Hi All,

 

Apologies if this was already discussed - I am new to the forum and was not able to find older threads.

I am planning to buy new Octavia Scout (the current model; not the 2020 one). The dealer is telling me that the Scout suspension is different than the “normal” Octavia 4x4 model. That it has been strengthened to bare some “mild” off-roading.

 

My question is – is really the suspension of the scout different and tougher than the normal Octavia, or the dealer is not being fully honest with me.

 

I do not plan any serious off-roading (I realize the Scout is not fit for that), but the roads in my area are really bad, and occasionally I’d like to take it on a dirt/gravel road. For me this is a big part of my motives to look at the Scout (I don’t care about the different visuals like the plastic sides so much). If the suspension is the same am I better off buying just a normal 4x4 Octavia with a “bad roads protection” package, which lifts the ride by 15mm and adds plastic covers below to protect all pipes such as break fluid pipes (this is a much cheaper option compared to the Scout package).

 

 

Best,

Slavcho

I am on my second Octavia 4x4 The first a MK2 FL PD 140. The suspension was brilliant held the road perfectly even after 100k & now a MK3 FL SEL (7speed DSG) I find the suspension very soft on the new car to the extent it is spoiling my driving experience.

From what I know the suspension just has different springs & shockers giving different rates of travel taking into account the slightly higher ride height.

I did think the protection pack was the same for all models but could be wrong.

The dealar sent a request to Skoda central to clarify the differencess. They told him that the difference really is in:

 

1. Springs

2. Shock absorvers

3. Hinges

 

Other than that the suspension is the same.

So my take is that in terms of ride quality it may be different, but in terms of durability, should be pretty much the same....

On 29/07/2019 at 22:55, Busamad said:

I find the suspension very soft on the new car to the extent it is spoiling my driving experience.

I'm sorry to hear that. I have a 2015 Scout DSG, and am very satisfied with the driving experience. I once read a review of the Scout which described the ride as composed, and would totally agree with that.

On 29/07/2019 at 14:47, neshevS said:

I do not plan any serious off-roading (I realize the Scout is not fit for that), but the roads in my area are really bad, and occasionally I’d like to take it on a dirt/gravel road.

I occasionally need to go down an unmade single track lane which is deeply rutted on either side with higher ground in the middle between the wheels. I appreciate having the extra ground clearance of the Scout compared to the regular Octavia. I have seen videos on Youtube which show that the Scout is capable of some fairly serious off-roading, but would not want to treat my car that way.

On 29/07/2019 at 14:47, neshevS said:

(this is a much cheaper option compared to the Scout package).

Not necessarily. I made a massive saving by buying my Scout ex demo. It was just over 3 months old and had covered less than 2,000 miles. Downside was that I had to wait for one to go on sale, and could only choose the colour and spec that was on offer. Also as Approved Used it came with only 2 years warranty.

 

@OldBoyScout

As an 'Approved Used Car' why did it not come with the 'Remainder of the Manufacturers Warranty'. ?

9 hours ago, Roottootemoot said:

As an 'Approved Used Car' why did it not come with the 'Remainder of the Manufacturers Warranty'. ?

Good question. I assumed it would come with that, and didn't become aware of this issue until much later. Fortunately there were no problems with the car, so it didn't make any difference, and I never queried it with the dealer.

 

I looked on Autotrader, and there are around 30 Scouts in stock at UK dealers, several with a saving of around £3,000 on list price. Not so easy to find a regular 4x4. I was surprised to discover that the Scout is now only available new with DSG, whether in 150 or 181 hp version, and the manual has been dropped.

I went from a 2006 1.9tdi to a 2016 150 scout a few months ago and the suspension comparison  is like night and day.  Probably due to the old car having its original shocks after 176k they would be very tired but i can remember that car feeling as composed as the new scout.

 

Some of this may be due to the additional grip from the 4x4 or the extra 45bhp - but the old car did hit the suspension bump stops now and then when fully loaded, but the scout never seems to have that problem.

 

I might be wrong but I thought the scout 150 was no longer available due to the new version being imminent rather than the manual 150 being formally dropped from the range ?

