Gerrycan

Unless there have been changes, I thought the Octavia PHEV only charged at a max of 3.6kwh? which takes about 4 hours for its relatively small battery? If that is still the case, then a standard house plug will take around 6 hours so why bother with the expense of a home charger?

What model Octavia do you have and currently what wheel and tyre size are fitted? 4 x $300 seems a lot for Ocatavia tyres, so also tell us what tyre manufacturer and type you are looking at. I have saved a lot of money with reputable brands by shopping around on the internet for my cars' tyres. If I'd just stuck with the brand fitted when new it would have cost me a lot more, and they weren't that good a tyre anyway. As @J.R. says, if you open the fuel filler there will be a table of different acceptable wheel and tyre sizes that can be fitted and their recommended pressures. Of course, a radical size change will incur the extra expense of new rims AND new tyres. Some people do this to get the ride characteristics they want but your concerns seem mainly at the price I believe that NSW vehicles are subject to an annual vehicle(?) (we don't have this in South Australia) so you should follow the size recommendations. I thought all Octavia came at least a spacesaver spare tyre in Aus? I would not buy any car with just a can of 'goo' for our driving environment. Which will be a bit of a problem when I look at changing to an EV as 90% of them don't have a spare.

Our older slightly less powerful 103kw but manual version of the 1.4tsi managed a driving holiday to from Adelaide to Tasmania with 4 adults and two had full international travelling luggage that really challenged the legendary luggage capacity of the wagon (at last I can say wagon here instead of estate ). Every stop at many wineries increased the load further for some reason and each day's repacking was like a harder game of Tetris. Tassie is very hilly in parts and sure you noticed the load, but I was really impressed at how well the vehicle coped with the load and gradients because the full torque is available at such low revs. While the engine is very smooth and happy to rev out you really do not have to and to be honest with just 103kw power (in our case) that is not where it does its best work. Our friends were so impressed with the performance of the car they went home to Scotland and sold their Porsche 911.....and bought a Golf R 😄. I don't think you will go far wrong with either car but if you can afford the initial purchase price and the higher fuel costs then go the RS route. It will be the better driving car for sure. With that much occasional load are you sure you would not be better off with a Superb? One other thing to be aware of is ground clearance on the RS is about 129mm and 1.4tsi about 147mm, not a lot but would be noticeable on our driveway out to the road and on some of the Aussie dirt roads we occasionally travel on.

I agree that is pretty reasonable for a vRS but when you look at the average speed (39 mph) then I start to ask if a vRS the best car if you are looking for reasonable consumption? Without knowing the route in detail, my guess is that lesser engined versions (1.0tsi, 1.5tsi, 1.4tsi) would achieve far better than 50mpg with a similar driving profile and a lot less 'effort'. Would be interesting, if you had the opportunity, to compare results for the same journey same style with the car in 'Normal ' mode rather than 'Eco'. Not everyone has found 'eco' to actually be more economical for them. I think the rationale is that not everyone uses coasting to best effect compared to being better practiced at utilising engine braking.

Hi @Redmanc99, I must have responded to your post on my phone (based on my stilted grammar), but I missed the very important letters 'vrs'......doh! My response was based on my own lower spec, less sporty 1.4tsi Octavia. However, after a bit of a google search, it appears that both the vRS in mk2 and mk3 are around 129mm, although there was a reference suggesting that the 245bhp version may be 99mm. You would have been better posting in the more frequented Octavia mk3 section of the forum where my mistake would have been picked up by others. Did you buy one?

I have found the VW consumption information I referenced in an earlier post on a backup of my old computer. As I said it is for the old 90kw 1.4tsi manual in a Golf but the reference points upto 130kph are almost identical on my 103kw manual version so I would not expect too much difference with your 110kw output version. It confirms my theory that your original consumption displays at speed were quite unusually good.

