Afternoon all,

 

I am currently in the process if buying a second hand octavia vrs and would like a few pointers please.

 

I'm looking at cars around the 2017/18 age range in either 230 or 245 spec but definitely with the 18" alloys.

 

My main question is will all of these cars come with the VAQ diff? 

 

I havent made my mind up on dsg or manual yet, have managed a dsg test drive but due to tomorrows lockdown will probably have to wait till december to try the manual. Will gearbox type also make a difference as to whether they will come with the VAQ diff 

 

Also is there anything else to look out for?

 

My other specs are heated front seats, the newer style touch screen head unit (which as i understand this age car should all have) and the estate over the hatch

Mine is a 2018 Octavia FL VRS TSI 230.   My FL comes with just a standard diff. The 230 before the facelift came with the VAQ diff and I believe the 245 comes with it as well. The heated seats were great this morning, so bloomin cold outside. 

 

I have a 2018 FL VRS 230 and that HAS the e-Diff, so it's definitely best to check as some 230's have it and some don't BUT I believe ALL 245's do. Don't get too hung up on some things that are options such as High Beam Assist, Traffic sign recognition as most of these things can be easily enabled by someone with VCDS or OBDEleven. OBDEleven is much cheaper to purchase than any one of the so called options.

Also buy on condition, not age/mileage etc. I could have bought mine from the dealer down the road but the perfect one was a 4 hour trip away - the drive home was great!

Cheers for the replies 

 

Is there a way of telling if the car has the vaq diff before going to view it? 

 

I have no problems with travelling to the other end of the country for the right vehicle (I'm heathrow based) but would like to know before i go ideally

 

Weyland, the age i mentioned in the first post doesent have to be stuck to like glue, its the sort of ballpark area im looking at. Obviously a car a year or two older with perfect accompanying history/servicing documents and good condition will be more than welcome

I wouldn't get too hung up on the mystical properties of a VAQ diff. My 245  PP Golf GTI DSG quite happily spun its front wheels uselessly at the lights on fairly dry tarmac. Now  if only they did an Octavia petrol 4x4 VRS... that's another thread

I don't believe any facelift 230 models have the VAQ diff. 

 

All 245 models have it. 

 

The pre facelift 230 has it. 

 

Manuals and DSGs have it. 

 

I recommend the electric / heated alcantara seats. 

50 minutes ago, Redboy said:

I wouldn't get too hung up on the mystical properties of a VAQ diff. My 245  PP Golf GTI DSG quite happily spun its front wheels uselessly at the lights on fairly dry tarmac. Now  if only they did an Octavia petrol 4x4 VRS... that's another thread

The diff isn't supposed to improve traction off the line though! 

7 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

I don't believe any facelift 230 models have the VAQ diff. 

 

All 245 models have it. 

 

The pre facelift 230 has it. 

 

Manuals and DSGs have it. 

 

I recommend the electric / heated alcantara seats. 

No? Mine does!!!!

1 hour ago, Swirly182 said:

The diff isn't supposed to improve traction off the line though! 

It probably does a bit, where it really works is when the wheels are turned a bit, so pulling out at a junction, or onto a roundabout. Much more power down before it attempts wheelspin and pops when giving it some. 

10 hours ago, Maggle said:

No? Mine does!!!!

OK!!! 

 

Was it an option then? 

34 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

OK!!! 

 

Was it an option then? 

I guess not as I bought the car as a pre-registered delivery mileage only vehicle and specifically went for this one as it had the e-diff. I guess some of the last 230's to be built had them as standard in order to enhance their appeal????

 

19 minutes ago, Maggle said:

I guess not as I bought the car as a pre-registered delivery mileage only vehicle and specifically went for this one as it had the e-diff. I guess some of the last 230's to be built had them as standard in order to enhance their appeal????

All 230s have the E-diff and is different to the 'electro-mechanical' VAQ diff. 

20 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

 

All 230s have the E-diff and is different to the 'electro-mechanical' VAQ diff. 

Are you sure? I'm not sure that's 100% correct

5 minutes ago, Maggle said:

Are you sure? I'm not sure that's 100% correct

The VAQ is an e-diff and is fitted to the 230 VRS as explained here : https://www.carthrottle.com/post/is-a-clever-diff-all-the-skoda-octavia-vrs-needed-for-greatness/

 

"

The final item on the 230 menu, however, looks like it might just do the trick: VW Group’s Vorderachsquersperre (or VAQ, if you find that a bit of a mouthful) front differential lock. It’s the same thing you’ll find in a Seat Leon ST Cupra or a VW Golf GTI with the Performance Pack installed, and it has a justified reputation for completely changing your perception of what’s possible in a front-wheel drive car.

It’s best thought of as one half of a Haldex four-wheel drive system, and is able to distribute power across the front axle as it sees fit. Anything up to 100 per cent can go to one wheel. Thanks to the Octavia’s more modest power output the VAQ isn’t quite as compelling as it is in the 276bhp Seat, but crikey, does it make a difference."

Edited 5 November, 20205 yr by Maggle

That's the pre face lift as per my original post. 

31 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

 

All 230s have the E-diff and is different to the 'electro-mechanical' VAQ diff. 

Sure, but you intimated that there was a difference between an e-diff and a VAQ when in fact they are one and the same!!!

So the e-diff or VAQ Is fitted to ALL Pre facelift 230's, some face lift 230's and ALL 245's to summarise.

So how do you explain the fact that my 230 facelift has one then?

Could it be a non UK spec car???? Just wondering now

Edited 5 November, 20205 yr by Maggle
ommision

10 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

 

Actually, I assume you took that from this brochure where a 230 isn't even an option so the *2.0 TSI 245 Man + DSG only refers to the fact that it's not on the diesel and petrol with DSG only.

 

 

 

SKODA_OCTAVIA_Pricing_and_Spec_JAN19.7eed374b63e2bc5abd44874dd4bd8c94.pdf

I'm happy to be proven wrong! Go to your drive mode select screen and configure the individual mode. Does your screen have the 'front differential lock' adjustment option? 

5 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

I'm happy to be proven wrong! Go to your drive mode select screen and configure the individual mode. Does your screen have the 'front differential lock' adjustment option? 

 

Oh yes it does, see video

 

Well. When I said I was happy to be proven wrong, I lied. 

 

Honestly, I've been under the impression all 230 FLs don't have them but now we have some facts, so thank you. I say 'some' facts because ideally I think we need proof its physically installed on the car, so I think a strip down video is needed to be 100% certain. What do you think? 

 

2 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

Well. When I said I was happy to be proven wrong, I lied. 

 

Honestly, I've been under the impression all 230 FLs don't have them but now we have some facts, so thank you. I say 'some' facts because ideally I think we need proof its physically installed on the car, so I think a strip down video is needed to be 100% certain. What do you think? 

 

 

Happy to do a full strip down video.....as long as you foot the bill