Passat B7 or Superb

[Jake02]

I still say Superb, simply because it has character. VAG Newbie it sounds like you want the Superb though - most people would totally dismiss it after what you said about pricing. Have you driven them?

[VAG newbie]

I drove both of them. Personally, if all other factor disregarded, I love the Superb! Like you said, it has more character. But sensibility ask me to go for Passat! Like you said, most people won't even ask the question, just go straight to the Passat!

Well, there's one more factor that caused me to lean more toward Passat. The VW dealer will give me a 2012 plated Passat in Jan when my current lease ends, cuz their shipment comes in Dec. Whereas Skoda's shipment comes in Oct, so it will be a 2011 plated car. (the shipment needs to come with their bulk orders so I can get the discount). So for $90 more, I get a car that is one year newer as well.

And I like Passat too! It has it's own virtues, and I can easily live with it. Also you get a more "prestigious" feeling when you drive a German car compare to a Czech car.

Tough call. If I let my emotion make the decision, the Superb. But I've made too many emotional decisions before (2 Magnas, a Rover 75), and when it comes to resale, it really bit me. So gotta come to some senses.

[BlackSuperb]

I vote for a Superb sedan!

But then again, I will just hand my car back to my employer and don't have to worry about resale value. Anyway, I stll get a buzz from driving a great car. There are heaps of Passats around so driving a Superb is kinda special.

By the way, when I was looking for a car 18 months ago, I priced the Passat and the new A4 Audi as a comparative guide. Both the others were way more expensive, with the A4 some $10K more. So getting a Superb was a no brainer.

[anthony]

The new Passat is not the best looking car on the market,but its looks a helleva lot better than the totally out of proportion Superb sedan...

[Transporter]

The new Passat will probably have more gizmos than the Superb. But, the last model Passat with TDI engine had problems with the injectors and the wiring (costing $$$ to repair if out of warranty) and IMO its reputation for the reliability must have suffered a bit. Of course the new one is a Common Rail, so it could be all smooth sailing from now on. Lets just hope, huh.

As for the reliability I would say that Skoda is already proved to be more reliable than VW in UK and other EU countries. I would go for Superb over the Passat any day.

[woofy]

I don't mind the Sedan, the twin door is really handy, we are thinking either wagon or sedan in the next 12 mths. Sedan/hatch is useful where you don't want a boot coming out further than the back of the car when you open it, but you have to look up but can fit them in smaller spaces.....things most people don't realise...the wagon opens back more so you can't have the back up against something.

Resale of Skodas is pretty much a myth, I've not seen any evidence that they hold value less than a VW and there are less of them about and a long waiting list half the time. If anything when people have sold them, they got a lot more than they expected.

[thejack72]

Well, there's one more factor that caused me to lean more toward Passat. The VW dealer will give me a 2012 plated Passat in Jan when my current lease ends, cuz their shipment comes in Dec. Whereas Skoda's shipment comes in Oct, so it will be a 2011 plated car... So for $90 more, I get a car that is one year newer as well.

Did the dealer say 2012 plated or built? HUGE difference when it comes to resale. I know a number of people who bought late 20XX built cars that weren't complianced or registered til following year & every single one of them got screwed when they sold them. The valuer looked straight at the build date, not compliance, and priced it as a year older car.

If resale is a factor, I'd be very wary about build vs plated.

Aside from all that, we looked at both Passat & Superb too. Decision came down to $'s (bang for buck Passat can't touch Superb once you spec it up to same level) & the fact that Superb was nicer to drive.

[K1W1]

Well, there's one more factor that caused me to lean more toward Passat. The VW dealer will give me a 2012 plated Passat in Jan when my current lease ends, cuz their shipment comes in Dec. Whereas Skoda's shipment comes in Oct, so it will be a 2011 plated car. (the shipment needs to come with their bulk orders so I can get the discount). So for $90 more, I get a car that is one year newer as well.

Somebody is telling porkies.

[VAG newbie]

It's 2012 plated. Impossible to get 2012 built car in Jan with imported cars. So with Aussie cars, people look at built date, import car, compliance date. Well, at least that was what I was told when I bought a used BMW that was advertised as 2001. The built date was Oct 2000, but compliance Jan 2001. When I sold the car privately, I said the same thing to buyer, no problem. VW purposely keep that shipment late and don't get complied until after new year so they can sell that batch as 2012 cars! It will worth a bit more than 2011 plated car as the latter you can't advertise as 2012 car. Of course, 2012 built is still better than 2012 plated, but gotta wait till at least Mar - Apr.

For novated lease, if resale cannot pay for the agreed residual amount, the emplyee is expected to pay the difference to financier, so it does matter.

It's all a bit of myth now with Superb's resale value. Redbook score it pretty well but glass's guide score it poorly. I think the demand Vs supply says it best. Well, we know the supply is very small, which is good (at least I can bet Superb would have better resale than Falcodorion!) question is demand. That's why I'm asking all you Skoda fans and experts here, rather than posting it under passat section. If I did the latter, I would be hammered by every die hard VW fans there, thinking I was crazy even asking the question.

For those of you who still can't believe the price I got, I got it through a car broker and I was told it was because I work for QLD government and apparently VW gives further corporate discount on top of the fleet discount, but Skoda doesn't. My colleague got his base model Passat 118TSI $38990 drive away, brand new, 2011 built, Immediate delivery! (On top of that, GST free as it was a novated lease, so we are looking at $35000 on road!! Crazy huh!?)

I wish I was telling a lie than I wouldn't have to worry and go straight to Superb.

[Jake02]

The VW dealer will give me a 2012 plated Passat in Jan when my current lease ends, because their shipment comes in Dec. Whereas Skoda's shipment comes in Oct, so it will be a 2011 plated car (the shipment needs to come with their bulk orders so I can get the discount). So for $90 more, I get a car that is one year newer as well.

They'll both be MY12 right?