Apologies for what will be a long and rambling thread, but here goes...

 

I am due to replace my current car in October...this will be the first car I have ever bought where I can get exactly what I want (budget permitting of course) as I no longer need a family car (kids all grown up...woop!).

 

For the last 4 years, I've had a 1.5 Diesel Qashqai...slow off the mark, but loaded with tech and damn comfortable for motorway miles...which is where I spend most of my time...I do about 18K miles a year and it's about 80% motorway.

 

So...since January I've been looking at every car in existence from the Seat Leon FR (nice, but dull inside) to the Toyota C-HR (love the look, but expensive and needs a decent engine)...but I keep coming back to Skoda...and particularly the Octavia vRS...as I've wanted one for 20 years!  Obvious choice then?

 

Weeelllllll...I've got used to the higher ride of an SUV and really like the Karoq...and the 1.5 engine is rather sweet...nippy, but also good for cruising on the motorways...but it's also just a bit bland looking 

 

Now...as I've been driving myself insane, I thought I'd ask those with more insight...

 

These are my basic requirements...

 

Something fast...not necessarily license losing fast, but something that makles you smile.

Tech - parking sensors, camera, dual zone AC, auto lights / wipers (I'm just too lazy nowadays)

Fuel economy - not overly fussed, but would like to get at least 30mpg

Fuel type - would prefer petrol due to all the shenanigans around diesels...so concerned about residual value.

 

Will almost certainly be financed on PCP...

 

So...Karoq or vRS?

Diesel or Petrol?

New or Nearly New? (eg is the 8" screen in the newer vRS' way better than the older one?)

 

AAAAAAAAARGH!!!! 

 

Sorry...I did say it would be long and rambling....

 

All help greatly appreciated...

 

Rich

 

 

We've also realised we don't have to factor in 2 kids for regular back seat usage - they left home 4 and 6 years ago and one has her own car and the other is learning while at uni. I can't actually think of many occasions when we had other people in the back seats.

 

I did a couple of on-line - should-you-buy-petrol-or-diesel questionnaires - one said hybrid another said diesel. I'm tending to think diesel will be around for the time we have the car without it becoming too much of an issue - the diesels they want to legislate against are the old engines that produce lots of particulates and nitrogen dioxide - a newer higher performing diesel engine, I think, will be OK for a quite a few years and I read Bosch (leading lights in diesel technology) recently announced they had developed a retrofittable device that would help improve diesel performance in terms of emissions - my wife will drive the car we are deciding on now and she does only about 13K pa so I'm not surprised diesel is a borderline decision for us but I like the extra toque from the engine for overtaking on motorways and pulling away uphill from low speeds, the cold start reliability and the economy but the noise is a problem when your radio quality and sound insulation isn't that great. We're not concerned about residual value as we keep every car until the end of its economic & usable life - usually 10-12 years - that's why I'm looking at Skoda. You've only had the Qashqai  4 years - why change it now? If it's doing what you want ATM why change it - that'd be my thinking? The only thing I heard from my wife from a work colleague who has a Qashqai automatic that has just had a major failure of the gearbox when just out of warrantee is that a.) that particular failure just outside warrantee (she now learned) is not unheard of and b.) overall it hasn't been the most reliable of cars and she had it from new (I don't know if that was all gearbox related) - we've had a Micra and Primera - both for 10+ years and loved them both for their reliability - hands down better than the VW Golf we had.

 

Sorry I don't think I can help much with your decision - I'm here like you to bounce a few ideas and questions around to help sort out my own thinking - the Karoq looks like a move upmarket (and in price) from the a Qashqai - it looks good in the reviews I've seen against the Tiguan for instance but do you need anything that big - lengthwise - I know you said you liked the extra height driving position - i have an allotment and the Micra is like a garden shed - always has spades, bags of compost or weeds, trugs of produce, wellies, tools etc in it - if I had a towbar on it I'd make regular use of a mini trailer - I had to make umpteen trips to a local equestrian centre to cart trugs of horse manure to my plot - I wouldn't be doing that in a newer car - what do you need the space in the back for - is this for work use too?

Edited 13 June, 20187 yr by lemonstar

Thanks Lemonstar, appreciate it...good to bounce ideas around and see what other people are thinking too

 

As for the Qashqai, sorry, forgot to say it's a company car, so don't have a choice...but this next one will be private owned.

 

The ironic thing regarding the rear space etc is I don't need it at all...just don't want a small car as I looked at the Ibiza and even the Arona (Ibiza based SUV) and my main issue with the msaller cars is the cabin being too small and also the materials being a bit cheap...also what put me off the T-Roc...lovely car, great size, that 1.5 engine...but the interior is cheapo!

 

Everyone I've spoken to re diesels have said pretty much what you have in terms of it being mostly the older diesels being a problem...my main concern being that if anything else changes in the next 4 years (by the end of a PCP contract), it could affect the residual value significantly...and I could just hand the car back, but that then leaves me with no deposit for the next one...gah!!!!

Based on your requirements, don't discount the Superb Laurin and Klement. Fully loaded with tech, 220tsi for petrol and 30+ mpg. Or 280tsi for mahoosive performance. I'd have one of these if it wasn't for my crazy mileage. More refined than the Octy. 

 

Re new v used there are so few options available for the L&K (it has pretty much everything as standard) you can look to save £10k++ on list by buying ex-demo without having to compromise on options. I got my 190tdi at something like £14k under list. 6 months old, 6k miles, with all the toys.

 

Worth a thought. 

Thanks BriskodaJeff! Hadn't even considered the L&K to be honest as just thought of it as an insane luxury  Also hadn't realised they had decent engines...shall go investigate 

I am biased (obvs) but a 280 Superb will provide you with all the fun you can handle and probably some you can't... I have a Sportline with a few extras but the L&K is a nice package too. Its the most smile inducing car I've had in a while, wafty on the cruise and a bit less waft and more pant-soil inducing if you push it - at legal speeds your honour

 

You know you want to.....

Edited 13 June, 20187 yr by edwards

Gah! I started with 2 possibilities, now it's been doubled!!! 

 

 

dont discount the superb Diesels either they have good performance but come with a more wallet friendly mpg mines the older mk2 170 elegance estate thats been remapped to 210 and hands up its the best car we have ever had quiet, fast when you want mind numbingly so at mway acceleration speeds the torque is monstrous, but has every toy you could want, heated seats, windscreen self park etc etc and it may be personal choice but i love the DSG box as well all for 45+mpg average