A Brief Look at the 2017 Skoda Octavia Range

The new Skoda Octavia is now available, for the newcomers, this is an excellent medium sized car from our favourite Czech manufacturer. The Octavia has a regal aesthetic, with plenty of equipment, a keen engine and plenty of safety features on show. Let’s take a closer look at what the Octavia has to offer and help you to make an informed choice.

What Kind of Body Styles are There?

The Skoda Octavia is available as a five door wagon or a five door hatchback. This may seem confusing as the images available seem to indicate that there is a sedan variant as well. The hatchback does look a little like a sedan, the boot is hinged from above the rear window, and it is more like a liftback.

Which Features are Standard Across the Range?

All the variants across the range have a generous amount of equipment fitted, such as: adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, dual zone air conditioning, an 8” infotainment screen, a sound system (with no CD player), USB ports, AUX sockets, a pair of SD card slots, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, Bluetooth connectivity, audio streaming, a sound system with 8 speakers, LED daytime running lights, automatic hill holding brakes, aluminium alloy wheels, a tyre pressure monitor, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and a height adjustable leather wrapped steering wheel with control buttons.

What Types of Standard Safety Features are There?

The Octavia range has plenty of safety equipment on board, such as seven airbags, electronic stability control, and anti lock brakes. These are well complemented by the parking assistance and collision avoidance systems mentioned above. Every Skoda Octavia also has an unlimited three year warranty for additional assurance.

What Kinds of Engines are Available?

The Octavia is a front wheel drive car, the most fuel efficient engine in the range is the Octavia 110 TSI petrol powerplant that uses 5.2L/100km combined. The RS variant has a choice of a diesel or a petrol engine. The Octavia RS 135 TDI has a 2.0 litre diesel powerplant, that uses the same amount of fuel as the cheaper petrol models in the range, yet has 20% more power. Another option is the Octavia RS petrol variant; it has a 2.0 litre petrol engine that is more responsive than the Octavia RS diesel version and generates 40% more grunt than the smaller petrol Octavia’s.

If they are searching for a Skoda Octavia, Perth based drivers should contact us here at Skoda Perth. We have a vast choice of new and used cars available, including the Skoda Octavia for sale. We invite you to join us for a no obligation test drive at your earliest convenience. If you require financing, you will find that our rates are competitive and the repayments can be tailored to meet your needs. Our sales team members are standing by to advise you on the Skoda Octavia price and to address any other questions you may have.

3 Driving Mistakes to Avoid in Your Skoda Superb Wagon

The Skoda Superb wagon is an excellent car to drive, but many people make surprising mistakes when driving. Some of these mistakes occur because of inattention and others are ingrained bad practices that have become a habit over time. When we first learn to drive, every aspect of our driving is given our full attention. As time goes by, we don’t give our driving the respect that it deserves, here are three common driving mistakes to avoid.

1. A Lack of Attention:

We’ve already mentioned this, but it’s so important it needs to be explored in more detail. The perspective on a lack of attention has been squarely focussed on the brief distraction that causes an accident. However, in reality, we have all seen people texting and applying makeup when they should be concentrating on their driving. Some people can spend long periods of time adjusting their radio, with no eyes on the road for literally minutes at a time. Try to minimise distractions as much as possible and if you do need to do something, get it done quickly and get back to driving.

2. Excessive Signalling:

This can be over signalling or under signalling, but in either case, it can be confusing for other road users. Some drivers, signal for a turn far too early and others leave their signalling too late or don’t even bother to signal. The roundabout is the best way to observe this sort of behaviour and some drivers cause utter confusion about where they are trying to turn off. Signal wisely, turn off the signals when you’re done and don’t signal too early to too late.

3. Tailgating:

This is a very bad practice, sitting on another car's bumper to pressure the other driver into a reaction is very dangerous. Making another driver nervous can easily cause them to crack under the pressure and make a potentially fatal mistake. It’s also a crazy thing to do as you can damage your own car and place your life at risk. If the driver in front brakes unexpectedly, there is no time to react and a collision will occur. This is obviously worse at higher speeds, and the resulting accident could cause a tail back that will affect many other road users. Use the two second rule, pick a road side marker, watch the car in front pass it and then try to count to two seconds. If you reach two seconds, you are far enough away, if not you need to overtake or drop back a little.

