Hi,

New to the site so first off, hello.

Have been running a Leon 170FR (pump duse version) as a company car for 2.5 years and it is due to go back in December so I am starting looking for a replacement. Have seen a facelift octavia vrs estate.

My Seat did 2 good years but then turned into an unreliable nightmare, the local dealer was rubbish and the good dealer takes me 1 hour to get to.

Skoda have a place in letchworth nearby (progress skoda?) so have been looking at Octavia / Mazda 6 / Mondeo / V50.

I do 25k a year and need an estate this time round so I am looking at VRs 170 diesel.

Confusion seems to come from what options I need:

-The leon had a multifunction graphical display and steering wheel as standard and the bluetooth phone just added 2 more buttons and bluetooth for a couple of hundred quid.

I want to get the same in the Octavia but it seems to be a bit confusing especially if you try to spec one off the website compared to the brochure.

Does anyone know the definite answer to the following:

-Is it correct that you just can't have any steering wheel mounted radio and phone controls controls without DSG?

-Do you need to spec "maxidot" as an extra if you order the phone option or does it automatically get put in to provide readout of phone's functions?

-Is the bluetooth phone option in the brochure the same as my leon one? It is a 480 quid option which is about twice what Seat charged.

-If you spec the bluetooth phone on the Skoda website it tells you to add a "small leather pack" which isn't even in the brochure and costs another £480.

-Does the steering wheel give you access to the key features on the Bolero radio like next and back track etc like my Leon.

It just seems that specifying DSG, Maxidot, Bluetooth and "small leather package" comes in at nearly 2k on options just to get integrated phone and display. This is all extra money that I have to give to the taxman otherwise. I would just be better off with a parrot (or another Seat!)

Also, does the MDI from an Ipod touch work really nicely? I use my ipod in the car and want access to most or all of it's functions without having to keep taking my eyes too far off the road.

Any info that you have would be greatly appreciated

I'm no expert here, so I'll tell you what I know from my experience on my FL Octy...

1. No, I've got the multi-function steering wheel with BT kit but a standard 6-speed manual box.

2. Not sure here... I pretty sure it includes the maxidot, or the maxidot comes as standard on certain trim levels anyway.

3. No comment as to the comparison. The Skoda one is fully built-in, no outward signs of a car kit, integrates totally with the steering wheel, dashboard display and satnav. Works well - certainly much better than my old aftermarket Nokia (wired) kit.

4. I don't recall needing this, unless it was included on the Elegance trim already.

5. It certainly does on the Columbus, and did on my old Audience unit on my previous car - volume control, next/previous track, etc.

I'm no expert here, so I'll tell you what I know from my experience on my FL Octy...

1. No, I've got the multi-function steering wheel with BT kit but a standard 6-speed manual box.

2. Not sure here... I pretty sure it includes the maxidot, or the maxidot comes as standard on certain trim levels anyway.

3. No comment as to the comparison. The Skoda one is fully built-in, no outward signs of a car kit, integrates totally with the steering wheel, dashboard display and satnav. Works well - certainly much better than my old aftermarket Nokia (wired) kit.

4. I don't recall needing this, unless it was included on the Elegance trim already.

5. It certainly does on the Columbus, and did on my old Audience unit on my previous car - volume control, next/previous track, etc.

1. Seven speed DSGs ( the TSi) with multi function steering wheels are 3 spoke including paddle shift. Manual cars have 4 spoke steering wheels.

2. All multi function steering wheels include Maxidot within the package.

3. I did not specify Bluetooth although my steering wheel has the 'Phone' button - it is inactive.

4. Included on Elegance trim

5. Yes. You can select next/previous tracks with a brief press of the appropriate button.

The HFT & Sat Nav I did not specify since I use a Parrot HFT and a portable Sat Nav.

Just be aware that the multi functiton steering wheel on the VRS is only available on the DGS cars. I was in the same situation as you as my company VRS 170 PD is going back in September and I had to choose its replacement. If I could have got the MFSW + BT with the manual box then I would have gone for another VRS without a doubt, as it is I have gone for the Mazda 6 2.2D 185 Sport.

jbconno. After having a look round at the weekend, I had reached the same conclusion about the Mazda! I was going to phone Skoda customer service about the whole thing as they just seemed to have made the VRs a much more difficult choose for company car drivers where the tax man loves you to take options even i the bank managed doesn't.

I really wanted to go for the new FL Vrs but with it not having bluetooth, MFSW and manual box it made more sense going for the 2.2 Mazda 6. I can also claim 13p per mile for the Mazda compared to 10p for the Skoda as I dont have a company fuel card. You get a better rate if the cars over 2ltr and you buy the fuel yourself as opposed to using a fuel card.

I really wanted the VRS but the 6 just made more sense, not that I am complaining as its a great car.

Got a 24hr test in the Mazda in 2 weeks. Also got a fuel card which is nice.

Dealer has VRs estate due in to have a sniff round very soon. Just in case.

If you have a company fuel card then the VRS makes more sense to you than it did to me as I suppose your personal fuel is paid for ? Its could you live without some of the toys that the 6 has, bluetooth, MFSW which are only available on the DSG, (unless you want a DSG box of course).