Worst aspects of the Octavia

[Moge]

Would love to see a 4x4 vRS next time around.

Great idea, me too!

[SusanS]

These are so that you buy an L&K next time, as mine has them all. A lot of the issues raised are available or are standard in the higher specs.

My latest Octavia does have a cruise control light whereas the old one did not. It also has the extra silly wipe disabled as standard (Thank goodness). Some commented on disabling headlight washing - maybe if you are having trouble seeing through your windscreen, headlights are mucky and either dim or are spreading the light all over and into oncoming faces?

My gripes are

the boot / waterfall issue

tyre noise

the impossible to read dipstick.

mucky rear view mirrors, that seem to collect dirt. Surely there has to be a way in this day and age. Maybe ultrasonic clearance like my Canon SLR has for its sensor.

no CR 140 or 170 or higher engines yet

fitted rubber mats that slide around as they are not fitted with any sort of catch or hook

lack of xenon main beam

What I would like as options:

adaptive cruise

electronic start assist, a la VW Passat. In effect an electric parking brake, but to go you just accelerate and it switches off automatically.

4x4 with CR170 engine with auto with L&K

or if not, then at least have the 170 engine available on the L&K. I love my electric seats, as i no longer have to spend the next 3 days getting my seat back to its original position after SWMBO has driven the car.

But would I buy the Passat to fet these things? NO, its too big. PLEASE Skoda do not increase the size of the car when you update it.

[SusanS]

The 2010 brochure says the L&K has textile floor mats. I hope this is true rather than rubber mats that slide around.

[icarusi@hotmail]

Pop down to your local Maplins (or buy online) this:

Anti Slip Rubber Mat for a fiver

You'll have enough to cut your own for a whole street of cars. Very useful stuff. I made a template to fit the complex shape inside the Jumbo Box. I can scan it and email it if you like?

Alternatively you can get the drawer lining stuff from Ikea for £3 a roll. Can be used to obscure glazing too.

[mcgiver]

The 2010 brochure says the L&K has textile floor mats. I hope this is true rather than rubber mats that slide around.

Sorry but the ''proper'' rubber mats sold by skoda at over 30 pounds do not slide around,are easily washable and last forever. They don't look so nice, yes i agree on this.

Cheaper rubber mats are rubbish and slide around (dangerous) you are right there.

[BananaVRS]

Had my VRS just over a month and 5K miles.

Great car.

Worse bits

I have never known a car dump so much water in the boot when you open it and whats with the damn clonking on the front wipers....! its been driving me nuts the past 2 days.

[stuardo]

In my 3rd week of brand new Octavia vRS ownership now (my first Skoda), and my only niggle is why did they design the heated mirror switch to be on the adjustment wheel and not come on with the heated rear screen like every other car in the world? Most of the controls seem high quality and sturdy but every time I twist the mirror control to the heater position it feels to me like it's going to break off. I'm sure it won't and it's just me, but the knob just has some resistance like it's not supposed to turn right round like that!

Also every day since I've had the car I've had to scrape the ice off the windscreen - my last car was a 2003 Mondeo with front screen demister and I _SO_ miss it! (I hasten to add though that it's the ONLY thing I miss about that car and I'll never buy another Ford).

Like others on this thread I agree that the water run off when opening doors/boot is a minor annoyance (but no worse than, say, my kids leaving lights on in the house) and I have to say, like having kids, my impressions so far is that the plus points far outweigh the negatives!

Bob

--

Feeling you on the mirror heater control Bob, strange how about 180 degrees of the control is dedicated to the demist on the mirrors,

and it clicks awkwardly from the mirror position controls - should just be auto or a button!

As far as wind noise goes, in my FL VRS est. the noise is negligible, dunno if its the est. or different panels?..have different drag coeffiecient??

Road noise also isn't at all bad - vibrations through wheel on bumby M roads is worse than other non sporty cars I have driven but I'm sure

that's par for the course (makes rolling cigarettes harder though, although even in apalling rain while smoking with the window open the

splash only gets in the cabin if the wind is perpendicular.

