Mk2 Octavia (Facelift 1.4 TSi) Questions

[heavymetalthunder]

Hi all, I'm currently looking for a new sensible daily and quite like the look of a mk2 Octavia. I've seen a couple of facelift hatchback models with the 1.4 TSi (manual gearbox) and just have a few queries:

 

Would a higher mileage (130-150k) put you off? I've previously tended to have cars with large capacity N/A engines which will happily do over 150k, but should I be concerned with reliability of a smaller capacity turbo? I know these 122ps turbo versions are better regarded than the twincharger 1.4 TSi which have some well documented issues.

 

I've seen a few reports of chain rattle when cold and conflicting advice on whether this is a characteristic of the engine or signs of trouble - any advice? Or specific things to look out for when viewing/test driving a car which could point to imminent issues?

 

And would a towbar fitted be a cause for concern? I guess it depends on what the owner has been towing but probably additional wear/stress on the drivetrain?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Me-109]

It would depend on other markers for me - service history, state of repair (what it looks like), length of ownership and how many owners, etc. I've got one I bought with 53k on and now has 109k, is oil tight, runs sweet and doesn't make any noises I would consider nasty. I've replaced consumables and outside a couple of bulbs the only failure has been one of the front springs.

The same age car with 10 owners would have me thinking there might be something wrong with it.

[heavymetalthunder]

Thanks for your response. I came across a 2010 car which happened to be fairly local so just got back from seeing it. It's on 157k but two previous owners (first had it from new to 2014, previous from 2014 to present before being traded in - being sold by a part time dealer). It looked to be in pretty good condition overall, mainly minor wear and tear and nothing of concern in the MOT history. It seemed to drive quite well too, no loud rattles or abnormal noises during the test drive (although being used to a 3.0 N/A straight six perhaps not quite as smooth!)

 

It's been serviced annually but done around 16-20k a year - I've always gone with the 'annually or 10k whichever is sooner' mantra. There's lots of paperwork but couldn't see any mention of clutch replacement or anything relating to the turbo, water pump etc. So I suppose I'm just thinking if it's going to be a gamble - I could get a well used but decent car at a reasonable price due to the high mileage (I do less than 5k/year), or potentially have some big bills around the corner! Something to mull over...

[Me-109]

Might well be worth a punt, depending on what they are asking. Lots of miles regularly could easily be low-stress motorway miles, so not so much clutch wear. Routine servicing means careful enough owner and probably wants to reduce breakdowns etc. Long term owners tend to point to reliability too.

If no problems engaging gears or pulling load from low revs, clutch should last you a while with your miles, but replacement cost could easily mean it easier for you to write off the cost of the car Vs DMF clutch replacement.

[xman]

A loud rattle on start up, usually heard after its been stood a while is a sure sign of timing chain and related components are stretched/worn and you should budget around £700-£800 to replace it, tensioner, guides, sprockets and don't forget to change the timing case crankshaft seal which is not included in the timing kit.

 

Do not ignore it, if the chain detatches from a sprocket or jumps teeth, you will end up with a trashed engine.

 

Ideally see if you can witness a cold start where the engine has not been started for at least a couple of hours beforehand.

 

Traders will know to start the car prior to a visitor to avoid this being obvious.

 

Very common issue on all EA111 engines prior to 2013. As I found out on the similar 1.2tsi  the chain needs replacing every 60 to 70,000 miles, and that is with oil changed regularly and on time. A new chain (even if revised design) lasts no longer in my experience.

 

Check for evidence that the chain has been changed and when. Invoices, service history, etc

 

Edited 17 February, 2022 by xman

[xman]

Another thing I've experienced on my sons Octavia at 150k is failed diff output bearings on the manual 6 speed gearbox. Luckily caught in time before the box was completely trashed. Costs around £800+ to fix at a good specialist, far more if left too late. Skoda dealer, dont even ask.

