Anyone downgraded from a fast car to a VRS?

[Orville]

The VRS TSI Estate has been ordered but I have past history with faster cars, most notably the 3dr Sierra Cossy and Impreza STI IV. Since then I have owned several "comfort cars" but nothing notably sporty. I wonder how many others on here have owned more sporty cars than the VRS, what they were, and how they compare (in terms of owner love, more than performance). I don't think that I can ever own a car which has more character than my old Impreza STI IV. I curse the day I sold it and decided to became "more practical".

[999pooch]

I think you hit the nail on the head with 'practical', as that is exactly what the Octavia vRS is.

I went from a FL TSi vRS to a FL S4 (3.0 V6 supercharged). I mapped both as I lust after after a bit of poke

The Octavia in standard form is a luke warm hatch / family car which won't set your pulse racing, but also does everything well (thar word practical springs to mind again). The engine is easily mapped to 250bhp / 325lb and really does go well, making it keep up with some more hotter versions. But handling and traction lets it down, and unless you want to carry on down the modding route in can be really frustrating.

I left the vRS for my S4 for the very reason just mentioned and don't regret it. I lost some practicality and fuel economy for a very well put together car that handles its power comfortably (now at 411bhp).

Don't get me wrong the vRS is a great car if you want a practical car that does most things well, but something tells me you want something more

[cortina63]

Have you still got the cossie?,love rs fords,the vrs is definately lower league to what you mention,but is fast enough to loose you your licence,and will make up time over the quicker cars by doing less fuel stops

[philbes]

From 1986 to 1989 I had a Sierra XR4x4 as a company car.  Not particularly fast by today's standards despite its 2.8 litre engine (only 150hp and around 170 ft.lb torque!) and I think the 0-60 was around 8.5 seconds, but certainly a car I enjoyed driving.  The traction in the wet certainly left a few RWD BMWs behind on the exit from roundabouts.

Edited 10 October, 2013 by philbes

[terrycollins999]

Previous cars for me include Audi RS6, Subaru ST & Jaguar S Type R..... Each car has its highlights and can be enjoyed. Currently waiting delivery of Octavia VRS TSi, also own a 2013 Focus ST Estate...

 

Terry

[Orville]

Have you still got the cossie?,love rs fords,the vrs is definately lower league to what you mention,but is fast enough to loose you your licence,and will make up time over the quicker cars by doing less fuel stops

The Cossy disappeared one night whilst I was waiting for a Chinese takeaway. Funny thing (now) is that I saw one exactly like mine driving slowly past the takeaway as I was waiting. Imagine how annoyed I was 5 mins later...

Edit: It was s D-reg 87 Moonstone blue 3dr, bog standard, immaculate. It took me 10 years before I could love another car. Both it and the Subaru were special cars, totalling more than the sum of their parts. They both had character which can no longer be reproduced.

Never did see it again.

Edited 10 October, 2013 by Orville

[SKODAGLO]

just changed cars about a month ago from a subaru impreza classic to a mark1 vrs amd i must say i miss the scoob .....

[loadswine]

I've just sold my turbocharged MR2 Roadster, was usefully rapid and handled well. 240 horses at just a ton was fun. Currently waiting for my Octy VRS, hoping it will do the job of that and my Roomster combined.

[swedey]

Blah!

What's with the scoobys...

LoL

I went from an evo 8,to a octy Vrs....Why because the evo was too slow..and didn't give me what I want..excitement!

:-)

[Orville]

Blah!

What's with the scoobys...

LoL

I went from an evo 8,to a octy Vrs....Why because the evo was too slow..and didn't give me what I want..excitement!

:-)

For me, the biggest plus about the scooby was the sound created by the boxer engine. It was the reason I bought one over the faster and better handling Evo 6 (which sounded like high pitched dyson under hard acceleration). The Scoob was a symphony of popping, farting and full-on man-music. It was like having a mini TVR but without the AA man following you around on every other trip.

 

I think that many Subura owners move to VRS's because they are a more practical alternative, offering some of the performance, whilst being more refined, more spacious and cheaper to run. Hopefully the VRS will beat 20mpg, which was about the max I achieved from a tank in the Impreza.

Edited 10 October, 2013 by Orville

[kenny]

The octy is a great all round brisk family car. I've gone thru a few since my mk1 but it does do a lot well if bit fantastically.

