Have an ex demo Octavia 1.9 TDi bought in april with 5,300 on the clock, just reached 18,600 I like it a lot, so would definately consider another.

On the against side is Skoda itself, lots of small dealers (including one locally) took them on when they were still considered a 'joke' thier loyalty was rewarded by having the dealerships tyaken away from them and becoming service only with very limted access to courtousy cars.

And of course their customer service and technical departments. If it aint on the screen then forget it !! I have been trying to get the tyre pressures right but with no real help from Skoda they either refer me to the manual or a dealer. Compared with other makes I've had where I could phone up and ask a technical question and get a technical answer they do seem somewhat lacking.

I'm still in doubt.

I dislike the daily increasing cracking of dash, door inside and springs.

And I want a 1.8TSI DSG which they never gonna release I think.

So day after day I look more and more to an alternative for my O2.

Better late than never, I would NOT buy another Skoda or Octavia.

I have a 56 reg Octavia Estate, collected car with 9800 miles end of Oct 2007, in 3000 miles the high level brake light remained on all the time, 3 attempts to fix.

The front suspension is now creaking & the rear washer pipe has worked itself loose.

I had been so impressed by the JD Power survey results, its one of the main reasons for buying this car, but the more miles that pile on the more problems, and I have lost alot of faith in Skoda & the Octavia.

Oh yeah, Skoda UK is a joke, as is Pilling Skoda.

:thumbdwn: NO WAY!! Bought an ex demo diesel VRS in March this year with 6000 on the clock. At the start of August a fault developed with the steering and now at the start of September I'm still paying for hire cars as my Octy remains sitting on ramps at my nearest Skoda dealer with so called Skoda trained technicians scratching their heads and fitting part after part in an attempt to figure out what's wrong with it and only ever ringing me to say that they "don't think it's a warranty issue".

As soon as the car comes back it's going up for sale and I'll be staying as far away from the brand as possible. Although they did offer me some accessories to stay with them. I don't know what I'm going to do with the

yes

Is it my imagination or have most of the serious faults been connected with a/ diesels, b/ DSG boxes and c/ the vRS and its turbo.

Doesn't seem to have been much reported wrong with the "standard" 2.0 FSI or manual boxes.

Don't get me started on problems with the diesels and the manual transmission.

Weeks in the dealer month after month, I dread to think how many miles I've saved putting on my car

Thing is I don't think the problems are skoda only, I think they are VAG as a whole.

My dealer gives me the impression that seat, VW, Audi will replace things that are related as a precaution but skoda will not. Eg broken gearbox would get a new clutch regardless just incase.

Now I don't know the level of truth in this, but the Octy II is a nice car, when it is all working. The problem is that that isn't as often as it should be.

For me I'll probably be avoiding everything VAG until they

a) Start designing things properly again

Start sorting out quality issues

c) Fix the d*mn dealers as most of them are an absolute joke and the good ones (there are some) are few and far between.

I think VWAG as a whole need to give VWAG UK a kick up the bum and make them take some pride in having people say how reliable the car is and how good the service is.

At the moment it sometimes feels like a "Ha we have your money, get lost" :(

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on Octavia is good/bad... as advised, I'll start some research on my local dealership next: Le Car Centre, Finchley, London... unless anyone out there knows them...

Thanks again

Chris

A bit late, but can thoroughly recommend Le Car Finchley, especially their head salesman John Georgiou (if he's still there). Le Car have a separate service centre which looks pretty basic but gets the work done efficiently. No glitz, but good old-fashioned customer service throughout.

And by the way our 2.0 TDi with DSG has been wholly reliable over 20 months....

A bit late, but can thoroughly recommend Le Car Finchley, especially their head salesman John Georgiou (if he's still there). Le Car have a separate service centre which looks pretty basic but gets the work done efficiently. No glitz, but good old-fashioned customer service throughout.

And by the way our 2.0 TDi with DSG has been wholly reliable over 20 months....

Has anybody had experience of Jewson Skoda, Oxford? Good or bad?

