Interesting comment about Skoda in todays newspapers

[BluChris]

Not forgetting, if you keep your car after the warranty expires you go wherever you want for service and repairs. At the moment I am trying the local VW dealer, who has already fixed one issue (at no cost too) that 2 Skoda dealers were clueless about.

[Rosie]

The Age comment was, “Skoda is a recent example of a brand that’s spent plenty of money, but still has only modest sales.”

I don’t think the author is being realistic when saying “plenty of money”. Toyota, and VW spend “plenty of money” on advertising. Skoda has spent a bit, but the bulk of their advertising budget seems to have been spent each year over the same three weeks during the Tour de France, which is shown on Australian TV between 10:30 at night and ridiculous o’clock in the early morning.

I disagree with K1W1 as to, “…this perception has carried into the motoring press and is now being spread into the wider market.” Skoda’s Australian sales figures are no perception. The figures demonstrate the reality of the situation, but modest sales are better than low sales, or dismal sales, and K1W1 says that these figures are “relatively low”, but doesn’t say relative to what factors.

That the comments here went immediately to service and customer back up doesn’t surprise me, but I agree with Woofy that seemingly only service spares and most common accessories are readily available. In today’s financial climate this is the same in most industries. I wouldn’t mind a dollar for every time I’ve heard, “I’ll have to order that in for you”. Usually followed by either a request for a substantial deposit, or payment in full. Businesses don’t want to spent large sums of money to have stock sitting on shelves in expensive warehousing. There are no stand alone Skoda dealerships. They are all part of a “motor group” selling several makes. These groups carry too many makes to keep anything other than basics at the dealership. Even for those they often have a warehouse at at Woop Woop where the rents are low, and only transfer confirmed orders to the dealership for pick up.

Like many of us I think Skoda Australia HQ is about as useful as a chocolate tea pot. I don’t know the nature of the relationship between Skoda CZ and Skoda AUS, but if it is within their scope I’d love to see the former swing the axe, and get some national management down here that thinks beyond selling franchises, and blowing most of the annual advertising budget over the same three weeks each year on TV ads that target only hard core cycling fans and insomniacs.

[ausspace87]

The Age comment was, “Skoda is a recent example of a brand that’s spent plenty of money, but still has only modest sales.”

I don’t think the author is being realistic when saying “plenty of money”. Toyota, and VW spend “plenty of money” on advertising. Skoda has spent a bit, but the bulk of their advertising budget seems to have been spent each year over the same three weeks during the Tour de France, which is shown on Australian TV between 10:30 at night and ridiculous o’clock in the early morning.

I disagree with K1W1 as to, “…this perception has carried into the motoring press and is now being spread into the wider market.” Skoda’s Australian sales figures are no perception. The figures demonstrate the reality of the situation, but modest sales are better than low sales, or dismal sales, and K1W1 says that these figures are “relatively low”, but doesn’t say relative to what factors.

That the comments here went immediately to service and customer back up doesn’t surprise me, but I agree with Woofy that seemingly only service spares and most common accessories are readily available. In today’s financial climate this is the same in most industries. I wouldn’t mind a dollar for every time I’ve heard, “I’ll have to order that in for you”. Usually followed by either a request for a substantial deposit, or payment in full. Businesses don’t want to spent large sums of money to have stock sitting on shelves in expensive warehousing. There are no stand alone Skoda dealerships. They are all part of a “motor group” selling several makes. These groups carry too many makes to keep anything other than basics at the dealership. Even for those they often have a warehouse at at Woop Woop where the rents are low, and only transfer confirmed orders to the dealership for pick up.

Like many of us I think Skoda Australia HQ is about as useful as a chocolate tea pot. I don’t know the nature of the relationship between Skoda CZ and Skoda AUS, but if it is within their scope I’d love to see the former swing the axe, and get some national management down here that thinks beyond selling franchises, and blowing most of the annual advertising budget over the same three weeks each year on TV ads that target only hard core cycling fans and insomniacs.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Totally agree.

[RSwag]

I agree with Rosie and Kiwi, and I am frustrated by the small sighted view that Skoda are doing really well because they have increased sales by 41% year on year. Sounds phenomenal but the reality is they are figures that disguise the truth. The truth is for the segments they compete in they have consistently failed to gain market share. They have increased sales over certain periods e.g. August 2011 but so did most manufacturers in the same segments, it's not a big achievement after four years.

The brand is no more known today than it was in 2007, the people in the know own and recommend it but for everyone else in Oz it might as well be called shabangabang as it would be just as obscure to the general public as it is now.

Pricing, marketing and it's own HQ's inability to understand the market it is in have all added up to one big disappointment for all of us who wanted to see Skoda do well.

Fingers crossed the powers that be can start thinking in terms of market share per model, try a canivorous approach to sales and eating market share per segment.

[VAG newbie]

As much as I'd like to agree with you, there is still a factor I never wanted to face before, but it's as real as it gets.

The fact is, Skoda makes very sensible, practical and reliable, but unsexy cars. This may have killed sales.

