Hi all, I am interested in possibly buying a 2007 2.0TD Octavia Scout, the reason I need a Scout is for the ground clearance, currently driving a 2001 Subaru Outback (petrol) and doing 15000 miles a year. After browsing this site, I have found some very valuable information but I am hoping someone could help me out with a few more bits of advice.

 

I do quite a number of miles on forest roads, most reasonably good gravel, some a little rougher, can anyone advise how well the Scout suspension takes to rough surfaces, ie suspension bushes etc?

 

Can anyone give me an accurate MPG figure, my other option is a 2.5 Subaru Outback with Gas conversion, running on gas will give 24 or 25mpg.

 

Scouts are rare in N Ireland and the one I am looking at is in a dealers near Doncaster, Usedcars123. Just on the off chance would anyone know the car?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get 41.6 mpg (calculated using an app) from my 2011 CR TDI Scout. I drive a mixture of motorways and around town but mainly around town. I can get nearer 50 on a long motorway run.

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A 2007 will be a PD rather than a later CR (Common Rail) engined Scout so will be slightly less fuel efficient.

Unfortunately MPG is hugely variable from one driver/car/environment/tyre brand/fuel type etc. to the next.

Our 2008 PD Scout is used in the worst scenario's for optimum fuel economy (short journey's, supermarket fuel etc.) and over the 6 years and 45,000 miles we've owned it has averaged 39mpg, still way better than your gassed Outback.

The suspension on the Scout is all but identical to a standard Octavia, the increased ride height is down to the 17" inch wheels and higher profile tyres. This means the suspension isn't designed for serious or regular off-road abuse. Saying that assuming forest tracks in Ireland are similar to those in England I think you'll be fine.

A 2007 Scout will be one of the first off the production line and at 8 years old may be starting to feel its age, depending on mileage. Scouts are favoured by vets, foresters and the emergency services (paramedics) so lots of older cars have had tough lives.

One of the key things to look for is that it has had regular oil changes. The cams on the unique 8V SOHC engine fitted to the Scout benefit from fresh oil for a long life. It'll either have been on fixed servicing (10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever is reached first) or variable/long life servicing (up to 20,000 miles or 2 years, the car monitors the oil and decides for itself when it needs fresh oil). Needless to say a car that's been on fixed will likely have a healthier engine and turbo.

It is also important to check that the Haldex 4x4 system has had its oil changed every 40,000 miles. Be sure to get under the car and check for oil leaks around the dif and Haldex.

Before travelling to Doncaster I'd be asking lots of questions first. Keep them coming!

All diesel Scout's have DPF's (Diesel Particulate Filter). Stick DPF into the search bar and familiarise yourself with them, 30 minutes well spent. DPF's fitted to PD engines don't seem to cope very well but for some reason they appear to be pretty durable on the 8V Scout.

Edited 8 January, 201511 yr by silver1011

I've just taken a look at the advert.

The good news is that it's blue so unlikely to have been a paramedic car. They prefer white and silver.

No tow bar (unless it's been removed) suggests it hasn't been dragging caravans or horse boxes around!

It also has a few factory cost options, the steering wheel controls and upgraded dash display (called Maxidot) were all options usually specced by private purchasers or long term company car drivers.

Maxidot is showing an amber warning in one of the photo's but this looks to me like a blown bulb so nothing serious.

113,000 miles over 7 years suggests higher than average mileage, it would be interesting to know who the previous owners/s were.

The seats and steering wheel look in good nick so I'd have a stab at motorway mileage. Not sure why the carpet mats have been removed, some sellers stick them in the boot to expose the nice clean carpet underneath for the photo's.

The Proteus alloys will 100% have started to delaminate by now (a polished / diamond cut finish was never a good idea on a car with off-road connotations!) so hopefully they have been refurbished. It's hard to tell from the pictures.

I thought it had the expensive xenon headlight option but looking at the knobs to the left of the headlight switch I think I can see the manual height adjustment control which rules out xenon's.

Looks a nice Scout.

Edited 8 January, 201511 yr by silver1011

Towbar could be removable type and could be in the boot. I recently experienced this myself whilst looking at photos of Scouts. Assumed it didn't have a towbar and then salesman contacts me to say he found one in the boot!

Definitely check the wheels. As described above they all seem to delaminate. My own experience is that on the older scouts many seem to have been refurbed/ painted but worth checking, otherwise you could end up having to deal with them yourself.

Edited 8 January, 201511 yr by Sarge

"The good news is that it's blue so unlikely to have been a paramedic car."

 

 

I wouldn't read too much into the blue colour. My NHS employer had a batch of 17 diesel 2011 Scouts in blue. So the blue might be a base cheap colour many fleet purchasers get.   The Scouts were used for out of hours doctor cover in a city so typically  did 30 or 40 miles per 7 hr shift made up of short journeys and spent much of the day idling.  Not the ideal usage for diesels but they all seem to have been reliable. No significant issues that I can recall.

The Scout is a great car!

 

See my sig below for MPG, but I find this very good for a 4x4, even a diesel!

 

The well specced version tend to have started life as Skoda UK vehicles, mine certainly did, and IIRC Silver1011's did as well.

 

Mine now has 129k miles with no major issues and still starts and runs like new.

From my last post I realise my all time economy is only 48 but if you click through to my fuelly account you will see the economy for the last 2 years is 51 which is much more palatable.