thlcr1

No they dont. Test drove a Scout before buying a 4x4. The 4x4 has slightly more controled suspension with less roll than the scout but of course less travel. Use the 4x4 to tow a caravan so spends a lot of time with the boot full and and the nose weight of the caravan at the back and its never been anything but perfectly controled. Much better in that respect than the 2wd Octy I had before. Lee

As someone as already mentioned the base fuel usually comes from the nearest refinery. There will be a distribution depot near the refinery and all the delivery tankers will fill up there whch does mean that if you are for example near a Shell refinery, that ALL your local garages ill be using Shell base fuel,be they Supermarkets or orther oil companies. The onlydifference will be the additives that are used. This is added at the distribution depot directly into the road tankers using a keycard sytem. The only exeption to this is that I have heard on occasions of some Supermarkets buying cheap fuel on the open market, usually from Roterdam. Not sure if that still happens or not. Although the base fuels maybe the same there can be significant differences in the additives. All of the major oil companies carry out a lot of research into the additives to try and improve running and economy (good for advertising). For example Shell fuel save amongst other additives contains an ignition improver whch has been proven to speed up the flame propogation in the combustion chamber, and due to whch Shell are able to claim improvments in fuel economy. Supermarket fuels will tend to use comercially available additive packages whch they almost certainly won't have been able to do ant independant research on. There is also likley to be less of it. Fuels like Shell V-power and BP-ultimate are different as they use different base fuels, wich burn cleaner and can potentially yeild more energy per unit volume. They also have different additive packages. Around where I live there is little or no difference in price between Supermarket and brand fuels so personally I wouldnt use supermarket fuel unless I had no option! Hope that helps Lee

I beleive that Gen 4 pre-engages the rear wheel when at a standstill, then dis-engages once you are under way (conditions allowing). Lee

Uased my for the first time this morning on my 2.0TDi 4x4. Up to now the 4x4 has been fine even on its standard conti sports contacts, but this morning on one of the lane here in North Wales I ran out of grip. got halfway up a particularl;y steep hill with 6-7 in of fresh snow, and came to a gentle halt with all 4 wheels spining. Couldnt even hold it on the hand brake just slid back down to the bottom ! put the snow socks on and drove straight up the hill like it was dry tarmac. Then had another couple of miles of ups and down with tight bends all on vergin snow to the main road. Worked brilliantly. No problems with traction steering or braking. I only had one set on the front (as recomended by Autosocks) but really never felt the need for second set. Took them off as soon as I got to main road. Without them I'd still be there! Thats the point really they are a fantastic "get out of Jail free card" not a replament for winter tyres Lee

Agree that it seems to be connected with how they are run in. My previous 140PD was bought 2nd hand and always tended to use about 1l every 5000 right up to when I sold it with 70k on the clock. My current one was bought new and I followed a running in schedule simmilar to the one above and now with 7k on the clock it dosent appear to have used any oil at all. Having said that my old one was the usuall 16v BKD motor wheras my new one being a 4x4 has the 8v BMM. Dont know if that makes a difference?? Lee

I got a 4x4 earlire this year but got a 2.0 TDi because I want it to tow a caravan (its one of the very last PD's). I absolutly love it, no complaints at all. Can't see any reason why the 1.6CR shouldnt work with the transmission but guess it might feel a little sluggish. I think the advice to test drive a 2wd 1.6 is good, will give you an idea what the car is like to drive. Just try to imagine what it would be like with an extra 100kg of transmission on board. I changed from a 2wd 2.0 PD Octy to a 4x4 version and find them very simmilar. The 4x4 is slightly slower but not a huge differences, does about 3mpg less (45instaed of 48) and has better grip both on slippery surfaces and when cornering on the road. I would expect the 1.6CR to have simmilar differences. As has already been pointed out I suspect the lack of replies with people with the exact same car is that it is so new there may not be many/any on the road yet, and that a lot of people buying the 4x4 want to tow and will therfore tend to chose the bigger engine. Lee

I got stopped for this a few years ago in North Wales. They of course took the opportunity to breathalyse me, check tyres etc etc before leting me carry on my way. Told me it was illegal to use them in clear conditions. Pity I always thought they gave me better visibility and safety on the unlit twisty country lanes round where I live, but I stopped using them after that. Lee

The Scout and the 2.0 TDi 4x4 can tow 1600kg. At least thats what it says on the VR5 of my 4x4 Lee