My gripe is the manual has all models so I don't know what the car's full spec is,anyone know a PDF tha has FLVRS details?

Minor gripes though, Skoda are a fantastic manufaturer

[Octavia1.4TSI]

Don't like:

the silly legal requirement for headlight washers with xenons. I feel bad spraying everyone else on the motorway when all I want to do is clear my windscreen.

I have xenons too, and have had this setting (that is, wash the headlights every fourth wash) modified in a nearby garage via VAS. Ask them to change the default value (= 4) to whatever you prefer.

[prolfe]

Right, after 2.5k this is what is annoying:

The way the grille channels dirty water up and onto the bonnet in little stripes.

It's like driving a zebra !!

apart from that it is fantastic.

[ccs-digital]

Too late, mate, it was discussed in a thread last year!!!!!!!!!! Awesome told me that Golfs, Leons etc all seem to have a warning light fitted, but not working. However, someone posted that they had a cruise retrofitted, and the warning light did work on that one. Perhaps the controller involved? Would love a definitive answer on this, as I'd like to get the warning light working on mine if I possibly can

Mike

Just to tidy this one up - since having my new maxidot dash insert fitted, the cruise control warning light now works!

[Mr Hugo]

This may sound a minor thing and I am sure that it can be programmed out with VAGCOM but what really irritates me is the seatbelt warning bleep.

The fact that there is a bleep is not what annoys me, but because I drive a diesel I have to wait for the glow plugs to warm. The sensible, logical and quickest way to get in and start the car would be

1. put key in

2. turn ignition

3. whilst waiting for glow plugs to warm and warning light to go off, use the time to get comfortable and fasten seatbelt

4 start engine

5. drive away.

but to avoid the annoying bleep I must

1. get comfortable

2. fasten seatbelt

3 put key in and turn ignition

4. sit there doing absolutely nothing for 5-10 seconds whilst glow plugs warm

5. start engine

6.drive away

I know it is such a minor thing but it really irritates me.

Other than that, my octavia is fantastic!

Ah, I finally understand why people have been whinging about the seatbelt beep so much.

That is annoying, the way it is on your car.

On facelift cars (well my 59 plate Elegance at least), it doesn't beep til you're doing at least ~ 19km/h (cleverly a slightly different speed to the anti-hijack auto locking, so the 2 things happen separately to avoid confusion) … which means you could stick with your preferred start up sequence. You can also do low speed parking manoeuvres with your seatbelt off. I actually find the beep useful.

So it seems they’ve fixed the thing that annoyed people there.

Actually quite a few of these niggles have either been solved by the facelift, or by going for a higher spec car.

[Octavia1Z]

Up to now, there is only one thing that annoys me: The fact that you can't lift the windscreen wipers without moving them into parking position. I usually forget to do this so on cold mornings when the windscreen is frozen over I first have to move the wipers up, scratching across the ice, befor being able to lift them and thus clean the windscreen.

Can't see the use in that - on earlier cars it was much easier, just lift the wipers and off you go....

[GriffoVRS]

Right, after 2.5k this is what is annoying:

The way the grille channels dirty water up and onto the bonnet in little stripes.

It's like driving a zebra !!

apart from that it is fantastic.

Also noticed this. The pre-FL car never used to do it, its the new grille.

[SteveVRS]

What are the bits of your octavia or scout that you don't like or niggle you?

2007 VRS TDI PD, Hate the bl**dy thing, can't wait for the lease to come up, even the supplying dealer 'hates the car', just a short summary after 52k light duty business miles,

1. Car delivered with clearly visible paint inclusion on front wing - not a good start.

2. Fuel filler cap spring plunger broken - hinged flap does not work - warranty repair

3. Two rear wiper washer mechanisms replaced 6 months apart - no reason for failures, just happened.

4. Windows rattle, cured by leaving rears open slightly.

5. Terrible rattle from dashboard - dealer repair.

6. Air con motor makes racket when on full - dealer can't fix.

7. Faulty exhaust sensor causes intermittent DPF fault for 3 mths, dealer eventually replaces sensor at 5th/6th attempt.

8. Terrible performance, poor starting poor fuel economy - dealer can't find fault, after 3/4 attempts - partially blocked DPF diagnosed - despite having driven 200 hard miles only days before final diagnosis.

