JoeyEunos

^They didn't, or at least 1.4/1.6 models of Mk4 didn't. Worth mentioning that all three Mk1's I found with MOT fails past and present (Looking through MOT history online of prospective cars) were TDi and would/should have come with undertrays from the factory. As mentioned, I've come to the conclusion that this is an age thing rather than an undertray vs no undertray issue. I've only found this after looking at the history of tens of cars online.... As mentioned the youngest Mk1's are 14 (?) years old now so perhaps where as this wasn't a problem in the past it's now stating to become a niggle? Certainly something to be wary of when looking at prospective cars either way!

Thanks to all who chimed in on this I too thought this was something that just didn't happen, but having seen three cars with MOT fails for this in the last month I was slightly taken aback... Perhaps given the age these car's are at now this is something we're going to see more and hear more of in years to come? It's certainly an area I'll be looking at closely on any I go to view

There's nothing get's past you is there? (Read thread title)

As per the title I'm currently on the hunt for a clean Mk1 Octy estate and after about a month of looking (I'm picky, have lots of time and I'm prepared to wait an indefinite amount of time for the 'right' one) something that seems to be cropping up is subframe corrosion I've been horrified to find a handfull for cars have actually had it to the point that MOT failures have resulted, here's an example on sale at present... https://www.gumtree.com/p/skoda/skoda-octavia-elegance-estate-130/1287500793 Having owned, worked on (And still own) Mk4 Golfs for years I'd decided given the Octavias are slightly bigger and I need an estate I'd give one a go but I have to say this issue is putting me off slightly! This isn't something I've heard of in the Mk4 VW format, ever, so I'm slightly put out to see this cropping up on the Octy's! I've found three cars with MOT failure for this in the month or so I've been looking :( My question is simple, how common is it? Why are Octavias doing this whilst Golfs and other Mk4 platform cars aren't (Or at least not that I can find any evidence of) Thanks in advance chaps....

I've used a Gliptone products in the past with great results, here's a link to a 'how to' thread... Albeit based around an MX5 tan leather interior with pics that no longer work :( http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=141870 For carpets etc you can't beat a wet and dry vacuum but it's possible to clean them without. I've found Autoglym's Interior Shampoo to be good for this. Interior restorations are similar to lots of other aesthetic jobs, it's all about the prep and the amount of effort/time spent has a direct bearing on the results you'll yield.

Cheers That doesn't seem like a bad list TBH, all of those issues are standard Mk4 Golf niggles. As a serial Mk4 buyer and owner/tinkerer nothing there worries me much

Do tell...?

^ Yes hat does look to be a nice on but mileage still slightly higher than I'd like.... Ideally I'll be aiming for sub 150k, tough but do-able as they do turn up Also I'm in a bit of a predicament as I'll have to get the Passat advertised and sold before I get stuck into looking in earnest (Unless dealer cars turn up and decent price for PX is an option) FWIW the Passat is a 2004 PD130 saloon with chrome, heated leather, all of the usual 'Highline' extras and 136k on the clock, I probably value it at somewhere around the £950 mark.

Thanks for the heads up. Great that it's L&K trim but I'd prefer to avoid the 130 PD engine and opt for the earlier non-PD 110ps or even 90ps engines (I appreciate L&K wasn't available in 90ps) on the basis that I don't have to worry as much about the correct PD oil having not been used at some point and the cam wear that results as a consequence. I recon the non-PD engines are just that little bit tougher, less stressed. Also mileage is just a bit higher than I'd like, + it's a fair trek away, I'm based in Durham.

I take your point and for the most part I agree, none the less having owned cars with heated seats (Passat Highline/MX5) they are one of life's little pleasures. I've got a bad back these days and find they help, also it's nice to have somewhere that's toasty and warm to sit until the heaters start to do their thing... All that being said mK1 Octy's are now at least 13 years old, heated seats are by no means a deal breaker and I'd buy on condition/history more than anything else! Elegance trim level would do nicely

Cheers, I'd assume heated seats are also missing in 'Elegance' trim too?

