vRS Challenge

[SurreyJohn]

Per AutoExpress limited edition version launched

 

 https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/105862/skoda-octavia-vrs-challenge-launched

 

19 inch alloys, LED headlights, black tailpipe, black folding mirrors, 8 inch Amundsun, WiFi, heated and electrically adjustable alcantara sports seats, electronic dampers, keyless entry and start

 

Hatchback and Estate available

6 speed manual or 7 speed DSG

 

 

 

 

Edited 31 January, 2019 by SurreyJohn

[Ootohere]

Run out models', sometimes a good thing, bargains if you want one.

The sales / first registrations not as they would like, it gets magazine and social media space.

[Kenai]

Essentially the 245 special edition from 2017 but with DCC and KESSY included this time

[Scotty72]

Couple of people on here will be happy once again lol the leccy seats are really the only thing I'd like on mine

[ahenners]

DCC might be an error - it still shows as a cost option on the online configurator, and the spec overview doesn't list it as standard.

[Ads230]

So... basically exactly the same as the 2016 VRS 230, but with a different face, alcantara-ish seats, and phatter infotainment screen? Must've been a challenge for Skoda to come up with those options

 

AND 'leccy dampers. Which TBH are a good idea 

Edited 31 January, 2019 by Ads230
Missed leccy dampers, didn't I

[ElliottLW]

Nice spec, but as others have said its a 245 exiting before the refresh

Edited 31 January, 2019 by ElliottLW

[BA Baracus]

I have just ordered the ‘standard’ 245 - I would have considered this one but it is an extra £2,500 for toys that are nice but not essential.  I would have missed out on the £500 test drive incentive discount that ran out today and wonder if the timing is deliberate by Skoda UK ie launch the special editions after the financial incentives have gone.  Would have been a financial push too far for me.

[pkoconnor]

Would have been interesting if they added the Golf GTI TCR 290 engine.

Edited 31 January, 2019 by pkoconnor

[TheWanderer]

Like mine but with the electric seating. 

 

There's a down side to having a limited/special edition and that's the insurance. 

[vrskeith]

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/skoda-octavia-vrs-challenge-adds-more-kit-and-chassis-tech

 

Interesting package.

[Kenai]

Interesting that a lot of articles are describing the VAQ diff as if it's additional and the standard spec vRS doesn't have it. 

[Scotty72]

3 minutes ago, Kenai said:

Interesting that a lot of articles are describing the VAQ diff as if it's additional and the standard spec vRS doesn't have it. 

I just read a number of inaccuracies in that autoexpress article. It's making out this car has more over the standard car than it actually does. The seats really are the only thing you can't get on the standard 245 I and others now have. Everything else either comes with it or is optional.

Edited 31 January, 2019 by Scotty72

[Kenai]

11 minutes ago, Scotty72 said:

I just read a number of inaccuracies in that autoexpress article. It's making out this car has more over the standard car than it actually does. The seats really are the only thing you can't get on the standard 245 I and others now have. Everything else either comes with it or is optional.

It definitely seems to be getting touted as something more than it is 

[penguin17]

16 hours ago, pkoconnor said:

Would have been interesting if they added the Golf GTI TCR 290 engine.

Or at least the 265 overboost function that's available on the EA888 unit. 

[Czechers]

Don't like keyless entry, would've preferred digital cockpit as standard instead. Ah well...

[penguin17]

Unfortunately, as with a few other Skoda models you can see where they are being 'held back' so as to not steal sales away from the sister/parent companies.   The bonus is that by the time the gucci features filter down to the lowly Skoda they are a few generations in and most of the snagging has been done on the 'prestige' models. 

 

I see this as a potential problem in that Skoda are starting to price their cars at very close to the equivalent VW's and when the VW's have the new tech/toys as standard and sometimes with a little extra performance too, it makes more sense to just spend a bit more and have something to show for it.   10 years ago the gap between a Mk2 vRS and Mk5 GTI was several thousand £'s and you almost felt smug for driving away in the Octavia with enough change for insurance and a few years running costs but that's not the case anymore.  I think Kia and Hyundai will soon fill the 'value' void that Skoda are seemingly no longer occupying, if they don't already. 

[Scotty72]

1 hour ago, penguin17 said:

Unfortunately, as with a few other Skoda models you can see where they are being 'held back' so as to not steal sales away from the sister/parent companies.   The bonus is that by the time the gucci features filter down to the lowly Skoda they are a few generations in and most of the snagging has been done on the 'prestige' models. 

 

I see this as a potential problem in that Skoda are starting to price their cars at very close to the equivalent VW's and when the VW's have the new tech/toys as standard and sometimes with a little extra performance too, it makes more sense to just spend a bit more and have something to show for it.   10 years ago the gap between a Mk2 vRS and Mk5 GTI was several thousand £'s and you almost felt smug for driving away in the Octavia with enough change for insurance and a few years running costs but that's not the case anymore.  I think Kia and Hyundai will soon fill the 'value' void that Skoda are seemingly no longer occupying, if they don't already. 

