1.6 MPI change for TSi?

[Hoddhead]

Last summer I changed my beloved 2001 1.9 TDi Elegance for a 1.6 MPI estate when Skoda were doing their 25% off deal. I broke one of the golden rules and bought it without test driving it (the dealer didn't have one available), but the deal was very good and I got on with it. The lack of power frustrated me and if I had test driven one I'm not sure if I would have bought, but I liked the quiet, refined petrol engine, and thinking the economy would get better, I happily plodded on. I did contact a dealer about a possible exchange for a 1.4 TSi, but his offer of £2k less than I paid (after just 7 weeks) against a 6 month old pre-registered car was a bit insulting IMHO. :wonder:

Fast forward another 6 months and the MPI now has just over 7k on it, and is still a nice drive..but I am struggling with the combined lack of 'good' economy and power. I can accept that you trade one for the other and it's a balancing act...but this engine doesn't really do either! SWMBO even said she had thought about overtaking something the other day, but didn't as she wasn't sure there was enough power!

My options are now:

(a) stick with the MPI and the 3 year service plan that I got with it for £12/month for 30 months, accepting that the performance will be as it is, and on a run I can expect between 42 and 44 mpg..or

( look at chopping it in against a nearly new 1.2 TSi (less tax, better economy/performance), or a 1.4 TSi (slightly more tax than the 1.2, but livelier performance, better economy than the MPI), or I have seen 1.8TSi models (much improved performance, with around the same fuel economy, and slightly less tax).

© chop in against a new 1.2 TSi through a broker...

Having got a good discount when buying new, will that translate into not losing too much if I trade in, or another round of insults (I do understand that dealers have a living to make, but really...)?!

What do folk here think - grateful for all opinions :think:

[P&N]

depends what you think you should get.

What were they going for IIRC £11k.

problem is dealers have them up for sale at £8.5-£10k 11 reg with around 10k on the clock.

(OK some dealers want 11k plus second hand)

The ones that had the extra might get a bit more.

There are still a few new ones about look like they are around £12k

[GroundHog]

If you can afford the hit on the depreciation, which may be more than you think as dealers will be aware of how much it cost in the first place with the discount, then I would say go for a 1.4TSI. This is by far the best compromise between power and economy, and you don't want to go through all this and then end up with an engine which you still find is a bit underpowered like the 1.2TSI might be with, say, a fully loaded car. The 1.8 is lovely and so much faster than the 1.6 MPI, but the economy, tax, insurance and chances of being pulled over by the police because you've accidentally tonned it down the motorway, are also much more. I'm not quite sure why you have the 1.4TSI as being more tax than the MPI, but the 1.8 being less though, as the 1.8 will also be higher.

Edited 5 March, 2012 by GroundHog

[Hoddhead]

Thanks - Meant 1.4 tax was slightly higher than the 1.2, rather than MPI. All are cheaper than the £190 for the MPI! 1.2 is £115, 1.4 £130 and 1.8 £165..my local dealer is giving me a call to discuss this afternoon. Don't want too much of a depreciation hit (I know there will be some - I bought it from them!), or I won't be able to afford to change. With the 20% off deal at the mo the prices are comparable to the broker. On the configurator as well the jumbo box appears as a no-cost option as well - as long as you also spec the 3.5mm no-cost jack

[GroundHog]

You should have the 1.8TSI in a Scout - tax is £210 per year! :no:

[Hoddhead]

You should have the 1.8TSI in a Scout - tax is £210 per year! :no:

But at least you get some performance for that!

[GroundHog]

Oh yes - lots

[Hoddhead]

Oh yes - lots

Dealer has just called. P/x value less than I'd hoped unsurprisingly meaning cost to change for a brand new one is a no-no :(

He did mention used Skoda fleet vehicles, and the 1.2TSi DSG..which I hadn't thought about. Anyone got any experience of that engine with the DSG?

[Hoddhead]

Anyone able to offer some real world economy figures for the 1.8 TSi (non-Scout)?

Have seen a couple of these available, and small increase in insurance is offset by slight reduction in road tax, and on paper it's slightly more economical but with performance a world apart!!

Edited 8 March, 2012 by Hoddhead

[Grizzle]

Thing is with these "no vat" offers the markets flooded with Skoda's so used car prices are rock bottom.

