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[Closed] Should I buy or avoid this car?

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Having just joined Octavia estate ownership (a lowly 1.6tdi Elegance), I thought the OP was mad to change, as pound for pound the Skoda is up there with the best cars I’ve owned. However, a quick look at the spec and the VW surprisingly seems to have a similar boot capacity and yes, the seating position is pretty low in the Skoda. Must be a fair whack on the cost to change though?

As previously said, buy on condition. My 17 plate 40k Grand Picasso looks and feels worse than my 75k 65 plate Skoda. But there again it’s French tat.


 
Posted : 01/01/2022 9:07 pm
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Yes, early DQ250 gearboxs were prone to this but this was sorted out with software updates and they are pretty solid now. Surprised at no one wanting to replace the clutch, it’s not any more difficult than doing one on a manual car.

Mine was a 2017 model so already had the updated software.
I tried various Skoda, VW, Audi, and independent garages. None were interested in carrying out the work. I'd only buy another if I knew of a dealer who could do the work for a sensible price.


 
Posted : 01/01/2022 9:10 pm
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Can’t wait till I’m in my 60’s to get an suv type vehicle. Easier access due to mobility 😉

Mid 50’s here, wife a good bit younger and we both rate it. Don’t knock till you’ve tried it…


 
Posted : 01/01/2022 9:14 pm
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I dislike SUVs because they don’t offer any appreciable increase in space against their equivalents and are dynamically flawed not because of their effect on baby robins but I understand they are very popular. Inexplicable to me but I’m prepared to accept tastes do differ. 🤣

I agree. I loved the shape of my old Skoda Yeti as it offered a lot of space for a small chassis. The current trend is bulky cars at the chassis with a small roof, so much less usable space. My Berlingo still has a small chassis compared to most SUVs yet It has so much more space inside. Also the most comfortable car I've driven.


 
Posted : 01/01/2022 9:25 pm
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Still can't believe current second hand prices. I paid less than that 3.5 years ago for a new Skoda Superb 1.4Tsi estate with a few options and first two services free. Would have been under £18k if I had wanted standard Skoda flat blue paint.


 
Posted : 01/01/2022 9:28 pm
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Still can’t believe current second hand prices. I paid less than that 3.5 years ago for a new Skoda Superb 1.4Tsi estate with a few options and first two services free. Would have been under £18k if I had wanted standard Skoda flat blue paint.

To be fair you can't really compare an £18k bottom of the range model (guessing S spec superb) with a £30k+ car, before options.

That Tiguan was £30k plus new, so was my superb. Both are worth more currently than yours was when new, but then they both cost over £12k more when new...

Expensive car is still expensive shocker!

The cheapest superb estate is now £28k! An equivalent to mine would be £43k.

Not saying car prices aren't crazy, but so are new car prices. But like house prices, you don't really benefit unless you're selling up and not buying another car.


 
Posted : 01/01/2022 10:06 pm
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b) I’m just pointing out that £600 is a lot for discs, as you also should know. I’ve not mentioned spanners at all.

BMW 3 series with M-Sport brakes (bigger than standard)
Front - £570 at BMW (car failed its MOT and I'd no choice, but they knocked me £100 off)
Rear - £385 at my local Indy (quality parts)

I’ve noticed a tendency for some people in certain saloons and hatchbacks to have the seats set really low, whenever I’ve got in to drive them I can barely see over the top of the steering wheel! BMW’s in particular seem to be very prone to this.

That'd be me, but then I'm tall - you also probably couldn't reach my pedals either 🙂


 
Posted : 01/01/2022 10:40 pm
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@ta11pau1

Not the bottom. A SE with the 150hp version of the 1.4Tsi engine. I got £4k off list. Expensive cars will be more expensive second hand. True, but when buying my budget was up to £25k but I couldn't see what value I was getting for the extra cash for a Mondeo, Passat, etc. Anyway. nearly 4 years on and my depreciation going byb WBAC valuation is £4k. Happy with that.

As shown by this thread more exensive does not mean fewer issues down the road.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/87486/best-used-estate-cars


 
Posted : 02/01/2022 10:47 am
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I wouldn’t be buying a newish car of any sort unless I really really had to at the moment as the prices are bonkers. Waiting lists for new cars are close to being measured in years now so nearly new/warrantied cars are selling for crazy money.

I am waiting 8 months for a new Octavia through work and people on the Skoda forums are saying they are being quoted 12 months wait now for some models. Electric vehicles are sometimes a little faster as they are being prioritised but there’s not much in it.

