Yo,

As part of the new job, I'm looking after part of some grounds round the offices. Our house manager managed to destroy his 4x4 in an act that has left him licenseless for a couple of years. I really like my Octy and really don't fancy the company palming me off with a L200 type thing.

There's no major humping around logs, just pulling cars off the lawns when wet and up the drive in the snow. (We never needed a winch on the 4x4 pickup)

Today I saw an Octavia 4x4 2.0 6speed for not a huge amount of wonga more than mine should be. (but we'll leave figures aside for the time-being, lest there's accusations of selling stuff. It would be a trade-in anyway).

It seems that the 4x4 is comparable to the Elegance spec. The only major difference I could see was the 4x4 has Columbus on-board (oh and silver trim on the HVAC knobs - oooooooooo shiney!). Obviously the 2.0 gives more torque etc, which would be nice. With the 6speed box, where does the extra gear sit? Is it lower than 1st/higher than 5th compared to a 5speed, or are 1st and 6th the same as 1st and 5th and everything is geared better inbetween? (if that makes sense)

How much extra servicing does 4x4 need?

Any draw-backs to 4x4? (I've read things about tyres needing to be fairly evenly worn and replaced as a set.)

What over-head does 4x4 put on the economy? (Recently seen average of 74mpg on my 1.9 in a 70 mile run)

Other than the obvious advantages of 4x4, does it bring anything else to the party? Would it fare better on the cash 'n' carry runs than the hatch?

At the moment it's just an idea to toy with, as I'd also need to get the company to spring for the extra it would cost, but as it's less than buying a whole 4x4 thing outright, I'm kinda 60% hopeful I can get it signed off.

Thanks guys! :)

The only additional servicing is a Haldex oil change every 40,000 miles. I'm about to get mine done for £70.

The rest is the same as any other 2.0 PD TDi Octavia.

As long as tyre wear is even on each axel then there are no issues, its when two tyres on the same axel are of different tread depths (therefore of a different rolling radius) can problems occur. My Scout actually wears all four of its tyres evenly meaning they are replaced all together anyway.

The increased ride height and additional weight of the drive train reduce MPG by quite a bit. The 2.0 lump is thirstier than the 1.9 anyway, add the height and weight of the 4x4 and it'll only go one way. My Scout averages early 40's but that is mainly pootling around.

The good thing with the 2.0 is the 6th gear so if you spend a lot of time on the motorway this goes some way to reducing the economy gap between it and the 1.9.

The 4x4 get's 16" alloys, add to this to the raised ride height and it looks a little odd to me, this is why I went for the Scout, with it's bigger wheels and body kit it 'looks' more fit for purpose. It depends what is most important to you.

Despite the estate having the same floor shape as the hatch with it's lower load lip and additional space above the window the estate is the better load lugger. I have both an estate and a hatch and we can get more in the estate and find it easier to load and unload.

Edited 16 July, 201213 yr by silver1011

Hi - I've had a 2.0TDI (PD) Elegance estate and I now have 2.0TDI (CR) Scout.

Things I have noticed are:

- the Scout feels a bit heavier and isn't as quick off the mark. The old PD has peaky power delivery and this combined with 2wd meant quick starts albeit prone to wheelspin.

- the Scout does not feel quite as stable on the M-way as the old car, partly it needs a bit extra throttle over 75mph (on private roads) and if you do need to change direction quickly, it will roll more and is slightly less responsive. It's a small compromise however.

- the change in fuel efficiency is obvious from the CO2 figures, comparing like for like the Elegance was 145g/km whereas the Scout WAS 173g/km. However with the new CR engine that drops to 155g/km. In practice that means high 40s, low 50's mpg for mixed runs, which isn't bad at all, but a big difference to the figures you are used to.

- I find that tyres make a huge difference in the Scout's abilities - the stock size 225/50R17 is a performance size really and the supplied Dunlop SP01s are poor on ice and mud especially when worn. If you are looking at recovering stuff, I would invest in some M&S tyres - I got some Dunlop Wintersport 4Ds and they are excellent.

- the hill hold on the Scout is very useful for starts.

- there have been posts on this forum complaining about the softer suspension on the elevated 4x4 and Scout models being a problem when towing or loading up bikes on a towbar.

Reading over these comments, they sound a bit negative, but actually the Scout is the best car I've owned - totally dependable and practical. It's also got me the family out of all sorts of scrapes camping, hill walking, winter travel, etc, so highly recommended. I'm thinking about changing but struggling to find anything that comes close - I've looked at the Passat Alltrack and BMW X3 but the extra £££s are ridiculous. I am going to wait to see the Octavia 3 Scout and then decide.

Thanks guys. I should have mentioned that it's a '57 plate. (sorry)

99% of my driving is on the motorway, and at 60/65 (my days of speed are over now....been there, done that, kept my license.............................just) I understand that the Octavias we're talking about here dont have vRS badges, so outright performance and away from the lights aren't in the equation really

I take it that a remap isn't a major issue with these?

Les, don't worry about sounding negative, it's the negative stuff I'm interested in. To me the 4x4 seems like what I've got, but on steroids (the 4x4 bit) and we all know there are side-effects to those (Plus: no-one's ever complained about the good stuff on their cars)

I think I'd get the company to invest in a second set of rims and tyres for those times she'd be pulling anything out of trouble, it's all private grounds so even spikes/studs could be used without legal issue.

Silver, your information is always valued ;)

(Looks aren't important btw.........I still have The Fun pickup )

Thanks again guys

I think silver1011 and London Les have just about covered it!

