Buying advice mk3 or mk4?

[badgerman]

Hi all. Coming from a 2010 Superb 2.0 TDI elegance estate and also having recently had a Octavia VRS 2010, now a Nissan leaf for most of local stuff. Looking for a biggish boot and petrol for longer journeys. 
 

looking to spend <£18k on an Octavia and not sure about Mk3 v 4 any advice now the mK4 has been around for 2 year? Or avoid and get a MK3? Both estates really. 

 

thanks

[SteveTheElder]

I came to a mk4 estate from a 2014 Superb ‘S’ twin door. Looked at a late mk3 (2019/20) Octavia but the trim plastics felt like a down grade whereas the mk4 a big upgrade. It’s a far nicer place to be.

 

Early mk4 cars, esp the SEL, had s/ware issues (mine was at the dealers for five months whilst Škoda ran diagnostics and developed a fix. Loan car was provided).

 

So, if you do go for a mk4 check that ALL updates are applied by the dealer and that the ACC works properly (ie doesn’t get confused and thinks you’re driving on the right). Also, that the speedometer can display kph, and satnav miles (at first mine could do neither!).

 

The mk4 is very economical, my 1.5tsi manual returning an overall 56+mpg across 18k miles. On a long run it can be upwards of 62mpg depending on traffic and road types.

My loan car was an 1.0 e-Tec Octavia DSG estate; powerful enough with similar economy over 8+k miles. Zero s/ware issues with that car (70 plate, SE First Edition).

 

My recommendation is aim for a mk4, subject to my caveats above.

Edited 3 January, 2023 by sneal
Typo 🙄

[whereismyorder]

Current saddled with a mk.3 estate (diesel / company car).. Largely speaking it has been a p.o.s in reliability context from day one, I'll get round to posting the story in the mk.3 forum at some point!

 

Waiting, now 12 months in for the next co. car, mk.4 iV estate.

 

If it where my own money?  I'd likely look at the Octavia estate certainly, though I'd wouldn't touch a low output diesel as just too slow for my liking and in hindsight spending my commute in traffic as is the norm I'd have an auto over a manual.  Not that as yet I have experienced an auto Octavia mind, that will come as a default courtesy of the iV.

 

Where the Octavia estate excels in my opinion is its ability to transform from van like work-horse with cavernous load space, that can tow alright also back into a comfy enough place that hauls bums on seats reasonable well that from behind the wheel at least gets you A to B feeling ok.  Basic SE-Tech specification seats are nothing special, but again ok..

 

The 2019 Octavia I remain driving to this day, has been rubbish in the main.  But that wouldn't stop me looking at them if it weren't for being a company car driver.

Edited 4 January, 2023 by whereismyorder

[SC03OTT]

A quick AutoTrader search using your budget the majority of the results are Mk3 with only a handful of Mk4s.

[SnailUK]

I’ve had two MK3s, and a mk4.

 

mk3s have been largely bulletproof. Other than both had the water pump and DSG selector issues.

 

My mk4 is a much nicer car, but the software still needs work. Adaptive cruise control makes me angry on a regular basis. And the entertainment system reboots occasionally. 
 

From reading these forums, if people have sold their mk4, it’s because of issues, so you are pretty likely to get a lemon buying a second hand mk4 at the moment.

[SurreyJohn]

A lot of the early mk4 so had software problems, and these are best avoided unless both firmware and software has been upgraded.  In some ways they have been made too complicated (and dealers often can’t fix them first time)

 

Your budget will not get a new one (and anyway new offers are now rubbish, 7.9% apr and only £1000 contribution)

 

 

[matrix2020]

As has already been said, the Mk4 is a nicer and in my view better car than the Mk3 (I had both the pre and post Mk3 facelift cars). Diesel 150 Auto is a great combo for those doing decent miles economy is fantastic and the easy drive of the DSG is really relaxing. SEL trim is great has everything you could need, but early ones suffered software issues, well they all did and still are tbh! 

If you have a great dealer locally that you trust that's a real bonus as they will have it at some point to fix software issues out! Mine, fixed for most has recently started re-booting the infotainment after a few minutes of starting.. You do get used to the 'features' or software issues of the car, but the worse by far for me was the ACC, so make sure that works properly.