I managed to consciously drive for a whole mile today without outward signs of smugness but I had to give in for the rolling curves on the roads over the south downs . . . fully smug satisfied octy driver

I might get some smug smiley stickers made up and stick one in the rear window just in case the drivers in the cars behind are in any doubt about my smugness

I might get some smug smiley stickers made up and stick one in the rear window just in case the drivers in the cars behind are in any doubt about my smugness

Lol, for the older farts here (like me) I was thinking of having some done saying:

"Carrot never drove one of these! "

The vRS was chosen over Audis, VW's, and BMWs because we got more bang for bucks

That was my reason too. I bought a driver focussed car, and for the money, there is nothing else available that is so driver focussed. Really it's all about the engine...

The Ultimate Driving Machine

You can have a BMW 318i SE Touring Business Edition (Leather & SatNav & service plan) for *LESS* outlay over 3 years of ownership than a fully loaded Octavia Estate. With the free badge delete option, noone need know it's only a detuned 2 litre you've got. But i'd never have been happy, it's not a good BMW engine (by BMW inline-6 standards), it's not that punchy and you keep having to change down (even if it does claim 143bhp it's not very torquey), also less toys than my 10 year old BM... and i'm a BMW fan through and through... Cheap BMW, but offers little for a petrol head.

Vorsprung-a-leak-in-your-bank-account

You can have an Audi A4 for less than a fully spec'd vrs. The Audi can come with a 160bhp engine and stay in budget, but cloth seats and lets face it, without the (£1800 option) s-line DRL lights at the front and the LEDs at the rear, the A4 isn't really a looker. Definately engineered for the badge snobs and not for petrol heads. The Vrs engine is available on this car, but at £24k starting price (list price over £26k) that's almost £10k for the 4 ring badge!!! The real kicker is the Vrs has the 4ring badge stamped all over it's parts

Oh lord, wont you buy me, a mercedes benz - Wish granted, for everyone!

These are now crazy cheap to buy, but expensive to run. They give merc's away for free with a few tokens from cereal boxes (or so it seems). The list prices are already low for the C-class executive edition, but when you start haggling the salesman doesn't even put up a fight! Another £2500 off without even needing any amateur dramatics! That's significantly cheaper than a ford mondeo!

The c-class is loaded with toys (mostly safety stuff but some driver focussed things too). But people know it's cheap now, only the daftest of badge snobs buy a merc these days, because as a marque it's not exclusive enough (you probably could afford a new c-class PCP on job seekers allowance).

Long term ownership (>3years) of a merc isn't an attractive prospect (the parts monopoly that merc hold, also the computer diagnostics situation is crazy compared to other manufacturers). This hurts residuals and will continue too.

Ford ASBO ST

The Ford Focus ST has image issues. However, it is more of a driver's car than any of the above. Great suspension & handling with a pretty good engine. However, poor longevity of the interior (look at the state of the interiors of 2-3 year old focus on autotrader -- that's them all tarted up for sale too!) & notoriously crap seats coupled with the ASBO image mean this is a non starter for a lot of Vrs customers (thinking people).

Astra Knuckle Dragger Edition

You could have an Astra Vxr which goes for around £300 / month with a small deposit. It's clearly designed by incompetents, and down to a price as well. It's just offensive start to finish. The biggest problem is what it thinks is it's biggest asset -- the engine. I think they have eeked every last bit of performance out of it for great on paper specs, at the cost of it just being crap to use -- the throttle is all over the place, it's not linear. I've done a ton of test drives over the past 3 months, this was the only one where i came away feeling totally annoyed with the car.

The golf is an Octavia so no comparison to be made, well, except the price .

That leaves the Octavia Vrs, which at £16k OTR for an estate with 200BHP & a turbo charged torque curve (very drivable!). With the money saved, you can tick every option in the book, and sit back with a big smug grin on your face. Audi badges under the bonnet, for merc c-class money, which would eat a 3 series for breakfast.

Yup, we're allowed to be smug in this club

Am I allowed to be smug even though my vRS is on a boat somewhere between Gemany & Hull ?

(or more likely a figment of my dealers imagination)

Edited 10 March, 201016 yr by Spudhoolio

Same here - even though I've already got an Octavia, I've nearly got my order down for a new vRS

Good post that Mute. You're totally right.

