MikeBz

Jeepers. 2.0 TDI Elegance DSG (no other extras) 10k pa on 3+35 is £241 a month direct from Skoda (and that includes servicing): http://www.skoda.co.uk/fleet/fleet-offers/octavia-offers

Well done, that's a proper long term test! Not the namby-pamby 6 months that the journos call a long term test.

Absolutely, it's a non-negotiable feature on my next car. I've never run into the back of anyone yet in 35 years of driving but I'm not perfect and nor is anyone else. Far more important to me than stick-on bits of bling or ride-crippling Carlos Fandango wheels & tyres - but then I am getting on a bit as this sentence shows in more ways than one!

I think they're coming through a lot faster than 12 weeks at the moment. But what I actually meant was if I order today and say "don't build until front assist/acc is available" how soon can I take delivery? Ask the dealer I guess, though generally it seems that people on here know more It seems hard to believe the the vRS won't have front-assist when the rest of the range does.

So realistically how soon might one take delivery of a car with front-assist? I'm looking for contract hire to start on 1 August and front-assist/adaptive cruise control are 'must have' features (unlike chrome window surrounds :-)). From the above it looks as though the vRS will be available before front-assist so early examples won't have it? As it stands the vRS will start building in just over 4 weeks time but there is no price or spec yet!

Eh? Normally pads have less bite until they're bedded in.

I don't know whether Autocar do videos of their road tests. The Autocar Verdict: 4/5. Big on space, value and quality; lacking something in dynamic appeal. Probably about what we would have expected. Unfortunately (for some), they tested a 1.6TDi not a 2.0TDi. They seem to be a bit confused about some of the features (notably the "ticket holder that looks like a handy place to put your 'phone".

Who's going to be first to the newsagent (waiting for it to appear on PixelMags here!): http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/week-autocar/autocar-magazine-10-april-preview

Front Assist, originally touted as standard on SE & Elegance from May onwards, then June onwards, isn't mentioned in the equipment lists on the website. Adaptive Cruise Control should have been available as an option at that point but not sign of it on the options list. Bummer, both really good features in my view.

And a 55 litre tank

Absolutely, hence a major consideration for me on its replacement. The Oct. was noisier than my current 6, albeit a different frequency noise. The new 6 may be worse from what I've read. I suspect the 17" wheels with 45 profile W rated tyres don't do the Elegance any favours in noise or ride, I would seriously look into.downgrading to SE wheels/tyres if I do go the Octavia route. Over-tyring cars makes them look good but doesn't do them any favours dynamically.

I have read the reviews. They mention vibration from the engine through the controls - I didn't notice that and I'm quite fussy/sensitive about that sort of thing. What Car said "You feel more of bumps than you do in a VW Golf". A friend of mine has a Mk6 Golf which I've travelled in quite a lot, it's definitely more refined - and it should be given that they're more money for less car. At this stage they're reviews not thorough road tests - waiting for Autocar to do a proper road test.

I had a drive in a 1.6 TDi Elegance today. Good points: The quality of pretty much everything, really does feel close to VW. It's a 'nice' place to be. Light well-weighted controls. Engine is mostly quiet except when accelerating hard. Lots of space. Bad points: Ride is hard & poor on non-smooth B-roads, this may be down to the 17" wheels and 45 profile W rated tyres, of course being lighter doesn't help with ride quality. Constant low-frequency background roar which I assume is road noise. I guess they save money on soundproofing vs. VW/Audi. The brake pedal felt way too high compared to the throttle, I guess it's something you get used to. Other observations: The front doors seem very short and the 'B' pillar a long way forward. This isn't a problem, it should make it easier to get out of the car in a space where door opening is confined - the shorter door will allow a wider opening. The rear doors conversely seem very long. This is all relative to my current steed of course (Mazda 6 hatch). I'm not sure I could live with the ride/road noise. Will be trying a Golf & Passat for comparison next week I hope.

I'd hadn't added the supplement in to the new bands which come in2015, so I think for diesel that makes: 2015-2016: 22% 2016-2017: 21% (up 2% general rise, down 3% removal of diesel supplement) I'm sure it's deliberately confusing like everything else the government and civil service do. Anyway, apologies for the thread drift, back to your usual programming...

Hmm. I started reading that notice the other day but became comatose before I'd got to the 2nd paragraph. So as I understand it, a diesel car in the 105-109g/km bracket will be subject to BIK thus: 2012-2013: 15% 2013-2014: 16% 2014-2015: 17% 2015-2016: 19% 2016-2017: 21% However it's worded, that doesn't feel like a drop in diesel taxation, more like an increase but with an even bigger increase in petrol taxation Mike