Hi there

I am looking for ideally a Octavia VRS but there seems to be a few good deals (second hand) on the 4x4 turbo's in the classifieds.

New to skoda's and wanted to know what the real difference is between the two, i.e. is it the same engine, different brakes etc.

I could ideally do with an estate, so if the 4x4 is not too far away performance wise from a vrs I might go down that route and do a few mods etc.

Just want to pick your brains before I jump in!

Cheers

Get the 4x4. But then, I am biased

Engine very similar apart from software, front brakes easily upgraded, rears possible (I've done it with R32 parts although there's quite a bit to change).

as above engine is same but 4x4 is 150 amd the vRS is 180 bhp but they both remap to 210ish

4x4 has smaller front brakes but again the 312 setup from the vRS does fit easily with calipers and carriers

Not too sure on the rears though

There are some cracking deals on the 4x4's so id be tempted by them and spend the rest of getting it up to being a vRS

yea a 4x4 vRS would be pretty awesome!

cheers guys

might go and have a look see at one tonight, as you say, just over 2k seems to get a decent 51/52 4x4 estate, spend the rest of my budget on getting it to vrs spec, or there abouts

unless anyone has a vrs to sell me for about 3K!

cheers guys

might go and have a look see at one tonight, as you say, just over 2k seems to get a decent 51/52 4x4 estate, spend the rest of my budget on getting it to vrs spec, or there abouts

unless anyone has a vrs to sell me for about 3K!

Did you look in the for sale section? There is one in there for £3500.

Did you look in the for sale section? There is one in there for £3500.

Yeah pm'd about it, unfortuantly going to have to wait a few weeks as the misses car just broke down (although she has just ordered a new Fiat 500 so hopefully this is the last time I have to sort out the current lump of poo) so my budget is now at £2200.00 until I get paid again at the end of the month.

So might look at a 4x4 for about the 2K mark and use the "rest" of the money for a re-map, VRS alloys etc.

on the front brakes the calipers are the same, its only the carriers and discs that are different

rear brakes are more than man enough too, don't worry about them.

do the brakes and suspension before power as the suspension is about 40-50mm higher than a vRS(vRS is lower than normal and 4x4 is higher than normal) but other than that they are a safer option for more power i'd say but again i might well be biased

wanna buy some golf gti seats for it cheap?

still got the airbags and far better in terms of support and still black.

well found a nice 4x4 I think, will try to view it this week, seems to be a good deal, all I will need then is a set of vrs wheels and get it lowered.

Then at some point get it re-mapped, totally new to this, only car I have ever worked on is my MG BGT, which is infected with dirty lucas electronics so no re-mapping!

Just for my info, how much does re-mapping cost? where do you get it done etc.

Sorry for all the questions and I will let you know how I get on with this 4x4

remapping will cost between about £300 and £500 depending on what you go for and where you go and you will get between 200bhp and 215bhp realisticly but some will quote 240+

modifications wise from experience i'd say its either the full shebang or minimal, so its either big turbo and everything that goes with it(including upgrading gearbox on the 4x4) or simple remap and maybe a filter element.

personally i'd say leave the exhaust standard and don't bother with a cold air inlet as without the bigger turbo its for show and shine only, it won't really gain you anything(front mount, intake, exhaust, boost pipes etc etc will gain you maybe 10-15bhp all in if you get a custom map done and only after all the other mods are done but you'll be about £1500 poorer for that 10bhp and everyone will know you have gained it too).

so if i was to do it all again and not go for a bigger turbo i would do nothing more than brakes, suspension and remap.

only change the DV if yours fails as you'll gain nothing in terms of performance it'll just cost you £100 for the sake of it.

I'm 4x4 biased as well, a generic map will get you to around 190bhp, do the front brake upgrade and leave the suspension alone. Total £350. Then 4 coilpacks and a new clutch £170. :rofl:

The 150bhp 1.8T has a K03 turbo

The 180bhp 1.8T has a K03s turbo.

only change the DV if yours fails as you'll gain nothing in terms of performance it'll just cost you £100 for the sake of it.

Fair enough, but do change it as soon as you notice the plastic one failing (fluttering noise) as you're not doing the turbo any good otherwise!

I totally agree with all the rest (the "all or nothing" approach).

The 150bhp 1.8T has a K03 turbo

The 180bhp 1.8T has a K03s turbo.

my car has a K03s as standard and is a 150 :P

not sure on the other brands but skoda started using the K03s at the face lift in 2001 when teh vRS and 4x4 was launched. after that point all 1.8T octavai's at least had the new fangled s turbo.

Then yours was quite obviously special as it was an ambulance in its previous life.

I was tols that the 4x4 had an 03s turbo aswell thats why they remap like a vrs

I was tols that the 4x4 had an 03s turbo aswell thats why they remap like a vrs

that is correct

Then I stand corrected, maybe the ARX is different to the AUM etc.

The 150bhp 1.8T has a K03 turbo

The 180bhp 1.8T has a K03s turbo.

I'm pretty sure that's not the case. I think that the drive-by-wire engines which appeared in the facelifted Octavias (including all the 4x4s which weren't produced pre-facelift) all had K03s turbos. But then I'm not as highly qualified as you in this dept!

(whatever a K03s turbo might be)

Then I stand corrected, maybe the ARX is different to the AUM etc.

Yep, that sounds right. I really must learn to type my responses quicker.

But then I'm not as highly qualified as you in this dept!

As I have just proved Im not THAT qualified in this field. Sadly im not a statto and dont read all the spec lists for all the engines, there are more that know far more than I ever will about these cars and a lot of them dont work in the dealer network and dont work on cars as a living. As I have said before, I believe what I say to be true, dont make it so

cool, thanks for all the info guys,

looks like a 4x4 for me then, then I will lower it and put some decent wheels on, then once the misses has paid me back for fixing her car I can get a re-map done.

I will also be on the look out for a front splitter off a vrs to go onto it, and also the rear end is slightly different I think.

Just be surfing the bay and seen a few lower kits for the octavia, from what people have said seems to be about 40mm drop I would need, anyone recommend a manufacturer? I had my vito van lowered, but a specialist did it and I never knew what springs went on.

I will also be on the look out for a front splitter off a vrs to go onto it ...

Good plan, it will bolt straight on. It isn't atcually any lower (certainly not more than a mm or so), just has a different profile.

... and also the rear end is slightly different I think.

The rear bumper has a cutout for an exhaust. Your car will not have a visible tailpipe and it's not worth changing it for one which does. The 4x4, unlike the vRS, has a twin-cat arrangement so changing downpipes etc can be expensive for little gain without a bigger turbo.

the vRS doesn't have a splitter as such it has a different bumper all together but it stil just bolts on.

cool, thanks for all the info guys,

looks like a 4x4 for me then, then I will lower it and put some decent wheels on, then once the misses has paid me back for fixing her car I can get a re-map done.

I will also be on the look out for a front splitter off a vrs to go onto it, and also the rear end is slightly different I think.

Just be surfing the bay and seen a few lower kits for the octavia, from what people have said seems to be about 40mm drop I would need, anyone recommend a manufacturer? I had my vito van lowered, but a specialist did it and I never knew what springs went on.

I have a 4x4 and am looking at lowering kits,the options i found the best were kw variant 1 or weitec.You are quite restricted in kits for the 4x4 due to the rear end.