[Vasanth]

Well, I’m not a Skoda owner. My neighbor used to have a skoda. From driving point of view it is one of the best cars in the market.
When it comes to spare parts and services the cost is exhorbitant.
Yes. DSG is one of the best Gearbox out there. But in long term ownership it is unpredictable.
Personally I would stay away from a 10 years old Skoda.

[Pancham]

Look for the MT version. They are the safest bets.

Funnily, considering the AT Superbs had serious reliability issues, MT trade for lower prices since they are manual/not automatics. The reliability factor is completely ignored when these cars are out in the used car market. So you can actually negotiate when buying the MT 1.8 TSi.

Good luck!

[CountMe91]

Stay away from 10 year + Skodas/VW. They are costly to maintain and would spend more time in the workshop than your garage. Expect a myriad of electrical issues like Tire Pressure sensors going wrong, head mounts, injectors, ESP problem, SRS/Airbag to name a few.

[aghate]

Check if you could get a 1.8 TSI MT version. 'dkaile' has put up a detailed ownership review of his 1.8 TSI MT, that thread would give you an idea of the expenses for the car. I would suggest you look for a 7-8 year model albeit it would cost 1-2 lac more with negotiation. I say this as these cars are slow sellers in the used car market and you could very well use the COVID19 situation to your advantage.

[octane1002]

OK. A lot of hearsay here, mostly from non-owners and while opinions are welcome, re-stating the same views based on the threads/articles seems to amplify the negative votes around the car. The Superb has its niggles agreed but nothing to break the bank if scheduled maintenance has been carried out.

I have owned 2 Skodas, the first one was a pre owned first gen Octavia RS (owned it from 2010 till 2014 when another Bhpian bought it from me), and currently own a 2009 Skoda Superb 3.6 V6 AWD which I have driven 27000 kms since buying it pre owned in November 2017.

The Superb went in for a problematic fuel pump replacement (I was experiencing a jerkiness on acceleration and stalling for a couple of weeks prior to that) and suspension overhaul in Dec 2019 and early this year respectively(as and when the problems were diagnosed), apart from which it has had routine maintenance (DSG and Haldex oil change). And new tyres of course.

More importantly, I went against the tide and picked up an 8 year old used Skoda, where the norm is to generally avoid anything that is over 5-6 years as far as used Skodas go.

Since we are focusing on the Superb, I will say that the key to owning a pre owned Skoda is find a clean one with services on schedule and continue with recommended schedules. My car has a 6 speed DSG and it is probably more reliable than the 7 speed DSG on the 1.8 (maybe you could look at an MT variant as others have suggested).Having said so, most of my 27k kms have been raked up on interstate runs/vacations to Goa/South India where the drives have been more or less non stop for 10-12 hours in a day. (in summers/monsoons/winters).

I, like many others here, was skeptical before picking the Superb up but I guess things worked out fine in the end and most of my fear was reading countless threads with posts repeating the same advice. The reason I write this out is not because I am a Skoda fan boy (I do have other better, bigger snob value badged cars at home too), but I find the Superb a very honest (I daresay undervalued) used car proposition.

In a world where the smallest negatives are put out on social media, a positive experience must also have its share of the sun. Any other questions, please do post on this thread. I would be happy to guide.

Edit: For those curious to know, I bought my 8 year old Superb for 6.50 lakhs incl of transfer charges back in 2017 (remember it was the top spec CBU AWD variant with 265 hp on tap and have spent close of 1.7 lakhs all in on Insurance + tyres costing 45k + front suspension overhaul and all routine maintenance til date). I have INR 8. 20 Lacs as on date and guess what it will absolutely kill anything that costs less than 35L in the Indian market today in terms of comfort and performance.

[07CR]

I will suggest you look for a pre owned Camry for your needs. I am not sure what your core requirements are. However, I am quite sure the Camry will be neutral in some aspects, and you will be happy in majority of other aspects.
A pre owned Skoda superb and of such age is a strict NO from my end.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by Cyrus_the_virus

Just to add to this.

