skidzpaul1

Thanks sleeper for that, much appreciated. When I've got my pennies together I think I will go for a 1.0TSI about a year old so it still gets the cheaper tax etc. I've been in a Seat Ateca with that engine and it was more than adequate for what I need.

Hi All I'm shortly going to be looking to buy a secondhand MK3 Octavia to replace my trusty old 2006 VRS petrol estate. Looking at either a 1.2, 1.4 (140BHP) or even an early 1.0 3 cylinder as I want to reduce tax, insurance and petrol costs. I don't do enough mileage to warrant a diesel and don't want DPF issues that may arise. My main question is that am I right in what I've read that they have now reverted to belt - driven engines instead of the troublesome chains that the later MK2 Octavias used to suffer with. Although I've been out of the trade for 20 years now, I am an ex-mechanic and like to do all of my own maintenance if possible and would rather change a belt every now and again rather than rebuilding a head after chain failure. Are there any other nasties on them? One final thing, I live in a quite hilly area and would I find the 1.0 and 1.2 gutless on hills. I know they won't be as capable as the 2.0 I have currently have. I've driven a Seat with the 140bhp engine and that was fine, went really well. Cheers Paul.

I've had my 56 reg petrol VRS estate for 5 years now and it has been brilliant. I'm going to change the fuel pump tappet this upcoming service (do my own) along with the cam belt due to age. The engine has always used a little oil which I understand is usual for them and as someone else said it does prefer the higher octane fuel and can occasionally pink on the standard unleaded. Fuel consumption varies from 26 mpg around the very hilly town where I live to up to 38 mpg if driven sensibly on the motorway. The only niggles I've had with the car over the last five years are a stuck rear caliper which I stripped down, cleaned the piston and got working again, a new battery and a new rear headlight level sensor rod at the back. Oh, and a CV gaiter for an MOT. Not much for an 11 year old car I think!