Just wondering really. A few months ago taking to a salesman he said it was a slow burner and that many were put off by the fuel consumption over the Mk1 and the DSG box. However he said most people who took one for a test drive bought one. Now it seems there's plenty being sold, presumably to the no VAT offer. Don't think I'd have bought one otherwise.

So why did I decide on a vRS Estate?

• Getting bored of my vRS now. Fed up of the colour (silver) and a few little things need doing like console bushes (again), strut top mounts, etc. Wanted something that handles better too.
• Went for the estate because I have a kayak. Don't like how the roof bars go round the pillars. Plus the estate is marginally faster.
• Cost - No brainer really. A sub 15k hot estate. Far cheaper than the Polo/A1 and it's essentially the same. I have the money to do it now so I though why not. I deserve a treat after the year I've had.
• I think I'm turning into a Skoda fanboy. I often recommend some form of Skoda to family/friends/ work colleagues.
• Inconspicuous - Sort of. It's not that well known unless it's the green like the one in the adverts.

It just ticked so many boxes for me. I still have people turn their noses up when I mention it has DSG but I think they'll have a shock as to how good it is. Just got to wait 4 months to show them.

What were your reasons?

I know mine isn't a VRS but I set out to buy a derv... drove the 1.2 TSI 105 and was blown away, can only imagine how good the 1.4 TSI is!!

So why did I decide on a vRS?

I was getting tired off having a car which was breaking down more often then it was running. Add the fact that it had done over 300000 km and that it had 300 hp aswell...

I went for the hatchback cause I really liked the design off the thing! Besides , it's perfect size for me and my girl!

I keep following the first post here aswell , the cost compared to the Mini Cooper S and Polo GTI is staggering!

I have had loads off people at work testdriving the car and they all love the engine-gearbox combo , how can you not love it really?

I wanted a discrete car... oh wait...

People actually is turned down by the badge , but when they testsit / testdrive it , it all comes clear to them.

The handling , the power , the size off the thing (It's bigger on the inside!) , the tuneability... The list goes on!

What were your reasons? x)

For me it was the test drive,i actually wanted a yeti but the minute i put my foot down in the vRS i knew it was coming home with me asap.

lol - you like these new threads don't you

Value for money, practicality, looks, speed, dsg!

What else can I buy for sub £15k that's brand new and a fast estate?

Granted I could buy an S4 Avant that's a few years old but I don't want to!

, the size off the thing (It's bigger on the inside!)

The TARDIS lol. If I'd had it in Race blue it would be

lol - you like these new threads don't you

Sorry lol can't help it

OK why I bought a vRS :

Cost - With the VAT free offer the car really is in a league of it's own, nothing brand new in my opinion can offer the same bang for it's buck. It also works out to be CHEAPER to run this than my old 1.4 Ibiza sport (on paper).

Engine & DSG Box - I know quite a few people would like a manual box but I think the engine and DSG box work so well together, sport mode is insanely quick, loved how it kicked me back into the seat. It also proves that you can have economy with power.

Fresh Look - I don't see many vRS's around (I know they haven't been out long) and it's nice to have something that not a lot of people have seen up close. I think the looks are very understated and it will surprise a few people!

It's the first proper hot hatch I will have owned and I look forward to the day I finally pick her up

Been out for a year in June? Well, launched in June anyhow

I decided the Wife needed one as I have an Octavia PD TDi Vrs and now I have the best of 2 worlds, different cars though but her's is now my Weekend Car

Cunning Eh!!

Been out for a year in June? Well, launched in June anyhow

Well still only a year :p but I live right near a Skoda dealership and hardly see any

I bought one because I like waiting for months on end for a car I've almost forgotten I ordered :-D

It's finally arriving on Friday though, so all is forgiven, probably.

In all seriousness I bought ours because you can't find an automatic, powerful, comfortable hatch for less than £15K anywhere else.

It wasn't so much a choice as a foregone conclusion...

