Hi folks,

 

having now decided that I need a vRS estate (see my thread here http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/342334-best-family-estate-car-up-to-%C2%A38k/page-2#entry4118481) I was wondering if there are any engines I should avoid?

 

I'm aware of problems with the 1.4 and 1.8 TSI engines and the rubbish tensioner/new engine calamity, and also aware of the oil pump/new engine catastophe in the 2.0TDI, but the vRS engines are slightly different so really need a steer.

 

I'm looking at 2008 onwards, and probably diesel, but this isn't set in stone, and acually with my annual mileage of about 10,000 maybe petrol might be better?

 

Anyway, any advice or links to threads with info would be mucho appreciato :sun:

 

EDIT: Just re-read the TSI engine failure thread and it's the 2.0TSI engine as well so I guess a CR diesel it is then.

Edited 5 February, 201511 yr by Jigger72

Why?

The chances of tensioner failure are remote in the extreme.

Why?

The chances of tensioner failure are remote in the extreme.

 

You don't have my 5hitty luck

I had the tensioner replaced fairly cheaply on mine, worth considering if it bothers you like it did me.

You don't have my 5hitty luck

I see!

Albert King and then Cream had something to sing about that... :-)

The PD diesel of the vRS does not have the oil pump drive problem, it was the Superb MK1 variant of the 2.0PD engine that had that and no other Skoda models.

We have a 2010 CR VRS. Coming up for 59,000 miles (getting timing belt and water pump done at weekend). Never had any issues apart from a weird intermittent ABS error which was fixed by replacing the battery with a Bosch S5 096. I change the oil and filter every 5000 miles. We also replaced the shocks and springs with an H&R 50mm kit.

Fantastic car. Will keep it until it dies.

10k a year........no contest for me.....petrol vrs....TFSI is a geat engine & drive thanks to all the low down torque.

Forget the derv, if you're only doing 10,000 miles a year.

Its not that definite for a petrol on 10k a year. I only do that kind of mileage and compared to my old car which did the same mpg as the vrs petrol it's costing me half what I used to fork out.

I have gone down the route of dpf removal and egr blank as a lot of the driving is in traffic but I havn't had a single issue since having the car.

 

Even if you are only doing 10k I wouldnt completely ignore the PD or CR derv models

Forget the derv, if you're only doing 10,000 miles a year.

Totally agree. TSI all the way. Fabulous engine.

My 7yr old TFSI never missed a beat. Other issues around the car but the engine was like new even after 80k.

I personally would avoid a PD engined vRS. Great motors when working properly but are renowned for DPF and (what can transpire to be a rather dangerous) injector issue...so severe that VOSA forced a recall for every 170 PD engined VAG vehicle in the UK.

The 170 CR of very late pre FL models (mainly limited edition models) and FL models is much more reliable but frankly in standard form arent that quick and dont IMHO drive like a 170hp car.

The pre FL TFSi motor can suffer cokeing issues (as the direct injection implementation on them wasnt too clever) and I gather they can eat coil packs if driven very hard. The cokeing issue can be quite expensive to rectify properly but otherwise not aware of any major issues with those. A good motor and quite tunable too.

The later TSI found in FL cars is much better but as others have eluded to they can suffer camchain failures; affecting earlier cars that were fitted with what appear to be inadequate tensioners. Again these can be retrofitted quite cheaply and a tensioner issue makes itself known as the chain will become noisy. Otherwise a great motor and Id say in terms of bang per buck would be pick of the bunch. Fuel economy is pretty woeful though if driven as nature intended...34-35mpg if half sensible, low 20's of you drive like a tool. V tunable though as whist limited by the turbo they have a high pressure fuel pump and good injectors so can see 260-270hp from a map alone.

A remapped CR is a good compromise as mechanically they are sound and with between 200 and 215hp and a load more torque they go well also with little impact on already v reasonable economy. They are more popular than the TSI for running cost reasons (also I think many now fear the cam tensioner failure) so they are more expensive but hold their value better.

Hope that helps.

Edited 6 February, 201511 yr by pipsyp

Looked at both when we bought last year. At similar mileage to you. For what it is worth I would never swap our car for a die-easle. Do i think the tensioner problem is an immediate concern? No look at the numbers. Yes you could be unlucky but then something equally catastrophic could happen to a diesel.

