Well, I went out and test drove an Octy vRS today... I was pretty much set on getting one, until I drove it.

Must say, it excelled in the ride department, was a very comfy ride... firm yet comfy. MUCH more comfy than my car. It also felt solid, stable and generally a nice place to be.

It was also pretty much near silent. Was very nice, although I cruise at 40 in 3rd for a while by accident as I couldn't hear the engine.

However... I was rather disappointed by the power :( , it just didn't feel like a 180bhp car. It was a bit laggy, too laggy for a tiny turbo car IMO. When it came on boost there seemed to be a rush of torque, but it wasn't very exciting.

I was expecting to be pushed back in my seat, but I just wasn't. I think this was due to the smoothness of the torque delivery.

It didn't 'feel' any quicker than my rover 216 :confused: - I'm sure it was quicker, but it just wasn't responsive and fun, and therefore didn't feel like a quick car. Only looking at the speedo told me that I was actually accelerating.

The thing got me was when I drove home, I got back in my car and it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, it was much more free and fun.

I also didn't go much on the brakes, they weren't bad, but I was expecting more. Seemed pretty much the same as my integra/rover 623 brakes (282mm).. I thought they'd be more responsive as I only have a std Master cylinder on my car and there is loads of pedal travel, but they seemed to be the same. Most new cars I drive usually put me through the windscreen as they're so sensitive but these just didn't.

So... the search goes on it seems, I want something quicker than my car, but something 'fun' to drive with instant throttle response.

Shame, cos other than that I really love the octys.

Next on the list tp try is a civic vti 1.8 and MG ZS180... although I suspect the latter may have the same smooth characteristics with it's V6.

All in all, I'm rather disappointed :(

Alex

However... I was rather disappointed by the power :( ' date=' it just didn't feel like a 180bhp car. It was a bit laggy, too laggy for a tiny turbo car IMO. When it came on boost there seemed to be a rush of torque, but it wasn't very exciting.

I was expecting to be pushed back in my seat, but I just wasn't. I think this was due to the smoothness of the torque delivery.

It didn't 'feel' any quicker than my rover 216 :confused: - I'm sure it was quicker, but it just wasn't responsive and fun, and therefore didn't feel like a quick car. Only looking at the speedo told me that I was actually accelerating.[/quote']

Presumably it was bog standard?

Having driven a 216GTI twin cam (CRX engine?)in the past when they were fairly new, an Octavia is much quicker on the straight, although I don't know what your car is like. Noise, revs, ride etc. all add to the sensation of speed.

Don't forget that a standard Octavia is in a fairly low state of tune (with a fairly narrow power-band for a turbo). It will be quicker than you think it is, but there is a reason that a re-map, which will give almost no lag, good response, a flat torque curve and a dis-proportionate increase in urge, is popular..... (I had mine done within a month ). It "pushes you back into the seat". Fuel economy is also excellent for what it is.

The brakes on my car are very good, everybody who drives it comments on them and the Police apparently rated theirs very highly. Handling-wise, I'd like to improve the turn-in a little (but insurance is an issue), although grip and balance are good.

As a package I think the Octavia gives a good value basis for a practical performance car, but each to their own.

You don't have to have one!

So the remap reduces lag and gives you a much better torque distribution then?

My engine is the SOHC version of the GTi you drove. In the state it's in now, it probably 10bhp down on the twin cam. Still very revy though, and feel like it's ready to go.. even if it's not actualy tha quick.

Thinking about it, the octy probably was quite quick.. the saleswoman next to me looked quite nervous as I kept flooring it and going over the speed limit... however it was the power delivery which I found a bit dampened and dull.

Dont suppose anyone in the Gosport area wants to show me what a remapped one is like?

As someone who has only had the car a couple of month, had a remap in the last week and having owned a ITR I spose I should be the 'guy' :p

Without a shadow of a doubt the car pre remap was at best brisk, good enough for overtaking etc.

Post remap the car is vey rapid! It really is a totally different car, the power delivery is far better and the whole feel of the power is in a different league.

Well the ITR was a totally different kind of car, so any real comparisment isn't fair on both cars.

The ITR handling is in a totally different league, don't think the vRS could even match it after spending thousands of dollars on setting it up to handle, but thats not saying the vRS can't handle it's just a unfair car too base it's handling on coming from a ITR!

The power as anyone N/A vrs Turbo will say is just totally different, before the remap I would have said the ITR was my favourite kind of delivery, but this remap might just change that, I need to give it a few weeks to see what it's like.