9. After latest cold weather screen wash pipe for rear washer bursts, flooding water into front passenger foot well upon use, dealer tried to bodge repair and failed - needs to go back again.

10. Bonnet release handle drops off at will, dealer says fix is available but need to renew full cable, so easier to drive with handle in glove box to avoid falling off and causing danger to brake pedals etc.

Can't wait to get rid of it, worst car ever owned, never never never have another Skoda

Edited 9 February, 2010 by SteveVRS

[The The]

Usual things with my 2.0 tdi- Misting windows and juddering from the clutch for the first few miles which is annoying but otherwise the car is fine, I love the enormous boot, you can get a dead body in easy, In my old Fabia I had to cut some of the limbs off first.

[SilverVrsBucks]

2007 VRS TDI PD, Hate the bl**dy thing, can't wait for the lease to come up, even the supplying dealer 'hates the car', just a short summary after 52k light duty business miles,

1. Car delivered with clearly visible paint inclusion on front wing - not a good start.

2. Fuel filler cap spring plunger broken - hinged flap does not work - warranty repair

3. Two rear wiper washer mechanisms replaced 6 months apart - no reason for failures, just happened.

4. Windows rattle, cured by leaving rears open slightly.

5. Terrible rattle from dashboard - dealer repair.

6. Air con motor makes racket when on full - dealer can't fix.

7. Faulty exhaust sensor causes intermittent DPF fault for 3 mths, dealer eventually replaces sensor at 5th/6th attempt.

8. Terrible performance, poor starting poor fuel economy - dealer can't find fault, after 3/4 attempts - partially blocked DPF diagnosed - despite having driven 200 hard miles only days before final diagnosis.

9. After latest cold weather screen wash pipe for rear washer bursts, flooding water into front passenger foot well upon use, dealer tried to bodge repair and failed - needs to go back again.

10. Bonnet release handle drops off at will, dealer says fix is available but need to renew full cable, so easier to drive with handle in glove box to avoid falling off and causing danger to brake pedals etc.

Can't wait to get rid of it, worst car ever owned, never never never have another Skoda

About as bad as my last BMW 5 series!

But my Octavia VRS PD has been the best car I have ever owned, I guess anyone can build the occasional lemon.

My only criticism is a lack of soundproofing on the estate. I resolved this by buying some soundproof backed carpet from online auction (£20) & layed this under boot area mat & under the back seat. Made a marked improvement.

[ednmra]

I'm peeved. I can't find anything wrong with the bl**dy thing, even the paint seems nearly self-cleaning - I can't remember when I last used any car shampoo instead of plain warm water.

Hardish ride on Brighton's lousy streets, but even that just makes it feel sporty!

Must take some more Grumpy Old Man pills - they seem to be wearing off.

[TsvRS]

Its still the waiting for it to arrive . . .

[Ahab]

Poor starting, being fixed next week hopefully.

[Ahab]

Poor starting, being fixed next week hopefully.

[Mace]

Road noise / engine noise, its unacceptable by far worse on motorway

Creaking and Rattling above the drivers seat belt height adjustment - just by your ear !

Power steering is badly weighted

No radio controls on steering wheel

Plenty of good points though !

Edited 10 February, 2010 by Mace

[vRSLen]

I love the enormous boot, you can get a dead body in easy, In my old Fabia I had to cut some of the limbs off first.

And it so saves on the mess

[Phil_P]

Power steering is badly weighted

As others have said, it can be adjusted

[krob2]

2 weeks in and the only thing so far that I think could be a bit better are the speedo markings - 30,50,70 are none too clear.

Will try and suss out how to change the digital speed so that is in MPH not Km/h!!

[Mace]

As others have said, it can be adjusted

Any ideas how ?