Hi All!

Just registered on the site so please be gentle with me I'm about to order a new company car and the Octavia is looking prety good to me at the moment. I'm in the position where I can have the VRs with either the 200 bhp petrol or the 170 diseasel (sorry diesel!) but cannot decide which would be best.

So far Ive changed my mind about 6 times. Ive a Mundano diesel at the moment but previously I had a Leon Cupra petrol and loved the inital power of the turbo petrol. A lot of my miles are motorway cruising but occasionally take to twisty A & B roads.

Any advice on what you guys would do? I dont have to pay for fuel so economy isnt an issue and the difference in Company Car Tax isnt enough to sway me one way or the other.

Of course now there is also the option of having a new Superb 170 CR SE that has just appeared on our list.........

Cheers

Paul

Edited 22 September, 200817 yr by PaulieT

If money isn't an issue get the petrol.

^ Agreed....

Whichever you choose, it will be a great car.

I chose the diesel, and used the difference in car tax to fund more options. The new CR engine is an improvement over the PD in lots of ways. It's much quieter, more refined and has a more linear power delivery. Some people don't like it, as they prefer the big surge of power that the PD delivers in the middle of the rev range. The downside is that it runs out of steam early on, where the CR engine keeps pulling.

With regards to the petrol, then it's a close run thing. If you intend on 'tweaking' the performance, then I'd say definitely go for the petrol. There is more bang for your buck on offer. I think the petrol car is also a better choice when you simply want to get in and go for a thrash.

If I was going to do it again, then I'd choose the diesel with DSG, and would wait until the flappy paddles become available (which should be soon).

I've actually got rid of my vRS, as the seats were killing my back after a recent injury. I'm waiting for a new Superb 170TDI CR Elegance to arrive, which should be soon.

Best way to decide is by test driving them. Don't ignore the Superb, as you might find you like it too.

Bagpuss.

If your not doing high mileage then the Petrol, if you are doing high mileages get the petrol and an overdraft facility

Another vote for petrol, but work out how much tax you will pay

Personally, has to be petrol.

To all who have replied....thanks for the responses but for some reason I cant read them as every time I go to check the thread I just get the original post with an option to edit etc?????? Im confuseddotcom!

Fuel isnt an issue as it's a company car with a company fuel card (Phew!). Difference in co. car tax is around the £300 a year mark (inc fuel allowance tax) I guess down to personal choice between fuel types..........

I would go for 1.8TSI elegance or L&K O2, which is a bit "softer" than VRS, but the engine is much smoother, not much weaker and has got a chain.

The new Superb is also a great option.

It's really quite simple - Test drive all three, get the one you like the most

I aggree that you should test drive all 3 and pick the one you like the best (only you will know what you like/can live with). I used to be petrol all the way but have a TDI vrs now as I prefered the power delivery etc. of it (drives more like my old 1.8T VRS than the current petrol one, which in my mind is a little too refined now). I have not driven the CR version yet but looking forward to taking one out on a test drive soon to compare with mine.

Ive got the 170 CR Tdi has Im car allowance rather then company car. Power delivary is fantastic, nice and smooth, but still with a typical diesel mid rev punch.

MPG Is fantastic, averaging about 53mpg on long 80mph motorway runs.

Being a common rail road tax is also cheap. Really its up to you - if I wasn't doing as many miles I probably would have gone for petrol - but when your clocking upwards of 35k a year, its worth having the diesel!

Thanks guys. I'm off to the local dealer (farmers in Nottingham) tomorrow for a test drive or two. Going to try a Superb CR170 and the Octavia VRs CR.

Its looking like the Diesel whichever model so if its the Octavia I'll probably spec it with Xenons in Black Magic....or Race Blue...DOH! Here I go again

Fuel isnt an issue as it's a company car with a company fuel card (Phew!). Difference in co. car tax is around the £300 a year mark (inc fuel allowance tax) I guess down to personal choice between fuel types..........

Therefore petrol

I spoke to a dealer about this yesterday funny enough - His exact words were - "YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE" - THE PETROL IS MORE SMOOTH YET THE DIESEL GOES LIKE A ROCKET ONCE IT GETS MOVING!"

If you can afford the 200 quid tax and 30mpg ish go petrol

If however you do 300+ miles a week enjoy 50mpg and paying 140quid car tax go for the diesel!

You might also wanna try the BMW 320d which has similar figures - or new mondeo 170 titanium before you burn your cash.

New Vectra - thing looks very good too - cant remember the name tho sorry!

Fuel isnt an issue as it's a company car with a company fuel card (Phew!). Difference in co. car tax is around the £300 a year mark (inc fuel allowance tax) I guess down to personal choice between fuel types..........

Glad I don't pay your Tax or have you Tax code

Glad I don't pay your Tax or have you Tax code

Lol...True, I remember the days when a tax code began with something other than a K! Then again, no insurance, no road fund license, no fuel bill.... and no repair bills (handy when the engine went west in the Cupra!)

Off to the dealer in a mo to have a looksee and a drive, will post more later.

As for the Vauxhall Insignia, unfortunatley the lease prices are WAY too heavy at the moment for what is in effect a Vectra update, Ford Mondeo is.....a Ford Mondeo. BMW???....come on, pleeease, maybe when I become a badge snob but unlikley.

Well just been to Farmers in Nottingham for the test drive I had booked in the Superb and an Octavia VRs and to be honest if that is the level of service from the dealer network then I think I'd rather use public transport than buy a Skoda!

I was informed when I got there that the salesman I had spoken to was about to do a handover so i couldnt have the test drives I had booked and was left to wander aimlessly around the showroom for 20 minutes.

Great service...NOT!!! :mad:

They could have at least pointed you at both cars so you could have had a sit in them and push and poke etc. Any other dealers in your area that might like to take your money ?

I'd pick the 1.8 TSI w DSG (if possible, I'm not sure).

The advantages: no VRS grill to kill your aircon radiator, no silver trim, can order MF steering wheel, chain timing, I think it also works on 95 petrol, and the cleaner look of it.

You are in a very similar predicament to me, I cannot make my mind up and keep coming back to the Octavia vRS, but seeing that I've already had two of 'em (one fairly heavily tweaked) I feel I should have something different, but it's still a very tempting proposition!

The new 'Vectra' is called the Insignia and I'm liking the look of it a lot, especially in SRi guise, but poor build quality of Vauxhalls of old puts me off!

The vRS works fine on 95 octane. To be honest i hardly find any difference when i run mine on 99 or 95.

For good customer service try the guys in Mansfield, I can't remember the name of the dealership but I drove 125 miles to go and see them after a phone call and wouldn't hesitate to go back when I'm after my next car.

Some are clearly dreadful and I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole... sadly you sometimes learn this the hard way!

HTH

Hi All

Been working way for a few days and the hotels internet was out of service so couldnt post!

Called at a Skoda dealer near Derby (not too far away) and couldnt be happier with the service. Salesman let me take out a new Superb 170CR Elegance for a test drive and have to sya it is as good as i thought. Quiet, comfortable and (obviously) very well equipped! Didnt have chance to drive a VRs Octy and to be honest I dont really want to now as my mind is pretty much made up!

thanks to all who made suggestions