Yogi-Bear

Given the diesel VRS was withdrawn from sale because it doesn't meet emissions regulations, I'd say the chances of Skoda selling you a brand new engine are less than nil.

What's your source for this, out of interest?

They're just a broker and act as an introduction to a particular dealer. From then on, it's as though you walked into that dealer off the street - albeit with the negotiations done up front.

Each to their own... I prefer the chrome badge on the front, and wouldn't have minded chrome badges on the back.

I remember when mine was that clean and shiny 😞. Out of curiosity, when in August? Trying to work out if it was a month or more like two after me - I ordered mine at the start of July and it turned up at the end of October, which is ridiculously quick compared to most people... but my point is that the gap between us ordering was a lot shorter than the gap between deliveries. Perhaps when it's the other way around, we'll be able to conclude that things are finally getting better (or I'm applying too much logic to this!). Or, has yours been sat at the dealer for a while waiting for a '22 plate?

I can't find a 200PS petrol engine on the Skoda configurator either... at least on the UK version. Only a 190PS.

I beg to differ...

There’s always this sort of thing… https://www.diesel-performance.co.uk (despite the name, they do boxes for petrol engines too)

36mpg for that sort of journey profile, with the 4x4, doesn’t sound all that bad to me - especially if you consider that has been over the winter months. If you don’t see a massive improvement over the summer when it’s warmer and now it is properly run in, I’d be very surprised. As for the oil… never had an issue with my last one (1.4TSI) - and the new VRS hasn’t moaned yet, but neither have I actually checked.

I don't find the ride at all firm in 'normal' on the DCC - it is in 'sport' though, but still nothing compared to my old 1 series with M-Sport suspension (so perhaps my frame of reference is different to yours!). If you do get smaller wheels, let us know what - I'd been considering a second set of wheels with some winter tyres, but by the time I started to look into that this year it didn't seem worth it. Maybe by next winter...

Welcome to the Internet, you must be new here! 🤣

It’s a shame, but good news that you’ve found an alternative you’re happy with and, more importantly, can actually get now!

Are they a factory fit option in some places...?

When did you place your order? 🤦‍♂️

The most revealing bit of that video for me was that the front lights are all one unit, with a bit of body trim lay across the front. Always just assumed that the fog/driving/whatever you want to call them lights below the main ones would be a completely separate unit. Ho hum.

Just over 2,500.

Slightly off-topic... but either my car has finally finished running in, or the warmer weather this weekend has made a massive difference, but my usual Sunday round-town-taxi-for-the-kids driving resulted in an average just shy of 30mpg, whereas each week until now it's been very low 20s. I don't think I was driving any differently... the traffic certainly wasn't any better/worse than usual... and I haven't pumped up the tyres (which I need to do!)... so I can only put it down to the engine finally being bedded in, or the slightly warmer weather. But a roughly 40% improvement is bonkers, either way. Not complaining... just don't quite understand.

Poke around in the settings - there is an option that allows you to select 'early', 'normal' or 'late'.

Totally agree… I found the 1.4 was actually happier and more efficient with the gearbox in sport than in eco at times.

There's either something wrong with your engine, or something wrong with your right foot 😜. Seriously, that is pretty dire, but it also doesn't stack with other reports of fuel economy from 1.4/1.5TSI owners. Out of curiosity, and apologies if I missed this earlier... is it a 4x4 or just 2wd?

Some of. I'd say this is where most of the economy concerns come from, to be honest. Thing is - I got close to the quoted figures on my 1.4TSI Edition, but unless the VRS improves drastically with age, there's no way it's ever going to get anywhere near what Skoda think it should get. And it is these sorts of inconsistencies in testing vs real-life that cause the problems... if everything was 10-15% (or whatever) below the test figures, it would be easy to compensate and compare properly. Anyway, no complaints of economy from me. Would be nice to get 50mpg, but I bought the VRS knowing it was going to drink like a very thirsty fish.

Especially when it's colder... and as it is 'front-loaded', it disproportionately impacts on shorter journeys too. My new* favourite game is to see just how low the 'instant mpg' figure is when I start off and drive down the road. On my old 1.4TSI Edition, it was usually somewhere in the teens/low twenties, possibly getting down into single figures when turning out of the road and accelerating. In the VRS, it's single figures, and I've had it as low as 3mpg by stomping on the go pedal at the junction 😳. Edit: Posted too quick... meant to say that I don't believe that's entirely 150PS vs 245PS as the weight of the vehicles is going to be pretty much the same. I'm convinced it's also partly down to the new Euro6d standard on the VRS engine, compared to Euro5 (I think) on the old car.

Including Haldex + DSG? If so, it's a very good deal... if not, it's not a bad deal, I'm just not convinced you're saving an awful lot (but if prices go up, you don't need to worry!). I'm not convinced I'd want the dealership to be valeting/washing my car every month though. But then I quite enjoy doing that myself 😊.

Not the case, based on my experience - but I'll admit that could have been a one-off. Local VW garage said they couldn't reset the interval on my Octavia... but that was about 4 years ago now and no only may things have changed, the local VW garage does have a certain reputation 🙄.

Slightly off-topic... but the X5 and the XC90 are substantially larger cars. I'd suggest the X3 and XC60 are more similar in size/weight. The Kodiaq is also not 2 tonnes - kerb weight is anything from about 1.5 to 1.8ish.