Picked up my 11 reg Skoda on 01 December last and have since covered five thousand miles. Seems like time for a report.
It replaced my trusty 160kmiles 05 1.9D Berlingo which I'd have happily held onto had it not had a mysterious and potentially v. expensive power steering fault. That made it a bit of a distress purchase. Competition between the Roomie and C3 picasso should have been a three way with a Peugeot Bipper Teepee but local dealers had none in stock.
So far though it's fitted the bill of mixing a 14 mile round trip commute 3 days a week with assorted longer assignments really well. Engine is VAG's EA185 1.6D/90PS. SE trim gives a full length glass roof which makes the cabin light and airy. Once I'd got seat height and steering reach sorted it's comfortable over extended periods and, unlike Mrs B's Berlingo, doesn't aggravate my pinned left hip by inadequate thigh support.
Controls fall easily to hand and any problems I've had (nearly breaking the indicator stalk to turn the lights off) are due to adapting from 25yrs of PSA models rather than intrinsic faults in the Skoda. Heating, ventilation etc are fine whether on dark frozen mornings or summer's heat in last few days.
Performance? Good enough for me. It's no sports coupe but handles fine on twisty A/B roads and has enough poke to overtake on the A5 or to move seamlessly between M/way lanes. According to Fuellog app on phone it's averaging 48.6mpg which seems OK given the mixed usage.
Comfort wise it's only really a four seater with a perch in the middle at the back but we've had it five up occasionally without complaint. Main L&R rear seats have a bit of rake/reach adjustment and all three tumble or remove completely to increase loadspace. Not a proper estate as there's a lip to the boot but no trouble taking bags of garden waste to the tip.
It's been back to dealer twice for problems. First was to rectify faulty electric rear windows, new control unit foc without quibble. Second was a single instance of rough running and misfiring in last few yards of a half mile round trip to village shop. Cured by turn it off and on again and garage subsequently applied a software update. No re-currence.
Hopefully it will give me another five years at least.
And like the Enrico the Berlingo it has a name; Fritz. Part based on registration including FR11 and a Z and partly recognising it's German heritage.
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Another thousand miles added in last month. Still completely trouble free and doing what the tin said. Tried to get mountain bikes inside for May Bank Holiday outing. Load space a tad to short and a tad lacking in height. Would need front wheels off and preferably some sort of dummy spindle device to support the forks.
Mileage still in high forties in spite of lack of a month of mostly commuting.
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"Something like a couple of these maybe screwed onto a lump of wood?"
If that floats your boat, I've got 3 sets of Sanremo Elite clips which I used by bolting onto wooden beam on top of a trailer. They are an earlier model of these -
www.chainreactioncycles.com/elite-san-remo-roof-carrier/rp-prod57881
I'd let the 3 sets go for £20.
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If the Roomster has roof rails, it's a doddle to put some roof bars and cycle racks on. Once made up the whole rig can be fitted or removed in seconds. Get decent lockable ones for added security.
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Aye just remember your set of steps to reach the roof......
I used to have to do that with the Scenics, Altea and Hyundai. Especially when putting 4 bikes up, the two middle ones were a killer!
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On the Qashqai, I developed a technique which involved opening a back door, holding a bike above my head, stepping up onto the sill and placing the bike on the rack in one swoop.
This worked 99% of time. Occasionally though it would result in the sill foot slipping into the car, the bike dropping round my neck, the weight causing me to fall backwards and a pedal to jam itself in my mouth.
While inconvenient, it did have the effect of cheering up passers by.
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>> On the Qashqai, I developed a technique which involved opening a back door, holding a
>> bike above my head, stepping up onto the sill and placing the bike on the
>> rack in one swoop.
Same process worked well for me on the Xantia. The facility to lower the ride height helped though.
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You just need a bit more practice....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM9Eh2uQ7Ek
:-))
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>>Aye just remember your set of steps to reach the roof..
That would be my problem. climbing up to stand on a wheel while trying not to smash the bike into the paintwork is a trial.
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No roof rails nor obvious mounting points. Suspect options were glass roof OR rails.