[matthewA]

Economy on my 2011 Elegance Hatch is about 38.5mpg at the moment - see http://www.fuelly.com/driver/matty678/octavia. It is 6 months old now and 6000 miles, it started at about 34.5mpg and has improved month by month so far. This is on a mix of dual carriageway, urban and rural roads. The maxidot reads a little optimist at 40.5mpg.

[SBirch]

Anyone able to offer some real world economy figures for the 1.8 TSi (non-Scout)?

Have seen a couple of these available, and small increase in insurance is offset by slight reduction in road tax, and on paper it's slightly more economical but with performance a world apart!!

According to the Maxidot I get 41MPG on a mix of 1/3 city driving and 2/3 busy S/E motorway stuff mostly taking it easy. The MPG drops to mid 20's for short journey in the city. I checked the Maxidot against brim to brim and found it 1-2MPG over optimistic. so Mattews 38.5 for a newish car for a mix of driving is about right.

Simon

[preston334]

Dealer has just called. P/x value less than I'd hoped unsurprisingly meaning cost to change for a brand new one is a no-no :(

He did mention used Skoda fleet vehicles, and the 1.2TSi DSG..which I hadn't thought about. Anyone got any experience of that engine with the DSG?

I just part ex my 1.2tsi dsg. It is a cracking engine and had no issues with the dsg. A few of my mates thought it was a 1.6 or more. After 5k on the clock I was averaging 40mpg locally around the south Wales valleys. Did a trip from south Wales via Pembroke to Londonderry on 3 quarters of a tank and that was with the 2 of us and fully loaded car. Only changed it because the dealer I got it off did a good deal on a octavia Vrs tsi

[ruffday]

Anyone able to offer some real world economy figures for the 1.8 TSi (non-Scout)?

Have seen a couple of these available, and small increase in insurance is offset by slight reduction in road tax, and on paper it's slightly more economical but with performance a world apart!!

It depends how you drive it. I get between 35-40 mpg.

But I do drive it hard on motorways and A roads.

I do around 300 miles a Day.

If you take it easy 40 plus on a run.

[Hoddhead]

Thanks, chaps. Useful to know the real world consumption for the 1.8 is so close to the 1.6 (even if it makes me jealous!). Even SWMBO said today that as she was driving out of town having achieved about 28mpg in the MPI having been stuck in some traffic, she thought that we might as well have a 1.8 if it wasn't going to be any worse!

Thinking caps now on...cannot help but feel the MPI is on a limited lifespan with us now :|

[mdk1]

You could join Freedom and advertise it on here.

[Hoddhead]

You could join Freedom and advertise it on here.

Thanks and indeed I could - but given the knowledge of the limitations of the 1.6 engine on here I'm not sure there'd be much of a market for it! Local dealer has just got a 1.4 TSi DSG estate in anthracite...mmmmm...just need to get the right cost to change figure worked out perhaps!

[Hoddhead]

Ho-hum - a weekend spent mulling this and a 'running cost' spreadsheet created to look at the variants and the savings to be made. Using official consumption figures (which I know aren't often attainable in the real world, but are a consistent source for each of the engines) I can save almost £600 a year by switching to the 1.2 (includes a £75 RFL saving), just over £300 in the 1.4, and a little bit even for the 1.8!

So...what are folk's real world experiences of the 1.2 TSi in manual or DSG form? I'd be looking at an estate, and think I'm almost ready to take the plunge, swallow the depreciation hit and move on! :S

TIA

[tony2311]

I have a 2011 1.2 dsg, its quick enough for everyday use and will supprise a few people when you put your foot down as the gear change is excellant and the car just goes , we average 38mpg with mostly town driving,

[Hoddhead]

Emailed 5 dealers with suitable 1.2 TSi models yesterday. Heard back from 2 with ball-park part-ex valuations of between £8 and 8.5k. One has dropped his asking price to bring the cost to change down, but I'm still looking at adding a fair amount to the car in order to change.

Perhaps I was under the illusion that depreciation wouldn't be too bad, having got a healthy discount - maybe I was just naiive! I've always kept cars for years, so depreciation has always been there but after tens of thousands of miles, and purchase price a distant memory. Swallowing £300/month depreciation over 8 months is a bit much, so it looks like the MPI is staying for a while, so that when I come to change and the depreciation figure is there to be seen, at least I'll feel I've had some use out of it!

Thanks for the input anyway - a TSi will probably be the next stop in a year or two!