As the title says I'm after a fast family car and have narrowed it down to the Octavia VRS petrol or the A4/A5 2.0 petrol quattro. I don't do the mileage for a diesel. Looking for thoughts on the better buy and the better drive. I have a budget of up to £17k and looking at buying below 40k miles. Any advice including what to look out for would be much appreciated. Thanks 

Welcome.

You might as well get an Audi and with part time AWD & more than 245 ps. 

You might be looking at rough ones at that budget, so best be sure that servicing of the Haldex has been done and correctly.

 

If getting a vRS with a VAQ front diff then be sure that servicing was done at 3 year / 30,000 mile intervals. 

2 minutes ago, roottoot said:

Welcome.

You might as well get an Audi and with part time AWD & more than 245 ps. 

You might be looking at rough ones at that budget, so best be sure that servicing of the Haldex has been done and correctly.

 

If getting a vRS with a VAQ front diff then be sure that servicing was done at 3 year / 30,000 mile intervals. 

 

Cheers Root, if I can only get a rough Audi for that budget I may go for a fresher vRS. Auto trader has a few Audi's from 2015 with sub 40k miles, Octavia's a bit newer. Will remember to check haldex and VAQ services though.

Be aware then if sub 40,000 miles then maybe servicing costs to be spent.  If a DSG or S-tronic the servicing of the box at 40,000 miles.  So £200 plus.  If not done and past 40,000 miles then not great.  Maybe spark plugs at the 40,000 miles plus.  The brake fluid should have been replaced or tested.  The pollen filter changed.  So just check service record on the system or invoiced from an independent.  If no record best assumed needs doing. 

On 23/06/2022 at 10:38, roottoot said:

Be aware then if sub 40,000 miles then maybe servicing costs to be spent.  If a DSG or S-tronic the servicing of the box at 40,000 miles.  So £200 plus.  If not done and past 40,000 miles then not great.  Maybe spark plugs at the 40,000 miles plus.  The brake fluid should have been replaced or tested.  The pollen filter changed.  So just check service record on the system or invoiced from an independent.  If no record best assumed needs doing. 

 

Really useful thanks! If services on the above are in order what's the general reliability like of the vRS? Would also be useful to know your opinion on what yours was like to drive

A mod can move your thread to the Octavia section.  I do not have an Octavia.  Reliability of the vRS petrol of the age you are looking at is good. 

I would be going Golf R. Yes they are boring to drive but they are quick/safe and will hold the value better. Plus they come in an estate form so ideal practical 300+ bhp family car.

26 minutes ago, Ecomatt said:

I would be going Golf R. Yes they are boring to drive but they are quick/safe and will hold the value better. Plus they come in an estate form so ideal practical 300+ bhp family car.

For my budget I may be looking at a higher mileage Golf R. Brother in law's Golf R was very nice though. It would have to be estate as the regular golf R boot is small IMO and as it's 4WD would certainly be more thirsty

Well it is Haldex / Part time AWD just like a quattro is from Audi.