Hi all, looking into a used Octavia mk3 estate and wondered what owners opinions are of the variable boot floor. Do you find it useful/practical at all or is it just an unnecessary extra?

 

I like the look of it as it raises the floor up to meet the rear seats better when they are folded down so would possibly make life easier for me to load things as will be using the vehicle for work but in the real world does it make things any more practical or reduce useable space at all? 

 

Thanks, 

 

Chris. 

So, I have it on my car and 90% of the time it remains in the raised position. Useful for everyday stuff, shopping, pets, etc. When on holiday, it is useful to drop it for the extra space and also due to the 75kg (I think) weight limit when in the raised position. I find that I'm still able to close the boot privacy screen when loaded with holiday gear and in the dropped position. 

Yes well worth it, you can use it to separate the boot into two compartments useful if you are carrying something small that you don’t want sliding around the boot.

Edited 28 August, 20187 yr by match14

2 hours ago, match14 said:

Yes well worth it, you can use it to separate the boot into two compartments useful if you are carrying something small that you don’t want sliding around the boot.

That's the default state of mine, when I'm not carrying too much. 

Being able to make a flat load surface is also handy for instance when carrying lots of garden stuff to the tip.

I'd definitely want the variable floor on my next one if possible.

+1 for having it. As said above, it's handy for stowing small items, valuables and other general bits you want to keep out of the way of the main boot.

 

I wouldn't say it reduces the space, just sections it off. I've had my boot filled to the brim with trackday gear; wheels, apparel, jerry cans and stands are in the main space, with socket sets, extension lead and other tools on the underneath.

Agree with all the points already made we paid £155 extra for it on Rapid Spaceback and well worth it for the 3 years and 28,000 miles we covered in that car and it only had 414 litre boot.

Great, thanks for the responses, I was leaning towards having it but this has made up my mind. Just one more question though, is it easy to have one fitted to a car that didn’t have it as an option to start with?? 

1 hour ago, chrismaidstone said:

Great, thanks for the responses, I was leaning towards having it but this has made up my mind. Just one more question though, is it easy to have one fitted to a car that didn’t have it as an option to start with?? 

Not easy, but do-able. There are a couple of threads on it.

I have one and wouldn't be without it, but i have had to create some blocks to go under the fold, as it was starting to cave in a little. But my kit bag that spends a lot of time on there is about 30kg.

1 hour ago, chrismaidstone said:

Great, thanks for the responses, I was leaning towards having it but this has made up my mind. Just one more question though, is it easy to have one fitted to a car that didn’t have it as an option to start with?? 

Check out Sasha's very detailed thread where she explains how she retro-fitted her variable floor in her estate.

Depends a lot on what you typically carry.  Thought a flat load space was important so specced the variable floor on my first Scout but found the underfloor storage was rarely used.  My car is loaded with work gear most days so was just a hassle to get to anything underneath the floor.  Current car was pre-registered & didn't have the variable floor,  appreciate the extra usable space & haven't missed the level floor.

9 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

Check out Sasha's very detailed thread where she explains how she retro-fitted her variable floor in her estate.

 

Dont suppose you have a link to that thread please? 

Have taken mine out as I bought a full size spare wheel and it does fit with that in place. Unless of course I am not doing it correctly?

16 minutes ago, Maynarb said:

Have taken mine out as I bought a full size spare wheel and it does fit with that in place. Unless of course I am not doing it correctly?

im the same. I also had an issue where we have a tall dog carrier and with the floor in it blocked a substantial view of the rear window (first world problems)

2 hours ago, chrismaidstone said:

 

Dont suppose you have a link to that thread please? 

 

 

Hi Chris, I find my variable floor very useful, I keep quite a lot of gear under it, out of the way - roof bars, towing-gear, load-straps, Zetkas, snow rake, shovel etc. and I have a full-size (16 inch) spare under all that too. 

I have two banana type boxes under mine filled with drinks and crisps, for when I need a pick-me up after a shoot before hitting the road again.

Under that I have high-vis, steel toe boots, cherry picker harness in the wheel well.

I like the tiered system, as it allows the main area of the boot to be clear.

Variable boot floor is great. I hide all my stuff under it, picnic blankets, shopping bags, wellies, all that stuff which would make the boot a mess.

If you're planning on a holiday and going to a wedding at the same time, then the space under the floor is great to lay suits and dresses flat, and keep other 'nice' stuff away from the holiday stuff which'll fit amply on top

I wouldn't be without mine (in a Scout) for most of the reasons outlined. Seems entirely compatible with a 16" spare wheel also.

I realised I posted incorrectly. I should say with a full size spare wheel fitted replacing the original space saver, the lower floor does not fit flush but sits on top of the wheel

As noted, I fitted one in mine as I quite fancied it and it’s not as hard as you think. You can now get a kit for €400 new but you’d have to cut the old side trims to fit, but it is easier to swap everything from a donor car that had the VBF.

Had this as standard on my Octavia Elegance, still miss the space and versatility it had compared to my current Yeti. Only thing to be aware of as mentioned above is that the variable floor isn't that strong, I had two blocks of wood permanently supporting either side of mine, I don't recall there being any advice or mention of load limits in the manual at that time. On my car the floor virtually collapsed one time as I was carrying a heavy load in it, garage checked it over and no problems after that with the added bits of wood for support.

16 hours ago, Maynarb said:

I realised I posted incorrectly. I should say with a full size spare wheel fitted replacing the original space saver, the lower floor does not fit flush but sits on top of the wheel

I have variable boot floor and a 'standard' size (not space saver) steel spare. All came as delivered new. It's a 16 inch IIRC.

Edited 30 August, 20187 yr by HotVRs

its definietly useful if you lug lots of stuff around as you can put the bits and pieces in the bottom that are always in the boot, and have the space for the transient stuff that likely going to the dump on top with no mixing. I bought a trailer and towbar instead.

     17 hours ago, Maynarb said:

I realised I posted incorrectly. I should say with a full size spare wheel fitted replacing the original space saver, the lower floor does not fit flush but sits on top of the wheel

 

Perhaps I will need to check this again but with the full size wheel in the wheel well, the lower boot floor did not sit flush! Got me wondering now!