Should be checked for sure but I would have thought the affects would be across the speed spectrum and his lower speed consumption is still pretty good. At 150kph sticking brakes would glow in the dark

@Balazs_HU, other than the expense there is obviously no harm in servicing earlier than required, may even be necessary if doing track work, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee greater reliability either. Changing the intake air filter as regularly as you do also seems a bit of an overkill but are you sure they are actually replacing it? The only other thing I can suggest checking is the accuracy of the displayed consumption. The only way really is to look at the 'since refuel' consumption display and compare it with the calculated consumption when you refuel the car. Try to use the same refuel procedure each time. When my car was brand new the displayed consumption was actually worse than I was really achieving by about 0.2L/100, then by about 40,000 km it changed to being absolutely accurate then by 80, 000 km the display had changed to being about 0.2L better than I was actually getting. Now it has swung back to being truer again. These are small variations for me but maybe yours are greater? Other things to look for that may affect high speed consumption are: Whether the undertray is still in place (significantly worse aerodynamics at speed), after all the thing would have been taken off a number of times with the number of services the vehicle has had, maybe it got damaged and not replaced by the mechanic? Whether the consumption change is related to a tyre size change (unlikely to affect it by that much though). I presume if you are travelling at those speeds they are at an appropriate pressure and checked regularly. I'm clearly running out of ideas now

The thing with the 1.4tsi is that the nominal peak 250Nm of torque comes in from just above 1500 rpm to nearly 4000 rpm and the mk4 weighs about 1400kg so acceleration to 100kph is a reasonable 8.5 seconds. No ball of fire but 250 Nm is enough for me to overtake safely even when the vehicle is loaded. Sure the RS would be much quicker (under 7 seconds) but it would be wasted on me because I don't drive the 1.4tsi anywhere near its potential on public roads anyway. Most (Australian) reviews rate the 8 speed torque converter as being a better drive in traffic than a dsg. @SouthernComfort is getting pretty good consumption in his mk4 especially on a run which is not surprising as his mk4 has better aero than my mk3 and probably longer gearing in his auto than my early model manual. I can guarantee you would not get that sort of consumption in an RS, maybe 6 to 6.5L/100 on a highway and around 8 to 8.5L/100 in urban areas, which is still not bad although there would be great temptations to use a bit more welly with possible speeding fines 😞. All you can do is drive both cars and work out whether the RS is worth the NZ$10+k price difference for you. I'm not sure what the NZ warranty period is, it is 7 years here in AUS so yours would be at least 5 years, you would think that would cover any problems with the dq381 during your ownership?

Sorry, I'll remember to undersimplify it next time @HenryNZ, what he said

The DSG boxes are really an automated manual with two clutches, so when accelerating the next gear is already selected and the change is almost instant. Also because the drive from engine to wheel is direct it is slightly more economical than a torque converter around town where there is more 'slurring' especially between gear changes. Modern multi-speed torque converters are far more efficient than the old 4 speed boxes though. The dq200 incorrectly specified oil issues some years back were a problem primarily in hot and humid countries but no longer relevant in a new car but it did their reputation a lot of harm at the time. The dq200 is used in the Fabia and Scala sold in Aus and NZ and is fine as long as the driver does not drive them like a torque converter and burn out the dry clutch packs by lightly pressing the brake and riding the clutch for long periods of time. The wet clutch packs in the dq381 are far more durable and can handle that sort of abuse. A point not mentioned so far is that the 1.4tsi has a simple torsion bar rear suspension while the RS has superior independent rear suspension. I think the cheaper rear system is pretty good for its type but that is not an opinion shared by all. The smaller engine will be noticeably more economical than the 2.0tsi Also variations in service requirements are not uncommon between countries.

It does look very good without rails imo.

@Balazs_HU, fuel consumption variations are generally difficult to account for. A minor point but I think you may have used the smaller USA gallons instead of the larger Imperial (British) gallon for your conversions so 5.5L/100 is 51 mpg, 6.2 - 6.4L/100 is 45 to 44 mpg and 8.0 - 8.5L/100 is 35 to 37 mpg. I have a 2014 1.4tsi combi that has only done 105,000 km and there is no doubt in my mind that the engine is a really good, economical unit....however like most petrol engines it drinks noticeably more if you use the performance or if there are adverse road or environmental factors. Based on some official VW issued consumption figures I have seen for early 1.4tsi engines and my own experience I find it hard to believe that your car would have consistently achieved your claimed displayed consumption of 6.2 to 6.4l/100 at real 140 to 150 kph speeds. A diesel could possibly do it or maybe even a mk4 1.5tsi with it's better aerodynamics and longer gearing but that is a moot point. Most British drivers on their roads would not have the freedom to travel at those speeds for any distance without incurring punitive fines and the same here in most of Australia where I live. Quite honestly travelling at a true 130kph in good conditions and I am really happy to get 7L/100, which corresponds with VW claims. Obviously consumption increases with speed. A headwind or stiff crosswind can adversely affect consumption by 1.0 to 1.5L/100 at 110kph in my experience. Equally a tailwind or travelling at speed in enforced reasonably close proximity to other traffic can benefit consumption by similar amounts. If your car has a real consumption problem that is only manifesting itself at higher speeds then it probably has to do with the higher airflows. As @Rooted says check your air-filter is clean as a first step but it gets more difficult from there. Other possibilities may be turbo related or maybe the variable valve timing is not performing as it should? I imagine the only way to disprove either is to put the car on a dynamometer and see if peak outputs are below par? Personally I think your current consumptions at both low and high speeds are quite realistic.

