Skoda Octavia vRS: PH Carpool
The cost-conscious PHer's fast family favourite, as enjoyed by reader John Alexander
Car: 2007 Skoda Octavia vRS 2.0 TFSI
Owned since: September 2011
Previously owned: 1998 Ford Escort TD (70bhp snore), 2005 Ford Mondeo TDCI, 2006 BMW 118d, 2002 Ford Focus TDCI
Why I bought it:
"Why the Skoda? I started looking at the Octavia vRS, albeit diesel, as a company car option in 2008. It looked like a lot of car for the money as well being fairly swift, economical and practical transport. I collected one from a local dealer for a weekend test drive only for the ABS pump to fail (common fault on this platform) on the journey home! The fault didn't put me off and fast forward three years and a very different set of circumstances, I started to look at another car. With a sub six-mile commute the Focus I was driving achieved less than 35mpg and I decided to look for a petrol car, starting with the Mk1 Octavia vRS, but a few conversations with car-nerd friends soon put me off the Mk1 and I discovered the budget would stretch to a decent Mk2. It didn't take long to find one with the right spec within 50 miles and a deal was struck. I really wanted a blue one but couldn't find one in the right spec at the right price. I am secretly glad I have a silver car as most people tend to ignore you and don't give the car a second look. Sometimes it's nice to be ignored!"
What I wish I'd known:
"Not a lot really, I'd done my research and spoken to a couple of specialists who advised me what to look out for. I knew the air conditioning compressors were prone to failure on this platform and I suspected that it had packed in on my car as I handed over the money, but I have a good AC tech who supplied and fitted a new compressor for less than half of what the dealer charges. Cambelts need to be changed every 40K miles or four years and a job that was overdue on my car. My local VW specialist fitted a new cambelt kit and a water pump for £315 using genuine VW group parts (and gave me a further discount for the same job on my wife's Mk5 Golf!)."
Fast, cheap, subtle, easy to mod ... what's not to
"The hardest question to answer is what do I love about the Octavia? After two years I have strangely not got to the love stage but there are a lot of things to like. The boot is vast, which is ideal when you play in a band (as I do) or take a trip to a well known Swedish flat-packed furniture store. It seats five in reasonable comfort and (mine) is well equipped with xenon lights, auto lights/wipers/dipping rear view mirror, electric windows all round, two zone climate control and all of the other things you'd expect in a modern car. Best of all it looks a bit like a taxi or a repmobile yet surprises very many other drivers of cars on the road that don't expect it to perform in the way that it does."
Things I hate:
"Who mentioned social meets with other owners?! I've been to a couple, they're alright but I think I'll remain selective about the ones I go to in future - PH Sunday Services are much more interesting! The biggest source of hate for me in the car is the off-white/grey Alcantara trim on the seats. It needs so much looking after as it picks up dirt from almost anywhere, especially dye transfer from blue jeans. This of course won't be a problem to those blow-dried and bouffanted, grasping on the 80s in stonewashed denim or, worse still, WHITE jeans but for those of us that have been shopping in the last decade, it does mean a bit of regular maintenance with the Alcantara cleaner. There have been a few other niggles that are annoying rather than anything else. The wiper stalk control for the trip computer has stopped working properly, I've got a spare but not got around to fitting it yet; the bonnet release inside the car has a habit of falling off as it looks like a previous owner has pulled too hard and stripped the splines that hold it on; one of the ABS speed sensors has also stopped working and there is a leak into the front passenger footwell (also another known problem). They're not major things and don't affect the use of the car on a daily basis but it would be nice if they didn't go wrong in the first place."
Costs:
"Costs to run are pretty good all things considered. I'm happy to say I think I bought well and it was a cheap car to begin with, certainly for the age and spec. Tax is £260 per year, economy varies from between 23 and 38 mpg (250 to 400 miles to a 50-litre fill) depending in how hard and where you drive the car. Virtually all of the mainstream insurers will provide cover for the car, it's currently insured through a specialist broker who provided cover with all modifications listed for nearly £200 less than the cheapest quote for the standard car. Parts are easy to source and not hugely expensive. Lots of parts are available from GSF or Euro Car Parts, everything else from Skoda or TPS. Lots of parts are of course interchangeable with the Golf Mk5 and there is a fairly plentiful supply of secondhand parts too.
"A basic service can be done at a main dealer for £129 but I entrust the care of the Skoda to Alex at AKS Tuning in Bedford www.akstuning.co.uk. Alex knows VAG platform cars inside out and I wouldn't go anywhere else."
Where I've been:
"Nowhere in particular as work has mostly got in the way. I fancied Le Mans this year with a couple of mates but we couldn't make it work. I've been to a couple of meets with other owners, most recently to a national forum meet. The Octavia made an excellent tracking vehicle on the trip down as I was hanging out of the passenger side grabbing shots of a good selection of other Skodas, standard and modded.
"I look forward to trying to get to Bedford or Blyton before the end of the good weather."
What next?
"Currently I have no plans to part with the car mainly because, well, what could you buy to replace it that offered the same experience for the money? A friend recently took me out in his 535d which was refreshingly rapid and a new twin-turbo 328i or an M135i is quite tempting too. For the time being, I'll keep the car and continue to enjoy it. A small selection of modifications (exhaust with sports cat, uprated fuel pump and corresponding map) has seen power rise to approx 260-270hp. I believe my local tame tuner currently has an uprated/hybrid turbo ready to fit which will be supported by another remap and should see 300+ hp. With the supporting handling mods and bigger brakes, it should keep me entertained for another 18 months at least!"
UPDATE
Since originally submitting his Carpool John has been in touch to say he went ahead with the turbo mod. He says: "The car now has a hybrid turbo from Beach Buggy Turbos, bigger intercooler and injectors fitted by AKS Tuning and corresponding software which has taken power to 319hp and a whopping 370 lb ft torque. It's a relatively easy turbo swap, simpler and more-cost effective than the common conversion to a K04 turbo (as found in the Audi S3 and Edition 30 Golf GTI), but with remarkably similar results."
Want to share your car with PHers on Carpool? Email us at carpool@pistonheads.com!
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