Hi All,

I have owned an 02 reg MK1 for about 5 years now and am thinking it is time to renew due to more frequent repairs being required. Can anyone give me some tips on what to look for when buying a MKII. Would you go for diesel or petrol, I have a leaning towards petrol as I don't do too many miles. Are there any faults to look out for, will I be disappointed after owning a MK1?

Hi All,

I have owned an 02 reg MK1 for about 5 years now and am thinking it is time to renew due to more frequent repairs being required. Can anyone give me some tips on what to look for when buying a MKII. Would you go for diesel or petrol, I have a leaning towards petrol as I don't do too many miles. Are there any faults to look out for, will I be disappointed after owning a MK1?

I have a Mk1 and Mk2. The later one is a more advanced car, but maybe doesn't feel such a workhorse. That said, I love it. The diesel is probably the best for resale, and is easily modded.

Make sure all the electrics work, and enjoy! Also make sure that you get both sets of keys as the replacement keys are expensive (£160 ish!)

Please see my Mk1 in the for sale section.

I have a Mk1 and Mk2. The later one is a more advanced car, but maybe doesn't feel such a workhorse. That said, I love it. The diesel is probably the best for resale, and is easily modded.

Make sure all the electrics work, and enjoy! Also make sure that you get both sets of keys as the replacement keys are expensive (£160 ish!)

Please see my Mk1 in the for sale section.

Thanks for that.

Hi All,

I have owned an 02 reg MK1 for about 5 years now and am thinking it is time to renew due to more frequent repairs being required. Can anyone give me some tips on what to look for when buying a MKII. Would you go for diesel or petrol, I have a leaning towards petrol as I don't do too many miles. Are there any faults to look out for, will I be disappointed after owning a MK1?

Loved our Mk1, we had a yellow one, although not canary fans, (actually Plymouth Argyle and West Brom both which Canaries tend to have issues with).

Face Lift Mk 2s will probably keep its value better as model changes usual do but then pre-face lifts might be a bit more of a bargain.

L&K can be a real bargain for the amount kit and a very comfortable place to be.

The Mk 1 VRS we found good on fuel ie about 35 mpg but the FL VRS is more like 37-38 mpg for a bigger car, very impressive. Personally not a VAG 4 cylinder diesel fan and VAG 6 cylinders are good performance but cr*p fuel consumption so what is the point over TSI? Try the 1.8 TSI (L&K of course) as similar performance to old but more like 40 mpg. Have the VRS fin and debadged so look (almost) as nice as our TSI VRS.

Edited 4 February, 201115 yr by lol

I presume as you have a VRS that you are looking for another VRS? Depends on what mileage you class as low really and how happy you are with the fuel consumption.

Diesel will give you easier resale and better residuals but you will pay more in the first place for one.

Real world you are looking at 45-50 in the diesel and 30-35 in the petrol MPG wise. Also depends what year you are looking at as you could have DPF issues with the PD engine.

I presume as you have a VRS that you are looking for another VRS? Depends on what mileage you class as low really and how happy you are with the fuel consumption.

Diesel will give you easier resale and better residuals but you will pay more in the first place for one.

Real world you are looking at 45-50 in the diesel and 30-35 in the petrol MPG wise. Also depends what year you are looking at as you could have DPF issues with the PD engine.

Yes defo looking at another VRS should have put that in orig post!

Whats a DPF issue?

Loved our Mk1, we had a yellow one, although not canary fans, (actually Plymouth Argyle and West Brom both which Canaries tend to have issues with).

Face Lift Mk 2s will probably keep its value better as model changes usual do but then pre-face lifts might be a bit more of a bargain.

L&K can be a real bargain for the amount kit and a very comfortable place to be.

The Mk 1 VRS we found good on fuel ie about 35 mpg but the FL VRS is more like 37-38 mpg for a bigger car, very impressive. Personally not a VAG 4 cylinder diesel fan and VAG 6 cylinders are good performance but cr*p fuel consumption so what is the point over TSI? Try the 1.8 TSI (L&K of course) as similar performance to old but more like 40 mpg. Have the VRS fin and debadged so look (almost) as nice as our TSI VRS.

Will def be going for VRS not too worried about mpg. My MK1 is red but definitely a canaries fan not man u or liverpool.

Yes defo looking at another VRS should have put that in orig post!

Whats a DPF issue?