As for outright pace and grip is where it may fall down but if u want space, and understated car it's a fine choice

[Lady Elanore]

I went from 2 Scooby turbos (the original 1994 model was one of them-shows my age as I bought it new) to  mkIV Golf GT TDi. It was a bit of a shock to the system. but I quickly adapted to the super comfy and economical Golf. It was built like a tank and in 1999 it even had a Sat Nav - it impressed a lot of men in those days (more so than I did apparently )

 

It took me quite a few years before I got another car with similar performance, but I have to say I didn't regret the move to the Golf, even if it was a 'tad' slower

[swedey]

Have to admit....

I did have a classic wrx scoob 11 years ago...

Did sound nice..(hks super dragger) ..but that was it.

[Furbytom]

I've just sold my turbocharged MR2 Roadster, was usefully rapid and handled well. 240 horses at just a ton was fun. Currently waiting for my Octy VRS, hoping it will do the job of that and my Roomster combined.

Just read this through abit too quick and thought you said you had a 240bhp turbocharged Roomster lol. Now that would be a laugh as a sleeper haha!

[aidangill]

Had a mondeo ST and a Mazda 6 MPS previously, miss the MPS most but the VRS gives me plenty of poke and to be honest I need good mileage doing nearly 200km to and from work and with 2 kids..... did anyone mention the boot  

With age comes "more practical"....

[Lady Elanore]

I'm seriously thinking about going from a 350CDi AMG Sport Plus to a Yeti when I next change cars

[BossFox]

I doubt if the 3 door cossy as a standard car was as quick as a petrol Ocy VRS.

 

Factor in the age it was made in, the brakes, the suspension... I'd put my money on the Octy.

 

So not much of a downgrade really.

 

 

Scoob STI, yes that is a quickish car.

[BossFox]

I'm seriously thinking about going from a 350CDi AMG Sport Plus to a Yeti when I next change cars

 

Is there much AMG in that, or is it a branding exercise with wheels and trim?

[Lady Elanore]

Is there much AMG in that, or is it a branding exercise with wheels and trim?

 

 

The engine is bog standard :( (although 460lb/ft of torks is nice anyway ) but they fiddle with the suspension etc and bits you can touch. It's a bit like BMW sticking M against their 330D. Cheapens the brand really, but I guess they all do it now. I still haven't forgiven Fiat for ruining Abarth :(

[BossFox]

Bet they sell plenty of them though.

[Lady Elanore]

Bet they sell plenty of them though.

They certainly do. The Merc deals were astonishing when I got mine. Actually the deal on the real AMG C63 was fantastic on a PCP and I could actually afforded to get one but then I worked out with my annual mileage I wouldn't be able to afford to run it :(

[thaiffer]

I've had in the past the fabia vrs tdi, clio 197 cup, megane 250 cup, currently got an altea fr tdi, looked at the bmw m135i and merc amg a45 before going for the sensible option of a tdi vrs mk3. A customer I visit regularly has the latest C63 and I've gotta say it looks the business!

[sniperpenguin]

Im going from an MG TF (no s******ing at the back!)...to a vRS diesel estate.

 

Had my share of runabouts in monster cars (Bro-in-law used to stash his cash as equity in shrewd motor purchases.... bought a car, ran for 12mths, sold at a profit).

 

Borrowed / used for weeks the following over the last 4yrs:

- Radical (Track obv!)
- Hayabusa based Kit car (Westfield clone)
- M3 Tourer

- Lotus Exige GT

- SLK (AMG kit)

- Audi TT Quattro S-Line

 

He is currently rocking around in a Nissan Skyline (sorry.... "GT-R" ) with a stage 3 upgrade. Im sorry, but that is one SCARY car.

 

The above list isnt meant as any kind of brag, just pointing out that there are plenty of ways to get the speed rush. Im keeping the TF as it's given me 55K miles (pretty much trouble free, bar consumables)... I've customized it to high heaven and will likely keep it as its the most fun car I've ever driven.

[Davidsr20]

The Vrs is a great family car all round. I never taught I'd thrive diesel until I drove a 170 Vrs. Was impressed from day one so bought a 2007 Octavia Vrs tdi and now have a 2012 Vrs tdi.

I always had fast jap cars and never taught I would hit the euro cars but it just happened.

My previous jap cars were.

99 Nissan skyline GT-t 2.5 turbo 280bhp

99 Nissan silvia s15 2.0 turbo 250bhp

93 Toyota mr2 turbo 240bhp

93 Nissan pulsar Gti-R 220bhp.

00 Nissan pulsar Vzr n1 200bhp

[spitzie]

TVR Cerbera to mkII diesel vRS hatch to mkIII diesel combi