Skoda Fabia or Octavia?

[jonspectre]

I’m looking to get a second car to take some miles of my daily, which is leased and will incur some significant over mileage charges due to a change in role.

I’ve done the math, and a second car is more cost effective, especially as I may well keep it once the lease car has been returned to revisit bangernomics, probably joined by a motorbike.

I think I’ve decided on the VAG 1.9 TDi lump, and Skoda seem not to have the price premium that Audi and, to a lesser extent, VW have.

My choices at my chosen budget (£2.5k) with this engine seem to be the Fabia with the PD100 engine, possibly the vRS with the PD130 or an Octavia with the non PD 110 or PD130.

I like the idea of the Fabia, as the running costs should be buttons - insurance and tax is dead cheap, it’ll do 55-60mpg and consumables seem cheap; decent tyres for £45 a pop? Happy days. Downside is it looks like the sort of car my gran would drive, if she were alive. However, I’m not too worried about image these days!

That said, I can’t help be slightly drawn to the Mk1 Octavia. It is, in my mind, quite a handsome car if kept clean and in good condition, albeit somewhat bland. I’ve spotted a couple of low mileage Laurin and Klement models with heated moo, etc. and although the running costs might be slightly higher, I can’t help think they might be a little or more of a pleasant place to be. The old non-PD models can also run on veg oil, which is an experiment I’d like to do although not convinced I’ll be bothered with the faff.

I do about 14k a year, but in the first year I only expect to do 4-5k in the car before it takes over main duties.

So - Octavia or Fabia?

[ScoobyChris]

Had a Fabia of that era and sadly didn’t live up to the “German” build quality and reliability. On that basis I’d pick the Octavia, although my brother’s Octavia also didn’t live up to the “German” build quality and reliability.

How about a Focus?

Chris

[crankedup]

Our fabia 1.9tdi of 2003 vintage is still going strong on 211,000 miles. Never had any major problems and only spent money on the consumables. It looks like a complete heap with parking scrapes and dents but is utterly reliable.

[Mr Tidy]

I like the idea of a Fabia VRs, but I think if I was going to be racking up loads of commuting or business miles I think an Octavia with the highest spec I could find would be a nicer place to be.

[ZX10R NIN]

Sounds like a mad idea but I'd recommend the 1.9d 8V in the Alfa 147/Grande Punto they're every bit as good as the Skoda offerings & if you go for the Alfa you'll get a nicely equipped one too:

Alfa 147 Lusso

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Grande Punto

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

The Focus is the sensible answer:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

C30 D5

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[jonspectre]

And there I was thinking i had narrowed the choice down!

The trouble with some of those posted is that they are the lot more modern and quite complex engines, no? DPFs and so on. The appeal of a simple if slightly (!) agricultural diesel is strong, albeit I am quite taken with the aubergine Focus!!

[ZX10R NIN]

The thing is the DPF would only be if you're not doing the miles but if you are then it's not an issue.

[RazerSauber]

I can't say for Skoda or any of the VAG group but I know that the difference between sitting on a 2004 Astra and 2004 Vectra are worlds apart, Vectra was a far superior place to be. Same with a 2007 Focus and 2004 Mondeo, the Mondeo was a much nicer place to be. I get the feeling that the more premium car at the time would be a nicer place to sit for 15k miles per year. I could be totally wrong, I have never driven a Fabia or Octavia.

[Down and out]

I take it we're talking MK1 fabia?
I wouldn't want to do 14k a year in one, go for Octavia.

[Mr Tidy]

Back in late 2004 I got promoted to a role that came with a company car, or car allowance.

Nothing on the company car list appealed so I took the allowance and in January 2005 I bought a 2004 BMW E46 320td, which was the most powerful 2 litre diesel around at the time with 150 bhp. As I found out coming back from a training course with a colleague who had an Alfa 147 with "just" 140 bhp.

And in 3 years I did 42,000 miles, so 14,000 a year!

It averaged 47.8 mpg in that time and being Euro 4 had no DPF.

I replaced it in January 2008 with a 2007 123d that had 201 bhp, but did have a DPF. Mind you it was quick, but probably wouldn't be in budget - still over 81K miles it averaged 48.7 mpg!