The eco bureaucrats in Brussels thought it would be a good idea to make Diesel Particulate Filters law on all diesels in an attempt to reduce Carbon deposits from the exhaust (the black smoke we see). So VAG had to start putting these on their engines which weren't originally designed for. Trouble is, is in the way the engines work (i am sure somebody else on here can fill you in on the technicals) but the DPF clogs with the Exhaust soot and if you are doing short journeys a lot and the engine doesn't get warm enough then the DPF can't get hot enough to burn it off. After a few failed attempts it will display a DFP 'regen' light which means that you have to take the car for a longish blast in an attempt to clear it.

If this fails then the dealership will have to do a forced regen and iirc this can only be done twice before it needs replacing...at a cost of £1k+. Of course there are ways round it....Ben @ Shark Performance can remove them and remap the ecu to clear any errors removing it would throw up.

So in summary these green friendly DPF's increase fuel consumption, make the soot particles finer so easier absorbed into the lungs and makes you do longer journeys/drive hard if it needs a regen!

The newer models with the CR (Common Rail) engines don't seem to suffer as much as they are designed for use with a DPF.

Petrol vRS's are pretty good, not as bad on fuel as you'd think (about 30mpg if pushing hard, 35mpg on an average MWay trip and 38-39mpg if you drive like a saint). The petrol engines are pretty reliable if not abused.

I'm usually a diesel fan but plumped for petrol for my vRS. Diesels are much better on fuel but not without problems- see above- and do cost more. By all means go for diesel, but you'd have to do a lot of miles to make up the fuel costs and avoid DPF issues. If long distance isn't your kind of driving, look long and hard at the petrols.

Oh, and did I mention they're a lot of fun?

The ESP unit on most of the MK2 up to FL are prone to failure after approx 4 years. It might not happen but if it does its around a £1500 replacement bill.

Other than that just check the same thing syou wou ld on any car

The ESP unit on most of the MK2 up to FL are prone to failure after approx 4 years. It might not happen but if it does its around a £1500 replacement bill.

Other than that just check the same thing syou wou ld on any car

There is a repair kit now for about £150

The eco bureaucrats in Brussels thought it would be a good idea to make Diesel Particulate Filters law on all diesels in an attempt to reduce Carbon deposits from the exhaust (the black smoke we see). So VAG had to start putting these on their engines which weren't originally designed for. Trouble is, is in the way the engines work (i am sure somebody else on here can fill you in on the technicals) but the DPF clogs with the Exhaust soot and if you are doing short journeys a lot and the engine doesn't get warm enough then the DPF can't get hot enough to burn it off. After a few failed attempts it will display a DFP 'regen' light which means that you have to take the car for a longish blast in an attempt to clear it.

If this fails then the dealership will have to do a forced regen and iirc this can only be done twice before it needs replacing...at a cost of £1k+. Of course there are ways round it....Ben @ Shark Performance can remove them and remap the ecu to clear any errors removing it would throw up.

So in summary these green friendly DPF's increase fuel consumption, make the soot particles finer so easier absorbed into the lungs and makes you do longer journeys/drive hard if it needs a regen!

The newer models with the CR (Common Rail) engines don't seem to suffer as much as they are designed for use with a DPF.

Interesting! Good old EU. My wife does lots of short journeys to work so this could influence my decision in favour of the petrol version which to be honest we were more likely to go for anyway.

Cheers

Petrol vRS's are pretty good, not as bad on fuel as you'd think (about 30mpg if pushing hard, 35mpg on an average MWay trip and 38-39mpg if you drive like a saint). The petrol engines are pretty reliable if not abused.

I'm usually a diesel fan but plumped for petrol for my vRS. Diesels are much better on fuel but not without problems- see above- and do cost more. By all means go for diesel, but you'd have to do a lot of miles to make up the fuel costs and avoid DPF issues. If long distance isn't your kind of driving, look long and hard at the petrols.

Oh, and did I mention they're a lot of fun?

If they're as much fun as the MK1 I will be happy, if they're better I might not be able to stop smiling!

The ESP unit on most of the MK2 up to FL are prone to failure after approx 4 years. It might not happen but if it does its around a £1500 replacement bill.

