VRS Estate Dilemma

[Bigtimmy]

Morning all,

 

This is my first post here so I'll give you a bit of background.

 

A bought a nice 57 plate VW Caddy a year ago and a week later the wife told me she was pregnant, great news but not ideal transport. Apparently strapping the pram in the back of the Caddy isn't going to happen!

 

So here we are and Jnr is now 17 weeks old, I've bought the wife a "nice" Citroen Nemo multispace for trundling about in and she loves it.

 

I now need to find myself something to drive which has led me to this forum.

 

Having had an Impreza (great fun but juicy and not very big) and a couple of other sporty cars I would hate to find myself in something dull a dreary for the next 5 years.

 

Having looked about the place and always liking the Skoda VRS I started to look at newish ones for about £12k which is the budget.

 

I spend a lot of time trundling about the lanes of North Wales but do make 20 - 30 longer journeys to other parts of the country.

 

I'm currently confused about which model to go for. 

 

Do I go Diesel or Petrol?  I'm set on a manual box but don't know whether the potential DMF and DPF issues down the line might make the petrol option a better and simpler option.

 

Please could I have some advice from those in the know.

 

Apologies for rambling on a bit

[LGM]

If your spending a lot of time on motorways racking the mileage up the diesel is what you are wanting. Do you know about the DSG box?

[Bigtimmy]

Thanks for the reply LGM, I know there is a DSG box available on both the petrol and the diesel but have not really looked into it as an option.  Is it worth a look or should it be avoided?

[dunc69]

If you're doing shorter journeys, avoid diesel. What is your annual mileage going to be?

An AA man recently told my father-in-law to avoid diesels altogether. Said a high proportion of his breakdowns were due to ever-complicated diesels going wrong!

I love the DSG box. Relaxing when pootling, lightening changes when pushing on!

Try one!

And welcome to Briskoda!

[rob_e]

Vrs is a fantastic choice for a drivers car that still does a great job as a family wagon.

I'm on my second (petrol manual both times). Two kids also

Lots more info on my ph blog.

[Dazzle daz]

Petrol all the way for me, had my vrs estate for 1 year now and it is better than I imagined, my mpg is logged on my phone app and the average over 8450 miles is 32.4 which is quite good for a 200bhp estate car, Got a mate at work who has a focus st and he wants a vrs cos he only gets 24mpg and its no faster.

[Wooody]

I would not write off DSG particularly if you are after a newish car with warranty. Mine is a CR vRS diesel manual but had a go in an A6 DSG with the same engine. The only things that impressed me about the Audi were the DSG box and the seats.

[neil_f]

I've got a petrol hatchback and find it has plenty space. Do a lot of camping holidays and wife and I have just had our first kid and easily swallows all the stuff. I do 20k miles a year. Should maybe a bought diesel but wanted back to petrol to do a few trackdays as well. Last few cars have been diesel. Managed to almost drive from glasgow to cornwall on one tank....filled up about 40 miles before cornwall. Economy isn't great if you do a lot of short journies but I regularly average 400-450 miles out a tank and can get 500 if sitting at 70-75 on motorway. Mine is remapped as well.

[pipsyp]

Id probably say as an all rounder a manual CR TDi is probably the one to go for.

Not as fast or fun as the petrol for sure but equally far from a slow car; decent mid range punch and makes a great mile muncher, also no one can argue in terms of cost of ownership it will cost you less to run. Its not the most frugal diesel car in the world but mid to late 40's realistic mpg is not to be sniffed at in a car capable of 140mph. Id also suggest that mileage wouldnt play much of a part in the overall decision....a diesel will typically cost a bit more than a petrol to buy but will be worth more when you come to sell, it'll do 100-150 more miles per tank quite easily at similar fill cost and they really dont suffer with DPF issues (CR's at least) as people might lead you to believe.

DSG makes the car very easy and relaxing to drive but i think the manual cars are overall the better steer; id probably not pay the premium for DSG if I had my time again. Probably mates better with the TSI engine in all honesty.

My only real grumbles with the car is that is not particularly refined; the vRS isnt that well sound insulated so engine/road noise is not as well suppressed as it could be; also in damp conditions the diesel can struggle to get its power down; my DSG combi will light its tyres in 3rd and trouble the traction control in 4th if provoked hard enough, the torque overwhelming traction and XDS only doing so much to reduce torque-steer.

Otherwise its great, just think of it as a stretched MK6 Golf GTI/GTD with more rear legroom and a huge boot (combi or hatch), for the money its a pretty unbeatable combination. If you're not overly bothered about mpg and arent a fan of diesels in general id say TSi is definitely the way to go; otherwise the TDi probably makes the best case for itself. You'll have to try them for yourself and see which makes most sense.

