My turn to say goodbye...

[Ootohere]

At 60 mph as you drive along a 1.0TSI 113ps will be getting as good economy as you probably better and will still only be using 

about 50 ps, same as the 75ps car in front and another behind.

 

You will be able to pass them all in one flooring of the accelerator though as you take them like a King.

 

?

Have you ever been a member posting in the Fabia Mk1 Section, there used to be Taking them like a King threads there.

[nidza]

Come on.

 

I am amused just by knowledge having all that HP under my right foot. For days I don't floor the throttle, just enjoy the Cantons and open roof. 

 

Why would people drive Lamborghini and Ferrari since they can't use their performance almost never? Even a strong FWD car gives you this little bit of being special. Rarely you will start full throttle from the stand still, usually you will floor it when you are already under movement, and such a car jumps over the rest of mediocre traffic without any hesitation. 

[john999boy]

13 minutes ago, nidza said:

 usually you will floor it when you are already under movement, and such a car jumps over the rest of mediocre traffic without any hesitation. 

 

I'm in total agreement with that!

[Jaco2k]

[stu83]

Yep, I've pretty much always owned fast cars, and not because I drive everywhere at 10/10ths, as I don't.

 

There's something nice about knowing the power's there should you wish to use it, and having something more special than the run-of-the-mill models, both in looks and performance.

 

The sporty / higher end models usually have better components too, ie multi link rear suspension, upgraded brakes etc which I feel makes them better to drive on a daily basis ... And you don't have to drive them fast to reap those benefits. For that I'm more than willing to put up with the little higher running costs.

 

Just my opinion.

[Ootohere]

Some people might drive a 600bhp Bentley Continental GT or a Ferrari or a Lamborghini and not give a jot if a Skoda Octavia with 245 ps minimum or 310ps remapped overtakes because it counts for nothing, they just wanted passed.

As to a Octavia driver or any vehicle letting a car pass them, that is nice and good manners if they want to pass, even if they might have a less powerful car or van but want to get on up the road without being in some kind of race.

 

Plenty own or drive fast cars and never exceed speed limits, its no big deal.

Some never because caught once more doing it and prosecuted means no driving licence and not driving any car slow or fast.

 

Edited 28 March, 2018 by AwaoffSki

[SWBoy]

1 hour ago, AwaoffSki said:

Plenty own or drive fast cars and never exceed speed limits, its no big deal.

With power comes responsibility.

 

When I worked for an automotive consultancy we could borrow for a weekend anything from a Transit to a Ferrari - they all had their own characteristics(!) but strangely more positive comments were made (even by an ex-F1 driver who worked there) about the lower powered cars because they had to be "driven" meaning you had to use your skill as a driver to make quick, safe progress as you couldn't just push hard on the throttle pedal and rely on brute HP.

[SashaGrace]

I enjoy driving the 59 bhp Citigo as much as I enjoy driving it the 370 bhp CLK55 AMG parked next to it. Both cars are a hoot, but for vastly different reasons!! I like the Octy as it is a nice balance between the 2. The ideal car for me would be a 245 but money and mileage and all...

[Petunet]

There's no such thing as too much power. 

[stepdavi]

11 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

I enjoy driving the 59 bhp Citigo as much as I enjoy driving it the 370 bhp CLK55 AMG parked next to it. Both cars are a hoot, but for vastly different reasons!! I like the Octy as it is a nice balance between the 2. The ideal car for me would be a 245 but money and mileage and all...

Wouldn't mind a citigo for mrs/town runs. Never drove one but look fun, and I'm a fan of small cars with little power. 

[SWBoy]

12 minutes ago, Petunet said:

There's no such thing as too much power. 

That's so true - every time I bought a more powerful car I soon got used to the extra power ... and then wanted more 

[SashaGrace]

39 minutes ago, stepdavi said:

Wouldn't mind a citigo for mrs/town runs. Never drove one but look fun, and I'm a fan of small cars with little power. 

They are a great laugh and a really good city car tbh. I love ours and I was able to get it on a cracking deal new.

[dunc69]

12 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

They are a great laugh and a really good city car tbh. I love ours and I was able to get it on a cracking deal new.

I couldn’t agree more!

 

In fact, just as @SashaGrace says, I love driving the Citigo as much as the vRS, because they demand different skills. 

 

At home alone this week (kids and Mrs Dunc on holiday) and am alternating the cars each day for my commute. 

 

120 mile round trip tmw, taking the ‘Little One’. 

[Petunet]

1 hour ago, SWBoy said:

That's so true - every time I bought a more powerful car I soon got used to the extra power ... and then wanted more 

 

The same.

I only know one exeption to this: a friend of mine used to be a F/A-18 Hornet pilot and it always felt powerful. Every time, all the time.

 

[pist0nbr0ke]

54 minutes ago, Petunet said:

 

The same.

I only know one exeption to this: a friend of mine used to be a F/A-18 Hornet pilot and it always felt powerful. Every time, all the time.

 

 

Huh, bet it wouldn't stay with a remapped 245 with 302bhp, piloted by a driving god 

[Black_Sheep]

I too have just placed a deposit on a Leon ST Cupra 300 4Drive - I wonder how many other Octavia owners have switched to other VAG brands due to limited availability of 245 VRS, 4x4 Petrol VRS or a dislike of the Mk3 FL front end?

