It seems that there are a few people that have gone from Impreza to Octvia Vrs on this forum and also on Scoobynet.

I am thinking of doing the same thing. Recently some Tw4t pulled out on me and subsequently wrote my Scooby off:mad: I am pretty p155ed off as I loved that car, however, I do very high mileage running my own bussiness and the high running costs (low MPG) was a struggle. I have had a goodn look round and the only car I can Think about replacing the Scooby with (that I can Afford) is an Octavia Vrs.

I also realy like the fact that this is a Skoda, as burning off the humdrum repmobiles would be a larf. and also I am a Rally fan so having something with a rally heritage would be nice.

So my question to you reformed Scoobsters is:- Why did you make the change, do you miss the Scooby, is the Tavia anywhere near the fun ,is it hugely cheaper to run, do they go round corners, how fast do they feel in the midrange, what they like on a B road.

come on then guys/gals, talk me in to a Tavia and i will wave at Skodas like a looney whenever I see one like i did with the Scoob.

Thanks in advance for your help

Welcome Dan, you're not the first to ask these questions. Let me first move this post to the general section and then others who have done just that will help you come to the dark side

Q.

I had a STI 3, Cost a fortune to run although was a blast to drive & gave me 2 years fun. I now have an Octavia 4x4 & have absolutely no regrets. With a remap & a few other mods its a nicer car to live with than the scoob, I am no longer scared to "thrash" the car, it seems virtually unbreakable. I did the Cannonball last year in the Scoob & it blew a head gasket half way round, I did it this year in the Skud, thrashed the nuts off it, absolutely nothing broke, it was more comfortable than the Scoob & I finished 19th ahead of an awful lot of exotic machinery.

I can also get 30 mpg when I cruise, the Scoob vever managed over 20, The RS should give even better economy but you loose the four wheel drive which I prefer.

I would suggest you try & bag a ride in a RS that has been remapped by Jabba, that should be enough to sell the car to you alone, also take a look at a 4x4, not as sporty inside but if you are buying s/hand they can be found cheaper thus leaving more in the pot for mods.

If you are anywhere near Winchester you can have a ride in the 4x4.

If Economy is the most important thing to you then Diesel is the way to Go. All the Octy Diesels can be remapped for more performance but will give an easy 50 mpg on a run. Have you considered the Fabia RS, 130 bhp as standard but can be mapped a lot higher

Summing up I now have a car I enjoy, a car that feels like its screwed together properly & is unlikely to break & money in my pocket, need I say more

Stuart

I don't think you'll need much persuasion after a test drive, quickly followed by a couple of good value mods and you'll be laughing! (as you fly past those BMW 3 series, Mercs, etc etc)

Dan, regarding the furby vRS, it's a great fun car.

Doesn't have the raw power of a scooby, but the power is definately more useable and you don't have to "thrash" it to feel the torque. If running costs are an important factor, then you ain't gonna beat a diesel!

Mine still only has about 400 miles on the clock, so it's tight and not as economical as it can be. But if you sit on the M'way and don't do much more than 70, you'll be above 50 mpg for sure.

Regarding getting it chipped, great performance gains can be obtained. Mr.Peck and Techie have furby vRSes which have been chipped (Jabba and AMD respectively). Maybe they can give more feedback on the results and impressions. If I remember correctly, you get around 180bhp post chip from a 130bhp engine (although the 130 is rather conservative I believe)

And welcome to briskoda

Dan, PM me if you want to try a remapped RS

Agree with the economy on the diesel.

I have the same 205 wide tyres on the vRS on my TDI, and still got 57mpg doing no more than 70mph along the A30 to work this morning... (I was in one of those "can't be fagged to do 85 this morning" moods)

And obviously with the punch of the torque, there is the ability to accelerate quickly in 5th. Needed to join 85mph traffic to get past lorries and the like.

Anyway, I don't know why I'm prattling on about the fabia VRS. I believe you're set on the octy vRS - I can't fault them - Never driven one, but I've been driven in one a couple of times and it was MOST enoyable! - Same goes for the 4x4 turbo too BTW!

Dan,

Just a few threads for you to digest:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4960

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3172

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2478

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1791

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1650

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=617

I bet there are plenty more...

Hi Dan P, ive just traded my MY00 Euro spec Impreza turbo for an 03 Octy vRS

no major mods to the scoob just group n brakes, and a centre decat...

So far im more than impressed with the skud, interior wise its light yrs ahead of the impreza, in ergonomics and quality, mpg has defo improved... it feels bulletproof, it is slower from a standing start and getting used to wheelspin again is a bit of a pain, but last night was my first chance to push it on my favourite roads, granted it was dry but i was still very impressed much the same as the scoob neutral to understeer but without the rattles

take a test drive and see what you think its the only way to know, once your over the badge the car sells itself, if anything i feel even more smug knowing the performance bargain im driving...

the VAG 1.8turbo 20v donkey is raved about worldwide, its a very well engineered unit by all accounts with none of the scarmongering of the flat four big ends, holed pistons etc... the driving experience is much more enjoyable when you dont have to worry...

Cheers

Originally posted by Dan_P in this post

So my question to you reformed Scoobsters is:- Why did you make the change, do you miss the Scooby, is the Tavia anywhere near the fun ,is it hugely cheaper to run, do they go round corners, how fast do they feel in the midrange, what they like on a B road.

1) Made the change as I 'wanted a change' and to lower costs.

2) Never (honestly) missed the Impreza.

3) I'd reckon on 40% cheaper to run (MPG, service,wearing parts)

4) VrS goes round corners nicely. See others re lowered 4x4s!

