Looking for some advice. I was set to look for a late mk2 VRS TDI over the Xmas holiday but now I'm thinking I might be better off with a mk3. The mk3 VRS TDI is a little over budget so I would look for an elegance (or well specked SE)

I'm not overly fussed about 'b' road handling etc as its for the commute mainly motorway miles!

I have driven the 150bhp TDI albeit in a mk7 Golf and it certainly wasn't lacking in power and felt little different to a SEAT Leon FR TDI170 I had some years ago(earlier PD engine) and whilst a mk3 none VRS will not have sports suspension it does benefit from the latest. MQB platform.

Does anyone have any direct experience of these two fairly different specifications and if so what are your thoughts?

ATB Dave

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/334311-honest-opinions-on-the-mkiii/

Pipsyp has made the mk2 vRS to cr150 mk3 Eli switch and has posted his views several times. Ultimate.y adecent test drive in both would help you decide what's best for you. I'll see if I can find any of his posts.... here's a thread on the subject post #23 might be of interest

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/334311-honest-opinions-on-the-mkiii/

Pipsyp has made the mk2 vRS to cr150 mk3 Eli switch and has posted his views several times. Ultimate.y adecent test drive in both would help you decide what's best for you. I'll see if I can find any of his posts.... here's a thread on the subject post #23 might be of interest

Cheers very interesting reading.

Hiya chap, yep indeed I made the switch from a Blackline estate DSG to a 2.0 TDi Elegance estate.

Pros and cons both ways I guess.

The vRS was more my sort of car in all honesty, its bespoke chassis and braking set up (basically a MK6 GTi in drag) meant it drove a little better overall; it was more fun.

That said the 150 TDi motor in the Mk3 is better than the 170 TDi CR fitted to the Mk2; considerably so. Better power delivery married to over 100kg less weight = a car that is every bit as quick as a Mk2 vRS TDi....whilst outrightly its not a fast car its a bit of a sleeper for sure.

The Mk3 with standard suspension is competent but gets scrappy if pushed; the upside though is a much more compliant (if still a touch firm) ride. The vRS was better when in the mood but comparitively was a bit of a bone shaker.

I think overall the Mk2 was a little bit more robust; perhaps a touch better built and had a much MUCH better standard aound system. The Mk3 is in my own opinion a little tinny by comparison and doesnt feel like it will stand the test of time quite so well though ergonomically the interior is more pleasing and it is without argument better equipped....key thing for me was that it has 7 airbags....my 2013 Mk2 only had 4 as most Mk2s do unless he curtain airbags were spec'd...the Blackline was a run out model so didnt have the airbags.

I am however as time goes on becoming more fond of the Mk3. The engine is brilliant and it can be made to cover ground quite quickly, just without the fun factor of a vRS. Ive resigned myself to the fact that its a very competent if a little sterile car that makes dor a brilliant long distance/motorway car......given most of my daily driving is now motorway work I'm becominf ever more appreciative of the car.

I wouldnt buy another though....in fact I think this could well be my last Skoda. They're becomming increasingly more expensive and having less in the way of attractive marketinf thrown at them which has always been more of a draw to the marque for me than the marque itself (though I think Skoda are now a great car manufacturer and deserve to succeed). Residual values on the Mk3 regular models dont appear to be particularly strong either and is the main point ive dropped a bomb on. I conducted an exercise on WBAC and found that my Blackline at nearly 2 years old with approx 25k miles on the clock would trade with them for only around 2k less than my less than 1 year old (12k mile at the time) Mk3 Elegance, so cost of ownership for the Mk3 so far has been significant....I actually made a few quid on my Blackline when I traded it..by comparison I am now in neg equity to the tune of nearly 4k on the Mk3 though low deposit and 0% finance havent helped there....neither has the fact that loads of them are being bought and sold by hire companies and seem to be a staple favourite of companies like Europcar and Enterprise.

Probably be an Audi, BMW or Merc of some variety for me next time round if I have to dip into my own pocket.

Edited 11 December, 201411 yr by pipsyp

If Carlsberg wrote independent car reviews......LOL

:-D

pipsyp a thoroughly reasoned appraisal. Thank you very much.

I should have mentioned that I'm unlikely to go new this time and therefore the additional depreciation of the 'none VRS' mk3 may be to my favour.

mkIII vRS TDi....  Shop around a bit harder and beat the salesman over the head to get one in budget.