Thanks, TBH the SDI's have their place, never having to worry about dual mass flywheels or turbos going pop is a nice way to live but a Golf Mk4 and a Lupo is enough SDI wise I use the Golf and the missus drives the Lupo and they're great cars, they will 100% stay put and continue to be used for the weekly slog to work and back (10 miles ech way). Our Passat was bought as a kind of weekend car for longer journeys and trips to the lakes etc, with the PD130 engine it feels powerful compared with the NA SDI's, also in highline spec it boasts heated leather, aircon etc and is a really nice place to be! The only problem being that after a few months of owning it I've relised I actually should have bought an estate for the extra room. I was tempted to start looking for another Passat in estate format but it struck me that Mk1 Octavias have only slightly less space, seem cheaper to buy and also share the Mk4 Golf platform so good used/aftermarket parts seem to be more plentiful and affordable, it's a no-brainer IMO In an ideal world I'd like a decent Mk1 estate in L&K spec but TBH I'm prepared to look at any decent estate models that turn up, I've always loved hunting for cars and finding a good one should provide me with some entertainment for the forthcoming weeks/months.

I've got the PD130 in my 2004 Passat Highline, albeit in AWX flavour. Great engine although perhaps not quite as strong as the earlier non PD types. FWIW I'll probably end up trading the Passat in against an Octy estate should the right car turn up. Another ALH?

Cheers. Scary stuff RE engine mounts failing at that kind of speed, not something I've heard much about TBH so hopefully not a common occurrence Was the car repairable?

Many thanks. Also, after some similar research RE the 110 engines, it seems that the only difference between the AHF and the later ASV engines is the ASV has oil cooled pistons and newer software in the ECU. It would still be interesting to know... * When did the 90ps change from AGR to ALH and which is preferable? * When did the 110ps change from AHF to ASV and which is preferable?

Thanks guys After some research it sounds as though the earlier 90ps cars had the AGR engine code and were fitted with a wastegate turbo where-as later 90ps cars carried the ALH engine code and had the VNT turbo.... Does anyone know when the change took place? Are the issues with sticking vanes avoided by opting for an earlier car with the wastegate type turbo fitted?

Hi all I've developed a bit of a soft spot for the Mk1 Octy estates and I'm now very much in the process of hunting for a clean example in derv flavour to replace my Passat PD130 saloon. Initially I'd set my sights on the SDI models (I have somehwat of a fetish for SDI variants and at present already own a Mk4 Golf SDI and a Lupo SDI) but they seem to be fairly thin on the ground so I thought I may as well broaden my search to include the non PD TDi's too My questions are fairly simple... 1. What are the pros and cons of the 90ps models vs the 110ps? Clearly the 110's are faster, but in terms of longevity, reliability and running costs is there much difference? 2. I know the 90ps ALH engine has a great reputation, although it seems at some point in production the turbo switched from VNT to to regular type? VNT vanes sometimes block and need clearing, does avoiding the VNT bestowed cars negate this issue? Is there any way to spot or distinguish what turbo type is fitted to any given car? Which turbo type i preferable? 3. Is there anything else I should know or be looking out for? Thanks in advance chaps!

That's really helpfull, thanks fella

They're about £1.5-2k more expensive for a car of the equivalent age and millage, the listed MPG's aren't as good and Hondas rust like f*ck, other than that, perfect Who said anyhing about 1.0 Lupo? I'm very much used to the performace characteristics of VAG SDI equiped vehicles (Or lack thereof) given I drive one on a daily basis. To be prefectly honest I find it completely adequate and it does exactly what I need it to day in and day out. Without meaning to sound snarky, did you actually read any of my previous posts? Anyway, onwards and upwards. This thread has pretty much answered the questions I had, the search for a keenly priced 1.0 MPI begins! Thanks to all who contributed, it's been a massive help

Yes, I''ve been watching those with great interest TBH MX5/Eunos are my real passion and have been for many years now, I've had a few. They're such great cars and forced induction is the natural route most enthusiasts take in the end. The fact that they share the same engine as the 323 turbo and are over-engineered to handle that power makes them a prime candidate for it. Really usefull info and quite encouraging. Thanks.