For a while you could add SEAT into that mix too. I bought the 2003 Leon Cupra with optional electric leather seats and folding mirrors and met paint for around £15k new - discount got me the seats for free to pay effective list. To spec the equiv mk4 GTI with climate control CD and same seats was like almost another £4-5k and back then you got short changed 30bhp on the golf too   Actually that mk1 Leon Cupra was basically a 2wd version of the S3 the Cupra R even closer to that.

[finnster01]

18 hours ago, penguin17 said:

Unfortunately, as with a few other Skoda models you can see where they are being 'held back' so as to not steal sales away from the sister/parent companies.   The bonus is that by the time the gucci features filter down to the lowly Skoda they are a few generations in and most of the snagging has been done on the 'prestige' models. 

 

I see this as a potential problem in that Skoda are starting to price their cars at very close to the equivalent VW's and when the VW's have the new tech/toys as standard and sometimes with a little extra performance too, it makes more sense to just spend a bit more and have something to show for it.   10 years ago the gap between a Mk2 vRS and Mk5 GTI was several thousand £'s and you almost felt smug for driving away in the Octavia with enough change for insurance and a few years running costs but that's not the case anymore.  I think Kia and Hyundai will soon fill the 'value' void that Skoda are seemingly no longer occupying, if they don't already. 

 

Agreed, my PCP deal ends at the beginning of next year, so I am looking at what I do to replace my VRS.

 

Obviously I initially want to replace it with another VRS - however to spec a similar one to what I have now is around £34K that coupled with pretty poor PCP rates/residuals  means I have started to look at other marques.

 

So for the same or less (monthly) cost I can get an E Class estate, 3 Series Estate, A4 Estate etc etc - the on the road cost is a lot more but the residuals are far better so the monthly cost reflects that.

 

A Volvo V60 (with a 190 BHP engine) has loads more kit than the VRS  and you can get that for less than the VRS - obviously minus the fun factor.

 

I must add that I do get a defence discount on my cars but that is factored in on all of them including the Skoda.

 

Its a shame as my VRS has been utterly brilliant, totally faultless - but if i can get a better specced car for less then obviously that the way I am going to go.

 

I just feel that Skoda are pricing themselves too high, this would be fine if they had all the kit on - but as a rule they don't, once you add the kit on that you really want or need you get up to the price of a completely different sector, then it becomes a far tougher choice.

Edited 2 February, 2019 by finnster01

[SurreyJohn]

You will never get good PCP residuals on a runout model, and the Octavia mark 3 is just that.

 

Having said that, the cheaper deals from 2-3 years ago are history, one of the side effects of all these 2-4 year lease deals maturing, is that the secondhand market is flooded with cars (or more precisely the monthly cost looks poor vs new one after adjusting for repairs, warranty etc).  So this squeezes residuals further.

 

The whole PCP thing is financially self imploding, it discourages people from buying 2-4 year old cars, to sell brand new (perhaps rent is better term than sell), but the return process kills residuals.   It only worked in the past because very few deals were maturing, and people who bought a pre reg kept their cars many years so didn’t add to the market.   Now the high numbers of deals maturing kills the handback value.

 

If sale value is now £3000 lower, going to add £83 a month to a 3 year deal to cover it.  What’s more if car price has also gone up £2000, suddenly you need to cover £5000 or £140 extra per month.

 

That is why some people are moving back to planning to keep car 5-6 years assuming they will buy it (and better to pay off PCP unless interest is very low) within 14 days and replace by a cheap bank loan over about 5 years.  

 

Quite honestly if your choice of vehicle is being determined by whole life PCP (and handing back, whilst ignoring cost of rectification to return standard) then probably taking wrong approach to financial planning

[finnster01]

I don't entirely agree with this, due to my job I need a car that is reliable and if it does unfortunately break down I have the peace of mind with a warranty. I tend to put a lot of miles on my car so keeping it for 5-6 years is not really an option. Plus my work insist that I have a car less that 4 years old.

 

I am not in a position to spend £30K plus on a new car so would either need to take out a loan or go on a PCP deal - both of which are monthly commitments with the PCP being a far lower monthly commitment. 

 

Yes I could go for a much cheaper car, however I need a large - relatively powerful car for work and my family and given the above they are that much more expensive.

 

I understand that the car will "never be mine" I am happy with this and factor it in to my financial decision.

 

PCP will never be ideal financially as there will invariably be interest payments, especially as if you hand the car back/or swap at the end of the deal you don't have a tangible asset - however it is an affordable way of getting a new, reliable (hopefully) car and for me it works.

 

I am pretty astute when it comes to financial planning (especially given that my wife is an accountant) so I am comfortable that PCP is the right thing for me to do.