Decision time....

[Steve vRS]

Should I have an diesel Octavia vRS estate or pay an extra £100 per month and have a 320D M Sport? I'd also have to keep the BMW for an extra year than the 'Tavia.

I know I can have a 10 year old 911 for the same money but it will be a family hack and replacement for a company car so I need it to do 20k per year at reasonable costs.

I know I can have a 1.6 generic VAG diesel that will be even cheaper but I've narrowed the choice down to these two. And Golf GTDs, although nice, are too small

Steve

[kambites]

For 20k miles a year, I'd go for the BMW. They are appreciably quieter and more refined than the Octavia.

[RobM77]

BMW every time. The new Octavia's very wobbly and the BMW is in a different league handling wise, plus it's faster, more comfortable etc (and maybe more economical too?). I think it's definitely worth the extra £100, but that's just me - I prioritise driving over anything else. The Octavia though probably has more interior space, you'll get less road rage and it'll make all the PH image centered snobs happier (they'll be along soon to tell you that the 'badge' does nothing for them on the BMW).

Edited by RobM77 on Friday 16th January 12:20

[andburg]

I'd take the Octavia and pocket the cash, BMW badge does nothing for me on a white goods car to go wshopping / commute in.

assuming this is a 2 year and 3 year lease..at the end of Skoda you could be £2400 in pocket and ordering a new car/

[kambites]

The BMW is only faster in a standing start; it's heavier and less powerful, it just has more traction.

[conkerman]

Octavia and a nice meal once a month.

[RobM77]

kambites said:

The BMW is only faster in a standing start; it's heavier and less powerful, it just has more traction.

Fair enough - I didn't look it up (ETA: see below). My choice would be based on the handling, and that's quite a massive difference between the two cars imho. Your point about the low noise is also very relevant, but I do do a lot of motorway miles and not everyone does. Everyone's different though, if you buy on badge then most would avoid the BMW; or of course if the £100 a month is worth more to you, which is fair enougha as it's quite a lot of money for most of us.

ETA: I've just looked it up and the figures are Skoda is 181bhp and 1407kg, BMW is 181bhp and 1420kg for the saloon and 1495kg for the estate. There's barely anything in it performance wise to be honest.

Edited by RobM77 on Friday 16th January 12:38

[jon-]

I've a M135i and my dad has the petrol VRS which I've driven a lot.

The VRS is a nice car, goes well, but compared to the M135i it's over stiff, uncomfortable over a long distance and noisey. I'd imagine a 320 M sport would be even more refined than my 1 series, so I'd suggest going for an extended test drive in both before jumping at the savings.

[gizlaroc]

Go and drive them back to back, I looked at a Yeti and Octavia on the silly cheap lease deals back in October, I just wanted something cheap for racking 15k miles a year in to sit along side the ML and Z3.

I will be honest, I thought the Octavia looked really nice, well put together, and a nice interior. However, as soon as I drove it it reminded me of the Audi A4s I used to buy, it just felt....I don't know, not solid, the whole of the car felt hollow when you went over a bump, you could feel the hollowness through the steering wheel and the front wheels scrabbled for grip pulling out of a busy roundabout that was damp. I had forgot the Audis did that a lot.

It was £170 a month including vat with only £800 deposit, so would have been ideal, but I knew I would have been bored after a few weeks.

I ended up looking at 3 and 5 series tourings and got an X3.

The 3 series is very nice to drive imho, softened up a bit compared with the E90 and E46, but then the same was said after the e36 and e30 before that, but it is still a really nice everyday car to drive, and the 20d is surprisingly quick, the fact it can hold its speed in corners helps a lot.

The other one I really liked was the 125d M-Sport, it was only £240 a month including vat with £750 down, that was with media pack as well, and was great. Just that I wanted auto and there was no stock left at that price in auto guise.

But take them out back to back and decide, there is huge difference in the way they feel.

[mightymouse]

Don't you get P11D taxed on the list price of whatever the car is though ?
Just a thought

[gizlaroc]

'...replacement for a company car......'

[TurboHatchback]

I'd pick the Skoda even if they were the same price, for £100 a month less it would be a no-brainer for me.

[Triumph Man]

"Steve320d" doesn't have the same ring to it as "StevevRS"

[anonymous-user]

I'd have the 320D. I've drive both through work and the 3 series is not subtly and slightly better than the Octavia as an Audi A4 is, it's in a different league in terms of the engine, chassis and more importantly for 20K a year the seats. The Octavia gives me and other colleagues who have to use it terrible back pain that lasts for days, which no other car has ever done to me.

Yes they are all 2 litre 4 banger diesels, but the BMW is easily the best of the breed.

[anonymous-user]

Does the Skoda have a far better standard spec? We had an E91 320D M Sport that had everything you need, but when I started to look at the current M Sport models it does seem that lots of things are extra.

[Steve vRS]

andrewparker said:

Does the Skoda have a far better standard spec? We had an E91 320D M Sport that had everything you need, but when I started to look at the current M Sport models it does seem that lots of things are extra.

Both are well equipped. The BMW has has leather sports seats and sat nav over the Skoda. Of course it is RWD but is smaller.

For the record, it would be my third vRS but I currently drive an E90 320D Efficient Dynamics.

The Skoda would be a personal lease, the BMW a PCP purchase.

Steve

[gizlaroc]

TurboHatchback said:

I'd pick the Skoda even if they were the same price, for £100 a month less it would be a no-brainer for me.

But you are driving a 4.2 A6, which is hand on heart the worst car I have ever owned, beaten only by the 4.2 S4 avant that I thought would be better.

So you obviously have a VAG fettish or a BMW hang up??

[Eth2312]

After running a Skoda for 2 years now (with 1 year left to run on the lease) and I'll be honest, whilst its a great car in general, after 2 years of solid use (circa 20k per year) its lost the shine it once had for me, its still a great car and I would recommend it but for myself personally, I am already looking forward to the time it comes to change.

Its relatively economical to run, servicing costs are very reasonable and insurance is less than expected but for me now, when its sat there on the drive I don't have that enthusiasm I used to have when I first got it, you get this with most cars over time I know but with the Skoda it seems to have lost more of it's shine than that of previous cars I've run.

(Worth factoring if you prefer manual or auto, it you want auto I'd go for the BMW)

[billzeebub]

Both good cars. It's really down to what works for you n the test drive. I would have the BMW

[Steve vRS]

andburg said:

I'd take the Octavia and pocket the cash, BMW badge does nothing for me on a white goods car to go wshopping / commute in.

assuming this is a 2 year and 3 year lease..at the end of Skoda you could be £2400 in pocket and ordering a new car/

I'd expect the BMW to be worth more than the residual value after 4 years. Anyone any idea what a 4 year old 320D Touring is worth?

Steve