Hi all

Current Fabia I owner - thinking about changing to an Octavia due to new baby and the need for more space!

Today I looked at a W reg Octavia:

58,000 miles (low - but all done over short/low-speed journeys on the Isle of Wight)

1.6 Petrol

Body work and interior in good condition

Passed MOT last month with no advisories

Here are my concerns:

Service history: Main dealer serviced every year from 2001 to 2006. Then there is a four year gap in the service book until it was serviced in 2010 at the main dealer. He said it was serviced by a friend, though there is nothing in writing to prove it. So potentially there has been a 4 and a half year and 20,000 mile gap between the most recent service and the previous one.

Could I ring the dealder and see if they have any record/memory of it? Or is that a waste of time.

Also, he has no receipts about any other work that has been done. So I don't know if it has had a new timing belt - he said he hadn't had it done in the four years he has owned it. As it is coming up to 60,000 miles I assume its due a new timing belt about now? Same goes for the clutch - no record of it ever being changed and he hasn't changed it himself. Though at less than 60k i guess it should still be on its first clutch.

Any advice/remarks/comments would be really appreciated, as well as anything else I should be looking at.

Almost forgot - he wants £1250 for it. Reasonable?

Cheers

Ian

Edited 3 January, 201115 yr by itgoodson

Hi all

Current Fabia I owner - thinking about changing to an Octavia due to new baby and the need for more space!

Today I looked at a W reg Octavia:

58,000 miles (low - but all done over short/low-speed journeys on the Isle of Wight)

1.6 Petrol

Body work and interior in good condition

Passed MOT last month with no advisories

Here are my concerns:

Service history: Main dealer serviced every year from 2001 to 2006. Then there is a four year gap in the service book until it was serviced in 2010 at the main dealer. He said it was serviced by a friend, though there is nothing in writing to prove it. So potentially there has been a 4 and a half year and 20,000 mile gap between the most recent service and the previous one.

Could I ring the dealder and see if they have any record/memory of it? Or is that a waste of time.

Also, he has no receipts about any other work that has been done. So I don't know if it has had a new timing belt - he said he hadn't had it done in the four years he has owned it. As it is coming up to 60,000 miles I assume its due a new timing belt about now? Same goes for the clutch - no record of it ever being changed and he hasn't changed it himself. Though at less than 60k i guess it should still be on its first clutch.

Any advice/remarks/comments would be really appreciated, as well as anything else I should be looking at.

Almost forgot - he wants £1250 for it. Reasonable?

Cheers

Ian

sounds good. cam belt will need changing soon i think. that should be at about 150.my octy was done 60000 miles. so you should think about taking that into account. also my car was bought before 60000 mile and the gears where dodgy. i mean if you drove and stopped in say 4th gear, i coudn't get 1st or reverse without the car rolling a bit. new clutch kit is about 350 fitted. i still havent done this just changed transmision fluid and things are better. if you look at this car again start engine asap look around. check temp gauge this can be a common fault. it can go up and down. simple fault but about 75 pound to sort. if you take it to a skoda dealer and ask them to cpr check it for you very nicely they will.

After 4 years you need to replace the Cam Belt no matter what the mileage. My clutch is 11 years and 105000 miles no problems at all yet. Still original exhaust too. p.s. There is a silver 1.6 on a W Plate 56,000 miles for £1100 on AutoTrader

Edited 5 January, 201115 yr by SILVER ROCKET

thanks a lot guys. I am interested in it, but ive lost confidence in the seller - he's a young guy and got a bit pushy. I fear he was a bit too keen to sell it!

I own a 1.6 - I had the cambelt done at 55k at I was worried about the age of it. It was about 6 1/2 - 7 years old at the time. Currently on my original clutch at 72K but it is getting high, though was owned by two older people prior to me buying it!! The exhaust is original, as is the battery. They are good cars, I get around 40mpg on a good steady run, low 30's if I push it harder. Im sure you could easily get a nice example for £1000 for something around 10 years old.

I had a 1999 T 1.6 which I ran for 10 years. It had 95k on the clock when I PX'ed it It was regularly serviced, but nothing in the brakes/steering/suspension/drive train/exhaust had ever been replaced, and it felt very 'loose'. It never seriously let me down and would return 40 mpg on a run. Some of the interior trim was crumbling and the convience electrics sometimes had a mind of their own. Its currently on sale at a dealer on Autotrader (has been for 10 months or so) at £1395 - started at £1995, cheeky git

Andy

Edited 5 January, 201115 yr by AndyC

I have a 2001 1.6L ambient, bought her 3 years ago from a car trader / importer.

Had 63K on her at the time, and had been owner for the previous 2 years by a polish guy.

Had only a sparse service history, but as the price was good and she looked and drove well so I bought her.

As with all Skodas it has its moment. Burns quite a bit of oil, but I have read her that is normal, anyhow there is awarning light for this and I have found that 1L of oil every 1000 miles keeps her topped up nicely.

One thing is as the car ages different bits break especially electricals, such as electric windows, number plate light, door switches ect.

3 years later the car has 98 K on her and is driving very well, fuel efficiency is in low 30s in cuty driving and close to 50 on a long run in warm weather.

Clutch lasted until recently, was replaced at 94K. It began to become difficult to change gear, then one day she stuck in reverse while exiting a drive way, only way to get her into forward gear was to turn off engin and change gear before starting again. When clutch was removed, found that a piece of the plate had broken off and was moving about inside.

1.6L engine has very good pulling power and can excellerate quite efficiently when you need to.

the room in the back with the seats down is amazing, have in the past fitted a 42 inch tv and a 6 foot bathroom unit in her.