Edited 5 November, 2013 by pipsyp

[Paul007]

It's your money - go and try a petrol vRS and a diesel one both with manual and DSG. See which you like best and which stacks up financially.  The diesel if you do lots of miles or petrol if not.  Having said that, mine's diesel and my business mileage has dropped like a stone but I still get 50's to the gallon so it feels like a saving if it's only a small one. 

[Aspman]

Unless you're doing a lot of miles the petrol VRS is a brilliant everyday family car.

 

Very difficult to fault in any really significant way for it's price bracket.

[Bigtimmy]

Hi Guys,

 

Thanks very much for answering my question, I am going to take a look at two on Thursday, both estates, both 2010, both around 30k miles, one petrol manual and one diesel DSG.

 

The odds are currently stacked in the petrol cars favour but we'll see!

 

I've read a load of reviews on the cars and I think the comment about the sound insulation is the one that got me most of all.  However I'm coming out of a VW Caddy with no bulkhead or sound deadening in the back so I don't think it will be too much of an issue!

 

I'll keep you all posted.

 

cheers

 

Tim

[Nobafett]

If you've had an Impreza, it has to be the petrol. Just sold a 340bhp Hawk Sti which we were running alongside my Tsi vRS. The Sti was obviously rapid off the line, but no quicker when up and running. The vRS has been modified but, is way more comfortable, refined, massive boot and much more economical when cruising. can easily do over 40 if driven carefully.

I've also owned an EP3 Type R, diesel vRS estate (DPF problems and slow), and just bought a Clio 182 Cup, but, my current petrol vRS is easily the best all round car I've owned. i don't think you can buy a better car under £20k. 

[Nobafett]

In fact, whilst we're talking about speed :-) Im quite fond of the odd traffic light grand prix now and again. Was at the traffic lights waiting the other day, when I heard a Type R screaming up next to me. It was clearly modified and on green we both went for it. Having owned a civic, I could hear he was red-lining it in each year and nailing the changes. However, would loved to have seen the look on his face, it wasn't even close and really really surprised me. Good old Skoda estate!!

[rob_e]

Ditto Noba's comments above. I've also had a Subaru in the past ('11 wrx sti) so for me a deasle is not going to cut it.

Out of the box the vrs is good, but with a few minor tweaks it is very, very good!

[Bigtimmy]

Rob_e I have read your blogs on both new and "old" cars and I like what you've done to both cars. If I can achieve half your mods I'd be a happy bunny!

[pete8tch]

Love mine to bits , no problems with it in 5 yrs and it's modified , if we change it will be for another, and do you need the etate, the hatch is huge mate

[marcevo1]

nothing to add to the above really - all summed up nicely.

 

Once moving from 30mph they are plenty quick and unbelievably reliable (loose battery connection and a replacement screen) and relatively cheap to maintain (tyres seem to last for ever in comparison to anything else ive owned - or im getting older....)

 

I'm contemplating changing mine. I no longer need all that space as the kids no longer need travel cot / prams etc. and my racing bikes go on the roof now.

 

if your after a white petrol with full leather, dsg, privacy glass rear, oz alloys and xenons let me know

 

Cars in deeside most days if you want a look?

[Bigtimmy]

No more dilemma! I took a trip up to Simpsons in Colne today and drove back in my new (10plate) vrs estate. Two observations on my first journey in the bus. 1 it goes like a stabbed rat. 2 the speedo needle goes quite far round the speedo. Well impressed with the service from Steve @ Simpsons and very impressed with the car itself. Smiles all round!

Edited 7 November, 2013 by Bigtimmy

[Web Ferret]

Another former impreza now octavia driver here.

When I sold the scooby petrol was 90p a litre.

 

If you do lotsa miles = diesel

else = petrol

Edited 7 November, 2013 by Web Ferret

[Greybeard]

My PD130 diesel Fabia vRS was a hoot for 7 years, great thump of torque albeit in very narrow power band. Keep it on the band and great fun. The more modern CR's in whatever VAG body have a flatter delivery, not quite so much fun IMHO.

 

I went for a TSI Octavia vRS as I'm also doing less miles these days, <8k. Different delivery again but not as flat as the CR, the actual torque can't match the diesel but the extra BHP and wider power band makes it just as much smile inducing as the Fabia vRS for different reasons and in a bigger, better riding, better equipped package. Make sure your pockets are also 30% deeper and you'll never look back  !!

 

After 18 years of diesels, no regrets about the return to petrol. Just have to ignore those flashing 'hope the timing chain tensioner holds' moments when cranking over some mornings    .

Keep repeating 'chain cam IS better, chain cam IS better, chain cam IS better, chain cam IS better,.........................................!