My Octavia went back last Wednesday to be replaced by an imposing new Passat.
In four and a bit years it has done 107,000 miles and was just about due for its sixth service (services averaging at about 18k on variable).
What failed - rear wiper blade, set of dampers (wear and tear at about 100k), set of brake disc replaced (about 80k IIRC) and . . . . . . . Apart from services the only time off the road was when I bent it. Bonnet release came off in my hand first time it was used but was obviously an asembly fault since when it was put back correctly it stayed on. One of the rear seals was whistling when it went back and the front door seal would start dripping slowly after an hour (an hour being driven, not just standing in the rain).
This car was (and you could then) deliberately ordered without a DPF.
Never failed to start, never stopped on me (one up for Skoda over both of the last 2 cars (Accord and Passat))
Whwn it went it needed a valet but the seat didn't feel much different to new ones (unline the Honda which had sagged considerably) and apart from chips and there was no rust on the car. Alloys have seen bettter days but in far better condition than either of the two previous cars.
Overall it has used 8307 litres of diesel at an average of 58.5 mpg and the heartbreaking bit - at a cost of £9,562 - Yes I keep records. Now can anyone say fuel efficiency is not important in a motor car. Best mpg on a tank was 67 mpg, worst 50 mpg.
Put oil into it twice aprt from services using approx 1 L.
Would I have another - yes but probably with the 2.0 TD (SWMBO would not allow another)
Now I just have to get used to 6 gears, auto handbrake, stop start, bluetooth, VW's new cruise controls etc. . . god this new one is complicated.
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>> Now I just have to get used to....auto handbrake,
I got used to it quickly in mine - the danger is not putting a handbrake on when you drive a car that has a manual one!
>> stop start
Nothing to get used to... and it is only enabled when the car has warmed up so on short journey's it won't do anything. Although you're doing longer journeys if you've done 107k miles in around 4 years. Mine is only just getting to 7000 miles since October.
>> bluetooth
What's to figure out? Pair with your phone and it works. Can also stream music if your phone supports that.
>> VW's new cruise controls
Fairly straight forward. You forward to turn on. Push back for off. Then press the button at the end of the stalk to set a speed (like the old one then). Pull forward to speed up in 1mph increments. Press the button to slow down in 1mph increments. Or push up (like the indicators) to go faster in 5mph increments and down to decrease speed by 5mph. Simple :-)
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'(SWMBO would not allow another)'
If it was a good 'un, and by the sound of it it was, how come?
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>> '(SWMBO would not allow another)'
>>
>> If it was a good 'un, and by the sound of it it was, how
>> come?
>>
+1 (perplexed and puzzled by this)
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+2 !
My wife might express an opinion of my choice of car just as I almost certainly would of hers, but as for either of us "disallowing" that choice if it was what I/she wanted, provided it was within our ability to afford it, well, no, that wouldn't happen.
She is not my boss and nor am I hers, an old fashioned view maybe but we prefer to see ourselves as individuals who are also partners with not just rights but indeed a propensity to individual choices.
"Not allowed" ... sheesh !
:-)
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Tue 12 Jun 12 at 18:17
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It's a game Humph.She is in charge but I make the decisions.>:)
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>> +2 !
>>
>> My wife might express an opinion of my choice of car just as I almost
>> certainly would of hers, but as for either of us "disallowing" that choice if it
>> was what I/she wanted, provided it was within our ability to afford it, well, no,
>> that wouldn't happen.
>>
>> She is not my boss and nor am I hers, an old fashioned view maybe
>> but we prefer to see ourselves as individuals who are also partners with not just
>> rights but indeed a propensity to individual choices.
>>
>> "Not allowed" ... sheesh !
>>
>> :-)
>>
We live in the same house and she was against the last one . . .
I am prepared to do a lot for a quiet life and the difference in costs for a lease car isn't that great (arond £50 per month).
We tend to operate as a partnership which means I generally do as I am told apart from major issues where I dig my heels in, I didn't see this as a major issue.
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>>
>> In four and a bit years it has done 107,000 miles and was just about
>> due for its sixth service (services averaging at about 18k on variable).
>>
>> What failed - rear wiper blade, set of dampers (wear and tear at about 100k),
>> set of brake disc replaced (about 80k IIRC) and . . . . . .
>> . Apart from services the only time off the road was when I bent it.
>> Bonnet release came off in my hand first time it was used but was obviously
>> an asembly fault since when it was put back correctly it stayed on. One of
>> the rear seals was whistling when it went back and the front door seal would
>> start dripping slowly after an hour (an hour being driven, not just standing in the
>> rain).
>>
>
>>
So it wasn't perfect then....