Was looking to get a second car for the weekend, MX-5, Clio 172/182, an Imprezza or even a Cooper S (none would have been new) but then thought about it seriously such as having to run another car with all the costs involved and where to keep it.

so then for some reason i had a strange notion that skoda were VAT free so i took a look at the web sote and sure enough they were. so, then my plan changed from having a third car in the family to maybe getting shot of the vectra and moving onto a vRS. the figures stacked up financially, fuel economy was going to be on a par with my then current car (when you drive 20,000 + miles a year it is something to think about but don' mention diesls, they are the devils work) and the fact that Skoda have come a long way since their involvement with VW. So off to the dealers for a test drive and what fun that was. So a vRS was ordered, and then a week later the dealer offered me the showroom car a very good price which i certainly could not refuse.

i now have a new vRS, which on a £ per BHP ranking is absolutely excellent, smashing little car. But, getting used to the DSG is taking a while to get the best out of it. Would have prefered a manual, but now experimenting and it is going fairly well, but i would prefer the paddles to remain fixed rather than turning with the wheel to make life easier. Positioning is proably fine for a racing car where the steering lock is very small, but where you are three turns lock to lock the paddles very quickly become out of reach if you are feeding the wheel round.

Its a 180bhp estate that doesn't scream boyracer, and hence my wife will allow me to own. For under £15K. Like the man said, it's a foregone conclusiom.

You did order a green one though so watch out Mr.Boy Racer

You did order a green one though so watch out Mr.Boy Racer

True. I just couldn't resist a little er... Loudness.

Nothing complex from me....

Why did I buy one??

I wanted a faster Skoda and I like being different.

Simple really

Just wondering really. A few months ago taking to a salesman he said it was a slow burner and that many were put off by the fuel consumption over the Mk1 and the DSG box. However he said most people who took one for a test drive bought one. Now it seems there's plenty being sold, presumably to the no VAT offer. Don't think I'd have bought one otherwise.

So why did I decide on a vRS Estate?

• Getting bored of my vRS now. Fed up of the colour (silver) and a few little things need doing like console bushes (again), strut top mounts, etc. Wanted something that handles better too.
• Went for the estate because I have a kayak. Don't like how the roof bars go round the pillars. Plus the estate is marginally faster.
• Cost - No brainer really. A sub 15k hot estate. Far cheaper than the Polo/A1 and it's essentially the same. I have the money to do it now so I though why not. I deserve a treat after the year I've had.
• I think I'm turning into a Skoda fanboy. I often recommend some form of Skoda to family/friends/ work colleagues.
• Inconspicuous - Sort of. It's not that well known unless it's the green like the one in the adverts.

It just ticked so many boxes for me. I still have people turn their noses up when I mention it has DSG but I think they'll have a shock as to how good it is. Just got to wait 4 months to show them.

What were your reasons?

My reasons were pretty much the same as yours, substitute Kia 1.6crdi Proceed (competent but dull car) in the first line and substitute dog for kayak in the second and its spot on

I had run a late mk1 oil-rig from new for 3 years and 30k. In all honesty it was frugal or brisk but not fast and didn’t handle. Its taken me many diesels to understand that big torque in a small rev range can impress but does not necessarily make a fast car. Yes there are exceptions and I know its possible to modify them to be better but I don’t have the time or patience for this. I need the car to do its job straight out of the box.

So, intrigued by the potential of the 1.2TSi engine to solve the issues with diesels at the cost of a few mpg I went to buy one. However my arrival at the showroom coincided with the release of the VRS! I had to try it, you know, just to have a go, thats all.

Sadly I have spent too much time boring people with MPG tales running diesels. The new VRS blew all this rubbish away and re-awoke the petrol-head within. Relentless acceleration, OMG how fast are we going, all power band, grippy, stoppy and techy. Frugal for a quick car, frugal for an auto.

Bought for its engineering, not for its looks, which is just as well. Fortunately this is a car you want to drive all the time, so you spend all your time on the inside looking out, not on the outside looking at the dumpy shape on stilts.

