Hi, all - I'm a long-time lurker, but I think I've broken cover before - if not "hello, and thanks for all the information".

This is a UK post, in case it confuses anyone from outside this sceptred isle...

I'm just thinking of swapping my 05 plate Octavia for a new one, but I suddenly realised today (while staring at one in a garage to see if they've got linear speeds now - they have) that it's only clocked in mph, not the usual mph/kph mix. Now, this is a major issue for me, since I do about half my driving on each side of the English Channel. Yes, I know that 110kph is about 68mph, and 75mph should keep you safe in a 120kph zone, but anything else and the mental gymnastics would phase me totally.

I asked the dealer and (a) he hadn't noticed, ( he thought it was daft and © he wasn't aware of any option to change it for the usual style of speed. The Superb II is the same, from what we could see.

Am I right? Have I been hallucinating, or does anyone know different - a cost/no-cost option at factory build, for example? :confused:

The only other option I can think of would be a separate Road Angel or HUD speedo, but it's something else to kart in and out of the car at motorway services before some passing oik takes a fancy to it and decides to give it its freedom.

Thoughts from the assembled masses much appreciated!

If you opt for maxidot I believe you can have the speed displayed there in kmph if you wish.

Welcome to the site

http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/mile-km/136158/

Thanks for the suggestion and the welcome!

I'm not sure that Maxidot is any use, though - I'm talking about the speedometer, not the odometer. Unless I'm missing something drastic with the new Maxidot units, my current one will tell me distance, time, fuel consumption, average speed and all sorts of things in miles, gallons, kilometres, litres, fathoms, bushels and more, but it won't tell me my instantaneous speed in any units at all. Not really a surprise, since most people would rely on the big dially thing on the right of the dashboard for that one!

Any other thoughts?

Does anyone have an experience of a battery-powered, separate device that shows instantaneous speed?

Or does any dealer want to take up the challenge of explaining why Skoda has made the plain daft assumption that UK buyers only ever drive in the UK, and never even go to, say, Ireland?

And all for the price of some extra grey numbers on the foil...

I thought by law any car sold in the UK had to display MPH and KPH I could be wrong but have never seen any other car just display MPH

Martin

the new superb just displays mph only. Or the one i test drove the other day did. It did however have a digital speed reading that was displaying KM/H not sure if new Octy does the same

Carl:thumbup:

You may well be right, Carl... there are multiple reference on t'internet about this:

Regulation 35(1) Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

Every motor vehicle shall be fitted with a speedometer which, if the vehicle is first used on or after 1st April 1984, shall be capable of indicating speed in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour, either simultaneously or, by the operation of a switch, separately, unless exempted by paragraphs (2) and (3) of this regulation.

Sadly, I can't find a copy of the regulations themselves... I suspect you need to pay HMSO for that pleasure.

So... can anyone comment on the truth of this? Or, even easier, does anyone have access to a new Octavia so they can just look? :P