So what bits would you like to see on Octavia III?

[Fellwalker]

1. The CR engine and 7 speed DSG
   
2. speedometer that shows accurate speed, and odmeter that shows accurate mileage! Both mine have been 4mph under at 70mph, and the first was showing slightly more miles travelled than the sat nav.
   
3. MFD that shows accurate mpg! The first was ridiculously over-optimistic (50mpg when really 43) and this one seems pessimistic showing 34 (calculations yet to be done)
   
4. bi-xenon
   
5. NO DAB unless those flying pigs improve it
   
6. Improved road noise deadening
   
7. The hatchback as above that does not dump water on you and in the boot.
   
8. usb connector for the audio and to power my phone/pda/satnav
   
9. gas bonnet strut
   
10. A holder with power supply for a satnav. I have an HTC HD2 but it should hold a TomTom. The dashboard tray seems an ideal place for it.
    

and for the top of range

1. 4x4 L&K hatch with proper engine (at least vRS power) and DSG.
   
2. electric brake like the Passat, so you can just accelerate and go. It was the best thing about the test drive and nearly made me go for one.
   
3. electric hatchback opening
   
4. adaptive cruise control
   
5. warp drive
   

The 3 spoke steering wheel option is nice and thick.

And I would like a zapper that switches off fog lights of others when it isn't foggy. And switches on their dipped lights when it is getting dark. And moves them into the nearside lane on dual carriageways when there is no one ahead of them for miles. And puts hedgehog tyre killers (the hollow tined strips that Police use, not the cuddly animals) in front of people who undertake, or push past when there actually isn't room (though I'd settle for an enforced 10 minute "sin bin" stop). And adaptive tailgate control, to slow down the imbeciles who drive too close. And something similar for the ones who cut in a paint coat away as they overtake.

[Fellwalker]

Thats exactly why I didnt buy a new FL Octy at the weekend. If I stump up 20k+ for a car then I am keeping it for a few years, I dont want the radio to be useless in 4/5 years time. Skoda really need to get with the times and make DAB (or internet radio) available.

That is a long time for them to change their minds. DAB cannot be bought as an add on for existing FM radios. When enough people realise there will be an outcry, and the politicians will change their minds. I have a DAB radio at home. It is a good one, but I use the FM on it in preference tof the DAB, because the quality is better. I would not thank you for another DAB radio.

We have terrestrial digital freeview, and it's quality is great.

[Dr Zoidberg]

That is a long time for them to change their minds. DAB cannot be bought as an add on for existing FM radios.

Erm.....

What's this then?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PURE-HIGHWAY-IN-CAR-DAB-RADIO-FM-TRANSMITTER-FOR-IPOD_W0QQitemZ350300380560QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioVisualElectronics_PortableAudio_Radios?hash=item518f879d90

[Phil_P]

Hi Phil,

I live at the bottom of a hill and habitually turn the music off at the top (to save the neighbours from my tastes ) & cruise the 1/2 mile to home.

Pressing and holding the radio for 5 secs to turn off is totally silly in my opinion and not that easy on our poorly surfaced roads round here.

For me; click (or switch) ON/OFF is far better

Cheers

Sorry, didn't see your reply!

As someone else already said, it's simply a matter of pressing the volume knob (bottom left corner) once to turn on/off.

[splat]

The bits that were on the Octy 1, and got worse on the 2 corrected:

- Estate load cover that will still retract when the boot is full

- Fuel flap that will close when the car is locked

- 3rd sun visor above the mirror

- glove box release on flap not the car, so you can control its opening

The bits that are availible in CZ but not the UK:

- retractable luggage net to replace "umbrella tray" on estate

..and:

- 170 CR 4x4/Scout (i.e. a top of the range Yeti with a big boot!)

- a tom-tom mount in that flap above the hazard switch

- full diagnostic display in the radio

- 2-way lumber support on driver's seat

- front passenger seat isofix points

[prolfe]

Agreeing with a couple of posts about diagnostics.

How about either WiFi or Bluetooth enabled connection to either a PC or iPod touch app to get diagnostic codes etc. Will help when calling recovery services or Skoda.

Will save them money and time in helping you.

The App could also be used to configure some of the simpler options.

[darrenw]

An Autopilot

[Octavia1Z]

I don't really miss anything. After a Renault Megane I know that a lot of things can break down on cars containing loads of electronics. As a consequence I am driving an Octavia Classic now.

Oh, yes, one thing I can indeed think of: Get rid of the manual windows on the Classic, this ist sooo out of place in middleclass cars....and drives me nuts every morning when opening the barrier at work.

No reason to not buy the car , though, as the price was too good...

Edited 4 January, 2010 by Octavia1Z

[wardth]

Isn't FM being switched off in the UK at some point in the near future?

