As the title.....given peoples experiences of the Mk3 so far...would you have another?

I know a couple have already but personally Im more of the side of no than yes.

Dont get me wrong its a good car...arguably part of my problem also is that I did go for the wrong model (I should have gotten a vRS TDi rather than a 150 Elegance) but I just dont feel that compelled to have another as and when I can justify letting this one go.

I "may" go back to a company car depending on circumstances at the time which could see me moving into a BMW of sorts (choice of a number of 1, 3 and 5 series), or possibly a Passat GT (not exciting but admittedly a v nice cruiser), Scirocco GT 150 TDI or Golf GTD.

I think if I were to look at buying something with my own money (on the basis it needs to be low emissions) Im thinking possibly Golf GTD, Scirocco GT 184 TDi, Leon ST FR 184, A3 Saloon S Line 184 or maybe a facelift 120d M Sport....possibly a 220d M Sport depending on what deals are out there.

I appreciate they are nothing like as practical (Passat the exception) but I am kind of yearning a quickish diesel hatch (wife can have a family holdall perhaps) and I have to say now I am not sure the Octavia will land on my radar come the time if I end up financing something myself as I do feel the vRS with some additional spec is bordering on indecently expensive....particularly the relative lack of discount compared to other marques.

Be interested to hear your thoughts, particularly around what you might do come change time. I'm definitely not as charged up about the vRS as Id thought I would be.

Mmm, funny that as I was filling time at 3am this morning and I priced a VRS on the configurator. I got up to £32k without discounts etc and thought, just "no".

I like the octavia, I really do, but the next car (if there is one) won't be a Skoda. It will be whatever takes my fancy, fits my budget and keeps the kids and wife comfortable!!

Oh and my local dealer is woeful so that's a big put down already.

Mmm, funny that as I was filling time at 3am this morning and I priced a VRS on the configurator. I got up to £32k without discounts etc and thought, just "no".

I like the octavia, I really do, but the next car (if there is one) won't be a Skoda. It will be whatever takes my fancy, fits my budget and keeps the kids and wife comfortable!!

Oh and my local dealer is woeful so that's a big put down already.

Thats kind of my view too Pumatron. For me Id have to go estate as personally prefer the look to the hatch...by the time id added a few choice options (one of which was the electric seat option as I cant bear to have another car without decent lumbar supports...but then you have to take lots of other extras to support that....then also Canton as I dont like the standard system).....comes out about 27.5k...the best finance offer I recieved was only 7% which means its still a nigh on 26k car and too expensive.

Admittedly its a smaller car but a facelift 120d M Sport with a couple of option packs (namely M Sport Plus adding massive brakes, HK sound system and privacy glass) nav, lumbar supports and folding dimming mirrors came out a shade over 29k. Im confident I could whittle that down a fair bit at a dealer...also it probably drives better than the Octavia and has the new (and bound to be rather excellent) 190ps diesel engine, sub 7 second 0-60, 60-odd mpg and low emissions.

The 125d looks even more impressive with its 224ps diesel but it outputs 1g/km too much CO2 for my car allowance scheme v annoyingly...but then spec for spec that is a 32k car.

I have to say a big yes. It just ticks all the right boxes for me, is it the fastest car I've had? No but it does everything I need it to do and does it very well.

And this from a man who drives a Paramedic Scout RRV 12 hrs a day but then still smiles when he drives back into the station car park and sees a lovely moon white monster.

Mmm, funny that as I was filling time at 3am this morning and I priced a VRS on the configurator. I got up to £32k without discounts etc and thought, just "no".

 

Did you actually then go an play with the configurator on another vehicle to compare?

 

To get up to 32k, you must have ticked almost every box. Do that with a BMW 318d (which starts at a similar price to a tdi vRS), and you are getting close to 40k

I very much doubt it, last time I research size and cost, next time I'll add comfort and sadly the O3 in Elegance spec is let down by the very poor rear suspension, its really the only issue I have with the car, my own fault I didn't really throw it about on test drive.

