Well the much anticipated day arrived & I picked up my Vrs on Monday. It's a Petrol hatch with <6k on the clock & is 8months old. It looks fantastic in Race Blue.

I've looked at them (& other cars) for ages...just fancying a change, but wanted to get the right car in the right spec. I was replacing probably the best car (diesel Avensis) I have owned in terms of comfort, reliability, fuel consumption...and I thought it looked ok, but my wife decribed it as 'boring'! I'd had it from new (company) originally & it was 4 years old...but I feared big bills might not be far off, despite the reliability.

So we spotted the batch of Vrs's sitting on the forecourt & although I wanted to drive a petrol & a diesel, the dealer was smart & put me in the petrol one first...and I was smitten (didn't yet drive a diesel). I think I got a decent deal...having done a fair bit of research over the preceeding months, it was in mint condition...& it came loaded with 'extra's'... which incidently have caused quite a few problems with insurance...they all want to class it as modified ... although following advice on here I have it down to a reasonable level thro' the 'specialists'.

I have trawled through the handbook to check out the features... & took it out for a spin last night. My wife likes it (she was dead against getting a Skoda initially, she had 3 VW's on the trot before her Sub...but has mellowed). I was disappointed to discover that the 'Cruise' that the dealer fitted...isn't working (unless I am a plonker...cos the handbook seems to show it as a simple operation). I've to take it back in !

In some respects it feels much better than the Avensis, in others it feels a bit old tech...maybe because it looks and feels a bit like the old V5 Bora we had? I'll get a decent run in at,over the weekend...& then I'll maybe be able to make an more informed judgement. I want to like it...& I am sure I will come time !!!

I think I'll be fitting winter tyres tho'...it scrabbles a bit on take off...any suggestions on makes? Just front or all round? I am not one for wanting mega performance, so no mods likely there but I'd like to keep it tidy, so maybe some mudflaps...a problem I believe (I've 18's) ? & maybe an 'dealer fit' extra or two won't go amiss.

Just have to say before I go this is a great site...this'll be about my 25th visit since I bought the car...just over a week ago !!!! Hopefully I can give something back come time...but for now I am one of the newbie's craving info. So a big THANKS !

Hello and welcome.

An excellent choice of car there. I think there has been a few cruise control storks been replaced due to faults, I maybe wrong. I presume that you've got the top switch on the stork in the left position and once your at your desired speed pressed the bottom of the two buttons on the end of the stork. If it's not working, back to dealer they should sort it.

I'm looking into a set of mud flaps for mine too. I'm still deciding whether to get the Skoda ones or go for the Rally Flaps, they are a custom fit for the vRS. The thread entitled 'Should I' in the new Octavia section has some good pics of both kinds.

My cruise control works fine, but obviously I am not expecting as many babies as you Captain...

With that age and mileage you probably got it at the 'optimum' time and price

Re the scrabbling on takeoff - a lot more poke than your Avensis I would think + this time of year.

'Feels a bit old tech' - our Fabby is not totally super high tech gizmo loaded / looking.

It does what we want of it - no flashy stuff etc (but it does have plenty 'hidden' and useful extras), moreover it does not look like something Bling or out of Star Treck

What extras caused the problems with insurance? I bought a new vRS with a fair few extras on but because they're standard manufacturer extras it made no difference.

Are these 'extras' engine mods by any chance?

The insurance should only note items as modified if they were added after the factory build. I had to notify them of my eibach lowering springs even though they were done pre PDI and by the supplying dealer - but I can understand this. I also had to send them the list of options fitted - this didnt affect the premium, they said they just had to take note of it now. :confused:

What tyres does your car have? I swapped from Michelin Pilot Exaltos to Michelin Pilot Sport 2's and the difference is remarkable. Take off in the dry and particulalry the damp/wet is improved (you actually feel them biting in the dry when you give it too much throttle now) and wet weather understeer has been drastically reduced also (which was my main original concern!)

I hope you get as much enjoyment out of yours as I have from mine!

Lee

What tyres does your car have? I swapped from Michelin Pilot Exaltos to Michelin Pilot Sport 2's and the difference is remarkable.

I think mine has the Michelin Pilot Exaltos although I'm not too sure as never looked, I know they are Michelins tho (18")

Won't be changing the tyres until they need changing but when the time comes I'll defo be looking at a different type to the factory fitted ones.

When I test drove the demo car, it had 17" wheels but TBH I can't tell a great deal of difference between the 17s and the 18s except the 18s definitely do give a harder ride. The 18s do look better IMO and it's worth the harder ride.

Enjoying mine a great deal so far... except it's been in the garage at least once a week since I got it with annoying rattling and buzzing problems from the door panels. It's going in AGAIN on Monday in fact for the same damn problem!

