RE: Skoda Octavia vRS 230 Estate: PH Fleet
Discussion
Mine is the metallic dark grey and it really, really suits it.
Whilst sat in the showroom I sat looking at a vrs that was sat in there, same colour as the PH car.
The salesman, with whom I'm friendly, admitted that the colour and wheel combo put more people off than any other reason.
My only other dislike would be the ridiculous exhaust pipe tips, which look plain ridiculous and see the exhaust pipes themselves just sat further inboard of them
And I may be wrong but isn't one of the tips on the tdi vRS a false one, as in there isn't actually an exhaust pipe exiting into it (if that makes sense?)
SWMBO used to have an Audi A4 tdi quattro, and to be fair I used to be a 'marque-tart' but since sampling the Octavia I can't see any reason why I would want to go back to an Audi after this. In fact, I like it that much I really wouldn't mind a Superb tdi estate next time round.
Whilst sat in the showroom I sat looking at a vrs that was sat in there, same colour as the PH car.
The salesman, with whom I'm friendly, admitted that the colour and wheel combo put more people off than any other reason.
My only other dislike would be the ridiculous exhaust pipe tips, which look plain ridiculous and see the exhaust pipes themselves just sat further inboard of them
And I may be wrong but isn't one of the tips on the tdi vRS a false one, as in there isn't actually an exhaust pipe exiting into it (if that makes sense?)
SWMBO used to have an Audi A4 tdi quattro, and to be fair I used to be a 'marque-tart' but since sampling the Octavia I can't see any reason why I would want to go back to an Audi after this. In fact, I like it that much I really wouldn't mind a Superb tdi estate next time round.
rtz62 said:
And I may be wrong but isn't one of the tips on the tdi vRS a false one,
Only on the diesel I think. The two VRS models share a rear bumper but only the petrol has two exhaust tips. Which of course just means that the petrol has a whole load of useless extra metal under the car as well as a load of useless plastic trim on the back. 
Are VW getting squeezed out of the market these days? Driving past the local Skoda dealer yesterday, it occurred to me that Skoda are being pushed upmarket, and VW getting pushed ahead of them into Audi territory. Meaning that all the aspirants jump to a slightly lesser specced Audi instead.
Is "undercoat grey" the new white? There did seem to be a disproportionate number of cars in that paint.
Is "undercoat grey" the new white? There did seem to be a disproportionate number of cars in that paint.
Zad said:
Are VW getting squeezed out of the market these days? Driving past the local Skoda dealer yesterday, it occurred to me that Skoda are being pushed upmarket, and VW getting pushed ahead of them into Audi territory. Meaning that all the aspirants jump to a slightly lesser specced Audi instead.
Yes, exactly what I am thinking. From VAGs point of view they would be much better off turning Skoda into a competitor to Dacia with very budget oriented no-nonsense cars than improving Skoda's image and build quality to the point where it is no different than VWs.Maybe megalomaniac Piech wouldn't let them go down market?
EricE said:
Zad said:
Are VW getting squeezed out of the market these days? Driving past the local Skoda dealer yesterday, it occurred to me that Skoda are being pushed upmarket, and VW getting pushed ahead of them into Audi territory. Meaning that all the aspirants jump to a slightly lesser specced Audi instead.
Yes, exactly what I am thinking. From VAGs point of view they would be much better off turning Skoda into a competitor to Dacia with very budget oriented no-nonsense cars than improving Skoda's image and build quality to the point where it is no different than VWs.Maybe megalomaniac Piech wouldn't let them go down market?
The MK3 equivalent to my MK2 Fabia Monte Carlo would be the best part of £18k not the £14k & a bit I paid 2 years - I bet half of that increase is profit.
havoc said:
Could you let me know (PM if easier) your thoughts between the two...I'm looking for a new (slightly more frugal) car and a used 330d vs a lease vRS230 are the two front runners at the moment.
Not sure if it's a fair comparison with the [12 year old] BMW having covered 130,000 miles and the Octavia less than 1k, however..I was expecting there to be a more noticeable gulf in quality between the two - there really isn't. OK, the Octavia is the noisier (and the firmer) of the two - both sit on 18" low profiles so it's clear the BMW has better soundproofing but other than that, I really can't say the gap is that big.
If I was being picky, the Skoda's steering wheel feels a little 'plastic', but that's about it. The interior looks clean, modern and feels very well put together, the OBC and DAB stereo are great, and I find the [half-leather] seats very comfy.
