Skoda Roomster...

[GrumpyGregry]

Pre-loved, petrol, worth spending £5k on one or should I not touch with a barge pole? There's a few locally, and I hear good things, and the Skoda main dealer is only 2 miles from Chez Grumpy. Ironically they seemed to imply a lower price if we bought it on their finance than if we paid cash. Mad old world.

*C-Max out of frame, local Ford dealer picked on the wrong woman to patronise, and the local car supermarket salesman wasn't interested in selling the three in his warehouse.

 

[NorthernDave]

A lad at work has one - actually it's his second one and he seems more than happy with it.
The finance thing isn't uncommon, the finance company will pay the dealer a fee for everyone who they sign up - hit monthly targets and it can be a lot if money, so the dealers don't like people paying cash...

 

[screenman]

As Dave say's the commision gives them more margin. The Skoda is a great car, the petrol being more reliable than the diesel although less mpg as you already know.

 

[srw]

Ironically they seemed to imply a lower price if we bought it on their finance than if we paid cash. Mad old world.

Second income stream for the dealership, innit. When we bought one of our cars we said that we'd be interested in finance if he could do a better deal than 4% APR - that being our mortgage rate at the time. He shut up quickly.

If it wasn't for the fact that the CMax fits our needs so well, I'd have been looking at Skodas - basically rebadged VWs. The Roomster is jolly ugly though, isn't it? It's a van.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Second income stream for the dealership, innit. When we bought one of our cars we said that we'd be interested in finance if he could do a better deal than 4% APR - that being our mortgage rate at the time. He shut up quickly.

If it wasn't for the fact that the CMax fits our needs so well, I'd have been looking at Skodas - basically rebadged VWs. The Roomster is jolly ugly though, isn't it? It's a van.

Quirky, is what we call it.

The most raved about car we've ever had at Chez Grumpy was a Renault Kangoo. And that was all too obviously a van.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

so isvit worth getting it on finance, to keep dealer sweet and price low, and then pay finance off very quickly/early.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

so isvit worth getting it on finance, to keep dealer sweet and price low, and then pay finance off very quickly/early.

 

[srw]

so isvit worth getting it on finance, to keep dealer sweet and price low, and then pay finance off very quickly/early.

Only you can tell that. There's almost certainly going to be a tie-in on the finance which means that you'll be stiffed for early redemption fees. Although in the long run the dealer might get more money out of finance he'll also be interested in quick cashflow.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

[QUOTE 4269689, member: 45"]Ours is just over 2 years old and 30k miles. Hasn't missed a beat. Humongous inside. Doors, beds, mattresses, bikes, it'll take anything. Utilitarian in feel, but that doesn't affect the comfort. I did a 7 day, 1,000 mile trip to Belgium and back without a sniff of an ache.

It looks like a van, but isn't really. It's a Fabia front end and Golf rear-end. But yes, it's the fruit of the ugly tree. If it's for a lady she might not accept it. My sister won't go near it, but drives a Polo which is pretty much the same car.

We have the 1.2 TSI (the not the higher power one). It has a turbo and enough poke. The only thing that could be better is the mpg (we average around 45) but I think that could be better without the heavy glass roof. It's the roof that makes it for back-seat passengers though -stacks of legroom, headroom and light make for a great ride.

If you want to carry bikes on the roof you'll need one with the rails, or have the rails fitted. They're not expensive or difficult to fit -the threads are already inside the roof skin and if the fitter drills the holes in the right place they just bolt on.

You used to be able to get them new for £9995, but they've stopped making them now and I don't think there are any left sitting around.[/QUOTE]
The lady loves quirky. Her fave car so far is a bright red fabia with a white roof. The 93 under her right foot struggles to clear 22.5mpg. She will struggle with a normal car with half the bhp she is used to thobut. The Roomster we've looked at doesn't have the panoramic roof, but there are a couple slightly further afield with more miles on, thus cheaper, that do.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Only you can tell that. There's almost certainly going to be a tie-in on the finance which means that you'll be stiffed for early redemption fees. Although in the long run the dealer might get more money out of finance he'll also be interested in quick cashflow.

Have to read the small print. they are offering £500 deposit support. If they knock that off the price and give me the same off for our ailing 93 in p/x they could have a sale.

 

[screenman]

Only you can tell that. There's almost certainly going to be a tie-in on the finance which means that you'll be stiffed for early redemption fees. Although in the long run the dealer might get more money out of finance he'll also be interested in quick cashflow.

He gets quick cash flow with finance.

 

[srw]

He gets quick cash flow with finance.

True. Though I assume the finance company will stagger the commission and it'll be back-end loaded. And the bigger cash purchase price means he'll get more that way.

At least that's what I would do if I provided car loans through dealers.

 

[NorthernDave]

The Roomster we've looked at doesn't have the panoramic roof, but there are a couple slightly further afield with more miles on, thus cheaper, that do.

If you're after one with the glass roof (and they are nice to have), make sure the car has working air-conditioning or you'll bake whenever the sun comes out, even on days when the ambient temperature doesn't seem high. Opening the windows is one thing around town (if you keep moving), but not so good at 70 mph on a dual carriageway.

It's also worth noting that many insurance policies now specifically exclude panoramic glass roofs from the "glass claims" side of the policy - so if it gets damaged you would have to make a 'normal' claim, pay your full policy excess and lose your no claims discount.

 

[Dirk]

Apparently there is a new Roomster on the way, based on the VW Caddy.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2016-skoda-roomster-first-spy-shots

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

If it wasn't for the fact that the CMax fits our needs so well,

We had a C-Max, bl**dy awful thing, I ended up leaving it outside the house, with the windows down & doors unlocked
Even then, the local scrotes were too discerning

, I'd have been looking at Skodas - basically rebadged VWs.

Personally, I tend to think of Audis & VW's as over-priced Skodas
Although, if you do look at all 4 (including SEAT) you'll find all the logos on various parts


Point in case;
Not too long ago, one of my collegues was thinking of a new Audi A4 'All-Road'
At that point, there was no price for it
However, we worked on a normal A4 estate
They started at about £27,800 (as a 1.4Tfsi)
Same engine in an Octavia estate is £22,200

That'd be a Dura-Ace Di2 Storck, for the price-differential???

Out of interest, the All-Road equivilant, ie; the Octavia Scout, the car that various ParaMedics use, as a 2.0Tdi (150BHP) is £25,700
So I'd guess it's going to be at least £33-35,000 for the Audi??



The VW Group also own Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, MAN trucks, Porch, Scania & Ducati