Hello. My Octavia Mk1 has died. Engine failure, head needs to come off , possible piston damage. Big expense and will cost more than the car is worth. 

I did get to 220K miles which I didn't think was too bad. 

 

So , I'm thinking of getting another and would be grateful if anybody could post any links to previous threads or any advice on what I should look for when inspecting one when buying. Thinking ill get one for about 2K. 

 

Mine had the power steering rack fail so Ill try and check that as well as the speedo going to zero and staying there. Apart from that it was in the garage for normal wear and tear . 

 

Any advice would be appreciated as I think I'd love another.  Or should I be looking for the newer model ?

Mk1 Octy suffers from a few electrical issues. Central locking, Elec windows, dashboard are all prone to problems & can be a pain to fix. Stuck thermostat, & Coolant temp sensor failure are very common. Worn suspension is common.

High mileage isn't an issue but make sure it's been serviced correctly, & the cambelt & water pump have been changed at the correct intervals. Proven service history is a must, don't trust a stamped service book as proof look at the documentation or phone whoever stamped the book.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/137484-vrs-buying-guide-please-read/

 

This is for VRS but describes typical stuff to check for mk1 Octy

Oh. And rear wiper! That's always a favourite!

Great , thanks for the replies . Here I go 

Good luck!

Check timing belt up to date with changes , also dmf has been changed or is not making any noise ( press clutch pedal in ) dont be put off by high miles if its been looked after and runs quiet , with no knocks rumbles etc . the mark 1 is capaple of high miles , ive 3 taxis at the minute all mk 1 , my oldest one is on 491,000 miles . its the sdi though very basic , and not much to go wrong in the sense of major components .

Check sills for rust. Seen a few where people have jacked on them and they get damaged. Electrics in the doors get wet.