Hi guys I'm looking at a 2000 Octavia LX 1.9SDI - is there anything I need to be specificly looking at during pre purchase inspection.

Are they good cars generally? fors and againsts?

any advise welcome.

BTW as a point of reference I am car wise but new to Octavias and SDI inparticular.

things I like about it - its a Skoda, big hatch, LX is basic so less electrical issues (manual windows etc) Diesel (economic? 50 mpg-ish) sub 100k (just) new MOT shame it's white...

oh yeah has anyone tried these on Bio-diesel or Cooking Oil/Diesel? I know Skoda approve Bio for 1996-2004 cars but would be nice to hear so thoughts.

Thanks for your time.

SDI, so it will be slow..... Otherwise I think engine wise they are fairly bullet proof.

Check all the dash gauges work and the trip computer / odometer / trip distance / etc all works, if the cluster has gone bad, then a bodge is to pull out a fuse, but then it forgets things when you turn the ignition off.

Lights on reminder (open drivers door with side lights on) and then key not in the ignition. - this checks some of the microswitches.

Door the car, the red LED in the drivers door should flash (to show deadlocks has occured). solid red light = microswitch failure, or pressing the lock button twice to disable deadlocks.

Skoda words on bio-diesel: http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/skoda_oil.pdf

General internal dampness..... guess it might have been quite wet in Bournemouth, it has over in Weymouth today!

lx model have glass headlights and ugly looking rear lights, i've owned one of these on a x reg and tbh the light output from the glass headlights at night are utter crap, i prefer the 2001+ facelift model far nicer looking car, and overall the facelift has had were they went wrong, made better, running wise they are great just that puts me off them

WOW! you guys work fast. thanks for input I guessed SDI would be slower but up side is no turbo to go POP! I will check out link thanks.

also something else to consider- there are less pre-face lift cars in scrap yards incase you ever need to source specific items (headlights, front indicators, rad grill, rear tail lights, front bumper [think that is different too])

Given it is a hatch, check the rear wiper - both the motor and the washer jet. Hatch wiper motors tend to fail, and the washer jet pipe and pop a joint underneath the CD changer position in the boot (if fitted), or where it passes through the spindle into the wiper arm.

The diesel turbos don't go pop often, much more likely to have sticky vanes than anything else, imho.

Edited 12 January, 201313 yr by mbames

As Above, hes right, there are less pre facelift models in brakers yards so going with a glx lx slx ect.... parts finding might be a problem, where as with a facelift model you wont be shy on finding exterior parts ect... as the facelift models were made well into 2008/2009

The sdi's aint really slow to be honest but ofc if you have a load then your gona notice, the gear ratios are different from the tdis but they do, do the same mpg, any octavia tdi or sdi i've had has always on the motorway put out 60+ mpg and in town no less than 42mpg

The sdi's gearbox is 'supposed' to be particularly weak. So I'd be very careful testing every gear/change under coasting, decelerating and hard acceleration and listen/feel for anything odd like clunks whines grating stiffness crunching obstructive changes etc. TBH the TDi is a much better car. I'd be surprised if someone didn't pay you to take an SDi off them.

Bought it thanks guys.

Its a bit rough round the edges and a scrape down the left side, it is going to be my commuter and stuff lugger so looks are not too important.on the plus side it has 12 MOT and 6 months tax 4 good tyres and whats there works as it should all for £625

Oh and WOW the boot is huge.

Kandy your post came up as I was typing this Gearbox is sound no odd sounds, all gears engage thanks for your input.

£625 is kinda much for a old pre facelift, i sturgled to sell mines with a full mot and roughly same tax for £500 :S

Sesachc you cant find anything driveable down here for £500 trust me if I could I would have had it.