Buying used estate - expectation management

[MattDB]

Newbie here but been reading posts for a while. My Peugeot 307 has just given up and I've got my heart set on a Skoda Octavia estate. I'm on a fairly modest budget although there are loads of cars around -generally in smaller garages - within my price range. Typically they seem to be with 80K on an upwards and anything from 5-15 years old (newer cars in my range often have much higher mileages ~ 135k). I drove a 2012 car today with 90k on it and records of a good service history, but I could feel the clutch juddering so assume it would be replaced soon. 

 

This has made me think, is every car I look at with these sorts of miles on going to be a bit of a timebomb in terms of some major components giving up e.g. clutch, injectors, dpf... i.e. is it unreasonable to expect to buy a car with this number of miles and it be good to go? The engine I'm particularly interested in is the 1.6 diesel although open to the petrol ones too.

 

I've previously ously bought a couple of (non Skoda) cars at 200k quite naively but with very few problems but those were very cheap cars that I took a punt on.

 

Any advice much appreciated.

[Dooge]

It's difficult to say, Octavia's in general have weaping front shocks by year 6 or 7 or a decent bit of mileage, front topmount issues, rear tracking issues on the ones with independent rear suspension.

 

From what I see the 1.6 TDi is ok but all the diesels suffer from high oil consumption, DPF issues (especially short journeys or higher mileage cars) EGR cooler issues and water pump issues but this is wholly dependent on alot of things.

 

If buying diesel, I'd buy one with motorway miles on, the engine would have burnt cleaner and the DPF might not have performed as many regens. 

 

The mk2 version of the 1.2 TSI is a good performer but maybe a bit underpowered (wife has it in her 2015 Seat Leon) The 1.5 TSI could be a good option but I haven't heard much about it good or bad. 

 

Finally, DSG maybe a good option, especially for motorway mileage cars and as long as it's been serviced at the correct time. The wet clutch boxes need servicing every 40k.

[wiilydog]

the 1.4tsi also a good option if you don't do the mileage and don't want a diesel as no dmf or dpf to worry about

 

also does decent mpg around 40mpg around town and 50 mpg on a motorway run

[MarkyG82]

2012 car would have been a mk2.  The 1.6 tdi and anything petrol from 1.5 and down will be a dry clutch DSG (dq200).  Anything 2.0 will be a wet clutch dsg (dq250 probably going on the age of cars you are looking at).  Although the dry clutch boxes are now better than they were, I would avoid a high mileage one personally.

Then you have the manual boxes.  At the sort of mileage you are looking at, they may well have been abused and in need of a new clutch.  But that would be the same for all cars of that age and usage.

If you are after the 1.6 for economy you might be better with a 2.0 tdi.  The increased torque allows you to drive at much lower revs and can often produce better MPG.  They also seem to be more reliable if you get one that has had the water pump done.  It's a cambelt driven unit that most have both done at the same time.

1.4 tsi is a lovely engine that I still kick myself for not getting one on my own. 

There is also the argument over the DPF.  All the diesels will have one unless illegally removed (assuming you are UK based).  At high mileage it may be ok but I wouldn't want to take one on unless it was a good deal or it had proof of being worked on (cleaning or replacement).  FYI a forced regen in a garage does not constitute a clean.  To be done correctly I believe it needs to be removed from the car.

[Ootohere]

FWD 1.8 TSI,s also have DQ200,s.   

 

 (Kodiaq 1.4 TSI ACT with AWD / Haldex or any AWD do not have a DQ200 DSG.)

 

 

[PetrolDave]

14 minutes ago, Rooted said:

FWD 1.8 TSI,s also have DQ200,s.   

Which includes the Mk3 Octavia L&K TSI.

Edited 27 March by PetrolDave

[MarkyG82]

11 hours ago, Rooted said:

FWD 1.8 TSI,s also have DQ200,s.   

 

 (Kodiaq 1.4 TSI ACT with AWD / Haldex or any AWD do not have a DQ200 DSG.)

 

 

 

11 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

Which includes the Mk3 Octavia L&K TSI.

 

OP asking about Octavias (Octavii?) and the 1.8 is less common especially in dsg form but yes they are about with dq200s.

[Ootohere]

@MarkyG82  I just posted the further information to add to what you posted that might end up in the future as being not the full story.

 

It matters not how less common they are if someone ends up getting one. 

@PetrolDave  as an example.

 

PS.

As to DQ200,s. 

Not Octavia,s maybe, but now there are VW Group vehicles with 2.0 TDI,s with 115 ps and DQ200 DSG,s. 

 

 

Edited 27 March by Rooted

[MarkyG82]

8 minutes ago, Rooted said:

@MarkyG82  I just posted the further information to add to what you posted that might end up in the future as being not the full story.

 

It matters not how less common they are if someone ends up getting one. 

 

 

Indeed. We should cover all the bases.

9 minutes ago, Rooted said:

@MarkyG82

 

PS.

As to DQ200,s. 

Not Octavia,s maybe, but now there are VW Group vehicles with 2.0 TDI,s with 115 ps and DQ200 DSG,s. 

 

This I didn't know. You are a font of knowledge as usual. Torque must be mega low for a 2.0 TDI.

[Ootohere]

@MarkyG82  I had this one on loan for a week.

This was the consumption taking it home on the back roads after the delivery driver had driven it 30 miles Perth to Dundee.

It was amazing for fuel efficiency and could nip along.   Over 70 mpg was easy even on the Motorway.

It could hardly pull away in 1st to 2nd without bogging down so needed put into S.

Hardly no physical buttons and the stuff not lit up on the dash.  I was happy to hand it back. 

Edited 28 March by Rooted