New vRS - what options?

[tonyhan]

Hi

 

My first post and I’ve left it a bit late really but having read a fair few posts on here already its clear that there is a wealth of knowledge I would do well to tap into.  I’m literally just about to sign off my order for a new Octavia vRS.  I’ve only opted for a handful of options but I’m now just worrying in case there’s something silly I really ought to have included.  This is my (short) list:  Black Magic metallic paint; Variable boot floor; Crew protection; Dynamic Chassis; and Heated front seats.

 

I’ve intentionally left off things like keyless opening, high beam assist, lane assist etc as I have these on the Kodiaq I’ve had for the last two years and, although I have loved the car, I’ve found those particular options generally to be of little use and sometimes even worse than not having them.  Then again that could just be me being an old luddite.  One thing I have really liked in the Kodiaq but now can’t get is the wireless mobile charging but I’ve read elsewhere on here that there are some aftermarket solutions to this which I will follow-up.

 

So, if anybody has a couple of minutes to give their opinions on other options I really ought to spec before it’s too late and why they would suggest taking them I would be very grateful.

 

Thanks for all the great information throughout the site and in thanks in advance for any input on this.  I hope I can contribute something useful myself before too long.

Tony

[SashaGrace]

Lane assist is standard on the vRS anyway and I wouldn’t recommend optioning HBA or TSR as you can enable them with OBDEleven later. The only things I can see that are missing are the virtual cockpit and power tailgate. Consider those as extras. Otherwise looks a good spec

[TheWanderer]

Heated windscreen for those cold starts, folding mirrors for the car parks, park assist makes it possible to get into and out of tight spaces with ease. 

[ahenners]

For me it would be Heated windscreen, Heated front seats, Canton sound system, DCC, Front parking sensors.

[ExSEAT]

EGood choices so far! Heated seats are a good move for sure. Have you thought about a space saver spare wheel? The cost is negligible overall. I am a bit biased but another vote for the virtual cockpit from me too!

[tonyhan]

Brilliant, thanks.  I like the idea of most of the things suggested but can't bring myself to pay the price for some.  I'm definitely tempted by the heated front screen and wing mirrors (I had assumed these would be electrically folding but if not will probably add).  

I had read elsewhere on here about possibility of adding some options later with OBD Eleven - interesting to know that applies to HBA and TSR (didn't even see this on the choice of options!)

[SimonD316]

I’ve activated a few bits on mine through VCDS including HBA and TSR

[Scotty72]

Not that I could option mine over the space saver spare, which I'd choose anyway. I'd have upgraded my front seats to something electric with memory based on ignition key used. My wife and I share the car and I seem to never be able to get the seat in the same position twice lol I've become an expert an the manual adjustment controls though  other than that if you're keeping standard 18inch wheels you don't need dcc it rides just fine. Opinion on here states def go dcc if you opt for 19s.

Lane assist is standard and frankly for the dim of driving, I've tested it twice.. It's off now for good.

[tonyhan]

21 minutes ago, Scotty72 said:

Not that I could option mine over the space saver spare, which I'd choose anyway. I'd have upgraded my front seats to something electric with memory based on ignition key used. My wife and I share the car and I seem to never be able to get the seat in the same position twice lol I've become an expert an the manual adjustment controls though  other than that if you're keeping standard 18inch wheels you don't need dcc it rides just fine. Opinion on here states def go dcc if you opt for 19s.

Lane assist is standard and frankly for the dim of driving, I've tested it twice.. It's off now for good.

Hmm, I have the electric memory seats on the Kodiaq and I do think they are a clever feature but my wife and I share one key 99% of the time and have virtually never used this feature.  It helps that we are happy with pretty much the same seating position I guess! 

Interesting feedback on the DCC.  I hadn't picked up on not needing it if sticking with the 18" wheels (which I am) - a hefty saving if I were to drop it but I don't think I would be inclined too as I like the idea of being able to adjust to driving style.   

I didn't realise lane assist was standard but share your view of it.  

[ExSEAT]

27 minutes ago, tonyhan said:

Interesting feedback on the DCC.  I hadn't picked up on not needing it if sticking with the 18" wheels (which I am) - a hefty saving if I were to drop it but I don't think I would be inclined too as I like the idea of being able to adjust to driving style.   