I do miss the purr of the BMW 6-pot and, on a 40mph to 80mph dash, the BMW would probably be the quicker (just). But that's about it as far as the driving is concerned - the Skoda feels tight, corners well and has brakes that put the BMW's to shame.
Regarding the engine note, not entirely sure what Skoda were thinking when they decided to pipe it into the cabin when in sport mode and, if you're anything like me, you'd be deactivating that particular feature fairly sharpish.
The vRS has a smaller fuel tank than the BMW so, even though it's more frugal, you'll be making more fuel stops with the Skoda.
The boot on the vRS is huge - noticeably bigger than the 330's. Better legroom for rear seat passengers, too.
I only decided the change from the BMW when the auto-box lunched itself (followed by the flex-plate a couple of months later) - two big bills amounting to more than the car was worth. Had I not had those issues, I'd have probably stuck with her - even with a few miles under her belt, she drives lovely, is in great condition and remains a whole lot of car for cheap money.
The Skoda is more modern, better equipped and represents great value for money, albeit at £28k, the price of these cars is starting to creep up. That said, I got mine on a very reasonable 2 year lease deal through a main dealer - Skoda / VW were offering their network great support at the time and I struggled to find cheaper online.
Dale487 said:
So how does it compare to a Golf GTI PP?
I hope to have some answers on this soon! (We're also looking to get a factory fresh GTI PP in at some point for a bit of a head-to-head)Summit_Detailing said:
Look forward to the future updates.
Thirded re the wheel design ^^ - terrible!
They're certainly an acquired taste, although I have to admit that they're actually starting to grow on me... they definitely look better a bit dirty too.Thirded re the wheel design ^^ - terrible!
rob.e said:
Meteor is the best colour for a 230 IMO - had mine since 3rd March, just clicked over 3k miles and i've loving it.
Are you sure you paid for your heated seats? I didn't spec them on mine and it has them, so i assumed they must be included in the 230 standard spec.
Excellent - I did have a quick look at your car at the Silverstone Sunday Service as I'd already ordered "mine" by then, glad you're enjoying it. Regarding the seats, I ticked the box for "front and rear heated seats" which was £200, and the spec sheet has the same written on it. I guess either you got lucky or it is a misleading option and the front seats are heated as standard and the rear seat cost £200 to have them heated... in which case the option should probably just be called "Rear heated seats" It is a shame if it is the latter, but I guess my dog will enjoy them! Are you sure you paid for your heated seats? I didn't spec them on mine and it has them, so i assumed they must be included in the 230 standard spec.
I'll ask Skoda and see what they say.
Konan said:
However large do the rear brake rotors need to be?
On the bike, that is
Bigger is always better! (ISTR they're 203mm rotors - they came as standard on the bike). For any mountain bike fans out there, the bike is a size Large 2015 YT Capra AL, with upgraded forks, bars, stem and tyres.On the bike, that is
Jimboka said:
Have Skoda started to put soundproofing in the latest model? My 2010 Vrs Estate suffered from horrendous tyre roar, not a nice place to be
I have to say that I haven't noticed anything horrendous about the car so far, although in my experience tyre noise varies hugely between tyre brands. What did you have on your car?HughS47 said:
I like the wheels 
No need to apologise, there is no right or wrong when it comes to looks - they're entirely subjective!
CALLING ALL PHOTOSHOPPERS!SS2. said:
I only decided the change from the BMW when the auto-box lunched itself (followed by the flex-plate a couple of months later) - two big bills amounting to more than the car was worth. Had I not had those issues, I'd have probably stuck with her - even with a few miles under her belt, she drives lovely, is in great condition and remains a whole lot of car for cheap money.
The Skoda is more modern, better equipped and represents great value for money, albeit at £28k, the price of these cars is starting to creep up. That said, I got mine on a very reasonable 2 year lease deal through a main dealer - Skoda / VW were offering their network great support at the time and I struggled to find cheaper online.
Thanks SS2 - so they've set-up for artificial noise on the diesel vRS as well as the petrol?The Skoda is more modern, better equipped and represents great value for money, albeit at £28k, the price of these cars is starting to creep up. That said, I got mine on a very reasonable 2 year lease deal through a main dealer - Skoda / VW were offering their network great support at the time and I struggled to find cheaper online.
