Speccing a new VRS

[Bailer]

Hi Folks, I am new to the forum, have been reading it for the last 2 months since I started looking to change cars due to an impending arrival that won't suit my current 2 door lifestyle, I have settled on a VRS combi and am looking at the below options. I would be extremely grateful for any input opinions you may have as to choices below, I believe i have specced the car to my maximum budget, but is there anything you would drop or replace? Thanks in advance.

 

MY16 VRS Combi Manual TDI (still can't determine if smart link / mirror link will be available certainly isn't on the irish dealer system as an option as of Friday but waiting on confirmation from Skoda Ireland)

Dark Grey Metallic

19" Xtreme Alloys with xtreme pack I think this includes colour maxi-dot 

Black Pack

Alarm with interior monitoring

Sunset Glass

Simply Clever Package (boot liner etc)

Folding Mirrors

Leather Seats

Driving Mode Selection

Canton with Bolero (don't need satnav)

Heated front seats & windscreen

 

 

That all brings the cost here to about 37,500 Euro, I can't stretch to the panoramic sunroof, and having never bought new before I would like to spec the best options as I would plan to probably keep the car after the PCP by making the balloon payment.

 

Once again thanks in advance

 

Bailer.

[k9matt]

Spare wheel!

[Brianpilman]

Don't bother with simply clever pack as options in this I'm certain there available cheaper from superskoda website. And definitely order a spare. They may try to tell you that it is unavailable with the 19's but then tell them that the rolling radius of all the wheels std 18 extreme 19 and 18 space saver are the same

[cortina63]

The ride is harsh enough on an estate with 18" wheels, it would be worse I would have thought with the 19" ones

[Gromle]

Get ACC if it aint already included. Its worth every euro and then some.

[Brooksuk]

The ride isn't harsh at all on my estate vrs with 19" wheels. Looks like a good spec to me!

[Mence]

As K9matt mentioned, a spare wheel would be a sensible addition.

Spec is a very personal thing and it looks like you're suggesting you're going to be in it for the long haul so choose carefully as you will have a long time to repent if you make a poor call on a few options.

Personal opinion but I would lose the Extreme bits and have a sunroof if you can't stretch to both.

[themanwithnoaim]

+1 wheels can be done afterwards possible reusing the 18's for winter rubber, ain't no MoFo gonna retro-fit that pano-roof and its so worth it.

[Brooksuk]

+1 wheels can be done afterwards possible reusing the 18's for winter rubber, ain't no MoFo gonna retro-fit that pano-roof and its so worth it.

The 19" wheels are £260 each without tyres I believe so their not a cheap retro fit. Must admit I'd have liked the pano roof but it was a little too expensive with the number of extras I'd already added! I'd have the wheels over the roof though.

Edited 23 May, 2015 by Brooksuk

[Diango]

I'd drop the 19" and definitely don't combine Bolero with Canton. The Columbus also comes with a more powerful amp which you will need to properly drive the Canton system (personal opinion!). 

 

I still regret not having sprung extra for the Pano roof and after a couple of grocery runs with both kids I also decide my next Skoda will have the electric boot option. 

[Peter23]

Based on the decisions I made, I would forget the possibly harsher riding 19'' wheels and the leather, and would choose the panoramic sunroof. The non-leather seats are fine (warmer in winter I suspect) and the sunroof in the combi is amazing. It provides a light environment in the car all year round, and you need to apply sun tan protection in the summer!

Edited 23 May, 2015 by Peter23

[Brooksuk]

Based on the decisions I made, I would forget the harsh riding 19'' wheels and the leather, and would choose the panoramic sunroof. The non-leather seats are fine (warmer in winter I suspect) and the sunroof is amazing. It provides a lighter environment in the car all year round, and you need to apply sun tan protection in the the summer!

The 19" wheels are no more harsh riding than the 18's. No difference at all between the car I test drove and mine. Also, swmbo claims the leather seats are more comfortable than the cloth. Also much easier to clean!

[Gromle]

I'd drop the 19" and definitely don't combine Bolero with Canton. The Columbus also comes with a more powerful amp which you will need to properly drive the Canton system (personal opinion!).

I still regret not having sprung extra for the Pano roof and after a couple of grocery runs with both kids I also decide my next Skoda will have the electric boot option.

Tha canton has it own amp, doesnt it?

The headunit shouldnt matter.

[themanwithnoaim]

OP, the way I see it, bigger alloys enhance the look of the car to viewers, the pano-roof enhances the in the car experience for the occupants, which is most important to you, is your choice.

[BA Baracus]

 

MY16 VRS Combi Manual TDI (still can't determine if smart link / mirror link will be available certainly isn't on the irish dealer system as an option as of Friday but waiting on confirmation from Skoda Ireland)

Dark Grey Metallic

19" Xtreme Alloys with xtreme pack I think this includes colour maxi-dot 

Black Pack

Alarm with interior monitoring

Sunset Glass

Simply Clever Package (boot liner etc)

Folding Mirrors

Leather Seats

Driving Mode Selection

Canton with Bolero (don't need satnav)

Heated front seats & windscreen

 

My contribution-

 

1.  smart link - early days of development, questionable value I would personally wait another few generations before getting excited about it

2.  dark grey - stick with popular white or blue, better come trade-in/re-sell

3.  black pack - cosmetic enhancement, save pennies instead?

4.  xtreme alloys - like them, but also like the 18" choices which may ride a bit more comfortably?

5.  alarm - fair enough, not standard???

6.  sunset glass - cosmetic, save pennies instead?

