My wife's thinking about a bigger car to future-proof us against a bigger family ( :eek: ) and there are some good deals on the Altea XL 1.6 FSI Reference. I understand 102 horses won't be much in a car that size, but her current motor's a 1.4 MPi Comfy, so apart form the size, they're probably pretty similar in terms of kit and performance.

My only concern is that Honest John calls the 1.6 FSI engine 'troublesome' across the VAG range, and I'm concerned that's why the Alteas on offer with that engine are so cheap. Having said this, the only repeated problems on HJ's site relate to the ABS on pre 2007 cars, and not just 1.6s?!?!

Anyone with any tech background - or even an Octy 1.6 FSI - care to enlighten me?

TIA...

I was under the impression the the 1.6 FSI were 115 HP where as the older 1.6 MPI were 102-5? I think the problems may refer to the early 1.6FSI's which had stratified injection and recommended 98RON petrol otherwise there can be issues with how the engine wears. I shouldn't worry to much about what Honest John says as according to the site the fabia 1.2 3cylinder and the new 1.2 TSI are cam belt when in fact they are chain driven.

I thought the FSI engines ended up needing a de-coke fairly regularly, just like the GDI engines did. I know somebody on here had issues with a 1.6 too, but i can't remember which engine.

I'd see if you can't stretch to another engine, perhaps a 1.6CR if it's new, or maybe look at buying something a year or so old.

Thanks for the info - I actually had a look at one yesterday, and was very surprised that the boot wasn't all THAT much than something like a Golf. Certainly not estate car-size, as I was expecting. If the boot lid of the Octy estate wasn't so slopy, it would be a no-brainer - I may see how much Exeos are going for in a year's time. That or an Accord, but I don't want to leave the VAG fold...

Was that a MK I as the MK II boot can swallow a hell of a lot.

Thanks for the info - I actually had a look at one yesterday, and was very surprised that the boot wasn't all THAT much than something like a Golf. Certainly not estate car-size, as I was expecting. If the boot lid of the Octy estate wasn't so slopy, it would be a no-brainer - I may see how much Exeos are going for in a year's time. That or an Accord, but I don't want to leave the VAG fold...

I looked at an A4 Avant a few years back and discounted it because the boot was small, and I'm sure that's the model the Exeo is based on (2005 A4 was the one I looked at). The Octy 2 Estate is a good size, and certainly better than the A4 I was looking at...

The Exeo ST has 442 litres boot capacity, and even the current A4 Avant boot only has 490 litres capacity seats up (to the window line) where as the Octy 2 estate has 605...

If you're after space, the last model Accord estate is huge, if I remember correctly, boot capacity was 660 litres seats up

The early FSI units in the MK5 Golfs had problems with the NOX sensor and its' control unit, I think most were sorted under warranty and solved with an ECU update.

Graham

Thanks again - maybe the Octy II is worth further consideration after all! Another nail in the Exeo coffin is that they're all diesels, apparently, and SWMBO doesn't do enough miles in the week to justify it (especially the long warm-up time in Winter, with the nipper in the back!) Finding a petrol Accord isn't the easiest, either - mostly ex-fleet, I guess. Maybe a 2.4 Type S?

You might well be able to find a bargain 1.8T ex demonstrator if you're looking fairly new.

Thanks again - maybe the Octy II is worth further consideration after all! Another nail in the Exeo coffin is that they're all diesels, apparently, and SWMBO doesn't do enough miles in the week to justify it (especially the long warm-up time in Winter, with the nipper in the back!) Finding a petrol Accord isn't the easiest, either - mostly ex-fleet, I guess. Maybe a 2.4 Type S?

Not quite, they also do the 2.0 TSi in the Exeo

I was looking at them before I bought the vRS, but didn't want another estate and wanted more flexibility than the Saloon so the Octavia hatch won for me