I will hopefully get my Octy Sport 2.0 FSI in the Summer, but could you tell me why you went for the Octy over any other car?

I went for the Octy because you get a much higher spec for your money and the options are a lot cheaper than the equivalent Golf options too. Also the materials have a better feel and design is more thought out in the Octy IMO. Overall the Octy is just as good as the Golf and a lot more car for your money.

I needed the boot space. The fit and finish of the Octy inside feels nicer than the grey in the mk5 Golfs. Also the dash is a nicer design. The Golf has those horrible handles in the centre console and the ridge along the top of the dash near the windscreen.

Value, build quality, reliability, looks [a bit], space, zippy [mines a 2.0 FSI as well - you'll like it!], practicality, equipment, comfort......that enough?

It was cheaper and better specced than everything else.

As you can see from my signature, we were very keen on VWs but when we looked at a Fabia VRS compared to the Polo Sport there was no contest as to which was the better car. When I needed to change the Fabia, we looked at other estate cars but for the money the Octy was better speced, roomier, somewhat cheaper but still has the quality feel of a VW.

Do you find yourself justifying 'the badge', because people are unaware of it's virtues?

Nope, I just laugh, the car speaks for itself when friends sit in it, they are genuinely surprised. However am aware that many of them wouldn't buy one because of the badge, but these are people who may pay £200 for a pair of trainers because they are a certain make. More fool them I say.

I would agree with the above posts, much the same as myself generally

speaking, BUT my previous Passats were very much quieter regarding road and

tyre noise,but the noise evidently does not put you off.

Being in the trade I could have got a discount of the GTi(albeit a small one) but I prefered to buy the vRS -- I prefer the space you get with the Octavia and has been said elsewhere I think the interior is better than the Golf.

I have found that my customer's - some of whom own things like RS6's are well aware of the virtues of the car, I've even had a couple who want to look at my new car when I get it -- I thought they were just being polite - but one of them called in on the 2nd thinking that I would have had the car by then - I could see he was really serious !!!!

Have to say I don't find this present skoda noisey and I travel on a concrete road for 60% of my journey to work. However the Fabia VRS was but I put that down to its low profile tyres. On the octy elegance estate I have the standard Vega wheels, not so low profile. Anyway I always have the radio or CD on so background noise wouldn't be an issue, except when getting used to a car as I like to hear the engine so that I can tune myself into the best time to change gears!

Lots of good cars to choose from nowadays such as the Focus, Golf, 3 Series etc. etc. Personally I chose my Octavia on the basis that it provides everything that I could possibly ask for i.e. it's big enough for my family with a boot to rival cars in a bigger class, it has the quality feel of cars far more expensive, it has all the performance you could wish for and handles great on the twisty's and finally the Octavia is cracking good value for money!. For those reasons and a few more besides is why there is one parked on my drive.

My Octy Vrs is on order and I chose it because I test drove the car and went "wow". Having had a Golf MkIV (and many other cars besides) I was actually initially put off Skoda, not by the badge but by VAG. Always liked Skodas but when VAG took over I wasn't sure for a while. Now I am and I'm getting very impaitent to drive my new car.

I bought mine because 1,I couldnt afford a A4 Avant Quattro TDi and 2, my customers dont mind when I turn up in a Skoda. They assume I'm doing ok without ripping them off. The class thing doesnt bother me with cars, yes I wear designer gear, but I buy that at TKMax, its the same with the car, Im getting the same for less. Must admit tho having driven both prefered the ride and feel of my Octy but still look at Audi's and think nice...... must be a RS4 thing! Oh and not a fan of the new Golf, hate the dash tho it does seem better in the Golf+.

The great unwashed don't realise that things have reversed. The old naff Skoda jokes are just SOOOOO passe' now, that to be anti-Skoda shows they are out-datedly ignorant!!

By the way, it is just me or has this web site speeded up dramatically?

ever since that Top Gear race between the Mini and the Fabia vRS, Skoda has become the big name in the classrom i'm told too. If the kids respect Skoda then your onto a winner already. lol

Agree with all the comments. Just disappointed that my first Skoda is also the first car I have owned in 10 years to let me down badly enough to need the AA. Water in a wiring loom connector caused the battery to go flat. Just hoping this is not the 'shape of things to come'.:(