I'm thinking of changing my Roomster for a Rapid and was wondering whether anyone on the forum could give me some advice. Looking at the Rapid as a family car for four of us for mostly driving around town with a couple of (fully loaded) trips on holidays down to the West country in the summer. I'm wondering whether the 86 PS has enough pulling power? (will it cope at 70 mph fully loaded - I realise that it won't be like my 1.9 Roomster, which is very speedy)

 

The 86 PS I'm considering is a 2013 plate ex-rental having done 13K - does anyone have any experience they could pass on about buying an ex-rental Rapid? Anything to look out for?

 

Thanks in advance

We have a Fabia TSI 86 and Spaceback TSI 105 and I'd recommend the higher output motor, particularly if your going on long trips with a full load.

 

We've taken the Fabia as far as Switzerland and with just two POB on the run out and back it coped fine but with an additional two relatives on board who live out there, then it ran out of puff when we got to the steep bits, albeit being the Alps they were rather steep.

 

Additional benefits of the 105 are better front brakes and a six speed box, which brings the revs down a bit at national speed limits, compared to the 5 speed in the 86.

 

 

TP

Not sure what your budget is but looking through the approved used this caught my eye your way on;

 

http://www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=604481525

 

Also looking like another ex rental but a decent spec and average miles for it's age.

 

 

TP

TP 

 

Many thanks for your replies and for taking the time to search for a 105 PS - looks ideal and around the right price, plus it come with rear parking sensors. Will investigate further,

 

Thanks again. 

I like the Rapid as a size and shape but I would want to not pay the higher road and I would like not to have a lot less torque than my present Fabia VRS ie 250 NM and I would like to have the 7 speed DSG. 

 

That leaves me with the 1.6D 90 HP and the 230 NM of torque.

 

Anybody got one and what MPG etc do you get?

Edited 28 August, 201411 yr by lol-lol

I believe that the 85bhp and the 105 are the same engines but a different map on the ecu... There are companies that will remap an 85bhp and claim to get around 130bhp (and an increase in torque to!)...

The Rapid 1.4 TSI DSG is in my opinion awesome and i have driven a VRS Fabia DSG which is severely awesome.

But its the compromise with speed / acceleration potential vs other sensible days of good mpg. it is the deal.

I believe that the 85bhp and the 105 are the same engines but a different map on the ecu... There are companies that will remap an 85bhp and claim to get around 130bhp (and an increase in torque to!)...

 

Problem with the 86 though is the 5 speed box and small front brakes. Having both engines, albeit the 86 is in a Fabia, I do notice the Rapid with its 105 engine is the better motorway car, as the 6th gear reduces the engine revs and therefore is quieter and more efficient.

 

From memory the Fabia in fifth at 2000rpm equates to a speed of 53mph, the Rapid on the other hand in 6th is at 60mph and at 70 is running just over 2250 rpm.

 

 

TP

I have the 86 version and find it perfectly adequate and punchy in most conditions.

 

If I was buying new I would probably go for the 105 though because as has been said you will probably actually get better economy from it with the 6th gear, and lower revs/noise at speed too.

 

Best thing would be to pick up a 105 Greentech as that brings the CO2 back down to the same tax bracket as the 86.

I've just found out that mine won't be made until week beginning 22nd September so I still have time to change the specs.

 

My main commute is 7 miles round trip Monday to Friday in mainly 60mph road with a couple of slow downs for roundabouts. I also do some motorway driving maybe once or twice a week of about 70-80 miles round trip, 4 or 5 200 mile round trips per year and a couple of 500 mile round trips for holidays each year. I'm still thinking that the 86 that I have ordered is still the best choice but do you think that the motorway trips make the 105 a better option given that it's £600 more expensive?

 

I could always get it tuned to 106 but then would the garage hooking up to the car for the yearly service plan wipe the map from the ECU?

 

My wife and I are keen campers and the plan is to keep this for ten years then buy something bigger so we can get a caravan so I'm planning on being here for the long term.

From having both engines to me anyway, the additional £600 would be worth it for the six speed box and better front brakes.

 

 

TP

From having both engines to me anyway, the additional £600 would be worth it for the six speed box and better front brakes.

