bca have contract to dispose

http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/vehicleadvert/skoda/octavia/547735

 

But you do not want a modern diesel for the kind on trips you describe.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201504152623110/sort/ageasc/postcode/dg71tr/fuel-type/petrol/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/channel/cars/make/skoda/price-from/12000/radius/1500/page/2/model/octavia/usedcars/price-to/14000?logcode=p

 

FWIW: I used to go to a lot of car auctions, Shotts, Newmains and Edinburgh and a lot, no most of the motability cars I saw for sale were in poor condition, dents, scratches, dirty and full of rubbish. It did make me wonder if the majority of keepers didn't value what they had been given. Personally I would avoid.

Thanks Loskie,

 

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but actually, Back in April I started a thread about the whether a diesel would be suitable for my type of driving and daily commute and the genaral consensus was that the Octy3 with it's redesigned DPF implimentation should be O.K. as the regen process is more efficient.  I did get a few filed to complete regens though during the time I had the elegance.  So you may well be right.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/350419-16-tdi-cr-elegance-short-commutes-to-work-am-i-buying-the-wrong-engine/

@ themanwithnonaim,  I don't do high mileage, no.  Probably only about 8,000 a year these days as I now have a shorter commute to work, through town and country roads. only 15 minute drive.

 

I test drove a New Fabia Estate 1.2 TSI a few weeks ago and it was pretty good around town, but a big disappointment on the motorway.  Fuel consumption was pretty high, and I found myself having to drop down into 4th when driving into the wind and up a very slight gradient.  I've never driven a car I had to change down gears on the motorway before, and that's not acceptable in my book.  I get that it just doesn't have enough torque in higher gears, but given that the fabia estate is smaller and lighter than the Octy3 saloon, it rather put me off the idea of the 1.4 TSI in the Octy 3.  How do you find yours on the motorway?, and what sort of real world fuel economy does your car return around town and on the motorway?

 I'm not the guy to ask about fuel economy, I drive for fun at every opportunity a lot of a other TSI owners are getting low 40's avg. MPG though in addiion I don't think you'd find the 1.4 TSI O3 lacking in power however, mine is a DSG and hence, downshifting isn't an issue for me as the car just does what I ask.  I would question the drag factor of the Fabia Estate you tried though, motorways are about drag more than weight and at around 1,200kg the O3 is no porker, if you can try one, yeah a new one had the 150PSI engine but, 10 PSI ain't that much different you'll certainly get the idea though.

 

What I woldn't do is buy the one your talking of in this thread, nothing I've heard including the price would make either, a liottle bit more research I think and don't be rushed by a seemingly bargain deal, such things don't exsist.

The 1.4 has 184 lb/ft peak torque across quite a wide rev band, same peak figure as a 1.6 TDi 105/110.

Sure there will probably be occasions (especially when loaded to the gills) that a downchange may be required but then this is somewhat the case with the 2.0 TDI 150 too. I find with that car that 5th is the best high speed gear, 6th really is just an overdrive and at times on particularly steep gradients and with heavy loads even that car doesnt pull 6th so well....you certainly cant think about just pulling out and overtaking something in 6th unless you consider driving at licence damaging speeds...it'll just bog dowm and ask for a downchange.

Also definitely dont discount a petrol if you dont do many miles a year; the 1.4 overall is a sweeter unit than any of the diesels...quieter, smoother and probably a bit more fun overall.

One thing I really would encourage....dont rush into buying a car for the sake of it; buyers remorse is the pits (I have exactly that with my 2.0 Elegance; I wish Id kept my Mk2 Blackline because this thing has landed me in serious neg equity - something I have banged on loads about on here) so you need to be happy with what you buy. Sounds to me like you want another Elegance, Id hold on and buy another at the right price if I were you.

Thanks guys ,

 

 Today, as a cheap alternative to the Octavia, I went and test drove a Rapid 1.6 TDI Greentech Elegance.  It was all right for what it is, engine quiet enough, enough grunt, being 130 Kilos lighter, but the ride was rock hard and too much road noise.  It's a pity, I really wanted to like it, 2013 model with only 7,000 miles on it, big boot, nice cappuccino paint with a good finish all round, no scratches at all, but no DAB radio, and the ride over poor road surfaces was very poor.

 

I also went to look at a 2015 1.6 TDI SE, that was supposed to be at my local motorpoint store for only  £!2.000. But low and behold, it wasn't there after all,  my fault for not phoning to check first!!

 

The reason I like diesels is the low down grunt, coupled with good fuel economy. My 1.9 PD TDI Fabia had plenty of grunt  for my needs, but it would seem that to get the same sort of performance in a Octavia mk3, I'd need the 2.0 TDI engine, with it's 320Nm of torque.  The elegance spec is not a must really, a SE or SE Business would be fine for me, but the extra gadgets and leather in the elegance would be nice.

