Nervous about purchase...

[AlaskanDylan]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm trying to join the club with a Mkii or Mkiii Octavia estate diesel with less than 50k miles on a budget of 14k. Live in Cornwall w/wife, baby, and dog; drive 16k per year (mostly short drives, but 4-5 upcountry trips per year) and could want to tow a small caravan in the future. Want the family car, but could move outside UK in 2years so resale is important.

 

Not many Octavia's to buy here, and I've been looking at ones sold by our local re-seller (NOT an authorized skoda dealership) who have good prices - they are Falmouth Garages/Mid Cornwall Cars.

 

Yesterday visited them to see a 2014 1.6 SE w/5k miles for 14000. Then, I noticed a piece of BROKEN GLASS inside the rear passenger window. The man was surprised, but couldn't tell me what, if anything, had happened and only that it was likely a dealership model, and it was replaced with skoda glass. Still, I felt paranoid about it all - what do you think? Crap valet job to start with followed by crap sales job - should I be worried about other hidden damage? He pulled the HPi and all good. 1.5 years of warranty, but no extended 'ensurance' bc their not an authorized dealer. 

 

My other gripe is the smallish engine for performance and resale. The 1.9 and 2.0 don't suffer much lower mpg, and the DPF is annoying. I also though the DMF was replaced with a single - but not the case - is this a likely failure cost in 2-3 years?

 

Anyway, the prices are good from this garage. We're really saving for a house purchase, and just need a larger family car, so I'm almost inclined to start looking for pre-DFP mkiis in the 4,000-9,000 range that should have depreciated - might be a better value??

Thanks for all the info on the website, and any advice...Dylan

 

[Nige400]

If you can stretch to 19000 I will be selling my 2014 VRS it's has only 5000 miles and is in excellent condition, I live in Plymouth, if your interested let me know

[BA Baracus]

Not many Octavia's to buy here...

 

Be prepared to travel and you will get a better and wider choice.  With a healthy budget of £14,000 I'd be looking for a nearly new car and a nearly full three year warranty myself.

 

You'll get a cracking MkII for that money.

[mark999]

If you can find a late 1.9 (no dpf) I would go for that, they respond well to remapping also.

If you can run to it the 4x4 or scout with the 2.0 PD engine, they do not seem to suffer as many DPF woes.

Mark

Edited 1 February, 2015 by mark999

[RickTT]

If the glass has been changed with the same OEM Skoda branded, (check the part number on the glass) it could be from a simple forcourt break in, or even wrong glass fitted (see another thread) and broken upon removal, or even transfered to car if only one piece in a shoe sole!!

[AlaskanDylan]

Thanks for your advice guys. I'm still considering an offer on the 1.6 simply as I won't face much depreciation loss and it's brand new. Looking through the hundreds of adverts is starting to get tiring! Last month I should have pulled the trigger on a good 2010 1.9 but missed it. Does the 4x4 really come in useful for the extra weight? We live in cornwall and probably wouldn't caravan for at least a couple years, and even then not anywhere too randomn. I'm from alaska where all cars have awd or 4x4 but here it doesn't seem necessary. I'm looking for a mk ii 1.9 now. thanks

[airscool]

The new 1.6 TDi is a fantastic engine and I am more than happy with the performance, and that's coming from a remapped 160 bhp 2.5 TDi VW Transporter.

 

No I don't win the race from the lights, no I don't win the race out of the 50 mph road works near where I live, but hey ho, the VED is free and it costs less than £150 per year to insure and I'm returning just short of 60 mpg.

 

What's not to like?

[octavia5]

Before you commit to a diesel with a DPF read the warning info that comes with them.  If you mainly drive short journeys the DPF may suffer clogging issues unless you do a regular longish trip to burn off the build up.

 

If you do damage the DPF by only doing short trips then you will not get it replaced free under warranty, and its a very big bill. 

[Gabbo]

4x4 is not necessary in the UK unless you really live somewhere remote or really drive somewhere off-road.

The exception is if you live in the city & need to take your children to school.