If they are looking for a Skoda Superb wagon, Perth drivers should contact us here at Skoda Perth. We have a large selection of new and used cars available, including the Skoda Superb wagon for sale. We would like to invite you to join us for a no obligation test drive, and you can try out the Skoda difference for yourself. If you need financing, our rates are very competitive, and the repayments can be tailored to meet your needs. Our sales team is standing by to address any remaining questions you may have.

3 Top Tips: Negotiating the Best New Skoda Cars for Sale Deal

If you’re looking at new Skoda cars for sale, you will want to negotiate the best deal. This is not an easy thing to for most people, a survey carried out in the US in 2014 showed that negotiating a car deal, was one of the least popular activities amongst a group of 1,000 prospective buyers. However, it doesn’t have to be this way, and haggling for a good deal can actually be fun. Here are three top tips for negotiating the best car deal.

1. Location is Important:

Many people visit their nearest car dealership and choose to deal with them. A better way to approach things is to choose three dealerships and visit the furthest one first. You will need to have done some solid research and a good understanding of what you need. This will mean that you know the price range for the car you want to buy. Then you can find the location that will give you the best deal. A car dealership receives incentives to sell within their Prime Market Area (PMA), and this may give you a better deal at the dealership closer to where you live. This is not a hard and fast rule, which is why you need to get multiple quotes for reference and convenience.

2. Timing is Essential:

Most dealerships make the vast majority of their profits from after sales car including added extras and servicing. Manufacturers give rewards to dealerships for hitting both monthly and annual sales targets. If you shop for your car at the end of the month or the financial year, you will be more likely to get a better deal. This can be a risky strategy if you need a car in a hurry as the dealer may have hit the sales target, and they don’t need an extra sale on your terms. The best time to start expressing interest is around ten days before the end of the month to cover the back, and forth that occurs when negotiating.

3. Don’t Get Carried Away:

Getting a keen price on your car is one thing, but don’t chip away at the savings made by getting carried away with extras, such as tow bar, roof racks, and tinted windows. It’s a better idea to shop for the car and then return later to negotiate for any extras that you may want. This will give you breathing space to evaluate what you need and additional negotiating power.

If they are looking for the best deals in car sales, Skoda curious drivers should contact us. At Skoda Perth, we have a large selection of both new and used Skoda cars for sale. We invite you to join us for a no obligation test drive at your earliest convenience, and you can try the Skoda driving experience for yourself. If you need financing, we have competitive rates, and the repayments can be tailored to suit your needs. Our sales team members are looking forward to answering any remaining questions that you may have.

Hearing a Siren When Driving a Skoda Fabia: What Should You Do Next?

The Skoda Fabia is a fantastic car to drive, but sometimes a situation develops that you cannot have total control over. One of these circumstances is hearing an emergency siren when driving and dealing with it correctly. Many people panic when they hear a siren and make errors that can exacerbate the situation. Let’s take a closer look at this situation and how you should respond to it.

Maintaining Composure:

The first thing that you must try to do is maintain your composure and don’t panic. Even if they are blameless, some people freak out when they are being pulled over. The emergency vehicle driver will understand that you need time to respond, so take a few moments to evaluate the situation. Work out what you need to do, to stop or to make room.

Gain Information:

Before you make a move, check your blindspots and mirrors, establish what is going on around you. Many people, act too quickly and this can cause accidents. Every other driver in your vicinity is in the same boat as you, and they may drive erratically so take care. Once you understand your situation fully, you can make a more informed move.

Pulling Over Safely:

Usually, you will be pulling over to the left, into a slower lane or off the road completely. There is no hard and fast rule, and you will have to make the best decision for the current road conditions. As an example: if the left lane is clear, but the right lane is blocked you may have to stay where you are until a gap appears. Stay alert, keep an eye on the emergency vehicle and clear a path for them as soon as it is safe to do so.

Don’t Exploit the Situation:

Many drivers have been in this situation and seen it being exploited by other road users. When an emergency vehicle drives past, don’t slide in behind it and use the situation to drive faster. What this activity will result in a heavy fine is a police officer sees you doing it. The passage of an emergency vehicle is not an excuse to throw the rules out of the window. Once the emergency vehicle has passed simply pull safely back into the traffic and continue your journey normally.

If they are looking for a Skoda Fabia, Perth based drivers should contact us here at Skoda Perth. We have a large selection of new and used cars for sale, including some fantastic Skoda Fabia deals. We invite you to join us for a no obligation test drive at your earliest convenience. If you need vehicle financing, our rates are very competitive, and we tailor the repayments to suit your circumstances. Our sales team can advise you on the latest Skoda Fabia price and answer any remaining questions that you may have.