The 'I actually really like my TDI VRS Estate thread'

[Gerrycan]

It is reassuring to hear that so many people really like the way their Octavias drive even those who are experienced with more sporting and expensive brands. I was thinking that I might be a little 'strange' for enjoying my car so much.

My more recent car history mostly involved Korean brands and SUV's and people movers so my initial transition to a Mk2 wagon was a revelation of the "OMG driving IS fun" type.

I only have the Mk3 1.4tsi wagon but it does everything so easily whether carrying loads, or people. Overtaking B-doubles is a breeze (single lane highways here) and long distance cruising at our 110 kph limits still gives me 50 mpg even with 4 people and aircon on for current 37 to 42 deg C day temperatures.

Not sure if the next car will be a Scout or vRS wagon, so even more fun times ahead.

[pipsyp]

I cant see there being an awful lot to dislike about the Mk3 vRS diesel or petrol.

I have a Mk3 Elegance which I really like other than it being little fun to drive.....I also have a Mk7 GTD which I think practicality aside is about one of the most perfect warm hatches out there.

The vRS is rather a hybrid of the two....practically a GTD with all the regular Octavia's practicality.

If my circumstances were to change and I just needed one new "good" car I would v strongly consider a PCP/PCH on a vRS 4x4 estate as a do-everything-well family car. If PCP's id just accept (and pardon) its poor residuals and keep it for the term.

[Dr_Pepper]

I have the vrs tdi estate too and the car's fantastic. Ive done everything from bringing 20 bags of cement back from wickes (possible but not recommended!) to a brands hatch trackday where despite being the only diesel there I was the second fastest car on track. In my area it's the dealer service, certainly not the cars, that's letting them down now.

[oilburninnut]

I now drive my wifes vrs tdi and she has been left with the old 2014 535d, I feel bad for her but hey at least one of us is happy!!!

[Gadget007]

When looking for a car my main criteria was to be able to carry my son's BMX without having to lower seats, and I didn't want an SUV.

Most of my driving is at highway speeds so a diesel made sense to me.

 

After factoring in many things like what dealers / service centers were near by I was left with a choice of;

 

Octavia TDI wagon (estate)

Mazda 6 Diesel Wagon

Ford Mondeo Diesel wagon

 

At the time the Mondeo seemed dated, and the Mazda Customer care center did everything they could to talk me out of the Mazda, so that left me with the Octavia.

 

Glad I got the VRS over the Elegance. Test drove the elegance first then the dealer asked if i wanted a drive of the VRS they had just had delivered (how could I refuse).

Both my wife and I loved the car so ordered one with the lot.

 

I think it is such a great car to drive, plenty of power (especially with a DTUK box fitted) and great economy.

[johnthesparky]

Not got a VRS, they didn't do 4x4 in a VRS, but really happy with my 4x4 150ps elegance

Had its first service a week or so ago, and still got no complaints

Part of me would have liked the VRS spec with the 4x4 but i think I'd then worry about the skirts and alloys (one of the 17s has been kerbed by someone!)

Reading the forum, I do feel the odd one out, so it's nice to read threads like this :-)

[VRS@CW]

I've had my TDI VRS Estate since September and I am absolutely loving it!   

 

The combination of pace, space and real world performance for the money are great. 

 

IMHO the current Octavia is one of the best overall designs on sale at present. It reminds me of the Audiy A4 B6 design and for me is Bauhaus esque in its design. 

[jimmyp2]

Just thought I would update this thread, I have now owned my 14 plate VRS diesel manual estate for 19 months. Done 15000 miles in it and still very happy with it. No real issues, have the slight flat spot on gentle acceleration around 27-30mph which I think if more to do with the emissions and a 'character' of this engine. I wonder if the revo stage 1 remap would get rid of it. Has anyone had this done? if so what are your thoughts?    

