I currently have a octy 2 1.9tdi 4x4 that I am thinking about replacing with a superb 4x4. The car will have to be able to pull a bailey pageant s7 champagne (1418 kg)

At the moment the octy does a good job but it is now time to replace it with something newer.

Recently I saw a superb elegance estate 2.0tdi (170) 4x4 for sale at a dealer. 6 months old and they wanted £23.5k for the car with about 5k on the clock. I didn't think this was a good price as there weren't any extras apart from metallic paint. Drive the deal were doing a new one for about £1.5k extra.

Do you think I could get it down to £20k (no p/x)

Alternatively I could go and get the 1.8 4x4 with lots of toys for less money brand new (obiviously it would be more than 20k).

I do on average 16k a year so the break even point between petrol and diesel is 4.7 years. My commute is about 34 miles a day along A and B roads traveling at 60 for at least half the journey. The other mileage is usually 450m ish trips to our other offices around the uk and the rest is commuting and towing the caravan.

This is a long winded way of saying what do people think of the 1.8 4x4 as a tow car as per the above. I also plan to keep the car for at least 6 years.

Any help, advice would be great fully recieved.

Lee

Hi milesunder.

If you are a member of the Caravan Club, they did a review of the 1.8TSI DSG Estate (not 4x4) in January 2011 that can be accessed on their website. They were impressed with it. It has max torque of 184 ft lbs between 1500 - 4500 rpm so should be more flexible than the TDI. You will be towing at about 92% weight ratio as it has a kerb weight of 1545kg. Fuel consumption will be worse than the TDI about 36 solo and 23 towing but I think the car will be more sporting to drive. I tow with an old 1.8t Octavia SLXi auto and get similar fuel figures. The car is the best tow car I have had and has excellent pulling power across the full rev range from 1750rpm and is great fun solo. Apart from fuel consumption I think that the new turbo petrol engines are better than the diesels.

With regard to dealer discoounts, you'll find them hard to come by on any Superb (but especially the diesel). People have cottened on to how good they are. The days of dirt cheap Skoda's appear long gone!

Hi there,

I strongly recommend that you get a longish drive in the 1.8 4x4 before seriously thinking of buying the car. I know this sounds like common sence, but i wanted a quick change from my previous Octavia Scout diesel to a Superb estate and a dealer had a 1.8 4x4 in at a great price.

To cut a long story short (ish) I bought the car and after a week or so with it was not a happy bunny. It was not a bad car, far from it, it drove well and was beautifully quiet, but having driven diesels for years it was a very different driving experiance (having to rev the car and work the gears to get the car moving) and the fuel consumption was 35 at best (on a run) and a lot worse around town.

The dealer had a 30 day no quibble swap policy and I now a have (a significantly more pricey) 170 TDi 4x4 and love the car. I get high 40's and over 50 on a run and it pulls like a train.

On the towing aspect, I'm sure the 1.8 will do the job, but the diesel will do it in a more relaxed fashion.