 

I would like to get another car sorted out sooner, rather than later, but I guess I'll just need to bide my time till the right car comes along at the right price.

Rapid's represent alot of used car for the money but are heavily based on the previous gen Fabia so dont drive fabulously and naturally given the price point its not going to be a patch on an O3 in any guise.

They are being updated with MQB infotainment and engines now but that would mean having to buy new or v nearly new in a few months time when the first demo and stock vehicles arrive. No 2.0 diesel option either.

Definitely bide your time and look to buy exactly what you want is definitely my advice. Compromise too much and you'll live to regret it....much in the same way I largely regret not buying a vRS TDI instead of a 2.0 Elegance.

O.K. thanks Pipsyp,

 

  I think I'll just need to hold out for the right car.  I have found an SE spec TDI around 30 miles away from, me.  Swithering on whether go and view it or not, but if I did buy it, I know I'll miss those extra things like the Cruize control, colour maxi-dot, sat nav, and the controls on the steering wheel.

 

I'm sure your covered this question in other threads on these forums, but what is it that the VRS has that your current car doesn't have, apart from the extra BHP, torque & body styling?

 

Cheers

I had a Rapid as a loan car when mine was in for a service. Now I know I didn't have it very long, but my impression was that it was very much built down to a price and whilst a lot of metal for the money, it wasn't refined in most areas. In particular the ride was very fidgety.

I was loaned the top spec petrol Tsi with a DSG 'box. The motor was very impressive and Tbh drove like a diesel- loads of low down torque, with no need to rev it to make progress. But the rest.......

What I thought was quite significant was that when I was asked what I thought of it by the service manager and I pulled a face, he said he wasn't surprised, that was quite a common reaction when coming from an Octavia or Superb

Yeah, I even found the Rapid diesel reasonably refined once it was warmed up, the the ride was pretty bad, much worse than my 56 Fabia estate I had before.  I also found the steering to be a bit too light and very vague, no feedback from the steering wheel whatsoever.  Too much road noise as well, but I suppose the big wheels and fairly low profile tyres that are on it didn't help the ride or the road noise.  The story from the dealer was that a long term customer had downsized from an Octavia, and then traded it in and went back to an Octavia.  Hmmm, I wonder why;-)  Also the trip computer selector switches on the stick stopped working while I was on the test drive.  Checked the Rapid owners forum section, and apparently, the problem is quite common  

 

Might go and have a look at that 2.0 TDI SE spec Octavia at the weekend, but the price it's at suggests that the body work isn't very good.(scratches, paint chips)

O.K. thanks Pipsyp,

I think I'll just need to hold out for the right car. I have found an SE spec TDI around 30 miles away from, me. Swithering on whether go and view it or not, but if I did buy it, I know I'll miss those extra things like the Cruize control, colour maxi-dot, sat nav, and the controls on the steering wheel.

I'm sure your covered this question in other threads on these forums, but what is it that the VRS has that your current car doesn't have, apart from the extra BHP, torque & body styling?

Cheers

No probs.

Objectively the 2.0 Elegance is a great car, fast for a 150bhp diesel, big, lots of kits, drives well enough and has proved reliable and a low cost ownership proposition.

The reality is that for a number of years I've run "warm" cars, nothing silly or outrageously quick but a little more sporty and purposeful than an Elegance spec Octavia, certainly in the way they drive at least.

I find the Elegance competent but absolutely no fun to drive.....too much body roll, poorly controlled damping, slow steering with no feedback whatsoever, adequate but not great braking.....a vRS is alot better in that regard better suspension set up, brakes and progressive steering which probabaly makes the most difference.

The Mk3 Elegance is a better car than the Mk2 vRS I had previously in nearly every way apart from how it drives when pushing on and for that reason alone I regret not getting the vRS. At the time the vRS had not been that long launched, wife wanted a softer riding car for our youngest and I was going to end up spending a good £30/40 a month more on repayments on a less well equipped car (at the time I really wanted OEM nav too...wouldnt now though)...so my head prevailed.

@ Pipsyp,

 

 I get what you mean, I did find the Octavia 1.6 TDI Elegance steering a little slow, but I can live with that.  For me, I'm looking for a long term (6 -7 years) well built every day runner that will provide me with a comfortable, refined drive with a little bit of zip to it, has a good sized boot, economical to run, and with as many "mod cons" as I can afford, like Sat Nav, DAB radio, cruise control etc. The OEM Sat Nav isn't the best, but there are worse implementations out there LOL.

 

  If I want a sporty drive, I have my 52 plate 325Ti Sport compact for that.  It's not that quick by today's standards, and a bit on the thirsty side, but it's a great car and handles very well,  and has under 13,000 miles on the clock, owned it from new, but I couldn't justify buying new again.

