OccyVRS

I’d imagine the original cards were back in. I meant why those two cars specifically?

Check out the photo of the open rear door - that’s a sharps bin! Looks to be a fully custom interior. Either way, I wouldn’t discount it. At least you have photos of exactly what was where, should you go to view it. Out of interest, are these the only cars you’re looking at for a reason? I saw a few on there that sit on the middle ground.

Oh, I completely agree. I’d rather buy a car that has had a hard life, but been taken care of, than one seldom used and seldom serviced. Frankly, the only issue with emergency service vehicles is that they are often floored from cold, potentially left idling for a while, and take flight over speed bumps. Police cars are a different story - you won’t find a matching body panel.

I know, that’s why I attached the photos! They are of the exact car you are looking at, East Midlands Ambulance Service 3633 - FB19OHP. Hopefully the rear passenger door has been thoroughly cleaned.

Here's a video of its twin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73jYDqM6RaQ And potentially it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Mw3axLEcs I mean... at least you don't have to worry about the DPF.

Any sort of emergency vehicle is floored from the moment it is started, be it in summer or winter, left idling for hours and, as has been said, likely to have been messed with. No ex-emergency car is a 'good' buy, compared to anything else. Yes, they have been serviced properly and maintained, but they have had hard lives. That being said, is the 2010 car a TDI or TSI? I'd take the 2019 car any day over a TDI that has done 6k miles a year. On paper, at least, a 2019 car on 46k miles is very attractive. For everyone's viewing pleasure - 2010 Scout https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608125020633?sort=relevance&twcs=true&searchId=f0d3de8b-2669-43ae-a4e8-fb63584a45c2&aggregatedTrim=Scout&make=Skoda&model=Octavia&page=1&postcode=cr08pn&year-from=2010&year-to=2011&advertising-location=at_cars&fromsra=&backLinkQueryParams=aggregatedTrim%3DScout%26channel%3Dcars%26make%3DSkoda%26model%3DOctavia%26postcode%3Dcr08pn%26sort%3Drelevance%26year-from%3D2010%26year-to%3D2011%26flrfc%3D1&calc-deposit=550&calc-term=48&calc-mileage=10000&calc-selected-product=PCP 2019 Scout https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608064875987?sort=relevance&searchId=19d5eb1f-705c-4820-b878-5feb912bb3f5&aggregatedTrim=Scout&make=Skoda&model=Octavia&page=1&postcode=cr08pn&year-from=2019&advertising-location=at_cars&fromsra=&backLinkQueryParams=aggregatedTrim%3DScout%26channel%3Dcars%26make%3DSkoda%26model%3DOctavia%26postcode%3Dcr08pn%26sort%3Drelevance%26year-from%3D2019%26flrfc%3D1&calc-deposit=1000&calc-term=48&calc-mileage=10000&calc-selected-product=HP Here is the 2019 car dressed up -

Officially, in the UK, it is 30,000 miles or 3 years - whatever arrives sooner. This isn’t the thread I was thinking of @Evolution13 - I might have a dig for it. It wasn’t this old, and there was definitely an argument of some sort 😂 I do remember grabbing screenshots and quotes from various places.

I have the PS5s on the car now - I can’t say the carcass appears to be any different to the PS4s they replaced. I think I had Rimblades on my first car, but I haven’t kerbed a wheel since I was learning to drive. I’d rather spend the extra time parking, even if I look like a fool, than chunk my tyre or wheel. Not practical advice in this instance, though. The Gemini has a very proud outer lip - I think it looks quite good, but it is more vulnerable to damage. Nothing is going to protect it from being clobbered. I do think something like Rimblades will help but, as @vRSAnt says, they aren’t miracle workers - they do also need to be applied properly to a smooth, fresh surface. I can’t imagine they’ll adhere well to a chunked alloy. I suppose you could put a 235 on there? That is on the limit, though.

5E is the model code for the Mk3, while NX is for the Mk4 (MQB Evo) variant. The reason you’re seeing the two for 2020 is that there was a crossover in generations. OPs car, like mine, is a MY2019 car, registered in 2020. For all intents and purposes, stick 2019 into parts finders and the like. IIRC both cars have the same differential, but the Mk4 adds the Vehicle Dynamics Manager in the mix - slightly different part numbers and slightly different software (control, calibration, etc), I would imagine. I can’t see the physical parts being much/any different. Someone else will know more. As far as OP is concerned, just let the guys use whatever. IIRC they only use VW kits for the differential stuff (but can use Millers for other stuff, if you don’t want Castrol).

Definitely try The Phirm - they're by Blackwater station. I spoke with them and VAS Motion when deciding where to go for my big service a year or two ago. The Phirm are a TVS dealer, but I can't actually remember why I went with them in the end - I think I just liked their answers better. Either way, I've spent a fair bit of money with them, doing stuff like my DSG, VAQ and major service, as well as LCAs, CV boots, new battery, minor service and other stuff. I plan to see them for some new brakes soon, too. @travs had his intercooler and suspension done there, and had similarly good experiences. Do you know what these are? I've only ever seen the standard VAG Haldex service kit from Febi (silver bottle with white and red labelling) or the VW one in the silver bottle.

At least it was sorted. You can have lots of seemingly unrelated issues if there are problems with a steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensor, etc. It’s not an uncommon thing to lose braking assist, park pilot and other things, all because of something as simple as a dodgy ABS ring.

I’m away from home currently, and the manual lives on my desktop - sorry I can’t be of much use. Here is the link, though. It is worth its weight in gold - you’ll find the answer in here. easymanuals.co.ukSkoda Octavia III PDF Workshop Service & Repair Manual 20...Get the same level of information about your Skoda Octavia III that your official dealer has including maintenance manual, wiring manual and full workshop manual in PDF format. Every single element o

Are you able to make the drive to The Phirm, in Camberley? I would recommend them instantly - @travs can confirm. Their lead times are quite long but, to be honest, the same is true for all decent VAG indies. I like to keep myself as incognito on the internet as possible, so I won’t give my first name, but if you tell Paul at The Phirm that someone with a blue Octavia vRS full of cake sent you their way, he’ll take care of you. Failing that, VAS Motion in Guildford are also very good.

The workshop manual does have information on paint - I’m not able to access it now, however, but maybe somewhere to look?

Do make sure the above service items are adhered to - no dealer acknowledges that the DSG has a replaceable filter, for example. It would be interesting to see/hear about the condition of the fluid in the diff. While 50k without a service isn’t good, I wouldn’t be overly concerned just yet. You don’t know what sort of use the car has had, so it may be absolutely fine. I would go to a decent indie however, rather than a dealer. Whereabouts are you based?