After reading the new Top Gear buying guide, they appear to love the facelift Octy giving it their 'TG Choice' (apart from saying it looks a bit bug-eyed, to which I can't agree enough), but they say that the previous model octy (the MkII) had a cheap looking interior in comparison.

To be honest, i've not looked at loads of octys, but my L&K has what I thought to be a very plush interior, with the dash being very spongy/padded and not plasticky at all and everything else seeming to be quite solid.

The question is: Do the lower model octys have a plasticky or thinner dash or something cos I can't really pick fault with mine, especially compared to my mate's Golf GTi which is the same feel and SWMBO's Leon which feels quite plastic/hollow? I know no-one has seen/felt the new interior but what can TG be referring to??!

If you want plasticy, try a Ford or vauxhall.

Saying that, my Mk4 mondeo's dash is similar quality to the Octavia - spoiled only by a huge fugly lump of cheap looking silver stuff in the centre.

My Dad and I both have Elegance Octavia's and I think the interior is excellent. Solid, and well put together. No creaks.

My Ibiza however.... damn that creaked!

I've had a 2006 vectra, a 2003 golf, 2001 vectra 2005 vectra, 2004 A4 and to be honest the interior in my 2006 Octy vrs seems okay, nothing to write home about. Well except the black rooflining, the proper metal pedals and very comfy seats.

I am however disappointed with the feel of the door cards, they do in my opinion feel a bit cheap and lighweight....espescially those very lighweight almost tupperware like silver plastic inserts.

I really like my car, don't get me wrong I just felt a little let down after having an Audi A4 sport and hoping for the same build quality and material quality..for example the interior of the Audi had proper fishscale finished aluminium bits rather than the cheapest automotive plastic painted silver to resemble metal/aluminium..

nevertheless, it's a cracking car and the lighter and cheaper materials here and there will at least have reduced the weight a wee bit so possibly fuel economy and performance is very slighly enhanced.

I can't help feeling that my 58 TSi (not a face lift model) is better build by far than my 05 FSi. I can't detect any visible difference but there is not a squeak, creak or any other unpleasant noise from anywhere. It is probably better than my Mk. 1 vRS and that was really solid.

Perhaps the model itself improved over the intervening 3 years?

Perhaps the model itself improved over the intervening 3 years?

Or they got better at assembling them - practice makes perfect ?

but they say that the previous model octy (the MkII) had a cheap looking interior in comparison.

Haven't seen this guide but did they explicitly say Mk2? I've read quite a few reviews of the facelift where they've been referring to the "previous model", meaning the Mk1. I think most people agree that the Mk2 was a big step up in interior quality feel, but I don't think enough has changed in the facelift to make a noticeable difference.

If you want plasticy, try a Ford or vauxhall.

Saying that, my Mk4 mondeo's dash is similar quality to the Octavia - spoiled only by a huge fugly lump of cheap looking silver stuff in the centre.

My thoughts exactly!

Yeah, it did refer to it as the 'previous model' but it showed a picture of the MkIII and in the same sentence called it bug eyed compared to the 'previous model' so deduction made me presume it was talking about the MkII.

My thoughts exactly!

not forgetting those sh1tty ford analogue looking clocks

not forgetting those sh1tty ford analogue looking clocks

The ones in old mondeos? Hey do you remember the really sh*tty dashboards that skoda used to put in the felicia... I mean why would you buy a VAG car?

Try taking a focus MK II out. It feels as well built inside as the VAG cars, if not a bit better in certain areas and will show most other cars in the same class a clean pair of heels through the corners.

What's with the ford/fiat/other brand bashing by a bunch of skoda drivers?

The ones in old mondeos? Hey do you remember the really sh*tty dashboards that skoda used to put in the felicia... I mean why would you buy a VAG car?

Try taking a focus MK II out. It feels as well built inside as the VAG cars, if not a bit better in certain areas and will show most other cars in the same class a clean pair of heels through the corners.

What's with the ford/fiat/other brand bashing by a bunch of skoda drivers?

As well as holding on in the corners better than an Octy the Focus also holds on to it's value better... :eek::P:D

Edited 12 January, 200917 yr by Blade404

So as well as holding on in the corners better than an Octy the Focus also holds on to it's value better... :eek::P:D

Odd you should say that. I saw a 6000 mile, 57 plate Octy II TDI VRS at a main skoda dealer for about £12k at the weekend.

That's a big drop in price for a low mileage car at a year old. :eek:

Edited 12 January, 200917 yr by cheezemonkhai

Odd you should say that. I saw a 6000 mile, 57 plate Octy II TDI VRS at a main skoda dealer for about £12k at the weekend.

That's a big drop in price for a low mileage car at a year old. :eek:

Wow.. I got more than that in PX for 57 ST2 with double the mileage! :eek:

EDIT: This ties up nicely with the WhatCar prediction in this thread..

Edited 12 January, 200917 yr by Blade404

As well as holding on in the corners better than an Octy the Focus also holds on to it's value better... :eek::P:D

I agree, that's why I bought a 2006 Octy II vrs rather than the much more expensive Ford equivalent, my car was 8k with 25k on the clock.

I'm guessing the Focus equivalent is several grand more and for me to justify a few thousand pounds I want a few thousand pounds worth of difference which I don't believe there is.

