Hi all I'm a new guy here but not new to the Octavia, having bought and maintaining one for my friend over a year ago. I'm an ex mechanic with lots of projects and we are on a budget looking to get a 110tdi Octavia Estate for our own vehicle.

I'm unable to find anywhere telling me the exact differences between the SLX, the Elegance and the L&K. I'm unlikely to afford the latter but I'd like to know everything in the choice as we may push the boat out if absolutely needed.

I'd also be looking at doing some upgrades and if the car is decent enough and we can get insurance to cover it (Adrian Flux anyone???) then an automatic conversion is on the cars as we both hate our 75% city driving in a manual coming from a 210bhp 3.0 24v Auto Volvo estate rowing the stick just makes me sick ;-)

Many thanks for your help, Greg.

I've found Parkers to be very useful when looking for this sort of info

http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/carreviews/review.aspx?model_id=822&page=7

Chris

Automatic conversion :eek:

Erm Auto conversion!!!

Is that full auto and if so save the money you would spend on that and the increased insurance and find a medium spec 1.9PD TDI new octavia with DSG if you can afford it.

SLX is a pre-facelift model - Not sure on the engine changes on the diesel versions but you'll find subtle differences to interior trim colours, Trip computer display, radio spec, headlamp shape, tail light colouring, front and rear bumpers, larger wheels on the Elegance and L&K. Not sur eif the SLX has side airbags either.

An auto conversion would be a massive task, save your money and buy one that left the factory in that trim.

An auto box was available in the MK1 with the 1.8t in 150bhp form (as I have) or the 1.9TDI in 90bhp (0-60 in 15s, yikes!) form, and possibly with the 2.0 115bhp engine too.

I would imagine getting hold of either one of these and then tuning the engine to your requirements would be more straightforward. But as a mechanic you maybe know otherwise?

If you want an Auto cruiser & are coming from an OVLOV have you thought of a Superb, these tend to be better specced than the Octys & also as not that popular tend to depreciate quickly, the 1.9 130 bhp Diesel in the early ones will map to circa 190 bhp easily & with loads & loads of torque will be more than a match for the Ovlov.

I believe there are quite a few Auto Superbs around, the Elegance is top of the range & comes with all the toys. they also do a V6 diesel in the Superb. Its basically a sort of re badged older Audi A6 & theres nothing wrong with those

Ok its not an estate but the boots HUGE

Re Octys dont be worried about high mileage Diesels, our 110 TDI is now on 112000 in 3 years & is running fantastically, it was also re mapped at 8000 miles to 164 bhp & incredibly is still on the original clutch. If you can stretch to the L&K do, its got full leather, better sound system, cruise control, fancy wheels etc

We are just buying a new Superb to replace the Octy as even with the depreciation we feel its a better buy than the new Octy due to the discounts that can be had so secondhand after mugs like us have taken the knock it must be a good bargain

Hi all, thanks for the replies very interesting. I guess I need to explain a bit, firstly to those that say an auto conversion is a massive task, I'd say it's a big task. Bolting on std VW parts that are factory fitted to other models isn't a terminally major task, in the past I have built up gearboxes from baskets of assorted bits, rebuilt the front end and floorplan of old classics, grafted in fuseboxes from a completely different car etc to me unbolting driveshafts, box and flywheel and replacing with said items from say a Golf 110tdi would probably take a day. I'm not certain if any vag-com work would be needed along with ecu/loom work, I suspect it would and suspect this would actually be the hardest part, but not impossible I'm sure.

Re buying an auto from the factory, I don't want to lose 10mpg by moving to the PD engine and besides a PD car is going to cost me around £5000 MORE than an SLX, additionally the PD is not suitable for the alternative fuels I sometimes I use. So that leaves me with an Ambient auto, which are very expensive (ie cheapest seen so far 5k, several SLX 1.9tdi's seen for 2k, bought one for my friend for 2.6k on a 2000) and the problem of putting the 'goodies' on it and tuning it (I belive the 110 has a better turbo too, tuned 90's can kill them) which may be as much work or more than simply changing the gearbox.

I need an estate or I would be after a superb for sure.

So unless anyone has any better ideas I don't think I can get hold of a 110tdi auto, so it will have to be a 110tdi manual with a POSSIBLE conversion in the future.

Which leaves me with the question Parkers etc don't quite answer, are there any major reasons I should push the boat out for an Elegance over SLX? The SLX does have side airbags, lights and interior styling don't matter. Cruise control I can add for £65. Other than the leather on the L&K is there anything else major difference from the mk1 SLX?

Greg.

Hi thanks for that, yes miliage on a looked after car isn't a problem I recently bought a 165k 110tdi for my friend, in every way it's exactly like a 50k model and the engine is rock solid returning over 60mpg on the open road. Shame that the superb doesn't come in estate or it would be ideal.

