After being registered here for 9 years I have finally bought a Skoda. So sort of a new boy.

March 2012 Octavia vRS in Black Magic with DSG and rear parking sensors. Think the steering wheel controls and Maxi-dot are standard with DSG?

Pick it up tomorrow (Wednesday) and drop off my p/x 2005 Honda Civic Type-S (sob, sob). If the vRS is as reliable as the Honda has been I will have no complaints. Bought at a year old and 10K miles and in 7 years and 74K miles the Civic has only needed normal servicing, tyres, wiper blades etc. with the only repair being replacement drive shaft CV joints at around 65K miles that cost a total of just under £300.

However, I am a bit nervous regarding the long term reliability of the DSG gearbox as I intend to keep the car for 5 years or so. And also keeping the black paint clean enough to look good.

The only way to keep the black paint clean is to wash the car and then put it straight back in the garage!

The only way to keep the black paint clean is to wash the car and then put it straight back in the garage!

I'll bear that in mind, although I will have to clear some crap out of the garage before the vRS will fit in. My current 2005 Civic only just fits.