 

For normal use, the 1.6TDI is a fantastic engine giving good perfomance with the oportunity for excellent fuel economy.

 

The current version of the VAG diesel engines are used in many products VW, Skoda, Seat & Audi.

I havent heard on here that many people are complaining about DMF or broken DPFs so I wouldn't worry.

 

Provided you are happy with the car that the dealer offers you I'm sure you will be more than happy with the Octavia & the engine.

[Gabbo]

Before you commit to a diesel with a DPF read the warning info that comes with them.  If you mainly drive short journeys the DPF may suffer clogging issues unless you do a regular longish trip to burn off the build up.

If you do damage the DPF by only doing short trips then you will not get it replaced free under warranty, and its a very big bill. 

 

Modern DPF systems are much more robust than when they were introduced some years ago & providing you follow the warning & error messages presented to you by the car (like consult your dealer immediately) you shouldn't have to foot the bill for any repair.

Most likely, if you really don't drive for long enough, you have to take a trip to the dealer for a manual regeneration.

 

With 16k miles a year the OP should be fine with a diesel.

[AlaskanDylan]

Excellent - thanks for the advice everyone. I'm taking the plunge and making an offer on it tomorrow - you do bargain here still right? Would like a higher spec (xenon, spare wheel, cruise, leather) and I'd still like a full explanation for the broken glass and some assurance, plus only 1.4 yrs warranty left. But for 14k it's a fair price - too good to be true? mycarcheck came back clean at least...

[skodanorman]

I think it is a good buy at that price; I hadn't realised they could be had for so little. I don't think you'll be left for wanting all that much. I should imagine cruise control can be retro fitted if you are really keen to have it. 

 

I wouldn't worry about the 1.6 TDI come resale time. More and more people are choosing these smaller engines over the 2.0s so there is a definite and growing market for them. 

[johnthesparky]

We went elegance spec over se, as standard it doesn't have built in sat nav (just means tom tom) variable boot floor (can't see it being a big problem) smaller alloys (therefore cheaper tyres :-) ) auto headlights (again, it's hardly digging roads to turn the headlights on) and a few other toys

I think early SE models didn't have an armrest in the centre (but I'm sure someone fitted one) and as said no cruise (but that would cost less than 300 to fit). Those 2 would be the bits I would miss.... The rest, though useful to me, I would live without

Sounds a good deal, I considered the 1.6, but we went for a 2.0 in the end...... Think the 1.6 is only a 5 speed box (not that that should make any difference)

Good luck

[airscool]

It did take a week or so adjusting back to 5 gears, but you just need to simply hang on a bit longer before a change. I drive a lot of 30 mph in third gear unless I have gravity on my side. Just listen to the engine it will tell you when it's not happy!

[airscool]

Excellent - thanks for the advice everyone. I'm taking the plunge and making an offer on it tomorrow - you do bargain here still right? Would like a higher spec (xenon, spare wheel, cruise, leather) and I'd still like a full explanation for the broken glass and some assurance, plus only 1.4 yrs warranty left. But for 14k it's a fair price - too good to be true? mycarcheck came back clean at least...

Ahh I see from your link the traders advert is titled with the SE then he has preceeded to provide the detail as an Elegance. Maybe use that as part of your bargaining saying you thought it had cruise (according to his advert) and say you'd have to retrofit etc.

Good luck

[pipsyp]

I think it is a good buy at that price; I hadn't realised they could be had for so little. I don't think you'll be left for wanting all that much. I should imagine cruise control can be retro fitted if you are really keen to have it.

I wouldn't worry about the 1.6 TDI come resale time. More and more people are choosing these smaller engines over the 2.0s so there is a definite and growing market for them.

Used prices are dipping big time on the O3's think supply has now exceeded demand, I say blame all these ex hire vehicles that are now beginning to flood the market.

Was offered 14,250 for my near year old 2.0 Elegance estate manual with 18k miles, 15k attainable if I bought another car off the dealer so yeah its fair to say residuals arent brilliant. So after a year im up to my ears in negative equity, though a minimal deposit and the 0% deal PCP havent helped that cause. Rather a departure from my Blackline which I sold for nearly 17k after a year, it only having cost me 20k brand new.

