A minor point, but is the Mk. 3 in the UK actually a modified left hand drive car?

 

I ask this regarding the position of

a/ the hand brake lever and

b/ the bonnet release handle.

 

(More especially the hand brake, it seems to be more positioned for the front passenger to use !!!)

I would presume so as the majority of countries use left hand drive. Also there is nowhere to rest your right foot when using cruise control on right hand drive vehicles.

Edited 9 November, 201411 yr by classic

Yes, I noticed there is no right foot rest.

In the left hand drive car there is no right foot rest either.

Wait until you need to change a fuse....they're buried under the glove box and an absolute pig to get at!

 

Personally I find the handbrake position is fine.  Pedals (IMO) are offset too far to the right and there could easily be space for a footrest to the right of the accelerator pedal (especially in the DSG car with no clutch to get in the way.

Hello. Yes, the hand brake is in same position as in left hand drive Octavias. Pictures from skoda configurators in UK and France below:

Edited 9 November, 201411 yr by JPH0091

Hello. Yes, the hand brake is in same position as in left hand drive Octavias. 

 

Thought so !!

It's one of the many benefits of having Japanese cars: they are designed to be RHD and it shows. Having said that, manufacturers' changes to what are basically LHD vehicles are at usually less evident these days. Sometimes you even get the brake master cylinder and servo on the RHS too rather than a big crossover tube from one side to the other. Smeghead mentions fuse box on the Octy 3 and this is probably my 2nd least favourite LHD feature, 1st being the bonnet release.

The older models were better, but cost saving has meant less stuff has moved over to suit.

I've read people on here have had excellent fun trying to open the bonnet when the battery is completely flat. No way to open the passenger door to get at the bonnet release as its deadlocked and there's no key hole in the door. Simply Lazy.

 Smeghead mentions fuse box on the Octy 3 and this is probably my 2nd least favourite LHD feature, 1st being the bonnet release.

Sod's law and my tyre pump just blew the 12V socket fuse (2nd time this has happend in 10 months of ownership).  Odd as there's a 10A fuse in line on the pump's cable and the fuse in the panel is 20A.  It was the 20A fuse that blew FFS !!!

 

Cutting a long story short, I had to replace the fuse....so much easier now I've done it once.  The book is not really clear how to do it, but once you get the knack it's easy.

I've read people on here have had excellent fun trying to open the bonnet when the battery is completely flat. No way to open the passenger door to get at the bonnet release as its deadlocked and there's no key hole in the door. Simply Lazy.

 

I'm tempted to email SUK and ask them how an owner is meant open the bonnet if the battery is flat.....

I'm tempted to email SUK and ask them how an owner is meant open the bonnet if the battery is flat.....

First clean up your chain saw..............then...........

I'm tempted to email SUK and ask them how an owner is meant open the bonnet if the battery is flat.....

 

Done, lets see what they come back with....

Isn't that fuse box like that in all RHD cars ? Glovebox will suffer. Heard fords have that problem aswell.

I've had my car for a while now and I find the handbrake is annoying if you have a slightly larger passenger, otherwise it's no issue. I keep looking on it as a swings and roundabout game as it means the cup holders are in a better position.

 

I honestly can't comment about the foot rest issue that others complain of as every car I've had there has only ever been the one footrest on the left side of the pedals or none at all. So just having the one is fine by me. Of course I can see why people would find it annoying if they have become use to having two.

 

Otherwise, I'd say it's hard to come up with any other issues from the conversion to right hand drive outside of those mentioned. I've certainly not seen any others.

For information, don't be sorry, there is no right footrest either in Left hand drive octavias. There is one on the left, whatever kind of Gearbox. And I've never seen a right footrest in any of my previous cars either, Among them:  Renaults, Citroens, Peugeots, Fords or Volkswagens.

For information, don't be sorry, there is no right footrest either in Left hand drive octavias. There is one on the left, whatever kind of Gearbox. And I've never seen a right footrest in any of my previous cars either, Among them:  Renaults, Citroens, Peugeots, Fords or Volkswagens.

My Mk. 2 1.8 TSi had a right hand footrest, can't say I used it much - rarely used cruise control (in the UK !) and present Mk. 3 does not have cruise in this model.

Re the handbrake, as said above it is just a case of getting used to it - no big deal.

Also I have not so far had a problem with the (left side) bonnet opening catch. I seem to recall that on a previous car too, not sure if it was a previous Skoda or another make.

My 51 reg mk4 Golf V5 (my first car with cruise) had a footrest on the right. I'm fairly certain the 55 reg Focus Ghia that followed it did also, but wouldn't put much money on it.

Can't for the life of me understand the fuss over the handbrake. Not even remotely bothered me one bit. It didn't even occur to me it was a few inches over to the left until it was mentioned on here. We should be happy we don't have to put up with a stupid electronic one. Now that would **** me off.

One thing That does annoy me is filling up the washer bottle, the bonnet holder uper gets in the way

 

 

Simply not clever    :no:

One thing That does annoy me is filling up the washer bottle, the bonnet holder uper gets in the way

 

 

Simply not clever    :no:

http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/OCTAVIA-III/Octavia-III-hood-power-damper-set-KI-R

One thing That does annoy me is filling up the washer bottle, the bonnet holder uper gets in the way

 

 

Simply not clever    :no:

I agree - did mine yesterday and it is rather inconvenient. I will use a funnel in the filler neck next time.

 

By the way, I am not /was not making a "fuss" over the handbrake - simply mentioned it as seeming to be a leftover from being designed as an LHD car.

 

I'm tempted to email SUK and ask them how an owner is meant open the bonnet if the battery is flat.....

 

youl probably find that if you open the drivers door with your key, lean over the passenger door will open from inside.

youl probably find that if you open the drivers door with your key, lean over the passenger door will open from inside.

This makes sense as the interior handles override the locks don't they