There are a couple of factors that would lead Skoda to specifying a 95 Ron minimum in Australia but basically it comes down to the recognised poor quality of our petrol. The current general Australian requirements are that our 91 Ron fuel can have up to 150 ppm of Sulphur while 95 and 98 Ron petrol can have up to 50 ppm. Compare this to Europe and the US where the petrol is limited to 10 ppm of Sulphur. Ethanol is added to our cheap 91 RON fuel (which can boost it to 94 RON) but the quantity added is notoriously fickle so it will potentially have the highest sulphur and not necessarily meet the RON rating. The sulphur content of our base fuel would destroy a ppf in a very short time. It was the same with sulphur in diesel; in the 90's it was about 10,000 ppm, from 2002 its was reduced to 500 ppm and then in 2009 it was reduced to internationally recognised 10ppm which then allowed a flood of good European diesel engines to enter our market. The Australian government has pledged to introduce legislation to reduce sulphur in petrol to 10ppm this year but it will probably be half-arsed about dealing with RON standards and use of Ethanol. Ethanol has patchy history here with shonky petrol retailers, and shonky ethanol producers making shonky donations to shonky state government parties about accepting substandard application of ethanol to petrol. I am afraid that corruption is rife at State government level. Done correctly there seems to be no problem with putting upto 10% ethanol in petrol as long as there is a guaranteed minimum octane as in UK/Europe and it is transported and stored correctly. I'm not sure whether @LuxoviaRS 's RS has a ppf fitted or not, although I know the Superb 208 sold here did, but yeh I'd avoid our E10 like the plague until there is some clear resolution from the government(s). It was my belief (although not 100% certain) the RS did still have the dual fuel system with both multi-point and direct injection which would definitely minimise carbon build up on the inlet valves. My 1.4tsi with only the direct injection system is 10 years old and has done 105,000 km and is not showing any indication that there is any carbon build up on our fuels. I only use 95 RON and the car spends >95% of its time in urban areas which accounts for about 80% of the distance travelled.

My statement you quoted was accurate at that time but in Jan 2019 my 1.4tsi water pump failed and had to be replaced by the dealer. It was more expensive and complicated experience than it should have been but we were having traumatic and ultimately fatal family illness at the time so no will to contest. Fortunately they did give us a new Fabian loan car which ran up a big mileage on while being impressively economical despite temps in the low 40's and aircon working overtime.

My MK2 1.9pd estate ambient had the IRS. With the standard 16 inch wheels it was the best ride on Aussie dirt roads. Should have got a Scout with the extra ground clearance as well but out of our budget unfortunately.

A bit late answering this but the ground clearance on the mk3 is about the same as the MK2 at 147mm. My Mk3 has no problem with speedhumps and we have done trips of several hundreds of kilometres on dirt roads with quite large rocks (to avoid). A big 4wd would have better of course but dry roads and a good lookout for potential issues and we maintained an average of 65 kph. Sealed roads no problem at all.

I have the same issue, Can't get a manual in Aus any more, don't like all the mandatory safety assists, don't like or need big screens and only Chinese (mostly crappy) built cars are affordable. Apart from shopping mall scars our 2014 low mileage Octavia drives as new so we are sticking with it.

As rooted intimated there are two aspects to consider: a) that the 5% (or less) ethanol content is only available in higher (more expensive) octane fuels and that could account for a couple of percent improvement but only IF your car is designed to utilise the higher octane. b) ethanol has a lower calorific value than petrol by volume but the small difference of ethanol content has a minimal effect on consumption assuming the ethanol/petrol mix is not compromised by poor storage. In Australia you can get an E85 ethanol mix but while it has an exceptionally high octane rating the few cars that are adapted to run on it or normal petrol will achieve about 30% poorer consumption on the high ethanol fuel than petrol. Some high performance cars optimised for E85 get great performance from the 105 Octane rated fuel but still use lots of it. Personally I don't think you would notice much difference between the E5 or E10 in your PHEV. What does your manual recommend? Fun fact: diesel, petrol and ethanol have similar calorific values by weight.

