New Car time!

[oxtondriver]

Hi guys,

As the title suggests really.
I'm looking at replacing my 59 plate Ford Focus ST in the new year.
I think I have decided on a 6 month old Skoda Octavia VRS 2.0 petrol. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this car in manual or DSG guise and what there thoughts are.
Also any alternative suggestions would be welcome.

Many thanks

Kris

[skodatezzer]

Got the diesel version and love it!

[Custom24]

I have a 59 plate petrol manual Octavia VRS hatchback, the previous model to the current one. It is a very pleasant and easy car to drive, and has given no problems in the three years I have had it.

You are already used to a similar car. I was not. My criteria were - fast, fun to drive, manual, petrol and a big boot, and good value for money. The fun to drive is subjective, and compared to my MX5 mk2 it is characterless. The other criteria it scores full marks on.

Fuel economy on mine is about 34 mpg on VPower, but I am fairly gentle with it. Skoda servicing is reasonable. I was able to purchase a 2 year service plan that worked out quite well. I bought mine from a franchise.

The only negative I can think of is that there is no way to put a bike rack on the back of the car, because of the spoiler, without fitting a towbar. I didn't really want a car with a spoiler at all, but it's kind of grown on me. I would have preferred an estate, but manual petrol estates in this car are like hens' teeth, especially since I also wanted it in blue. The hatchback equivalent is quite common.

I guess also it only has 4 airbags, which for that class seems odd. I assume the newer one has more.

I have no experience with the newer model, but these cars are quite well thought of and very reliable. The only person I know who has had trouble with one is Jon T, and I am sure he will be along soon.

[Rick101]

Had the diesel model. Great car would have another. Tune well if you're into that sort of thing.
Cavernous boot is great, I miss it.

I have a manual Golf, I would would have had the DSG if I could have achieved the right price. It's a good system. Been out in a friends 370BHP odd Cupra tonight and DSG works very well.

I could be tempted back into a Octavia, maybe an estate version. The latest vRS's are a very tidy car indeed. Shame Skoda's aren't 12/13K like they used to be!

[jont]

I have no experience with the newer model, but these cars are quite well thought of and very reliable. The only person I know who has had trouble with one is Jon T, and I am sure he will be along soon.

<waves>
We also have a 59 plate petrol. It's the slightly newer engine (well, quite a lot newer ) camchain, rather than belt. SWMBO loves it. When it's working, it does about 90% of what you could ever want a car to do. We bought it about 2.5 years old from a franchise dealer. Just after (5 miles) its first service with us, it lunched its engine at around 30k miles. Skoda replaced it under warranty, then several months of ongoing niggling sensor faults followed. Each resulting in a trip to the dealer, sometimes on a flatbed, and always resulting in "we plugged the computer in. It said no fault found so we can't change anything. Oh, and because there's no fault, Skoda won't pay for the diagnostics". Skoda UK had little interest in sorting these out (although I did mostly get goodwill for clearing the faults), and refused to offer any sort of extended warranty when the one we bought the car with expired a year from purchase.

A couple of months on from that, it developed problems selecting 1st gear when cold. We had the clutch replaced, which helped, but didn't completely solve it. This was outside the dealer network - I suspect contamination when the engine was changed, but of course couldn't prove anything and had run out of energy to chase Skoda UK.

The next step to curing this problem suggested by the garage was new DMF or one of the selector forks. As an interim measure they also tried slightly thinner gear oil which again has helped but not completely cured it. We have left it alone for now, although with winter returning we'll see what happens.

Personally I'm highly reluctant to buy another Skoda and would be quite happy to be rid of ours (I thought it a shame when we had a tree fall down on the drive that it missed the car). However as I say, SWMBO loves it and is loathe to be rid, despite the issues. Unfortunately there are very few cars that offer the combination of space, performance and price of the Octy.

Not sure about the latest engine (220bhp) which is the one I assume you're looking at, but have heard of several issues with high oil consumption in the 197bhp petrol in VAG cars.

Mind you, if you do enough searching online you'd never buy a modern car. They all have issues, mostly expensive, and mostly dealt with by incompetent main dealers

[martine]

I'm looking at replacing my 59 plate Ford Focus ST in the new year.
I think I have decided on a 6 month old Skoda Octavia VRS 2.0 petrol.

You'll regret it (fellow ST owner)

[michael769]

=
Not sure about the latest engine (220bhp) which is the one I assume you're looking at, but have heard of several issues with high oil consumption in the 197bhp petrol in VAG cars.

VAG engines are in general prone to high oil consumption. Anything up to 500ml per 6,000 miles is considered to be acceptable.

[jont]

=
Not sure about the latest engine (220bhp) which is the one I assume you're looking at, but have heard of several issues with high oil consumption in the 197bhp petrol in VAG cars.

VAG engines are in general prone to high oil consumption. Anything up to 500ml per 6,000 miles is considered to be acceptable.

I don't regard that as high. I think people complaining were talking more like 500ml-1l per 1000 miles

[oxtondriver]

Thank you for the replies guys. Lots of things to think about.

Skodatezzer what is it you love about yours?
Jont sorry you have had a bad experience. What would you choose instead of the Vrs?

Thanks Kris.

