Brisky O3 No 007 your days are numbered!

[Matt Pez]

Almost 3 yrs and 72,000 miles and it's time for a change. The last 3 yrs have had their ups and downs during my O3 ownership, more ups than downs, I hasten to add and this marks the end of 14 years continuous ownership of at least one Skoda between SWMBO and myself but the O2 went in Jan replaced with a Seat Leon fitted with the proper VAG rear suspension and now it's time to bid farewell to my O3. I've opted for a 21 month old BMW 520d M Sport fitted with the Plus Pack and Pro Media, it's done 33k miles but at just a shade over half its original £41k list price, so less than a new vRS, it's a lot of car for the money so I'll give it a go. Was tempted by a new Superb but there already seems to be a few issues reported over in the S3 forum that bear too much resemblance to the early niggles I had with my O3, so it was a case of a change is as good as a rest!

I'll be keeping an eye on both the O3 and S3 forums, so you can't get rid of me that easy. Oh and by the way, for those of you interested in residuals, I managed to get £8,500 for the O3 which is £1,260 more than the current WBAC quote, so quite happy with that in the end bearing in mind the high mileage.

Edited 20 March, 2016 by Matt Pez

[Czechers]

So only £7,240 from WBAC is quite sobering and would indicate residual values of around 30% or less. Seems like leasing is the way to go at the moment if you're able to keep the mileage down. However your 24k per year I would imagine would be a problem on a lease, so seems like you didn't do too bad given that you also beat the WBAC offer by a worthwhile margin.

All the best for the impending years of BM ownership. Quite a change, but the latest generation of Beemers are quite appealing since they've sorted the looks out in the post-Bangle era.

[Matt Pez]

Anyone looking for a more realistic trade valuation, try using this, with a bit of haggling I achieved the top end of the Trade In Clean range quoted by Cap. I also got £500 worth of gap insurance thrown in for no extra charge.

https://www.capconnect.co.uk/ConsumerValues/Ford.aspx

[Paul007]

I think the Bangle inspired designs are better than the smoother, more rounded sofa like designs that are about now.

[HeBeGeeBee]

IMO I think the Bangle designed 5-series have aged very well and still look smart. The newer designs are not so ground breaking.

[JungleJames]

Billy!!!!!!

When you picking Mr Billy up?

Enjoy. The last 5 series I Sat in was pretty comfy, although I think that had upgraded seats. Slightly different to yours I think?

I can see why you got rid of the wife's Mk2 now. So that her car didn't upstage Billy on the looks front!!

[pipsyp]

Fair shout Matt....520d M Sport a lovely car and sounds like the spec is v good. 33k miles...its barely run in :-)

When I am done with my Golf GTD pretty certain I'll be looking at a BM of some description as a replacement.

[Alpha2110]

Nice car, I think my next one will be a 335d, there a quality car.

[Matt Pez]

Cheers chaps, and James! Should be on the drive by end of next week, subject to Sainsbury's Bank getting their finger out over the Easter hols, unless Sytners will accept £15k on a credit card so they can get their mitts on the Octy asap before it loses another monkey pounding up and down the M1!!

[JungleJames]

Enjoy it. Mickey taking aside, they are nice cars. Should keep you smiling

[Alpha2110]

Cheers chaps, and James! Should be on the drive by end of next week, subject to Sainsbury's Bank getting their finger out over the Easter hols, unless Sytners will accept £15k on a credit card so they can get their mitts on the Octy asap before it loses another monkey pounding up and down the M1!!

 

Make sure your bank has your mobile, as when i paid for my car they blocked the card immediately and sent me a text to confirm if the transaction was legitimate. its a good job i updated my details with them bearing in mind the Skoda garage i bought the car from was 300 miles from my house.

 

its a top car you have i hope you enjoy it.

Edited 24 March, 2016 by Alpha2110

[sworrall]

Good luck with the new car, lovely motor.  Ive also gone over to a different brand and Im picking up a 3 series in May.  I fancied a change as my last 5 cars have been Octavia's plus the PX from Skoda was crap compared to what BMW offered.

[Matt Pez]

Cheers #sworrall, same to you too, pick mine up on Wed, Sytner didn't want to take the hit on extra credit card charges so they settled for an extra 500 miles on the O3 while the loan funds come through!

Edited 2 April, 2016 by Matt Pez

[Matt Pez]

Just to close this off, looks like my old motor has been sold to a dealer in NI....

http://www.olivercoreygarages.com/used-car-search/used-car-details.aspx?uvid=34465

Looks great in the pics!

[sworrall]

I'm not sure what happened to my mk3. It was going to auction but I looked after it and apparently it went to one of the cooper/inchcape group down south. It was a 63 on XSW plate if anyone bought it.

Just run in the 335d so all power is now available

[Timoctav]

Three years ago! Where has the one gone! I had planned to keep my Octavia much longer than the three years; a fair few niggling problems combined with an incompetent dealer with zero customer goodwill priorities and I'd had enough. Just want a comfortable relaxing commuting car with good performance and economy, ended up with a 16 plate 2 week old Volvo V40 D4 R Design, £4K of extras and £7k off list price. PX on my Octy 3 with 55k miles was £9,200. Good luck with your Beemer Matt, great car.