I have had my eye on either a pre-owned Mercedes Benz A-Class (<12Lakhs) or the GLA(<18Lakhs).
?

General consensus is these Germans can be massive white elephants to maintain. So unless you have deep pockets, stay clear.

[octane1002]

Originally Posted by octane1002

OK.

Edit: For those curious to know, I bought my 8 year old Superb for 6.50 lakhs incl of transfer charges back in 2017 (remember it was the top spec CBU AWD variant with 265 hp on tap and have spent close of 1.7 lakhs all in on Insurance + tyres costing 45k + front suspension overhaul and all routine maintenance til date). I have INR 8. 20 Lacs as on date and guess what it will absolutely kill anything that costs less than 35L in the Indian market today in terms of comfort and performance.

Just remembered, I also had a mild leak in the radiator repaired (not replaced with non OEM), as the leak wasn't in the core but the plastic housing. The repair is also included within that 1.70 lakhs I mentioned that I have spent over the 27k kms/2.5 years I ve driven the car. (The car didn't break down or something, but I just saw the temp needle hover beyond the halfway mark on an 8 hour drive back from a vacation and coolant level gradually decreasing. I addressed it once I got home over the next weekend.) Also the leak was the result of a stone hit on a high speed drive back home and not a part failure. (VW/Skoda parts are well engineered that way, built to last and hence priced expensive.)

So I got in touch with a radiator repair specialist through my mechanic after the leak was detected and we basically got radiator guy to fabricate a metal housing to replace the entire plastic housing on the OEM radiator after some research online by me. The thought process was to continue with OEM (as long as the fabrication was 10/10 and the specialist knew his job) rather than a non OEM cheap replacement. The actual fabrication work happened at the radiator guy's workshop and it took a day, whereas I did not have to move my car anywhere, and me and my mech basically dismantled the bumper and removed the radiator for sending it to radiator specialist and re fitted it post repairs in my car parking basement. All this on a 'complex' German. The cost of it all was 4.5k including refitting.

For anyone saying that's a lot of failures on a Skoda over a period of 2.5 years (fuel pump assy. /suspension-which was more preventive in nature than need based/radiator), I'll say its not a Skoda thing. Take any car that's 10 years old and there are parts that'll fail (and hence the depreciation benefit that a second owner enjoys). For me it's an opportunity to bond with my car, to learn it as it learns my driving style and build it up part by part. The bonus of all these replacements is the knowledge that I have basically new/ reconditioned parts for my long drives over the next few years.

About 1.7 Lakhs being too much for a 2.5 year stint with this car, remember it includes new tyres I put in 6 months back and Insurance, taking those out of the equation the cost of suspension overhaul/"fuel pump/radiator repair along with 6 monthly maintenance has been 1.05 lakhs. Of course I never visited the Skoda workshop except for the Haldex oil replacement on the AWD system and the DSG oil replacement as those are in my assessment especially technical procedures and are best addressed by Skoda trained technicians. And I source most of my consumables on my own. That way I can satisfy the itch of 'hunting' for bargains while shopping on an online marketplace.

As honest as it gets.

[SkodaFan0]

Cyrus,
I come from the Skoda stables. My first car was the Fabia TDi for all of 6yrs & 1,30,000km. Subsequently was in need of a 4x4 for Dad and bought the Yeti AWD. Then I relocated, decided to sell the Fabia, and was in the same position you're in, about 4 months ago. Scoured all of Mumbai on the lookout for a Superb. I found a 2011 MT done 36,000km but the asking price was on the higher side; so suggested to my colleague who was on the lookout for a used Superb for her son.