I didn't realise lane assist was standard but share your view of it.  

As a new owner with DCC I wouldnt take an opinion on it from someone unless they had actually tried it, so be sure to ask anyone what their experience is before you make your mind up! The difference between sport and comfort is night and day, it turns a jiggly ride over the local roigh roads into a much more pleasant experience and thats on the 18" wheels. I have went from driving a 2016 car without it to new one with DCC back to back and I would personally recommend it to anyone. 

 

Want vs need is an interesting thing though. You dont need it any more than you need to have 245ps or you need to have heated seats or you need to have an alcantara seat. However for me the VRS ride is on the harsh side when confronted with the bumpy backroads I encounter locally. I could put up with it in my old car byt that was the thing I liked the least, driving over the roads and chaging from sport to comfort is fantastic.

 

I'm actually working on a video that shows the differences using a seismic app with the car driving down the same road in different modes.

[Scotty72]

57 minutes ago, ExSEAT said:

As a new owner with DCC I wouldnt take an opinion on it from someone unless they had actually tried it, so be sure to ask anyone what their experience is before you make your mind up! The difference between sport and comfort is night and day, it turns a jiggly ride over the local roigh roads into a much more pleasant experience and thats on the 18" wheels. I have went from driving a 2016 car without it to new one with DCC back to back and I would personally recommend it to anyone. 

 

Want vs need is an interesting thing though. You dont need it any more than you need to have 245ps or you need to have heated seats or you need to have an alcantara seat. However for me the VRS ride is on the harsh side when confronted with the bumpy backroads I encounter locally. I could put up with it in my old car byt that was the thing I liked the least, driving over the roads and chaging from sport to comfort is fantastic.

 

I'm actually working on a video that shows the differences using a seismic app with the car driving down the same road in different modes.

I defer to you on DCC but I'm not missing it (yes I have tried it) and I've got some pretty crappy road surfaces mine gets driven on locally down here in Hampshire. OP should try to test drive both to ultimately know. But I don't find the non DCC ride harsh at all on bumper road, if anything a little soft Which follows my findings from Leon Cupra ownership where i had to go aftermarket spings and dampers to fix the wallowy standard but improved (they said) sports suspension. Main gripe I have are the OE tyres on my vRS not being the best in the cold/wet.

Edited 10 January, 2019 by Scotty72

[TheWanderer]

Could you please let me know what tyres came with your car? 

 

Just in case I need to order some decent ones. 

[ExSEAT]

1 minute ago, Scotty72 said:

I defer to you on DCC but I'm not missing it (yes I have tried it) and I've got some pretty crappy road surfaces mine gets driven on locally down here in Hampshire. I don't find the ride harsh at all if anything a little soft Which follows my findings from Leon Cupra ownership where i had to go aftermarket spings and dampers to fix the wallowy standard but improved (they said) sports suspension. Main gripe I have are the OE tyres on my vRS not being the best in the cold/wet.

Maybe Im just old and supersensitive but bad surfaces make the lack of sound deadening more apparent and the ride more crashy. Multiply this by 10 for the standard bridgestones as they are bloody awful. After 3 years of the previous non DCC Im happy lol

[Scotty72]

1 minute ago, ExSEAT said:

Maybe Im just old and supersensitive but bad surfaces make the lack of sound deadening more apparent and the ride more crashy. Multiply this by 10 for the standard bridgestones as they are bloody awful. After 3 years of the previous non DCC Im happy lol

Maybe I know everyone is different. HoweverI personally think dumping out the OE Bridgestone will improve the ride and reduce the road noise majorly based on the feedback I see here on Briskoda.

 

@TheWanderer Bridgestone Potenza S001 225/40/18 with my OE Geminis

[ExSEAT]

5 minutes ago, Scotty72 said:

Maybe I know everyone is different. HoweverI personally think dumping out the OE Bridgestone will improve the ride and reduce the road noise majorly based on the feedback I see here on Briskoda.

 

I miss my goodyears. I changed the fronts on the last VRS when they were worn, 2 weeks later I got a puncture on the back and prematurely replaced the rears too. Great improvement. 