Can only agree about how awsome the Octavia 4x4 system is in snow when fitted with winter tires! I live on a 20% hill and every winter there's a few days/weeks when no one can either get a car out or home and this year it was dead easy, however I'd also note that with the standard dunlops, a wet grass/muddy slope, when fully loaded isn't as easy as a proper 4x4 with locking diffs and transfer box. There's a YouTube vid of a paramedic scout getting stuck in that way. But then they do carry a heck of a load!

I'd say the Octy in 4x4 or Scout form is a very usable tool, and a very good compromise all round. Yes the raised ground clearance will make steering less precise and will give a bit of wallow. Yes the extra metal of the 4x4 system alone will add weight and increase fuel consumption, but only to a degree. When I first got ours I was horrified with the fuel consumption when fully loaded with holiday gear and 3 bikes on the roof I was struggling to get 35mpg, and was having to floor it to get any swift progression, but that has seemed to improve gradually as the miles went by. Now I can haul along fully loaded and still get nearly 50mpg. Lightly loaded on my commute, 50+ is usual and the DSG is a boon. Once you've realised it's not a traditional auto or a traditional manual, it comes into its own.

I do find it interesting that some find the 4x4 suspension soft, my scout feels very firm and judging by the amount of building rubble SWMBO and her brother took to the tip in it today, I'd say good at load carrying if the weight is over the axel. In fact SWMBO said it handled better for having some weight over the back. As the Octy has significant front and rear overhangs, towing nose heavy or loading up a towball, may make the rear end act like a lever in some situations. But towing correctly and being aware of this minimises much of the effect.

I remember reading the write up Jezza Clarkson did on the Scout for Top Gear (& I think the telegraph).. And he said it was the only car you ever needed if you bought with your head. I'd not disagree. I bought ours because it fitted my work and home life needs not because I "wanted" one, but it's strange how I'd buy one now with my heart, and unless things change for the worse, it will a hell of a long time before anyone prys the keys to this one out of my hands!

Evening,

I have owned my Scout since July 2010, and it is the best car I have ever owned, bar none.

My daily commute consists of a 100 mile return journey, 80% motorway, 15% A roads and the rest around town. I average about 45mpg (figures used via Fuelly). I find the car very stable on the motorway, does not appear to be affected by sidewinds as much as my Honda Civic. Servicing is per the 2 year service plans, with the added costs of Aircon and Haldex oil at 40k as mentioned previously.

Suspension is a bit soft, but this is ideal when following sat nav instructions and it leads you up 10 miles of farm track, which the car handled with applomb. Apparently!

I currently run two sets of tyres, OE fit Dunlop SP 01's and Nokian WR G2 for winter. Not really got a bad comment to say about the Dunlops, never had any reason to criticise them. However, they would not be my weapon of choice in the snow, hence the Nokian which transformed the car in snowy conditions.

One thing to bare in mind, is that regardless of the fact you may have winter tyres fitted and have 4x4, this all goes out the window when the vehicle(s) in front don't! My 50 mile commute on 6 Dec 10, turned into a 14 hour nightmare. I saw one guy with two spacesavers fitted!

As stated previously, the Dunlops are okay, but they were not that good on thick soft snow with ice underneath. Once the Nokian were fitted I had no problems with the same conditions the Dunlops struggled in, I began to question whether I could have save a few £k on buying an Elegance/L&K and just fitting winter rubber when required. However, this debate was blown out of the water (quite literally!) during the recent heavy rain, where other cars were struggling with the conditions and I just sailed on by, nae torra a ba!

The only way you'll know if it is the vehicle for you is to try it.

Fin

Biggest downside for you might be the ground clearance. The 4x4 is higher than the standard estate, but not as high as the Scout. I've taken mine on rough, unsurfaced farm tracks but I wouldn't venture too far off the beaten track, so to speak. (4x4 has plastic underside protection whereas the Scout has metal).

The Haldex works really well, especially on snow when coupled to winters with M&S rated sipes. (Nokian WR G2 205/60R15 XL haven't let me down).

The suspension is indeed soft at the rear, but fitting MAD Helper Springs fixed that issue for £200 - I supplied them to my dealer who did the fitting.

Can't help with engine/gears/performance as mine is the 1.6TDI CR, but my 'combined' is approx. 50mpg.

Is it ginna be used on road at all? Is it a funded 'company' car?

The l200 types are popular because they count as a van - meaning only tax on 3500 to lay for company car users. For cars you have to pay a % of list (even if you have a second hand car so they almost never work out a good idea.....

65000 miles in 2 years in our Scout, our 4th Skoda & definately the best daily hack we have owned, Its been to South of Spain twice, both times an effortless drive at a whisker & some over the speed limits. The car really came into its own in the bad snow the winter before last but is especially good on greasy wet roads, just seems more planted. If you find one with the Dunlops they are pants if you want to push on, just dont give confidence & the car will howl on roundabouts easily, add to that around 160 squids a corner & they will need to go. We swapped top Toyos & the transformation is incredible, there are other threads on here wher people ghave seen improvements with other brands as well.

Overall a cracking car & massive value for money

Re Remaps the 2.0 diesels have DPF's so you need to research who does it carefully or just get it removed & mapped out which "I believe " makes a massive difference

Edited 17 July, 201213 yr by Stuart_J

When the 4x4 came out I remember being driven round the offroad course at Millbrook and being mightily impressed on standard road tyres. I have some offroad tyres for mine which just fit on locked steering although the higher ride hight of my Scout means that it might be tight on a 4x4. I used 18" wheels for these, but with 16" wheels you won't go far wrong with Hankook Optimo 4s all season tyres which came out well against proper winter tyres. I bought some for my Fun and they were fantastic on a slippy drive.

A 4x4 and a Fun - what a combination. Who needs an L200...