I picked up a 2011 Superb (7 Speed DSG) done 77,000km for a bargain. I budgeted the bargained amount for repairs and contingencies. Long story short, I have a Superb in decent condition for about ₹3,10,000. Repairs carried out at Skoda workshop in Bhandup. Re-wiring, logos, coolant hose (set) replacement. Had an issue with the AC. Fault with the AC Blower motor Resistor, but Skoda doesn't sell the resistor. They quoted ₹25,000 for it. Got it replaced at FNG for ₹7,000.

Have to replace a charcoal canister shortly. All in all, not a bad experience thus far (*touch wood*). Not an enthusiast's car. Sedate. But a good quality car, I can assure you that.

[₹itzylove]

I would not consider buying a 10 year old Superb.

But I have just bought a 65k run 2016 Superb 2.0 TDI AT Elegance (Coimbatore Regd) for me. Should I be worried after seeing all the comments here on Skoda's long term reliability?

I would love to keep the car for the next 5 years atleast (if not more).

Mod Note: Post Edited. Smiley usage is restricted to two per post on Team-BHP. Please do NOT use more than 2 smileys in a post.

[V.Narayan]

As an erstwhile owner & driver of a Laura and a Superb {both MT} I may be able to share some perspectives. Together the two cars were with me for about 15 years. Skoda's service was of an acceptable quality in the earlier years 2006-2011 I'd say. After that the A.S.S. hurtled downhill to disaster. Not only was attitude poor and impudent but the knowledge and competence of the mechanics too left a lot to be desired. The Superb MT itself was a pleasure to drive, torquey, excellent straight line acceleration, leg space at the rear and handsome. But on at least three occasions it suffered a complete breakdown needing the breakdown crane to haul it back. In comparison I've had a Camry and Lexus 300h for a combined total of 18 years with zero breakdowns, zero instances of being stranded on the road and needing no time in the garage other than the scheduled service.

Given the budget you probably have and your need for a big car I'd vote for a well kept Toyota Camry. All the best. Let us know what you settle for finally.

[Games Goblin]

As others have suggested in this thread, I'd steer well clear of the 1.8 TSI + 7 speed DSG combo (at least their earlier avatars). Both the engine and the gearbox have well documented issues.

The 1.8 TSI (EA888) engine is known for excessive oil consumption and other failures (example - LINK)

Just google 1.8 TSI oil consumption / 1.8 TSi failure and you'll get a lot of info

As per my understanding, VW has fixed a lot of the issues plaguing this engine (the engine has several generations) - but the one in the Superb must be one of the older ones, considering the age of the car.

The 7 speed dry clutch DSG - I need not elaborate further - it's a famed gearbox - both for it's excellent performance and for it's high failure rate.

Keeping the engine and gearbox aside, the car itself is really good - you are basically getting E-Class levels of space and comfort for not a lot of money.

If your heart is set on owning a superb, I'd suggest you go for the 2.0 TDI + 6-speed DSG combo - they are both proven performers.

If you buy a Superb, keep in mind that component failures are more likely to happen than in say a Japanese / Korean car. Expect repair bills in the region of 60k to a Lakh if any of the more expensive components fail (a good example would be the ABS unit - this is a known to fail on Skodas and VWs of this era)

Do keep us posted on what car you decide on.

Regards

[san9jay]

I used to own a 2009 top spec 1.8 AT Superb.

I loved the car for its comfort and space.

However in the 7 years i owned it, the mechatronics (control unit for the DSG) failed three times! Each time the car was stuck at the garage for extended periods of a month or two waiting for the replacement parts. The first two times it was replaced under free replacement since the part was noted to have a design failure that caused it to fail. The third time if my memory serves me right i had to partially pay for it.

Other than that the door handles became sticky and had to be replaced.

I finally sold it in 2016 after it spent nearly six months in the garage waiting for parts and repair. By that time it had started consuming a lot of oil and i used to carry a bottle of oil in the car to top up the car when it showed a warning.

The chennai service center was especially dreadful. They even stole my brand new battery once and replaced it with a worn out oem battery! Fortunately i had the bills to show that i had replaced the battery with an amaron battery just a few months before the service at which point they had no other option but to apologize and refund the charges.