Twin-charge noise! Whine-whoosh-wheredego?

9 months, no regrets and no points yet either which is a bonus.

The TARDIS lol. If I'd had it in Race blue it would be

Hehe , I'm a big Doctor Who-fan .

I DIDN'T buy a Vrs because for a 15k car i wasn't impressed with the dull interior which is the same quality as the basic 9.8K car.

and i think that the mk1 interior is better too!!!

also although quick, it really didn't excite any of my senses and the first fast corner i took it understeered too much.....

the problem was that at the time i was comparing it to a 17k 170bhp Alfa Mito, and the Mito sounded sexier, had better economy figures,

definately felt quicker, was far superior in the corners finally; the leather seats, bose sound system and stylish interior just make it feel so much more special.

i really really like the Vrs, it's certainly a bit of a sleeper with it's understated looks and i would certainly recommend it to almost anyone, but for me and considering i will only ever own the car under warranty the alfa just ticks more boxes for me(mainly cos praticality and reliability are low in my priorities)

Was after a small estate car to replace a VW Polo, both currently drive and like VAG products so looked to replace it with one.

Looked at the Ibiza ST first, good car but build quality isnt brilliant and is bland looking compared to the hatch; compromised the looks by turning it into an estate. Missus would have had one (she likes Seat's) but I refused.

Skoda really was the only other option. Looked at the Fabia and was impressed at the build quality and range of engine and spec choices. Also big motivator was the VAT reduction. Originally looked to get a 1.2 TSi DSG Elegance estate but around the time we went to test drive one Skoda put the vRS on the VAT deal.

Missus wasnt too bothered but I liked the idea of a cheap 180ps DSG small estate car, drove one and I was sold. Missus thought the ride was too firm so we were at logger-heads, she wanted a 1.2 TSi I wanted a vRS. All came down to finances at the end of the day, wife said we'll have whatever was cheaper per month and strangely the vRS was (well it has a better resale value after 3 years). Signed on the dotted line there and then.

For me a £14.5k 180ps DSG 140mph small estate car is a no brainer, its a bonus it also drives extremely well!

Sonners points regarding the Alfa Mito are fair enough but for one the Mito is tiny and impractical as a family car, it's also not as quick as a vRS, the Multiair system is very clever and makes the engine feel more muscular than it actually is on paper. It's also commonly known that whilst the Cloverleaf is a massive improvement over the early models, its steering feel and throttle response are still quite flawed as the DNA system isnt particularly well resolved. Also I cant see an Alfa being as reliable as a Skoda, they've come along way but they still arent what you'd term a paragon of reliability. As with all Alfa's residual values will be poor after 3 years too. Lots of reasons I wouldnt buy one.

Pipsy i did state that practicality and reliability are low priorities for me anyway, but i do agree a Mito is far from a family car.

perfect for a single male 22yr old.

in regards to not as quick as the Vrs, on the Track i would put my money on the Mito over the Vrs everytime, the 0-60mphs are very similiar

though i guess the Vrs might just pip it on a straight(not by much though)

the Mito currently has the highest 1yr residuals in it's class!!! (according to parkers guide 1st feb figures)

though a matter of opinion i would say the DNA on the Cloverleaf is well resovled enough, not Clinical/German but good enough.

unfortunately most new small cars have electric power steering meaning they all suffer from a lack of feeling to some degree, it's why i find my felicia so much better to drive than the mk1 Fabia.

Pipsy, take it from me, one thing for sure is that the Mito is simply more surefooted than the fabia is, it has a mulitude of electronic gadety to help but i wouldn't dare take a Vrs(or my MR2 or Porsche) down a bumpy single lane country lane at speeds in excess of 12*mph in the heavy rain.

