USED CAR ADVICE

[Brunkerboy]

Hi everybody,

I am looking at buying a 2014 SKODA Octavia for my wife to run around town in.  As owners of this vehicle i am sure you are all more familiar with them, than i am.

I have never owned a SKODA before and i dont know anyone who has.  All cars have idiosyncrasies and some have known issues to avoid.

So i am looking to tap into your collective experience to help me work out a good car from a lemon, if that is ok?

This is the car in question.

https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/SKODA-Octavia-2014/OAG-AD-16039392/?Cr=1

 

[Gerrycan]

No real issues with the 1.4tsi especially the manual version in the mk3. I have got one and love it.

Make sure you take it for a ride for anything wierd and also check wear on brakes, the disks are fairly soft and may have developed a ridge at that mileage.

Also see if you can drive on a rough road and see if there is a pronounced boom or bad pressure on the ears. 

Not common but a bugger to fix if there.

Tyres have marked effect on road noise on this car. Some Pirelli and continental tyres can be noisy. Michelin and Goodyear are usually ok.

[Brunkerboy]

Hi Gerrycan,

Thanks for the positive feedback.  I spoke to an independent Skoda mechanic, and he gave me the distinct impression that the 1.4tsi engine often develops piston issues from about this stage onwards.  I was thinking about getting him to do a pre-purchase inspection for me.  How many kilometres on your MkIII?

[iriches]

4 hours ago, Brunkerboy said:

...the 1.4tsi engine often develops piston issues from about this stage onwards...

 

The 1.4 TSI with piston issues is the earlier EA111 twincharger engine.  The only Skoda this was ever used in was the Fabia VRS.  

 

The Mk3 Octavia 1.4 TSI uses a different EA211 engine, so does not suffer from this issue.

[Brunkerboy]

Hi iriches. You sound like you know what you are talking about. Thank you for the clarification. I spoke with the dealer today and he tried to reassure me that the piston issue was not related to this engine as well. But i believed they would be biased in their advice. I guess I can relax the cynicism a little if you are saying the same thing.  But they have since agreed to complete the 75k km service that is due and to have the Takata airbag replaced before I pick it up. 

[Plantman]

Bit more info on the 1.4 TSI EA211 units: http://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine_id=116

 

 

[Brunkerboy]

Thank you Plantman. So I am guessing you agree with the dealer and iriches that the engine is not the older one prone to piston damage?

Edited 14 June, 2018 by Brunkerboy

[Plantman]

Not heard of that on the current 1.4 TSI engine. I did have a long look and research on the internet before I purchased an Octavia with the 103 KW TSI engine.

[Gerrycan]

The car you were looking at has now been sold but there seem to others in NSW.

The Ambition was a very basic model with steel wheels and little else.

I think most were supplied to Aus with a $1300 package that gave you cruise control, 17 inch alloys, rear sensors, more speakers and a centre armrest/console. Look for one with those features as your starting point.

If you can stretch to a 2016 model then the base Ambition was much better equipped with AEB and ACC and other stuff for near the price I paid 2 years earlier.

Your dealer is right about the engine and your independant skoda mechanic is wrong.

 

 

 

[Brunkerboy]

Hey Gerrycan,

 

I found the Fuelly data very interesting.  Thank you for sharing that.  May i ask how you input that data each refill?

Is that manually done or do you have some plug for the car that does that? 

Also i notice you are running the car on 91RON fuel instead of the recommended 95RON.  Obviously no issues with that?

 

[puhleese]

This one might be worth a look at.

https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/SKODA-Octavia-2015/OAG-AD-16080496/?Cr=1

[Gerrycan]

1 hour ago, Brunkerboy said:

Hey Gerrycan,

 

I found the Fuelly data very interesting.  Thank you for sharing that.  May i ask how you input that data each refill?

Is that manually done or do you have some plug for the car that does that? 

Also i notice you are running the car on 91RON fuel instead of the recommended 95RON.  Obviously no issues with that?

 

You have to input the data manually into Fuelly as you do with any of these apps.

Despite what Fuelly may indicate (I may have not set it up correctly) I use 95 Octane (minimum) always, as recommended by Skoda. 

I tried a few tanks of 98 Octane but got no perceivable improvement in performance or consumption so 95 is my choice. The older VW based vehicles recommended 98 Octane and some swear by it and choose to use it for their 1.4tsi.

DO NOT USE 91 Octane unless you have no alternative for one off emergency situations. Australian fuel standards are generally poor anyway with very high sulphur content in our 91 Octane (legally upto 140 ppm). 95 Octane can have 40ppm (Euro standards are max 5ppm)

DO NOT USE E10, despite the slightly higher Octane rating it is just the s##t 91 Octane with Ethanol added (which can add its own complications).

Stick to mainstream high turnover fuel suppliers and you should be ok. E85 is a complete NO

The Aus govt is looking at phasing out 91 Octane to bring in line with Euro standards for good reason, but are scared of the vote losing potential of higher fuel prices and the risks to the few remaining Aus refineries.

 

Having said that I use 91 Octane in my 2003 Toyota Echo because it was designed for it and the car owes us nothing.

 

 

Edited 15 June, 2018 by Gerrycan