[pipsyp]

Just thought I would update this thread, I have now owned my 14 plate VRS diesel manual estate for 19 months. Done 15000 miles in it and still very happy with it. No real issues, have the slight flat spot on gentle acceleration around 27-30mph which I think if more to do with the emissions and a 'character' of this engine. I wonder if the revo stage 1 remap would get rid of it. Has anyone had this done? if so what are your thoughts?

I believe its the EGR system that causes the brief hesitency....I find that if Ive been trundling around at a constant speed for a while then ask for alot of go there is kind of a stepped pickup....it goes a bit then a second or so later goes alot.....I believe the EGr cuts in at low loads to keep on top of emissions and it takes a brief bit of time for it to cut back out.

Strangely it doesnt seem to affect the 150 TDI, just the 184.

[JerryT]

Great car, really loved it and after 2.5 years and 43,000 miles it has now gone.

I dont recall having any issues witht the car at all, looked good, economy was as expected (averaged high 40's over its life) and loads of space, both in the passenger compartment and boot.

Downside of the Mk3 is the massive depreciation, new prices are up but residual still low. The Skoda stigma still exists in some unfortunately. The only two issues I can say I really had with the VRS was road noise, which I will admit was tyre dependent and the Conti SC5's I was running at the end were far better than the OE SC2's for this. The side bolsters on the drivers seat are very stiff, and my right leg would get a little uncomfortable after an hour or so's driving.

The only other disappointment I can really think about, which I beleive is common on most VAG cars was the dropouts experieinced on the DAB radio. I had noticed this more recently having driven a number of hire cars, but in particular an SE 150 for around 900 miles the other week. The radio only dropped out once on a stretch of the M40 where it would also in my VRS, but for a far shorter distance.

So in conclusion, a really good car that I loved driving for the 2,5 years I owned it. However I have now gone back to a petrol and unfortunately not a Skoda, but I have stayed within the VAG group

[anthmcm]

another happy first time Skoda owner here, last car was a 3 series m sport, I would never have even considered a Skoda until I had one as a courtesy car for a week and could not believe how well it drove. Had mine now for just over 6 months and still loving it. Agreed with the above comments the stigma still exists for some people but hey ho their loss!

[pipsyp]

If they werent 30k with a touch of spec and didnt depreciate so hard id have definitely considered a vRS TDi 4x4 wagon if I were looking to buy again.

I have to say a 2 year lease on a Golf R would definitely be more my bag now. Not as cheap as they once were but still an awful lot of fast car for the money.

[gfro84]

I have had mine for a year (VRS TDI) and I think it is great. Previous I had a 2014 330d, wrote it off @ 3weeks and 1300miles!

The Skoda is every bit as well built as the BMW. It is noisier, annoyingly gobbles washer fluid quicker than diesel, but I do not regret getting my vrs.

On the negative, the caton sound system does not compare to the HK on the BMW.

Overall, I cannot tell if I prefer the zf8 auto on the BMW or my dsg. Upshift the dsg has it but the rest of it the zf wins.

Finally, proper roof bars are great compared to the sunken/hidden ones on the BMW, make getting the roof rack on and off so much easier.

[jimmyp2]

Further update time....

Now owned for 25 months and 20000 miles. Still really happy with my car, averages 48mpg. Niggles are the dab drop out, slow starting sometimes, and the water retaining door seals. These all appear characteristics of the cars that doesnt detract from an excellent car. Still cant find a better car overall that fits my needs so will carry on enjoying my vrs for another year!

[toni8b]

Why dont you replace door seals?, this has solved the issue on my car.

[jimmyp2]

Had it done at 12 months, initially seemed better but still retaining water until door is opened, will get it looked at again whilst its still under warranty!

[Mence]

I started a thread like this about a year ago.

I like many post on forums to get help when things aren't quite right but like the OP, I found very few threads putting this and many other cars in a good light. I don't believe it's because it's naff, that said, I don't know why more people post the good news.

