ldollard

No offense to anyone, they are just sad generic cars made by a generic company. They are the epitome of Russian communistic design.

They have names like "roomster" and "superb".

I'm sure they are reliable and economic and if that's all someone cares about, thats fine.

But spending as much as one does on a car, I feel requires a car with a little more excitement, design and energy. None of those words I think could be used for "skoda"

Apparently "Skoda means "shame", "damage" or "pity" in Czech"

cheers

Oy you!

ldollard

haha sorry. I did say "No offense to anyone". See that absolves me of any responsibility.

cheers

I don't think you gave any input as to a car that was to your liking?

Japanese or Korean maybe or are you trendy-BMW/Audi?

Pulaski

That's an odd way to describe a car that shares much of its engineering with Volkswagens and Audis, because Skoda belongs to Volkswagen.

dunroving

Exactly. I think someone is still living in the 70's, believes all those old jokes about Skodas, etc.

- No offense intended to anyone, of course.

chris955

My choice would be the diesel Mini, my wife is getting one soon. Safe, reliable, economical, made in England, what more could you ask for?

dunroving

I was driving behind a Maserati on my way to work today. At every light, the driver sped off in a cloud of tyre smoke and screeching. Thirty seconds later, I pulled up behind him, having used about one fifth of the petrol it took him to get there. At the next light, same thing. I'm sure he was sitting there thinking everyone was admiring his wonderful car. In fact, I'm sure everyone was thinking "What a plonker".

Don't buy a Maserati. Only plonkers drive them.

Englishmum

There is a Maserati/Ferrari car dealership 2kms away from where we are living (Zug, Switzerland). At this time of year when all the snow and ice has melted you suddenly see the Maserati and Ferrari drivers going past on the road outside to get to the main dealership. Real head-turners those cars are as you can hear the engines....plus lots of (quieter) Bentleys, Aston Martins etc.

Oddly enough the Swiss are pretty discreet, not flashy or showy (our multimillionaire landlord drives an ancient Volvo estate). I suspect most of the drivers are expat banking types...although I understand that Boris Becker and F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen live in the local towns and I guess they have 'supercars'.

Just remembered....at the very first place we lived in in Singapore, we lived in a maisonette. In the apartment above us lived a local Chinese couple. They were hardly ever there, always away on business but had a full-time live-in Filipina maid. Every couple of days she had to start up the engine of their old Maserati and drive it around the grounds of the condo so the battery would get charged up a bit!

ldollard

Actually I did on the first page, I suggested a Toyota Rav4, which incidentally was the car the OP was also thinking off.

britwhore

Well......BUILT in England but the parts are made elsewhere!

dunroving

To be honest, the Maserati I was driving behind really wasn't particularly glamorous-looking. When I first saw the pillock go screaming off at the lights I thought it looked a bit like one of those bland Lexus-type saloons. I was very surprised to see the name on the trunk when I pulled up behind him (he was a sort of Simon Cowell looking bloke).

After he had left another six inches of tyre rubber at the next lights, I could tell the engine was obviously special but looks? Nothing eye-catching at all.

Pulaski

There's nothing wrong with being understated. I think current Maseratis are the epitome of understated class. ..... Not to be confused with bland Mercedes knock-offs such as Lexuses and top end Hyundais.

UkWinds5353

I wonder if cars are less expensive in the UK compared to America? If so, a used audi or BMW might be a fun way to travel. Here in the States you can buy a very nice four year old 3-series for about 13K. Something to think about

windsong

Yes. I think I have narrowed it down to a Toyota RAV4 or Honda CRV. Someone mentioned the Honda Jazz, too, but I am wondering if there is enough legroom for someone who is tall.

Are the RAV4 and CRV mid-size cars in the UK or would they be considered large cars? I don't want anything too large because I may have trouble parking it and driving it on narrow roads. On the other hand, I don't want anything tiny either for safety's sake.

My SO usually drives a large Land Rover (Discovery model perhaps) but that's too large for me.