Buying advice/comments

[rearadmiral]

Hi guys

Think I'm in the right section but as I'm a newbie, be gentle.... I like it gentle.

I've about £4000 to spend on a MK1 Octy & the impression I get is that I'll probably be better off with a diesel as I cover about 10K miles/year. I've already tried an SDi & nearly fell asleep! Tried a TDi which felt much better but stupidly forgot to ask if it was the 90 or 110 bhp model. Is there an easy way of telling externally the difference between the 90 & 110? Probably prefer the hatch, more for my wife's benefit, (she thought my VR6 Corrado was a bit big), but are there any other benefits to the estate apart from the obvious space difference? Any other suggestions or advice gratefully accepted.

Cheers

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[matt_theforce]

have a look round for the the Elegance model, you should be able to get a 110bhp for that money. the only external difference I know of telling the TDI's apart is

tdi = 90bhp

tdi = 110bhp

tdi = 130bhp

although it is easy to swap the badges.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Tried a TDi which felt much better but stupidly forgot to ask if it was the 90 or 110 bhp model. Is there an easy way of telling externally the difference between the 90 & 110?

The badge on the back will be one clue as has been mentioned , but that could have been changed. You can also look up the engine code if you get under the bonnet but it's easier to tell anyway based on the spec.

The Classic and Ambiente spec cars have the 90bhp engine.

Classic is basic spec - the Ambiente adds front electric windows and manual air-con , plus 15" alloys on most of them.

The Elegance (or the rarer and pricer L&K) has the 110bhp engine plus nice toys like climate control and a sunroof plus 16" alloys and all round leccy windows so it would be the one I'd aim for. From 53 plate on you could also get the 130bhp PD engine but they'll probably be too pricey for you - a six speed gearbox is the tell-tale sign here.

I don't think you'll see them in your budget , but the Ambiente SE from an 04 plate was available with a 90bhp engine or the PD130 - the easiest way to distinguish them was the gearbox - 6 speed in the PD130.

You may also see a Blueline which was based on the Ambiente so it will have the 90bhp engine and a few toys above standard spec.

Hope this helps.

As for the hatch or estate - the estate is no longer but easier to park as the screen is right at the back of the car. In the hatch you do have to guess a bit where it ends.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Autotrader - SKODA OCTAVIA 1.9 TDi Elegance 5dr Diesel Hatchback

is the sort of thing you could be looking at.

2002 SKODA OCTAVIA 1.9 TDi Elegance 5dr Diesel Hatchback - £3,995

Manual, 63,000 miles, stone grey, 4mths tax,1yrs mot, Air conditioning, Alloy wheels, Body coloured bumpers,electric sunroof, Climate control,f/s/h,very good condition. £3,995. ovno

It will need the cambelt doing if it's not been done already , so you can use that to haggle a few hundred quid off.

Also check the air conditioning blows cold air as the compressors on these are prone to failure and it's a very expensive fix.

Edited 25 October, 2009 by Dr Zoidberg

[rearadmiral]

Thanks for the info guys, at least I know which model I want, just a matter of finding an Elegance. I've always preferred a sunroof to A/C anyway. Thanks Dr for the tipoff, but unfortunately that particular autotrader car was 400 miles away from me. (I'm near Heathrow). Take your point about the estate as well, the rear vision was awful on the SDi hatch I tried, might take the estate 'size' fear away from my wife knowing that.

One other point, was it only the MkII that they made a diesel VRs?

[Dr Zoidberg]

Yes , the VRS in the Mk1 was the petrol 1.8T only.

I hadn't given the location of that car a second glance - it was mostly just an example of roughly what you'll get for your money. It would have been handy if it was just round the corner though

If I absolutely had to choose , I'd pick the aircon over a sunroof but I'd hate to be without it. Every chance I get I have it open and letting fresh air in. It's too noisy above 40 and on really hot days (remember those....) I keep it closed , but on warm days round town it's very nice.

On the Mk2 the sunroof changed from standard spec to a £500 option :(

[Liverpool-Lad]

10k a year isnt much, if its motorway work, get a vRS, they are quite economical on a cruise, not so much around town.

[Pimpmyskodia]

i would personally stick with the TDi over a VRS, the deisel engines last longer and from wah tive heard have less problems, and will be better on the fuel, with my 110 tdi i get around 55-65mpg when on a go long run, and still get around 45-50mpg around the lanes.

[Liverpool-Lad]

Still a diesel though

[KenONeill]

First off, an Elegance has a sunroof, and Climate Control!

Secondly, in another thread I worked out that an Elegance TDi will use about £300 less fuel than a 1.8T (like in a vRS) over 8_000 miles, so £375 a year less on your quoted mileage.

[rearadmiral]

Thanx for that Ken. As I'm a dog trainer I don't do too much motorway work, mainly A & B roads as well as the quarterly wine & beer scoot to Calais so a diesel will probably suit better. Also, I like the idea of having a 720 mile range in the tank.

Cheers

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I was going to buy the book 'The Power of Positive Thinking', but then I thought, what good would that do me!

[rearadmiral]

Thanx for that Ken. As I'm a dog trainer I don't do too much motorway work, mainly A & B roads as well as the quarterly wine & beer scoot to Calais so a diesel will probably suit better. Also, I like the idea of having a 720 mile range in the tank.

Cheers

RearAd

I was going to buy the book 'The Power of Positive Thinking', but then I thought, what good would that do me!

[Dr Zoidberg]

Thanx for that Ken. As I'm a dog trainer I don't do too much motorway work, mainly A & B roads as well as the quarterly wine & beer scoot to Calais so a diesel will probably suit better. Also, I like the idea of having a 720 mile range in the tank.

Well ,you won't get 720 miles most of the time.

It's a 50 litre tank (with a few more litres in the expansion tank) , so that would need an average of 65mpg which you'll only get on long steady 60mph runs.

I used to get a typical figure of high 50s on long journeys , but low 60s when I drove for economy and over a full tank I'd usually get about 570 miles , but sometimes up to 650.

It would just about do 700+ in theory but I never got the right combination of journeys to come up all together to achieve it. Just as it was looking promising I'd have to do a slow crawl for miles of rush hour traffic , or get too tempted to thrash it.

[KenONeill]

Agreed, 500 miles from pump clicks off to low fuel light comes on is probably realistic for anything other than 60mph on dual carriageway.

[matt_theforce]

if you can stretch to the pd130 I get around 520miles from pump click to fuel light, (still 50 miles or so left). I do very mixed driving, 40miles per day on the motorway then 15miles per day stop/start through town.