 

Cause was likely due to a low gearbox oil level, slow oil leak over the years, level never checked, gearbox oil level no longer a service item.

 

Symptoms are a bearing/gear type drone under acceleration, and in advanced cases like ours, a clunk when going on/off throttle ( diff moving sideways)

 

Had same failure at 90k on a 5 speed Fabia 1.2tsi.

 

 

[heavymetalthunder]

Thanks for the comments. I didn't notice any issues with the gears (In fact I thought the gear change was quite nice going up and down the box) and the bite on the clutch wasn't high or anything. The engine was cold when I saw it but I don't know exactly how long it had been since it was last started.

 

Are those timing issues common on the 122ps CAXA engine? I don't recall seeing anything in the paperwork regarding chain replacement - a majority of the services were at a Skoda main dealer so I would have thought they would have done it if it was in the service schedule.

 

Price wise the car is the cheapest facelift petrol engined one I've seen (it's under my £2.5k budget) and it does seem to have been well looked after so I'm thinking of going for it. To be honest there aren't any of the typical red flags like lots of previous owners in quick succession, and I suppose it's less likely to have been driven enthusiastically/abused compared to the higher powered/VRS models so hopefully I won't be taking too much of a risk!

[Golf-Fiend]

In my experience Octy’s seem to have a habit of developing sticky brake calipers. Feel the wheels for heat after a drive. Make sure the AC goes nice and cold when it’s on LO. Make sure the ‘lights on’ buzzer works as this can indicate a problem with the drivers door lock. Check inside edges of rear tyres for wear. Can’t think of much else that’s not covered above. Good luck with the purchase. 

[Camlobe]

I've got a DSG, so no comments on the gearbox from me! But I would certainly agree with Golf-Fiends comments on calipers (although my latest issue was sticky sliders rather than calipers). In general, brakes can be a bit weak, short of a pad upgrade, or the bigger brakes, fitted further up the range.

 

This probably should not put you off an otherwise good car, as iy is all fixable. Also good service history is more important as mileage goes up.

 

Also check the spec, as some cars have bluetooth, some don't, wheels are often different. Also headlights can be a bit poor, but that may be a negotiating point, rather than a show-stopper. (Check also rear wash/wipe, as the water supply often disconnect and the water goes in to the boot, which can cause issues)

[heavymetalthunder]

Just an update, I decided to go for the car!

 

The A/C seemed pretty cold, although it was a fairly cool day when I saw it so I guess the real test will be when things warm up a bit! I couldn't notice any real heat from the wheels after a drive, rear discs look worn (and was actually an advisory on the MOT) but I suppose brakes are consumables. The rear tyres are budgets, they have about 5mm left but I'll be swapping them out for at least some decent mid range ones (probably Nexen N'Blue HD Plus to match the front).

 

It's a fairly low spec car anyway - 15 inch alloys, basic 3 knob A/C, halogen headlights, cloth seats, standard steering wheel (not leather and no multifunction buttons) and no cruise control, plus the Bolero head unit with standard 8 speaker setup. I do have the audio system which I removed from my old car (Sony CarPlay double DIN head unit, Focal Polyglass component speakers and an Alpine subwoofer) so I will probably fit those if it's not too much of a headache as I do enjoy my music!

 

I'll be getting my mechanic to service it ASAP and give the car a once over, so I'm sure if there is anything of concern he will mention. On that note, does anybody know the correct oil filter? If I put my reg into various sites I get two different (Bosch) part numbers - F 026 407 181 and F 026 407 183 - are they interchangeable? Or is there another brand preferred for these engines?

 

And I'll be sure to post a welcome thread with pictures of my car as soon as I get a chance to take some decent photos of it! Thanks again for everybody's advice!

[Golf-Fiend]

I use these guys for a lot of my parts and oils:

 

https://www.vwspares.co.uk/Skoda_Octavia_1Z_Facelift_Filters.php?model=1.4 TSi

 

It explains the change date for the filter.