 

When you factor in the additional cost of original purchase and the saving of diesel over the years there really is a lot less in it than people think. You can do a lot of miles before the cross over point in mpg vs price vs fuel price especially since petrol has come down so much recently. We were looking at over £1500 more for a similar diesel model (or enough to buy 1400ish litres or 308gallons or 9856miles at an average of 32mpg) alone. If MPG is a concern then it is pretty low at the moment particularly in these cold mornings and with traffic with mid to high 20's common but this still averages out to 30ish including weekend drives. On a run to Scotland we saw 41mpg so really depends on the drive.

 

The other question I posed myself was did I want to be in a position where I felt like I had to go for a long drive to do a regen?

 

Of course all this aside if you are looking at a 2008 pre fl the 2.0ltr tsfi is belt driven so could be the engine for you. You just dont get the bells whistles and better look (yes IMO) of the FL.

I personally would avoid a PD engined vRS. Great motors when working properly but are renowned for DPF and (what can transpire to be a rather dangerous) injector issue...so severe that VOSA forced a recall for every 170 PD engined VAG vehicle in the UK.

The 170 CR of very late pre FL models (mainly limited edition models) and FL models is much more reliable but frankly in standard form arent that quick and dont IMHO drive like a 170hp car.

The pre FL TFSi motor can suffer cokeing issues (as the direct injection implementation on them wasnt too clever) and I gather they can eat coil packs if driven very hard. The cokeing issue can be quite expensive to rectify properly but otherwise not aware of any major issues with those. A good motor and quite tunable too.

The later TSI found in FL cars is much better but as others have eluded to they can suffer camchain failures; affecting earlier cars that were fitted with what appear to be inadequate tensioners. Again these can be retrofitted quite cheaply and a tensioner issue makes itself known as the chain will become noisy. Otherwise a great motor and Id say in terms of bang per buck would be pick of the bunch. Fuel economy is pretty woeful though if driven as nature intended...34-35mpg if half sensible, low 20's of you drive like a tool. V tunable though as whist limited by the turbo they have a high pressure fuel pump and good injectors so can see 260-270hp from a map alone.

A remapped CR is a good compromise as mechanically they are sound and with between 200 and 215hp and a load more torque they go well also with little impact on already v reasonable economy. They are more popular than the TSI for running cost reasons (also I think many now fear the cam tensioner failure) so they are more expensive but hold their value better.

Hope that helps.

+1.

Excellent summary and pretty much what I considered before taking the plunge on mine 2.5 years ago. 2010 vRS CR DSG with Shark re-map to address the performance shortfall mentioned alive. Re-map has been on for 40k trouble free and apart from the usual things to address at part of the servicing schedule - touch wood no major issues. One thing I stick to religiously is regular interval servicing every 10k which obviously includes the all important oil change.

Thanks again to everyone who provided much useful info, especially pipsyp for a succint appraisal of all the various vRS engines.

 

I'm still looking and hoping the right one just turns up like a lucky coin

Just my 2p but yesterday I went through my spread sheets of money spent on my last 2 cars over the same amount of mileage (30k). Ignoring the fuel cost as the Octavia would be half that of the Civic and tyres as I didnt have the information (but the cost will have been about the same) I was suprised with the result. I spent the same on both cars in servicing and parts over the same amount of mileage.

In 30k I spent about £1500 in servicing and replacing parts on both cars. If I added the cost of DPF removal, egr blanking and remap then accounted for fuel differences I estimated the cost will still be in favour of the VRS diesel.

 

There is a lot to be said for having a petrol over a diesel but when you own a car 99% of the time you are looking at the NOW costs and this is what you will really see. Cost at the pump (around £55-£60 to fill up atm), cost of rubber, cost of servicing. Yes people mention all the "if" prices but the same can be said for every car ever made

Thanks again to everyone who provided much useful info, especially pipsyp for a succint appraisal of all the various vRS engines.

I'm still looking and hoping the right one just turns up like a lucky coin

V welcome!

And another question - I'm tying myself up in knots with this.

I've discovered the Audi A4 Avant 2.0T FSI can be had within budget and the 2008 revamp model with larger boot but it's back to which engine and what problems?

I'm thinking of this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201411259231198/sort/atcustom/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew/make/audi/fuel-type/petrol/postcode/e174sw/page/1/price-to/8000/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/radius/1500/body-type/estate/usedcars?logcode=p

But is this going to be the revised EA888 engine with the upgraded HPFP? I keep reading about Cam follower problems and engine coking and it's all getting confusing. In all other respects this one seems to fit my brief and is within striking distance, unlike a lot of vRS combis.

Man, this is some serious head work. I just want to make sure I'm not blowing £8k on something that's going to cost another £5k 3 years down the line.

