gr8britwjh

We use Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3Ms on our MINI Cooper S as dedicated winter/snow tyres. These are actually a performance winter tyre and come in a good selection of widths and speed designations; one of the tyres recommended by Porsche for winter use. We're currently living in Upstate NY and get over 100" of snow on average every winter and these tyres have never let us down (also available as runflats which is a good idea in bad weather). A word of warning though. Once the weather starts to warm up, switch back to normal all-season or hi-po tyres as winter ones (at least these Dunlops) tend to wear out very fast. Great tyre and would certainly buy again (would be be default choice if I owned a vRS).

I have done a search and couldn't find this info................... Can someone please tell me the official ET offset for these 15" Skoda wheels (should be stamped on the inside/backside surface of the wheel)? I'm guessing the offsets are slightly different since the Pyxis is 6.5" wide and the Avantgarda is only 6" wide. Also, I'm assuming these would bolt straight onto an Octy II Elegance (contemplating downsizing from the standard 16" for winter). Any recommendations for a suitable vendor i.e. some place cheaper than my local Skoda dealer? Cheers, Bill.

A 3-spoke MFSW is standard on the DSG-equipped vRS. Maxi-dot is a 125 quid option.

No the old 140PD diesel in the FL Elegance doesn't have a DPF (not according to the SUK literature, anyway).

Skoda's DPF system is of the latter variety i.e. you need to drive steadily above 37 mph periodically for regeneration. If you download an Octy brochure from the Skoda UK site, there is a glossary of technical terms near the back which defines the term DPF and how it works. They specifically state that DPF-eqipped cars may not be suitable for people who primarily do stop-start and/or urban driving.

I think it's only 50 quid if it's ordered as a factory option. I'm sure I read on here somewhere that the dealers are charging 130 quid as a dealer option.

The VAT-free offer expires (if you are making use of this current Skoda UK promotion?), so theoretically you could be hit for 17.5% VAT at the time you collect the car and pay the outstanding balance.

Are those the standard 16" Crateris alloys? In some photos (certain angles) they don't do the car justice and look too small with a very bulging tyre sidewall, but I think they really look good on yours Very nice colour too.......

Mmmm, nice colour. Was going to opt for white but now I'm not so sure. Decisions, decions..... BTW, does the 1.4TSI offer emough umph in the (heavier than saloon) estate. This was my initial choice, but was thinking of opting for the 1.8TSI instead?

FYI, the black (onyx) alcantara alternative is a fake suede-like material and is quite different from conventional leather.

If you do a lot of urban/city driving or short stop/start trips you may want to consider the potential drawbacks (inconvenience) of a diesel engine fitted with DPF; Skoda themselves spell-out the limitations of DPFs for such driving scenarios in the brochure. If you do a lot of dual carriageway/motorway driving or you can treat it to a regular "blast" to regenerate the DPF then I'm sure you'll be fine and won't even know it's there.

I don 't think so. There are reports on Briskoda (e.g. on this thread from "Servo") of 1.4TSIs now starting to trickle through with delivery times of only 10-11 weeks. The 1.8 TSI engine has been offered as an alternative for some months now, albeit a significantly more expensive one (despite the additional discount).

Unlike the old 1.9 TDI (PD) this new CR engine is equipped with a DPF which needs periodic regeneration/cleaning by driving at a constant speed above 37 mph and according to Skoda may not suit certain driving styles i.e. "custimers who make frequent short journeys or stop/start driving or drive within innercity or urban areas").....just a thought.

If you're into gadgets & creature comforts then the L&K is a great choice. It probably depreciates more rapidly than other Octy trim levels (not sure how it compares to Audis), which isn't a concern if it's a company car or you plan to keep it for a long time.

Actually, this info may be wrong; it's the radio control buttons and paddle shifters that are standard. I was thinking about the factory option MFSW for the SE and Elegance which comes with maxidot. The brochure doesn't list maxidot as a standard feature for the vRS (manual or DSG) but it would be available as a factory option for 125 quid.