VRS TDI estate vs BMW 320d touring

[tamkyo101]

Ahh thought so. You should try an F30 330d m-sport, it'll ride better than an Octy vRS I'd imagine.

Don't forget to factor in her huge discounts available from BMW at the moment. 15-18% off list is easily achievable. :-)

 

 

15-17% is available off the Octy too

 

If the F30 was a bigger car I would gladly try one, cheapest 330D I saw was around £120pm more than I will be paying for the VRS

[Furbytom]

15-17% is available off the Octy too

If the F30 was a bigger car I would gladly try one, cheapest 330D I saw was around £120pm more than I will be paying for the VRS

If the space is vital then only the Octy will do. They are great cars.

I'm well impressed if you got 15-17% off an Octy vrs tho! Didn't think the dealers were discounting much at the mo (with margin allegedly eaten up abit by the 0% deal). :-)

[Ultima]

Wonder if they do a touring version of this:

 

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/291430/alpina_d3_biturbo_review_price_and_specs.html

 

20 inch wheels is a bit extreme though!

[tamkyo101]

If the space is vital then only the Octy will do. They are great cars.

I'm well impressed if you got 15-17% off an Octy vrs tho! Didn't think the dealers were discounting much at the mo (with margin allegedly eaten up abit by the 0% deal). :-)

 

I did not get that much off as I have not bought the car, I am leasing it for 2 years as in 2 years time my income will have increased significantly (due to changes to my business) so this allows me to decide what to get at that point (Will have almost double my current monthly allowance at that point ), the VRS will be perfect for the next 2 years

 

Lots of offers on new supplied UK cars (Supplied by UK dealers), drive the deal, UK car discount etc etc anything from 11% to 17% quoted savings.

 

Dont believe margins being eaten by 0% offers, Bank of England base rate is only 0.5% so it's not costing them much to borrow it

 

Prices of Octavia VRS's seem to have gone up by £450 in the last week (Specced the VRS and it came to £25995 at point of order and now it shows up on Skoda website as £26445 and with 2.9% APR finance I think they will be doing just fine!

[Wardy]

Wonder if they do a touring version of this:

 

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/291430/alpina_d3_biturbo_review_price_and_specs.html

 

20 inch wheels is a bit extreme though!

 

Pretty sure they will. Alpina have always tended to offer Touring versions of their products. The E9x D3 was available in Touring, for example. And very tempting it is too!

[tuonopepper]

If economy is the goal isn't there a new electric 3 series type thing that's just landed.

If going 'traditional' with them Bmw the X drive variant is well worth a look.

I've had a few BMWs and they're good but.I found them dull and characterless, from the 'premium' Audi, Merchandise and Bmw stable my first choice is Audi, then Merchant then Bmw at the moment.

[Orville]

Dont believe margins being eaten by 0% offers, Bank of England base rate is only 0.5% so it's not costing them much to borrow it

It's not quite that simple. Try borrowing from a bank at 0.5% for an unsecured loan and see what they say. The finance broker needs to cover the risk of default, and also likes to make a profit. Offering finance at 2.9% is likely costing SUK money when the typical bank lending rates are above 5%. Most other car brands offer finance at 4.9 to 7.9%.

[Millwallfcuk]

Good thread.

I've narrowed down to the exact same choice. I've not yet ordered but leaning towards the VRS fully loaded given the price, plus the 320 is just drab and too sensible (and feels slower even if it is quicker)

[Zdenek Fibich]

I posted the following on another thread, but it might be helpful here too.

 

I asked for s test drive in a 3-series Touring while thinking last year about a replacement for my second vRS: the demonstrator the dealer had was a 330d. and it was a great car.  But the real test is how you feel when you get back into your own car - and the Octavia wasn't disgraced.  Hence my third vRS, which as I've said elsewhere has made an excellent start.

 

Yes, the 3-series has some areas where it's superior.  But you tend to notice them most if you're boy-racing on twisty B-roads. I'm 65 and I don't, although I like to get a move on (otherwise I'd have been happy with the 1.4 TSI).

 

Ultimately it's horses for courses: I suspect that, unlike me, the majority of people who buy one of these two cars won't be considering the other.

[tamkyo101]

It's not quite that simple. Try borrowing from a bank at 0.5% for an unsecured loan and see what they say. The finance broker needs to cover the risk of default, and also likes to make a profit. Offering finance at 2.9% is likely costing SUK money when the typical bank lending rates are above 5%. Most other car brands offer finance at 4.9 to 7.9%.

Yes, I did simplify it a tad, was not going to get all financial and technical, bottom line is VW finance are a pretty large group and will have excellent rates on borrowing money due to their assets and financial strength of parents group VW (Not to mention insurance coverage they will have) u cannot compare Bank lending rates for personal customers (often without any security for the loan) to rates for large motor companies with their own very successful finance houses.

 

That would be like comparing an Octavia VRS Combi to an Audi RS6 (Which im sure will be the next comparison thread on here) :rofl:

 

Financials for year ending 2012:-

 

http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/publications/2013/03/Financial_Statements_2012.bin.html/binarystorageitem/file/Abschluss+Volkswagen+AG+2012_englisch.pdf

Edited 17 January, 2014 by tamkyo101

[HJM12]

I swapped my VRS (albeit a TSI) for my 2013 320d Auto and the BMW is in a completely different league. It feels and is just as quick but the quality is what makes the difference, everything you touch and use on a daily basis just feels right, it's hard to explain but I am not looking back. I say go for the BMW.

[Moley RUFC]

I swapped my VRS (albeit a TSI) for my 2013 320d Auto and the BMW is in a completely different league. It feels and is just as quick but the quality is what makes the difference, everything you touch and use on a daily basis just feels right, it's hard to explain but I am not looking back. I say go for the BMW.

I'd agree with this and only those that have driven both for a fair while would understand that as a drivers car alone the BMW is a league apart from the Octavia. However, I love my vRS and I'm just about to spec up a new estate vRS too.

[Orville]

For BMW

*Better built

*Superior handling

*More refined

*Higher residuals

*Better image (as a drivers car and quality wise, not necessarily the owners image)

For Skoda

*Far more practical. Much larger boot and much more interior space.

*Cheaper to buy and load with extras

*Cheaper to insure

*Far cheaper to service, and parts will be much cheaper after warranty expires.

*Great finance deals available

Performance wise both are very similar. Overall the BM has better quality and handling, but is (in my experience as a former 3-series) owner) impractical for the average family and far more costly to run. I would not have moved from the 3-Series to a VRS TDI, but I did move from the 320d to a VRS TSI. The additional performance allows me to forget what I have lost in quality and handling, almost...

If you need the space and count the cost of ownership, the VRS is the better car. If you don't need the space and do not mind paying a little extra, the BM is a very good choice. I would buy another BM tomorrow (probably the 335i touring), if I didn't have to fit a family and dog inside.

[HJM12]

Don't get me wrong, the VRS was a fantastic car but I had to change it because I found the seats a bit too uncomfortable for my liking but if that wasn't the case then I would probably still have it!

[Genoa1893]

Curious,

I suffered a persistant backache when left my VRS to a 2011 320d (M setup). The combination of sporty seats, heavvy clutch, don't know the exact reason (anyway car related), but I remember pretty well the ache!!!

 

The BMW had far better traction, steer (also due to the RWD), and handling in general.

 

The engine (184) was good, no doubt, but no as good as I hoped from spec, coming from much humbler PD170

 

Let me disagree on the build quality both on interiors (hard plastics, nothing superior to VRS, IMHO) and - above all - of the paintwork, really prone to scratches.

 

Last, but not least, runflats were really a pita. Hard as steel (guess why), tramlined as hell. And I'll avoid talking of the severe lack of inner space (my fault), heavy clutch and gearstick.

[TudorM]

I suffered a persistant backache when left my VRS to a 2011 320d (M setup). The combination of sporty seats, heavvy clutch, don't know the exact reason (anyway car related), but I remember pretty well the ache!!!

 

Sorry, I didn't get it. Which one gave you the backache, the VRS or the BMW?

[Genoa1893]

Pardon, my English is neither Oxford or Cambridge

 

The BMW was guilty (but a nice car, anyway).

Edited 2 February, 2014 by Genoa1893

[JoseDB]

Just to add my 2 cents...

 

I just test drove the 320xd Touring and vRS TDI Estate in the same day this weekend - I then joined this forum... need I say more.

 

The BMW is 10K more for equivalent spec, and you have the BMW stigma to go with (could be a plus for some I suppose, I admittedly used to own one!).

 

On the FWD/RWD/4x4 topic - this car is going to be for my other half and she has some interesting roads to negotiate to get to work (often icy, steep hills etc). So our order of preference was 4x4/FWD/RWD. If they did a vRS TDI 4x4 we would have got it (I know at some point it was rumoured to be in the pipeline, but that was a few months ago I last ready about it and no news since). However, at the end of the day, a FWD with winter tyres will beat a 4x4 on summers hands down every time, so its not such a big deal.

The only other disappointment is lack of electric/memory seats on the vRS due to the sports seats (there is quite a height difference between us).

 

Aside from the lack of 4x4/memory seats I cannot fault it - smooth, quiet, quick, handles well, loads of space, looks good, reliable... I could go on. In all cases it either matches or beats the BMW and at 75% of the cost - its a no brainer.