Yes ,i would buy another Octavia, ours has done 23000 55 plate and has been into our Franchise dealer (not main dealer) 4 times and the only job which took longer than 1 hour was replaced a/c compressor. I think i would go for the estate next time along with the same 140 bhp 2.0 dsg Elegance as we have. I would be concerned if our dealer did no longer service Skoda as our nearest is miles away from Hastings.

absolutely yes. on my 2nd Octy and 1st DSG and love it to bits. Excellent reliability, build quality, drive, ect ect ect

Having already posted to say I wouldn't buy another Octavia as I usually like to have a change I've come to the decision that if I was to change now it would have to be another VRs because there simply is nothing else to rival it in terms of practicality, performance and value.

I'd have a change in that I'd probably go for the estate next time and probably the diesel.

Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect, but few cars are. My biggest gripe is probably the rattles that have developed. I'm slightly obsessed with listening for them so it may not bother most people!

Ideally, I'd like an R32 for the performance, 4WD handling, and engine sound. It's a bit more money than a VRs but would be within budget. It's just not practical enough for us as we have an 8 month old little girl who seems to come with loads of stuff that we have to take with us when we go away, which is quite often!

Would I buy another ? Absolutely YES. Mine is 2 years old and has now done 67,000miles (1.9 tdi pd 105bhp). Only thing it has needed other than servicing /tyres etc is new front washer jets which were done under warranty.

I was a lexus man, now converted to an Octavia Vrs, The dealer was great and so far the car is fantastic.

I don't give a **** what badge is on it, I love it! They are a sensible, solid good VFM car.

This is my 3rd Octavia, I think I'll make a change unless Skoda offer a 4wd version of the vRS. I just don't like the way powerful FWD cars put the power down out of T junctions in the wet.

I'm happy with the brand, the cars have never given me any trouble, but I'm due a change, I can't drive the same marque my whole life!

Dave.

Thats a good question...

Fact is, value for money-wise yes I would. Just be careful which dealer you buy it from, as it can make all the difference.

Besides, my purchase of an Octy again would depend on how much the new Superb Hatch will be when it comes out! (well, the model fitted with 4x4 and 2.7 v6 CR diesel lump of course!!

This is my 3rd Octavia, I think I'll make a change unless Skoda offer a 4wd version of the vRS. I just don't like the way powerful FWD cars put the power down out of T junctions in the wet.

I'm happy with the brand, the cars have never given me any trouble, but I'm due a change, I can't drive the same marque my whole life!

Dave.

I agree, a 4WD VRs would be great. Would need more power obviously to make up any transmission losses...

I would and I'd spec it higher too with Maxi-dot as standard plus winter pack and Xenon's. Satnav I'd do afterwards and the VRSTU bluetooth kit. Really happy with the car and the dealership. All I need to do now it has 5k on it is a remap and it'll be perfect...... oh and satnav...... and air intake...... koni FSD's....eibachs.........and a shortshifter........and Milltek........ basically turn it into Makefish's car but in race blue.

I've had my mk1 vRS for about 2.5 years, have spent the last three or four months trying to decide what to get next. The house boss gave me a budget of approx

Get a nicely spec'd VRS and then spend the change on something for the weekend..... nice little VX220/Elise perhaps ?

depends if the next generation one is any good, and good value for money when the time comes.

Just bought my first Octavia which is a diesel VRS in Yellow. My previous Skoda, a yellow Fabia VRS was FANTASTIC and did 38000 miles in 12 months. Written off on black ice..boo hoo.

I agree, a 4WD VRs would be great. Would need more power obviously to make up any transmission losses...

I think VAG will have to compete with BMW's new 200hp diesel (in the new 1 series) I reckon we will see something in the Golf/A3 later this year maybe with 4motion?

hmm ....A 4wd GT TDI golf with 300 Lb-Ft of torque - fantastic....

Absolutely as a VW fan!

For a rep mobile I just can't justify VW/Audi prices, so I look at either Seat and Skoda. Now on my 3rd Skoda after a Seat Leon came an Octavia MK1, Fabia VRs, Octavia Combi VRs.

Actually come to think of it wasn't the first of VAG's 170 diesel unit used in the Seat Altea, before we saw it in the VW/Audi?

40,000 miles, not a single problem apart from my dodgy driving that put it in the garage, I would buy another but not new.