SilveRS

I found that If you give it some beans, the wheels dust nicely and look like dark chrome!

From experience just use baby wipes regularly and a conditioning cream to moisturise them once in a while. I had an L&K for over 18 months with the light grey seats which required a cleaner on the driver side only, but other that that a baby wipe was just the job. As these are black and dark grey there will be no need to use aggressive cleaners on them. I use the Auto Glym leather care cream which I apply sparingly every few months. This seems to make the leather wipe very easily and keep it from drying out, although baby wipes do that anyway.

Having come from a PD140 DSG which was poor on MPG (400-450 tops on fill ups) I agree that the fuel consumption is seems very good. Typically for the first three tanks I have reached between 450 and 480 miles, although I have found that the MPG drops considerable when you press on. This week I have been working shifts and driving briskly on the motorway I've averaged 42. I seem to remember my old PD140 manual was slightly more economical but then that had less power. With regards to refinement it is leagues ahead of the old PD engine, although I have found a slight annoyance. When leaving work in the afternoon sometimes there is an occurrence of diesel knock when accelerating between 1.5 and 2k rpm for a couple of minutes like the timing is too advanced. Doesn’t do it when cold in the morning and seems better if I let the car idle for a minute before driving off. Other than that it’s a hoot to drive.

I’ve just swapped back to a manual after having a DSG for 18 months. I liked it a lot but the driving experience was just lacking and there are flaws in it when pressing on. Also in traffic going slowly it was sometimes jerky which drove me mad! This was on a 2.0TDI though, the 1.8TSI sounds like a different bag altogether so test drive both before you order your car.

I had exactly the same experience with mine (Feb 2008 model) and after 16k I never got anywhere near the 500 miles from a tank I used to get from my 05 manual. Just swapped for an LE CR hatch and the difference is huge already. After only 600 miles the car is into the 50mpg mark on a work run(Av over the 600 miles is 44mpg). The L&K was about 41 after 16k, and to get 50mpg I had to stay at a constant 50mph which was rubbish. Sorry, I know it wasn't what you wanted to hear really but there you go, I fell for the b*ll about DSG as well.

I used to share the same opinion about the wheels initially, but they look better in the flesh and now they have dusted nicely they look like dark chrome and look rather cool along with the grey colour of the car.

Yep, mine is different so much be the new 'improved' version then.

I think mine has the new badge already, the letters are not recessed and non have fallen off yet:D

For an estate with rails, the roof mounted Thule system is a no brainer. I have been doing this for the last 4years and it takes 30 seconds to load and secure the bike. The standard Thule foot pack and square bars the best option as everything fits the square bars from the off, no adapter kit needed. However, I have just traded in for an LE hatch so I need a new roof mount. My mate has some Skoda (Thule) aero bars that fit the vRS and they are very good. I just need an adapter kit now for the bike carrier and its job done!

Forgot to add for anyone interested, Alex Laurie have several CR LE hatchbacks new and unregistered for 16K. They are not advertised on Autotrader or on their used stock list.

Just to add my 2p worth, I have just swapped my 2008 L&K TDI DSG for an LE hatch and have no regrets at all. The L&K was a well equipped car and DSG was good, but the driving experience was missing something and no toys can substitute for that. The CR engine is much better that the previous PD engine and the leather seats in the LE are just fantastic, the only toy I am missing is the rain sensitive wipers and probably the auto dimming mirror come winter, everything else is nice to have but not needed although on an estate the parking sensors are useful.

I also get between 400-450 miles per fill-up from my L&K, though it is DSG. My previous 2.0 TDI Elegance got 500-550 miles per fill-up.

I had a MKI vRS with electrical problems like this. The car kept blowing fuses on the wipers and main beam headlights. After a few dealer visits which fails to fix the problem they got an auto electrician in who found that when the alarm was installed the engineer had put a screw through the wiring loom behind the bulk head. This was after removing the dash and tracing back the short. Most annoying as it cost me a lot of time and grief, but his advice was sound. Where a new car has a miscellaneous electrical fault 90% of the time it is caused by installation of additional accessories such has hands free kits or alarms. Maybe you could check if any aftermarket kit was installed as a root cause.

Yep, have to agree than I will switch back to a manual now the wife has her own motor, I find manual gear boxes much more involving to drive and much more fun.

