Which vehicle should i go for ?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Fri 21 Feb 2025 11:08
Which vehicle should i go for ? - iphammer

I'm currently using a lease vehicle for personal usage and have the option to buy it before the end of the lease.

It's a Vrs Skoda Octavia 2021 model with 83k miles on the clock. It's a diesel with a DSG gearbox ( price I've been offered from the lease company is £16k )

It has full service history and recently passed the MOT however it has been in the garage quite a bit over the past 3 years with various problems ( its had the battery changed, battery module changed, gear selector changed and alternator belt changed) and recently I've had a gearbox fault light come on.

It is going into the garage next week to have the gear box serviced so hopefully they can sort out any problems with it.

I am thinking of either buying it or buying a VW Transporter kombi or Ford Transit crew van.

Out of

Skoda Octavia vrs , Ford Transit crew van and VW transporter kombi which one would you recommend buying ? My budget is £17k

It needs to be automatic as my partner will be driving it. She passed her test with an automatic car so can only drive automatics!

We have 2 kids and love to go camping and thinking of doing a european tour this year so we need something with a big boot and also ULEZ compliant.

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Fri 21 Feb 2025 11:42
Which vehicle should i go for ? - badbusdriver

TBH, I wouldn't be that keen on any of them.

The Octavia because of the issues you have already had, the fact that it is a DSG (although the one fitted here will be the stringer wet belt version, I still wouldn't have a lot of faith, especially since you've already had problems with it) and the fact that it is a VRS (Huge alloys with ultra low profile tyres are, IMO, madness given the state of UK roads)

The Transporter because they are a victim of their own popularity. What I mean by this is that they are considered so desirable (for a van), your budget will land you something older/higher miles/worse condition than a less trendy alternative. Also, the auto is a DSG, presumably the same as the one in your Octavia.

The Transit because this will (I'm fairly sure, but not 100% certain) will have a wet belt. I'm also pretty certain the auto will be a DCT (same type as the DSG) of some description. Reliability of which can be very patchy and can very much depend on how previous owners have treated them (they don't tolerate abuse very well), which isn't something you can find out very easily if buying a 2nd hand vehicle.

My suggestion for an estate would be the Toyota Corolla/Suzuki Swace (same car, different badge). These are hybrids and only come as auto, but whereas the Corolla can be had with the 1.8 or more powerful 2.0, the Swace only gets the 1.8. But unlikely anything will go wrong and in the case of the Corolla, the warranty will be automatically extended annually up to 10 years provided it is dealer serviced.

As an alternative to the Transit/Transporter, not sure how it fairs with ULEZ, but I'd be thinking of a Hyundai i800. Remove the 3rd row seats and you've all the space you are likely to need.

But maybe something like this could work: 202410044828561

That is the Citroen Brlingo, but there is also the Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life, essentially the same vehicle barring badges and some trim differences (and you also get LWB visions)

Edited by badbusdriver on 21/02/2025 at 11:43

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Fri 21 Feb 2025 12:00
Which vehicle should i go for ? - Adampr

Of the three, I would buy the Transit. Transporters are horrendously overpriced and the Octavia is obviously a bit of a lemon.

However, given the choice, I wouldn't buy the Transit either. If an Octavia would do the job, I can't see why you would take the risk on a van

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Fri 21 Feb 2025 12:02
Which vehicle should i go for ? - RT

Whilst I understand your recommendation of a Toyota, the Corolla estate is significantly smaller than the Octavia estate, particularly in rear seat room - even bigger though is the Skoda Superb estate.

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Fri 21 Feb 2025 13:07
Which vehicle should i go for ? - badbusdriver

Whilst I understand your recommendation of a Toyota, the Corolla estate is significantly smaller than the Octavia estate, particularly in rear seat room - even bigger though is the Skoda Superb estate.

While I haven't sat in the back of either, given the Corolla estate* has a (slightly) longer wheelbase, I struggle to see how the Octavia can have significantly more room in the back?.

