I'm a Skoda devotee, having owned an 02 Fabia 1.9 TDI Estate with 183k trouble-free miles from new and a 58 Octavia Estate on 28k.

We are moving to live permanently in France, from this summer, and I want to buy another new LHD Octavia 1.9 TDI Estate.

Because prices in France are quite high and what will be our new local dealer is some distance away from where we'll be living and doesn't have a brilliant reputation, I thought of buying here; our local UK garage confirms that there would be no problem sourcing a new LHD Octavia Estate.

My main concern is about warranties and what limitations there might be on a UK-sourced car which was exported to France. However I'd really appreciate any thoughts on all or any of the following questions:

1. Does anyone know where I might be able to access and compare the warranties for UK-sourced and French-sourced Skodas? (On the phone, Skoda UK were pleasant enough, but not massively helpful.)

2. Does anyone have any experience of doing what I'm planning or anything similar?

3 The last question is stupid, probably, but I've never really sold a car, as I've either driven them into the ground or traded them in when buying new, so what would people recommend as to the best way to dispose of the Octavia I mentioned above? It's 58, pre-facelift, 19 TDI Elegance Estate, about 28k, 2 new tyres and genuinely immaculate, having been larded with multiple coats of Collinite wax in the first few months after purchase. I'll need to get rid of it in July.

Sincere thanks to anyone who takes the trouble to read and offer any ideas.

I can very much relate to your desire for the 1.9 TDi, but do they still fit this engine to the Octavia, i.e will you be able to buy a brand new 1.9?

If you are able to source a LHD drive Octavia from a UK dealer can you not put your current Octavia towards the cost as a P/X?