Hello everyone,

 

Hello from a Skoda 'Virgin' !

 

I'm about to take the plunge and get me a vRS octavia (In the market for a 1-2 year old, can go unto about £18K). I do 15K miles per year, of which around 10K are motorway/dual carriageway (owing to a 48 mile round trip to work). I intend to keep it for quite a while (I have owned my current car around 10 years). I am used to driving a Hyundai coupe 2.0SE, which returns me around 32mpg in the summer and 30 in the winter (though can push 40mpg on a long motorway trip with a light right foot).

 

I was dead set on a TDI vRS up until a month or two ago and was looking forward to a rapid car with 49mpg according to Honest John, but the recent concern about diesel taxation, parking charges and city bans made me think twice. I went and test drove a TSI vRS and......... I'm in love. That engine is a peach. 

 

I have some questions:-

 

1) If I go for a TSI, I know that I won't see 46mpg in the real world but... is 35 achievable? I could just about be happy with this as it is more than I get now. I do love a thrash from time to time but for the most part I drive reasonably conservatively. What mpgs can you guys all achieve if you take it easyish?

2) Is buying a petrol for 15K miles a year mad? Is diesel a no brainer do you think?

3) I have thought about converting a petrol to LPG; is this totally mad do you think? Has anyone done it?

 

Many thanks indeed in advance for your advice 

 

 

 

Free flowing motorway and dual carriageway and I can get mine up into the early 40's, but that's driving very conservatively, which I'm not particularly good at.  A lot of my journeys are stop/start urban home to work, which is why my Fuelly is unlikely to pass 30mpg.

 

Gaz

The vRS tsi has a sophisticated dual direct / port injection system so I think you would be very ill advised to consider an LPG conversion for this engine. Even if possible?

No doubting the vRS tsi is a very beguiling package but it could get expensive if you try to use a fair percentage of its capability (think blue flashing lights )

 

If economy is important then at least try the 1.4tsi. Of course it is no where near as fast as the vrs but at least it's performance is surprisingly good and more accessible. I will be very surprised if you don't better 45 mpg on your fairly long commute.

It will perform a lot better than your old Hyundai 2.0 and still be very economical.

 

At least try one before dismissing it as an option. Nothing better than making an educated choice.

 

Your target figure of 35mpg for the vRS should be easily attainable but owners of that type will be better qualified to confirm that

It would probably help them if you supplied the time it usually takes to do the journey.

 

 

 

Edited 19 March, 20179 yr by Gerrycan

Your driving scenario sounds very similar to mine. Based on that 35mpg+ is easily attainable. 

I do about 15k a year in my TSI. 23 mile Motorway commute to work at legal speeds obtains 40-42mpg. Start/stop stuff is closer to 30mpg. Tend to average about 36/37mpg per tank with shorter weekend trips etc. Best I've seen on a long run is around 45mpg . 35mpg is definitely achievable from your usage.

 

 

Edited 19 March, 20179 yr by ahenners

1 hour ago, CestrianGuy said:

Hello everyone,

 

Hello from a Skoda 'Virgin' !

 

I'm about to take the plunge and get me a vRS octavia (In the market for a 1-2 year old, can go unto about £18K). I do 15K miles per year, of which around 10K are motorway/dual carriageway (owing to a 48 mile round trip to work). I intend to keep it for quite a while (I have owned my current car around 10 years). I am used to driving a Hyundai coupe 2.0SE, which returns me around 32mpg in the summer and 30 in the winter (though can push 40mpg on a long motorway trip with a light right foot).

 

I was dead set on a TDI vRS up until a month or two ago and was looking forward to a rapid car with 49mpg according to Honest John, but the recent concern about diesel taxation, parking charges and city bans made me think twice. I went and test drove a TSI vRS and......... I'm in love. That engine is a peach. 

 

I have some questions:-

 

1) If I go for a TSI, I know that I won't see 46mpg in the real world but... is 35 achievable? I could just about be happy with this as it is more than I get now. I do love a thrash from time to time but for the most part I drive reasonably conservatively. What mpgs can you guys all achieve if you take it easyish?

2) Is buying a petrol for 15K miles a year mad? Is diesel a no brainer do you think?

3) I have thought about converting a petrol to LPG; is this totally mad do you think? Has anyone done it?

 

Many thanks indeed in advance for your advice 

 

 

 

 

CestrianGuy,

 

I have a 64 plate vRS TDI and I do a similar amount of mileage to you, 60 mile round trip each day to work most of it is motorway and I get high 40s to low 50s mpg (even get mid-40s in Sport mode!).

