Goodbye VRS Hello 1.4TSI SE

[MoggyTech]

Final day before I say goodbye to my 64 plate 2.0 Tdi VRS. My annual mileage means a diesel just doesn't make sense, and an injury to my left wrist that will take time to heal, means a DSG made a lot of sense.

 

So I was lucky to find an Octavia 1.4TSI SE on a 16 plate, with just 700 miles on the clock, dealer show car. So it was off for a test drive. First impression, the 1.4TSI is a very quiet engine, coupled with higher profile tyres = less noise in general. Back to that engine, it felt every bit as quick as the VRS diesel lump, a real joy to drive in fact. Switch to sport mode, all the fun without the noise.

 

My VRS was an ex dealer company car that I picked up for 19K in September 2014 2,800 miles on the clock. I've done another 8K miles and it's been trouble free, although it's developed a clutch vibration if you give it the beans. The 1.4 TSI SE was going for 15.5K sterling, and as we know, VRS residuals are a proverbial bag of bricks. So when I saw I was only going to have to pay 1.4K for a car that is two years newer, and for me anyway, much nicer to drive, I was sold.

 

So tomorrow I pick up the Silver machine and must remember two things. There is no clutch pedal, and it drinks petrol not diesel.

 

Cheers guys. 

[ahenners]

Sounds nice, can't beat a petrol for refinement. Guessing it has a pretty decent spec if it was a dealer show car?

I went from manual to dsg - feels weird not having a clutch at first but you soon get used to it and I wouldn't go back now. My journey home from work last night took double the usual time due to an accident on the motorway and it was very stop-start. Occasions like this remind me why DSG is great to have.

Don't think the diesel nozzle will fit in the petrol tank opening so you should be OK on that front, should you forget which drink she takes!

Edited 30 November, 2016 by ahenners

[MoggyTech]

Sounds nice, can't beat a petrol for refinement. Guessing it has a pretty decent spec if it was a dealer show car?

I went from manual to dsg - feels weird not having a clutch at first but you soon get used to it and I wouldn't go back now. My journey home from work last night took double the usual time due to an accident on the motorway and it was very stop-start. Occasions like this remind me why DSG is great to have.

Don't think the diesel nozzle will fit in the petrol tank opening so you should be OK on that front, should you forget which drink she takes!

Pretty much all the toys as it comes with the plus pack. The only thing I did notice when we hit a patch of bumps on a bend, is the back end felt twitchy compared to the VRS (VRS has multi link rear suspension.) Other than that I loved the drive. No lag from the DSG that earlier versions could suffer from, and we went round a load of roundabouts. I know the dealer really well so don't get any BS when I ask questions. Not going to sleep tonight that's for sure, early xmas present. 

[ednmra]

Most of the time you won't believe you're only driving a 1.4

[MoggyTech]

Most of the time you won't believe you're only driving a 1.4

I was amazed at the grunt from that engine. Pulled away in normal auto mode, stopped at lights before the motorway, selected sport mode, unfortunately forum rules won't allow me to post what I said to the sales guy.  

[ednmra]

I was amazed at the grunt from that engine. Pulled away in normal auto mode, stopped at lights before the motorway, selected sport mode, unfortunately forum rules won't allow me to post what I said to the sales guy.  

I leave my engine in sport mode, the rest normal.

Mine is manual not DSG but still much like driving the 1.8 TSi

[toni8b]

Does it have a multilink?

[Auric Goldfinger]

I leave my engine in sport mode, 

 

 

I have set Mrs G the tast of trawling through the hand book to see how to get my 230 out of Sport mode.

 

 

Should keep her occupied for years between the Ironing and keeping me in food.  Great move on my behalf 

[Gerrycan]

Does it have a multilink?

Doubt it, sure only VRS and 4WD models have multi-link on the Mk3

 

Looking under the back of the torsion models there seem to be spare non-utilised bolt holes that I presume are used by the multi-link variants.

I would not think that converting multi-link would be a major engineering effort as it does not involve any electrical component or programming changes.