5) Don't 'feel' fast in mid-range but above 30mph its dead even.

6) 4x4 excellent ride in std form for B roads (see Ian !)

Originally posted by TaviaRS in this post

Dan, PM me if you want to try a remapped RS

Jon,

Surely Dan would want to drive something quick.

Des

Tradded in a MY01 WRX for mine and loving it.

Cheaper to run and only a bit slower. I miss people turning to look at the car as it passes though (STi spoiler, lowered, 335mm front brakes, full decat ), but that's it!

Different league inside and comfort - god I'm getting old

Steve

Jon,

Surely Dan would want to drive something quick.

Des

Originally posted by Steve vRS in this post

I miss people turning to look at the car as it passes

Get it Jabba'd and those days will return :drive:

The feeling I'm getting from the ex-Scoob owners (with the possible exception of Fabpreza), is one of "I wish, how I wish, that I could have afforded to keep my Scoob. It was much faster, more exciting and had tons more street cred than the Skoda, but in the end I had to be sensible and admit I couldn't afford to run it any more ".

Someone (honestly) tell me that's wrong .... :p

I needed more room.

I needed something cheaper to run.

However, I also fancied a change and to be quite honest, I didn't enjoy driving the Scoob 90% of the time. Popping to the shops or going on a long motorway trip was a chore. I was terrified of leaving it at the Trafford Centre and they are not as reliable as I forst thought (mine was modded though so you pays your money, you takes your chances).

I do enjoy driving the Tavia and I love telling people I drive a Skoda!

Steve

Well I have kinda done it, I test drove an octavia Vrs hatch today and was realy impressed, its a lot of car for the dosh but more than that ..... It made me smile (not as big a grin as the Scooby but a grin nonetheless, and it is a shed load nicer inside)

I have reseved a new one in BMP with cruise and want to get an armrest for those motorway miles, not only am I looking forward to getting a brand new car but am looking forward to spending all that extra money in my pocket..................just gotta wait for the insurance to come through now.

thanks for the feedback guys.

look out for me waving at you like a mad man.

Originally posted by ncarring in this post

The feeling I'm getting from the ex-Scoob owners (with the possible exception of Fabpreza), is one of "I wish, how I wish, that I could have afforded to keep my Scoob. It was much faster, more exciting and had tons more street cred than the Skoda, but in the end I had to be sensible and admit I couldn't afford to run it any more ".

Someone (honestly) tell me that's wrong .... :p

Well, doesn't apply to me either, but then I come from a Legacy, which was very good in its own place, but not because it was much faster, more exciting and has tons more street cred.

OK, not entirely true as I have driven other people's GT Turbos and test-drove a MY02 WRX before deciding on the 4x4. The old-fashioned GTTs were more exciting but a non-option as I had to buy new (company car) while I found the chipped 4x4 more exciting than the WRX. Really! And it's equally fast too and I miss the street cred like a bad headache. I'm more of a Formula Stealth guy, but you know that.

Oh, it's the boss who's glad with the lower running costs...

I have to question if the Impreza still has that "wow" factor, now that the world and his wife have them.

They're going the same way as the XR3i & RS Turbo did. Personally, unless its really distinctive i never give them a second glance...

Now an EVO would be another matter

Originally posted by MonkeyHanger in this post

I have to question if the Impreza still has that "wow" factor, now that the world and his wife have them.

They're going the same way as the XR3i & RS Turbo did. Personally, unless its really distinctive i never give them a second glance.

I have to agree with that. I still think of them as special cars and ones that I was fond of, but its odd - I then think of how lightweight the doors and trim was, and how lucky I was that the car was under warranty when the engine 'mutated':)

Originally posted by MonkeyHanger in this post

I have to question if the Impreza still has that "wow" factor, now that the world and his wife have them.

This world has never seen one, let alone his wife ...

Dan

If you can get reversing sensors do it. The Hatch is an absolute PIG to reverse into confined spaces

Otherwise if you are impressed now just wait for the Jabba remap, then you will be just plain Gobsmacked !!

ENJOY!!!!

im still a scooby owner and am doing a gradual :conversion: by getting the misses a L&K estate and still cant believe what a great car it is and 55 MPG !! and yet the diesel has some poke

it makes you think when

I've never driven an Impreza and I've only ever sat in one once, very briefly, so I have no opinion as to how they are as a drivers car. I read alot on here about people who have changed over to Skodas (obviously) but quite often build quality and reliability are mentioned. I always had the impression that Scoobys had the usual Japanese bomb proof build quality mainly due to them doing so well in the JD Power surveys that Top Gear used to run. I can remember one guy saying he loved his car so much he'd sleep in it if he could. So...

As Nick is inferring, are ex-Scooby owners on here trying to make themselves feel better by knocking the Impreza? Or, are they really not that reliable, comfortable, well screwed together etc even in standard form?

I'm not having a go, I genuinely don't know.

Well Rich interesting questions,

For my part, I enjoy and buy my cars for various reasons, but 'how they drive and feel' has always been more important to me than looks, image or fashion. I could have bought a new TT a couple of years ago, but didn't for example !

As to Subarus, I've had 3 Legacies and 2 Imprezas (and concentrating on the Impreza Turbo alone rather than the current WRX version of Impreza III) and always enjoyed how they drove and sounded. The 'classic' shape is still a lot of fun, but as its so uncompromised it its handling and performance, it was compromised in the materials used, refinement and as the years have gone on, reliability. My last turbo was the only one to suffer a major problem - the engine, but replacement wear and tear items with age such as brake discs & pads, the clutch (ouch