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Towbar, then. Detachable, naturally, as you're a civilized man. And an Atera Strada rack for the bikes.
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Just out of curiousity WdB, what if any, effect does a laden towbar mounted rack have on fuel consumption on your car?
An empty roof mounted set up doesn't seem to have much effect on mine, but with the bikes on it knocks at least 10 mpg off on a long run.
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I used to carry 4 bikes on a Thule towbar carrier on my Scenic - it really didn't affect fuel consumption too much.
The carrier did, however, defy gravity! Used to be convinced that it would snap off but thankfully never did. Was only held by the towball. No other clamps, bolts etc.
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I have seen them. Witchcraft.
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Surprisingly little, Humph. Hard to say for certain as our journeys with the rack on are very different from the routine of commuting and family errands, but if 37 is typical without the bikes, we get no worse than 35 with. The effect was similar when we carried the same rack on the Verso. I try to stick to 120km/h on French motorways but even when I don't it seems quite happy and secure.
I imagine it's to do with the bikes being sheltered in the lee of the bodywork and not up in the air creating their own drag. Whatever, for the long journeys we do with it, it's a vastly more efficient way for the bikes to travel.
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>>An empty roof mounted set up doesn't seem to have much effect on mine,
About 5 - 10% on the Landcruiser
>> with the bikes on it knocks at least 10 mpg off on a long run.
Surf boards and skis on the roof knock 10 - 15% off the Landcruiser MPG.
3 bikes on a spare wheel mount on the back of the Landcruiser make no noticable difference to mpg.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 13 Jun 16 at 23:19
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Never used the roof rails on any car but I can confirm that the tin roof Roomie had them
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>> Never used the roof rails on any car?...
Interesting, because I've never NOT used the roof rails on any car I've had that was fitted with them. I wonder if there are any other commonly fitted features that some never use?
In my case it's the horn. Never ever felt the need other than to test it for MOT purposes.
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There's a nice one round here in tasteful shades of brown, with black chrome. Stands out a bit but I like it.
(Humph, Don't you even use the horn to bip-bip a thank you as you drive off when someone has let you out? Takes all sorts I suppose. I use it sparingly and seldom lean on it, but there's always the odd exception).
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No, horn sounding falls into the same category as noisy ( ratchety ) handbrake application ( which I've scolded you for on a few occasions ) Neither of these are a practice suited to a gentleman.
;-)
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Loud, prolonged, ungentlemanly raspberry.
How's your ratchet standing up to this constant abuse by the way?
:o}
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I'm surprised you don't instinctively know about these things, after all, you were given a proper education by all accounts...
;-))
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Come on, do tell. Must be a few teeth missing from the ratchet by now, surely?
That's what can happen when you think you're being clever. Silence isn't golden, it does damage.
I quite like a ratchet noise. It does no harm. I just pull the brake lever up and it makes this satisfying multiple click. Only a really uptight person will incorrectly press the button at tje same time. Hopeless.
Not a bad idea to grease the parts sometimes. No need to overdo it.
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I have a new ratchet actually ( sniff ) anyway, make yourself useful would you by coming up with a clever suggestion to solve my Holburn Viaduct dilemma.
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 15 Jun 16 at 20:19
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>> I have a new ratchet actually ( sniff ) anyway
Yes, you must have needed it.
I'm sorry to say I have nothing useful to say on Holborn Viaduct. Used to hurtle back and forth there in all directions every day, but that was ages ago.
It's annoying, getting old, knowImean?
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The new ratchet came with the new car. Did I mention the new car? Apologies if I didn't, would you like to know all about it?
Thanks anyway !
;-)
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I really thought an LEC would have an electrically assisted parking brake.
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Maybe the new ones will, not sure. This is one of the last of the "old" ones.
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Pictures suggest it does; they seem to show the release button where Humph's and mine have it but only two pedals in the footwell.
The Gran Tourer has an electric parking brake. Works well, I like it. Haven't asked Gran what she thinks.
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>> It's annoying, getting old, knowImean?
>>
It's better than the alternative.
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Skoda Roomster - 5000 Miles in a Popemobile - Bromptonaut
