dazedandconfused

I'm running Cool Blue Intense on all 4 front bulbs having just transferred them from my Fiesta. Been used for 7 months so far and still all good.

What a shame. It's the best plain colour they do for the Spaceback like mine. That would then mean paying an extra £360 to get a metallic colour.

Now about 5 hours into owner ship of my Rapid and the first day has been what can best be described as interesting. Drove away from the dealers very happy with my nice shiny red car (Spaceback 110 TSI SE Sport in Corrida Red) only to find myself rapidly wondering about the ride quality. Quite different to the test drive. Got home and fitted my "Think Bike, Think Biker" sticker in the rear window so the car is now definitely mine! Replaced all the front bulbs with the upgrade bulbs that I'd taken out of the Fiesta. Osram Cool Blue intense for DRL/Main and Dip and some halfords side light bulbs that are much whiter than stock. Skinned a knuckle or 2 doing the Passenger side, especially the dip beam. Then onto fitting the dash cam. Can't use the same wiring method as the Fiesta so ordered a couple of piggy back fuse holders which will allow me to complete the job tomorrow. Also ordered a new phone holder as the steeper windscreen doesn't work well with the existing one. So far so good, well on the way to getting is set up the way I want. Also plugged in my SD card and set the whole Amundsen system up. Having done all that I decided to check out that ride quality. Found the reason within about 30 seconds of looking. 3.2 Bar all round! Dropped it to 2.2 Bar and I now feel that it's what I expected. I can only assume a lot of Skoda mechanics are used to working in psi so go for 32 but have pressure gauges set to bar as that's Skoda's standard measurement method (inside the Fuel cap doesn't even mention psi). So a couple of minor first day issues but I never had a car yet that I didn't have to spend something on to get it to the way I Want so I'm calling today success and am looking forward to getting some miles on it.

£13303 is a great price but I couldn't have a Toledo (The wife hates the look of it ). Still I got my Rapid for £14405 and 0% so still a pretty good deal.

I'd be up for a meet, just need to get my Rapid first (hopefully next weekend).

I'm 51 and have just ordered a Rapid Spaceback SE sport and I'm not some old 51 year old either, I also ride a 1000cc Motorbike and don't pussyfoot around. Some of us like the Rapid for it's mix of practicality and comfort while still being capable of delivering some reasonable fun at the same time. If I want real fun I'll get the bike out because I don't even get stuck in traffic on that.

I do 20,000 a year and I will have it for a minimum 3.5 years and would like to potentially keep it after that. If I do keep it then I want to be able to get to 100,000 miles before I consider switching. It's (or will be in 3 weeks) a brand new 1.2 TSI 110 SE Sport.

As the subject says, which would people advise for the 1.2TSI, going for standard servicing (for me that would be every 6 months), long life or getting it put on variable servicing?

My Fiesta that I bought in January 2015 (About to replace with a Rapid) was actually manufactured in May 2014 so was 7 months old when I bought it. Suspect the dealer had bought a job lot.

I'll be impressed if I ever manage that much! (Fiesta is quoted at 61 and I get consistent 43). Best I've ever had is 50. I think my right foot might be a little heavy

Possibly because if there's no extras and the car is in a compound by the docks in Germany or in Grimsby then they can deliver it in 3 weeks like my Rapid is supposed to be. I ordered yesterday, the one I want is in Germany, and apparently today was the last day for guaranteed end of the month delivery to the dealer I'm buying from.

From what I've read, and from personal experience on the test ride, it seems that Skoda have done work to improve the ride quality on later Rapid's, can anyone else confirm this? Certainly the one I drove was absolutely fine on 17" wheels. As for the dealer network, I seem to have found a good one (although the salesman really doesn't like this place someone on here must have upset him at some time) that has been very helpful and really easy to deal with so far. Of course after sales service is where we really find out but it's not too bad, I have options if they turn out to not be that good.

Yes it's new (ish). Currently sat at the docks in Germany. Don't know when it was manufactured though.