[toni8b]

7 hours ago, SWBoy said:

That's so true - every time I bought a more powerful car I soon got used to the extra power ... and then wanted more 

Audi RS6 with 800hp would probably be enough :p

[Jaco2k]

8 hours ago, Black_Sheep said:

I too have just placed a deposit on a Leon ST Cupra 300 4Drive - I wonder how many other Octavia owners have switched to other VAG brands due to limited availability of 245 VRS, 4x4 Petrol VRS or a dislike of the Mk3 FL front end?

 

Spot on!

 

One factor for me was that I really wanted this combination of petrol engine with the 4WD - so much so that I even accepted the DSG (this is my first automatic EVER)

Then, forgive me FL owners, but I really cannot stand that front... Admittedly it is less bad in VRS trim, but still...

The Leon is a great looking car.

Minuses, are as already mentioned, the size - it is not small but it is noticeably smaller than the Octavia.

The size difference is both a minus and a plus, since it also helps with the handling.

Oh, and one theory I had about the brakes on the Octavia has been proven - I always thought the Octavia was unbalanced when braking hard and I suspected it was due to the rear brakes having not been upgraded along with the fronts. The Cupra is way more balanced when braking because besides the larger fronts (no, I don't have the brembos) it also has the larger vented rears.

The nose doesn't dive as much as in the Octavia.

 

If you have a petrol VRS I strongly recommend you change the rear brakes when you get a chance - when they are gone, if you need to replace disks and pads, just throw the calipers in there too and get the bigger vented disks.

[Jaco2k]

5 hours ago, toni8b said:

Audi RS6 with 800hp would probably be enough :p

 

...until your brain goes "wonder if I could get this to 1000hp..."

[Petunet]

11 minutes ago, Jaco2k said:

 

Oh, and one theory I had about the brakes on the Octavia has been proven - I always thought the Octavia was unbalanced when braking hard and I suspected it was due to the rear brakes having not been upgraded along with the fronts. The Cupra is way more balanced when braking because besides the larger fronts (no, I don't have the brembos) it also has the larger vented rears.

The nose doesn't dive as much as in the Octavia.

 

 

Remember that now you have a 4x4 vehicle: the weight distribution is a lot more rear balanced than it used to be on your Octavia.

Mine is almost exactly 50% / 50%.

[Black_Sheep]

17 minutes ago, Jaco2k said:

Minuses, are as already mentioned, the size - it is not small but it is noticeably smaller than the Octavia.

 

Yes, first world problems!!!

 

I will definitely miss the size of the Octavia, in particular the rear cabin space for the kids - however, I have specified the boot net option, so the useable boot space available should be mitigated.

 

Only other option I’ll miss is the heated front windscreen - living in the damp/cold North UK it’s perfect for lazily clearing the screen from frost/ice/snow.

 

 

[Jaco2k]

56 minutes ago, Petunet said:

 

Remember that now you have a 4x4 vehicle: the weight distribution is a lot more rear balanced than it used to be on your Octavia.

Mine is almost exactly 50% / 50%.

 

Also on the motorway and at *cough* "slightly over the speed limit" *cough* situations, it feels way more planted - kinda like my Saab did. The Octavia has a tendency to be... "twitchy".

Maybe I have to try your car again, now that I can compare it against the 4x4 cousin, but since you have driven mine too, you probably have an idea.

[Petunet]

Octavia feels heavier and your Seat is more agile overall.

[Jaco2k]

Yesterday on a traffic light grand prix, some girl with a huge american SUV just floored it from the lights - I was not about to let her have it, so I just followed and slammed the gas... off comes the rear and I take off sideways and remain so accelerating for a good 3 seconds, which is the time it took me to get past even though she had an headstart.

It looked pretty dramatic, but was quite fun - when we pulled at the next set of lights we were both smiling and gave each other a friendly nod

...this 4WD is a MUST up here in the North, I tell you that much... I doubt I will ever go back, after having seen the light.

 

On the dry, admittedly, a FWD might be faster (never off the line, but when rolling it quickly catches up) but on the wet or in ice/snow? so much fun and joy - get to a corner, flick the front, plant the gas, catch it, aim the front and NEVER let go of the gas  So easy and fun... and THAT is exactly what I want out of my cars: That feeling you get when you go for a drive and you walk out of the car with a smile on your face. When I first came back from the test drive, the seller just looked at me and said "I would ask how it went, but I can see the huge smile on your face..."

 

[stepdavi]

1 hour ago, Jaco2k said:

 

Spot on!

 

One factor for me was that I really wanted this combination of petrol engine with the 4WD - so much so that I even accepted the DSG (this is my first automatic EVER)

Then, forgive me FL owners, but I really cannot stand that front... Admittedly it is less bad in VRS trim, but still...

The Leon is a great looking car.

Minuses, are as already mentioned, the size - it is not small but it is noticeably smaller than the Octavia.

The size difference is both a minus and a plus, since it also helps with the handling.

Oh, and one theory I had about the brakes on the Octavia has been proven - I always thought the Octavia was unbalanced when braking hard and I suspected it was due to the rear brakes having not been upgraded along with the fronts. The Cupra is way more balanced when braking because besides the larger fronts (no, I don't have the brembos) it also has the larger vented rears.

The nose doesn't dive as much as in the Octavia.

 

If you have a petrol VRS I strongly recommend you change the rear brakes when you get a chance - when they are gone, if you need to replace disks and pads, just throw the calipers in there too and get the bigger vented disks.

245 has got bigger rear vented discs.  I've never found car twitchy under braking, for a bigger car I think it's planted.