Just bought my mk2 Octavia.

[andy2286]

After much deliberation, I went up to Skoda on saturday afternoon to buy the 2011 plate mk2 Octavia 1.4tsi elegance I had test driven a few weeks earlier....

Great place to buy from, at no point did they put any sale's pressure on me what so ever, and were professional and honest throughout.

 

Could've picked it up in two weeks after they retouch the front bumper a bit and get it through it's first MOT and tax it, etc. I am however, forced to wait until the end of the month while I work out the logistics of selling my MK5 Astra to my lady friend as she sell's her old Grand Vitara, which I not so affectionately refer to, as a farm yard jeep...

 

Get some good philips x-treme vision dipped beam bulbs put in...(h7 is dipped beam, right?) and arrange to meet a VCDS owner whom I managed to contact from this site a few weeks ago who agreed to do the maxidot system on the car, and she will be perfect

 

 

 

[DGW]

Welcome to Briskoda. Which dealer did you buy from?

[andy2286]

Just realised that I forgot to mention, I should learn not to post messages at 4am in the morning...

 

Bought it from Skoda Winchester

[k.young]

Well done, it looks like a cracking car. A buddy has a VW Scirroco with that engine, it's a brilliant powerplant.

[mikey vrs]

I thought if the car had headlight washers then it had xexon headlights fitted,could be wrong though. 

[Machpoint005]

My 12 plate Octy Elegance has Xenons (and washers) but I think they were a factory extra (ex-demo car bought 4 months old).

[Lewwy]

I thought if the car had headlight washers then it had xexon headlights fitted,could be wrong though. 

 

Pretty sure most Elegances's and L& K's have headlight washers irrespective of Xenon fitment. I have them and no Xenon's

[MattHunt]

I bought Matilda from and found them very good and accommodating of our eight month at the time.

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[andy2286]

Unless I'm very much mistaken, xenon's were a standard fit to the L&k models and an optional extra on all others, I don't even think the mk3 Octavia elegance has xenon's...

 

But speaking of xenon's, I have heard that to have them fitted the car need's to have headlights (the outer casing) capable of handling them legitimately, would you know if mine has the headlights capable of it, or is it all just more hassle then it's worth?

 

I'm half expecting a reply beginning  with the words 'Andy, You are very much mistaken'

[trundlenut]

Do you have a headlight level adjuster next to the headlight switch?

If yes then no xenons.

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[andy2286]

I'll let you know when I pick it up...

[Web Ferret]

philips x-treme vision h7 great upgrade from the standard lamps.

[silver1011]

The Octavia pictured in the opening post does not have factory fit xenon headlights.

 

There is a subtle difference to the outer edge of the projector lens on xenon equipped Octavia's, it has a square cut-out or indent to allow the AFS II to operate (cornering function) as pictured here...

 

[silver1011]

I thought if the car had headlight washers then it had xexon headlights fitted,could be wrong though. 

 

Headlight washers are standard fit on the Elegance, 4x4 and Scout models with or without the xenon headlight option being specified.

[Huskoda]

Unless I'm very much mistaken, xenon's were a standard fit to the L&k models and an optional extra on all others, I don't even think the mk3 Octavia elegance has xenon's...

 

But speaking of xenon's, I have heard that to have them fitted the car need's to have headlights (the outer casing) capable of handling them legitimately, would you know if mine has the headlights capable of it, or is it all just more hassle then it's worth?

 

I'm half expecting a reply beginning  with the words 'Andy, You are very much mistaken'

If you're talking about after market HIDs then they are not legal (the bulbs are not e-marked or approved for road use), but its not generally enforced. You're unlikely to blind someone as all Octavia IIs have projector headlights, though.

 

Looking at the picture of your car, it does not have factory Xenons. Fitting them is very expensive and a pain in the arse.

[Bishman]

The headlights on my 54 plate Octavia are the best lights of any car I've had 

[andy2286]

If you're talking about after market HIDs then they are not legal (the bulbs are not e-marked or approved for road use), but its not generally enforced. You're unlikely to blind someone as all Octavia IIs have projector headlights, though.

 

Looking at the picture of your car, it does not have factory Xenons. Fitting them is very expensive and a pain in the arse.

 

Alrightey then, I'll check out what the standard factory bulbs are like, and then upgrade to some philips x-treme vision prior to August. I'm going on a week's camping holiday to south-west Cornwall and it would be nice to get some better bulbs in place for the trip. Great driving down there... hardly any speed camera's and some great driving roads. Not that I would ever break a speed limit

[k.young]

I always found Osram Nightbreakers to be superior to the Philips xtreme. I have xenons on my Volvo now and I haven't really noticed any advantage over the Octavia's halogens using Nightbreakers!!