Not me, I'm usually one for repeat buying of models but next time around the only Skoda I'll look at is the new Superb. I quite like the spec of the SE L Executive with the TSI 220 DSG. But will also check out the Jag XE and as a complete wildcard the new MX5!

Edited 10 March, 201511 yr by stokey

Did you actually then go an play with the configurator on another vehicle to compare?

To get up to 32k, you must have ticked almost every box. Do that with a BMW 318d (which starts at a similar price to a tdi vRS), and you are getting close to 40k

To be fair (and given their residual values are proving to be quite poor) you'd be pretty mad to spec a 32k Octavia...but people have done it.

Likewise, not many people in their right mind would spec up a 40k 318d...you'd probably go 320d in M Sport trim and add what you need and nothing more.

Its worth noting that the 3 series is actually now a pretty well equipped car...gone are the days you had to pay for a radio and speakers :-) I believe all 3 series now come as standard with Business Nav too.

In all honesty I dont think BMW's carry the kudos they once commanded but I think all the same Id still rather be looking at a 120d/320d M Sport on my driveway than a vRS, particularly if I could attain one for similar money/monthly commitment.

Where Skoda needs to be careful I think is that they must think they are now a desirable/proven brand and people are buying the cars purely on that basis...the reality is that their core customer set have been loyal to them as they have gone up the VAG ranks based upon their high value offerings...which are for sure becoming less and less so.

Id consider myself one of those customers and to be honest if Im looking to spend VW (or even BMW)-esque money on a Skoda....I think i'll just go and buy a VW (or BMW) instead.

If the Mk3 was staggeringly better than the Mk2 id be more sympathetic but I dont think it is...better sure but its evolution not revolution and I wouldnt say my Elegance should really have commanded a 3k higher list price than my Mk2 vRS.

Edited 10 March, 201511 yr by pipsyp

most likely yes......I need the space greatdane x2 and one satan....er child maybe a superb for a change but not much in size for the boot catches my eye

I like the new mk7 golf estate but its just not big enough,,,,,,my vrs is ok manual box again didn't like the dsg in my other deff a diesel as I do loads of miles,, xenons and that's about it

Does it say something, that you can get almost 5k off a 320d M Sport purchase price, yet only 2k off of a tdi vRS? (according to Whatcar website) Still like 4k difference between the 2.

 

Would be interesting to see what the finance rate on a BMW would be, certainly VW & Audi were higher than Skoda when i was looking.

I'm a company car (lease) driver so it's not necessarily down to the ticket price. Sometimes the leasing costs on certain cars can fluctuate wildly. My main criteria this time was a family Estate car which was also fun to drive. Preferably vag but others would be considered... Just nothing French. At the time it came to ordering the new passat and new mondeo were due to be release. I wasn't prepared to risk ordering a car id not seen/driven and prices weren't available either. So i narrowed it to a seat leon St or the Octavia vrs estate.

When it came down to it, some of the options i wanted (kessy, Electric boot, heated screen) were only available on the Octavia. I drove both and that's what sealed it for me.

When it comes to ordering next time, I'll see what the lie of the land is but id definitely consider another one.

I very much doubt it, last time I research size and cost, next time I'll add comfort and sadly the O3 in Elegance spec is let down by the very poor rear suspension, its really the only issue I have with the car, my own fault I didn't really throw it about on test drive.

It's not strictly the Elegance spec that's the problem but the engine/drivetrain choice. You can get multilink suspension with 1.4 TSI CNG, 1.8 TSI, 2.0 TSI, 1.6 TDI 4x4 and 2.0 184 TDI.

 

So basically even your engine is available with multilink...unfortunately only if you pay for the gas version... 

Edited 10 March, 201511 yr by kallekilponen

Does it say something, that you can get almost 5k off a 320d M Sport purchase price, yet only 2k off of a tdi vRS? (according to Whatcar website) Still like 4k difference between the 2.

