Hi all,

at the moment I am in Germany but would like to get a bit of info on the Octavia Elegance hatchback before ordering from here before getting back to UK.

I have been scouring this forum for a few weeks now, finding most of the questions already answered in other peoples posts. Hopefully some kind chaps/chappettes may be able to help me with a few questions I have before ordering my Octavia.

1. What is the standard onyx Elegance interior without wooden inserts? In all the brochures or in the configurator, you can only find the wooden inserts with the interior. Does anyone possibly have any pictures of their Elegance facelift interior?

2. I've noticed some people saying in the forum they would prefer that the sunset glass was available on the hatchback like the estate. The brochure says that tinted glass is standard from SE level. What is the tinted glass like?

3. Are the "curry carry out" hooks fitted in the hatchback boot as standard?

4. In Germany, you are able to get the VRS seats with the standard upholstery (applicable to whatever trim spec) for an additional 300 euros or so? Is this available in UK?

5. As I will be doing a bit of driving with the car on the continent, I was wondering about the rear fog lights. I think I read somewhere on the forum that only the driver's side is activated. Is it possible to activate the passenger side yourself?

6. Does the detachable towbar come with electrics and does anyone know the price by any chance?

7. Do the rear seat squabs fold forward, for a flatter rear seat fold?

Many thanks in advance for any help so I can finally get my order in.

Edited 1 July, 200916 yr by Gers
Added "wooden inserts with the interior"

I can answer most of your questions...

1. Standard elegance trim without the wood looks very nice. It's this... http://www.skodateile.cz/images/products/IMG_2699.JPG. Not a fake carbon fibre, just glossy grey with a very subtle honeycomb effect. Looks really good and classy. My Merc CLK driving friend much prefered it to the inserts in his. The onyx fabric is fine too.

3. Two hooks are standard in the elegance hatch boot. Not sure about lower specs.

4. No

5. Yes, very easlly. 1 minute job with VCDS / VAGCOM

7. Yes, the seat squabs do fold flat.

Edited 1 July, 200916 yr by wega3k

Thanks wega3k

Are those 2 double hooks?

Does that allow you to have both rear fog lights activated at the same time, or would I have to get the garage to do it everytime I go back and forward to the continent, as I don't have a VCDS / VAGCOM?

Are those 2 double hooks?

Yes

Does that allow you to have both rear fog lights activated at the same time

Yes

6. Yes, I got 13 pin electrics with a 7n adapter. Current retail for a 7n/7s adapter is about £20. Cost last year was about £250.

Just a few images from my Octavia with the onyx/onyx/alcantara interior:

Thanks 175gdy

Those pictures give me a good idea of how it would look.

Do you possibly have a wide angle one, taken from the back showing the whole front dashboard & console. SWMBO is all for the biege with the wooden inserts:eek:

Trying to talk her out of that by showing her what the dark one looks like because I think the biege would be pretty, but pretty impracticle.:rotz:

Sorry for the delay.

Just had to take a few more shots of the dashboard.

Good luck with your persuasion

I'd like to thank you too 175GDY as I'm awaiting delivery of my Octavia Elegance but only got to test drive an SE which I seem to remember was just a plain silver trim.

I particularly like the cross hatching effect seen in your photos but it's been difficult to find good shots of the interior, most Skoda publicity photos are either the L&K in grey or as Gers has said the ivory with the wood inserts.

My current 1998 Passatt has grey upholstery with (plastic) wood inserts and I fancied a change, the 'wood' trims in the handles have started to show cracks anyway.

For better or worse I have decided to go for the Ivory cloth uphostery. I don't know how practical is going to be but most of the time there's only me in the car and the children have grown up so I should be able to keep it clean. I'll buy a couple of cans of Scotch Guard before it's delivered to treat it before it gets grubby.

Thanks again for posting the photos.

Cheers 175gdy,

Those pictures were exactly what I was looking for.

I've shown swmbo and she thinks it looks really good, so onto a winner there thanks to you bud.

Are you importing from germany to the UK? These days you can get just as good a deal in the UK.

Actually a lot better deal in the UK.

The OTR price of a Skoda Octavia Elegance 1.4TSI with metalic paint is £15,165 in the UK, as far as I can tell the same car in Germany is 23,510 euros (not sure if there are any other charges) which according to an online currency converter is £20,112, a difference of about £5000.

@ gadgetman

No, I'm exporting from UK to Germany

@jzc008

Yeh, that's why I'm exporting. The exchange rate definately favours UK at the moment. The 23,510 euros would be about 15,650 pounds if it was at the constant exchange rate less than 18 months ago. 1 pound to 1.50 euros.

Their Elegance model is far better equipped than the UK. Things like curtain airbags, ESP, MF steering wheel, heated front seats and various other items are standard on Elegance, although the radio is the Swing. (I think that was the only item that is of a lesser standard from the UK model).

Add to that the ability to add things like the VRS's seats, albeit with the standard elegance trim for 280 euros and you have to wonder whether if it were not for the weak pound, are we actually still being ripped off in UK?:rotz:

All in all though, with the weak pound, I AM getting a bargain.

