Octavia vRS - just a boring sensible family car...

[rob_e]

mine makes me smile every time i drive it.... i think it also depends what you have owned ir driven before. gore me my vrs us the most powerful and quickest car i have driven or owned... so can't compare to any others:D

Sent from my phone....

Not necessarily.. I've had a lot of stuff in the past that is faster and better in the twisties than the vRS, but I still really love my skoda. Why? Well, all of the other fast stuff I've had came with a whole bunch of other compromises - ie they cost a bunch of money to buy, a massive amount to run and weren't practical day to day.

The skoda just nails it for me right now - fast enough to be fun, handles well enough to give me a smile on a b-road, rides well enough to be livable for my 30k miles a year, cheap as chips to buy and run compared with its competitors, big enough for kiddie clobber and trips to the tip etc etc..!

It also manages to be incognito - only people who know their cars realise its not a base-spec plodder and it does not draw the attention of plod when you're making progress.

Best car in the world? Probably not but for me, right here, right now, yes - 100%.

[AdyP]

Would quite like to see a Quattro version with the 5-pot TTS engine in it though

How Q-car would that be!

[Paul007]

I've got the use of a Fabia vRS at the moment and like the Seat Leon FR I had recently, the ride is awful unless it's on a surface like a snooker table when it's acceptable. The longer wheelbase of the Octy gives a much better ride and you can get far more in....even if the Fabia does handle like a go-cart and give me the "***** this is quick" feeling. Know which I'd rather have. The Octy feels more expensive inside too. Having upset all the Fabia II owners, I'll dash.

[dubbers]

.....The skoda just nails it for me right now - fast enough to be fun, handles well enough to give me a smile on a b-road, rides well enough to be livable ...... cheap as chips to buy and run...... big enough for kiddie clobber and trips to the tip etc etc..!

Gotta agree to this completely :-).

I've arrived at the vRS after a serious downsizing activity. Which included in past 12 months Alpina D3 BT, X6 40d and a B7 RS4. The running costs were insane compared with vRS - and I am staggered by what is offer in terms of vRS - equipment (inc retrofit opportunities), performance, economy, sensible service and maintenance costs. Yes, the Alpina nails anything for ride comfort/handling for its price, yes the X6 gave a turn of speed for a 2 tonne 4x4, and the B7 was great at Nordschliefe. But, this decade for me, will be about the cash profile for motoring - the vRS is absolutely the sweet spot. I consider myself to have entered a learned company with this car. :-)

Ed

[AdyP]

Gotta agree to this completely :-).

I've arrived at the vRS after a serious downsizing activity. Which included in past 12 months Alpina D3 BT, X6 40d and a B7 RS4. The running costs were insane compared with vRS - and I am staggered by what is offer in terms of vRS - equipment (inc retrofit opportunities), performance, economy, sensible service and maintenance costs. Yes, the Alpina nails anything for ride comfort/handling for its price, yes the X6 gave a turn of speed for a 2 tonne 4x4, and the B7 was great at Nordschliefe. But, this decade for me, will be about the cash profile for motoring - the vRS is absolutely the sweet spot. I consider myself to have entered a learned company with this car. :-)

Ed

Wow some serious beasties you owned there. I doubt you are the only person taking a break from big horsepower, big running cost cars. Nobody can really criticise anyone's choice on that especially when money is often a hard thing to justify blowing on something non-essential like a fun car.

Enjoy the new wheels mate! All said and done a good choice.

[rap1]

Haha! Yep that kind of gives it away if you don't recognise the subtle little grille badge as well. No wing on the Combi, so even more sleepy. Although in black my mother in law said it looked like a hearse!

She is invited to ride in the back of the car next time she says that...seats folded flat

Those are exactly my thoughts and also what MY mother-in-law said about my black vRS Estate )

It is a great car especially mine with its huge spec which would have cost me a fortune to fit on my BMW 3 series. Much better ride comfort on the vRS.

[vectra1]

Gotta agree to this completely :-).

I've arrived at the vRS after a serious downsizing activity. Which included in past 12 months Alpina D3 BT, X6 40d and a B7 RS4. The running costs were insane

Ed

I actually have a soft spot for those D3's BT

Were the running costs high on that? I would have though it would be on par with the vRS or thereabouts.

[skodafab]

I love my vrs ok its a diesil but who cares mind you l dont get to drive her that often as am self employed and have to drive a van most of the time so the wife gets that pleasure and she loves it too would l have another well this is my second so yes not a problem

[dubbers]

I actually have a soft spot for those D3's BT

Were the running costs high on that? I would have though it would be on par with the vRS or thereabouts.

On the D3 BT Tyres every 16k miles - only Michelin PS2 available at £300 a corner (and supply of the tyres is very restricted for Alpina spec michelin rubber). Great car, but did 30k miles in it and spent nearly £2.4k on tyres alone before expense on regular BMW service costs.

[vectra1]

On the D3 BT Tyres every 16k miles - only Michelin PS2 available at £300 a corner (and supply of the tyres is very restricted for Alpina spec michelin rubber). Great car, but did 30k miles in it and spent nearly £2.4k on tyres alone before expense on regular BMW service costs.

16k miles.. That is all I got out of my front on the vRS ( bridgestone ) Did not cost me 300 per corner.

I think that put's paid to a D3 for me

[AdyP]

Those are exactly my thoughts and also what MY mother-in-law said about my black vRS Estate )

It is a great car especially mine with its huge spec which would have cost me a fortune to fit on my BMW 3 series. Much better ride comfort on the vRS.

Hmm...maybe there is a business there in carting off Mother-in-laws to a better place

[timkeay]

I've been an owner of a red 06 plate vRS for a couple of weeks now and am also loving it.

As others have said, it seems to be the perfect mid-point between practical family car and hot hatch. I was originally looking at the Seat Leon FR, but they were about £2k more than what I paid for the vRS. Plus, the extra boot space is excellent. Never would have normally considered owning a red car, but I'm growing to really like it - makes the darker colours look a bit dull.

I had originally wanted the diesel version for the added fuel economy, but got scared off by all the reports of DPF problems. I only do short runs around town and whilst the petrol vRS only returns around 17 mpg for stop-start town driving, to me that's better than a repair bill for DPF issues.

Anyway... going slightly off topic now!