Edited 31 May, 2016 by Timoctav

[Matt Pez]

Three years ago! Where has the one gone! I had planned to keep my Octavia much longer than the three years; a fair few niggling problems combined with an incompetent dealer with zero customer goodwill priorities and I'd had enough. Just want a comfortable relaxing commuting car with good performance and economy, ended up with a 16 plate 2 week old Volvo V40 D4 R Design, £4K of extras and £7k off list price. PX on my Octy 3 with 55k miles was £9,200. Good luck with your Beemer Matt, great car.

Same to you Tim, all good so far thanks, it seems that a few of us are swapping brands after the O3 not living up to expectations!

[Matt Pez]

Just to close this off, looks like my old motor has been sold to a dealer in NI....

http://www.olivercoreygarages.com/used-car-search/used-car-details.aspx?uvid=34465

Looks great in the pics!

Still not sold!

[JungleJames]

Three years ago! Where has the one gone! I had planned to keep my Octavia much longer than the three years; a fair few niggling problems combined with an incompetent dealer with zero customer goodwill priorities and I'd had enough. Just want a comfortable relaxing commuting car with good performance and economy, ended up with a 16 plate 2 week old Volvo V40 D4 R Design, £4K of extras and £7k off list price. PX on my Octy 3 with 55k miles was £9,200. Good luck with your Beemer Matt, great car.

Just seen this. So another of us bites the dust!! Well not literally of course. I'm feeling the odd one out as still have the Octy, and as yet no major problems. As long as it puts in the trouble free miles, and no sign of that stopping. Seats may not be the most comfortable, but they are hard wearing. Be time for her first MOT in half a year.

Good luck with the Volvo Timo.

[JungleJames]

Still not sold!

Strange. The high mileage must really be putting them off.

[Timoctav]

Just seen this. So another of us bites the dust!! Well not literally of course. I'm feeling the odd one out as still have the Octy, and as yet no major problems. As long as it puts in the trouble free miles, and no sign of that stopping. Seats may not be the most comfortable, but they are hard wearing. Be time for her first MOT in half a year.

Good luck with the Volvo Timo.

Thank you JungleJames! Three months into Volvo ownership I can make some comparisons - on the plus side it's much more comfortable, has a more upmarket feel about it and it's definitely better built and finished, the engine is more refined, smoother and quieter. Stereo much better than the standard set up I had in the Skoda and the navigation leagues better than the quite poor Amundsen. Downside : fuel consumption is around 5mpg down on the Octavia (in fairness Volvo has 190 bhp as against 150bhp); it's not as cavernous (although I seldom need the extra room), and the minor controls, infotainment quite fiddly compared with the simpler and therefore better VW sourced Skoda layout.

I guess the main reason to change was not so much the car as the abysmal service from Sparshatts. To get anything fixed or arrange a service was a nightmare. Service times "while you wait" always over ran, it was almost impossible to arrange a drop off and loan car. Service staff frequently surly, unhelpful and on occasions verge on rudeness. Probably the worst customer service I've experienced in a long time. Since spoken to others locally who also have had issues with them. Wish I'd bought the car from Meadens, if I had and had decent service from them I'd probably be still running the Skoda.

[JungleJames]

I like the fact the Amundsen Sat nav is simple to use, but its inability to reroute you when you clearly don't want to follow the given route is stupid. Arriving at your destination and it is still telling you to do a u turn and go back to where you deviated. But then other times it works it out ok.

Glad the Volvo is proving a better car on the whole. I wouldn't touch them purely because they sold out to the chinese. Not that I have anything against china. Yeah right!!!!!

[Timoctav]

......I wouldn't touch them purely because they sold out to the chinese. Not that I have anything against china. Yeah right!!!!!

Problem is these days if you have an aversion to buying anything Chinese - you wouldn't have much choice left! They've done a good jobs and their new models such as the latest XC-90 hugely impressive. Volvo are doing far better now than they ever did under Ford ownership, in the same way Jaguar Land Rover are under Tata (Indian) owners.

To be honest VW Group haven't covered themselves in glory over deliberately falsifying emission tests and when caught out refuse to compensate their victims (sorry customers)!! They were made toon the States.

We looked at all sorts of cars before we bought the Volvo, VW Golf - local dealer's sales staff too arrogant to care less and believe they do customers a favour if they sell them a car; tried one, not anything like as comfortable, very austere interior, and hugely over priced in character more like a domestic appliance. Audi A3 much better but even more expensive and again not as comfortable, BMW 1 series just awful. Wouldn't touch Ford or Vauxhall - know too many that have had too many problems!

[SkodaVRS1963]

Same to you Tim, all good so far thanks, it seems that a few of us are swapping brands after the O3 not living up to expectations!

 

Alas, I'm in that camp as well.

 

The car in itself is very nice but it's that fuel economy that I keep banging on about.

 

I know all manufacturers are allowed to fabricate their figures but a claimed 61mpg combined against a real world 43mpg is really extracting the urine.

[Matt Pez]

Alas, I'm in that camp as well.

The car in itself is very nice but it's that fuel economy that I keep banging on about.

I know all manufacturers are allowed to fabricate their figures but a claimed 61mpg combined against a real world 43mpg is really extracting the urine.

What you swapped for, I'm getting 50mpg out of the Bimmer, which is about 10% down on the O3, but only 5% below official combined whereas O3 was about 25% down against official combined!