 

The VRS is a lovely car, but just a bit too expensive, and has too firm a ride for my needs.

I drove diesels for years and now have a 1.4tsi and love it. With the DSG if needed it shifts and my car rarely has just me in it and is usually four up.

If you have a Skoda dealer near by I would test drive the 1.4tsi next to the 1.6.

My mum gets her car on Motability. And although a lot don't have high mileage when sold on. Some will. Both my mother and father are disabled, and we live in North Wales. They travel to Liverpool and back, and Manchester and back several times a week to hospital appointments. Usually covering 45,000-55,000 over the three years of having the cars. They are always serviced on time as it's free. So if anything, I'd buy a motability car over others!

@ Pipsyp,

I get what you mean, I did find the Octavia 1.6 TDI Elegance steering a little slow, but I can live with that. For me, I'm looking for a long term (6 -7 years) well built every day runner that will provide me with a comfortable, refined drive with a little bit of zip to it, has a good sized boot, economical to run, and with as many "mod cons" as I can afford, like Sat Nav, DAB radio, cruise control etc. The OEM Sat Nav isn't the best, but there are worse implementations out there LOL.

If I want a sporty drive, I have my 52 plate 325Ti Sport compact for that. It's not that quick by today's standards, and a bit on the thirsty side, but it's a great car and handles very well, and has under 13,000 miles on the clock, owned it from new, but I couldn't justify buying new again.

The VRS is a lovely car, but just a bit too expensive, and has too firm a ride for my needs.

Indeed, the 325Ti is a rare little car and yours sounds v much a minter. No one IMHO makes a great sounding 6 cyl engine quite like BM thats for sure.

As a daily drive its hard to fault an Elegance it really is a very good car; OK compared to a Golf its probably not quite so premium in its interior detailing and some fixtures and fittings, noisier (less sound deadening) and probably on the whole doesnt drive or ride quite so well like for like but it still does (particularly nearly new) represent a whole lot of very good large well spec'd car for the money.

TBH perhaps if it had the sports suspension it might be a bit more fun but given the ride is already bordering on the wrong side of firm on thr standard setup with 45 profile tyres am glad I didnt check that box.

Indeed, the 325Ti is a rare little car and yours sounds v much a minter. No one IMHO makes a great sounding 6 cyl engine quite like BM thats for sure.

As a daily drive its hard to fault an Elegance it really is a very good car; OK compared to a Golf its probably not quite so premium in its interior detailing and some fixtures and fittings, noisier (less sound deadening) and probably on the whole doesnt drive or ride quite so well like for like but it still does (particularly nearly new) represent a whole lot of very good large well spec'd car for the money.

TBH perhaps if it had the sports suspension it might be a bit more fun but given the ride is already bordering on the wrong side of firm on thr standard setup with 45 profile tyres am glad I didnt check that box.

Thanks Pipsyp,

 

Yeah,  the 6 cyl engine in my BM does have a lovely sound to it    And yes, the car is basically mint.  I wouldn't sell it now.  I'd get peanuts for it, around £3,000, but it cost me about £26,500 new.  EeeK!!  Maybe one day it will be a classic LOL!!

 

For me, the Octavia fits my needs much better than the golf, it's cheaper, and although not quite the same quality car (in respect to sound deadening etc) compared to the golf, the Octavia is MUCH more refined than the Fabia I had previously, and certainly refined enough for me.

 

I was thinking about suggesting that you might look at doing some suspension mods to your elegance to help with the handling at higher speeds, but I suspect you have already looked into that already, and decided it's not worth the trouble?

 

I've read a fair bit about some people having issues with a resonance type "boom" from the rear of the Octavia at certain speeds, usually around 40 MPH.  I have heard this slightly in the 1.6 TDI Octavia when I had one, but I suspect it's probably much worse if your on bigger rims, with lower profile tyres, like on the black edition or VRS, but for me it it does link with the Octavia's firm ride. I'm not knowledgeable enough to know whether that's down to the springs being to firm, or the car is over damped.  From what I've read, probably over damped, but I could be looking at it from the wrong angle.  LOL!!

Glad to have been of help.....

New SWMBO did try a dieslel Focus Estate about 2 years ago, but wasn't impressed. Titanium X spec, 163 ps diesel + powershift, ex. Ford Management role car in very good condition.

A very sensible choice, but, in our opinion, no fun to drive.

In the end she swapped her VW EOS for a FL Octy vRS RSi & that seems to be a keeper!

We are both Ford pensioners & we sometimes get invited to test drive events. Last month we drove a couple of Mk 5 Mondeo's & a diesel Focus ST.