Yep, it's got to be pretty rare to find circumstances in which a 1.0 MPI Fabia represents a performance upgrade, but for me it's actually a faster car than the one I drive at the minute Immaterial really given I plan to buy a 2015, or 2016 model if I'm really lucky. If anything it's a further incentive to by one before 2017 on the basis of the cheaper tax as the changes won't be getting rolled back retrospectively to earlier cars as far as I'm aware. That's usefull to know, although the £2k premium for the estate rear end puts those models just that bit too far out of reach I'm afraid. I appreciate they are becoming far more prevalent, and perhaps they are the future. Thankfully as it stands there are other options available and I'm inclined to take them! I hate to keep banging on about my Lupo but it's worth mentioning that it doesn't have central locking/a turbo/electric windows/a DPF/ a dual mass flywheel, it's 16 years old and has covered 130,000 miles and guess what, I've never had to replace or repair central locking/a turbo/electric windows/a DPF/ a dual mass flywheel on the basis it doesn't have them Do you see hwere I'm going with this...? Also,with respect 5 years is a relatively short period of time, there's nothing to say your turbo won't last 10 or 15 years, the only thing that's 100% certain is that one day it will need to be fixed or replaced. As I mentioned the simplicity is what makes the MPI so apealing to me, I'm looking for a simple/no frills utility vehicle that's as cheap as possible to buy and run. ^ Pretty much sums up my stance on the subject. I have nothing against them per se (I'm currently wrestling with the idea of supercharging a 1989 MX5 at present :sun: ) , but for this application it's an added complication that I really don't really need/want.

^TBH mid 50's would be acceptable. The sad thing is we do 15-20k a year and a slightly older TDI (2013/2014) would fit the bill/budget perfectly but given hardly any of it is motorway and for the most part my driving is town/B road based and involves some stop/start driving I don't think the newer deisels would like it. I plan to pay cash and keep the car for an extended period of time so worries about replacing a turbo or having DPF issues would constantly niggle me and frankly spoil the experience. If it was possible to buy a new 'SDI' variant I would do it like a shot, the older non turbo VAG diesels, whilst slow, have proven themselves to be utterly bulletproof and amazingly reliable for me. The fact is simply that crash safety has improved and given I run my family round in the car that's something I'd like to take advantage of. That, coupled with Mrs Eunos's burning desire for a newer/bigger car really means that time is being called for our little Lupo as the 'main' family motor. I've always had a combination of VAG or Jap cars and I'd like to continue that, looking at their current offerings, despite not being a diesel the 1.0MPI looks to be the closest thing to the SDI range of old in terms of it's simplicity and economy.

I use one of these, works in the same way as the more expensive Ctek trickle chargers but at third of the price Mine's now three years old and still going strong... http://www.leisureoutlet.com/caravans-and-motorhomes/Battery-Chargers_2/Maypole-Electronic-Battery-Charger-3-8A-6-12V.html?gclid=CjwKEAjw1qHABRDU9qaXs4rtiS0SJADNzJisnu7KgElvYBoZzAhAEWfaqzBfXKyIxAIOcmGdrUj6cBoCoIjw_wcB

Again, thanks for the responses RE the 1.2, admittedly they don't cost that much more and whereas I appreciate that the MPG figures quoted by Skoda may be ambitious, given the average projected for the 1.2 is 51.4 MPG vs 60 MPG for the 1.0 then you'd imagine the smaller engine must be more frugal on the whole...? Once you've factored in that the 1.2 is only 1 second or so faster to 60mph the MPI seems to make more sense (For me at least) FWIW I regulary achieve the advertised 64.2 MPG in my current Lupo SDI, in fact 78 MPG is my record on a motorway run so VAG have, at least at one point, produced vehicles capable of achieving their projected fuel efficiency. Thanks for the hints RE the models with single bulb hedlights, that's just the kind of info that helps with the decision making process, also the info/experiences RE the gearbox, it's good to hear there aren't any know issues (Yet.)

^ Thanks chap Clearly I wasn't looking in the right places! £2000 extra seems like a large (But frankly not unexpected) premium to have the estate model TBH. Looks like it's the hatch for me...