So to cut it short that generation of superb needs to be avoided especially the AT. I have heard that future generations the dsg issue has been resolved and it could possibly be a good car to own once again but the thought of going back to the same dealer kept me away from buying another skoda.

Regards
Sanjay

[Altocumulus]

I agree mostly with what Octane said about Skodas having owned a 2009 Laura Tsi. Explosive engine, something you will fall in love with all over again everytime you drive it.

However Skoda turbo charged petrol cars need pampering and being proactive. You try being reactive with that engine and you are looking at huge bills coming your way. I would suggest looking for a MT if possible.

Now, EA888 engines till 2011 had the infamous tensioner failing issue. Small 3k INR part which tends to fail and if it did you are looking at nearly 3L + in repair costs. So like I did, it's better to have it changed with the latest part number. The catch is that Skoda wont just change that. They will change the entire kit and the estimate given to me was 82k for it. I then got a Borsehung (OEM supplier) kit from Dubai and got the entire timing chain kit including all 3 tensioners, chain, etc replaced at a Bosch service center for 25k including labour.

To conclude, if you are a guy who loves to spend time with your car to make it better and pamper it, go for it , if possible a manual. Skoda's are great that way and you will have a smile everytime you take it out. However, if you are looking for something which is fill it, shut it types, take the Japanese route. I loved my Tsi, the only reason I let it go was because I was shifting to Delhi and taking a BSIII car did not seem like a wise decision.

[abhi1309]

Good question, good thread and extremely easy answer. Run away and never look back. I have a Skoda Laura 1.8 TSI 6 Speed Manual, that I bought brand new in September 2011. It has been used like a baby, and only driven by me all these years, only serviced with genuine parts in the so called Skoda workshops. Here is some perspective for you:

1. Done 88K now but extremely unreliable since 65K and 6th year.
2. It is on the 3rd water pump - known issue in this range including Audi A4. 30k INR each replacement.
3. It is on 3rd Fuel Pump 30K INR each replacement.
4. 2nd Charcoal Canister. 7K INR
5. 2nd O2 Sensor - some 13k INR Odd I don't remember clearly
6. 2nd MFA Sensor - 18k INR approximately
7. Coolant keeps leaking after getting it repaired multiple times. I have to keep in the boot for emergency beeps.
8. Drinks Oil, I have to keep a jerry can in the boot always.
9. ECM repaired once, They asked me 14k to repair it after they had pity on my because I had already replaced so many parts.
10. Due to all these issues, it has stayed in the workshop for months and months many times. Once it left the workshop after 4 months and all service advisors came to see me off at the gate, they were happy the car is finally out of their workshop. But it came back next week.
11. Include the Uber and Ola money you will spend and inconvenience when you go through all this.

I stay in Pune and the car is so unreliable I am scared to drive it even to Mumbai, and if it is with family, or at odd hours, I just borrow my fathers Swift. There have been countless drives to many places around, and the Skoda has always stayed at home and I have taken the Swift or Kwid.

I would never buy a Skoda, VW or Audi again in my life. It has ruined my peace of mind and has been more troubling than my fathers Premier Padmini which started giving issues at least after it was 10 years old. If you think it will work great if you take care of it and drive it well, you are wrong. Parts just fail out of the blue. The parts I have listed ususally last throughout the life of the car and you can't do much to extend their lives sitting on the drivers seat. So don't fool yourself.

Also, don't forget the weekends spent standing next to it and waiting for the mechanic to tell you how many 10's of thousands it is going to cost to drive it out from there. It is like throwing money because it will still not work next week. I would buy a Japanese car, any car, even a small car because I have been scarred so bad with this experience, all I value is reliability. Driving pleasure and build quality is no use if the car won't start, it is no use if you can't take it to the highway and enjoy it, no use if you can't be mentally free.