Do I go for a vRS or L&K?

[Octyman140]

Hello,

I love my skoda Octavia sport which is nice car but it's time to upgrade. Question is do I go for the vRS or the L&K ? I love toys and kit and love the comfort of my sport and. Think I could lose all that with the harsh ride on the vRS.

I wold also like a full leather interior, something that is rare on the vRS but is quite common on the L&K.

I would be looking at the 2.0 TDI 170 for the vRS or 140 for the L&K. DSG preferably.

Any thoughts

[Auric Goldfinger]

Does it need to be a Diesel, I have a Tsi, Vrs with the DSG Box, it's a dream.

[greenstripe]

Buy the L&K -if it doesn't have enough go, then get it remapped.

[Tony Ramsdale]

go for l & k ................

I have a vrs and I may be getting old or maybe because i drive a comfy truck all day but I find it a hard ride....

I would swap mine for a L & k tomorow but the dealers offer you S********* all

L & K cheaper to insure....more gadets......and COMFY

[Tom Tallon]

if you want an L&K, you'll have to look second hand (in UK anyway). There are a number of threads recently bemoaning the withdrawal of certain engines and models including L&K.

I believe VRS models are still available new but perhaps other members can confirm this.

[stever750]

I wouldn't say that the VRS is harsh, it's no wafting XJ for sure, but it's on the soft side of firm! IMO the OE damping is where it is not so great, particularly at the front, as it bobbles around too much for me.

[silver1011]

Yep, L&K is no longer available to order new on the Octavia (still available on the Superb).

The only Octavia's available to order new are the S, Greenline, SE, SE Plus, Elegance and vRS.

I have a vRS and love it's looks and performance, a trade-off is that the ride is a little too hard.

Go for a nearly new L&K and put the vRS rear spoiler on. I saw a black one the other day in black and it looked very smart!

[nickguzzi]

I have an L&K estate, some of the toys are nice, some you only ever play with once ....

The seats, ah yes the seats, mixed feelings about the leather. Strike very cold in winter - the other half like the heatedness, but I don't like a hot bum. The auto adjust feature saves oh, a couple of seconds easy, but may be more than that on a long run where we swop over and might fiddle with the recline or lumbar support.

Two other things I find I don't like. First, the leather if VERY hot after being in the sun, ok the climate sorts it out soon enough, but if you are somewhere where you can't park in the shade and it is hot enough to force me into shorts (upper 20's+ to lower 40's, I try to avoid outside that range). I know I could put a towel over, but looks a bit Skegness and somehow defeats the idea. I have the mylar reflectors which do help, when you remember to deploy.

My Dads old Volvo had some nice sheepskin covers which I think were a factory option and worked well. I used to have a big sheepskin on my bike for when I could manage continental touring on it, and that was fantastic, doubled as a picnic blanket too.

Last and perhaps most irritating is the intrusive side bolsters. Adjust the seat to be nice and comfy in your drive. Then after about an hour that rightside bolster is really digging in - feels like its made of old brick ends. Adjusting the nose of the seat right down ameolorates the problem somewhat, but I always feel its shouldn't be a problem.

Other irks? Still too noisy, I am looking at putting a bit of sound proofing under the rear seat, and maybe the boot floor, but it has been a year.

As to power, mine is the poverty spec engine wise, only 105hp. However it trundles along easily at 90 per on the autobahn, pulls 30 cases of wine up and over the alps. I was going to get it seen to, but don't feel the need yet.

Handling - very soggy, so fitted RARB, great improvement, Suprepro front bushes (similar effect to WALK) and an alignment, great improvement. Now very pleased and satisfied with results so far.

Also fitted the 312mm brakes as the pov spec comes with titchy ones which will fade with the type of use I give them (alps+30 cases of wine)

Would like to have a decent try in a DGS.

Is easier to tweek up an L&K, or add sophistication and toys to a Vrs?

[adamal]

I considered both and opted for the l&k. I'm not overly bothered about power - I like a bit so the 140 engine suited me - and I love all the extra kit on the l&k. The l&k is very economical, to insure as well as fuel and tax etc.