 

Cheers

Edited 3 August, 20196 yr by 3rdoctavia

2 hours ago, 3rdoctavia said:

I might be wrong but I thought the scout 150 was no longer available due to the new version being imminent rather than the manual 150 being formally dropped from the range ?

There are several 2019 Scout 150 DSGs listed on Autotrader. (I stopped counting at 17). There are no manual 4x4 2019 Octavias of any kind listed, and it seems that all the manual 4x4 Octavias have been dropped. The latest list of Octavia prices and specs downloaded from Skoda UK web site, which includes the Scout 150 DSG, does not list any 4x4 that is not DSG, if I am reading it correctly. If the manual 4x4s have not been formally dropped, it seems that they have been quietly dropped. Maybe they will return with the new model, or maybe not.

 

Ive had a look too and you are right, it seems the new version isnt yet available in manual format. In the past only the 184 was dsg , so that is a change.

Steep money though at 30k when a 3 year old one with 30,000 miles on it can be had from a dealer with a years warranty for half the price.

Great car though.

13 minutes ago, 3rdoctavia said:

Steep money though at 30k when a 3 year old one with 30,000 miles on it can be had from a dealer with a years warranty for half the price.

Yes it's called depreciation, and is the biggest cost to consider when buying a new car. Typically a car could lose up to 60% of the original value over 30,000 miles and 3 years depending on the make and model, and possibly up to 40% in the first 12 months. I am being very approximate with these figures, as they seem to vary quite a bit depending on which web site you go to. I think it can make a lot of sense to buy nearly new rather than new, especially when there is an approved used scheme to give you some peace of mind. My car would have been priced at approx £28,700 when it was new in September 2015, including rear view camera and winter pack. Almost 4 years later with 30,300 miles it is worth just over £14,000 according to a valuation from Regit. I bought it in December 2015 for £21,990, so I have lost about a third of what I paid to depreciation rather than a half. Depreciation gets less as the years go on, and I am not planning to sell the Scout any time soon. If I traded it in now for a new one it would probably cost me about £15,000, and I wouldn't feel I was getting that much extra value. My other Octavia is 12 years old next month, and has more or less bottomed out as far as depreciation is concerned, but it's costing more in repairs these days.

On 02/08/2019 at 18:30, Roottootemoot said:

As an 'Approved Used Car' why did it not come with the 'Remainder of the Manufacturers Warranty'. ?

 

Just saw this ad which says up to 24 months warranty with Approved Used.

Good.

& there will be those with the remainder of a manufacturers warranty still valid.   

Or are they deducting that for their benefit?

 

 

Edited 10 August, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

See 'Remainder of manufacturers warranty.'     Some cars can have had an extra year or 2 years purchased before first registration, 

so 4 or 5 year Warranty valid. 

 

Edited 10 August, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

It doesn't specifically say you will get the remainder of the Manufacturer's warranty. It just says warranties will either be the remainder of Manufacturer's warranty, a Skoda Approved warranty or a combination of the two, and this may be a bit misleading.

 

I just assumed I would get the remainder of the Manufacturer's warranty, but clearly I did not. I didn't think I even needed to ask, but in hindsight I should have done. The original order form and invoice don't actually mention the warranty at all.

 

I am going to post this as a separate topic, as it will be relevant to anybody looking to buy nearly new Approved Used.

There is a thread i will link.

 

I have bought Ex Demonstrators that were bought as used cars and rejected and then sold again as Approved Used, they had the remainder of Manufacturers Warranties.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/459695-skoda-approved-used-and-manufacturers-warranties-questions

 

Edited 10 August, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

 

5 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

There is a thread i will link.

 

In that case perhaps I shouldn't start a new thread, but I believe this is an important issue.

Skoda UK set out the T&C's on Manufacturers Warranties and transferable.   As is the Extended Warranties if they are there in place.

According to the above, Skoda UK are saying the warranty is automatically transferred to any new owner, subject to the same terms and conditions, and this is at variance with the previously posted information shown on websites where Approved Used Skodas are offered for sale. I am thinking that Skoda UK would be bound to support any genuine claim arising between the expiry of a 24 month Approved Used Warranty and the expiry of the Manufacturers Warranty.