A previous 320d I had did 119,000 miles in three years and only consumables were replaced (tyres/brakes/no bulbs went/dampers were fine/seals were fine/bonnet release intact).
Serviced every 19,000 miles.
Modern cars are great really aren't they?
Last edited by: a900ss on Tue 12 Jun 12 at 18:37
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>> Why Taxi Drivers use Octavias . . . .
11 years ago (was it really?!) I got one because it was £10.5k for a diesel estate, it did 50 to the gallon and it came with a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty, even for commercial use.
A shrewd marketing move by Skoda, because in a short space of time they got a lot of Octavias into public view where potential customers could infer from their ubiquitous use as taxis that they must be reliable and cheap to run.
In 2003 a third of Skoda's 11,000 UK registrations were Octavias for use as taxis.
To compare mine with yours IJWS14, I ran mine from April '01 to December '04. It had a new ABS unit under recall at 45,000 miles*, a new clutch at 185,000 miles and the indicator relay was replaced for free under warranty at 205,000.
Apart from that it had only routine servicing:
Every 10,000 miles: Oil and filters
Every 22,000 miles: Front tyres
Every 33,000 miles: Front brake pads
Every 60,000 miles: Cambelt
Every 70,000 miles: Rear tyres
Every 100,000 miles: Front brake discs, rear brake shoes
*Mine was one of the first UK cars to suffer ABS unit failure and I think I actually helped to prompt the recall. Only high-mileage base RHD models were affected, all the higher specs had ESP/ASR fitted which didn't share the fault.
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I'd be interested to know what taxi-drivers are doing now when they renew their cars, with DPFs now universal. Maybe the 1.4 TFSI petrol? Or it's possible that the bigger 'reservoir' or whatever you call it, that the common-rail VAG diesels have, means that regeneration does the job on its own without visits to the dealer.
If she still thinks Skodas are sheds, Mrs IJWS must be one of the last left standing. I agree with people above: with an Octavia 2.0 CR TD you'd have got 6 gears and cruise control and a proper handbrake. I agree, Rob, you can get used to the electronic brake, but I'm still quite unable to see why you should have to.
Last edited by: Avant on Tue 12 Jun 12 at 20:35
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>> I'd be interested to know what taxi-drivers are doing now when they renew their cars, with DPFs now universal
Many taxi journeys are longer than you might think - school runs can be from one side of the county to the other, Saturday nights you'll always get at least one £30+ journey, and most towns are a good motorway run away from an airport. If there was a DPF issue for cars used as taxis, it would have become apparent by now.
My 2003 Peugeot 406 2.0HDi would occasionally show "Engine antipollution system defective" on the MFD. It always went away again, no idea if that was DPF/FAP related or not.
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Our local private hire firm are replacing their Octavias with Berlingos.
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Son had a Golf which objected to his 3 mile commute - it meant that once a week he went via the M4.
Should not really be a problem with a taxi as they are almost continuously warm.
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>> If she still thinks Skodas are sheds, Mrs IJWS must be one of the last
>> left standing. I agree with people above: with an Octavia 2.0 CR TD you'd have
>> got 6 gears and cruise control and a proper handbrake. I agree, Rob, you can
>> get used to the electronic brake, but I'm still quite unable to see why you
>> should have to.
>>
She doesn't think they are sheds - she objects to the image as do both children - but they have left home so they can think what they like and they will soom both be driving Audis - in other words Skodas with posh badges.
A quiet life is worth a lot.
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Fair enough IJWS14, if that suits you. I didn't think there was very many left who thought skoda with a bad image. To go back to the car were there any downsides to it, is there anything you didn't like. I might be doing a few more miles soon and have thought of one of these. What body shape did you have?
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i wouldn't choose not to buy the car because of the badge but i have only driven a mk1 many years ago and hated it but the newer models must be way better
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>> A quiet life is worth a lot.
>>
I do agree with that, but . . .
>> She doesn't think they are sheds - she objects to the image as do both
>> children
That's sad. Very sad. I don't know the full circumstances of your domestic arrangements so I shall be carefull and respectfull in what I say. However, when you consider all the awards that Skoda have gotten in recent years it seems that (at the very least) that out-of-date views are being given undue emphasis. Awards such as e.g.
2012 Auto Express Driver Power awards : Skoda cars came 1st, 2nd and 4th.
Skoda was also top overall manufacturer.
2012 JD Power Survey : Skoda runner-up for best manufacturer award
2011 Which? Car Awards : Most satisfying Brand
...not to mention extremely positive feedback about the brand in forums such as this one.
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Skoda Octavia II - Why Taxi Drivers use Octavias . . . . - rtj70