Would be interesting to see what the finance rate on a BMW would be, certainly VW & Audi were higher than Skoda when i was looking.

I agree the finance rates on BMW's are unlikely to be as attractive (certainly not zero %).

Whats raised my eyes is that Octavia vRS TDI v Leon ST FR 184 with Tech pack. Both there or thereabouts 27.5k cars with options......best I could get out of CarWow on the Skoda on finance was 7%....on the Leon nearly 17%!

So had I played the game I could have gotten a v high spec Leon ST FR with the bigger engine for less than my base 2.0 Octavia Elegance.

I wouldnt necessarily say the Leon is a better car but for less than 23k id have jumped at it had I been in the position to buy.

As a 4x4 owner,

after a week I won't ive my opinion on whether I'd buy another as I'm still in the honeymoon period (but we came from a 10 year old Seat Altea and though it had build quality issues didn't hesitate to go Skoda)

But there is very little out there for the money, that is not SUV, looks like a normal estate car and is 4x4 for the money, xDrive and Quattro are a big jump up, I didn't go for a scout on personal preference, so Leon, and the Golf alltrack will look very similar....

So probably, yes I would

Edited 10 March, 201511 yr by johnthesparky

Whats raised my eyes is that Octavia vRS TDI v Leon ST FR 184 with Tech pack. Both there or thereabouts 27.5k cars with options......best I could get out of CarWow on the Skoda on finance was 7%....on the Leon nearly 17%!

 

The Leon has some astonishing deals at the moment. I think the Leon with the flashy lights is better looking than the Octavia, pity the interior is soo boring.

 

Being that Leon's have these deals, and selling like hotcakes, the residuals will undoubtedly be rubbish.

The Leon has some astonishing deals at the moment. I think the Leon with the flashy lights is better looking than the Octavia, pity the interior is soo boring.

Being that Leon's have these deals, and selling like hotcakes, the residuals will undoubtedly be rubbish.

Agreed...the interior on the Leon really isnt so hot.

Spec wise though it also included the dynamic pack so progressive steering and DCC. On the standard 17's (which oddly is about the only FR wheel design I semi like) and with multi link its v likely impressive.

I also agree with the residuals...I dont think the Leon is moving as well as Seat would like hence the discounts so likely an slight act of desperation but given my year old 23k Elegance only books for about 14k; I dont think the O3 is going to be particularly special in that dept either.

There is so bloody many of them on the road to I guess its rather a buyers market and the used prices are being driven down as a consequence of the new models relative success.

Interesting question.  Having owned Mark 1 and Mark 2 VRS estates I reluctantly took the decision to "downshift" to a 1.4TSI Elegance estate for my most recent purchase.  This was mainly due to cost factors - being retired has a lot to commend it but I have to finance my own wheels from a significantly reduced income - and Skoda is no longer the budget brand it used to be.

 

I like the 1.4 but I don't love it the way I loved the VRSs. It's an ideal size for me, particularly since two or three times a year I have to shift bulky items to exhibitions.  It does everything competently and with little fuss but it has absolutely no character or charisma.  It also suffers from some stupid design points - being unable to open the bonnet without first opening the passenger door is one and the windscreen washer filler right behind the bonnet prop is another. These are trivial but they would be easier to overlook if the car itself was more inspirational. 

 

I've generally had excellent service from my local dealer and this has been a significant factor in me staying loyal to Skoda.  They used to be a small family firm based in a village outside Perth.  A while ago they were taken over by a larger firm based in Aberdeen and although they nominally remained independent I was conscious of a slight but noticeable decline in the standards of their servicing and administration.  They are now about to open a large Skoda/Seat dealership in the centre of Perth and I'm fearing the worst.  I hope I'm proved wrong but if their standards fall to the level of some of the other dealers named and shamed in these forums I'll be off like a shot.