So far I feel as though I've spent more time in the loan cars from the garage than I have in my own :(

For your mudflaps; try these;- Find RallyflapZ for Skoda Octavia VRs - Mudflaps Mud flaps on eBay within, Skoda, Car Parts, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 13-Nov-07 15:29:09 GMT)

Originally organised and trialled by Fluffmeister of this forum (his car in the photo) with Ian @ Performance Creations. If you contact Ian direct he might give you a 'briskoda discount'.

If you have Michelin Pilot Exalto 2s - you have good tyres. If you want to change to winter ones I'd suggest getting a set of 16 inch steel wheels and appropriate tyres. Do not mix & match.

Good luck and ENJOY.

Thanks for all that guys...not sure about the rally flaps (can you get plain black moulded ones anywhere?)...as regards the tyres, I think it's the Michelins...but will check, I ran a V5 Bora with just winters on the front for a few years without any issues...but not recommended? I take your point re the power & ground conditions. I am trying to take it easy until I get used to it.

Insurance - they are all claiming that anything above the standard spec in the brochure means a mod ! so in my case that includes all the factory fitted stuff, the Xenons, Rear Park, Jumbo box, dual aircon, rear e/windows, the 18" wheels & met paint (ok now I am being silly & bitter !) + the dealer fit 'cruise'.The online guys will insure the car for an extra premium...but if anything 'extra' needs fixing, forget it. The specialists, Brentacre & co will do 'full cover, like for like' but they are dearer...but not excessively so...I need to make a decision over the next week who to go with - faced with the choice of Brentacre, Sky & Chris Knott, who would you guys go for (all within £20 of each other) ?

Just been to the dealer re the cruise & they advise 'it's not working'...but I knew that ! It's booked in to be looked at (& hopefully fixed !) next week. It was only fitted before I picked up the car this week. They agreed it is likely it wasn't road tested, not a good start !

What dother ealer fit extra's do you guys recommend or should I be content with what I have?

Yes, you can by some plain black moulded flaps .....

but the Rally FlapZ come with a custom made set of fixing brackets and are bigger and therefore better than OEM ones at keeping the crud off your car!

Have you tried Adrian Flux - you can get a Briskoda discount from them if you are a Freedom member (£12).

If you search you'll find a post by me about one of their insurers that might be worth a read.

Surely there has been some confusion. The options that you list should not be considered as modifications. They are factory options and as such do not result in insurance loading. I'd recommend speaking to your insurer again and telling them that the car is mechanically standard, but with factory options..

Surely there has been some confusion. The options that you list should not be considered as modifications. They are factory options and as such do not result in insurance loading. I'd recommend speaking to your insurer again and telling them that the car is mechanically standard, but with factory options..

Nope, they seem to want to know factory fitted options now also.

When we bought our last new car two years ago it wasnt an issue; this time around with the Octy, Directline,Chris Knott, Tesco, Marks and spencers and then finally Sainsbury's (backed by esure) ALL asked for the factory fitted options.

Lee

Nope, they seem to want to know factory fitted options now also.

When we bought our last new car two years ago it wasnt an issue; this time around with the Octy, Directline,Chris Knott, Tesco, Marks and spencers and then finally Sainsbury's (backed by esure) ALL asked for the factory fitted options.

Lee

My insurance is with Direct Line and they too asked for the factory fitted options to be listed. They said it doesn't affect the premium but they need to be listed, I don't really know why though.

My insurance is with Direct Line and they too asked for the factory fitted options to be listed. They said it doesn't affect the premium but they need to be listed, I don't really know why though.

Spot on - that was their line to me also.

Maybe its something to do with valuation you gove for the vehicle - they may want to know its accurate and therefore have details of the list price and any specified options?! Hmmm, just guessing though.

Lee

I think it is down to this:- If you have, god forbid, a write off then they will pay for the replacement to have all of those options too!

Now - if you were an insurer wouldn't you do that too?

Just to confirm guys - it seems they all want to know about the optional extra's - that is fact. However the 'online boys' say if you don't declare them, you may have no cover (at all?)...but even of you do declare them, we'll hike the premium, but only cover the kit of a 'standard spec' car...i.e my Xenons etc would not be covered !

The specialists...will take a note of the mods & most advise they will be covered like for like, but are (as you'd expect) dearer. I'd never heard of this before but it really is the case, anything other than standard spec, may not be covered if you have a claim...get checking those policies now.

As I have over £2k of extra's on mine, I'll be heading to the specialists...any preference between Brentacre, Sky & Chris Knott as they are all about the same price?

Oh & I have Conti Sport Contact 2's fitted all round...in answer to the earlier query on tyres.

Car goes in tomorrow to have the faulty 'cruise' fixed & they'll also be looking at the back door that wouldn't open fully this morning !

I've done about 400 miles now & apart from the fuel consumption, I am enjoying it, especially the acceleration to get past stuff !