1 - Not sure but don't lift off, you shouldn't need to. Just use less throttle. Mine is smooth as silk if I keep using throttle. 2 - Yes mine does this occasionally, I think it is the drive by wire throttle at fault. The engine revs seem to climb or reduce in small jerks rather than smoothly, happens at about 1700-1800 revs. Engaging manual override does not stop it so don't think it is the gear box. 3 - Yes mine does this but you get used to it. If comming to a set of lights quickly then sometimes I pop it into neutral and coast to a stop. Otherwise I just lift off early and let the egine braking slow me down. 4 - Yes mine does this as well, though I did notice its much more willing to lower the revs when the engine is warmed up. 5 - Yes mine does this, I guess a trait of all auto boxes as they are designed for ease of use. 6 - Yes mine does this is you stamp on the throttle and hold it to the floor. If you back off a tad then the car will change earlier so I can get it to change at 4k rather than 4.5k. My general thoughts on this are that the DSG is very rewarding when driven hard at higher speeds and smooth at normal road speeds, but less rewarding in traffic due to the nature of diesel engine braking and dropping down gears. If i recall my last 2.0tdi manual did this in second and first gear, which is why I always kept the engine revs low in traffic using 3rd or 2nd gear, and coasted a lot. My wife has a new 520d bmw which has a 6 speed torque converter box. Smooth as silk at low speeds and very relaxing, but not so good when pushing hard as it just revs. One thing i did note is in 'D' the box does keep the enine revs higher until warm then drops them right down, but almost too low when if you want acceleration it takes a second to kickdown. I think the DSG is much quicker at kickdown and more rewarding and fun to drive hard. The BMW also has a slightly jerky stop when coasting up to traffic lights, rolling to a stop in 2nd, though less that DSG.

Manual override prevents kickdown.

This post has all the info http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/hill-hold-control/105057/

I used to see ranges like that on my last tdi but it never got anywhere near it. I do have a heavy right foot though and always prefer to press on when cruising on the motorway.

Had an Elegance 2.0 Tdi which would regularly do 510-520 miles on approx 52 litres (11g) so thats 46-47mpg. Best was 560 miles so thats about 51mpg on a long run. My new 2.0 L&K with DSG with over 6k miles is doing about 440 miles, or 41mpg (maily urban driving). Long run will see 500 miles so thats 45.5mpg. MK1 vRS would do 300 miles on 46 litres (10g) so giving 30mpg. I think these figures are realistic of mixed bag driving. I never owned a 1.9 though so have no figures but would guess at about 10mpg more.

The DSG is just as easy to drive as any auto I have driven. There is a different technique to using this box in 'D' mode. That is stamping on the accelerator and brake pedal like a 'slush box' is the wrong way to go about things completely and gives a jerky ride as the computer will change from normal to sport then back according to the throttle position. The most rewarding way to use it is to think like manual and drive smoothly, allowing for seamless gear changes and ample engine braking when decelerating. Having owned manual boxes since learning to drive over 18 years ago, this semi-out box is just so easy to use and can be just as rewarding to drive as a manual when using in 'tiptronic' mode. Then when you want to relax just pop into 'D' again and let the computer do the work. I don't find the same experience as mentioned in this post about the clutch disengaging below 10mph or pressing the brake pedal. If I press the brake pedal slightly the car still tries to creep forward. If the car is on a hill, then the hill hold function takes over and holds the car on the foot brake momentarily. Pressing the accelerator gently means no jerky takeoff then when moving hit the accelerator hard and away you go like a manual box but without the worry of changing to the next gear. My wife thinks it is marvoulous and would not go back to a manual now.

I agree, let them fit a new box and take the car back. It won't cost you anything and you'll still have your warranty if anything further crops up. I've been in a similar position before with a Rover and understand your concern, but give the dealer and the car a chance. The Rover required a new roof after 2 years old!!

Thanks, I’ll bear this in mind when I need some new tyres. I’ve got used to the ride now but the steering being lighter is not my cup of tea. Do you think the dealer would alter this for me?

Going from an Elegance to an L&K I have noticed the same thing. The ride is harsher and the steering is lighter. As someone has mentioned changing the tyre pressure can help as when we collected the car they were on 26psi all round and it didn’t seem to bad. They are now on 32 to improve fuel consumption and cornering but the net result is a harder ride. Changing back to 16”s with a 55 profile would give a better ride in theory as the suspension is the same, although with DSG the car will weigh more. I think the steering can be stiffened up by altering a setting using the dealers diagnostics or VAG COM software and a laptop.

On the 2.0PD, traction control seems to just kill everything and it takes a kind of lurch and bogs down. That doesn’t sound right, I’ve had two 2.0 tdi's now and the traction control is quite restrained. Before going diesel I had a MK1 vRS and that literally killed all power when spinning the wheels in the wet.

Sunday just gone I did a trip to Stamford and back and a few smaller trips just after. Brim to fuel light coming on I got 440 miles. I do like to drive reasonably briskly but don't go over 80 these days due to 6 points and a court visit last year. My previous car would have easily seen 500+ miles from this stint. Maybe I should remove to roof bars and see if this improves mpg a tad.