And another question - I'm tying myself up in knots with this.

I've discovered the Audi A4 Avant 2.0T FSI can be had within budget and the 2008 revamp model with larger boot but it's back to which engine and what problems?

I'm thinking of this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201411259231198/sort/atcustom/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew/make/audi/fuel-type/petrol/postcode/e174sw/page/1/price-to/8000/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/radius/1500/body-type/estate/usedcars?logcode=p

But is this going to be the revised EA888 engine with the upgraded HPFP? I keep reading about Cam follower problems and engine coking and it's all getting confusing. In all other respects this one seems to fit my brief and is within striking distance, unlike a lot of vRS combis.

Man, this is some serious head work. I just want to make sure I'm not blowing £8k on something that's going to cost another £5k 3 years down the line.

Yes this will undoubtedly have the 210ps version of the EA888 motor as fitted to the FL Mk2 vRS, so no cam follower or coking issues but potential for cam tensioner failure.

The vRS got the motor but received a lower tune map and got a different engine code as a result but mechanically I believe they are nigh on identical....that said the Audi variant may well have valvelift which I dont think the other VAG models got

And another question - I'm tying myself up in knots with this.

I've discovered the Audi A4 Avant 2.0T FSI can be had within budget and the 2008 revamp model with larger boot but it's back to which engine and what problems?

I'm thinking of this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201411259231198/sort/atcustom/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew/make/audi/fuel-type/petrol/postcode/e174sw/page/1/price-to/8000/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/radius/1500/body-type/estate/usedcars?logcode=p

But is this going to be the revised EA888 engine with the upgraded HPFP? I keep reading about Cam follower problems and engine coking and it's all getting confusing. In all other respects this one seems to fit my brief and is within striking distance, unlike a lot of vRS combis.

Man, this is some serious head work. I just want to make sure I'm not blowing £8k on something that's going to cost another £5k 3 years down the line.

We looked at an A4 tfsi quattro avant. Boot way smaller than the Octavia and a lot less rear leg room.

Better spec and trim but the 4 rings on the bonnet also carries its own problems and stigma :-)

In the end it was a no brainer for me. Similar car for same money, only difference was the A4 was 3 years old with 40k and the Octavia was pre reg with 11 miles on the clock...

Mines since had a revo stage 1 so performance on a par with the A4, cheap way into a quick capable new car.

Edited 11 February, 201511 yr by fairlight5

We looked at an A4 tfsi quattro avant. Boot way smaller than the Octavia and a lot less rear leg room.

Better spec and trim but the 4 rings on the bonnet also carries its own problems and stigma :-)

In the end it was a no brainer for me. Similar car for same money, only difference was the A4 was 3 years old with 40k and the Octavia was pre reg with 11 miles on the clock...

Mines since had a revo stage 1 so performance on a par with the A4, cheap way into a quick capable new car.

 

 

I understand what you're saying but I can't find a decent vRS estate anywhere near me, and the Audi is the newer model with the ever-so-slightly-larger boot (490 litres vs the old 452 litres). I know the Octy has 580 litres but like I say, they're rare around these parts and I'm not prepared to travel 200 miles to see one that might, or might not, be OK. Plus, I don't have the money to spend on a pre-reg model with 11 miles on the clock :-)

I understand what you're saying but I can't find a decent vRS estate anywhere near me, and the Audi is the newer model with the ever-so-slightly-larger boot (490 litres vs the old 452 litres). I know the Octy has 580 litres but like I say, they're rare around these parts and I'm not prepared to travel 200 miles to see one that might, or might not, be OK. Plus, I don't have the money to spend on a pre-reg model with 11 miles on the clock :-)

Probably tells you something that there aren't many about. We ended up going main dealer network and they bought one up from down south for us.

I understand what you're saying but I can't find a decent vRS estate anywhere near me, and the Audi is the newer model with the ever-so-slightly-larger boot (490 litres vs the old 452 litres). I know the Octy has 580 litres but like I say, they're rare around these parts and I'm not prepared to travel 200 miles to see one that might, or might not, be OK. Plus, I don't have the money to spend on a pre-reg model with 11 miles on the clock :-)

Ours was a bargain, had been sat for 5 months from date of reg to when we got it. It was a staggering 7k less than list by the time the deal was signed!

Funny old world though. Should I want a new vag non mock Tudor 4x4 with a petrol engine I have to have a Golf or A4.

Skoda and Seat only offering the 2.0 oil burner in the Octavia and Leon.

So that's me with our car as a long term keeper.