7.  simply cleaver package - not sure what is in the package but get the dealer to throw in the boot liner FOC as part of the deal

8.  folding mirrors - just push them in yourself manually!

9.  leather seats - good choice with kids on the way e.g. sick, sweeties wrappers, sticky hands, muddy feet etc etc

10. driving mode selection - why?  don't see the point - gimmick

11. canton - for more bass when you are listening to postman pat and other CBeebie music?  no point

12. heated front seats and windscreen - fair enough with leather

 

Good luck!

[Redboy]

From someone who has most some of your spec, mirrors and canton good, leather and heated seats and screen very good. Colour looks very nice and I bet the 19" wheels will look great. Good luck.

[GAFF]

From what I gather the Xtremes can only be purchased in Ireland as part of Xtreme challange pack

Includes

19" Xtreme Alloys

colour maxi-dot

Black Pack

Driving Mode Selection

Also from what Ive been told the Smartlink is included from ww23.

[Bailer]

Thanks so far for all the opinions, I can't resist the xtremes, I think they make it the car and fell in love with the colour when I saw one in the UK not too many vrs combis in Ireland and every vrs appears to be race blue and the only contribution from herself is any car that's not white, some of the options are very cheap in Ireland, black pack is free, simply clever is about £40. I currently have a bose system in my car and don't feel I can do without the canton, I listen to a lot of very high bit rate music while commuting and see it as a definite for my personal pleasure. Think the leather is a must for filthy minions as much easier to clean up. Might have to seriously consider stretching for the pano roof.

[Bailer]

Spare wheel is standard here, acc is €750 and I don't get enough motorway miles in to justify the cost, standard cruise is more than enough,

[GTR27]

I have a pano roof, and IMO one of the best options. The kids LOVE it (so does swmbo and myself) and the car just feels so open and awesome. I rarely even have the blind closed. The 19s do make the car look brilliant though.

I have canton and bolero, and it's OK, but only with really good quality recordings. Sounds a bit average without it. Sound is no difference with Columbus though (all speakers amplified with amp if canton specced).

Good luck, hopefully the mid life update will bring mirror link!

[Bailer]

From what I gather the Xtremes can only be purchased in Ireland as part of Xtreme challange pack

Includes

19" Xtreme Alloys

colour maxi-dot

Black Pack

Driving Mode Selection

Also from what Ive been told the Smartlink is included from ww23.

 

Was speccing the car on the dealer system on friday and once you select the 19" wheels you are forced to spec the xtreme challenge pack, but they have no info on what it actually entails and doesn't appear to check the driving mode selection or colour maxi dot on their system, still waiting on actual pricing with the options as the dealer system is currently without pricing, not sure if this is a w22 related issue. Still no clarification on smart link but love my tech so will try and get it if possible. 

 

on a sidenote Gaff like the white combi, don't see any dealer stickers in the pics, did you buy it in a dublin dealership and if so how was your experience?

[GAFF]

Was speccing the car on the dealer system on friday and once you select the 19" wheels you are forced to spec the xtreme challenge pack, but they have no info on what it actually entails and doesn't appear to check the driving mode selection or colour maxi dot on their system, still waiting on actual pricing with the options as the dealer system is currently without pricing, not sure if this is a w22 related issue. Still no clarification on smart link but love my tech so will try and get it if possible.

on a sidenote Gaff like the white combi, don't see any dealer stickers in the pics, did you buy it in a dublin dealership and if so how was your experience?

I got the details on the Xtreme pack a few weeks ago. The Xtreme challange pack = Challange pack ( mentioned in brochure) + 19s.

I bought from David Brown in Sheehys Naas. He was a pleasure to deal with.

What dealer are you dealing with?

[Bailer]

I'm currently dealing with Pilsen in ballymount as I had visited the other Dublin dealerships and wasn't impressed with the lack of knowledge, having worked in the motor trade years ago I can't understand a salesperson not knowing their product. I might give sheehys a call because if he's the same David Brown that used to work in Phoenix motors I went to school with him, nice guy.

[MidVRS]

I'm currently dealing with Pilsen in ballymount as I had visited the other Dublin dealerships and wasn't impressed with the lack of knowledge, having worked in the motor trade years ago I can't understand a salesperson not knowing their product. I might give sheehys a call because if he's the same David Brown that used to work in Phoenix motors I went to school with him, nice guy.

I picked mine up from Annesley Williams in Santry and was very happy with the service...As for my tuppence worth

 

Pano roof is great if you're in Aus but in rainy old Ireland probably not as much fun

Spare wheel like you say is standard in Ireland

19's..I would've loved them but I had to order (company car) in the gap between removing the 19's as an option and reintroducing them as part of the challenge pack #gutted

That said I do like my standard pictoris 18's as everyone else seems to have gone for the gemini's which has almost made mine unusual!

As for harsh, I wouldn't imagine 19's are much worse than the 18's..I find the ride fine...I don't quite understand people who give out about a harsh ride in the vRS..Surely any manufacturer who is realeasing a car with even the vaguest of sporty pretentions is going to stiffen up the suspension...If you find it harsh buy a different varant that more suits your needs??

I have canton and bolero and I find it great

Simply Clever pack is very handy especially the boot liner if your car is going to be the typical family car

Leather for the minions, normally I would agree but if your minions are still in child or booster seats (as mine are) then most of the exposed seating is covered by the half leather...

 

Best of luck with the purchase!

[Wet Kipper]

if kids are part of the equation I wouldn't consider the sunset glass to be just "cosmetic" - there have been a number of occassions where I had been wishing mine had it.

(don't like the sunshine, don't like the window blind = can't win)