Other than that just check the same thing syou wou ld on any car

The prices of repairs nowadays are ridiculous, and the garages don't know what they are doing. The VAGCOM or whatever it's called gives them 2 or 3 possible causes and they plump for the cheapest first until they find the part that actually caused the fault. Really niggles at me1

I had a mk1 octy vrs for 2 years & 25k then i bought a 58 plate octy mk 2 petrol vrs,you wont be disapointed with a mk2 vrs,in my opinion they are a much better car,if you wont be doing many miles id get a petrol,i get 35mpg + & the engine is a great one!

Thanks everyone for the info, hope to get a MKII in the next few months will post with my views once I've driven it for a while.

Interesting! Good old EU. My wife does lots of short journeys to work so this could influence my decision in favour of the petrol version which to be honest we were more likely to go for anyway.

Cheers

Dont worry about the DPF, I do 2 miles per day in my DPF equipped PD140 DSG Superb mk2 and have yet to see any DPF light or fault. I do 10 miles during the week and maybe a 20 mile round trip on Saturday and thats it.

I had two main problems with my PD140 Mk2 Octavia DSG:

Dual mass flywheel needed replacing at 85,000 at a cost of £1000 approx.

air conditioning compressor went at 95,000 at a cost of £1100 approx.

Other than that absolutely brilliant car.

Sold it because I wanted a Snow Monster, and a new car with warranty.

Mike

Dont worry about the DPF, I do 2 miles per day in my DPF equipped PD140 DSG Superb mk2 and have yet to see any DPF light or fault. I do 10 miles during the week and maybe a 20 mile round trip on Saturday and thats it.

How many miles have you got on the car at the moment?

I had two main problems with my PD140 Mk2 Octavia DSG:

Dual mass flywheel needed replacing at 85,000 at a cost of £1000 approx.

air conditioning compressor went at 95,000 at a cost of £1100 approx.

Other than that absolutely brilliant car.

Sold it because I wanted a Snow Monster, and a new car with warranty.

Mike

Would hope to renew again before getting to those sort of mileages, so hopefully wouldn't have those problems. But it's not unreasonable to have to pay out those sort of sums occasionally, especially at main dealers.

Edited 5 February, 201115 yr by baldric313

I've just done exactly this upgrade, Black Mk1 02 for 41/2 years and bought 56plate petrol Vrs 1 week ago.

Haven't really had chance to try out performance yet, but have to say the MkII is a much more refined car overall.

Still see the Mk1 everyday as I sold to to someone at work.

I think the Mk1 is always going to be more of a 'cult' skoda car in the eyes of the VW boys and is definately more suited too it, the MKII is more grown up IMHO..

Go for the upgrade, I dont think you will be dissapointed, for me always petrol over diesel unless your doing at least 15-20K per year.

I've just done exactly this upgrade, Black Mk1 02 for 41/2 years and bought 56plate petrol Vrs 1 week ago.

Haven't really had chance to try out performance yet, but have to say the MkII is a much more refined car overall.

Still see the Mk1 everyday as I sold to to someone at work.

I think the Mk1 is always going to be more of a 'cult' skoda car in the eyes of the VW boys and is definately more suited too it, the MKII is more grown up IMHO..

Go for the upgrade, I dont think you will be dissapointed, for me always petrol over diesel unless your doing at least 15-20K per year.

Thanks for the info great to have some feedback. Coincidentally I'm also looking for one in Race Blue, they look great in that colour.

Thanks for the info great to have some feedback. Coincidentally I'm also looking for one in Race Blue, they look great in that colour.

Just an update on this subject. Ordered a new Octy VRS (petrol) in Race Blue at the end of March taking advantage of the 20% off, can't wait for it to arrive. Unfortunately it does'nt look like we will get our hands on it until end of July, I think people are beginning to realise that Skodas are no longer a joke. Thanks everyone for your advice will update once I have a chance to do some miles, hopefully I will be walking around with a big grin for a while.

Had a Mk1 and now on my second Mk2, when I tried diesel it seemed very noisy... I understand latest generation of engines as in FL are much quieter but I stuck with petrol. The Mk1 was very civilised and comfortable but the Mk11 seemed more prone to road noise ( an issue with all VW cars using that chassis ), there are many threads on here about that and tyre choice combined with geometry check can much improve that. Even people with near new FL cars comment on the tyre noise and was the only aspect I felt was a backward step... it can be sorted though and worth doing.

I think people are beginning to realise that Skodas are no longer a joke.

I think a lot of people worked that out about 5 or more years ago, but welcome along anyway!