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Liner4u, point taken about the many VAG brands, but there is a much more intimate link between Skoda, VW and Audi. Obviously, sitting in a Bugatti or a Lamborghini is not going to make you think "this reminds me of a VW" --- but sit in a Skoda, after driving a VW, and you will feel perfectly at home with the switches, etc.

It is not really true to say that Skoda is considered a cheap car: it is considered the lower-budget member of the Skoda-VW-Audi trio. It is certainly true that this is not how Skoda has sold itself in India.

Clarkson, whose programs I love (haven't seen for a long time, though) has a stage act, and a very good one. I like to think that the real-life guy is just a little bit less prejudiced than the one we see on TV. If he actually means half the crazy stuff about running over dogs and kicking owls around, then he should maybe be taken out and shot --- I don't believe he does, and I just laugh, others write to the newspapers and complain, and he gets even more publicity!

I own a skoda fabia and in spite of that I am saying this. I sat in the polo, Jetta, Passat, Superb, yes they share switches etc. But thats not where the problems lies, its with more expensive parts like compressor, turbo etc. Polo and Fabia do not have the same compressors hence I hope it won't have the ac problems skoda has.

If you sit in a VW and then in a skoda you will find similarities but they will be cosmetic(very few) and that too only on the inside, the similarities end there. Polo and Fabia are completely different cars to drive. Same with laura and Jetta.

I have heard lesser complaints against VW as compared to a skoda,(maybe because skoda has been in the market for a longer time) but in that short time itself don't you think VW has proved it has better quality than skoda.

@Alpha 1: Suprised to find out that the E-class had reliability isssues. But Germans are known for their technology, engineering, etc. I hope you agree to that. At the end of the day its a car and might have issues but how you handle those quality issues makes you a good car company.

As someone rightly pointed out maruti does not have the best quality but how they handle their issues with their A.s.s makes them the most loved car company in India.

Thank you for those answers. You own a Skoda now; I had a Golf about 17 years ago. You are much more up to date than I am. Of course, the reasons for the price differences have to go deeper than the badges: I can see the good sense in what you say.

Dear Linear4U and Thad.

A clarification, irrespective of fabia and polo having identical or different compressors.

Almost 99% of Skoda suppliers are today part of VW group suppliers. All Skoda Cars come with parts from the same parts Bin. Infact if one services / replaces any part from an authorized centre then the Part normally carried the Logos of Skoda, Audi, VW and Seat - Yep all 4 logos, be it the Ac compressor, the Wiper, the Brake Pads the turbo etc. Yes there are exceptions, but they are rare, basically VW and Audi invest substantially in Technology development and brand building, and Audi get the latest and most premium technology, VW comes in next, and Skoda just goes and picks off products from the same suppliers.

For example. The DSG issues that Skoda faces are/were faced by VW and Audi both.

Yes what can be acknowledged is integration issues with how parts are put together in Skoda's but the parts themselves are as good or bad as in VW or Skoda.

The answer lies in your clarification itself. You say that Audi gets the best quality, then VW and finally skoda right ? Doesn't that mean VW has better quality than Skoda ??

About all four logos on the covers, yes I have seen it. But do you think the Audi A4 and Passat have the same brake pads, wipers etc. I don't think so. Same is the case with polo and Fabia. They don't share compressors or brake pads. I know a VW mechanic who is also my close friend and he has clarified it.

Like thad rightly said the difference for price has to be deeper than badges.

No, he spoke of most up-to-date technology --- not "quality".

I had a Golf for two years (a company car), so it did not go through too many services or parts replacement during that period. From my dim memory, I think that what did get replaced just had "VAG" on the box. But it was, as I say quite a long time ago.

If all the spares carry the same 4 badges.. can it be a brand building exercise?

The part may be different, but a skoda customer would definately feel happier buying a product which has a package with 4 badges there :D

So i guess this funda of having all their badges on spares, probably is a part of their brand building ! the actual product inside might differ in quality. If they use the same packaging, i think it saves the cost as well

I was speaking to the Skoda dealer this morning. The parts of Skoda Fabia is getting imported from Chez republic and everything gets assembled in pune.

The import taxes have made the prices go high and hence Skoda prices are high, whereas VW parts are manufactured in Pune, hence the prices are lower.

Well a 6L Zxi (Swift) has Auto Climate Control the 10-11L ANHC does not have one. A 7L i20 has electrically folding outside mirors, a 15L vRS did not have them. Car Manufactuers have a rather "interesting" way of choosing which trim their customers would like, sadly most auto companies are today run by bean counters and not engineers.

Then it would even more sense for VW to fix the DSG issue. It affects not one brand but 3.

Just some correction, since January 2009 Swift LXi/Ldi comes with both side RVMs. The ZXi had ABS, 2 airbags, Alloy wheels, rear wash/wipe & climate control from day 1. Post Jan 2009 it also comes with integrated stereo with remote on steering & height adjustable Driver's seat

Your absolutely right Kadri007. 80% of fabia's parts are still imported, which explains the cost. Same is the case with Jazz.

@Thad: Yes Audi gets the latest technology but obviously with better quality than a VW isn't it.

@Kri$hna: You stole the words from my mouth, my keyboard rather :). Your thoughts on the 4 badges on the cover is a valid reason according to me.

VW lead in DSG Dual clutch technology and this is something that even not VAG group companies are now incorporating in their cars, but the earlier versions were not as reliable as the later ones, they have been improving but as with all new tech the initial ones have glitches (in this case a shorter life)

Spot on Thad

Nope I meant that Audi gets the best and latest technology (infact to an extent more unproven tech compared to VW and Skoda even.

The Brake pad box infact mentions the specific models of Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda that use the same pad, it is NOT a branding excercise, to add to the list we can add the fuse box. Infact even stuff like the engine covers (ABS Plastic) are common but here there is a space for change of logo so a prominent skoda logo is placed for Laura and VW for Jetta and Passat.

And these are not judgemental calls, but FACTS seen by the eye and scanned copies of these can be made available by anyone going in for the next service or having a skoda / VW car bonnet open side by side.

The 1.9 PD, the 2.0 CRDI , the 1.8 TSI engines are all common among the group, Audi always nomally gets the higher capacity engines but these in time go down to VW and Skoda and Seat.

But the way the commonality continues for the Airbags, the door latches, the light switches, the AC climate control, MID and integrated Sterio, only the visible plastic has a slightly different colour / finish as the the car to which each is integrated.

Yes the Dash, grills etc are different. :)

heyy guys

another horror story with Volkswagen India.
started a separate thread, didn't want to disrupt the effect here.

I got my Skoda Fabia 1.2 Petrol on Saturday, my car seems to be assembled in the VW plant.

I really don't know why is that the same people who assemble two different cars the Skoda Fabia and VW Polo are at two ends.

Skoda seems to have number of issues at every level , so how is VW managing the show without problems or is it going to be the beginning for VW to go the Skoda way.

Why cant VW look into Skoda management and take corrective actions. Else I feel VW being the parent brand will loose customers because of Skoda horrors.

Engines will be common as is the case with most car companies be it maruti, hyundai etc. But like you say if they share so many parts why is that skoda repeatedly faces problems whereas VW doesn't. Skoda is known for its AC problems but I haven't heard of any in VW why ??