Hi,

I am about to order a new, leased Octavia III (facelifted). I have always preferred the hatch, but here in Norway the estate outsells by more than 9 to one, resulting in the hatch being difficult to sell second hand, and the leasing prices being higher than for the estate. This means that the estate will cheaper over time even if the list price is higher.

 

One of my objections to estates is that the rear tends to get very dirty, including the rear window. I drove an Avensis rental car recently, and after three days the car still was shining on three sides, but the rear was completely covered in dirt. 

 

I would be grateful if someone with experience with both Octavia III estate and hatch could comment on this.

 

Regards, Rolf,

Norway

I have an estate after having 2 octavia hatches

 

The estate is indeed far worse for getting dirty on the rear window.

 

I presume this is due to the angle of the rear window being closer to the vertical whereas on the hatch is closer to the horizontal

Hatch owner here and I rarely ever have to use the rear wiper. The angle of the rear window means it rarely picks up dirt, 

One of my reasons for buying an Octavia was the crossover styling of the hatch. You get hatchback versatility but a rear screen that stays clear. Every conventional styled hatchback I have driven in the rain has frustrated me. Leave the rear wiper on and it wipes too often and screen dries out and you need use the washer. Leave it off and you keep having to put it on and off.

I was mildly unimpressed with the idea that the hatch we got doesn't have a wiper. I had an estate as a rental in the summer and it was no problem keeping teh rear screen clean in the rain. But in the crap that comes off the roads up here in Winter? The hatch turns out to be really quite good at making sure most stuff just drips off and the bit that gets really dirty is the vertical section with the plate and - annoyingly - the boot opener. 

Wednesday I drove to the office on one of those truly dirty days we get up here, and I now have four stripes of dirt down the rear window, where the speed has forced the dirt along the roof and it's now down the rear screen. Doesn't affect visibility, though. The side windows were pale beige by the time I got home, the wheels are brown. It's rained in the mean time but I'm going to have to go and wash it anyway.

 

I prefer the looks of the estate, but the hatch was there. And I can't say I feel I've lost out, though if I had the choice, I'd probably order the wiper, as the snow is a complete pain if you don't clean the roof *perfectly*. Then it all collects at the base of the window and doesn't move and can't be melted off.

 

 - Bret

Edited 17 November, 20169 yr by brettikivi

No question about it, the Combi tailgate needs a regular wipe. The hatchback rarely does. My Passat estate also needed regular wiping. Just hoping the MkIII does not suffer the leaking rear washer and the demising wiper motor.

First world problems eh!

Driving up here when it's around +-2C is a complete nightmare in terms of trying to be able to see and be seen. It's not trivial. I remember driving regularly to the office and it got to the point that you cannot read the numberplate at the rear (and this is a white one) within a week, so within 1000kms. The police essentially aren't bothered about that one in the way they are in Russia, at least for the moment, because you simply can't do much about it.

All the salt that's put down and the grit from the rest of the road (and the spikes) mean that 4l of washer fluid can go remarkably quickly. I've reduced the back of my A2 to brown in 10kms at one point, by driving gravel when it's wet. The Octy really was clean Monday and it sure as hell isn't now. 

When "Super****" - and that really is its name -  isn't spectacularly cheap, either, then it starts to be a real cost factor in terms of time and effort. 

 

 - Bret

The only down side to the Hatch is that when you open the Hatch if the rear screen is wet all the water runs into the boot.

The combi has a rear wiper, end of discussion. :clap:

The back of my Mkii Estate got a little dirty, but I didn't find it too bad. The Mkiii Hatch is staying nice and clean, though the bottom of the Hatch window has an annoying gap between the glass and the bodywork which collects dirt and bits of leaves. A proper rubber seal would have been nice. 

I have a hatch with wiper, but rarely use it now after applying "invisible wiper", which is something similar to rain x, but as I've heard, slightly better.

That reminds me, I must try Rainex on the side windows and mirrors.

Still getting used to the determination of the auto rear wiper. My Mk II was much less helpful.