I was also wondering if it is true, that the only optional extras that can be added to your Octavia Elegance when ordering are the 11 items listed in the standard Octavia brochure, or can additional items be ordered?:confused: Anyone know anything different???

Edited 5 July, 200916 yr by Gers
one "and" deleted

UK dealers can only order whats in the brochure is the official line.

However there are a few here where the dealer's been able to code stuff in. Just dont expect and endless list, as SUK will vito anything too noticable like VRS seats.

@ gadgetman

I was also wondering if it is true, that the only optional extras that can be added to your Octavia Elegance when ordering are the 11 items listed in the standard Octavia brochure, or can additional items be ordered?:confused: Anyone know anything different???

When I ordered mine I asked the salesman about things like carpet mats and he said they would contact me and that I could order additional items closer to the time. This may only be the dealer supplied options though.

When I ordered mine I asked the salesman about things like carpet mats and he said they would contact me and that I could order additional items closer to the time. This may only be the dealer supplied options though.

This may help

http://new.skoda-auto.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Catalogue/NewOctavia/NewOctavia_Accessories_ENG.pdf

6. Does the detachable tow-bar come with electrics and does anyone know the price by any chance?

I've just placed an order for the Elegance Estate 1.8Tsi, dealer has quoted in excess of £600 for the Skoda detachable bar with electrics suitable for caravan towing. This seems a very grey area concerning tow-bars, dealers says it's a dealer fit only option but pre face lift I'm sure it was a factory fit option.

I've contacted Skoda UK and asked if factory fit is an option but I'm still waiting on a reply. Also, the towbar electrics seems a bit of a nightmare, do a search of the forums and see what I mean!

Does anyone know the answer?

Relating to the towbar question, I ordered this for my 2005 Octavia 2:

Bosal Economy Detachable Towbar for a SKODA Octavia II Hatchback (incl. 4 X 4) (excl. RS) 2004 -

Micksgarage couldn't get it in stock quickly enough due to a mistake by their supplier (I needed it to tow a trailer across France for a holiday 2 weeks ago), so I had to go with this one (Incidentally I found Mick's Garage excellent to deal with they phoned me explaining the problem rather than me having to harass them for information - they may be the best mail order company I've ever dealt with come to think of it): Bosal Swan Neck Towbar for a SKODA Octavia II Hatchback (incl. 4 X 4) (excl. RS) 2004 -

The towball doesn't get picked up by the reverse sensors unless the trailer is hitched on either. It was worry about that that put me on to buying the detachable towball in the first place.

I bought this wiring kit: Towequipe - UK's best value towbar store - 7Pin Specific towbar Wiring Fits Skoda octavia Hat 04ON

The wiring kit plugs between the rear light clusters and the car wiring to take a signal as to what light is turned on from the car so no splicing or similar messing needed. Power for the trailer lights is taken directly from the fuse box by the driver via a supplied wire and involves installing a new fuse in the car. This kit doesn't affect the blown bulb sensing as its independently powered. The only problem with this is that I'm not sure how to tell the car a trailer is connected in order that the parking sensors are turned off.

The main difficulty in fitting the towbar is the sheer time it takes to remove the bumper to get at the mounting points for the towbar - the boot lining both sides has to come out, then the rear lights and panels under them and only then can you get at all the bolts that fix the bumper in place.

If you want to power a caravan fridge or similar while you're driving you'll need the 13 pin wiring kit (There's a 2x 7 pin plug setup available too, but the 13pin seems simpler, better regarded and is a more recent EU standard). Otherwise the 7 pin is fine. The kit I have is wired for the fog light too - this is a legal requirement for trailers in France AFAIK and probably elsewhere too.

6. Does the detachable tow-bar come with electrics and does anyone know the price by any chance?

I've just placed an order for the Elegance Estate 1.8Tsi, dealer has quoted in excess of £600 for the Skoda detachable bar with electrics suitable for caravan towing. This seems a very grey area concerning tow-bars, dealers says it's a dealer fit only option but pre face lift I'm sure it was a factory fit option.

I've contacted Skoda UK and asked if factory fit is an option but I'm still waiting on a reply. Also, the towbar electrics seems a bit of a nightmare, do a search of the forums and see what I mean!

Does anyone know the answer?

I've noticed that the Skoda UK site gives the towbar as an optional extra for 350 pounds, however this does not appear in the brochure.:thumbdwn:

Maybe this is the same optional extra "obadiah" had done last year for 250 pounds.:confused:

6. Yes, I got 13 pin electrics with a 7n adapter. Current retail for a 7n/7s adapter is about £20. Cost last year was about £250.

I've noticed that the Skoda UK site gives the towbar as an optional extra for 350 pounds, however this does not appear in the brochure.:thumbdwn:

Maybe this is the same optional extra "obadiah" had done last year for 250 pounds.:confused:

Could well be...... the electrics come in at £190 plus £350 for the tow bar, add to that the cost to fit and £600 ish doesn't seem to extreme.