Engine size and spec request for best 2nd hand Octy

[littleade]

Maybe the 1.8 is not so popular in UK because of the higher road tax £170 per year as opposed to £135 for the 1.4 ?

and of course Insurance group 22 as opposed to Group 16

Higher insurance too than the 1.4 and deisels (except the 170ps, though my car tax is £135 too ). I read recently the chancellor was looking at the road tax because loads were buying low tax cars so he's not getting the revenue he once was we could get stuffed again sometime soon :think:

[g0bgb]

I read recently the chancellor was looking at the road tax because loads were buying low tax cars so he's not getting the revenue he once was we could get stuffed again sometime soon :think:

I think your correct more and more people are choosing cars by road tax and insurance costs , and the tax bands will be looked at in the future, at present my Motorcycle costs more in roadtax than my Car Bike £76 Car £0

[Tom Tallon]

Interesting comments here which made me think about my own motoring history.

Basically people seem to be saying that you get a car/engine combination which is optimum ie an Octavia with a 1.4 tsi engine. It goes to 70 (the limit!) quickly but is economical, lively and good to drive. Anything over this is indulgent and more expensive which is not to say its wrong particularly if motoring is your hobby.

In a previous car, I chose a new audi A4 with a 3.0 tdi engine and 233 bhp. The salesman thought I was mad and asked what sort of caravan I had! I did it to get an automatic A4 with quattro 4 wheel drive which meant I had to go up to 3.0 tdi to get all the components.

I think a lot of us have an inbuilt prejudice against small engines but this will change. Just recently i read the new golf with a 1.4 turbo is sensationally lively.

I'll accept the 1.4 tsi as a really useful car but I still can't get my head around a 1.2 Octavia!

[littleade]

I think your correct more and more people are choosing cars by road tax and insurance costs , and the tax bands will be looked at in the future, at present my Motorcycle costs more in roadtax than my Car Bike £76 Car £0

Ah yes the inequality between car and bike tax. unfortunatley bikers are too few in number, so the chances of geting a fair deal from number 11 are somewhere between slim and none as there's no votes in it, so he'll keep bleeding you even though they're good for the environment, especially in cities! I had a fireblade for 5 years late 90's early 00's, the £500 a year in insurance and running costs like a new set of tyres at £200 a go every 3k got too daft, went to a beemer until i gave up my leathers and I've now got a mountain bike!

[littleade]

Interesting comments here which made me think about my own motoring history.

Basically people seem to be saying that you get a car/engine combination which is optimum ie an Octavia with a 1.4 tsi engine. It goes to 70 (the limit!) quickly but is economical, lively and good to drive. Anything over this is indulgent and more expensive which is not to say its wrong particularly if motoring is your hobby.

In a previous car, I chose a new audi A4 with a 3.0 tdi engine and 233 bhp. The salesman thought I was mad and asked what sort of caravan I had! I did it to get an automatic A4 with quattro 4 wheel drive which meant I had to go up to 3.0 tdi to get all the components.

I think a lot of us have an inbuilt prejudice against small engines but this will change. Just recently i read the new golf with a 1.4 turbo is sensationally lively.

I'll accept the 1.4 tsi as a really useful car but I still can't get my head around a 1.2 Octavia!

I'm thinking along the same lines as you - 1.2 it's got to be missing in some department (probably flexibility?) as it's got less power and torque than the 1.4- Ford are at it too with 3 cylider ecoboost engines etc, which appear to do a good job if you believe shows like 5th gear who did a straight line speed test against the outgoing engine, though I suspect this may to some extent eventually settle down a bit as people start to live with these in the real world and discover their limitations and possibly decide it's not such a good idea afterall, but I think we also have to recognise that many people just look at a car as a means to get to work, from a to b with the kids, shopping, dog etc and actual driving pleasure is low on the list of priorities. It's all relative I guess- I had an astra 1.4 hire car recently and that was absolutely dire in all ways, it was so low powered it was actually tiring to drive, I was so glad it was only for 1 day. Made my ex 1.4 seem like a plush rocket in comparison which led me to wonder who'd actually spend money on a car like the astra in that spec. Frightening really!

[g0bgb]

Ah yes the inequality between car and bike tax. unfortunatley bikers are too few in number, so the chances of geting a fair deal from number 11 are somewhere between slim and none as there's no votes in it, so he'll keep bleeding you even though they're good for the environment, especially in cities! I had a fireblade for 5 years late 90's early 00's, the £500 a year in insurance and running costs like a new set of tyres at £200 a go every 3k got too daft, went to a beemer until i gave up my leathers and I've now got a mountain bike!

spot on thinking , but I do so few miles on the bike in winter its a waste of money so thinking about only taxing bike 6months april to sept or may to oct only

well F1 are going to 1.4 what a total joke , long live indycar 3 lt

Agree 1.2 octy does not sound right

[Stubod]

Hi all,

..and thanks or the continued good input...although with every reply it is getting harder to decide rather than easier!!!!

...however , I think I may have found the ultimate compromise?????...a 1.8 petrol, with an LPG conversion...petrol smoothnes and refinement, with diesel running costs.....worthy if further investigation me thinks......trouble is the good old government will now stick loads of tax on LPG....

Thanks again...

Stu

[g0bgb]

MMMMMMMMMMMMM LPG 74.9P in petrol stations even cheaper in Hgv Farm suppliers, good size tank in the wheel well sorted

[karlbar2k]

If you were doing higher miles then the 1.8tsi can be converted to LPG. Makes for a far better car than any of the diesels and when you take out the difference in price petrol and diesel then the conversion is not so bad.

[Aspman]

I had an astra 1.4 hire car recently and that was absolutely dire in all ways, it was so low powered it was actually tiring to drive, I was so glad it was only for 1 day. Made my ex 1.4 seem like a plush rocket in comparison which led me to wonder who'd actually spend money on a car like the astra in that spec. Frightening really!

Plenty of people don't think very much even when making a big purchase like a car. If it's slow then they just drive it everywhere in low gears and get crap mpg. Many of the mpg figures you see now are in fantasy land because you just can't or won't drive in the way the figures were achieved. The reality is that it's often easier to drive economically in a more powerful car although the VED takes no account of that at all.

[ItalianJob]

The 1.6CR is a fine engine. I had one before my vRS CR.

The 1.6 is smooth, quiet and I think would be powerful enough for your day to day needs. I think it's more petrol like in it's driving characteristics.

We've just bought an estate version SE Connect at work, took it for a spin to Liverpool and back to Middlesbrough and it averaged 62MPG and it's only now got 300 miles on the clock. It should

be ever better when it's run in.