After only 2.5 months and 3000miles of ownership my Mk 3 2.0TDI SE-L has finally gone. I just couldn't live with it any longer and have I dug deep down the back of the sofa and replaced it with a BMW 320D Touring.

I post this as a warning to anyone who falls for the mistaken belief like I did that a Mk3 Octavia would be as good or better than a M2 Octavia. I didn't do my homework regarding the VAG Skoda costcutting excercise and it cost me dearly!

So I post this as a warning to others following the same route.

After nearly 9years and 130,000-miles of comfortable and happy motoring in my Mk2 Octavia 1.9 Ambiente, in September I bought a Mk3 2.0TDI SE-L which had done 10,000miles.

What a disappointment it has been!

I could have lived with the totally useless Satnav, the Cruise control that sometimes didn't work or the Stop/Start that also sometimes didn't work. The hard plastic interior and the cheap door panels. I think I could probably have even eventually sorted the vibration and resonance that kicked in above 7Omph. I could even have put up with the  distinctly unhelpful couldn't care less attitude of Skoda UK Customer service.

But what I couldn't live was that simply awful suspension and the ride it gives,..crashy at low speed, jiggly at high speed. It wouldn't have been too bad if the car handled well in compensation but cornering at speed it has distinctly similar handling to that of a barge on a canal.

Please, please, if you are thinking of buying a Mk3 Octavia before buying take it for at least a 20mile test drive on different types of road surface and make sure you can live with it..I couldn't.

 

Good luck to all, I am just so sad after singing the praises of a Mk2 Octavia for all those years and the excellent service I had from my old car my days of VAG ownership are over. Probably forever.

 

Edited 30 November, 20178 yr by Alan R
Spelling

I moved from a Mk2 vRS to a Mk3 vRS and it's a big improvement. 

I understand not all models have independent suspension in the Mk3, unlike the Mk2, is it that bad?

I'll agree with the door panels comment though.  How did they make them worse than the Mk2?

 

1 hour ago, Freakcrab said:

I moved from a Mk2 vRS to a Mk3 vRS and it's a big improvement. 

I understand not all models have independent suspension in the Mk3, unlike the Mk2, is it that bad?

I'll agree with the door panels comment though.  How did they make them worse than the Mk2?

 

 

Im the same. I’ve had many, many VRS Octavia and touch wood never had any problems. 

 

Good luck with the BMW

I had the sports suspension and 18" Golus on my 2.0TDI and although it didn't totally transform the car it was certainly liveable with, high speed was very stable and lively cornering a bit neutral but not altogether bad.

 

 

1 hour ago, Freakcrab said:

I'll agree with the door panels comment though.  How did they make them worse than the Mk2?

Thinner and cheaper 

I had a Mk2 from new for 7 years and LOVED it. 

 

I now have a Mk3. Yes, there has been some cost-cutting. Lower interior plastics not great. Handbrake on wrong side. 

 

But, other than that, it’s better in every way. 

The Mk2, FL or otherwise, was a 2004 design. 

 

The Mk3 is 9 years more up-to-date and it shows. 

 

(Both of mine were DSG petrol vRS Estates)

I too had a 1.9TD DSG Ambiente for 10 years before buying  a 2.0TDi DSG Mk 3 estate in May last year and will admit to being a bit disappointed with the ride and noise level of the estate and fuel sloshing thump from the rear occasionally. Changed to a 1.5TSi DSG Hatchback this November and am back to quiet, smooth motoring. Can't fault the trim on either car - probably would have kept the diesel but now only doing less than 10,000 miles a year petrol became the more obvious choice.

I also moved from an MKII to an MKIII, both elegance spec, and the MKIII is a much nicer car. If yours felt jiggly at higher speeds there was something wrong with it - even with the torsion beam suspension they feel planted at all speeds to me.

 

Fair enough they can crash over the odd bump at low speed though.

Edited 30 November, 20178 yr by H_D

@Sheldon.Cooper please post pics and some thoughts about the 18" w/ the diesel. Does it accelerate noticably slower?

I agree with few of the criticisms of the Octavia III voiced here. I've just bought my third vRS petrol, after owning a 2009 Mk II Limited Edition and a 2013 Mk III. Each model has been a vast improvement on the one before. My 2009 Limited Edition was a great car, which cost me £13,500 though only a year old and with less than 6000 miles on the clock. But the MK III is better in every way. The interior is far superior aesthetically and, in terms of fit and finish, is up to the standard of the Golf and bettered only by an Audi. It's far quicker than the Mk II, much more economical and looks great in race blue. And it's still not possible to buy a car with a better 2 litre turbo petrol engine. My only dislikes were an excessively hard ride and too much tyre noise on coarse road surfaces. So I traded it in for the facelifted model and paid £800 extra for electronically adjustable dampers.