Unlikely unless they do another spanking offer on the vRS and as above Skoda's shift in their dealer network profile is doing nothing to want me to buy another ATM. Pity really....

Yes.

I would like another VRS, maybe a slightly different spec, maybe even a petrol one or maybe a Scout.

Only problem is the cost, it just seems that new prices seem to be moving out of my reach and that certainly isn't going to change. I am Considering buying a second user one IF the spec is right, say 6 months old with a few thousand on it.

As an example, I was looking on the Approved Skoda site, they had a really nice Scout which was less than 6 months old, barely run in for at least 6k less than new.

I also agree with the residuals...I dont think the Leon is moving as well as Seat would like hence the discounts so likely an slight act of desperation but given my year old 23k Elegance only books for about 14k; .

Can't say whether I would get another Octavia or not yet having just ordered an Octavia Combi about 6 weeks ago, won't get my hands on it for at least another 6 or 7 weeks I'm sure, but at the time of ordering it was basically between the Octavia and Leon ST FR, price wise there wasn't much in it but I got a decent discount on the Octy whereas they wouldn't budge on the list price of the Seat!! That and also the very dull interior, not being able to spec heated screen and not as much space in the Seat made up my mind for me!!

Did you actually then go an play with the configurator on another vehicle to compare?

To get up to 32k, you must have ticked almost every box. Do that with a BMW 318d (which starts at a similar price to a tdi vRS), and you are getting close to 40k

No I didn't compare another vehicle, it was more a thought of if I bought another octavia what would I spec and what model would I choose this time around. It just happened to come out at £32k. I know with discounts it would be cheaper but I would be concerned on spending so much money on an octavia, especially when I look on car broker sites and see what £30k+ or so could buy me. I just don't have any brand loyalty in me I suppose!

My black O3 VRS is going at the end of the month I am replacing it with a Superb 170hp Elegance estate fully loaded, heated seats front and rear, power boot, pano roof, heated screen, heated washer nozzles, sunset glass, park assist, spare wheel, black magic paint,and I cannot remember what else. The Superb feels a much more solid and well built car, and not that much slower than the VRS, not that it matters much in the UK with all them speed cameras. Cruise on and enjoy the better ride and quietness and refinement. Nearly £32k worth of Skoda !!! fortunately I ain't paying anything remotely in that region.

Enjoy your motoring whatever you are in/going to be in.

I'm definitely not having another O3 with Torsion Beam. Would poss consider a 4x4 if they did a hatch or a vRS but bearing in mind a vRS with all the toys you get on an Elegance plus a few other bits tots up to over £29k, so prob £25k after discount, I'd rather go back to a Superb, especially bearing in mind the new S3 looks like they have sorted the butt end on the hatch and a 280TSI hatch with 4x4, DSG and 40mpg will probably be a good buy ex demo or 6-12 months old for similar money to a new vRS. Fail in that, a used Merc E350CDI, BMW 530D or a Jag XF will all be on my short list.

I'll probably go back to a Yeti If I can afford one. It handled so much better than my octy and in my opinion looks better.

MKIII is more grown up than the MkII. My VRS is quicker and better in most departments compared to my MKII, which I really liked. It handles better and has more toys. Maybe it's the underdog complex but my MKII seemed to have more character and compared well against more expensive cars and amazed me with its performance, load capacity and economy. The MKIII does all this and better, standfast economy until the weather gets warmer. I expected it to outperform the MkII on the basis that it was newer technology and a new platform, therefore it hasn't had time to impress me. Common post on this and similar threads. "I would have one if it was cheaper" perhaps Skoda don't need to have such offers at this time. All the VAG comparisons are a compromise over price/size/economy etc and of course whatever discount is available. Skodas seem to be very popular in my area now so discounts probably aren't needed on the newer models. As for BMW, they are more common than Fords, which used to be another reason to buy a Skoda, to be different.