Buying a nearly new (maybe up to 5yo) car now at the peak of the market might mean a massive depreciation once the supply chain gets back to normal in a couple of years.


 
Posted : 02/01/2022 11:16 am
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Expensive cars will be more expensive second hand.

My FB marketplace feed is full of Mercs and Passats and there's not a lot in it. Which is the main reason I didn't sell the Merc on in the first place. A grand or so cheaper for a Passat or 10 or 15k fewer miles.

That said when I went back to TCW they had a 2017 Insignia with low miles for only a bit more than the 2014 Merc was. So I guess Vauxhall's are less desirable than VWs.


 
Posted : 02/01/2022 12:55 pm
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"Pretty sure Subaru don’t make brake pads. You just need third party components of good quality and the correct size. It could be that the supplier is claiming the pads fit that particular model but they don’t really fit properly."

No, Subaru pobably don't make them, but they do sell them, in little boxes labelled "Subaru Genuine parts". The people who make them have to stick to Subaru's specs or they're out on their ear...
Brembo probably don't make their cheap "OE spec pads", available from Euro Car Parts and other motor factors either, and they clearly don't check they are actually the same. Not an area I will be economising on again!


 
Posted : 02/01/2022 3:51 pm
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Then there are cars like the Porsche Macan and Cayenne, and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, if you really want to debate the driving dynamics of SUV’s…

The driving dynamics of all of the above would be improved by reducing the weight and lowering the centre of gravity. They're all more than good enough for what they are though and how they're used. I still think SUV's are wasteful and unnecessarily more dangerous to other road users than lighter and lower cars.


 
Posted : 02/01/2022 5:45 pm
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It was £300 on my Passat or £350 with the pump at the main dealer.

About £300 with pump at my local high quality independent last year. Rear discs were done a couple of years ago, can't recall the price but certainly nothing that would suggest £600 for 4.

I'm in the "estate better than SUV" myself. Boot floor always seems shorter in an SUV with the back seats up, but that's probably not an issue for most. I needed to get a cello in a hard case in the back with the luggage cover pulled over!

Anyway I would accept that some service items are likely to be necessary on any car you buy depending on the price, but I would at least want the fuel filler flap fixed.


 
Posted : 02/01/2022 8:12 pm
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Just to update this thread.

We went and had another look at the white one that I had concerns about and decided that the little niggles weren't to bad. The discs had been cleaned up and it test drove really well.

Unfortunately we noticed that the bumper had been really poorly repaired so that, combined with the fact the fact there was only one key and also the dealer wasn't willing to do the cambelt, put us off.

We then went to see a couple more, one was decent looking outside but inside was completely mouldy, I mean absolutely covered in it.

The newest one we looked at was at Evans halshaw and was battered. Same age as our Octavia but looked like it had had a hard life.

We finally found a nice clean one at VW that was in budget. Paid a bit more but got two years warranty and a few other things added too. It drove lovely and had obviously been looked after.

Collect it next Saturday.


 
Posted : 03/01/2022 10:18 pm
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Good to know you found something you like and had the confidence to step away from the others.

On the dsg front I just thought I'd clear up some confusion further beck in the thread. Someone mentioned that a 2.0 had wet clutch unless it was a newer one. Nope. The later 7 speed boxes on the 2.0 (diesel or petrol) are still wet clutch (dq380). Only get dry clutch on 1.6 or smaller unless it's a GTE or equivalent where it's a modified version of the dq250 (dq400e I think). The hybrid box has the same service regime as the dq250 at 40k miles. DQ380 is sometimes quoted at 80k miles. Audi interval are slightly shorter (36k and probably 74k as it's double).

Edit: dq200 (the dry clutch variant) has no official service interval. Plenty have had it done though. Usually anything from 40-100k going in the forum chatter.


 
Posted : 03/01/2022 10:58 pm
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Only get dry clutch on 1.6 or smaller unless it’s a GTE or equivalent where it’s a modified version of the dq250 (dq400e I think). The hybrid box has the same service regime as the dq250 at 40k miles

DQ250 as you pointed out is dry clutch so doesn't have any service regime unlike the wet clutch DSGs that are at 40k/80k miles to do oil change.


 
Posted : 03/01/2022 11:02 pm
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DQ250 as you pointed out is dry clutch

Dq200 is dry. Dq250 is wet. I may have not made it totally clear. Apologies for that.