 

 

TP

 

Hi, as above would be my answer as well, you could always drive the 105 ''sedately'' which would be preferable to having to 'thrash'' the 86 version, in the long run I would have thought the 105 version will hold its value better,so in theory, the £600 provides better brakes 6 speed gear box and will help future resale value.........   

I've emailed the garage to see if there is still time to change the specs and ask the salesman who sold me the car what he thinks as well.

 

What is roughly the difference in fuel economy between the two? The website quotes the 105 as being slightly less fuel efficient but I know that these are using controlled tests - what are the real world MPGs?

Our Fabia TSI 86 having now covered 15.5k, usually gives fuel computer readouts in the mid to high 40's; fill to fill averages around 42-45mpg. The Spaceback TSI 105 on the other hand with only 1.5k on the clock, produces high 40's to low 50's on the computer and the last fill to fill was just over 48 mpg; hoping with more miles to get to 50mpg.

 

 

TP

My 2013 105 BHP Elegance is averaging around 40 MPG,but the last fill was 46 MPG - my best ever for a petrol engined car (and better than my diesel Yeti).

 

Fuelly link below:

Had a long good think tonight and have decided that as long as I can change the spec I'm going to go with the 105ps.

 

My current car and the last one were both 6 speed boxes so it would probably take some getting used to going back to a 5 speed. I also like the fact that it has the better brakes - I mean drums in the 21st century?

 

Plus a few years down the line we were contemplating getting one of these so the extra power would come in handy

And on further inspection I've also decided to go with the Greentech spec (to get the road tax back down to £30) and 16" alloys. I've emailed the garage, hopefully I can still change the specs.

Got a reply back from the garage today. They can't seem to change the specs on their system so they will be calling head office tomorrow. Also, they don't seem to have the 16" Dione alloys as a no cost option on the SE even though it is on the configurator as a no cost option. Hopefully will have an answer tomorrow - it's not due to be made for another 3 weeks so I would have thought that changes would still be possible. Ah well, we'll see

If it's an SE Tech you've ordered it has 16" Diones as standard.

Take a look at the SEAT Toledo with the 105ps engine. The engine gets up to motorway speed eagerly, revs nicely and gets on with the job like you'd never believe a 1.2 would. Taken the family on two camping trips this year (though the last one was with four kids so needed support from the Octavia) Best of all the Toledo looks better in my opinion and comes with a list price well below the Rapid AND with kit as standard that would push the Skoda's list price the wrong side of £20k. Crewe SEAT wanted a deal, walked out with a brand, spanking new Toledo for less than £14k. 

The 105 is IMHO the smart choice over the 86. I would pay the 600 quid just for the 6-speed gearbox, let alone the better brakes and engine performance.

Take a look at the SEAT Toledo with the 105ps engine. The engine gets up to motorway speed eagerly, revs nicely and gets on with the job like you'd never believe a 1.2 would. Taken the family on two camping trips this year (though the last one was with four kids so needed support from the Octavia) Best of all the Toledo looks better in my opinion and comes with a list price well below the Rapid AND with kit as standard that would push the Skoda's list price the wrong side of £20k. Crewe SEAT wanted a deal, walked out with a brand, spanking new Toledo for less than £14k. 

 

Can't comment on whether the Toledo is better value as I didn't compare like-for-like but I notice SEAT now do an i-tech spec with some very nice leather and alcantara seats:

 

https://web1.seat.co.uk/sites/default/files/SEAT_Toledo_brochure_0.pdf

I had wanted a Rapid over a Toledo but by the time i'd got the spec I wanted on an Elegance trim level it was far too expensive for what it was (Amundsen/ stop-start etc) There may be some disparity as the Rapid I looked at was 2013 spec and the Toledo 2014, but the price/ equipment difference was staggering. 

Edited 1 September, 201411 yr by sparks03

If it's an SE Tech you've ordered it has 16" Diones as standard.

 

I've spoken with the dealer and he has told me that it is the Elegance that comes with the DIones. When I checked the brochure they aren't even an option on the SE yet the website gives me the option to choose them as a no cost option. I don't mind if I can't change the alloys but I would like to get the spec I want.

Have you done factory order or is it an "in stock" car?

 

This is really important! If possible, you want the new SE Tech as it has satnav and climate thrown in for nothing, as well as the Dione wheels.