[booke23]

I always found Osram Nightbreakers to be superior to the Philips xtreme. I have xenons on my Volvo now and I haven't really noticed any advantage over the Octavia's halogens using Nightbreakers!!

 

Interesting. I have Nightbreaker bulbs in my Fabia. I ran a Nightbreaker in one headlight and a standard bulb in the other headlight for a week of so just to see the difference......to my surprise there wasn't much. They are a little brighter than standard bulbs but not by a huge amount.

 

The Factory Xenons in my Octavia are still about 3 times as bright as the nightbreakers in the Fabia.......for this reason I think the OP should look at fitting a HID kit to the Octavia. It'll won't cost much more than Nightbreaker type bulbs and although not legal, as the Octavia has projector headlights they will not dazzle as long as the lights are adjusted properly.

 

Unfortunately I don't have this option in my Fabia as it has reflector headlights......they would dazzle too much with HID bulbs. 

[kyber]

I've just bought Nov 2009 version of near same car (1.4 TSi elegance DSG estate) . Just went for a chat and a bit of a look around at Faintree Skoda, Telford last Saturday.

Never really looked at a Skoda before let alone drive one and hadn't gone out with intention of buying anything.

A few hours later, I handed them the keys to my near banger Megane Cabriolet (a whim purchase nearly a year ago) and drove off in a really surprisingly impressive estate. Dealer had a bit of a run around to get car taxed and they owe me a valet. Very happy. Wife is amazed how much more grunt the car has compared to her Fiesta of same age with 1.4ltr engine.

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Edited 11 June, 2014 by kyber

[booke23]

Never really looked at a Skoda before let alone drive one and hadn't gone out with intention of buying anything.

 

This says a lot for the Octavia..........it really is a quality car and hearing this kind of story really reminds us of that....after all it is pretty much an Audi A3/VW Golf underneath. Congratulations on your purchase. I hear the 1.4 TSI is a fantastic power unit and I am a big fan of DSG myself.  

[silver1011]

No more Skoda convert stories please.

 

Their popularity is pushing up prices

[andy2286]

I've just bought Nov 2009 version of near same car (1.4 TSi elegance DSG estate) . Just went for a chat and a bit of a look around at Faintree Skoda, Telford last Saturday.

Never really looked at a Skoda before let alone drive one and hadn't gone out with intention of buying anything.

A few hours later, I handed them the keys to my near banger Megane Cabriolet (a whim purchase nearly a year ago) and drove off in a really surprisingly impressive estate. Dealer had a bit of a run around to get car taxed and they owe me a valet. Very happy. Wife is amazed how much more grunt the car has compared to her Fiesta of same age with 1.4ltr engine.

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 I completely agree with where you're coming from in regards to Skoda. I was looking to buy a new car, and while I can still say I love my '06 Vauxhall Astra 1.7cdti (despite it's faults) a few of it's quirks had begun to annoy me... the noisy engine, the lack of rear passenger space (I'm nearly 6'3 so you can imagine how far back I have to slide the front seat) and small boot space (which becomes cramped when doing the weekly shop, or ridiculously cramped while on my annual camping holiday... you really don't realise how much stuff you've got until it comes time to put it in the car.

 

I went trawled through auto trader, started looking at Insignia's Mondeo's, Mazda 6's, etc. And while they were good cars most of them have thirsty or sluggish petrol engines and I don't really do the kind of driving to even begin to contemplate clearing a diesel engines DPF.

Managed to catch wind of the Octavia and how stylish the face lifted mk2 version looks (thanks to Carbuyer.) Took a drive to winchester to test one out, did so, loved it, came back a few week's later as a cash buyer and they still had the same one I test drove and fell in love with.

I'll give you all a shout when I finally pick her up... Now what to do about the Astra - the girlfriend changed her mind on buying it!

[kyber]

 ... (I'm nearly 6'3 so you can imagine how far back I have to slide the front seat) and small boot space (which becomes cramped when doing the weekly shop, or ridiculously cramped while on my annual camping holiday... you really don't realise how much stuff you've got until it comes time to put it in the car.

I'm 6'2", so have similar issues. Incidentally, how do you find the seat in the mk2? Perhaps I am wider than you, but I am not finding it that comfortable on longer drives. Wondering about changing it.

 

I have pretty much given up camping, but used to do a lot with a very large family tent years ago. However, the sudden switch to this car will save be hundreds as I have two daughters about to finish university both of whom need all of their stuff dragging home. If I hadn't swapped cars, would have had to have hired something, twice as they are at different ends of the country (central London and Hull, and I am starting from Shropshire).

[ruiatalmeida]

andy2286 - best thing to do is dump her and do as with the car, get a newer model (quieter, more environmentally friendly, better looking, better performance,  etc...)