Skoda Scout Kerbweight

[clivea]

Have just recived the Skoda Scout brochure which shows the Scout at 100kg less than the normal 4wd diesel estate, does anyone know why this can be as the Scout interior fittings are aligned with the higher grade models? Could it be that Skoda have got the weights mixed up?

Other Clive

 

[Lutz]

Because the Scout is such a new model, maybe the technical data went to press before the UK specification was defined. The weight that you see in the brochure may be for their domestic market.

 

[arkay]

Clive, did you get the answer to this?

I queried this with Skoda and with my local dealer in Dundee because I'm sure there is a mistake as well. I was told that there was a printing error in the brochure and that it would be fixed in the Jan 2008 version. And of course it quotes the same values again! However the explanation may be as follows: the 1530kg quoted for the Scout is the unladen weight and is what is quoted in the handbook. To get the kerbweight according to the appropriate EEC directive you add the weight of a 90% full fuel tank, a 68kg driver and a 7kg payload allowance. I reckon this adds 120kg to the weight giving approx 1650kg. This is now in line with the standard, non Scout, 4x4 which has a quoted kerbweight of 1625kg.

This makes quite a difference to what you can tow safely!

Anyway I have oredered a diesel Scout for March 1st delivery and will take it straight to a weighbridge to get a definative answer! My prediction (with full tank and fitted towbar) is 1675kg. Watch this space!

Robert

 

[Lutz]

Assuming the kerbweight that you calculated (1650kg) to be correct, the resultant 85% weight ratio figure would be 1402kg. However, even if the 1530kg were correct, the weight ratio when towing a 1400kg caravan would only rise to 91%, which is hardly going to make the outfit unsafe or unmanageable.

 

[arkay]

Lutz, are you saying that a difference of 120kg is not significant? The point I'm making is that manufacturers are regularly making these sorts of mistakes. At 1530kg, 85% = 1300kg. At 1650kg, 85% = 1400kg. If I knew the weight was 1650kg I would be happy to tow up to 1500kg (91%). People who have a van close to 1500kg would be more likely to consider a Scout as a towcar if its kerbweight was the bigger figure.

It's a pity that Skoda did not take the opportunity to clarify these weights when they said they would.

 

[Lutz]

I would tend to agree with you if you were thinking about towing a 1500kg caravan, although if the lower kerbweight figure (1530kg) were correct, you would even then remain below 100%. The calculations in my previous reply were based on towing a 1400kg caravan.

 

[clivea]

Robert,

I contacted Skoda UK technical and got quite a dismissive reply. Basically cars vary so much that the brochure can only be taken as an approximate guide. They recommend that I would have to take the car to a weighbridge. When I contacted the local Skoda dealer with such a suggestion you can imagine their response! Whilst I can see Lutz's point the fact is that I do like to know what my weights are and it should not be beyond the wit of the car makers to weigh each car coming off the line and endores the tally with the unladen weight, we can then work out the kerbeweight.

Any way I would be interested to hear from you when you have weighed your new Scout.

Regards

Other Clive

 

[Iain]

My vRS TDi Estate is supposed to weigh in at 1515Kg, I would expect the Scout to higher. Will be intersted to see what it weighs in the end.

 

[ColinA]

other clive I have the diesel 4x4 when the scout was first annouced the kerb weight was listed as slighly higher than my 1615 kg but i cant remember the actual figure.

Colin.

 

[clivea]

Colin A, that is what I would have expected based on the fact that the Scout has your bells and whistles and a few extras to boot. Skoda Uk don't seem to understand this concept.

Cheers

Other Clive

 

[arkay]

I finally got round to weighing my Scout on a weighbridge. I have no faith in the Skoda kerbweight figures I'm afraid.

I made sure the fuel tank was close to 90% full and the car was weighed with me in it and my weight is around 75 kg as allowed for in the kerbweight calculations. I also made sure that I emptied the car of all my bits and pieces so it was basically the standard car with the addition of the towbar and the wiring which weighs 25 kg (I checked with Brink who now make the detachable bar for the UK Scouts). The weight printed out was 1660 kg. (The weighbridge operator said the weighbridge is accurate to +/- 1%). Subtracting the 25 kg for the towbar gives a kerbweight of 1635 kg. The only other option I have is maxidot/mf steering wheel which would not affect the weight.

The figure quoted in the brochure (and handbook) is 1530 kg which includes the 75 kg 'standard' driver and 90% fuel tank. (Worse still, the standard 4x4 is quoted at 1625 kg in the brochure but less than 1500kg in the handbook!).

This is quite a discrepancy for the Scout. Any views on why this should be so?

Sorry it's taken me so long to do this!

 

[Lutz]

I seem to recall that the 1625kg quoted by Skoda in their brochure for the standard 4x4 was for a car with all the standard options for the UK market but all their other data was based on base models without any options. That can easily account for the discrepancies that you have noted and they do not surprise me one little bit. I have yet to come across any car from whichever manufacturer where the actual kerbweight was not more than what they have published in brochures and handbooks.

 

[otherclive]

Robert,

thanks for the info. You hav econfirmed what I thought to be the true kerbweight of the Scout. It is areal pity that Skoda could not have got their Technical Dept to resolve the issue with an accurate figure in the brochure. Having to buy one first is a bit extreme!!

 

[ValA.]

How does it perform as a Tow Car? We're due to replace our company Ford Mondeo in September, and are currently examining alternative options, having had too many problems with the most recent TD Mondeo? My brother-in-law has a Skoda Estate (not a Scout) - but we liked the ride in it, and his previous Skoda (54 reg, same as our Mondeo) has been completely problem-free.

 

[Sean Harrison]

I've started to look at the Skoda Scout as a tow car so would be interested in what you think of it both as a car generally and as a tow car. What weight caravan are you pulling behind it? How does real life fuel consumption compare to the "book" figure?

 

[arkay]

I've started to look at the Skoda Scout as a tow car so would be interested in what you think of it both as a car generally and as a tow car. What weight caravan are you pulling behind it? How does real life fuel consumption compare to the "book" figure?

The Scout (140 bhp diesel) is an excellent car overall as well as a very stable towcar. It simply feels rock solid with positive steering feel, responsive engine and very refined when cruising at speed. It is also very well equipped.

I tow a Lunar Quasar 462 with 1300kg MTPLM. It tows very well - I am sure it would tow 1500kg easily.

I have now done 2000 miles and getting about 42 mpg solo and 29 mpg towing. I am sure this will improve as the engine loosens up.

One disaster has been the Skoda supplied detachable towbar. Do NOT order one - it has a towball height of 49cm and causes the van to ride 'nose up'. Fortunately the dealer changed it to a fixed bar for now. I am in dispute with Skoda UK over the matter.