Our 2005 PD Elegance was due for a change in March of last year, so off we went to Savilles to discuss figures etc etc.

At the time, I had a company car so the new Octy was mainly for mrs stick's use.

Anyhoo. We walked into the showroom, and there was (now ours) a metallic black Octy Scout. Elegance spec, 140 PD mill, and a good looking bit of kit. I would have preferred a vRS estate, but it would be my wife driving it day to day so the choice was hers. At the time, I thought there would be no point test driving it, as it had the same engine as our 2005 Octy, and although I expected more body roll due to the increased ride height I thought as mrs stick rarely drives with the exuberance as myself, this wouldn't be an issue.

Fast forward to June 2008, I get made redundant.

I accept a new job, but with a car allowance. So I have to use the Scout as a daily driver (we get a Mk 1 MX-5 for mrs stick - which is now my weekend plaything alongside our 1965 MGB). And you know what? I have issues with the Scout.

Mainly the engine.

The 140 PD mill in our 2005 Octy was really very good. Quiet, frugal (never less than 51mpg), and punted it along at a good rate of knots (as an Austrian A4 driver found out between Lake Konstanz and Salzburg). But this one in the Scout is a fvcking nail! Noisy (like 12 yr old Transit van noisy), harsh, 43mpg, and lots of vibration. If we had test driven it, I - personally - would have said no. Move on.

The Scout has a particulate filter. Could this be the cause of the added nastiness of the engine? Have we just got a car with a one-off case of Friday afternoon build quality? I'm just curious. I cannot believe that two identically specced engines could operate more differently.

What's a mill please?

a lot of drivers ,myself included,find first gear to short- this is the set up for the 4 x 4

- which in turn means pushing revs in second- for all intents and purposes first in the scout is useless for rapid starts.

noise wise,the pd engines are tin cans compared to new cr's ,but they still have that nice punch in the middle.

I have driven three Skoda 1.9 tdi pd engined cars in the last six months and they have all been totally different

What's a mill please?

A cheap used car for £1,000 that you can then use to get a £2,000 voucher from Mandy against your new car purchase! Don't you know anything?

Seriously, like you I've no idea and can't make a serious guess. Waiting for an answer.

What's a mill please?

Just a guess, but I'd say engine. Like the hamster that powers this forum, OP's Scout is powered by a Mill?

Hey, this must be the greenest Octy yet! A wind-powered engine!! Where do I buy?

:rofl: Mill? Anyone? Mill? Anyone?.....

Ok well a quick question - what is the engine code on your paperwork for the Scout?

I ask because I think you'll find the Scout has the same 140PD engine as the 4x4 - which is actually an 8 valve 2.0 unit with a DPF, rather than the 16 valve non-dpf units in other 2.0 140PD's.

Strange but apparently true from my memory of discussions on here when I was convinced our 4x4 was a 16 valver only to find it was a BMM code 8 valver.

Therein could lie part of the problem?

Mill = engine.

A term used by car mags.

Older ones.

ca. 1980's

Wind or water Mill. A source of power in days past for doing work.

Does anybody know if the 8 valve head suffers the same cracking problem as the 16 valver?

Does anybody know if the 8 valve head suffers the same cracking problem as the 16 valver?

I hope not! :eek:

I'm half expecting the turbo to give up the ghost given some of the comments around here so please don't tell me there could be more problems...