Edited 10 February, 2015 by pipsyp

[rossdook]

I'm considering one of the cracking deals leasing a Scout 4x4 over two years. Had a petrol vRS estate I bought new through a PCP in 2008 which left me with little equity despite a 7 grand deposit after the 3 years were up. Lease prices on the Scout are incredibly competitive atm

[skodanorman]

Used prices are dipping big time on the O3's think supply has now exceeded demand, I say blame all these ex hire vehicles that are now beginning to flood the market.

Was offered 14,250 for my near year old 2.0 Elegance estate manual with 18k miles, 15k attainable if I bought another car off the dealer so yeah its fair to say residuals arent brilliant. So after a year im up to my ears in negative equity, though a minimal deposit and the 0% deal PCP havent helped that cause. Rather a departure from my Blackline which I sold for nearly 17k after a year, it only having cost me 20k brand new.

 

In which case my head shall remained firmly buried in the sand!

[AlaskanDylan]

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! I'm not buying the car after finding out it was a salvage!

 

Just got off the phone with Europecar who were the previous owners. Turns out the bits of glass I found were from a serious accident and write-off. Why didn't this come up in the HPI check I paid for!? 

 

As it happens, the car wasn't available as some tyre pressure monitoring sensors were acting up. Probably just the first of many future problems with this damaged car. Oh well - still on the look out. Maybe a 2009 PD 2.0 L&K, there's two available but they both have servicing gaps of between 10-20k miles...

 

What's the consensus on variable servicing?

 

I understand the logic and technology, but seems like a lazy rich owner's excuse to not pay up on maintenance, and then sell the vehicle after 3-5 years. Maybe just further paranoia on my part. I just want a well-serviced vehicle that's reliable.

[Greg R]

I'm sceptical about variable servicing. I suspect these cars are more than capable of going 20k miles or 2 years between services (as is the case with my current passat). However, i think the shorter interval is used to keep dealers happy. It's win win for them. They either charge more for the long service interval or get to service it twice when (i suspect) once would be sufficient

[pipsyp]

I'm sceptical about variable servicing. I suspect these cars are more than capable of going 20k miles or 2 years between services (as is the case with my current passat). However, i think the shorter interval is used to keep dealers happy. It's win win for them. They either charge more for the long service interval or get to service it twice when (i suspect) once would be sufficient

They survive just fine on 2 year/20k mile intervals. I ran a company Mk6 Golf GT 2.0 TDi 140 for 2.5 years/50k miles, only serviced it twice and it still drove perfectly.

The cars designed for these intervals, also the oil used (so long as the right one is used but most places use long life oil on 10k oil changes now) is designed to be effective for that kind of mileage.

Admittedly if I wasnt doing enough mileage to see out 20k in less than 2 years (as 2 year interval is quite a long time) I would probably stick to 1 year/10k just to get it inspected and have an oil change yearly...particularly on my own car. Ibdo quite a few miles and my car is due its 20k service imminently and its literally 1 year old today...once ive done my free services it will get switched to 20k intervals.

Edited 14 February, 2015 by pipsyp

[JJJ66]

Just got off the phone with Europecar who were the previous owners. Turns out the bits of glass I found were from a serious accident and write-off. Why didn't this come up in the HPI check I paid for!? 

 

Sounds like a question to ask HPI (along with "can I have my money back?")

[AlaskanDylan]

Well anyone in cornwall avoid Falmouth Garages. They're adamant the car is good and fine, although admitted 'it may have had prior minor damage'. Likewise the car check company can't see anything wrong in the history with the MIATBR place but nobody will deliver me the actual damage report and proof of repair. Now I don't know how I can buy a used car when it appears this behavior may be widespread. They didn't respond when I mentioned 30% was the standard discount on damaged vehicles. I wish there were more private sellers, or I didn't live in cornwall. I can't buy something over 10 grand without seeing and driving it first. Are the inspections by aa/rac any good?