After my aggressive campaigning to my parents, explaining how good Skoda is nowadays, showing them all the reviews and awards Skoda has received, at a driveaway price of $26985 on the 90TSI with DSG, plus the 2.8% finance, they were pretty much sold on the car, except after I show them the photos of the Octy, they gave up. I won't quote the word they used as it will offend many Octavia owner here, but it's something along the line of it being unsexy

I also have another colleague, he read a lot about Skoda, and I also told him how good Skoda is, he got really interested in the Yeti. So when our local dealer had the Yeti for a limited time, he went and looked at it (couldn't test drive it as it was NZ spec)! He gave up right away, saying it's not that impressive (of course not, he didn't drive it, but just based on the look!) so he is now looking into some of the Korean SUVs....

I know beauty is totally subjective, but I believe most of you bought the Skoda is because you can see beyond it's styling. It might be the German engineering that attracted you, or the "simply clever" practicality that attracted you, or it might be value for money that attracted you, but I wonder how many of you bought the Skoda because of it's styling? If the same styling is found on a Korean car, would you buy it? (Although I must say I quite like the styling of Superb, except I still won't buy it if it's Korean)

It's a sad fact, that many people out there just cares for outward beauty! So I believe even if Skoda put ads on the front page of every newspaper, or showing on TV commercial every 5 min, I doubt it will increase sale by much more. People who are practical and can see beyond badge will know about Skoda. However, if they come up with some nice, cool looking car (like some of their concept cars), and price it right, then sales will definitely go up. Personally I think they have a very good chance with the Fabia Monte Carlo, only that they need DSG and cut the price by another $3000! And asking VW to stop dropping the price of their cars!

[dArK5HaD0w]

I don’t know the nature of the relationship between Skoda CZ and Skoda AUS, but if it is within their scope I’d love to see the former swing the axe, and get some national management down here that thinks beyond selling franchises, and blowing most of the annual advertising budget over the same three weeks each year on TV ads that target only hard core cycling fans and insomniacs.

unfortunately the relationship is not between skoda aus and skoda cz (hq) - its between skoda aus & vw aus.
vw aus has the 'relationship' with skoda cz....with VwAG overseaing it all.

vw will do anything to protect their brand. they can't have skoda take their potential sales. as long as skoda aus is under the 'control' of vw, we're at their mercy.
vw will determine the pricing on skoda aus.
vw will determine the marketting on skoda aus.
vw will determine the skoda dealerships in aus.
vw will service skoda vehicles.

end of the day for me - i'd rather have a few hundred skodas roaming the streets than a million of them, like every other golf/mazda3/lancer/corolla/i30.......

[bluefrog]

I know beauty is totally subjective, but I believe most of you bought the Skoda is because you can see beyond it's styling. It might be the German engineering that attracted you, or the "simply clever" practicality that attracted you, or it might be value for money that attracted you, but I wonder how many of you bought the Skoda because of it's styling?

Not me that's for sure : )

There are quite a few main reasons why I bought the Octy, but exterior styling is not one of them. It's far from ugly, but it definitely is a fair few years out of date in the exterior design department. Interior is a totally different story however. And everything else more than makes up for it when price is taken into account.

[Inego]

Mind you, my Scout is much better looking than its only direct competitor, the Outback. But Subaru cornered the market in ugly sticks years ago.....

I remember how long VW itself was just trickling a few Golfs out here and there, having pretty much pulled out of Oz in the late-80s, and dropped the Mk1 Golf earlier than that. The Mk3 was a rebuilding phase (a tiny number of Mk2 GTis trickled through), but it was only around 2000 that the Mk4 started selling in decent numbers (having launched in late '98 ).

Not that I'm saying that Skoda hasn't shot itself in the foot/been muzzled by VW (apparently).

[BluChris]

Definitely didn't buy my Octavia for looks though I am OK with the appearance. Had an Astra Turbo before the Octavia which was good looking but impractical and wayward when you got stuck into it. The Octavia is the polar opposite - sober, stable, anonymous (it's not an RS). I bought it because it is the perfect size for my needs, super practical and has a Euro flavour.

I agree that VAG has done poorly with marketing the brand, though I'm unsure what Skoda is meant to be here. Lots of forum members have an RS or Superb with options, making their cars more of a prestige buy. I saw mine as a value proposition - Euro engineering with potentially good reliability at an affordable price. Prestige was not much of a consideration though I like the left field positioning of Skoda in general. Like others I am heartily sick of VAG positioning VW and Skoda to cannibalise rather than complement each other. No sooner does Skoda get some potential traction through a unique model offer or price advantage than VAG matches it with a VW product. Sheesh.

[PassatB6]

Mmm... no , Skodas aren't ugly. Different, a bit uncomfortable to the eye initially, but its surprising how much the look grows on you over time. Now I look at an Octavia and think it looks quite balanced. Skodas look LESS retro over time not MORE to me.

The most 'temporary' cute look you can get is the latest crop of Mazdas and Hyundais. They look OK now but in a short period of time they begin to look very outdated.


And what about BMW. Does anyone think that the X1 looks better than a Skoda?