 

So far I've done 500 miles in my new car. The ride is far better than the pre-facelift model as long as the ride is kept in comfort mode. The new Alcantara seats, ambient lighting and infotainment display further lift the interior, and the electronic, limited-slip differential improves the handling significantly. There's still the road noise on coarse tarmac, but it's less obtrusive than before. Also, the noise generator can be switched off. In short, it's a roomy, comfortable, quiet and effortlessly fast car which, with £2000 of extras, cost me just over £23,000. At this price, there's nothing else on the road that comes close.  

Edited 30 November, 20178 yr by romulus

What 320d have you gone for? F30? LCI? 

 

My first Skoda was a MK2 facelift VRS TSI which was replaced with a MK3 VRS TSI. I'm actually struggling to think of many things about my MK2 that were better than the MK3. So far I've only got the bonnet release lever and handbrake being on the "right" side - neither of which particularly bother me.

 

Everything else is better with the MK3. The materials are nicer and the interior feels more upmarket. Can't fault the build quality inside - no rattles and everything still feels solid and tight. The infotainment is infinitely better - even MIB1 Columbus is a huge leap from the RNS 510 unit in every way - resolution, touch response, speed, navigation. The handling also feels better and I find it more enjoyable to drive enthusiastically. Economy wise, it's about 10-15% better than the older 2.0TSI despite the increase in power and torque.

 

Perhaps your Octavia was a Friday afternoon car. I like BMWs and I'd love an F30 330D for the sublime engine, but every time I've looked at a used F30 the disappointing interior and lack of kit makes it look very expensive compared to my MK3 VRS.

 

Customer service wise - my dealings with Skoda Customer Services and my local dealer Simpsons Preston haven't impressed by any means. By comparison, when I owned an E92 330D both Sytner Nottingham and Lloyd Blackpool BMW dealers were much better for Customer Service. Didn't need to deal with BMW UK so can't comment there.

 

Best of luck with BMW ownership!

55 minutes ago, TTodorov said:

@Sheldon.Cooper please post pics and some thoughts about the 18" w/ the diesel. Does it accelerate noticably slower?

Are you looking to upgrade? What's your wheels, I'm looking to downsize.

My thoughts on the 18inch Golus? It's nice looking but I want softer rides and cheaper tyres. I don't care about my car's looks.

 

 

I feel people on this forum (and German cars in general) seems to care more about their car's image, feel, the bling rather than suitability and usability of the vehicle. Hard plastic are cause for complain? Threads about getting more chrome or black out grill? It's all superficial.

 

I do agree with a few of the criticism though. The crashy ride, the bad handling, the useless sat-nav and Skoda's customer service. Overall, I'll never buy Skoda and VAG cars again in the future.

That rear torture beam suspension combined with harsh dampers is a very big let down especially, on the Elegance spec I had.

 

I now have IRS setup on my O3Fl vRS245 with DCC & electrical adjustable Alcantra seats, I don't think I've ever been so comfortable

Couldn’t disagree more. I’ve just moved to a 230 vRS from a f32 msport coupe and couldn’t be happier. Prior to that had an e92 msport coupe and before that an e82 msport coupe and after many years of BMW ownership I’m loving the vRS. Yes it could be better in some areas (not really major ones though) Would I waste money on a BMW again, not in a hurry. And I was buying an M4 last year until the dealer all of a sudden had no allocation left and we had a “to do”!!! Love my vRS and more so every time I get in and drive it.

The mk2 Octavia derived from the Golf 5 platform was over-engineered and relatively expensive for them to make. For instance, I read it had around 200 body weld points compared to the 20 or so used by competitors. The Golf mk6 was really just re-engineered version for easier production resulting in 30% less time per vehicle.

Combine that with the need to re-establish Skoda's name and reputation in the market meant the mk2 was a bargain build to a standard we will probably never see again at the price. Skoda was still profitable because of the high capital investment in the plant and quality, but relatively low-cost worker base.

 

My mk2 1.9pd Ambiente was a brilliant, versatile, reliable, economical and enjoyable vehicle for the six years I had it. 

The replacement mk3 1.4tsi is markedly lighter but larger, offers far better performance, nearly as good economy and nearly as good a drive ( the mk2 set very high standards imo)

No question the mk3 on the MQB platform is built to a budget, but it was cheaper than the mk2 to buy and insure. In normal road conditions I think it rides as well, possibly better than the mk2 but more aggressive driving and poor road (or dirt road) conditions do highlight the differences between the suspensions.

I'm happy with the compromises on mine since it was still the best option on the Australian market at the price at the time of purchase (2014).

 

Sorry the OP had such a dreadful experience with his and I have had similar with other brands in the past.

In these reports with such diverse opinion it is difficult to know whether the problem lay with an individual car or an individual's expectations and preferences.

Edited 1 December, 20178 yr by Gerrycan

Gerrycan, I think you have it..

The Mk2 was overengineered which is what made it such a brilliant car. My 9years of ownership of my Mk2 1.9 TDI Ambiente ownership were very happy days. A good solid well made car which never let me down and in which I did 136,000 enjoyable and trouble free comfortable miles.