Anyway, nearly 32 months of ownership, just under 27,000 miles and I'm still very happy with her. If you have the inclination to go and look, I post a 6 monthly update on mine and to be fair to Skoda, I have found the whole ownership thing very good indeed.

Well done to OP

[BlueDiesel]

I pick my 2013 VRS Estate next week and it is nice to read these positives! I'm like a kid waiting for a new toy!

[Lew0-VRS]

Had mine since April bought second hand,nearly 6000 miles in and love it. Had the limited Edtion VRS before had in a hatch. Only down side was a few niggles all within the first few weeks. Front left shock leaking, then water pump went, then boost valve. But I knew to stick by it and loving it.

[sniperpenguin]

Love mine. (Candy white, 41K, Manual Estate TDi)

 

Handled itself well on the 'ring totally stock without being an embarrassment, whilst also being the support car that drove all the way there and back (From Mansfield) whilst being the "support" car for a Lotus S3, Fiesta ST and Nitrous MGF (translation - carried cleaning gear, whatever their boot wouldnt fit etc).... All the while getting shouted at for using far too little fuel compared to the others and being the most comfortable on the Autobahn

At home (and as a work car) it has coped with all the weekends away, (multiple) trips to the tip / Wickes / IKEA as well as motorway munching..... 

Will I keep her? No...... PCP is coming to an end in December and the values have tanked to below the GFMV :( 

[jimmyp2]

3 year update.... I have now owned the car for 3 years, I've never owned a car this long before, it helps that it's not my only car as have changed my other car 3 times! 

Anyway still really happy with it, have now done 28000 miles, It recently had its 3 year service with Rainworth Skoda, had the door seals replaced for the second time and finally seem to have cured the water retaining issue. Alloy wheel Centre caps also replaced under warranty. Clean bill of health otherwise.

I will probably keep this until the mk4 vrs comes out, I really enjoy owning it and keep it in tip top condition. Only other car I get tempted to replace this with is the superb sportline but cost to change isn't worth it imo.

I wouldn't change for the facelift as the main thing they have changed, the headlights, I prefer mine.

Hope everyone else is equally as happy, I will report back end of year 4!!

 

[Jon TDI]

Had mine 6 months now. No complaints or issues, apart from the front seals on the rear doors needed replacing which was a 5 minute fix.

I've had a few sporty estates in the past (petrol & diesel) all of which have had their pro's & cons.

Can't find any cons with the diesel vRS as yet!

[andysheehan2003]

To add my opinion 

Have my 2014 vrs tdi estate for three months. Spent a few months researching before I bought. Easily the best car I've owned. I had a saab 93 before Octy and even though it was a great car to drive with a growing family..no.2 on the way I wanted something fun, practical and cheap to run and the Octy ticks all the boxes.

I'm a mechanic by trade ( not in trade anymore) and have driven near every make and model at some stage or another and the octy is comparable to a lot of the 'premium' brands...

A lad in work calls it the poor man's audi..I call it the clever man's audi...

BTW he drives a corolla...

Edited 15 July, 2017 by andysheehan2003
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[mbames]

My 2014 vrs tdi dsg estate has just passed her first MOT with flying colours, not a single advisory to report on - 71k on the clock too.

I started off life with a mk1 Elegance (110) which saw me to about 260,000 miles, before I got a mk2 1.6 (105), which was a grave error so I soon chopped that in and got the vrs.  Certainly the best move.  Granted a few more MPG would be nice, but I know the vrs isn't going to the be the best on that front.  It pulls well and and makes me smile.  The 1.6 just depressed me.

[crazy88]

Had mine just over a week now and absolutely loving it. 

 

I've got an estate meteor grey FL VRS Tdi. It's twice efficient as my last car, comfortable, looks great and well spec'd too. Couldn't be happier for the money really. Of course there are nicer cars, but there's a very sweet spot with the vrs in my opinion. 

 

My only problem is the lack of a vrs pedal on the accelerator, it's standard rubber, so I'm following that up with the dealer still. Ha!