I picked up my 'new' Octavia 1.9TDi Elegance with loads of extras on Monday. It is my first diesel and despite it being 105bhp it feels less willing than my old 1.6 petrol Toledo. The Octy has 8000 on the clock. Am I driving the Octy wrong. Is there a different technique needed to get the best from a diesel?

Other than that the car is superb. If I could get rid of the Skoda badge on the wheel i could easily imagine myself in a quality make (like Audi or BMW). I wonder do Skoda have low profit margins to allow them to make the cars such good quality as their lower selling prices?

Other than that the car is superb. If I could get rid of the Skoda badge on the wheel i could easily imagine myself in a quality make (like Audi or BMW). I wonder do Skoda have low profit margins to allow them to make the cars such good quality as their lower selling prices?

??? In my opinion' date=' Skoda [b']ARE [/b] a quality make.

JD

If I could get rid of the Skoda badge on the wheel i could easily imagine myself in a quality make

Why imagine? You already are in a quality make..just be thankful your not staring at a Merc badge !

??? In my opinion' date=' Skoda [b']ARE [/b] a quality make.

JD

No Skoda is not a Quality Make it is a Budget Make that makes Quality Cars (unlike some Quality Makes that make rubbish cars...........thinking of Saab).

No Skoda is not a Quality Make it is a Budget Make

I don't know about budget - most Korean car manufacturers wipe the floor with Skoda prices...

Rob.

Is there a different technique needed to get the best from a diesel?

Diesels don't pull off very well from a standing start, especially if you just floor it.

I have the 105 TDI and once rolling it goes very nicely indeed. I use a gentle press of the accelerator to move off and once rolling if necessary then use the accelerator much more firmly.

I am on my third diesel and have got used to the gentle start technique.

Once rolling you can cause all sorts of fun by leaving BMW Cortinas (sorry 1.6 or 1.8 3 Series) standing.

Use the low-down torque and change up earlier than you would in a petrol.

I don't know about budget - most Korean car manufacturers wipe the floor with Skoda prices...

Rob.

I know they are more expensive than in the old days, just as the cars are much better quality, but that is not how your average person on the street see them. Unless a Skoda owner themselves most people will see the badge and think cheap budget car. In fact I would bet that more people think this when they see Skoda than with Kia, Proton, Hyundai etc because for years Skoda and Lada were the only two real budget makes on sale.

I think the best way to think of it is that you are getting 2nd class cars (ie not Jag, Merc etc) with a 5th class badge. I often think VAG should have binned the Skoda name just as GM has done with Deawo. With a fresh bade the Octavia, Fabia etc could have spoken for themselves rather than had to fight from under a heritage of sub standard communist cars.

The didn't get rid of SEAT and they were ghastly Fiat copies for decades, just like Lada's although at least they did keep a bit more up-to-date with copies of 131, Panda, Strada and Regata. Who remembers those ones now?

The didn't get rid of SEAT and they were ghastly Fiat copies for decades, just like Lada's although at least they did keep a bit more up-to-date with copies of 131, Panda, Strada and Regata. Who remembers those ones now?

That is true with regards to Seat, however I don't think Seat ever had the bad image that Skoda had. I would say that Seat in the old days probably deserved a worse image than it had and Skoda a better one than it had, but that is not how it is or was.

In any case is it true that Seat just made versions of Fiat, I seem to remember that at the same time that they had a Panda look a like they sold a bigger car that looked very very like the VW Golf. I have always assumed that was the start of the relationship with VAG???

That is true with regards to Seat, however I don't think Seat ever had the bad image that Skoda had. I would say that Seat in the old days probably deserved a worse image than it had and Skoda a better one than it had, but that is not how it is or was.

That depends who you talk to! I know previous owners of the original Ibiza who had such bad experiences they'd never have another vehicle with the SEAT badge. Mind you, they now drive a Renault Sc

My wife drove a soft topped Panda and loved it. She dragged me to the Fiat dealer when the new one came out, but she thought that it was crap compared with the original. I am at a loss as to why she liked it so much, it chewed clutch cables and despite not seeming to have any leaks, needed the water topped up virtually every day!

Did they do those here? I remember hiring one in Tenerife (well, a SEAT one which was more like a Jeep/pick-up the way the roof worked - just a tarpaulin over a crude frame which was then bungy-strapped one clips along the side!); comfort was not exactly one of its fort

Did they do those here? I remember hiring one in Tenerife (well, a SEAT one which was more like a Jeep/pick-up the way the roof worked - just a tarpaulin over a crude frame which was then bungy-strapped one clips along the side!); comfort was not exactly one of its fort

Oh right, I'm with ya now

I think you need to do at least 500 miles before the engine loosens up properly.

I was initially disappointed with my 2.0TDi but now its flying.

All the diesels I have had needed a few thousand on them before going well.

Incidently, check the oil level regularly. I have found they can use quite a bit until bedded in

Ooops

Should have said 5000 miles

Ooops

Should have said 5000 miles

My car is a 6 month old demo car with 8000 miles on the clock, so it should be well run in. I think it is just that I am not used to either a diesel or a car that uses a turbo to boast the engine performance.

Generally don't overrev it, keep it on boost, and ease in the accelerator, rather than 'petrol-style' flooring it. It will just smoke otherwise

Not sure about the next bit - isnt the 1.6 Toledo petrol a fair bit lighter than the Octy with the 105 PD engine in it?