Even the residuals are all relative, I'll get half what I paid for my car in three years as will the Focus so in real money, the focus costs more to buy and loses more cash

Wow.. I got more than that in PX for 57 ST2 with double the mileage! :eek:

EDIT: This ties up nicely with the WhatCar prediction in this thread..

Yeah but when was that - things have taken a tumble recently. There isnt really much in it - as the link shows i think, since the Focus holds more in year one but after that, all you get extra is the same two grand you pumped out in the first place.

What's with the ford/fiat/other brand bashing by a bunch of skoda drivers?

Probably find that everywhere. I must admit, until i saw, drove, then bought my Octavia i wouldnt have imaginied i'd buy a Skoda! With my own money! and not a cheap runaround either - an expensive one!

But my first and pretty much only Skoda experience was at current levels, therefore i see Skoda as a reasonable brand now. I've driven dozens of Fords, all of which (apart from a 56 reg Mondeo) have been total crap. I've driven a daihastsu for a week which i hated. Therefore my impression of Ford and Diahatsu (based upon my experience) are low.

I've driven lots of Peugeots, and always found them to be great cars. Others on here (and a certain Mr Clarkson) may think that's crazy!

Edited 12 January, 200917 yr by mr_awol
THINK not THING! Rushed typing at end of lunchtime! lol

Well,

bynow I drove for many kms fiat, citroen (AX GT), peugeot (205), opel (previous astra, vectra, and actual corsa), renault (Megane I and II), honda jazz and my skoda.

The 205 (1.4) was honest but nothing particular. My skoda is way better than all of these, although the "panel" shows very different cars. I remember with love my AX GT, but perhaps because I was younger

Probably find that everywhere. I must admit, until i saw, drove, then bought my Octavia i wouldnt have imaginied i'd buy a Skoda! With my own money! and not a cheap runaround either - an expensive one!

But my first and pretty much only Skoda experience was at current levels, therefore i see Skoda as a reasonable brand now. I've driven dozens of Fords, all of which (apart from a 56 reg Mondeo) have been total crap. I've driven a daihastsu for a week which i hated. Therefore my impression of Ford and Diahatsu (based upon my experience) are low.

I've driven lots of Peugeots, and always found them to be great cars. Others on here (and a certain Mr Clarkson) may think that's crazy!

Yeah but when was that - things have taken a tumble recently. There isnt really much in it - as the link shows i think, since the Focus holds more in year one but after that, all you get extra is the same two grand you pumped out in the first place.

The dates on the posts are a big give away.

Those graphs are based on list prices in the real world the Focus was no more expensive to purchase new over an Octy.

Another thing to take into account is Skodas recent discounting of the Octy to shift existing stock ready for the facelift, that will do nothing for your used values.

What's with the ford/fiat/other brand bashing by a bunch of skoda drivers?

Works cars are mondeos. The mk3 was a horrible beast I nick named the barge. It'd huge, poor suspension and crap interior.

The mk4 is much more VAG like in the interior, drive and handling. Ford are finally making cars they should have been years ago becuase its customerbase went german or Japanese; maybe even Korean.

BUT, I'd rather have the octy over the mondeo, and it's not just because it has more toys. Given cash in my hand to spend as I wished, I'd rather a VAG car than many others currently available.

Another grudging vote for Ford here, I'm afraid I had two Mk3 mondeos over a period of 6 years and couldn't fault them. Not a single mechanical problem with either, sharp handling (for its size), very well spec'd, solid interior (if a bit outdated) and best of all no damned rattling noises!!

The mondeo mk4 interior is a joke though - what is it with plastic metal/chrome?! the Insignia is the same, and even the new Superb to some extent :( very disappointing

Still wouldn't swap my vRS for any of them though!

The dates on the posts are a big give away.

:rolleyes:

Those graphs are based on list prices in the real world the Focus was no more expensive to purchase new over an Octy.

Another thing to take into account is Skodas recent discounting of the Octy to shift existing stock ready for the facelift, that will do nothing for your used values.

I dont take that - are you saying that you could get £2,000 more discount out of a for dealer than a skoda dealer, on a similar starting point, or that the list prices stated are inaccurate? :confused:

As for the recent discounting of Octavia, these things are fairly difficult to predict and happen to all makes and models. Next time the Focus gets an update then the same thing will probably happen the other way round

The key factors are timing and research - things i neglected when buying my Octavia as, although i got a deal that was unmatchable at the time, 'unfortunately' i had already decided to buy the car without looking to the future Octavia developments, otherwise i would probably have waited a couple of months! At the end of the day it's only money though i suppose, and i was within budget so the remainder would only have been spanked on a holiday or something.

Works cars are mondeos. The mk3 was a horrible beast I nick named the barge. It'd huge, poor suspension and crap interior.

The mk4 is much more VAG like in the interior, drive and handling. Ford are finally making cars they should have been years ago becuase its customerbase went german or Japanese; maybe even Korean.

BUT, I'd rather have the octy over the mondeo, and it's not just because it has more toys. Given cash in my hand to spend as I wished, I'd rather a VAG car than many others currently available.

I know what you mean about the suspension - my last two company mondeos have both needed replacement parts withing 20,000 miles, the first one had it twice (20,000 and 50,000). I considered a mondeo when looking at the Octavia and this was one of the reasons why i steered clear of the Mondeo, although a friend has one which he says has been quite reliable. The other reason is because i had one Mondeo that was SO unreliable that i started leaving the following printouts in it when i took it to be temporarily mended at my local dealer, which kind of upset them after a while i think: