Hello all.

Been looking for a new car since my little Alfa (my third!) died and with a baby on the way need a big-ish one but still need performance and smallish running costs for under £4k.

I narrowed the short list down a little and decided to test drive a vRS this morning. I really wanted to hate it since there's very few of them around for sale at the minute and it's a skoda... But I loved it to bits. That turbo is so addictive and there's more than enough space for my needs.

So my short list consists now of a vRS or a vRS

Problem is I ideally want sub 80k on the clock as this car has to last me a good few years. I can't afford "the alfa experience" anymore as fun as it was. Within 50 miles of me I can find a 90k example with total service history and new cambelt and clutch Jan 2013 or a 70k one with "partial" service history. Other than that I'll have to travel hundreds of miles and I can't afford the time for that since the missus wants her car back!

So the question becomes, how well do these cars cope with mile ages and should I be looking at service history over low miles?

Look at condition, I would much rather take a 90k with a fsh and a cambelt, rather than a 70k one. They do rack up miles nicely, mines a 55reg with 170k  -It doesn't feel like an old car at all. Its also very reliable.

High mileage is not an issue, but a verified service history is a must. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a well cared for 100k plus example.

Just a couple of questions for the OP.

Are you asking about petrol or diesel

what year are the 2 cars you're looking at

how many miles do you do per year and how long do you intend keeping it.

Are either of them modified/mapped

if you don't mind saying whats your budget

Based on what you've said so far the 90k one makes more sense

When I bought mine, the bodywork looked great and service history seem good, but loads went wrong in the first 3 months. Since all those been fixed, it's been great though. 

 

It's a 53Reg on 75K in yellow. I bought it at 69K 2 years ago and been a weekend toy.

 

In the first 3 months, I had the following done:

 

Cambelt/waterpump (ECP as it was done by the seller when I bought it) 

Air Flow Meter (OEM)

Sump pickup (OEM)

Thermostat (ECP as I needed it in a hurry back then)

Water temp sensor (OEM)

Front Nearside ABS sensor (OEM)

Coil packs (dealer recall)

Spark plugs (OEM)

Front and rear disc and pads (OEM)

Eagle F1 AS2 all round fitted

 

To be honest, I almost given up after all that. However, the only thing that went wrong after that was a snapped rear coil spring which happens over time anyway. 

 

It is completely standard at the moment but I am getting slightly bored with it so send me a PM if you are interested.

 

You are welcomed to have a test drive anyway. You have to be quick though as I have just ordered a RARB and I will probably keep it once I have it fitted.

FSH and Cambelt sorted before you buy would be my preference too.

The 70K one is going end up costing you the extra for the cambelt change soon anyway,

so id def take the one its been done on already, saves future outlay / time with car off road.

What years are they though? out of interest.

The 90k one is an '03 53 and the 70k is an '05 54 Not sure if there's likely to be much difference spec wise through the years though the '05 lacks parking sensors.

I have just spotted a red '03 south of london with 70k as well but it's more money still and cambelt at 50k so starting to become essential.

Nicholas, I'd snap your hand off if it wasn't yellow! Sorry- experience of yellow is it tends to suffer fade more than most.

To answer the other questions posed, looking only at petrol vRS and my mileage is 10-12 k a year. Top end of budget is £4500 but ideally I want to spend around 3k tops or thereabouts.

Edited 4 January, 201412 yr by kiscix

I got my 03 vrs with 119k on the clock and full history with all receipts upto 108k. Half was skoda history and the other half at a audi specialist. I service it myself now. Mileage is 127k now and it drives superb

The 90k one is an '03 53 and the 70k is an '05 54 Not sure if there's likely to be much difference spec wise through the years though the '05 lacks parking sensors.

I have just spotted a red '03 south of london with 70k as well but it's more money still and cambelt at 50k so starting to become essential.

Nicholas, I'd snap your hand off if it wasn't yellow! Sorry- experience of yellow is it tends to suffer fade more than most.

To answer the other questions posed, looking only at petrol vRS and my mileage is 10-12 k a year. Top end of budget is £4500 but ideally I want to spend around 3k tops or thereabouts.

 

You are right about the yellow though.  My paintwork looks good after a bit of elbow grease using SRP. It does want to be constantly waxed a polished to look good though. However, the spoiler has faded beyond repair and probably need a respray if you are bothered about faded paintwork.

 

It does look like RARB + stage 1 remap on mine now and keep it for a few more years.

 

£4.5K should get you a great example. I had a look around, one like mine is going for around £3K at the moment private.

Edited 4 January, 201412 yr by nicholas_yiu

4500 is a big budget for a mk1 vrs. Where abouts are u?

6k id be tempted to sort u a nice tidy mk1 ha ha ha

Ssssh my wifey may have heard me write that

well I know this has proabably been covered above but, I have a y reg 2001 mk1 VRS and it has got 122154 miles on it. It has a very good service history! and is immaculate! Love it! ust wish it was better on fuel, hasnt had a clutch done yet so that the next job, not bad for 122,000 miles on a single clutch!

 

Just go with your heart, if the car looks okay and the history is okay then should be good. One piece of advice if buying higher mileage.... Make sure that the oil pickup has been changed! They are a common failure on these and cause big issues... Buy genuine best £30 ish i have ever spent. HTH

 

Paddy

You're get a mk2 vrs with 100k or less for that money iirc

Yeah, I paid much less than your budget two years ago for my 52 plate mk1 vrs (with 62k miles on the clock).... and that (based on what I'd seen) was top dollar then. But if you can't shop nationwide you may have to pay more. If you're not sure about standard vs vrs, perhaps the 1.8T (non-vrs version) may tick the right boxes. It's a bit obscure though.

 

As you're doing an average yearly mileage, I reckon the 90k one you found would be fine. I've heard that they should do 150k before big things are liable to wear out. Dunno what people on here will think about a top mk1 vs cheap mk 2 octy, but it may be worth considering. 

 

 

If you haven't checked it out already, this would be worth a look:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/137484-vrs-buying-guide-please-read/

 

 

On a side note, I've noticed that car prices (or at least the ones I drool over) seem to have gone up on autotrader after christmas. Is this me just seeing things or is this time of year a good time to sell a car?

Hi,you're welcome to have a look at mine to compare if you want.

89k,standard with a few options.

PM me for details.

I'm in Shirley.

You're get a mk2 vrs with 100k or less for that money iirc

Your brave saying that in the mk1 section.........Raf will  be along soon to slag off the mk2 vrs im sure  to the op i ran my mk1 vrs to 125,000miles before i traded it in & other than routine servicing & tyres it needed front wheel bearings & pads & discs all round & a starter motor so dont let high (ish) mileage put you off buying one.

Your brave saying that in the mk1 section.........Raf will  be along soon to slag off the mk2 vrs im sure  to the op i ran my mk1 vrs to 125,000miles before i traded it in & other than routine servicing & tyres it needed front wheel bearings & pads & discs all round & a starter motor so dont let high (ish) mileage put you off buying one.

It's a completely different car, miles ahead mk1 octys, I've had around 10 mk1's so I'm not biased lol, only down side I suppose is more electronics in the mk2 so more to go wrong,

It's a completely different car, miles ahead mk1 octys, I've had around 10 mk1's so I'm not biased lol, only down side I suppose is more electronics in the mk2 so more to go wrong,

I agree,i love my mk2 its a way better car than the mk1. No contest for me,id rather have a higher mileage mk2 than a lower mileage older mk1 for the same money. 

Always always always buy a car on condition and history NOT age and miles. Mine has 160k and FSH on it and runs lovely! 

Mine has 17.5 and is a **** when he wants to be

I paid that for my 85k fsh mk2 tfsi vrs hatch, much better all round car imo. I do miss my mk1 tho as it was more a drivers car whereas the mk2 is a cruiser. I always used to say the mk1 was better looking but the more I look at the mk2 the more I think it looks better.

Mileage isn't important - evidence of careful ownership with lots of service history and decent condition is important.  Modern cars can easily do 200k plus, all on the original drivetrain.

 

I bought a 114k 04 plate vRS in silver with factory option rear parking sensors and electric sunroof back in August.  It was due its cambelt change and mega service (which I'd budgeted for) but it still stood me at less than three grand all in with service, belt change and tax and it's one of the nicest ones out there (I looked at loads, all had lower mileage but were nowhere near as good as the one I bought).  The turbo should still be fine at that mileage - mine pulls like a train.  You won't need to spend any more than three grand and, to be honest, you'll get a good one for two grand.  Don't spend all your budget as they're dropping in value now as the mark 2 becomes more affordable (that's probably where my money would go with your budget).

 

Oh and by the way, if you fancy cruise control, it can be retrofitted using genuine VW parts for less than £200.  I had it fitted as I love cruise control and hopefully it'll be an added selling point when I come to change it.

As previous posts suggest go for condition over mileage. Or better still get a good condition one with low mileage ! Win Win situation.

As previous posts suggest go for condition over mileage. Or better still get a good condition one with low mileage ! Win Win situation.

Hmm

Thanks for all the comments! Have to say I wasn't expecting such a big response hehe.

Having now seen four Octys this week I think I have to go with the condition over mileage. Best ones I've seen so far had 90 and 97k on them, also seen a 70k one that I'd say was ropey and a 65k one which was shagged (to be polite!)

One left to see which means a 200 mile round trip and after that I'd have to travel serious miles. Looking like I will end up with the first one I saw! Haha.

To answer the mk1 vs mk2 thing. For a mk2 I'd be looking right at the very top end of my budget for a car that is very high miles and not great. On a mk1 I'd save a load of cash and get an absolute minter with less to go wrong (from what I've seen and read). Kind of a no brainer!

Thanks for all the input so far though, search continues....