Skoda Superb 2002 test drive - 2008 -

The best role of the second plan

Volkswagen, although popular in the secondary market, does not pretend to the rank of people's roads. And what about the younger relative of Skoda? For the answer, we turned to the trad-in department of one of the dealers of the brand.
 
Bargaining is appropriate
Auto Terra is based on the territory of the Lyubertsy car market, but has nothing to do with wild trade. Here is the honor of honor an official car dealership, a technical center and a platform for commission trade. The assortment of secondary services, as usual, is triugan quick ransom, commission and actually trad-in. Depending on the selected scheme, the committee loses from 5 to 40 percent of the average market value of the car, but the flow of those who wish does not dry out. Not only new customers go, the old ones are returning. It happens that the same car turns around several times! What is the secret of popularity? Sellers are attracted by the speed of design, the ability to purchase a new or used car without a momentary surcharge (on credit) and, of course, the absolute legality of the transaction. In addition, there is an interesting program of seventy to thirty. Its essence is simple: if the client wants to receive for his movement to the maximum, and the employee of the salon doubts the success of the event, he offers to test 70% of the desired amount at once, and 30 after implementation. Both risk, but equally and honestly, because the outcome is determined by the third independent person of the buyer.
 

It attracts the bright past of the goods offered (about 80% of the exposed cars dealerships, with an open biography), a wide range of prices (on average from 10 to 20 thousand dollars) and the legal purity of the operation. All cars are quite fresh (19972005), although rarities come across. How do you like Ford Scorpio in 1989 with a mileage of 650 thousand km and a sign sold on a windshield?! And this is by no means a bucket with bolts to each car attached a five -page inspection act confirming its right to life. If it, according to the masters, is not worthy, in the act there is a stamp further operation is life -threatening and a copy is removed from trading. Such a fate, as a rule, is waiting for either completely driven samples or the brainchild of Eastern European restorers.

For civilization, you need to pay the average price here 10% higher than in the neighboring market. The figure follows from the tax obligations of an intermediary to the state, he is obliged to pay VAT. In order not to work at a loss, the salon shifts the tax on the shoulders (more precisely, the wallet) of the client. Amateur sellers from burden are freed, hence the difference.
 

Skoda Superb, having studied the proposal, we decided to buy a flagship model of Superb Skoda. Where else can you meet a business class sedan with such a combination of size and price! 4.8 meters for $ 17 thousand seemed tempting (especially in comparison with similar indicators in the housing market!), Despite the age of the car (year of production 2002) and mileage (144 thousand km). I liked the size of the markup $ 11 thousand!
 

FASTEN SEAT BELTS!
On the back sofa of Superbia is much more spacious than in ordinary octavia. This thought came to mind, it was worth it on a spacious rear sofa. If the irreparable happens, to fly to the backs of the front seats will have to be far and painful. In this configuration, by the way, the rear riders do not have other means of salvation, although in general the car is equipped with them not bad: ABS, ASR, 4 airbags (frontal + curtains), belts with pre -holders for front passengers, active head restraints, ISOFIX mounts for children's seats and much more. From the pre -equipment of the former owner, we got an alarm with the central lock, multiples and the protection of the crankcase.
 

The engine is not the weakest in a line of 1.8 liters, 150-horsepower, with turbocharged. In tandem with a manual gearbox, it requires accuracy at the start. In other modes, there are no problems with more than one and a half -ton mass (four of us in the cabin) The motor copes quietly and playfully. The main thing is not to drop the tachometer arrow below three thousand revolutions of the turboyam threshold. Devices are read perfectly, and indeed in ergonomics there are no significant flaws. Perhaps only the mirror control panel is inconvenient (the brush has to be unnaturally turned around), and the heating keys sailed away from sight under the central box armrest. The box itself is good: roomy, cooled, with a sliding support of the armrest. True, in the front position, this support covers access to the cup holders, but this interferes only during the drought.
 

Anti -playar generous bonus for the buyer. And the ulcers on the wing is a clear investigation of repair color. The salon is in good condition and designed to match the exterior: light ceiling, dark gray upholstery. The classic is practical and not gloomy. It’s a pity, the cheap -looking glass -looking remeetle -looking. Gressed paint on plastic and wiped to bald patterns scheme of positions on the lever of boxes Memory of the years. But much more age -related marks outside. The swelling of the clouded block-finge, dissected by rusty eyebrows of the rear wheel arches, wrinkles of wiped body panels with a scratch on the right side, similar to bruises under the eyes. Although the traces of the body repair are not visible, the scuffs of the galvanized body are hinted at the difficult relations of the car with the previous owner.
 

But with the units there are no problems in the car service know their job (visits to the station are noted in the service book). According to the repairmen, the car is durable and hardy. Unless the front suspension hardly survives on Russian roads. This multi -link design also cut the eye to us. Why so many hinges, terminal connections, covers, silent blocks? Wouldn't the car of obviously unsportsmanlike be enough? Here are the usual elastic beam and barrel -shaped springs, simple and reliable! The combination came out illogical. It seems that decisions on unification of units in the Volkswagen group are made by economists.
 
In general, the car left a good impression. Just what to do with the shabby arches of the wheels? Do not repaint the body. You can, of course, be treated with anticorus and close the shame with overhead eyebrows. For this money, someone will suit such an option.
 
Igor Kozlov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"