From 0-60mph now I think the vRS would be failry even with the ITR just pulling away, but anything from rolling, the vRS is going to pull away, and after about 80mph the vRS will be be saying cheerio very quickly. 2nd gear in the vRS gives around 75mph and 3rd 110mph, where as the ITR needed shifting to third at 58mph and fourth wasnt a very long gear either.

I do miss the ITR, but that's not too say if I went back to one I'd want the vRS back, like I said two vey different cars. In a ideal world the ITR would be kept for track days and mountain driving and the vRS as a motorway Q car.

Hi, did you only drive 1 vRS? how old was it, what milage did it have under its belt? Who is to say that the car you drove was in good health? Work the gearbox and use the revs and even the standard Octy vRS should keep you happy speed wise, and the thing l miss most about my car, having moved to a Superb now, are the brakes, solid pedal and strong initial bite. So just wondering if the car you drove was maybe running a little below par and maybe in need of some TLC.

Bryan

My impression of the Octavia vRS (had mine for nearly a year, mostly boring cars previous to it but had a lot of sports & kit cars when I was younger) is:

Speed - Doesn't feel that fast from standstill, scrabbles for grip but from 60-70mph the accelleration is wonderful. I think it's more a 'GT' than a 'dragster'.

Ride - Smooth, quiet, brilliant.

Handling - Bit too wallowy to really chuck around but if they made it more chuckable the ride would suffer.

Brakes - Fantastic. If you thought they weren't, then I would suggest there was something wrong with the car you tested. (They do wear quickly though, 10 miles after cleaning & my rear alloys are dirty again!)

The Octy vRS is not a sports car, or even a hot-hatch (although it's faster than many of them). To me it's like a std hatch with a bit more of everything you'd want. (Power, comfort, handling etc)

If you like 'raw', then I would suggest the vRS is not really for you & you'd be better off with a Type-R or a hot Clio.

Hmm, maybe the one I drove was abused then... was '52 reg with 76k on the clock. The brakes definatley weren't special tho, they stopped the car, but weren't as good as I expected.

i think it was possibly a little bit tired cos i know when i got mine i was really impressed by the brakes and still am now,standard performance isn't amazing but should still feel a bit stronger than your coupe and as you've said sometimes the quietness and smoothness is deceiving as noisy cars always seem to feel faster even if they aren't

but if you test drive another one and still aren't impressed then maybe it isn't the car for you,good luck with your search:)

have a drive in a car thats been played with, makes quite a difference

forgot to say the vRS is definitly faster than your 216

i had a play with a tomcat turbo last year and had to keep lifting off, every gear infact as i would just pull upto the back of him everytime ad he was most certainly giving it full beans

puffs of smoke on gear change and slight lurching when changing gears on slight bends was the final giveaway for me.

forgot to say the vRS is definitly faster than your 216

i had a play with a tomcat turbo last year and had to keep lifting off' date=' every gear infact as i would just pull upto the back of him everytime ad he was most certainly giving it full beans

puffs of smoke on gear change and slight lurching when changing gears on slight bends was the final giveaway for me.[/quote']

Oh yeah, I know they're quicker than my 216, they just dont 'feel' quick, which takes the fun out of it for me... reckon one with a bit of induction roar and a remap could be better tho.

I was out for a drive last night, floored it in my car and ended up doing 70-80 up a hill.... however my friend sat next to me even commented at how it just felt/sounded faster.... and more fun. His 3.0 Omega can do the same thing, but you dont even notice as it's uber smooth.

As for beating a tomcat turbo... either the tomcat was broken, or it was not a turbo. Sorry to say, but there's no chance a std octy could stay with a 220T. 200bhp and only 1200kg = a very fast car. I've driven one and been in a few, and they're shockingly quick. They run under a 15sec quarter as std, as slightly modded ones are usually in the low 14s.

Once they're rolling they easily stay with scoobies, evos etc. I'd get one myself if didn't want a more practical/refined car that didn't munch gearboxes.

mine isn't standard and if it wasn't a turbo then it had a fake(and very loud) atmos DV on it

i have done a few things to mine though :-

blueflame downpipe/sports cat/cat back system

CAI

FMIC

remap

Samco TIP

lightened flywheel

according to jabba it produced 226bhp and 256lbft pre exhaust change

you really need to get yourself a drive in an octavia that has been played with rather than a standard one. much more fun

I know what you mean though when i test drove mine (pickin it up wed) it didnt feel 'that' fast but the speedo tells you different plus the roads were empty when i went out so had no real judge against other cars doing the errrrm lower than average speed limit

Still cant wait to get it that as its much more refined and quicker than my current 1.4 clio.