 

I'm going to be negotiating this week (£31,600 RRP, hoping to get it down to £29k plus servicing for 3 years FoC), but will be placing the order next weekend on the assumption they produce some sensible figures!

 

The BMW I was offered 7K off the £42K price, and it was only 6-8 week lead time... So higher discount and shorter lead time, but I'm in no rush.

Edited 2 February, 2014 by josedebardi

[Furbytom]

Just to add my 2 cents...

I just test drove the 320xd Touring and vRS TDI Estate in the same day this weekend - I then joined this forum... need I say more.

The BMW is 10K more for equivalent spec, and you have the BMW stigma to go with (could be a plus for some I suppose, I admittedly used to own one!).

On the FWD/RWD/4x4 topic - this car is going to be for my other half and she has some interesting roads to negotiate to get to work (often icy, steep hills etc). So our order of preference was 4x4/FWD/RWD. If they did a vRS TDI 4x4 we would have got it (I know at some point it was rumoured to be in the pipeline, but that was a few months ago I last ready about it and no news since). However, at the end of the day, a FWD with winter tyres will beat a 4x4 on summers hands down every time, so its not such a big deal.

The only other disappointment is lack of electric/memory seats on the vRS due to the sports seats (there is quite a height difference between us).

Aside from the lack of 4x4/memory seats I cannot fault it - smooth, quiet, quick, handles well, loads of space, looks good, reliable... I could go on. In all cases it either matches or beats the BMW and at 75% of the cost - its a no brainer.

I'm going to be negotiating this week (£31,600 RRP, hoping to get it down to £29k plus servicing for 3 years FoC), but will be placing the order next weekend on the assumption they produce some sensible figures!

The BMW I was offered 7K off the £42K price, and it was only 6-8 week lead time... So higher discount and shorter lead time, but I'm in no rush.

42k for a 320d xdrive touring? You must have gone pretty mad on the options list to get to that price. List for a standard 320d xdrive Msport is 34700. By the time you have taken off the usual 7k discount it's a much more palatable sub-25k

[JoseDB]

42k for a 320d xdrive touring? You must have gone pretty mad on the options list to get to that price. List for a standard 320d xdrive Msport is 34700. By the time you have taken off the usual 7k discount it's a much more palatable sub-25k

 

I admit I like my gadgets... But certainly didn't go mad, but EVERYTHING is an option, Auto box, Pro Sat Nav, Visibility package (hate the normal lights) - these 3 get you to £39.5k, and then added a few other bits and bobs...

[bryans69]

£42k is still pretty good going. I got to £43k on 330d xdrive with pretty much everything I'd want, including Pro Sat Nav, Auto (standard on 330d) and some other bits. The vRS similar spec comes in at £29k. I'm sure with some clever man maths taking into account depreciation etc I could make the BMW work, and that's before you look at difference in quality (just see the comments about the 'leather')

 

Currently on our second Golf, and looking for something bigger, whilst the vRS probably makes sense, the BMW just appeals more (I've also had two 3 series, including an E92 335i Coupe before kids arrived). Still can't get my head around spending close to 30k on a skoda, and there is something about that 3 litre BMW engine coupled with 4WD..............

[Andrew@DTUK]

£42k is still pretty good going. I got to £43k on 330d xdrive with pretty much everything I'd want, including Pro Sat Nav, Auto (standard on 330d) and some other bits. The vRS similar spec comes in at £29k. I'm sure with some clever man maths taking into account depreciation etc I could make the BMW work, and that's before you look at difference in quality (just see the comments about the 'leather')

Currently on our second Golf, and looking for something bigger, whilst the vRS probably makes sense, the BMW just appeals more (I've also had two 3 series, including an E92 335i Coupe before kids arrived). Still can't get my head around spending close to 30k on a skoda, and there is something about that 3 litre BMW engine coupled with 4WD..............

Check out the current contract hire deals on the 330/335d x drive as you'll be quite surprised as the costs

[Dodgy]

Check out the current contract hire deals on the 330/335d x drive as you'll be quite surprised as the costs

 

Low, high?

[pipsyp]

BMWs are now available with terrific discounts and dealer incentives...the market place is way more competitive now that they're cars no longer sell themselves on reputation alone.

I'll probably give my local BM dealer a nose when i come to change cars again in the future as it wouldnt suprise me that for not a great deal more money per month I could get a very nice 3 series touring with decent engine and spec.

Money no object id have a 335d xdrive M Sport touring on my driveway, no question.

[tamkyo101]

Money no object id have a 335d xdrive M Sport touring on my driveway, no question.

If it was the same size internally as the VRS combi so would I.

 

I said before in another post, "In an ideal world the 335XD engine and 4wd system mated to the Body of a VRS combi would be my perfect car!"