No personal need for the road but the occasional foray onto corrugated dirt roads reveals some of torsion bar shortcomings compared the multi-link on the mk2.

[toni8b]

Torsion beam bump steer is horrible.

[Gromle]

Doubt it, sure only VRS and 4WD models have multi-link on the Mk3

You are almost correct, the 1.8TSI also get multi-link as a fwd.

[Gerrycan]

You are almost correct, the 1.8TSI also get multi-link as a fwd.

Thanks, I forgot that.

[Gerrycan]

Torsion beam bump steer is horrible.

 

Not a really big issue for me, I suppose it depends how hard you drive and how big the mid corner bumps are. Just did not justify the extra $10k (ish) I would have had to pay for a 1.8tsi and multi-link at the time.

And yet I've been in (cheaper) multi-linked SUVs that had worse ride and cornering issues than what I experience with my torsion-bar Octavia.

I think is because the they generally stiffen up the springs/dampers on the SUVs to counter the higher centre of gravity for less roll and that stuffs up everything else.

 

Be interesting to hear from MoggyTech when he has had more time with his new car.

Downgrading can be difficult experience for some.

Edited 1 December, 2016 by Gerrycan

[MoggyTech]

On the test drive I noticed the lack of multi-link when we took a bend with some nasty repairs to the tarmac. The VRS feels more planted on uneven road surfaces, but oh my god, the road noise from the VRS was the cars worst feature. I will miss the VRS in some ways, I loved the looks of it, even got asked on a few occasions if it was really a Skoda. I found the steering of the 1.4TSI much better though, a bit lighter and slightly more feedback about what the car was doing. The VRS steering to me felt 'wooden'. I thought about changing to the 2.0 petrol VRS with DSG, but that was going to be a major outlay of cash, and this deal was just too good to pass up.

 

I will do a one month on review and report the good the bad and the ugly. 

[Sheldon.Cooper]

The VRS is almost 200Kg heavier than the 1.4 and most of that weight is the lump over the front wheels so a lighter car will feel better on the front end, the electric assisted steering doesn't help matters though, that blunts things.  If you've ever tried a Ford ST220 then you'll know how good a big car can handle the twisties.

 

Power to weight ratios aren't a mile off either between the diesel VRS and the Petrol 1.4 (127HP/TON & 118HP/TON) and the DSG box will make up for the loss of torque so you shouldn't notice much of a difference in daily driving.

 

I went from a 150TDI to a Mk5 Golf Edition 30, both DSG, now that's a night and day difference.  The only thing the Octavia did better than the Golf is get better economy!

[Redboy]

The VRS is almost 200Kg heavier than the 1.4 and most of that weight is the lump over the front wheels so a lighter car will feel better on the front end, the electric assisted steering doesn't help matters though, that blunts things.  If you've ever tried a Ford ST220 then you'll know how good a big car can handle the twisties.

 

Power to weight ratios aren't a mile off either between the diesel VRS and the Petrol 1.4 (127HP/TON & 118HP/TON) and the DSG box will make up for the loss of torque so you shouldn't notice much of a difference in daily driving.

 

I went from a 150TDI to a Mk5 Golf Edition 30, both DSG, now that's a night and day difference.  The only thing the Octavia did better than the Golf is get better economy!

Does the extra 600cc of the VRS make the engine heavier by 200Kg? That seems a lot for a similar size engine block. I had the same shape Mondeo as the ST220 except it was a Zetec S 140Bhp diesel and it handled brilliantly, better than my MkII VRS and about the same as the MkIII.

[Ootohere]

The 1.4 TSI Turbo Unit ( not Twincharger) is considerably lighter than a 2.0 TSI.

Getting the true weights of Engines & Manual or DSG's from VW is a strange one, often the Press Releases are inaccurate and the Motoring Journals & Journalists 

never bother putting a car on a weigh bridge, they quote right from the VW Group Media Pack.

 

An example is the 1.4 TSI Twnicharger Polo GTI vs the 1.8TSI Manual or DSG Polo GTI that is supposedly lighter until you weigh them.

