Morning all,

I'm looking at getting a new estate. Ideally a hot/warm engine so my shortlist is as the title says:

• Octavia II Estate vRS
  
• Audi A4 Avant 2.0TFSI (the 220bhp one - maybe even Quattro)
  
• Volvo V50 T5
  

Now, without going into the horrid details of the money i have available for this - all are serious options. (with the Audi being the top of the budget )

Does anyone have any opinions on those?

Is the Audi really (almost)

Having owned several "Hot" audi's, I can say that while they are indeed nice cars, they aren't really worth the additional cost over other marques in the VAG stable. From the Dealers I've experienced, good ones are also few and far between.

Real quattro, ie Torsion rather than Haldex is a nice system, but unless you are always driving at the edge of the envelope, or on wet, slippery roads, it doesnt really justify the extra fuel cost and initial purchase cost.

I've driven an S40 T5 and it didnt impress me much at all. Admittedly, it was an auto, but it seemed a very "peaky" engine and the ride was harsh and poorly damped as I've found with many Volvo's (Owned the former generation S40 T4)

My personal choice out of these would remain the vRS. It has adequate grip, a nice compliant ride (unless the roads are REALLY bad), a nice wide power band, can easily be modified if you really want to. Its also the cheapest of the bunch, yet speccable with many gadgets if thats the way you want to go.

Good luck with whatever route you follow.

Although pretty good, the Octy interior isn't up to the standard of the Audi's, especially if you don't get the jumbo box. And face it, you'll probably spend most of you driving time in it:D

I had an old A6 (last shape) and the interior was solid, tactile and well laid out, if not particularly "funky". It was a fantastic place to be! If I could afford the new A4 over the Octy 2, I'd get one.

Phil

I'm running an 06 A4, and its a brilliant car. In my opinion the money is worth it. The Octy II is good, but the A4 feels better made. Plus comparing a 220bhp Quatty to 200bhp FWD Octy isn't like for like. Look at 2.0TFSI Sline price and the difference is closer to £5K rather than £10K

I know the 220 A4 isn't a direct comparison - but that's currently the best value A4 in the range It's not quite a

Get silver :P

MPM, go for a test drive in all of them. I wish I'd got quattro now for my A4. I was in two minds; based on driving style etc, and thought I'd save a little and get FWD. But believe me, getting out onto the busy A19 near me, on a damp morning just begs 4WD.

I had a look at V50's a little while back and don't think they're worth the money. Interior seems really cramped and in the manual version there is no room for a rest for your clutch foot. This may sound trivial but it really put me off the car.

Also Volvo servicing is very expensive, I had an old shape V40, first service at 6000 miles, basic oil and filter change - £204. That was about five years ago so God knows what they charge now.

I'm already booked in testing a quattro a4 on saturday morning (i hope it's wet! ) I'm going to try find an Octy to try aswell - the Volvo was SWMBO favourite so i don't mind keeping that one quiet :P

Just for reference - the V50 D5 is an aweful setup, that geartronic box was on a par with the Smart car one in my eyes :thumbdwn:

MPM

V50 is tiny!

Get a Legacy Spec B

Nicest of the lot, £3000 of fuel thrown in - awesome!

Had considered Scoobys - but then looked at the running costs.....ouch - initial outlay isn't bad though.

Oh and cheezemonkhai - i forgot about silver :P i think i like the idea of black as the local bobbys use black mk1 octys as undercover sleepers

MPM

edit - just noticed the fuel thing, makes it appealing - insurance could be interesting though! Even at 26 with 8yrs NCB & a clean license i'm still 'high risk' apparently...

Buy a nearly new e39 BMW 530d touring, and be done with it!

Audi is just badge engineering IMHO, although I can also say they are pleasant to drive and very reliable!

at the end of the day, the Octy II will do the same job of going from A-B-C.......Z with a full boot and 5 passengers as the A4

is the a4 worth a whole years running costs more????

badge engineering ? hmmm don't think so. The A4 is one of the few unique platforms in the VAG range... infact let me see..... the current A4, TT, A6, All Road, A5, R8 are all unique platforms.

