Octy 3 - Advanced Info. from CZ.

[Falkster]

Oh well that pretty much means my first vRS will be my last. Love the car but just enough power for me without throwing my warranty away.

Hi mate, you must be due for change soon?

[Moley RUFC]

Hi mate, you must be due for change soon?

Hi Andy,

Yeah I can change anytime between now and next Christmas and I was ready to order the 'new' vRS for middle of next year but I've had a bit of a promotion at work and this means I'm free to choose between petrol and diesel for a change.

I've enjoyed the vRS but in both petrol and diesel it doesn't feel enough so I've narrowed it down to 3 potential cars each for different reasons not just speed.

1) Range Rover Evoque - Useful on the Lickeys when the weather comes in!

2) Focus ST Estate - good space in the boot and highly rated in the press

3) Merc C250 Estate in AMG Plus guise - similar to the Ford but next level up in terms of quality and I love the petrol engine twinned with the 7 speed auto

You enjoying yours still?

[rob_e]

Range rover looks good but a decent spec car is a lot of money (especially when compared with a skoda!)

ST estate - I looked at one of those, nice engine, good handing according to the magazines but the boot is tiny compared to the skoda and its more money plus the interior looks cheap. Oobster has one now I think?

Merc - spec one up and it's hugely expensive for what it is in my view.

[Jockdooshbag]

Hi Andy,

Yeah I can change anytime between now and next Christmas and I was ready to order the 'new' vRS for middle of next year but I've had a bit of a promotion at work and this means I'm free to choose between petrol and diesel for a change.

I've enjoyed the vRS but in both petrol and diesel it doesn't feel enough so I've narrowed it down to 3 potential cars each for different reasons not just speed.

1) Range Rover Evoque - Useful on the Lickeys when the weather comes in!

2) Focus ST Estate - good space in the boot and highly rated in the press

3) Merc C250 Estate in AMG Plus guise - similar to the Ford but next level up in terms of quality and I love the petrol engine twinned with the 7 speed auto

You enjoying yours still?

I love the evoque but it has one small issue that stopped me buying one - The cubby box inbetween the front seats is a really awkward shape and size. You either have to have your elbow resting on it which means its too high to be comfy or you have to jam your elbow against your side but this isnt ideal either. Was a shame as i really liked it but i just couldnt get comfy in it. I have my seat right back as im a tall bugger so maybe these problems arent relevant if the seat is further forward but it was such an issue i cut the test drive short and took it back. I still think its the best looking car on the road plus you dont have to go mad with options to get a decent one as the bog standard one still looks good and can be got for under 30k.

[classic]

Many years ago I read about Audi developing an engine that would "drop" cylinders when power wasn't required (e.g. just cruising along at 60) or become a 6 stroke when power wasn't required (again cruising at 60). The 5th and 6th strokes were just circulating air. (Suck, squeeze, bang, blow, breathe in, breathe out). Obviously burning less fuel would mean less emissions. Maybe it's finally come to fruition?

This technology is already used in other industries on Diesel engines. On the railways for example, some diesel trains with Cummins engines have a system where fuel is not injected to some cylinders under certain conditions. I have to say though they do sound like they are running unevenly when this happens, so I would hope the Skoda/VW system is more refined....

[Kiwibacon]

Dropping cylinders on a diesel doesn't gain much of anything. On a petrol it reduces pumping losses greatly. The bigger the petrol engine, the bigger the gain.

[Matt Bodycombe]

Thanks; just read the test of the 1.4 140bhp engine with cylinder deactivation in the Golf and Autocar says it is a very gutsy engine. I am not sure about all that cylinder de-activation technology though: if it goes wrong i can't bear to think what the cost would be...

[krob2]

..and also the change from chain to belt for TSi seems to me to be a retrograde step. I believe VW say it will last the "lifetime" of the car - I wonder if this will be guaranteed or they will backtrack when they start failing...

[Matt Bodycombe]

Is it a belt cam now? That does not sound good though the ford 1.0 ecoboost is a belt but runs through an oil bath so they say it lasts the life of the car. Might be the same thing or might be a cost saving measure. I hate cambelts myself: such a costly business when you could have a chain :(

[h5djr]

Skoda have very little if any say in the design of the engines they use. As with most of the cars in the VAG stable they use engines designed and built by Audi at it's engine plant in Gyor in Hungary. Audi have used belt drives on most of their engines for many years.

[Kiwibacon]

Timing belts are used on a ludicrous number of engines worldwide, failures are rare when they are changed as they should be. Timing chains however can last longer but wear and get longer, retarding the cam timing as they do so. A number of car companies have also had issues with timing chain tensioner failures and even complete timing chain failures.

These are very expensive to sort out compared to a timing belt failure. Even replacing a timing chain tensioner can be an engine out and sump off job.

[Matt Bodycombe]

I guess though with regular check ups the above should not happen and surely that is cheaper thank £300 plus every four years for a belt? I know the 1.2 three cylinder HTP and the 1.2 SOHC 8v TSI engines are Skoda made and designed and run a chain. I think the 1.4 TSI may be a VW or Audi designed engine but also runs a chain for the moment at least. As I said Ford are running a belt on the 1.0 Ecoboost which is lubed and is supposed to never need changing. i guess only time will tell...

[RapidRonnie]

Skoda have very little if any say in the design of the engines they use. As with most of the cars in the VAG stable they use engines designed and built by Audi at it's engine plant in Gyor in Hungary.

http://new.skoda-auto.com/en/news/2012-12-03-new-gas-engines

[h5djr]

Obviously engine production is expanding in the cheaper Eastern European areas....

http://www.audi.com/...ants/gyoer.html

Edited 4 December, 2012 by h5djr