Thanks for all the info folks. Test drive done today and car ordered (1.2TSI 110 SE Sport in Corrida Red). I really don't see what all the fuss is about the ride quality. It's better than the Fiesta, just not as sharp on the handling.

Well the deal is done. In about 3 weeks I will be the proud owner of a Skoda Rapid Spaceback 1.2 TSI 110 SE Sport. In Corrida red. Test drove one today and I can honestly say, there is only one place I would consider the Fiesta better and that is the sharper handling that it has but the dealer we went to is on an trade estate type place (Lots of car dealers a various trade supplies type places etc) where the roads are rather rough and it handled all of that far better than the Fiesta. I even hit some quite bad potholes deliberately and they weren't that bad. I would agree with the reviews though in that it's not as involving a drive as the Fiesta but everything else about it, especially the comfort, is such an improvement that I can live with that. It may even slow me down a bit and that's no bad thing.

Although, I have to admit RickTT, I've already searched Ebay for LED DRL's Might see what can be done. I'm fairly handy with such things so I'm sure I can come up with something.

Unfortunately because as standard it has the Darkened Cornering fog lights the LED is only available as a £195 option. While I agree they look good, it's a lot of money (and delay to delivery) just for LED DRL's. As they use H15's for the DRL I'll just put the Osram Cool Blue intense that are in My Fiesta in. While I'd like LED DRL, I'm not going to pay £195 and add about 8 weeks to delivery for them.

Oh dear. PerArdua, you just made me realise something. No more heated windscreen That could be a deal breaker

Had a look at (and sit in) a Rapid Sport today. The seats are so much better than the Fiesta and the boot space is huge by comparison, also love the Pano roof. Going to test drive one on Sunday and then probably buy. However, it won't be from the nearest dealer. Spent 2 hours in there and got down to £272 a month (PCP) which as I do 20k a year isn't bad but more than I wanted and they wanted £500 cash as well as my Fiesta. Their initial price was £321 a month! Contacted another dealer about 20 miles away and within 15 minutes had a price of £263 a month and no cash required saving £878. Admittedly the first dealer was selling me a car with a space saver spare wheel, the Cruise control speed limiter option and the Auto lights/wipers (£300 worth of options I didn't ask for they just happened to be on one they had on the way and a space saver wheel I did want but will do without). So still £500 dearer than the other dealer and way more hard work. Took 3 attempts to get it down to £272! If I do order on Sunday it will be a 1.2 TSI (110) SE Sport in Corrida Red. :-)

Well it's very much looking like a Rapid is going to be on the cards. Had a proper look at them now and test driving one on Sunday so if that goes well I'll be ordering one I think.

How's the Rapid at dealing with bumpy roads? I find the Fiesta quite 'jiggly' (Can't think of a better word) in that you feel bounced around quite a bit. I'll admit it's great when being driven harder but that's one reason to change. Might make me slow down a bit.

I'm considering a spaceback for my next car (1.2 TSI 110 SE Sport) and would love to hear why people love or hate them and if you love them, what grumbles you have, conversely if you hate them what bits did you love. Obviously mostly looking at people who've owned one, especially if you've done long journeys (circa 200 miles) or you've done a lot of annual miles (I do 20k).

Thanks for all the comments so far. Looking at list prices, I would be comparing a Fabia Estate 1.2TSI (110) Monte Carlo against (having delved further and moved away from the SE Tech) a Rapid Spaceback 1.2TSI (110) SE Sport so that's £17505 for the Fabia and £17515 for the Spaceback (Both in Corrida Red). £10 difference. In reality, relative cost is secondary, how much I'm going to enjoy is the primary concern. I sort of feel that the Fabia (in fact any estate) is a bit too much Dad! (My 78 year old Dad has had estates for his last 4 cars) and the Rapid is IMO much nicer looking however, I do care about ride quality and comfort so feel that given the 2 options listed, the Fabia may well be the better from that point of view. Not sure I can live with the rather garish interior though.