(Or if yours is a petrol vRS is it THAT economical)
I'm a little torn...I could get an E91 330d and run it for 3 years for about the same as a 2-year lease on a vRS230, but that assumes nothing goes wrong with the BM. In reality it could be quite a lot closer if the BM needs some TLC...and while rwd and a 6-pot would be nice, a brand-new car would also be nice and I prefer petrol...
havoc said:
SS2. said:
I only decided the change from the BMW when the auto-box lunched itself (followed by the flex-plate a couple of months later) - two big bills amounting to more than the car was worth. Had I not had those issues, I'd have probably stuck with her - even with a few miles under her belt, she drives lovely, is in great condition and remains a whole lot of car for cheap money.
The Skoda is more modern, better equipped and represents great value for money, albeit at £28k, the price of these cars is starting to creep up. That said, I got mine on a very reasonable 2 year lease deal through a main dealer - Skoda / VW were offering their network great support at the time and I struggled to find cheaper online.
Thanks SS2 - so they've set-up for artificial noise on the diesel vRS as well as the petrol?The Skoda is more modern, better equipped and represents great value for money, albeit at £28k, the price of these cars is starting to creep up. That said, I got mine on a very reasonable 2 year lease deal through a main dealer - Skoda / VW were offering their network great support at the time and I struggled to find cheaper online.
(Or if yours is a petrol vRS is it THAT economical)
havoc said:
I'm a little torn...I could get an E91 330d and run it for 3 years for about the same as a 2-year lease on a vRS230, but that assumes nothing goes wrong with the BM. In reality it could be quite a lot closer if the BM needs some TLC...and while rwd and a 6-pot would be nice, a brand-new car would also be nice..
Pretty much my thoughts, with two gearbox removals and one complete rebuild on the BMW making the decision a lot easier ! [/quote]
Mine's the 184bhp diesel with DSG and yes, the default setting is for noise to be piped into the cabin - sport mode, in particular. Easy enough to deactivate, though.
[quote=havoc]
Just to confirm, this is the case in the vRS230 too. I also believe the Skoda differs (no pun intended) from the Golf GTI PP in that you can independently adjust the VAQ "differential" and engine (noise) modes. If there are any GTI PP owners that can confirm / deny this it'd be appreciated as we're going off memory!
Via the normal menus the Golf ties it into the driving mode, you have to use individual to turn it off and keep all the other sports stuff turned on. The dealer can turn it off for all modes via one of the service dodads, this is what I had done on mine for when it was delivered.
If you are going to do a comparison between the Octavia and the Golf worth doing a blind test with a dealer to see what sort of discount you can negotiate. I got over £6k off my Golf R, brining it very close to the RRP of that Octavia with all the toys, but I suspect you might be able to knock off a good few thousand off the Skoda as well.
If you are going to do a comparison between the Octavia and the Golf worth doing a blind test with a dealer to see what sort of discount you can negotiate. I got over £6k off my Golf R, brining it very close to the RRP of that Octavia with all the toys, but I suspect you might be able to knock off a good few thousand off the Skoda as well.
tankplanker said:
Via the normal menus the Golf ties it into the driving mode, you have to use individual to turn it off and keep all the other sports stuff turned on. The dealer can turn it off for all modes via one of the service dodads, this is what I had done on mine for when it was delivered.
If you are going to do a comparison between the Octavia and the Golf worth doing a blind test with a dealer to see what sort of discount you can negotiate. I got over £6k off my Golf R, brining it very close to the RRP of that Octavia with all the toys, but I suspect you might be able to knock off a good few thousand off the Skoda as well.
OK, so the adjustability of the "differential" sounds the same as the Skoda (and SEAT for that matter).If you are going to do a comparison between the Octavia and the Golf worth doing a blind test with a dealer to see what sort of discount you can negotiate. I got over £6k off my Golf R, brining it very close to the RRP of that Octavia with all the toys, but I suspect you might be able to knock off a good few thousand off the Skoda as well.
Interesting idea about the dealer test...
Probably going to be my next car, I love the wheels! (but prefer the blue colour above) - also, a Capra was going to be my new bike, but I changed my mind at the last second and bought an Intense T275.
Looking forward to updates, I think I've got to order mine in Sept for Dec delivery or something (it's a company car) was going to get a diesel, but sod it, after 10 years of Derv I fancy a petrol.
Looking forward to updates, I think I've got to order mine in Sept for Dec delivery or something (it's a company car) was going to get a diesel, but sod it, after 10 years of Derv I fancy a petrol.
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