I've saved so much money from filling up my Focus diesel that I'm filling my vRS up with Shell Nitro+ diesel..and still saving money each month, £40-£60 a month! 

 

Think you'd be mad to run a petrol engine doing 15k a year and mostly motorways plus no need to switch to LPG with going from low 30s to mid-high 40s in the vRS.

 

Just my opinion mate

I easily get 35mpg out of my O2 FL Petrol VRS and don't hang about or drive for economy. The latest model should be better. 

 

 

 

 

6 minutes ago, 64VRS said:

 

CestrianGuy,

 

I have a 64 plate vRS TDI and I do a similar amount of mileage to you, 60 mile round trip each day to work most of it is motorway and I get high 40s to low 50s mpg (even get mid-40s in Sport mode!).

I've saved so much money from filling up my Focus diesel that I'm filling my vRS up with Shell Nitro+ diesel..and still saving money each month, £40-£60 a month! 

 

Think you'd be mad to run a petrol engine doing 15k a year and mostly motorways plus no need to switch to LPG with going from low 30s to mid-high 40s in the vRS.

 

Just my opinion mate

 

I wouldn't say it's mad to run a petrol at 15k unless it's terrible on fuel. You said you can achieve low 50's so assuming the diesel VRS gets 52mpg Vs my 42mpg motorway commute in the petrol, I'd save £1 per work day in fuel. An extra fiver a week on the commute for the additional performance, refinement etc. isn't ruinous. I bought mine used at just under 3 years old and i couldn't have bought a diesel with similar age, mileage spec etc. without spending around 2k more. 

 

I'm not anti-diesel just couldn't see enough of a saving for the compromise in my circumstances.

1 minute ago, juan27 said:

I easily get 35mpg out of my O2 FL Petrol VRS and don't hang about or drive for economy. The latest model should be better. 

 

 

 

 

 

It *should* but in reality it's barely any better. I had a FL VRS TSI previously.

2 minutes ago, ahenners said:

 

I wouldn't say it's mad to run a petrol at 15k unless it's terrible on fuel. You said you can achieve low 50's so assuming the diesel VRS gets 52mpg Vs my 42mpg motorway commute in the petrol, I'd save £1 per work day in fuel. An extra fiver a week on the commute for the additional performance, refinement etc. isn't ruinous. I bought mine used at just under 3 years old and i couldn't have bought a diesel with similar age, mileage spec etc. without spending around 2k more. 

 

I'm not anti-diesel just couldn't see enough of a saving for the compromise in my circumstances.

 

ahenners,  

 

Just from past experience mate, which is why I said he'd be mad.. my previous petrol car wasn't a Skoda either!

 

Didnt know now I could get 42mpg on a motorway commute or I'd have considered that too, probably better on shorter journeys too..

 

Good to know for next time (in just under 4 years lol.. )

Thank you all so  much for your replies; it seems that that at my sort of milage the petrol vs diesel thing isn't so clear cut, but I am pleasantly surprised to see that I should see 35mpg easily with the petrol or 40 if I try hard. Basically the diesel option would be a little cheaper on fuel costs as I suspected, but another thing to factor in of course is the maintenance costs of the DPF and other emissions-regulating gubbins when they go wrong (I read somewhere you should factor in about £300-400 a year for this - that eats a lot into the diesel savings). Thanks also for the reminder re the 1.4TSI Gerrycan; I think I will go for a test drive. 

 

Overall I think I may still go for the TSI VRS as it's not so much the absolute speed but the availability of the power (it doesn't matter whatever your revs are, when you want power you have power - it just pulls all over the rev range, but you TSI owners don't need me to tell you that) that made me smile so much on the test drive. 

 

I love this forum already! 

 

I have been running a VRS230 for 12 months now. Average for the year overall was 34.2, can get over 40 easily enough on a long run with cruise set at 70.

If you are driven by ecnomomy, though it doesn't sound like you are, the newer 1.0 offers far better returns in mpg stakes versus the difference between that in performance with the 1.4 which is quite surprising.

( The 1.2 on this basis appears to be a complete right off as a good idea if buying new but I can understand due to limited 2nd hand choices it may be more likely)

 

The performance margin between the 2.0 and 1.4 is far greater ( quite unsurprisingly) but the economy difference is not so wider as you think.

So might worth a good sit down thinking about what you want.

 

Course the thing about performance in regard to the 20, the accelaration pedal doesn't have to be a linear on/off switch - hence you can control your driving its not "wasted" its just there if and when you want it

I'm averaging about 32mpg on my VRS 230, but it's traffic and route dependant.

 

Commute to work with lots of traffic and having to avoid the motorway - 30-32mpg.