*off topic*

begie whats the noise levels like with the full system on? Want something that allows for better breathing but not ear splitting like mine currently is

are you getting a hatch or estate?

i have the estate and fine mine pretty boomy tbh and i know wayne felt the same with his estate. but stuart has the same system on his hatch and its fine compared to mine :confused:

mine isn't standard and if it wasn't a turbo then it had a fkae(and very loud) atmos DV on it

Was probably a fooked 220T then. Unfortunately they're getting on a bit now (between 11 and about 14 yrs old!) and theres a fair few ones running below par.

Seem one only make 165bhp on the dyno, and a mates dad had one which was really rather slow.

One that's running right is an extremely quick machine.

I'm quite eager to have a go in a modded octy now, lol. I thought it the rest of the car was great.. so if the brakes in that one were buggered and a remap sorts out the lag/power delivery then it would be good still.

just been looking at the stats of the tomcat turbo and although they are light they have significantly less torque than jabba suggested mine had when it was mapped, over 100nm less infact

Christ, you must have a lot of torque :|

To be fair most of the rover turbos I've been in were running BCVs, meaning they boost to 12psi from about 2200rpm and the midrange torque is substantially increased.

Unfortunately the extra torque often kills the std gearbox, but most owners dont like to talk about that. Mates one used to wheelspin in 3rd... which was.. interesting, lol. When I drove it at one point the torque steer made me change lanes against my will which was rather scary.

As always, it depends on the driver, situation, health of car etc though.

What sort of 1/4 times do you run in the octy? Best I've heard of are low 15s..

Tbh, they're only 180bhp out of the box so they're not going to set the world alight, and even remapped (225bhp) they're still not that quick. Depending on your definition of practical, have you considered offerings from Subaru, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Vauxhall, Seat, etc for an out of the box solution, or setting aside a bigger budget for some serious modding?

Chris

never run on an official strip but my sat-nav system has recorded a 14.9 last year

when my car was mapped the official figure from jabba was 352nm

I know what you mean though when i test drove mine (pickin it up wed) it didnt feel 'that' fast but the speedo tells you different plus the roads were empty when i went out so had no real judge against other cars doing the errrrm lower than average speed limit

Still cant wait to get it that as its much more refined and quicker than my current 1.4 clio.

Sweet. What you getting ,?

Trading the clio in?

I worked on a few Tomcats whilst at Camden motors and all i can remember is the shocking brakes, seem to remember that they just didnt slow the car down at all. The engine was quick i'd give it that, just felt like it was going to leave the rest of the car behind at any point.

Tbh' date=' they're only 180bhp out of the box so they're not going to set the world alight, and even remapped (225bhp) they're still not that quick. Depending on your definition of practical, have you considered offerings from Subaru, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Vauxhall, Seat, etc for an out of the box solution, or setting aside a bigger budget for some serious modding?

Chris[/quote']

Yeah, I know 180bhp isn't loads, but it's more than the average car.. I think it was mainly the delivery of it, was soo smooth and quiet it felt slower.

As for the others:

Scoobies just seem a bit 'look at me' these days, people dont get them unless they want to be noticed, and I want a car, which although looks nice, isn't pretentious.

Mitsi, well, there's the Evos, which come under the same category as the scoobies IMO. Both of which are also lots more to buy/run. Then there's Galants.. the only affordable one being the 2.5V6 nasp, which is nice, but rather large and thirsty. Mate has an auto one and gets 22mpg.

Dont like Vauxhalls....

Volvo is an option, a T4 is tempting, also an S60. They're just a tad old manny.

Seat doesn't really have much that appeals bar the Leon. Cupra looks naff, the LCR is too new. (spending around 7.5k btw).

Argh!

I like car shopping for other people, but trying to figure out how to best spend your own hard earned cash sucks big time.

Seat doesn't really have much that appeals bar the Leon. Cupra looks naff

And the Cupra has the same 180 bhp engine as the Octavia anyhow.

As for the others:

Scoobies just seem a bit 'look at me' these days' date=' people dont get them unless they want to be noticed, and I want a car, which although looks nice, isn't pretentious.[/quote']

How about a nice Legacy estate of Forester?

Or as a bit of a wild card, an MG (+ a decent warranty)

Chris

what about something odd anda bit random like a 323 GT-r can get an early/mid nineties one that is mint for about half your budget and they are very competant cars