[silver1011]

The OP needs an L&K, I think nickguzzi should have bought a vRS

[DBT85]

I'm very pleased with my 1.8 TSI L&K. Very comfy indeed.

[Paul007]

My last but one car was an Elegance - the sales guy was open and honest and said it was better value - more kit for less money. Not sure if that's still the case but we thought the L & K wasn't worth the extra.

[blackspaven]

I'm very pleased with my 1.8 TSI L&K. Very comfy indeed.

x2.

Always had in mind I could re-map it to perform exactly the same as a standard vRS anyway, and most of the toys you just don't get all together on another model, making it an easy option. Specced up a vRS to something not even close to a standard L&K before I bought it and it came out much, MUCH more expensive! Coming from Recaro's in my golf, I didn't like the seats in the vRS either.

No brainer. Well, for THAT engine anyway.

[Octyman140]

Ok, thank you for all your messages, I have driven the vrs diesel and petrol and the a petrol and diesel l & k. I have decided that the l&k offers much more and a far better ride and comfort, the problem with the one I was looking at and test driven it was very high mileage for a 10 plate I am off to Lincoln later to see if a 2.0 TDI fits the bill.

Interiors a bit brave though

[P&N]

Hughes Aylesbury have just got one in 08 50k estate dsg. asking £11k went on the web at £10k initialy

Looked ok from the outside and has a few extras, IIRC nav,sunroof and front sensors.

also the light leather online spec does not match the car I looked at briefly over the weekend.

http://www.hughes-group.net/used-cars/view/522990/Skoda-Octavia-20-TDI-PD-Laurin--Klement-DSG

[Tom Tallon]

Don't worry Octy,I have new l&k on order with exactly the same interior e.g. Light grey with black facing.So you wouldn't be alone.

one of the big criticisms of the Octavia is that the inside looks drab and dark. Tend to agree so whilst not my best idea of an inside, the light grey will at least lighten the dungeon like look of older Octavias.

Others will of course disagree.

[studmuffin]

I've got a vrs, and after reading all these posts, I feel like I'm missing out on something that the L&K has got and my vrs hasn't ! The only thing I would like on mine is maybe maxidot, apart from that its got all the goodies I need ...

As soon as I saw the mk2 vrs, that was the only skoda I wanted, so I haven't got a clue about the spec levels or anything else !

All I know is I've got a vrs and its bloody good....

[JezF1000]

Visually the VRS's look better, they go better and they handle better.

Also likely to have stronger residuals so I'm happy to sacrifice a little in ride quality for all the above.

Although its nice to have things like elec seats, you barely notice you don't have them to be honest.

That grey leather looks awful if you ask me!

[Tigger25]

vRS......No contest.

[Paul007]

That grey leather looks awful if you ask me!

It will do after a few thousand miles unless you keep on top of it.

[Tom Tallon]

I have had an Audi A4 for four and a half years years and the light grey leather still looks good even though I never clean it!!! People even compliment the look of it to my embarrassment.

If the doom merchants are right and the Octavia leather goes belly up after a short while, it can only mean that the Skoda accessory leather is far inferior to the sort used by Audi.

Anybody with light grey leather out there who can give us the benefit of practical experience?

[adamal]

Mine is still very tidy, 08 plate with 95k

[Octyman140]

After a week of hunting I still haven managed to find one that fits the bill.

I went to see o e in Croydon south London and that had black leather but mileage was high and price just seemed excessive for an 10 plate.

[Yeti_Man]

Having owned a VRS for a couple of years and having driven an L&K recently, Id have the L&K, no contest but different people wnat different things from their cars. One of my gripes with the VRS were that the VRS seats werent supportive enough over any proper long distance. By comparison the L&K seats are like armchairs. Other dislikes of the VRS are inherent in the vehicle design for me so apply to both. The VRS is certainly the sharper handling of the two, the L&K trades that for ultimate ride quality/comfort.

Edited 12 July, 2012 by FocusZtec

[P&N]

if octavia are not out there what about a superb, seem to be a few around at decent(ish prices) but with a few miles on.