I am sure the 2.0tsi is a good overall drive but judging by the reported consumptions I don't consider it a particularly efficient unit if I'm honest. Nonetheless I'm pretty sure the OP is not getting the consumption he should with his commute and declared driving style. So it is either the car or perhaps the OP is not driving to the engine's most efficient characteristics? As already mentioned checking air filter and plugs condition is easy, as is tyre pressures and whether there is any brake binding. Beyond that it gets more difficult and expensive. I'm assuming no roof racks or other air brakes are involved I'm afraid I have had brand new consumption lemons from other manufacturers and they did not improve with running in as the dealers promised. It happens and you get no sympathy or help from the dealers I've found using the 'instant' consumption display is useful for highlighting faults in my driving for economy style. . Perhaps the OP could try that to see what sort of consumption should be obtainable at a given speed? For example, in my 1.4tsi if I'm doing 100kph (about 2000 rpm as the 1.4tsi manual is fairly low geared imo) on the flat and showing about 5L/100 (55mpg) then that is pretty reasonable, if I am in the company of other cars then I will get better consumption with the draughting effect. A steady 80kph due to traffic or roadworks and I'll get an indicated 4L/100 (70mpg) or better. Always assuming no headwind or temperature extremes, standing water or really coarse tarmac. Cruise control does just as good a job as me (sometimes better) on the flat but I can improve on it in hilly country. Slogging an engine in too low a gear is not as economical as you might think, use the instant consumption display to compare different techniques. Traffic anticipation and minimising unnecessary application of the brakes is about as sophisticated as I get.

There is a thing called 'runner's high' which is associated with the release of endorphins (to control pain) and dopamine (which give a feeling of euphoria or enjoyment) and it is known to be addictive to some extent. Over the years I have noticed that exercise has been largely beneficial for most adverse conditions I have experienced at different times. I have associated any improvement with general movement benefits and my self-generated drug cocktail. Well it seems that a few short runs I have undertaken to ease my way into some sort resumption of routine have been beneficial for my recent back issues, and I am grateful for that. To be fair, paracetamol has a similar effect for controlling pain but I really don't like taking any sort of drug where it can be avoided and a drug is usually addressing symptoms rather than cause and I also like my euphoric feeling after a run. I should add this is a discussion of my personal experience and is not to be regarded as medical advice, medical professionals usually know best and should always be consulted for issues, especially when considering adding a relatively grueling exercise regime.

I would have thought taking the car to a specialist DPF cleaner may be worthwhile? A lot cheaper than the suggested replacement although there may also be a defective component/sensor contributing to the problem A bit of a worry with all the imminent pending tasks it is expected to do though.

Surprised by the suggestion that the springs can sag in such a short time but if that is the case and the OP tows then that should be looked at. If the problem is apparent then maybe new springs and airbags to avoid repetition?

The year started quite well for me with preparation for a loose goal of running 10km in hour or even 12km in 70 minutes around the time of 70th birthday in late January. Then the metaphorical wheels fell off with a small medical intervention, a knee damaging fall while walking my daughter's somewhat excitable and sturdy dog, increased casual paid work combined with a period of intense internal house painting in preparation for the installation of new carpets. Oh, and throw in a bad back, the first in over 25 years and I am going to blame that on the lack of running. So today I laced up for the first time in about eight weeks and did a slow and steady 4 km in abnormally high temps for this time of year. Everything hurts! But it's a start and we will see how it goes from here.

I would just like to register my personal disdain for most after market 'snake oil' additives. In regard to DPF regen enhancers there is a common thread that while they may actually do what they claim there could be secondary damage to the dpf, or other parts of the engine especially with overuse. Be aware that the additive which performs for the 15 minute (?) post injection regen will then be run through the engine for the whole tank and this may not be really good for long term holistic engine care. Simply follow the others recommendation to drive on to allow the process to naturally complete. It may take longer on a cold day for the dpf to reach operating regen temperature and higher speeds on a cold day can actually work against achieving dpf working temperature quickly. Your manual will probably have some suitable recommendations although I understand that not reading the manual can be a 'male pride' thing for some If you do a lot of short journeys and few longer ones then it may be useful to get a cheap Bluetooth OBCD dongle and an app on your mobile phone to monitor DPF status so you can better plan for, and meet, regen requirements.