Have towed with PD 140's for a number of years now. The last 5 years have been with an Ambiente hatch but last month got a4x4 estate. Used to have an Old Elddis van which at 930kg was remarkably easy to tow, but have changed this year to a Sprite wich weight 1285kg. Still tows fine. Performance is good, well able to keep up with traffic, and handling is fine. Both cars do about 30mpg with the larger van on the back. The only towing problems I had with the older Octy were that the caravan always seemed to sit a bit nose down (this seemed to be more to do with the height of the towbar rather than the suspension sinking) and the general lack of grip on wet grass or when trying to do quick hill starts in the wet. The new 4x4 sits much more level with the caravan due to the taller stiffer suspension. Obviously grip is much better, so sloping fields in the rain which have caused me problems in the past are now completly drama free. Lee

My old 140 PD hatch used to show about 50-53 on the trip but when checked brim to brim had done about 47. Then after taking it in for a service I suddenly noticed it was averaging about 58-59 and regularly doing 60+ on single journeys Thought it was to go good to be true and when checked brim to brim it was still about 47 :wonder: When I asked at the garage they swore blind they hadn't altered anything on the ECU to cause the change in reported mpg Hmmmm! The new 140 PD 4x4 is showing about 45-46 average on the trip (occasionaly 50 for single journeys) and is actuallu about 43. Lee

A good point, but I've now just taken delivery of my 2nd 2.0 PD (in a 4x4 estate) which currently has only 600 miles on the clock and its definetly more punchy than the the CR Yeti I test drove. The CR was more free reving than either this PD or my previous 2wd with 50k on the clock, but seemed to have no low rev urge (well for somebody used to the PD it didnt). probably the CR was smother and quieter at high revs than the PD's but I felt you needed to use those revs. At lower revs (say below 2500) dont think there's that much difference. The new Octy 4x4 makes a fair bit less noise than my old 2wd hatch and is if anything quiter than the Yeti CR at lower revs. Just my observations. Lee

Tried the new Westfalia detachable towbar for the first time at the weekend to see what effect it had on the pdc. To my supprise no problem! Didnt set the pdc off and it all still worked normally when reversing towards other objects. Looking at the position of the sensors, they are either side of the towbar and my guess is that the swan neck is just to far in and out side the observation angle of the sensors. Wasn't expecting that but quite handy! Lee

Worth trying to test drive both sorts of engine. Bit difficult of course with no CR Octys available yet, so I chose to test a 140CR Yeti and a 140PD Scout. Mechnically very simmilar apart from the engine and bodywork. People will have different expectations and preferences, but I chose the PD and ordered an Octy 4x4 which I now have. Interestingly many reports are praising the VAG CR for being smoth and quite, but a lot of reports on the Yeti say thats its a bit gruff and noisy. Maybee its down to less soundproofing in the Skodas? I personally didnt think there was much difference betwwen the Yeti and the Scout (in terms of noise etc) untill you got the revs fairly high, which is not the way I tend to drive. PD felt more responsive a quicker from low revs, which is the way I tend to drive. Of course we dont know what the CR will be like in the Octavia yet, but I suspect simmilar to the Yeti. For what its worth I also think the 8v engine with DPF fitted to the 4x4 and Scout seems more flexible at lower revs than the the 16v unit Lee

Just picked up my 4x4 estate this week with towbar pre fitted. Dealer also said not to have the factory prep done and had the towbar fitted at a local towbar specialist. They said I would have to have a removable towbar fitted to work with the parking sensors. I guess that means that the parking sensors will not work properly with the towbar attached, but haven't tried it yet. They fitted a Westfalia detachable unit which seems very neat and quick to attach. No idea how you would get a non fixed towbar to work with parking sensors, and never been able to get a clear idea of the purpose of the factory prep. Lee

Yes a lot of people seem to really like the more linear power delivery of the CR, but to me it just felt flat with no oomph at low revs. I find the PD quite satisfying. I gave a friend a lift last night who own a new Citroen with a 1.6 HDi motor. He actually asked if it was a diesel or a petrol! When I told him it was indeed a diesel, he comented that it seemed very smoth! Lee