That was my reason too. I bought a driver focussed car, and for the money, there is nothing else available that is so driver focussed. Really it's all about the engine...

The Ultimate Driving Machine-snip-

Yup, we're allowed to be smug in this club

Nice post, took a bit of effort I reckon

What Mute said

Us petrolheads know a thing or two

Oh and I also had a Focus ST for a while - lovely to drive but 22mpg? I couldn't afford to actually go anywhere

Great post Mute. Couldn't agree more.

Bob

--

Aside from the ST bit... I've been in a few, not seen any massive wear.

I'm being smug about being smug. Is that wrong?

Next time you are out on the road have a look at the Skoda(s) going in the other direction. Inside you will notice the driver has the most impossible smug look you could ever imagine. He/She surveys passing vehicles either with complete disdain or the withering "nice motor mate but you could have had one of these for a third of the price" look.

Now have a quick look at your own expression in the mirror, yes you have guessed it, the ear-to-ear smugness has crept in hasn't it?

Is the smugness more to do with the new Taxi Fare you have got in the back?

If you want smugness - look at the faces of the Subaru Impreza drivers ... that look which says they can beat anything they can see

Is the smugness more to do with the new Taxi Fare you have got in the back?

If you want smugness - look at the faces of the Subaru Impreza drivers ... that look which says they can beat anything they can see

I'm beginning to wonder why you are actually looking at Octavias

I'm beginning to wonder why you are actually looking at Octavias

Because:-

1. The Impreza (the new one) will struggle to take my dog.

2. The Octavia vRS at £15,200 OTR is a remarkable draw for a tight Yorkshireman.

3. I may get to drive a petrol estate vRS this weekend - to see whether I could live with the step-down from the Impreza.

I just keep looking and looking and trying to convince myself that I could live with the bland looks .... I'm struggling - why, oh why doesn't the vRS look better? :'(

Edited 12 March, 201016 yr by MrRee

Because:-

1. The Impreza (the new one) will struggle to take my dog.

2. The Octavia vRS at £15,200 OTR is a remarkable draw for a tight Yorkshiremen.

3. I may get to drive a petrol estate vRS this weekend - to see whether I could live with the step-down from the Impreza.

I just keep looking and looking and trying to convince myself that I could live with the bland looks .... I'm struggling - why, oh why doesn't the vRS look better? :'(

I've wanted a vRS for a long time, but seeing the FL with VAT free clinched it for me!

I don't look at any other car to be honest!

Tha Mazda 6 is such a cracking car .... and in my mind.

If only the vRS looked as good as a Mazda 6 I would be signing up right this moment!

I can't quite work out how you can find the new Impreza pretty and yet you think the VRS is bland. Surely the new Impreza just looks like a Kia Ce'ed, or any other non-descript Far Eastern hatchback, with a hole in its bonnet? If you don't like the Octy then don't buy one - go waste your money on a more "pretty" over-priced car.

Tha Mazda 6 is such a cracking car .... and in my mind.

If only the vRS looked as good as a Mazda 6 I would be signing up right this moment!

Wouldn't swap mine for a 6 any day of the week, next stop after that on the slippery slope would be an Avensis!

Wouldn't swap mine for a 6 any day of the week, next stop after that on the slippery slope would be an Avensis!

But if the Avensis gets the same pedal box as the Prius it might not stop...

But if the Avensis gets the same pedal box as the Prius it might not stop...

Haven't noticed if the prius has as many silver tops driving it though!

You had your bumper sorted yet?

Haven't noticed if the prius has as many silver tops driving it though!

You had your bumper sorted yet?

Goes in after Easter as when I took it in few weeks ago I noticed the courtesy car wasn't insured for business use and as I was planning on driving about 800 miles that week I drove away from the body shop in mine...

Because:-

1. The Impreza (the new one) will struggle to take my dog.

2. The Octavia vRS at £15,200 OTR is a remarkable draw for a tight Yorkshireman.

3. I may get to drive a petrol estate vRS this weekend - to see whether I could live with the step-down from the Impreza.

I just keep looking and looking and trying to convince myself that I could live with the bland looks .... I'm struggling - why, oh why doesn't the vRS look better? :'(

Bloody Feck by the time you have made a choice the dog would of got old and died :|

At my advancing age, and because I keep my cars a long time, this could be my final car .... I need to get it right.

I don't want to regret the bland looking vRS unless I think I can overcome that.