Only the A8 (phaeton), A3 (golf) and Q7 (Tourag/Cayenne) share platforms with other VAG/Porsche brands.

The Audi is kind of all right but I wasn't that impressed. There is more head and leg room in the Octy. In fact the A4 really feels quite small. The handling, especially the grip, on the A4 is better though, at least in S-line guise. I kind of prefer the interior of a specced up Octy 2 to the A4 interior.

That Ford / Volvo engine is very thirsty. Real world economy from it is reputedly awful.

The Legacy is a really nice car I agree.

Well the Audi was a letdown to be honest - there was no real feedback from the steering.

• The quattro was good on launch, but it was a sunny morning so didn't really get a chance to see what a difference it could make.
  
• Being a very refined car it didn't 'feel' very quick - but i'm sure it was rapid.
  
• There's no 'odd' numbers on the speedo! 30/50/70 all missing - that would drive me bonkers as that's 3 of my most commonly used speed limits
  
• The seats were very comfy albeit only being the boggo standard manual adjustment versions.
  

So post test drive we went straight to a Skoda dealer jumped in a Octy vRS and was blown away by it. For the price drop - the quality doesn't appear to be any worse, the performance 'seemed' better and SWMBO was much more impressed.

So, looks like an Octy vRS Estate for us, and the money saved put on a nice ICE upgrade mefinks...

MPM

Good choice.

Well the Audi was a letdown to be honest - there was no real feedback from the steering.

• The quattro was good on launch, but it was a sunny morning so didn't really get a chance to see what a difference it could make.
  
• Being a very refined car it didn't 'feel' very quick - but i'm sure it was rapid.
  
• There's no 'odd' numbers on the speedo! 30/50/70 all missing - that would drive me bonkers as that's 3 of my most commonly used speed limits
  
• The seats were very comfy albeit only being the boggo standard manual adjustment versions.

So post test drive we went straight to a Skoda dealer jumped in a Octy vRS and was blown away by it. For the price drop - the quality doesn't appear to be any worse, the performance 'seemed' better and SWMBO was much more impressed.

So, looks like an Octy vRS Estate for us, and the money saved put on a nice ICE upgrade mefinks...

MPM

Was it the 220 A4 Special edition? My mate picked his up today. Hope it's slower than my VRs !!

I wonder what the transmission loss is like, - must lose you a few bhp!

In a straight choice I'd be very tempted by the Audi but for 9k or so less the VRs is a no brainer, assuming you can live without the premium marque badge.

In a straight choice I'd be very tempted by the Audi but for 9k or so less the VRs is a no brainer, assuming you can live without the premium marque badge.

Head of nail firmly struck!

M

Yep it was the 220 special edition sline jobby. Off the line - it's rapid, and i'm sure generally it's a rapid car - but the refinement took a lot away from the experience -not for me quite yet

MPM

Yep it was the 220 special edition sline jobby. Off the line - it's rapid, and i'm sure generally it's a rapid car - but the refinement took a lot away from the experience -not for me quite yet

MPM

I drove my mate's yesterday - only had 170 miles on the clock so not run in obviously.

It was black and did look stunning inside and out BUT it certainly didn't feel any quicker than the VRs. It pulled away well with the 4wd traction so may have the edge to 60 but other than that I don't think there'd be much in it.

I'd agree with the point made above, it felt more refined and more 'grown up' than the VRs, i.e the VRs can feel like a hot hatch if you want it to but also like a family saloon when necessary.

The A4 doesn't have the space in the rear or in the boot and the access to the boot is pretty poor compared to the hatch of the octavia. I'd say the A4 isn't much bigger than a Golf to be honest.

Overall, it was a really nice car but it's not 9k nicer than a VRs.