Well its been a long wait (ordered 2nd week Jan), but I've finaly taken delivery of my new 4x4 estate 140PD. Not had it 24hrs yet and done less than 100miles but first impressions are very good. I chose Cappaccino as the color, and having seen in it I'm pleased with the choice. I also speced the Option Draconis 16'' wheels. I've always thought that non Vrs Octys tend to look like the wheels are a bit to small for the arches and that is compounded on the 4x4's with there raised suspension, The larger wheels fill the arches a bit better and I think they look pretty good. I also speced rear parking sensors and crusie control. This brought the price close to the level of a Scout, but I actually prefer the stealth look of the 4x4. Before I got it I agonised for a while on wether to get a Yeti with the CR engine or wait for the Octy to get it. In the end after test driving a Yeti CR140 and a Scout PD140. I decided I still rather liked the old PD motor and ordered the Octy. First impresions are that the motor feels noticably smother and quiter than the PD140 in my old 54 plate hatchback. Dont know why but its quite noticable. Also think think its probably quiter and smother than the 140CR was in the Yeti. Supprising and flys in the face of popular opinions, but it seems that way to me. Will be interesting to see what the Octy is like with the CR. I was also wondering what the ride quality would be like. My test drives of the Scout and the Yeti suggested that on rough surfaces they could get a little unsettled and I didn't think they rode as well as my standard hatchback. Having read somewhere that the 4x4 rode better than the Scout, that was one of my reasons for chosing it. Having picked up the 4x4 my opinion is that it definetly has a more settled ride than either the Yeti or Scout. In fact Im pleased to note that it actually seems more comfy than my old 2wd hatch. So far so good. will see what its like after a few more miles Lee

I've said it a few time on this forum, but I test drove a CR140 Yeti a while back and was very supprised to find it didnt seem any quiter or smother than the PD. Combined with the lack of low rev grunt I didnt bother and ordered an Octy 4x4 140PD. I sometime think that road noise can be more of a problem. On some surfaces it can seem qute bad. I suspect the Octy dosent have as much soundproofing as the equivelent VW's. Would probably benefit from a bit more soundproofing adding. Lee

I agree it is good value for the extra kit, but it depends if you like the look of the body kit or not. If you like the looks of the Scout and /or want the extra ground clerance its a no brainer. Personaly I dont like the look of the body kit so I went for a 4x4 and added a few of the missing bits (cruise control, parking sensors, option alloys). Ended up much the same price as a Scout. Lee

Dont forgot the standard 4x4 about 1k cheaper than the Scout and the same transmision. Only difference is slightly lower ride height, no plastic body mouldings and slightly less equipment. As for the CR engine, best way of checking it out at the moment is to test drive a Yeti. Same transmission, suspension and floor pan as the Scout but with the new engine already. Personally I didnt think it was any quiter and had a less urge at low revs. In the Golf it gives about an extra 5mpg. Lee

Mine does this occasionaly. Switch the ignition off for a few seconds then restart and it will work again. Figure thats got to indicate an ECU probolem that needs a reset. Would annoy the hell out of me if it happened a lot but once every month or so I can live with. Lee

As a matter of interest what engine are you going for? Somewhat anoyingly I was given the option of an instock car when I ordered. I was told there was a 2.0TDi 4x4 in red available imediately. When I asked about having rear sensors and cruise control retro fit'd they said they could but there would be no on dash displays and seeing as how I wanted to pick up after March 1st I might as well factory order. If the salesman had told me the factory order wouldn't arrive until May, I'd be driving around in that red one now :doh Lee

Thats what I was thinking, probably switching production over to the CR. Pity in some ways I've got a soft spot for the PD That would be a much quicker delivery than mine! Wonder if there expecting a big batch of 140PD's mid april and are then going to build a load of the cars on order in one go. Thought it sounded to good to be true. Oh well more time to save up. Lee

Yes it is on FL Scouts and 4x4's. Pre FL it was Haldex 2. Think the Scout platform, transmision and suspension is very simmilar to the Yeti Lee

I ordered a 4x4 140PD at the begining of Jan and was told by the dealer they would have it for end of Feb. Asked them if they could hold on to it untill 1st March so as to get the 10 plate. In view of the talk on this forum about long delivery time thought this was all a bit optimistic, so wasn't supprissed to be told a few weeks ago that it was delayed by 2 weeks. Not to bad I told myself. Checked again today and have been told its scheduled for build week 15 so mid April. Allowing for delivery etc Unlikley to get it until End April. early May so 2 months late Reason for the delay I'm told is shortage of engines! Seeing as how VW and Audi have completly gone to the CR motors and Skoda and Seat are starting to follow suit I'm supprised there is a shortage of PD's. Only explnation I can think of is they are made in the same plant and they have started switching more production over to the CR's. Anybody any thoughts? Lee

Test drove a Scout recently, thought the ride was a little less settled than my Octy hatch but simmilar to the Yeti I test drove (all 2.0TDi's). I've heard the std 4x4 is slightly less bouncy than the Scout due to the shorter travel. Hope so as thats what I ended up ordering. Like yourself I thought the boot in the Yeti with a spare wheel was tiny compared to the Octy. OHA said no way we could fit all our stuff in it! Lee