A couple of years back I had a nearly new Octy vRS which I adored. Fantastic car.

I stupidly sold it to fund home improvements, but have missed the mixture of practicality, exclusivity and performance.

My situation is that I'm now doing 600 or so miles a week, which in a Corrado VR6 is a little bit insane (on the wallet!) and a diesel seems the best option. But I don't like diesels!!

I've fallen for another Octy vRS, from a main dealer, 2003, 50k on the clock, FSSH, parking sensors, cruise, metallic paint, taxed, MOTd, serviced and warrantied for £6,800. My reasoning is that on long trips I used to get 45mpg from the vRS and with petrol cheaper than diesel, it makes more sense. Plus I get a wonderful car to boot!

My budget is £7k, so a) does this seem like a good deal and am I mad not to go for a TDi, TDCi or the equivalent.

Cheers!

Yes HTH.

Seriously though depends spending 7k on the car as opposed to 14k on a derv would pay for the extra tax and fuel for a few years.

The derv will probably only drink a tank of fuel a week or there about, which saves you time at the petrol station.

Personally I'd take the derv route, maybe something like a PD140 Octy II, a Mondy ST TDCI.

It's all of a bit of a gamble as you said yourself you don't like dervs, but the newer engines are a bit more petrol like.

Skoda have a couple of approved-used 1.9PD Octavias coming in under the 7k mark (a 2004 Elegance and a 2002 Laurin & Klement). You could get a remap or tuning box, and be approaching your old vRS performance-wise - plus you'd be driving a diesel!