 

Bit of traffic using the motorway - 34-36mpg

 

Clear traffic using the motorway - up to 40mpg.

 

I keep it in eco during my commute and make use of the DSG coast function.

 

Evenings and weekends it's in D or individual.

 

Recently drove 115 miles to Mablethorpe, averaged 42mpg there and 37mpg back. I was a little more eager to get home than get there :-)

 

Oh, and I do about 15k/year. Costs me about a tank of super (£50ish) a week.

Edited 19 March, 20179 yr by stu83

Oh and my own feedback on performance and economy.

If I'm touching the vRS performance pedal occasionally ( like an overtake / accelerating hard ) then I can expect it to hit 30mpg or less.

 

If you are more sedate ( or forced to be eg. traffic conditions congestion below the speed limits, having to cruise with traffic ) the longer term its easier to see the 45mpg that Skoda claim

 

Its thirsty as a petrol if you are planting the pedal. So what mpg you get is inspired by the driver

Just as a mad and crazy idea that I could sell my 2014 Octy I'd be looking for about 12.5K for it ( Not selling here but noting I am entitled to as I'm freedom)

 

The thing is, I don't know wht car I'd have otherwise !

Maybe something a bit smaller and slightly more powerful but not like just a Golf or Seat, thinking something more exotic.

Nissan 370Z, Lotus, Jaguar XKR I don't know.

 

Whenever I look at such cars I'm disgusted at how expensive and much older they are compared to this.

Thing is I will keep saying, nothing makes as much sense though on paper as the Octy. So probably would never be selling without a very good substitute that doesn't exist

 

 

I do an 80 mile round commute a day in my TSI on single carriageway A-roads at mostly 60mph and frequently see in the low 40's mpg (according to the car computer of course). With this consumption you should see in the region of 330 miles between refuels (full tank to light just on).

Over the past 5 Months my TSI has a best of 37 mpg and a worst of 31 mpg (Based on actuals, not Maxidot). I do a mix of long range dual carriageway and Motorway, plus urban and local runs (dependent on where I'm driving for work). I'm averaging 15K miles per Year. 

5 hours ago, HeavyMetalRich said:

I do an 80 mile round commute a day in my TSI on single carriageway A-roads at mostly 60mph and frequently see in the low 40's mpg (according to the car computer of course). With this consumption you should see in the region of 330 miles between refuels (full tank to light just on).

 

On mainly motorway but occasionally (depending on my shift) a-roads with increased traffic and stop-start driving I can get around (inc. what's indicated as left in the tank) 480 to 510 per fill up. 

My 230 is averaging anything between 27mpg and 35(ish)mpg, but this very much depends on the journey.  A few very rare longer journeys (100+) miles then it has been higher.  Basically the thing you'll find is it's sometimes just too much fun putting your foot down a bit when pulling away.

20 minutes ago, 64VRS said:

 

On mainly motorway but occasionally (depending on my shift) a-roads with increased traffic and stop-start driving I can get around (inc. what's indicated as left in the tank) 480 to 510 per fill up. 

 

That would be good mileage for a diesel car up here. I used to get that sort of range in the Astravans I used previously (2.0 DTi and 1.7 CDTi).

 

My fills are never more than 40-42 litres in the Octavia. And encountering traffic doesn't mean stop/start for me, it just means lower speed and, as such, less fuel used with the trip computer reading 46mpg (the highest I've ever seen it). 

Edited 19 March, 20179 yr by HeavyMetalRich
Adding information.

14 minutes ago, HeavyMetalRich said:

 

That would be good mileage for a diesel car up here. I used to get that sort of range in the Astravans I used previously (2.0 DTi and 1.7 CDTi).

 

My fills are never more than 40-42 litres in the Octavia. And encountering traffic doesn't mean stop/start for me, it just means lower speed and, as such, less fuel used with the trip computer reading 46mpg (the highest I've ever seen it). 

 

I'm really pleased with the mpg I'm getting something I worried a little about when I bought the car (but was willing to take a hit on the mpg for the extra power ) .  Using a better level of fuel, which is awesome  .

 

With my shifts I can finish at 7am after nights or be going to work or coming home at 5pm which can be standstill traffic and a nightmare! 

I would have considered diesel but I wasn't bothered about economy when I was looking at the Octavia, it would be what it would be. I haven't been disappointed by it either. I get the same mileage out of the old Felicia.

I do 60 mile round trip per day most on motorway , put it in  Cruise mode at 70 mph and return 50-53 .. and it's in sports mode all the time .

My average mpg is 24.9. But I do not drive very far most of the time. 

Edited 20 March, 20179 yr by VrsOctaviaAndy