Edited 27 April, 201115 yr by Sonner

This will be my second vRS purchase. It wouldn't have been if: -

1. I'd decided to keep my Octavia vRS CR (Which was an outstanding car)

2. I hadn't chopped it in for the vastly inferior SEAT Ibiza FR TDI that I drive now

So, why a vRS Fabia Estate? Well, In all honestly, I probably wasn't looking to buy one this time last week. To be fair to my wife, I've been moaning a bit that I can't stand my car, and somehow, after many discussions, I'd pointed out that Skoda's were still VAT free, and I did fancy, (originally) the Fabia Hatch, because the price was very attractive (14K).

In the end, I decided on the estate for the following reasons: -

1. The estate offers a lot more practicality, a little bit quicker, but I'd imagine there would be a very small trade off for handling - but reviews don't seem to suggest this. My wife is having a Citroen DS3, so we need at least one car that offers some practicality. And, in fact, I like the look of the estate more.

2. I love DSG. I had one in an older car, and again, regretted parting with that. I only did so because I decided to have a new car as the one I had was out of warranty and was hitting 60K. Probably could have kept that running for plenty of time longer.

3. I love Skoda's. To be fair, they have never let me down, and despite my rather high attrition rate when it comes to motor vehicles (I've been averaging a car a year for the past few years :( ) I've had a few Skodas, and I keep coming back every time.

4. The overall package. £14.8K for a brand new, well specced, 180bhp DSG Estate? Yes please!

That's about it really

Pipsy i did state that practicality and reliability are low priorities for me anyway, but i do agree a Mito is far from a family car.

perfect for a single male 22yr old.

in regards to not as quick as the Vrs, on the Track i would put my money on the Mito over the Vrs everytime, the 0-60mphs are very similiar

though i guess the Vrs might just pip it on a straight(not by much though)

the Mito currently has the highest 1yr residuals in it's class!!! (according to parkers guide 1st feb figures)

though a matter of opinion i would say the DNA on the Cloverleaf is well resovled enough, not Clinical/German but good enough.

unfortunately most new small cars have electric power steering meaning they all suffer from a lack of feeling to some degree, it's why i find my felicia so much better to drive than the mk1 Fabia.

Pipsy, take it from me, one thing for sure is that the Mito is simply more surefooted than the fabia is, it has a mulitude of electronic gadety to help but i wouldn't dare take a Vrs(or my MR2 or Porsche) down a bumpy single lane country lane at speeds in excess of 12*mph in the heavy rain.

Fair shout Sonner if you preference an Alfa Mito that's your choice.

I grew up with Italian cars; my father had Alfa Romeo's for years, Sprints, Suds and 33's and my first cars we're a Lancia Y10 and a Fiat Uno, later on I also ran a 2002 Fiat Punto Active Sport for about a year. Back in those days Alfa's were an emotional purchase, yes they werent particularly reliable but they had a little something about them that no other mainstream car could offer, basically heart and soul......they were frankly **** cars though! One of the 33's rusted so badly at 1 year old that it had to have a complete respray and one of the Suds caught fire and burnt to a shell shortly after my Dad sold it!

My Lancia was awful, had loads of electrics, none of which worked properly. Started to rust away to oblivion too. The Uno had no electrics whatsoever and was galvanised and I think that was the only reason I never had really serious trouble with it (apart from a cooked head gasket at 55k). Even the Punto had loads of niggly little things wrong with it, would go in, get fixed and the problems would occur again a little bit down the road. Other than nice seats wasnt a particularly great car if I'm honest. Moved to a Corsa C SXi and it was leaps and bounds better. Swore from that point I'd never have another Italian car again.

If I'm honest the real problem with Alfa's is that whilst they are much better than they've ever been they still arent built particularly well and they dont have that soul that they had back in the 80's...they are simply spangly redeveloped Fiats which isnt a good thing in my book.

My brother who works in the trade also says Alfa's are to be avoided as no one wants to touch them once they are 3 years old, once they are out of warranty they are a nightmare as they keep breaking and cost a fortune to put right, thats why their residual values are so poor compared to their peers.

I'll stick with my german derrived cars thanks, at least when I go out to drive it I'll know it will start and everything will work....and more importantly it will be saleable in 3 years time.

Edited 27 April, 201115 yr by pipsyp