Planning to buy an Octavia 1.8 TSI 2009 Petrol. Will appreciate info on reliability of this car for city driving; especially the air conditioning. Manual gearshift. This car has done 70,000 kms (about 43,500 miles). This is the first Skoda I might be driving and can't afford a lemon.  Not many Skodas on the road here. 

Best

Hussein Najee

 

 

Should be fine - good AC system if maintained and plenty of power.  The Skoda shares many common components with VW/Audi and is easy to service and maintain.  Need to make sure you change the oil regularly to avoid timing chain tensioner problems.

Need to make sure you change the oil regularly to avoid timing chain tensioner problems.

Timing chain tensioner failure is down to oil condition?!

It's a great engine OP, mines done around 45,000 miles now and hasn't missed a beat. 5,000 mile/six monthly oil changes though.

108,000 miles and going strong... cheap to buy as everyone seem scared to death of them 

Despite hundreds of thousands running fine

Enjoy

Timing chain tensioner failure is down to oil condition?!

It's a great engine OP, mines done around 45,000 miles now and hasn't missed a beat. 5,000 mile/six monthly oil changes though.

Well, I'm not a car techie but I did read the excellent pinned thread on this forum on 1.8 and 2.0Tsi engine failures and I refer Yeti-Man to posts numbers 227 and 240.  Might simply be an old wives tale but I read it here.  If true, your 6-monthly oil changes might work!

Thanks to you all for the advice. Feel comfortable after reading your comments. The main lesson is ENGINE OIL. 

Best to you all.