Up to last year I had a Fabia Vrs - loved it, one of my all time favourite cars and of course it was diesel. Kept it for over 4 years from new. Thinking of getting an Octavia Vrs very soon, but of course the diesel version is now saddled with a DPF and from what I have read, heard and know, there is no way I am getting a new diesel with a DPF, especially as I live on the Isle of Wight. So a petrol it's going to be (and I am a die hard diesel fan.)

A very interesting bit of info jumped up at me last night - I did a search on Auto Trader for Octavia Vrs under 10k miles. I searched 'petrol' - there were 13. I then searched on diesel Vrs under 10k miles and there were 70 of them!! Nearly all year old cars with miniscule mileages - average about 5k or so. This is unbelievable, no-one generally buys a diesel car with the intention of selling it with under 10k miles on the clock. Defeats the whole idea of running a diesel.

The answer to me seems pretty obvious - it's DPF's. Can't think of any explanation for a shedload of what is probably the best car in the UK for sale, completely underused. There's always low miler cars for sale - but not in these numbers.

Now, do I go for black or Race Blue?

Cauliflower, I still can't find my gear change display and I have scrolled through all the options on the trip computer - maybe it isn't fitted to the 1.8 TSi.

Cauliflower, I still can't find my gear change display and I have scrolled through all the options on the trip computer - maybe it isn't fitted to the 1.8 TSi.

I don't believe it's an option you can turn on or off, if you have it, it's a little arrow that points up or down in the top right of the display.

Cauliflower, I still can't find my gear change display and I have scrolled through all the options on the trip computer - maybe it isn't fitted to the 1.8 TSi.

Goosander, I'm looking at the "Skoda Octavia Recommended Retail Price List and Technical Specification" from the Skoda website, stated as being "Effective 1st January 2010".

Page 5 ('SE' Model) describes the standard equipment (over 'S') as including "Gear change recommendation (on 1.4 TSI and 1.8 TSI engines only)"

Up to last year I had a Fabia Vrs - loved it, one of my all time favourite cars and of course it was diesel. Kept it for over 4 years from new. Thinking of getting an Octavia Vrs very soon, but of course the diesel version is now saddled with a DPF and from what I have read, heard and know, there is no way I am getting a new diesel with a DPF, especially as I live on the Isle of Wight. So a petrol it's going to be (and I am a die hard diesel fan.)

A very interesting bit of info jumped up at me last night - I did a search on Auto Trader for Octavia Vrs under 10k miles. I searched 'petrol' - there were 13. I then searched on diesel Vrs under 10k miles and there were 70 of them!! Nearly all year old cars with miniscule mileages - average about 5k or so. This is unbelievable, no-one generally buys a diesel car with the intention of selling it with under 10k miles on the clock. Defeats the whole idea of running a diesel.

The answer to me seems pretty obvious - it's DPF's. Can't think of any explanation for a shedload of what is probably the best car in the UK for sale, completely underused. There's always low miler cars for sale - but not in these numbers.

Now, do I go for black or Race Blue?

Vectensian, thanks for bringing the post back onto topic again. In the excitement of driving my new 1.4 TSI, I had wandered off onto everything from delivery lead times to door locks.

I had mentioned the thought process behind going for this model:

- interested in Octavia due to need for more space;

- long standing diesel driver / loves diesel grunt and economy; BUT

- only do 9,000 miles per year;

- 1.9 PD TDi being phased out;

- 1.6 CR TDI underwhelming performance-wise;

- 1.4 TSI cheaper purchase and getting rave reviews.

I really wanted to go diesel again, but the bottom line is that the circumstances were and are shifting and the case isn't so clear cut.

Add in the DPF problem (and folks, it IS a problem, just google it) and I ended up with what I ended up with.

A very interesting bit of info jumped up at me last night - I did a search on Auto Trader for Octavia Vrs under 10k miles. I searched 'petrol' - there were 13. I then searched on diesel Vrs under 10k miles and there were 70 of them!! Nearly all year old cars with miniscule mileages - average about 5k or so. This is unbelievable, no-one generally buys a diesel car with the intention of selling it with under 10k miles on the clock. Defeats the whole idea of running a diesel.

Nearly all these cars, both petrol and diesel, will be demos from dealers. IIRC they are over 3 months old but usually under 6 months. There will also be some from Skoda UK stock of ex management cars.

Good Evening Europe, here are the initial economy results from the new Octavia 1.4 TSI Jury:

OK, I've had the car for quite a few days now and worked out where to find the daily mpg reading on the dash (I'm assuming it's correct).

I have a 12 mile journey to work and 12 miles back to home.

Both ways, I'm covering 7 miles A/B/country roads, 4 miles motorway and 1 mile city

To work (in the quiet morning), no more than a couple of minutes in city traffic / waiting at Reds and with the whole journey ultimately being downhill (looking at the map)

From work, about 5 minutes in city traffic / waiting at Reds and there is an obvious significant uphill motorway section of 1-2 miles.