Up to 1.6 = dq200 (dry clutch with no official service interval)
2.0 and over = dq250/380/381 (wet clutch with 40 or 80k interval)
1.4 phev = dq400e (wet clutch as per dq250)
1.8 Polo GTi = dq200 (other 1.8s may have had wet clutch or torque converter)


 
Posted : 03/01/2022 11:38 pm
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Dq200 is dry. Dq250 is wet. I may have not made it totally clear. Apologies for that

No apologies neccessary, I did mean to type DQ200. Really need to check what I'm typing before posting...


 
Posted : 04/01/2022 12:03 am
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My car has the DQ200 and it broke when the car was 4 years old, nobody wants less than 2k to fix it. It gets stuck in the even gears and sometimes gets stuck in second gear only but the repair is half the value of the car so really pretty pissed off and just lived with it for nearly 2 years by parking and restarting the engine to reset it.

I'd avoid in future, once bitten twice shy and all that.


 
Posted : 04/01/2022 8:19 am
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Been and collected the car today. Very happy with how we were treated by VW. The whole process was very smooth and the car is absolutely lovely to drive.

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/1zwXs8HK/IMG-20220108-153037.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/1zwXs8HK/IMG-20220108-153037.jp g"/> [/img][/url]


 
Posted : 08/01/2022 4:44 pm
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Try finding it in the car park...


 
Posted : 08/01/2022 8:51 pm
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I’d be happy to lose it in the car park and never find it again

What a piece of automotive shyte


 
Posted : 08/01/2022 9:23 pm
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I’d be happy to lose it in the car park and never find it again

What a piece of automotive shyte

I wish you'd take a minute to share your thought process in deciding to post that comment, I'm genuinely interested.


 
Posted : 08/01/2022 9:35 pm
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Looks a good un Renton, enjoy!


 
Posted : 08/01/2022 10:31 pm
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Agreed, enjoy your new car!


 
Posted : 08/01/2022 11:34 pm
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Needs a 3D cherished plate for maximum school run mundaneness.


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 10:16 am
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…… because a Citan is the epitome of edginess!


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 10:28 am
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Some place this. Guy gets a new car, presumably really pleased with it, posts it up and gets ripped for it - and it doesn't seem good natured either 😂


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 11:37 am
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because a Citan is the epitome of edginess!

Lol, my citan is bloody ugly, but its a tool, nothing more! 🤣

Seeking 'edginess' from a method of transport 😬🤣


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 11:48 am
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Everyone's entitled to an opinion I suppose, although the keyboard warrior style shown a bit above doesn't really shine any light on anything other than the writer 😉

Cars are either hugely emotive or there not. I don't like the SUV things personally but that doesn't mean it won't be good for those that choose them.

I believe that there are very few 'bad' cars built in the last 10 or so years. Choose one that fits your needs and you like and be happy in the fact it isn't likely to break down or fail.

When I were a lad it was more or less guaranteed your second hand car would fail within 2 weeks of buying it, no matter what car it was (90s, buying cars made in the 80s) 🤣


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 11:49 am
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This suits my current needs quite well to be honest.

My back and knees are pretty shot after years under jets etc and getting in the Octavia was a job in itself as it's quite low down. So the more upright position is lots better. Plus this model has a driver's massage seat which is pretty cool.

I'm also doing more miles with my job so the switch to a diesel is ideal.

I'm also visiting some more remote sites with work and some of the tracks down to these sites used to make me wince in the Octavia for fear of potholes or hitting the front lip. Tiguan is higher up better.

I know it's not to everyone's taste but I quite like it.


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 1:01 pm
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Haven’t read entire thread. Did you go for the petrol or diesel?


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 1:10 pm
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Haven’t read entire thread. Did you go for the petrol or diesel?

The entire thread? You haven't even read the post immediately before yours!


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 1:30 pm
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Renton, sounds exactly like how I ended up with this last month

https://flic.kr/p/2mKPCfM

Higher driving position than my Mondeo, way more ground clearance. I'm getting in and out of random fields, forests, hills etc. The Mondeo was grounding out way too often.

Sometimes things just make sense.

Looks ace fella, enjoy it


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 4:00 pm
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You’re right I didn’t. Must get a bigger screen on the next phone. Good engine, I had the 2.0 Tdi 185bhp Leon 65 plate but with a 6sp manual. Traded it in as it needed a cambelt change after 5 yrs. Wanted an auto for my wife so went for a X1 diesel.


 
Posted : 09/01/2022 7:24 pm
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