May I ask what mods/where you got your mapping done as 164bhp is a bit more than normal chip tuning from the 110tdi. Has fuel consumption improved at all?

Cheers, Greg.

If you want an Auto cruiser & are coming from an OVLOV have you thought of a Superb' date=' these tend to be better specced than the Octys & also as not that popular tend to depreciate quickly, the 1.9 130 bhp Diesel in the early ones will map to circa 190 bhp easily & with loads & loads of torque will be more than a match for the Ovlov.

I believe there are quite a few Auto Superbs around, the Elegance is top of the range & comes with all the toys. they also do a V6 diesel in the Superb. Its basically a sort of re badged older Audi A6 & theres nothing wrong with those

Ok its not an estate but the boots HUGE

Re Octys dont be worried about high mileage Diesels, our 110 TDI is now on 112000 in 3 years & is running fantastically, it was also re mapped at 8000 miles to 164 bhp & incredibly is still on the original clutch. If you can stretch to the L&K do, its got full leather, better sound system, cruise control, fancy wheels etc

We are just buying a new Superb to replace the Octy as even with the depreciation we feel its a better buy than the new Octy due to the discounts that can be had so secondhand after mugs like us have taken the knock it must be a good bargain[/quote']

the car was mapped by Jabba sport in Peterborough, otherwise the cars standard

mpg improved a little, we drive the car fairly hard, 85 cruise on motorway etc & it returns around 53 mpg

unless you want to carry big objects like washing machines the superb will swallow up an enormous load, have you actually looked inside the boot of one

Sounds like a good map. Yes I have looked in the boot and if I can't carry a washing machine/table/chest/ etc it would be a pain as I'm always using my estate for something like that every week. I have looked in the boot and it has a steeply raked hatch with quite a lip at the back meaning for most of the boot only low items can be carried.

Last week I moved a 2 seater settee, went in the old 405 estate no problem, would have been a major problem in a hatch so I'm afraid for me they are not suitable, I'm still lamenting the loss of my Volvo 960 estate which was just about big enough, but I think I can manage with an Octavia estate though I wouldn't call it large.

Cheers, Greg.

the car was mapped by Jabba sport in Peterborough' date=' otherwise the cars standard

mpg improved a little, we drive the car fairly hard, 85 cruise on motorway etc & it returns around 53 mpg

unless you want to carry big objects like washing machines the superb will swallow up an enormous load, have you actually looked inside the boot of one[/quote']

The Octavia estate isnt as big as the Volvo but I've still had a dish washer AND oven in there at the same time :eek:

You know, my other project is a camper van....

The Octavia estate isnt as big as the Volvo but I've still had a dish washer AND oven in there at the same time :eek:

Sounds like a good map. Yes I have looked in the boot and if I can't carry a washing machine/table/chest/ etc it would be a pain as I'm always using my estate for something like that every week. I have looked in the boot and it has a steeply raked hatch with quite a lip at the back meaning for most of the boot only low items can be carried.

Last week I moved a 2 seater settee' date=' went in the old 405 estate no problem, would have been a major problem in a hatch so I'm afraid for me they are not suitable, I'm still lamenting the loss of my Volvo 960 estate which was just about big enough, but I think I can manage with an Octavia estate though I wouldn't call it large.

Cheers, Greg.[/quote']

I know this is a bit off topic, but have you thought about a citroen c5 estate.

The 2.0HDI comes in auto and is a great engine. In addition to this they have the hydrogas suspension much much more reliable on the c5 than the BX or xantia, and they depreciate like a bomb, so a 3-4 year old one should cost you as little or less than a 1998 octavia estate. Would also save you a tonne on not needing to do the auto conversion.

Just a thought, but if you are regulalrly lugging stuff that suspension is great.

I know this is a bit off topic' date=' but have you thought about a citroen c5 estate.

The 2.0HDI comes in auto and is a great engine. In addition to this they have the hydrogas suspension much much more reliable on the c5 than the BX or xantia, and they depreciate like a bomb, so a 3-4 year old one should cost you as little or less than a 1998 octavia estate. Would also save you a tonne on not needing to do the auto conversion.

Just a thought, but if you are regulalrly lugging stuff that suspension is great.[/quote']

had a couple of Bx's & a Xantia & all were incredibly reliable, I had no suspension problems on any of them either, as for towing they were excellent, only problem being a couple of times when I suffered brake fade but I was hauling 2 hot air ballons on one trailer with 6 full propane tanks !!

Nust admit I sometimes miss the Citroen quirkiness

Having owned a BX and looked after Xantia's in the past (taxi among others) I can safely say they are up there with the 'not nice to work on' brigade. They DO regularly have problems, suspension and otherwise (had to drop the rear subframe to replace the rusty steel lines on the BX, famous rotten cooling hoses on the Xantia in a moulded 'loom' meant the heater hose couldn't be replaced on it's own and was a Bi**h to do) so unless they have performed a miricle with the C5 I wouldn't be so keen. The HDI engine has a reputation for blowing as well, fleet vans commonly having gone through an engine by 80k - however I accept that when it's running okay they are nice enough and probably last fairly in a car though not in the same league as the VW engine. Also they are incapable of being run on Veg Oil which has been part of my environmental fuel so far and the 110tdi has the right type of fuel system to run on it.