Consumption per the readout: To work, 46 mpg, From work 37 mpg

I'm following the gear change selection recommendations, but not religiously. I'm not aware of inadequate oomph and on 2 - 3 instances during each to / from journey (eg. on the motorway onslip) I'll give it the real beans in each gear up to 4th.

I'm getting a sense that about 40 mpg will be a realistic prospect over the longer term (allowing for the engine to chill and a few more beans). This is what I hoped for from the literature.

For you diesel drivers, I think this is what you need to factor into the "lesser purchase price petrol model / greater fuel economy diesel model" equation. The 1.4TSI will do 40 mpg.

For you diesel drivers, I think this is what you need to factor into the "lesser purchase price petrol model / greater fuel economy diesel model" equation. The 1.4TSI will do 40 mpg.

And my diesel will do over 50mpg if I drive the way Morgan Freeman drives Miss Daisy around... But still gives me about 40mpg when I drive it like I stole it

And my diesel will do over 50mpg if I drive the way Morgan Freeman drives Miss Daisy around... But still gives me about 40mpg when I drive it like I stole it

...and when I sell my 1.4TSI in 3 years time it will still have cost me less to run than the 1.6 TDI because it was cheaper to buy in the first place! :p

Incidentally, has anyone noticed that the 'lowly' 1.4 TSI engine in my Octavia rated at 122 PS and 200 Nm at 1500 rpm is now the base engine in the VW Scirocco and has identical performance figures?

And that the Scirocco will cost you £19k to get it on the road before you add in your optional toys???

Edited 5 March, 201016 yr by Cauliflower

The Scirocco is a different class of car, and looks damn good, unlike a base-spec Octavia which looks massively under-wheeled...

And my diesel will do over 50mpg if I drive the way Morgan Freeman drives Miss Daisy around... But still gives me about 40mpg when I drive it like I stole it

Yes but do thieves nick Diesels as they are too noisy on start up!!

Yes but do thieves nick Diesels as they are too noisy on start up!!

Yes, the thieving barstools do nick diesels...

Not mine, but my mate wasn't so lucky a few months when his Merc diesel was stolen off the drive after they nicked the car keys from downstairs whilst they were asleep... They even moved his partner's MINI out of the way to take his car... I'm still not sure if she was relieved her car wasn't taken or annoyed as hell it was left behind

...and when I sell my 1.4TSI in 3 years time it will still have cost me less to run than the 1.6 TDI because it was cheaper to buy in the first place! :p

That logic simply doesn't work because a 3 year old 1.6TDI is worth more that a 3 year old 1.4TSI, just as it was when new. You have to look at the depreciation of each car over the 3 years, not the purchase price which is totally irrelevant. Then factor in running costs such as fuel, servicing, tax and insurance.

Edited 5 March, 201016 yr by Phil_P

That logic simply doesn't work because a 3 year old 1.6TDI is worth more that a 3 year old 1.4TSI, just as it was when new. You have to look at the depreciation of each car over the 3 years, not the purchase price which is totally irrelevant. Then factor in running costs such as fuel, servicing, tax and insurance.

If, instead of calling it "depreciation", you had to write out a cheque for the amount the car had lost over 3 years, you would probably not regard it as "irrelevant".

eg Octavia 1.4TSI cost new £16,415 - worth 36.5% after 3 yrs = cheque for £10,424 please

Octavia 1.8TSI cost new £17,890 - worth 36.2% after 3 yrs = £11,414

Octavia 2.0PD cost new £19,385 - worth 37.7% after 3 yrs = £12,261

Audi 2.0TDI 143SE £26,485 - worth 46.9% after 3 yrs = £14,063

Maybach - loss about £300 per minute

Silly I know but instructive. Cheaper cars need smaller cheques writing out. More expensive, but better cars (eg Audi, BMW), lose less but they cost you more in the first place! Big cheque please. Incidentally, I got the figures for depreciation from a well-known mag.

dill

Yes but do thieves nick Diesels as they are too noisy on start up!!

Please speak in english so we can at least have a clue what you are on about.. :wonder:

Please speak in english so we can at least have a clue what you are on about.. :wonder:

Seems alright to me. I understood it perfectly.

If, instead of calling it "depreciation", you had to write out a cheque for the amount the car had lost over 3 years, you would probably not regard it as "irrelevant".

eg Octavia 1.4TSI cost new £16,415 - worth 36.5% after 3 yrs = cheque for £10,424 please

Octavia 1.8TSI cost new £17,890 - worth 36.2% after 3 yrs = £11,414

Octavia 2.0PD cost new £19,385 - worth 37.7% after 3 yrs = £12,261

Audi 2.0TDI 143SE £26,485 - worth 46.9% after 3 yrs = £14,063

Maybach - loss about £300 per minute

That's exactly my point! It's the depreciation, not the purchase price that's important.

Saying that, you try finding a 3 year old Octavia for £6K :p

The Scirocco is a different class of car, and looks damn good, unlike a base-spec Octavia which looks massively under-wheeled...

I'm sorry the wheels of my new Octavia, which I'm rather chuffed with, offend thine eye!

