I've just accepted a new job after being made redundant a couple of weeks ago.

I don't get a company car with the new job, although they pay a mileage allowance for business miles.

I want to stay with Skodas, having thoroughly enjoyed my Octy vRS estate, and being well served in the last couple of weeks by Pinky the Felicia!

I will be probably looking at 20k + miles per year, with a mixture of A roads and motorway driving.

I started off looking at second hand Fabia vRS's but would want something ideally less than 18 months old and 20k miles. However, they obviously hold their value well, to the extent that it seems to makes more sense to buy a new one (at Drive the Deal type prices - not list!). It would be basic spec with no (or very few) options.

Coming from the Octy and doing that sort of miles, I'm not sure if I could live with the smaller Fabia though. However, there would probably only be me in it most of the time, and I don't need space to carry samples etc on business trips. I do have the odd camping trip with the boys, but I'm sure I could just about squeeze everything in.

The other option is a 2nd hand Octy 2.0PD. There is 54 plate (Nov 2004) Elegance spec with 36k miles at a dealer local to me which is up at

If its going to be the family car as well then I think I would robably go for the octy, but would want at least a grand off that price, nearly 2years old! If you are modding then warrenty not applicable if you are keeping it std and planning on keeping it a while then a furby from dtd might be a better bet, but don't think you could fit the kids in the boot! Congrats on new job!

It’s a nice dilemma to have. I think you should go with your heart on this one. I know when I tried to persuade you to get an Octy you kept going back to the Fabia VRs. You are only young-ish once. Go for the Furby and have a bright yellow one to boot:D . We can also have a naming poll which could be fun how about Rhubarb? Diddle de dum, diddle de dum, dum de dum de dum…….

...........nurse wheres my medication........

Octy all the way.

The PD140 will give you the power and more of the Fabia and you'll have the space as well. Thought about a PD140 sport?? vRS lookalike.

Try these -

http://www.autofinders.ltd.uk/OrderList.php?Vehicle_Manufacturer_Order=4&Vehicle_Make_Order=2

Octy all the way.

The PD140 will give you the power and more of the Fabia and you'll have the space as well. Thought about a PD140 sport?? vRS lookalike.

Try these -

http://www.autofinders.ltd.uk/OrderList.php?Vehicle_Manufacturer_Order=4&Vehicle_Make_Order=2

Would love an Octy Sport but really need to stick to the 11.5k budget. Don't think they have been out long enough to drop to that sort of level.

I was up at Simpsons earlier this week, and I had to make Ants promise to NOT let me near the Octy TDi vRS demo! I know i'll want one if I drive one.

Has to be disel though with the sort of miles I'm going to be doing, or my old Octy would have been very tempting!

Personally I wouldn't go for the Fabia. The boot is too small if you do the odd camping trip with two boys. We took two surfboards on the roof and all our gear (non camping) to cornwall recentely and we just about got it all in. I don't like having things on show on the back seat as I have a habit of stopping off places on the way. The Octy has a huge boot that would be able to fit your boys in no problem

The Octy would probably be more comfy on longer trips too. I'm fine when I'm driving my Fabia, but when I'm the passenger I'm aware of how hard the seats can be.