My 2016 2.0tdi estate has covered 120000miles on mainly country roads and the ride is nothing like it was when first bought at 47k and feels a bit soggy. It's just not sharp anymore. Unfortunately I'm now jumping into a much less travelled (14k miles) SEAT Ateca SUV at weekends I bought my wife and the rides all nice and plush so mine feels quite bad compared to the SEAT😭

The front struts are not leaking, but has anyone replaced them at this sort of mileage and anything else at the same time, springs/top caps etc?

And what about rear shock absorbers anyone had them replaced.

To find the OEM part numbers of parts like the shock absorbers, the website "skoda parts com" can be used.

This Czech website lets you add one Skoda to your online garage free of charge, and then parts that you search for on this website can be matched against the car's VIN number.

Once you have the car's OEM part numbers, it's easier to search for aftermarket parts elsewhere. It's best to search for aftermarket parts using the car's OEM part numbers, rather than simply relying on a description of the car's model, etc.

Edited 12 May12 May by Carlston

Just bear in mind that skoda-parts.com use an algorithm to monitor the site traffic. If the algorithm detects that you're rinsing the site by looking stuff up and never buying anything, it's supposed to ban you.

Source - I've spoken to them on many, many occasions.

Edited 13 May13 May by OccyVRS

207k km '2016 Octy here, with beam rear axle:

Rear shocks/springs/upper supports still original.

Front springs replaced at 123k km (one was broken; OE>Lesjofors now).

Front shocks replaced at 175k km (one was leaking; OE>Sachs now). Top supports was ok, left old/OE ones.

To say more, Sachs quality is not like it was time before...one of new Sachs is wet all the time.

106k miles Octavia TSI VRs Estate here. all struts replaced around 100k miles. fronts were starting to leak. went for Bilstein. TBH ended up doing a overhaul of the whole suspension set up including drop links and top mounts.

would echo what Indars says about Sachs quality as replaced the top mounts with Sachs as drivers side failed after a few months.

as advice, the estate struts are bigger than the hatchback struts. i know this as i bought the hatch ones and they didn't fit!

@Crash0090 many thanks, that's really helpful.

Did you go for Bilsteins for any particular reason? Better handling or just price against OEM.

The TDI will likely have different struts as it'll be heavier than a petrol.

2 hours ago, paulski said:

The TDI will likely have different struts as it'll be heavier than a petrol.

The Octavia MK3 uses two different front strut diameters...50mm and 55mm

The diameter of the front struts depends on what size front brake discs are fitted.

The smallest 276x24mm front brake discs use the 50mm struts, whereas the other front brake discs (ie. 288x25mm, 312x25mm, 340x30mm) use the 55mm struts.

Edited 13 May13 May by Carlston

@Carlston Front strut part number is 5q3412014b from looking at the stickers I can see on them, can they still come in the two diameters you mention with this part number?

not had a chance to check disc size yet, but I have a vernier so can measure the strut diameter with that.

Edited 14 May14 May by paulski

4 minutes ago, paulski said:

Front strut part number is 5q3412014b

Find a different sticker, that's not a recognised part number.

Expect the correct part number to start 5Q0 413

Or PM me the VIN and I can look it up for you.

@Breezy_Pete 5q3412014b is the part number for sure,

Google search confirm a Skoda strut for 1.6 and 2.0 TDI Octavia.

Edited 14 May14 May by paulski

Nope

Look further down, e.g.

The sticker you've seen is possibly a part number of the whole strut assembly, which will likely exist as an internal VW Group part number that's very useful inside the factory.

No such part exists as a spare part though, you have to buy all the bits separately. Shock/spring/bearing/topmount etc.

The 5Q0 413... part number is that of the shock absorber only.

The 5Q3... part number isn't found in the parts catalogue.

Edited 15 May15 May by Breezy_Pete

On 13/05/2026 at 17:37, Carlston said:

The Octavia MK3 uses two different front strut diameters...50mm and 55mm

The diameter of the front struts depends on what size front brake discs are fitted.

The smallest 276x24mm front brake discs use the 50mm struts, whereas the other front brake discs (ie. 288x25mm, 312x25mm, 340x30mm) use the 55mm struts.

My Octy have 288mm discs on front (PR code 1ZE) and strut diameter is 50mm. Nothing has been modified.

12 hours ago, indars said:

My Octy have 288mm discs on front (PR code 1ZE) and strut diameter is 50mm. Nothing has been modified.

So the pattern appears to be...

Octavia MK3 uses 50mm struts (and 80mm wheel bearings) with 276x25mm and 288x25mm front brake discs.

Octavia MK3 uses 55mm struts (and 85mm wheel bearings) with 312x25mm and 340x30mm front brake discs.

Edited 18 May18 May by Carlston