The point I was making was that the premium product pricing of Volkswagen, together with their model / engine combinations, have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous. A prospective 1.4 TSI 122 PS Scirocco owner wouldn't dream of buying my Octavia 1.4 TSI, but would have to be besotted with the looks to buy the Scirocco, given the knowledge that my peasant car with exactly the same engine is £7k (yes, £7k) cheaper on the no VAT deal. Why so? Well, I know that if I was looking for that 'class' of car, I would be far from amused at the thought of Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI's lining up on my tailpipe to pass.

Edited 5 March, 201016 yr by Cauliflower

OK Phil_P you got me.

You're not a tax inspector are you?

What I meant was that in calculating the depreciation of my most recent acquisition, I took the estimated % drop off the list price (from several authoritative sources), then factored in my purchase price to adjust. Purchase price doesn't determine depreciation, but it IS relevant.

Also, I wouldn't be so sure about the diesel -v- petrol depreciation advantage. All the money (in the likes of Volkswagen, Fiat, Renault and Vauxhall) is being pushed towards mass take-up of turbo petrol engines - this takes us into completely new territory. Likewise if the 1.9 PD TDi replacement (the new 1.6 CR TDi) gets a reputation for being a dog, who knows what will happen???

I'll stick my neck out now and say that I wouldn't be surprised if there's a VW/Skoda petrol engine churning out serious grunt with a combined mpg of 50+mpg within the next 3 years.

You really have to say that you don't get a "better" car merely because you pay more for it. That's like saying: if you spend more on the NHS you'll get a better service, a fallacy that has been soundly proved by HMG. Whoops - bit political. Is that allowed?

It's surely the main selling point of Skoda and why we buy them. I don't want to have to pay more for the equivalent Golf because its a smaller car (and quite a lot more common...). Another thing I can't understand: why do you pay so much more for an 1800cc version of a 1400cc engine?

Same reason you'll be prepared to pay an extra few thou on a Scirocco presumably.

By the way, I think the 1.4 TSI in the Scirooco is probably the twincharger thing with about 170bhp.

dill

You really have to say that you don't get a "better" car merely because you pay more for it. That's like saying: if you spend more on the NHS you'll get a better service, a fallacy that has been soundly proved by HMG. Whoops - bit political. Is that allowed?

It's surely the main selling point of Skoda and why we buy them. I don't want to have to pay more for the equivalent Golf because its a smaller car (and quite a lot more common...). Another thing I can't understand: why do you pay so much more for an 1800cc version of a 1400cc engine?

Same reason you'll be prepared to pay an extra few thou on a Scirocco presumably.

By the way, I think the 1.4 TSI in the Scirooco is probably the twincharger thing with about 170bhp.

dill

Dilly, believe it or not ( and there will be many who don't) the new 'entry level' scirocco (£19k) is the same 122 HP engine of the Octavia 1.4 TSI that I ferry my elderly labrador about in.. The 160 HP variant is the next step up...

Edited 5 March, 201016 yr by Cauliflower

I was talking to my workmate today who said a colleague had bought a a VW Passat 1.4 TSI (122HP) and was full of praise for the fact it had at least as much beans as the 2.0 petrol Passat that he had before.

Good recommendation. However, he said the economy wasn't much better. Don't know what the power output of the 2 litre petrol Passat was, but I'm a bit disappointed that the economy of the 1.4 TSI hasn't improved for him - I'm currently getting about 43mpg from my Octavia (driving moderately), but I'm conscious that if I gun it, that will fall dramatically. Still, I get a sense of 40 mpg for the 'Average Joe' overall. "Grunty" diesel owners will of course laugh at this and say they get 45-50 mpg when gunning it. I will laugh inwardly and hear my laugh because the cacophony of their engines will drown theirs!

Edited 11 March, 201016 yr by Cauliflower

I was talking to my workmate today who said a colleague had bought a a VW Passat 1.4 TSI (122HP) and was full of praise for the fact it had at least as much beans as the 2.0 petrol Passat that he had before.

Good recommendation. However, he said the economy wasn't much better. Don't know what the power output of the 2 litre petrol Passat was, but I'm a bit disappointed that the economy of the 1.4 TSI hasn't improved for him - I'm currently getting about 43mpg from my Octavia (driving moderately), but I'm conscious that if I gun it, that will fall dramatically. Still, I get a sense of 40 mpg for the 'Average Joe' overall. "Grunty" diesel owners will of course laugh at this and say they get 45-50 mpg when gunning it. I will laugh inwardly and hear my laugh because the cacophony of their engines will drown theirs!

To be fair, the CR diesels are bloody quiet (for diesels), I've had several passengers say "I thought you said you bought a diesel..."

Now I know it's not a quiet as the petrol, but it's soooo much better than my previous diesels (the last 3 of which have been "premium marques"). I mean I actually hear the road noise over the engine, I wasn't used to that

To be fair, the CR diesels are bloody quiet (for diesels), I've had several passengers say "I thought you said you bought a diesel..."

Now I know it's not a quiet as the petrol, but it's soooo much better than my previous diesels (the last 3 of which have been "premium marques"). I mean I actually hear the road noise over the engine, I wasn't used to that

I know, I was just doing a bit of diesel driver baiting. :p