As some of you might have read my current Octy has been playing up. However generally I have loved the car. After discussion with the wife I am thinking of selling her car and the Octy and buying a new car. I can afford the vRS but have doubts due to the near universal opinion of the motoring press being that the Octy handling (even the vRS) is to sloppy to make a good or safe high performance car, and that the VAG hot car to go for is the Seat Leon.

My wife on the other hand would prefer I go for Superb!

What do you think?

You know what I think

near universal opinion of the motoring press being that the Octy handling (even the vRS) is to sloppy to make a good or safe high performance car

Which is why Evo calls it "The best hot VAG product".

the VAG hot car to go for is the Seat Leon

I'd suggest that you try them out to see what you think. Magazines are not always correct.

can you wait for the new octy to be released? if so hang on for a bit and try to get a good deal on the 'old' shaped car.

if not go for the superb.

the near universal opinion of the motoring press being that the Octy handling (even the vRS) is to sloppy to make a good or safe high performance car

I'm really not saying this because I've got one but I'd be interested to know where you've picked this up from. I've read some reviews that may have been a little indifferent (and usually other factors are involved, sometimes just a little bit of badge snobbery) but never anything that the RS is dangerous.

I thought that the Octavia RS was one of the best handling VAG cars? Certainly better than the Leon Cupra but not as good as the Cupra R..............

I had no complaints about mine :cyclops:

i can't see where the 'universal' statement has come from as i've read most of the mags myself and haven't seen this. maybe a bit of psychic blindness on my part. i promise i'm not getting defensive

must say, i drove a seat leon and thought that the handling on that was a lot more wallowy than on the RS.

whatever car you get, i'm sure you'll be happy with it.

My wife on the other hand would prefer I go for Superb!

What do you think?

Superb is not a sports car, but a luxury cruiser.

It's horses for courses as the saying goes. Get a superb and enjoy the masses of space with a smooth and confortable ride. However, don't expect it to drive and handle like an vRS, it won't.

My advice, try both before you part with your cash

whatever car you get' date=' i'm sure you'll be happy with it.

[/quote']

Diplomatic as ever - have you ever upset anyone??!!

Huck - Briskoda's all round "honestly nice bloke"

:Handshake

aaw thanks mate!

I can afford the vRS but have doubts due to the near universal opinion of the motoring press being that the Octy handling (even the vRS) is to sloppy to make a good or safe high performance car, and that the VAG hot car to go for is the Seat Leon.

William, since when has the Octavia range been aimed at the high performance car market? Its market is that for the 'mainstream family hatch/estate' - and there are versions to bracket the whole of that market. I have read a lot of tests of the Octavia, including a fair few of the vRS, and have posted 33 links (I think) to such tests in our links section. Have you read those tests, since your comment about the motoring press is miles wide of the press I read? And have you read the Autocar road test of the vRS published on 16 May 2001 as available from every Skoda Dealer?

yeah! what he said!

yeah! what he said!

By all means buy a Seat, but if you think your present problems with the Octavia are a pain, then you aint seen nothing yet...

Last i heard, Seat were planning to issue a season ticket for dealer visits with each car

i test drove a cordoba gah never again i must have been mad never ever again :tongue2:

William....

I've owned 2 Leon Cupra's, 1 a 2002 'old' spec model, 16 inch alloys

and no bodykit. The second was a 2003 spec, bodykit, 17inch alloys etc..

I now own a 2003 Octavia vRS, which handles better, quieter, better quality build, less rattles etc, better quality paint, etc etc, leather as standard,

a useable glovebox... huge boot, full size alloy spare...

The downsides is the Stereo is far better in the Seat, the lights are better, the Leon's A3 sourced dash is nicer than the Skoda's, you get side airbags in the Seat which you don't in the Skoda....

My first Leon was rejected for having 80+ stone chips on the paintwork, before it was stolen ( it also had suffered from a catalogue of faults, leaking doors, clutch master cylinder etc etc.. )

The second one a 2003, model, had better paint but also lived in the dealers

with problems,, I traded this in against my Octavia... I've had problems with this

... The Stereo and warped disks, and a coouple of suspension clunks etc...

But no where near the amount of the Seat's...

I've also test driven the Leon Cupra R .. this was a good car, quicker than my then Leon, stopped better and handled better, but this demo was full of rattles, loose trim etc......

... Go with the Octavia or Fabia Vrs they are better than the equiv Seat products!!

cheers

Dazz

William - having now driven a BS Octy VRS, compaired to my BS 1.6 I can honestly say, not surprisingly, that the VRS handles "differently" to the 1.6 - it has a stiffer, shall we say, more "precise" ride. However, I wouldn't say that the handling on the 1.6 is "sloppy" either.

I would suggest you take a VRS for a test drive and see how close to the limit you can get - I'm pretty sure the car will not "let go" before you do!!

Do not get me wrong I do not think there is anything wrong with my 1.6's handling. My only complaint would be the lack of cup holders. However every review I have read of the Octavia says how well built they are, and how spacious the boot etc, but all say that the handling is sloppy like the Bora. The most recent review of the vRS said that it was a fun car to drive, but why buy one when you can get the much better handilng Seat Leon cupra with similar VAG build quality for similar money.

I will be sticking to Skoda, as I said my heart tells me to get a vRS while they are still available, but my wife has fallen in love with the room and luxury of the Superb. I guess I will end up with the 1.8T Superb!!!!!!!

Worrying about the handling on a RS, so you're going to get a Superb?

Sorry, no offence intended but have you driven a Superb?

Go and test drive Both cars.. The Superb if anything like my old Passat will not handle anywhere as well as either vRS or the Cupra.. It is more like a Motorway

cruiser, I would also go for the 130 TDI if going for the Superb as the 1.8T 150bhp will struggle with that big lump of a car...

I look forward to your impressions...

cheers

Dazz

My point about the handling is that the soft handling that makes the Octy and even more so the Superb a comfy family car is less than ideal for a car with high power, which needs to be able to stick to the road.

I would buy the vRS, but my wife has very different prioraties for a car.

How about a 1.8T non RS?

Something with 150BHP to start with, she will be happy, plenty of toys (eleg or L&K), looks standard, then you can remap it when you want to later?

FWD or 4x4, not biased!

My point about the handling is that the soft handling that makes the Octy and even more so the Superb a comfy family car is less than ideal for a car with high power' date=' which needs to be able to stick to the road.

[/quote']

Well that explains it then. Mine only has 230+Bhp...must be low on power...

Agreed there Monkey Spanker

Agreed there Monkey Spanker

Thankyou, Mr Average Driver