Also (I'd love some feedback on this) all the ones I have had my hands on seem to do about 10mpg less than the VW. I checked out the prices on Autotrader just, bar one they were coming in at 5.5-6k - I have been offered a Octavia Estate 03 L&K for 5k from a dealer! At Carsurvey.org about 1/3 of the C5 owners are describing it as a nightmare due to problems and I have heard through the trade it has a bit of a reputation for issues. However as I'm a mechanic I wouldn't let this alone put me off. Though I am trying to ditch our 405 partly because the Pug/Cit are such a pain for parts/working on...

Maybe the auction would yeild a cheap one? I'd definately consider it at the right price it is a good idea, I may be able to live with the parts/servicing issues/mpg for a better ride/auto/cheaper. If I could find one cheaper....

Good price on the L&K !!!!!!

Have a look at the c5. It's a complete sea change.

I had a BX and escaped the rotton suspension pipes by having it Pava treated.

The xantia was a pain, however I can say that the BX was easy to work on in my experience.

Anyway the C5 has electric motors doing the suspension rather than the single pump, so they just pull fluid down a much less ocmplicated system. The engine is standard pug/citroen/ford also use it 2.0 & 2.2 HDI

I had a look at buying one at one point. Either way they are 1000 times better than the old models and much easier to work on. If you havn't had a look at one do so before you write it off. You would be supprised how good they are, esp that hydro suspension. It comes with a 5 year warrenty on that now, so if it's warented for 5 years and dealer replacements get the same IIRC then they must be pretty confident in the system.

Regarding the HDI, it's used all over the place and i know lots of people who have then one with 200k on the car almost and it's fine. The XUD turbo used to blow head gaskets on the 1.9, but as long as you check your oil as i bet lots of van drivers don't the HDI should be fine. As I said a lot of the TDCI fors are just rebadeged HDI engines as they were codeveloped.

Yes it is and it's in Grantham if anyone is interested, the 'yellow' leather and met blue outside, dog guard in it, 120ish k

Hi - thanks for that. I will try to get to auction and see what they fetch there, I have a feeling on autotrader they are a bit inflated as they are not cheaper than the Octavia and most people would give them a much poorer rep for those in the know. The Volvos have also switched to the HDI (owned by ford) and my brother in law who is a senior Tech says they are pants compared to the previous dcI renault engines, far less durable and more problems.

However I like the idea of the nice ride for sure and auto box would be fantastic. Have to look at purchase price and figure on the less efficient engine giving less mpg and see if it's a worthwhile trade off. I don't much like the interior but it does come well loaded doesn't it?

The boot also looks fantastic! Citroen said something about the new version of the suspension being simpler so I'll take their word for it.... Though I fancy if a motor at the corner breaks the price would mean I'm at a breakers, which isn't a wrong thing really I'm happy to do that.

Greg.

Have a look at the c5. It's a complete sea change.

I had a BX and escaped the rotton suspension pipes by having it Pava treated.

The xantia was a pain' date=' however I can say that the BX was easy to work on in my experience.

Anyway the C5 has electric motors doing the suspension rather than the single pump, so they just pull fluid down a much less ocmplicated system. The engine is standard pug/citroen/ford also use it 2.0 & 2.2 HDI

I had a look at buying one at one point. Either way they are 1000 times better than the old models and much easier to work on. If you havn't had a look at one do so before you write it off. You would be supprised how good they are, esp that hydro suspension. It comes with a 5 year warrenty on that now, so if it's warented for 5 years and dealer replacements get the same IIRC then they must be pretty confident in the system.

Regarding the HDI, it's used all over the place and i know lots of people who have then one with 200k on the car almost and it's fine. The XUD turbo used to blow head gaskets on the 1.9, but as long as you check your oil as i bet lots of van drivers don't the HDI should be fine. As I said a lot of the TDCI fors are just rebadeged HDI engines as they were codeveloped.[/quote']

I was supprised at how much simpler the C5 suspension was than that on the BX which was simpler than the Xantia.

The boot is massive and the ride and self adjusting under any load is great, and certainly with the money off them new you see them loosing a bomb. I know when i was looking at the octavia a 3 year old one was about 9k at a dealers and a 3 year old C5 was about 4k. So Bearing in mind they are loosing value so quickly I'd be amazed if anyone ever got the same money for one as a Octavia. Thats what makes them a good buy, lot of car for very little cash.

As for the Renault dCI, well i dunno about the engine, but i do know the fuel pump wasn't strong :P

Anyway hope you find yourself a good car