 

Tremendous car, and the fuel economy versus motor performance is ideal for high mileage users....

I recently drove an O3 vRS TDI and was vvery impressed with how civilised it was and a lead footed driver using mainly A roads was averaging 46mpg, shop aroond and be both tough and willing to walk away if the deal isn't right, you'll get one.

Just replaced my mk 2 Elegance with mk 3 SE, and would say mk 3 every time. It's such a step up across the board.

The mk2 vrs is more mk5 golf than mk 6 is it not?

I guess the FL MK2 was a bit of a hybrid. Mk5 based by and large but benefited from many of the upgrades that came with the MK6....engine tech, XDS and things like that. I dont think mechanically the Mk5 and Mk6 Golf were v different.

I went from a modified MkII PD140 with a Shark remap to about the same power as a vRS if not a little more, Bilstein B12 suspension so lower and stiffer than a vRS, and vRS brakes and wheels

to

A MK3 Elegance CR150.

I would say power wise, not much in it really, if anything the CR150 feels more powerful as it has a more linear delivery. Handling wise, no doubt the MKII handled better when pushed really hard, but for everyday use the MKIII is streets ahead on the MQB platform.

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The other consideration is that the Mk3 is a little bit bigger too although I never struggled for room in my Mk2s.

 

I had a Mk3 Octy hire car a few weeks ago and I was generally impressed with it.  Felt like it had moved on from the Mk2.

Edited 13 December, 201411 yr by Guest

If you do go for a Mk 3 Eleg, make sure it is a MY15, ie. August 2014 or later build as they get revised dampers and springs which were too firm/harsh on earlier builds, and avoid MY13 cars like the plague.

MY15 was from week 22 onwards Matt

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MY15 was from week 22 onwards Matt

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Ok, fair enough but I understand the new damper spec is from August builds onwards so not as clear cut as I thought, I guess they must be messing with part specs all the time.

Yep, I got a phone call on Friday about a recall on my old O3, guess it was the revised tailgate bumpers.

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Official reason for the recall on the tailgate buffers is potential corrosion of the spacers! They do not appear to be claiming this is anything to do with the booming issue. I'm also currently in discussions with SUK over the dampers, but not concluded yet so watch this space!

If you do go for a Mk 3 Eleg, make sure it is a MY15, ie. August 2014 or later build as they get revised dampers and springs which were too firm/harsh on earlier builds, and avoid MY13 cars like the plague.

 

Your comment definitely does NOT apply to my Dec 2013 4x4 TDi SE. The ride/handling balance is excellent, and the ride part is absolutely not too harsh. I struggle to believe that a much better balance could be achieved.

 

And please don't start spreading hysterical comments about a need to avoid MY13 cars "like the plague". This is the way that myths get created.

Dec 2013 would be a 2014MY by a good 5 months.

There are very few MY2013 cars out there, they would have been manufactured before Wk22 of 2013, so May time basically. Only the launch weekend demonstrators and the first wave of customer orders would be 2013MY.

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Dec 2013 would be a 2014MY by a good 5 months.

There are very few MY2013 cars out there, they would have been manufactured before Wk22 of 2013, so May time basically. Only the launch weekend demonstrators and the first wave of customer orders would be 2013MY.

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Thankyou for that Andy, perhaps I should have said avoid cars without piano black on the steering wheel as that is probably the most obvious change for MY14 cars compared to MY13. With regards to ride/handling, if #nickcoll would like to meet up for a comparison with a launch weekend ordered car, I'd be more than happy for any comparisons which would imo further support my case for remedial action on my car.

Your comment definitely does NOT apply to my Dec 2013 4x4 TDi SE. The ride/handling balance is excellent, and the ride part is absolutely not too harsh. I struggle to believe that a much better balance could be achieved.

And please don't start spreading hysterical comments about a need to avoid MY13 cars "like the plague". This is the way that myths get created.

I think you will also find that 4x4 gets IRS so no Torsion Beam rear set up on your car, which coupled with poor damping set up is the achilles heel of the early build cars on MQB platform, and there are numerous threads on Mk VII Golf that support this fact.

Edited 16 December, 201411 yr by Matt Pez

Wow, I can't believe Skoda went down the torsion beam route with the mk3, just to save a few pennys.

That was one of the worst aspects of the old civic.

Talk about going backwards.

Well, two steps forward, one step backward.

I can vouch for the quality of the AWD, even if I'd like it even more with sportier suspensions and around 200 horses... but that's my taste only