The Mondeo's were as expected, competent but maybe a little too large, but the Focus was a real bummer.

We were advised to "be careful, it's a powerful car", so we set off, like the old & nervous OAP's we are, but after 20 minutes of trying to find the "grunt" we

gave it back.Thanks but no thanks. We decided not mention that we had driven to the venue in my EOS which has been remapped to 250 bhp / 284 ft/lbs,

so perhaps it wasn't a fair comparison, & obviously not a suitable vehicle for us oldies....

We have driven diesel Octy vRS's & although we don't really like or need diesel cars, at least we were happy with their performance.

Good luck with your search, the only advice I'd care to add is, that don't worry about the performance / economy of a bigger or more powerful engine,

driven gently the real-world economy is better than we ever expected, & if the red mist descends then they can be quite entertaining......

HTH, DC.

Petrolhead pensioner, fair play to ya! I hope i'm still driving something quick when i retire. At 36 now, i've got a little way to go ;-)

Petrolhead pensioner, fair play to ya! I hope i'm still driving something quick when i retire. At 36 now, i've got a little way to go ;-)

Thank you kind sir.

 

I'm not a petrolhead right now, I'm using an OCTY 3 1.6 tdi  (a rental) & we are not impressed!

 

Yes, good economy but no go at all...........

 

Engine seems to be rated at 77 kW, it has a 5 (!) speed manual & it needs to be in 2nd gear to get through average sized roundabouts, & as for joining a motorway, it's crossed fingers & hope for the best.

The 7-speed DSG would have been a much better choice, just not available at the time.

 

I'm not sure what trim level / spec, but it seems to be the second out of the four variants.

 

Still too much road noise, (16" alloys) on most road surfaces, plenty of space inside & the Bolero infotainment set-up is better than SWMBO's Mk2 FL, even down to having bluetooth & the ability to use

a USB stick for music.

 

Not good enough to tempt me out of my Superb, but not bad for an airport rental from Enterprise.

 

Will report more once I've finished with it, but I'm missing my own car!

 

DC

Thank you kind sir.

I'm not a petrolhead right now, I'm using an OCTY 3 1.6 tdi (a rental) & we are not impressed!

Yes, good economy but no go at all...........

Engine seems to be rated at 77 kW, it has a 5 (!) speed manual & it needs to be in 2nd gear to get through average sized roundabouts, & as for joining a motorway, it's crossed fingers & hope for the best.

The 7-speed DSG would have been a much better choice, just not available at the time.

I'm not sure what trim level / spec, but it seems to be the second out of the four variants.

Still too much road noise, (16" alloys) on most road surfaces, plenty of space inside & the Bolero infotainment set-up is better than SWMBO's Mk2 FL, even down to having bluetooth & the ability to use

a USB stick for music.

Not good enough to tempt me out of my Superb, but not bad for an airport rental from Enterprise.

Will report more once I've finished with it, but I'm missing my own car!

DC

In fairness when you are used to a 250hp mapped petrol turbo, a 105hp 1.6 TDI will feel v slow.

The 1.6 isnt a bad engine and of course most people wont be buying it for strong performance; the 2.0 150 is probably the regular model diesel sweet spot as its both a punchy motor and light and not massively less efficient.

Thank you kind sir.

I'm not a petrolhead right now, I'm using an OCTY 3 1.6 tdi (a rental) & we are not impressed!

Yes, good economy but no go at all...........

Engine seems to be rated at 77 kW, it has a 5 (!) speed manual & it needs to be in 2nd gear to get through average sized roundabouts, & as for joining a motorway, it's crossed fingers & hope for the best.

The 7-speed DSG would have been a much better choice, just not available at the time.

I'm not sure what trim level / spec, but it seems to be the second out of the four variants.

Still too much road noise, (16" alloys) on most road surfaces, plenty of space inside & the Bolero infotainment set-up is better than SWMBO's Mk2 FL, even down to having bluetooth & the ability to use

a USB stick for music.

Not good enough to tempt me out of my Superb, but not bad for an airport rental from Enterprise.

Will report more once I've finished with it, but I'm missing my own car!

DC

The 1.6 diesel is what we've got in the Octavia. It's not quick by any means, but certainly has more than enough power and torque to haul itself a long. What's wrong with using 2nd gear for a roundabout?

And obviously it's not going to have the same level of protection from road noises, compared to its bigger brother the Superb. That's a given.

If they are then that person needs reporting. They should be driven by the person in receipt of mobility and 1 named driver. The named driver can only drive it for the benefit of the main driver ie shopping or hospital visits

Sent from my Galaxy S5

Our mobility car has two named drivers and can be used for other driving but mainly it has to be for the disabled person. It also has a limit of 60,000 miles over the three years that you have the car. so not much use for taxi drivers unless they clock the car.