T turbo engine (lower road tax compared to many others). Try it and see?

 

We evaluated many vehicles, including many in your list, but finally settled on the Skoda. Plus, the interesting thing is, many passer-bys would do a double-take on the unique logo. :-)

 

bless

tashi

[Conned]

[reply]hmm... i still would prefer a VAG car solely for its quality of ride .. mod a VAG ? dun think i want to and never would wan to..

 

But if you are one to mod conti rides and test every corner you deem a challenge , then the focus is the one ...

 

unquote

 

If I were to tell you that a Superb pushed a Cooper S round a series of bends, wud anyone believe?. cud be true or BS.but thats not the point..thing is JC or motoring Mags sumtimess are biased & reviews & opinions shud be taken with a pinch of salt.!

Im sure Ford can handle corners very well but its moddability is no where compare to the VAGS! Zoomprotege is lokin for midrange conti cars with value in return & de bes tthing is for hiim to test every shortlisted cars n see how he feels..

 

Jus my 0.02cts.

 

Oh,btw, heard de insurance ,road tax & maintenace of de Ford ST is a . good thing is U can either let Volvo service it which they can't or Ford won't let it.

[Guest66]

ya man..even tire blew @high speed e car is v stable & u wont feel it hor?

U afraid tires cant take it or u cant take it? all de way to 270 lar!! hahahha..jus kidding there.

 

car noisier due to the LPT?,,I beg to disagree...cud b ur flashin..it;s well known tat after flashin , de engine is noiser n turbo whistle is quite audible.N ur oil chaange can;t be 15K interval liow. IMHO, de Skoda Superb is actualli a v refine & quiet ride..

 

mmm..I wonder where is it tat u toook de car to 210kph?...

[Manutd1972]

Hi Zoom,

 

IMHO, it's a very simple equation. If you're looking for a point A - pt B car, then go for Jap. In the long run, you'll spend less. But if you wanna truly enjoy your driving, how the car handles, gives you feedback, solidity n stability at high speeds, etc, then go for conti. With the exception of Subaru, most other Jap cars are pretty neutral in handling and feel. The Subaru is helped by its AWD feature so the handling is better than most other Japs.

 

Generally, contis give better feedback, are heavier thus better high-speed stability n slightly higher fuel consumption, dependng on which Jap car u compare with. Also, interior of contis tend to be of a higher trim level.

 

As far as servicing cost is concerned, it's not true that contis are more ex. My Opel cost me just over $200 for general servicing at Opel, but a Toyota will cost close to $300 for the same thing at Borneo, while a Mazda will cost less than $200. So it all depends on the agent. Dunno if Ford still has the 3yrs free servicing offer or not.

 

The other consideration is resale. Here, contis will again, generally, lose out. But if your mind is set on a conti, then diff makes have diff resale value. For eg, a Volks will fetch a better price than a Ford or Renault.

 

At the end of the day, choice of car all depends on what u wan ur car to do for u and wat u want in your car. What are your priorities? Fuel consumption? Worry-free motoring 99% of the time? Handling? Ride? Finishing (interior & exterior)? Appeal? Popularity?

 

If you can, I'd suggest you set a budget first and discount all cars outside of that budget. Makes your job easier.

 

Just my 2 cents' worth. Hope it helps.

 

 

cheers......

[John]

anyway, since you are affliated to CA, care to tell us why it took more 2 years (believe the car was launched in Europe in 2004) for the octavia II to appear on our shores?

 

Dear bro,

 

I am in no way affiliated to CA. If you care to check my posts in the past, you will be able to realise that there is a fallacy in your statement. It is definitely not within my professional capacity to answer the above question too.

 

The Octavia II and the VRS will reach our shores in June or July 2006.

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Hi Koolaba

I'm impressed by how you stuck to your guns when you know a good thing. It's a pity I didn't come across your postings sooner; 'else I wouldn't be stuck with this crap which I bought. Skoda owes you one. And it's BIG.

[Koolaba]

Hi John,

 

I find it a pity when prospective car buyers are inclined to put their money on Thai-built Japanese branded or overpriced Japanese products, yet do not get their money's worth in return. I hope that my posts can help to reveal that there are other products in the market which are worth spending on, with almost the same amount of expenditure.

 

Could you reveal which crap you have bought?

[Felipe]

agree with u on the thai build jap mades. for eg. its shocking that ppl are willing to pay for a honda accord from agent from thailand than pay for a jap made accord at the same price. looks aside as its subjective, it doesnt make sense. but of cos agents have all their overheads, warranty costs to meet hence the steeper pricing. but if sporeans become so 'educated', the PIs will soon laugh all the way to the bank.