EDIT: 2015, apparently: http://www.telegraph...ff-by-2015.html

Yep, and the government has egg on face because the Beeb has buggered DAB up! Another case ofone step forward, four steps back!

[Evening Star]

An Autopilot

Ah yes Airplane! A film that always makes me laught& cringe at the same time.

[Brimma]

An Autopilot

But why - most of the fun is driving the damn thing

[dan_the_v8man]

Buy an Audi, can got most of those options on the A4

What i'd like is an Audi for Skoda money

[foo]

Exeo?

[darrenw]

But why - most of the fun is driving the damn thing

Means I can have a kip around the M25.

Just pray it doesn't deflate

[dan_the_v8man]

Exeo?

dont do a quattro and you dont get the same options

[Paul007]

The CR engine and 7 speed DSG

The CR is good but the 7 speeder is bad, really bad. Hated it when I borowed one recently.

[rkenny]

For me the following are 'must have' options!

Folding mirror option on all models. (Luxury pack on Golf costs about £125).

Rear view camera. (Again available on the Golf for about £155).

Also more clarity is needed on factory fit towbar availability. Some dealers know that you can factory order a detachable towbar. It should be there in the brochure for all to see. For example the Audi A3 brochure has a factory fit detachable towbar (incl electrics) for £550.

[chr]

Difficult to say what should be standard. Columbus is nice, but is completely useless in countries where a detailed map is not available yet. Heated windscreen is a must have in Norway for instance, but I'm not sure if drivers from Kuweit willl appreciate it so much.

What I would like on the next Octavia:

- Adaptive cruise control

- Head-up display

[DudtheDude]

Well I've had my Octy II Estate for just over a year now and it is a measure of how good it is that I haven't been posting about any problems. In fact I just got a reminder about my login on here and thought I'd come back for a look. The car has just had its first variable service at 16.5k miles. The seats were awful to start with but I just seemed to get used to them.

Anyway, back to the point. The only thing that I keep missing is a load bay light. The Elegance has everything I else could want, but this seems to me a very basic omission and a real pain in these dark winter months.

My 2.0PD doesn't have a DPF and having to have one is the one thing that might scare me off another diesel.

The stereo is pants but it does at least have an AUX input. If the changer could play MP3s that would be good, I think the new ones do?

I heard that the next Octy will be bigger that the current model, but one of the things I really like is that it is not excessively long or wide (just fits in my garage) and yet it has a huge load area (although unlit grrr). In these days of small garages and parking spaces why do all cars seem to be getting bloated?

[Paul007]

The stereo is pants but it does at least have an AUX input. If the changer could play MP3s that would be good, I think the new ones do?

I

Search the Dension thread.

[GroundHog]

I think the main ones have already been said, but my list as standard bits would be:

- Curtain airbags

- Audio controls on steering wheel (with or without maxidot, though preferably with)

- For those models with auto wipers, add auto lights. I know they only cost 50 quid as an option, but if thats the case, how about make them standard?!

- ESP

Heated front screen would be great as it is the one thing I'm going to miss when I move from my focus to my new Octavia, but until Ford release the rights to other companies to have a heated screen this isn't going to happen.

This would pretty much put the car on par with others from its class, then you can add the options of bluetooth or sat nav or xenons without having spent out large sums of money on what should be standard to start with!

[Evening Star]

The CR is good but the 7 speeder is bad, really bad. Hated it when I borowed one recently.

Why? I love my 7-spd DSG (1,8 TSi)

[Fellwalker]

Erm.....

What's this then?

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item518f879d90

Well, I'd never seen one of those before. Thanks.

I like the idea of a revue facility. My wife would like the Radio 5 for the football, as it is unusable on AM. Maybe DAB is growing up.

But it seems expensive, as that is £39.99 for a graded product; new ones are on sale at around £75 on ebay.

Have you tried it?

[Dr Zoidberg]

Well, I'd never seen one of those before. Thanks.

I like the idea of a revue facility. My wife would like the Radio 5 for the football, as it is unusable on AM. Maybe DAB is growing up.

But it seems expensive, as that is £39.99 for a graded product; new ones are on sale at around £75 on ebay.

Have you tried it?

Nope , not tried one myself but there's nearly 200 user reviews on amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B0012GLXMU/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

As for the price - at the moment it has the market pretty much all to itself so isn't too cheap but neither is it *that* expensive.

At the end of the day it's a DAB tuner and an FM Transmitter like you can get for iphones all in one box so there's no reason why you won't get something similar for 25 quid or less once the demand is there and the chinese factories cotton on.

[Keith Lard]

I use the Highway in my Octy so I can have the footy on 5Live, and have the other BBC stations they don't/won't put on FM. Its pretty good but I'd still prefer a factory fit solution though!