[Scotty72]

10 minutes ago, ExSEAT said:

I miss my goodyears. I changed the fronts on the last VRS when they were worn, 2 weeks later I got a puncture on the back and prematurely replaced the rears too. Great improvement. 

F1 Ass 3 would seem to fit the bill I would think based on yours and others feedback.

[ExSEAT]

9 minutes ago, Scotty72 said:

F1 Ass 3 would seem to fit the bill I would think based on yours and others feedback.

Just priced them up, £91 fitted each. Cant justify it just yet.

[Scotty72]

57 minutes ago, ExSEAT said:

Just priced them up, £91 fitted each. Cant justify it just yet.

Thanks who was that from/with for that price? Blackcircles are coming up as £95 fitted.

Costco were doing them but they're not listing them currently.

You're right I'd be struggling to justify the cost at the £90+ a corner fitted currently too  Unless there was a really good deal going of course. 

[ExSEAT]

19 minutes ago, Scotty72 said:

Thanks who was that from/with for that price? Blackcircles are coming up as £95 fitted.

Costco were doing them but they're not listing them currently.

You're right I'd be struggling to justify the cost at the £90+ a corner fitted currently too  Unless there was a really good deal going of course. 

Believe it or not it was Kwik Fit, Ive used them in the past but make a huge pantomime out of taking photos of your wheels right in front of them and they then become pretty careful..

[ahenners]

Tyresonthedrive are currently doing them for £92 a corner fitted, but £20 off 2/3 tyres making them £82 each for a pair. They will also come to you which I think Blackcircles mobile fitters charge extra for.

 

Had 4 fitted by them last year, did a cracking job and the deal was better than anywhere else.

[Scotty72]

1 hour ago, ahenners said:

Tyresonthedrive are currently doing them for £92 a corner fitted, but £20 off 2/3 tyres making them £82 each for a pair. They will also come to you which I think Blackcircles mobile fitters charge extra for.

 

Had 4 fitted by them last year, did a cracking job and the deal was better than anywhere else.

Thanks for that appreciate the headsup here. That could make it seem that bit more more attractive.

[TheWanderer]

7 hours ago, Scotty72 said:

Maybe I know everyone is different. HoweverI personally think dumping out the OE Bridgestone will improve the ride and reduce the road noise majorly based on the feedback I see here on Briskoda.

 

@TheWanderer Bridgestone Potenza S001 225/40/18 with my OE Geminis

 

I've been into Garlands today and there's a vRS estate in the showroom and that has Bridgestones on that, so I'm guessing that's what will come on mine. 

[Spanish_245_combi]

I live in Spain and so got a different standard spec to UK models. As standard my 245 wagon came with reversing camera, privacy glass and power tail gate. All are excellent additions to the car. A friend has a combi diesel without any of the three. The Octavia is a long car, the camera makes parking a doddle, the power tailgate makes dog access a breeze, and the dark rear windows help reduce, in my opinion, the visible mass of the rear of the car, adding a more slender appearance to the side view. Also in meteor grey, with no crome, the black windows, wheels etc improve the Q car look.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

I recently fitted a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 Ass3's, to my non-DCC 2014 VRS, and the difference from the standard tyres is like night and day on my 18 inch wheels.

 

I bought XL spec tyres because I quite like the more lively side of things compared to 'squish' - that said, they can be tuned by using different tyre pressures. I was running 40psi all round in the summer, which I drop to 30 when it gets cold. 

 

These tyres are, in my opinion, perfect for this car and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Quiet ride, prodigious grip wet and dry, and seem to be lasting well too. Oh as an aside, I also have the full geometry checked / adjusted on a Hunter machine every 6 months or so. I think this is one important thing to do if you're even remotely interested in how your car handles, especially given the slight ropey electric power steering these have!

 

Two last points regarding your spec - heated seats are brilliant, but I also highly recommend the heated front screen too. Enjoy your new car anyway!

[Jonny5isalive]

Also just ordered a new 245. Had to spec it with the winter pack and it comes with heated front seats, heated washers and most importantly heated front windscreen. My wife drives a Ford and I hate it when she jumps in the car aegis away in seconds and I'm standing around scraping. With every penny of the £600.