So, having a bit of a think. Yes I was unlucky to have a faulty car, but I am now wondering weather or not to give it another chance and maybe get a VRS. Am I mad? 

See if you can get an ex demo one maybe?

See if you can get an ex demo one maybe?

I'll have to see what's available. I have not driven a VRS yet, I assume they are significantly different to the less sporty models?

They are cracking!

When I felt disenchanted by the long vrs weight I test drove a Mazda 6 and it nearly swayed me. Pretty cars in my view, lovely colours, well speced but more expensive, harsh ride on 19" rims (fiancée in the rear really noticed that) and the ultimate no-no for me, no spare, not even a space saver and no where to even put one!  I still considered it hard though. I was told the weight was short... Errrr 6 weeks iirc.

 

You can get a space saver (at least on the estate), but they wanted £500 for it! Needless to say that option was left unchecked when I ordered mine

Oh one last thing they have a weird smell, faintly like baby sick. The father in law has one and it has the same odd parfum.

I've always thought this about Vauxhalls generally and refer to it as the vauxhall smell. My wife thought I was mad. Never been in a vauxhall that didn't smell weird.

I've always thought this about Vauxhalls generally and refer to it as the vauxhall smell. My wife thought I was mad. Never been in a vauxhall that didn't smell weird.

Can't say I noticed anything untoward with my Astra H.

Can't say I noticed anything untoward with my Astra H.

I must have some sort of intolerance

So, having a bit of a think. Yes I was unlucky to have a faulty car, but I am now wondering weather or not to give it another chance and maybe get a VRS. Am I mad?

You'd be outrageously unlucky to get two in a row.

You can get a space saver (at least on the estate), but they wanted £500 for it! Needless to say that option was left unchecked when I ordered mine

Oh good.  I looked at the hatch.  The boot floor had just a really shallow dish which made me think when i saw it ' jeez the space saver must be like a bicycle wheel'.  Later when going through the brochure i realized it didnt take a spare, the space saver wasnt ticked as an available option on the hatch (sport trim was what i was looking at).

Pretty cars the mazda 6, and terrific colours available!  Looked fabulous in the sunny showroom.

I'll have to see what's available. I have not driven a VRS yet, I assume they are significantly different to the less sporty models?

As Crogers said, an ex-demo may be your best option, as you can drive it a good few miles to check that it doesn't have the same issues that your lemon has.

As Crogers said, an ex-demo may be your best option, as you can drive it a good few miles to check that it doesn't have the same issues that your lemon has.

That would of course depend on the savings to be had.

After the trouble and lack of dealer support you had with the lemon Skoda should upgrade you to a vrs or l and k.

The vxrs are nice.

I hired an insignia for a week for a holiday, it was OK, good distance car. It's so much money I wou;d consider hiring one for a proper trial ( I hired mine from enterprise car hire - i have no connection with them)

Oh good.  I looked at the hatch.  The boot floor had just a really shallow dish which made me think when i saw it ' jeez the space saver must be like a bicycle wheel'.  Later when going through the brochure i realized it didnt take a spare, the space saver wasnt ticked as an available option on the hatch (sport trim was what i was looking at).

Pretty cars the mazda 6, and terrific colours available!  Looked fabulous in the sunny showroom.

 

I do like mine, but it is a very different beast to a vRS. I think the Octavia is a nicer car to drive and it definitely has a bigger boot - but I couldn't wait > 6 months for one as I was really keen to get rid of my then current car before anything else went wrong with it Plus I got a better deal from the Mazda dealer than I the Skoda dealer was offering.

 

I prefer the styling and the interior on the Mazda over the Octavia though - was quite disappointed when I sat in the new vRS.

which dashboard and instruments' cluster do you like more? Mazda's or Octavia's? I personally find Mazda's to look outdated, the LCD on the third dial can only show one thing at a time IIRC, the TomTom's Nav doesn't quite look like it belongs there (more like an OEM addon) ...

 

I see you own a 6 Tourer ... how is the legroom at the back compared to Octavia? what about the aerodynamic noise at highway speed?

Hi guys.

 

Not posted on here for a while but do keep an eye on things.

 

I have been working for a Skoda dealers for over 3 years now and last year my company also became a Vauxhall dealer.

 

Now I have to say I think the Insignia is a really nice car and the facelift version takes away some of the cluttered buttons and knobs making the dashboard look more nicer and less untidy. They do drive nice and feel nice to sit in.

 

BUT........ it doesn't even come close to the Octavia. The Octavia feels so much more upmarket and nicer to be in. In my opinion it is also nicer to look at.

 

Anyway it may just be me being bias as i have a Rallye Green Vrs Tdi Dsg on order at the moment..... Just got to wait for it to arrive which seems like forever :( 

which dashboard and instruments' cluster do you like more? Mazda's or Octavia's? I personally find Mazda's to look outdated, the LCD on the third dial can only show one thing at a time IIRC, the TomTom's Nav doesn't quite look like it belongs there (more like an OEM addon) ...

 

I see you own a 6 Tourer ... how is the legroom at the back compared to Octavia? what about the aerodynamic noise at highway speed?

 

I like the Octavia's instruments better, but prefer the overall feel of the interior on the Mazda. I thought the interior trim on the Octavia was a bit cheap looking and I get overly annoyed by the handbrake being on the wrong side of what is no longer a cheap car I agree it would look better with a bigger touchscreen - I think in Japan they get a bigger one.

 

Legroom in the back is OK - not sure how much difference there is to the Octavia though as I haven't been in the back of the Octavia for a while. The boot is very shallow - nowhere near as good as the Octavia's.  The car is very noisy at highway speed - probably its biggest single fault. I would have preferred smaller wheels, but I really wanted the Xenon lights and you can't get one without the other.

I like the Octavia's instruments better, but prefer the overall feel of the interior on the Mazda. I thought the interior trim on the Octavia was a bit cheap looking and I get overly annoyed by the handbrake being on the wrong side of what is no longer a cheap car I agree it would look better with a bigger touchscreen - I think in Japan they get a bigger one.

 

Legroom in the back is OK - not sure how much difference there is to the Octavia though as I haven't been in the back of the Octavia for a while. The boot is very shallow - nowhere near as good as the Octavia's.  The car is very noisy at highway speed - probably its biggest single fault. I would have preferred smaller wheels, but I really wanted the Xenon lights and you can't get one without the other.

Just hired a car, Seat Leon, the handbrake is in the same position as the Octy. I must say though, I really don't like the interior of the Leon. One thing though it drives miles better than my Octy, it's amazing what working mechanical bits can do!