Not just 3 or 5 door weight differences, or Spare Wheel as Standard and in the Kerb Weight, or as an option.

[Redboy]

The 1.4 TSI Turbo Unit ( not Twincharger) is considerably lighter than a 2.0 TSI.

Getting the true weights of Engines & Manual or DSG's from VW is a strange one, often the Press Releases are inaccurate and the Motoring Journals & Journalists 

never bother putting a car on a weigh bridge, they quote right from the VW Group Media Pack.

 

An example is the 1.4 TSI Twnicharger Polo GTI vs the 1.8TSI Manual or DSG Polo GTI that is supposedly lighter until you weigh them.

Not just 3 or 5 door weight differences, or Spare Wheel as Standard and in the Kerb Weight, or as an option.

Maybe so but 200Kg is about the weight of my 750 Honda and that seems a lot for 600cc more capacity.

[gregoir]

What difference does Sport mode actually make to the 1.4l engine? (I know the steering gets heavier.)

Tried all modes and still keep coming back to Eco. Eco just seems to have a smoother and quieter pickup from a start with a lively performance- whereas Sport caused a bit of zizz from the controls with no other obvious difference.

[Ootohere]

Redboy, 200 kg is a lot of a difference if it is just a base engine weighed against another, the weight of 2 passengers maybe,

So you have to think, do they have the same radiators, intercooler, fluid capacities, alternators, batteries, Air Filter housing, exhaust system, fuel tank etc.

Then also the same gearboxes in the 1.4 TSI & the 2.0 TSI.

 

As to comparing a 1.4TSI to a 2.0TDI then that is apples and pears.

There is the the things above to compare, then also suspension that will be different as well with the heavy diesel engine.

Edited 1 December, 2016 by Offski

[MoggyTech]

What difference does Sport mode actually make to the 1.4l engine? (I know the steering gets heavier.)

Tried all modes and still keep coming back to Eco. Eco just seems to have a smoother and quieter pickup from a start with a lively performance- whereas Sport caused a bit of zizz from the controls with no other obvious difference.

I tried sport mode on the test drive, and again today when I picked the car up. Firstly it changes the throttle response, but the real difference is the DSG box shifts up much later. In short this thing goes like stink! I've been driving now for 43 years, and I would compare the 1.4TSI to a 1980 2.5 Litre normally aspirated V6. No wonder they even fit this engine into the Superb range. It's also really refined and quiet, no engine cover, and no under bonnet sound insulation as found on the diesels.

 

To top it all off, I drove home quite briskly and still managed 46.4 MPG. 

[MoggyTech]

Maybe so but 200Kg is about the weight of my 750 Honda and that seems a lot for 600cc more capacity.

Diesel lumps are notoriously heavy lumps of pig iron. Under the bonnet of the 2.0 PD VRS there was barely room to see anything bar the engine cover. The 1.4TSI engine is tiny in comparison. Don't get me wrong, I thought diesel cars were a great idea that were advancing nicely, until VW threw a spanner in their own nest with the emission scandal. 

[ednmra]

It's also really refined and quiet, no engine cover, and no under bonnet sound insulation as found on the diesels.

 

 

Agreed - once warmed up, I often think the engine has stopped when it is actually idling!

[MoggyTech]

Well I've just driven the car on a 74 mile trip, 20% motorway, 60% A roads, and the remainder on twisty B roads.

 

The words that spring to mind are "Cake and eat it." OK the lack of multi-link rear suspensions makes it a bit twitchy in fast corners on less than perfect roads, but my God this thing can shift. Very little road noise due to 16 inch alloys and higher profile tyres inflated to 2.2 bar.

 

No rattles or squeaks (jinxed it now) and when you do get to hear the engine, oh my, what a glorious sound track. For some reason I also find the all cloth seats more comfortable than the part leather seats that were in the VRS. Now only a brim to brim fill up will give a true MPG reading, but the maxdot says 51.6 and the fuel gauge hasn't moved. (I filled up just fater leaving home.)

 

Happy camper.

[Gerrycan]

Told you :)