The MK3 has been the subject of a big costcutting excercise and it shows everywhere. Just grab the N/S rear bumper ( exhaust side) at the bottom and wiggle it, it doesn't fasten to anything and is so flimsy. Lift the bonnet and look at the way the wings are bolted on..cheap, with lots of very sharp edges. The door shuts around the very small door hinges is poorly finished off. I believe the body is made of thinner metal. Everything smacks of cost cutting. The Alcantara half leather seats in an SE-L are bloody hard on a long journey. The absolutely awful torsion beam rear suspension goes back to the 1980's design and way of doing things.

 

However the one and only thing I did like about the MK3 was the nice free revving 2.0 TDI engine which was quiet and didn't rattle when cold like the old PD engine did in my Mk2.

Sorry folks, I know you are being brave and soldiering on but I just couldn't do it. I keep cars usually 7-8years minimum and I couldn't see how my Mk3 was going to last that long.

I didn't do sufficient homework before buying the car and paid the price for doing so. I just hope the sad tale of my very brief ownership of a Mk3 makes anyone buying this car take a good hard look before they part with any money.

 

ahenners....I have bought a 2017 F31 320D Touring from Lloyd Carlisle.

 

Edited 1 December, 20178 yr by Alan R

@Alan R I had the Octavia mk2 FL VRS. I heard all sorts of good things about the car before I bought and it turned out to be the worst car that I've had. I took the financial hit and got ride to get a BMW F30 320d M Sport auto. I've not looked back. iI's a fantastic car to drive, the performance and economy both exceed the Skoda, even though mine is on 19" wheels the ride is smoother than 18" Octavia and not a rattle or squeak to be heard. Only thing I do miss is the huge boot of the Octavia but at the same time the BMW is so much quieter.

The dealers will rip you off if they can when it comes to servicing but that was the same with Skoda's DM Keith too but at least BMW are helpful. Use the BMW servicing website to book your servicing requirements and it's always cheaper and based on 3 years works out cheaper than Skoda too. 

CWARD

Thanks for the tips and advice of BMW ownership, much appreciated. Its a big and expensive leap of faith jumping from the VAG way of doing things to BMW and their ways and I just hope it pays off ownership wise!

I was previously a Ford guy and jumped ship for the Skoda after 10 years of problem free motoring from a Mondeo Mk3 estate. Once the initial new car ownership shine had warn off the Skoda and problems started to occur, the constant battle with warranty claims and I started to hate it wishing I'd never got rid of the Mondeo with it's huge mileage.   I was smitten with the DSG gearbox and decided the replacement for the Skoda would be an auto too. I would have gone back to Ford but their auto gearboxes weren't as good  and pretty rare too.

The wife has had a BMW E82 120D M Sport for 5 years and only problem we had was a new battery last year which is more a consumable than a fault. We had used an independent to service her car for the 1st time whilst we owned it after hearing about the dealer prices but the service wasn't very good and the computer wasn't updated correctly with what had been done. Then we found out that using the website to book the service was comparable with an independent. On her ownership experience I decided to go BMW too and as I've said it's been a painless experience.  It took a bit of getting used to with rear wheel drive again but so much more rewarding to drive. 

 

 

Yes, a lengthy test drive on the  roads you know is important. That's why I try and buy locally. I moved from a 2l Mk II Diesel with Sport Suspension to my Mk III 1.4 TSI Petrol SE Combi.

I don't have cruise control or satnav, so no comment. But I am happy with driving my car, granted the stop/start is not working currently. The scratchable plastics are indeed of  a lower quality but everything else seems to be an advance.

@Alan R Nice one! Love the LCI changes, subtle but make a good difference overall! What's the spec like 

 

Bmw-service.co.uk is the one to use for BMW dealer servicing and competitive pricing. An oil change on my 330D actually cost less than my current VRS - go figure! Assume a 17 plate will have service pack?

Edited 1 December, 20178 yr by ahenners

It seems the Octavia is spec sensitive, whether it's comfy and quiet or crashy and unrefined.

 

The old man has an 18-month old X3 with the 6cyl diesel. We agree that although the beemer has quieter road (tyre) noise, my vrs petrol has a much quieter engine. Looking forward to changing my tyres over to the winters, see if that makes it quieter on noisy surfaces.

 

My Mk2 vrs diesel in comparison was a solid car, but unbelievably noisy engine and tyre roar!

Winters are usually a bit more noisy

Went from a Mk2 diesel to a Mk3 diesel and about to move to  a Mk3 FL 1.5tsi. Mk3 a much better car overall. Suspension not the best but otherwise a great car.

 

Good luck with BMW.

The winter tyres on my other car (a Citroen C1) are much quieter than the summer tyres - the winters are 155/65x14s but the summers are 195/40x16s so that's not surprising given the much lower profile of the summers.