I was convinced I wanted a vRS for the longest time, but when it came down to it, I always baulked at the prospect of leaving what to me represents a very nickable small fortune parked anywhere. So I never sealed the deal on one.

Whether that's a good decision or not, it's the one I made. So now it's an Octavia 2.0 TSI (190) SE L DSG, which seems to have most of the performance of a vRS, while losing a pretty big chunk of driveability, but it does have the "Nothing to see here!" vibe I am looking for in a car.

Is there anything I need to look out for before I close the deal?

I've pretty much talked myself into it now (not an easy job), so I'm just fishing for emergency "DO NOT PROCEED!" warnings, really.

(I've gone through a whole load of thinking on my replacement car, and whatever the merits of the cars themselves, always I was concerned about being able to park it somewhere without drawing unwanted attention and coming back to an empty parking space.)

 

Best not leave the doors or windows open and the key in it then.

Any car can be stolen and likely a Mk1 Fabia vRS would be getting targeted.

19 hours ago, Roottoot said:

Best not leave the doors or windows open and the key in it then.

Any car can be stolen and likely a Mk1 Fabia vRS would be getting targeted.

I might be wrong, but some Octavias seem to me to be more attractive to thieves than others.

But I guess it might come down to me having to park my car in dodgier places than you park yours.

The dodgiest place that you will ever park your car is on your own driveway with the keys in the house.

 

Granted the car might be lifted at your work or another less overlooked place after your keys have been stolen but in general car thieves need the chipped key (I am ignoring the keyless security issue) and for an upmarket car you drive through an upmarket area, when you see a car on the drive its pretty certain where the keys will be.

1 minute ago, J.R. said:

The dodgiest place that you will ever park your car is on your own driveway with the keys in the house.

 

Granted the car might be lifted at your work or another less overlooked place after your keys have been stolen but in general car thieves need the chipped key (I am ignoring the keyless security issue) and for an upmarket car you drive through an upmarket area, when you see a car on the drive its pretty certain where the keys will be.

Yeah, there's some truth in that. Again, it's partly why I chose the less eye-catching SE L than the vRS. With a re-map, the 2.0 TSI 190 will be pretty nippy but look a dull as ditchwater, which is what I like in a car.

If your placing on order for a new one you would do well to order the spare wheel rather than the useless foam/compressor kit that is standard and you may thank yourself for spending the extra £155 if you get a puncture. If the SEL comes with 17" alloys and 225/45R17 tyres that will give a better ride than optional 18" alloys with 225/40R18 tyres which will offer little extra grip but provide more chance of kerbing. Finally should you need the urge for more speed AmD in Essex will flash the ECU with a custom remap taking that engine to around 250bhp and with the quick shifting 7 speed DSG will offer similar performance to a standard Vrs245 which I owned for 29,000 miles which produced 249bhp on their rolling road when standard before remapping. Also remembered the 190 does have IRS for a better ride compared to lower powered torsion rear beam models.

2 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

If your placing on order for a new one you would do well to order the spare wheel rather than the useless foam/compressor kit that is standard and you may thank yourself for spending the extra £155 if you get a puncture. If the SEL comes with 17" alloys and 225/45R17 tyres that will give a better ride than optional 18" alloys with 225/40R18 tyres which will offer little extra grip but provide more chance of kerbing. Finally should you need the urge for more speed AmD in Essex will flash the ECU with a custom remap taking that engine to around 250bhp and with the quick shifting 7 speed DSG will offer similar performance to a standard Vrs245 which I owned for 29,000 miles which produced 249bhp on their rolling road when standard before remapping. Also remembered the 190 does have IRS for a better ride compared to lower powered torsion rear beam models.

Thank you. It's 12 months old, and I will be adding a spare wheel kit as an extra, thanks for the idea.

Also the reversible boot mat, which seems like a good idea and the steel sill plates which I really like on my old Mondeo and do save the sills from her majesty clunking in and out of the car carelessly.

I didn't know the 2WD 190 had the IRS, I thought that was only the 4x4 version which had it, so that's nice to hear.

All Octavia's over 150bhp get IRS.

9 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

All Octavia's over 150bhp get IRS.

I did not know that either.

I should write a big book on what I don't know.