[skodatezzer]

Just enjoy a lumping great diesel, for a start. Wonderful grunt for overtaking, for example. Took it for a day course on cornering (on an airfield) not so long back and was amazed by how competent the chassis is, and by the ridiculous amount of grip available. Have had 130 mph out of it on the autobahn too - I ran out of cojones before it ran out of steam! (Should just add at this stage that mine is an earlier iteration of the model, on an 09 plate).

Downsides: Nothing major. Had a series of warning lights all to do with the particulate filter and requiring various sensors to be replaced at a total cost of about £300. Otherwise, mine is on 18" rims with low-profile tyres which are very prone to pothole damage - that's been the biggest unplanned expenditure, I think - have had to replace 3 tyres and 1 rim.

Fuel consumption: NSL on the motorway = 50+ m.p.g. ADUK driving day = 35 m.p.g.

Hope this helps

P.S. Forgot to say, mine's an estate. You can get a digital piano or a 'fridge in - possibly at the same time!

[sussex2]

I have no experience with the newer model, but these cars are quite well thought of and very reliable. The only person I know who has had trouble with one is Jon T, and I am sure he will be along soon.

<waves>
We also have a 59 plate petrol. It's the slightly newer engine (well, quite a lot newer ) camchain, rather than belt. SWMBO loves it. When it's working, it does about 90% of what you could ever want a car to do. We bought it about 2.5 years old from a franchise dealer. Just after (5 miles) its first service with us, it lunched its engine at around 30k miles. Skoda replaced it under warranty, then several months of ongoing niggling sensor faults followed. Each resulting in a trip to the dealer, sometimes on a flatbed, and always resulting in "we plugged the computer in. It said no fault found so we can't change anything. Oh, and because there's no fault, Skoda won't pay for the diagnostics". Skoda UK had little interest in sorting these out (although I did mostly get goodwill for clearing the faults), and refused to offer any sort of extended warranty when the one we bought the car with expired a year from purchase.

A couple of months on from that, it developed problems selecting 1st gear when cold. We had the clutch replaced, which helped, but didn't completely solve it. This was outside the dealer network - I suspect contamination when the engine was changed, but of course couldn't prove anything and had run out of energy to chase Skoda UK.

The next step to curing this problem suggested by the garage was new DMF or one of the selector forks. As an interim measure they also tried slightly thinner gear oil which again has helped but not completely cured it. We have left it alone for now, although with winter returning we'll see what happens.

Personally I'm highly reluctant to buy another Skoda and would be quite happy to be rid of ours (I thought it a shame when we had a tree fall down on the drive that it missed the car). However as I say, SWMBO loves it and is loathe to be rid, despite the issues. Unfortunately there are very few cars that offer the combination of space, performance and price of the Octy.

Not sure about the latest engine (220bhp) which is the one I assume you're looking at, but have heard of several issues with high oil consumption in the 197bhp petrol in VAG cars.

Mind you, if you do enough searching online you'd never buy a modern car. They all have issues, mostly expensive, and mostly dealt with by incompetent main dealers

It seems you have come across the VW groups' inflexible and frustrating guarantee system. We had an issue with rust on a Seat and the attitude, particularly from the dealer, was frankly appalling.
There was slightly more sympathy from Audi UK (which handles VW group customer service) yet still nothing was done.
The car has since been sold and I am not about to contemplate buying another VW group product; none I have had have been a paragon of quality or reliability. In fact the Seat was over the years the least reliable car we have ever owned. There was a string of niggling faults (mostly electrical) and some caused by poor quality control.

[sussex2]

More is the pity by the way as I have always fancied a Porsche Boxster but now they have been bought under the VW mantel I am going to fight shy.
In fact I doubt I will ever spend considerable amounts of money on a car again; at least not until the reliability and quality of the electrics catches up.
A 14 year old MX5 and an 8 year old Ford Focus (which has never had a single thing wrong with it - not even a light bulb) will suffice.
We've also got a Citroen van for work but it is too new for any kind of judgement yet. I do quite like driving it though.

[jont]

In fact I doubt I will ever spend considerable amounts of money on a car again; at least not until the reliability and quality of the electrics catches up.

Indeed. I distinctly dislike the ever increasing amounts of electronics which seem to be mostly courtesy facilities. Mainly in terms of courtesy to the main dealers pocket when they go wrong. They do very little for my enjoyment of a car Of course, at the point manufacturers are happy to warrant them for 15 or 20 years, then I might change my mind.

[revian]

In fact I doubt I will ever spend considerable amounts of money on a car again; at least not until the reliability and quality of the electrics catches up.

Indeed. I distinctly dislike the ever increasing amounts of electronics which seem to be mostly courtesy facilities. Mainly in terms of courtesy to the main dealers pocket when they go wrong. They do very little for my enjoyment of a car Of course, at the point manufacturers are happy to warrant them for 15 or 20 years, then I might change my mind.

...and why we should pay for a software update (read... We didn't get it right when we made it) is beyond me. £100 and then it takes all night to worm its way into the programming...Come back Bill Gates, all is forgiven...

Ian

[oxtondriver]

Hi Guys,
Well after months of looking and test drivng I finally decided not to get the Skoda VRS.

I decided and have Ordered a new Ford Focus ST-3 estate instead.
My brother works for Jaguar Landrover so I got a massive £6000+ discount on the list price.
The ST-3 estate suited my needs better and to me is a nicer car. Plus the price I was offered was to good to pass up on.
Expected delivery is September so i'll post some pics when I get it.

Thanks guys for all the advice.

Cheers Kris