Rainx on side windows is awesome. On mirrors I don't see the point. It really does help the rain run off, but only when there's airflow to push it, so mirrors won't work as well as side windows. Roof also doesn't work as well on the A2 as the sides or Windscreen. 

 

 - Bret

Folks, go drive a VW transporter or a truck or whatever with no center mirror. In fact, a lot of people are driving those kind of vehicles. Why all that wining?

 

Train yourself to use the side mirrors.

 

Edit: Estate opening button covered in mud is annoying indeed.

Edited 18 November, 20169 yr by kedambarai

The reversing camera also becomes nigh on useless when covered in salty crud at this time of year...

Electric boot would be handy I suppose, although the tailgate can at least be 'popped' open using the keyfob.

Has anyone done the 'pikey boot mod' that was doable on the MK2 to a MK3? Springs on the tailgate struts?

Mucky roads today with road salt and used the rear wipers on the Combi several times. I hope not having the washer fluid going via the wiper motor bodes well for a longer life. My Mk II rear washer failed and the motor limped along the last few months. A common failure which I never got around to sorting on my hatch.

Edited 19 November, 20169 yr by gregoir

Let's put it this way: My license plate cannot even be read anymore... but, that's what car washes are for, right?

I would never let that argument be one for me to buy a car or not, but each to their own. Pretty much most station wagon/estate car will get quite dirty on the rear, but the Octavia does seem to be particularly bad in that department.

Well driving a bit the last few days on the M8 Motorway here in Scotland, I had to use my rear wash wipe every few minutes just to continue being able to see out of the rear window as low temperatures plus a bit of salt made for exceptionally dirty road conditions. This issue might just be an accident of design in trying to make the car more aerodynamic, dumping all of the dirt onto the rear window that is flying over the car roof and along the sides of the car but my previous Mondeo Estate car did also get quite dirty on the rear window under similar driving conditions.

 

Saying that if the Estate/ Combi is cheaper than the Hatchback version I would go with that for the extra carrying capacity and better looks, over here the Estate versions are usually more expensive to buy or lease.

Leave the rear wiper on and it wipes too often and screen dries out and you need use the washer. Leave it off and you keep having to put it on and off.

I found the lack of a control for a single wipe on the rear windscreen annoying in both my Focus hatch and Octavia estate, for the reason you mention.

Every estate and SUV type vehicle I have owned has had a rear wiper and needed it.

Most sedans were much better and did not require a wiper and the very best of them all was the Ford Anglia 105E (Harry Potter muggle car for our younger readers), with it's reverse slope rear window.

Im from Norway and I dont like diesel and I dont like estates. (Because of my age?)

I bought a new Octavia hatch 1.8 TSI DSG 4x4 L&K in april this year, and you dont see many of those around.

I do have a rear wiper, but the rear window dont get dirty, just wet. The license plate, reverse camera and the rest of the rear end is getting dirty.

My car has a little rear spoiler so maybe that makes it worse?

 

There are a few people like me that dont like estates, and for them there isnt many used cars to choose from. That was the only reason why I bought a brand new one my self, and I think someone will be happy for that the day I decide to sell it.

I found the lack of a control for a single wipe on the rear windscreen annoying in both my Focus hatch and Octavia estate, for the reason you mention.

I get a single wipe by pushing the stalk forwards then pulling backwards. Avoid pushing too far  forward against the spring pressure, otherwise the washer activates.

Folks, go drive a VW transporter or a truck or whatever with no center mirror. In fact, a lot of people are driving those kind of vehicles. Why all that wining?

 

Train yourself to use the side mirrors.

I have driven vans and I do soon get used to using the side mirrors when you don't have an in interior mirror. But I find it distracting when you can't see with the interior mirror when you should be able to.

I get a single wipe by pushing the stalk forwards then pulling backwards.

That's the turning it on and off again that the previous poster was complaining about. I don't have to do that to get a single wipe at the front.

Avoid pushing too far forward against the spring pressure, otherwise the washer activates.

Yes, I accidentally did that yesterday.