*The estate has an extra 60mm over the hatch

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Fri 21 Feb 2025 13:20
Which vehicle should i go for ? - RT

Whilst I understand your recommendation of a Toyota, the Corolla estate is significantly smaller than the Octavia estate, particularly in rear seat room - even bigger though is the Skoda Superb estate.

While I haven't sat in the back of either, given the Corolla estate* has a (slightly) longer wheelbase, I struggle to see how the Octavia can have significantly more room in the back?.

*The estate has an extra 60mm over the hatch

I'm 5'11" - with the front seat set for me I was cramped in the back of a Corolla estate but plenty of room in an Octavia Estate - I think the Octavia estate has more boot space as well.

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Fri 21 Feb 2025 17:29
Which vehicle should i go for ? - Adampr

Whilst I understand your recommendation of a Toyota, the Corolla estate is significantly smaller than the Octavia estate, particularly in rear seat room - even bigger though is the Skoda Superb estate.

While I haven't sat in the back of either, given the Corolla estate* has a (slightly) longer wheelbase, I struggle to see how the Octavia can have significantly more room in the back?.

*The estate has an extra 60mm over the hatch

I'm 5'11" - with the front seat set for me I was cramped in the back of a Corolla estate but plenty of room in an Octavia Estate - I think the Octavia estate has more boot space as well.

Yeah, they're not great in the back. We often have them as airport taxis and I'm always amazed how cramped it is. I think it's because the front seats are incredibly thick (which must be nice if you're in the front).

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Fri 21 Feb 2025 21:19
Which vehicle should i go for ? - Big John

I'm 5'11" - with the front seat set for me I was cramped in the back of a Corolla estate but plenty of room in an Octavia Estate - I think the Octavia estate has more boot space as well.

It all depends on the height of the driver, I'm 6ft 4" and strangely I'm more than comfortable driving the Swace(aka Corolla Touring Sports) but I wouldn't like to sit behind me. The 596l boot is great and we go camping with a rather large inflatable tent (30+kg). With boot floor in the higher position with the seats down it's totally flat all the way to the front seats with no boot lip. The underfloor space is surprisingly useful - when camping I manage to secrete three big camping chairs and and an electric barbecue under the floor!! The infotainment / safety gubbins just works - look that up for recent Skoda's, it's the main reason I moved from the brand.

In the Octavia I'm ok but possibly could do with one more notch backwards and my elbow can clash with the B pillar. Great boot but seats don't fold fully flat - not important of course if you are transporting children. Octavia has basic functions on a touch screen - Mrs BJ is a fully paid up member of the Luddite society so that was a no for us! VRS sounds fun though!!!

Superb is truly amazing except for one thing - Mrs BJ finds it too big to drive.

Don't be scared to take your family and some "stuff" to the test drive - I did!

Edited by Big John on 21/02/2025 at 21:42

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Sat 22 Feb 2025 15:08
Which vehicle should i go for ? - Engineer Andy

I'm 5'11" - with the front seat set for me I was cramped in the back of a Corolla estate but plenty of room in an Octavia Estate - I think the Octavia estate has more boot space as well.

It all depends on the height of the driver, I'm 6ft 4" and strangely I'm more than comfortable driving the Swace(aka Corolla Touring Sports) but I wouldn't like to sit behind me. The 596l boot is great and we go camping with a rather large inflatable tent (30+kg). With boot floor in the higher position with the seats down it's totally flat all the way to the front seats with no boot lip. The underfloor space is surprisingly useful - when camping I manage to secrete three big camping chairs and and an electric barbecue under the floor!! The infotainment / safety gubbins just works - look that up for recent Skoda's, it's the main reason I moved from the brand.

In the Octavia I'm ok but possibly could do with one more notch backwards and my elbow can clash with the B pillar. Great boot but seats don't fold fully flat - not important of course if you are transporting children. Octavia has basic functions on a touch screen - Mrs BJ is a fully paid up member of the Luddite society so that was a no for us! VRS sounds fun though!!!

Superb is truly amazing except for one thing - Mrs BJ finds it too big to drive.

Don't be scared to take your family and some "stuff" to the test drive - I did!

Quite right on that last bit of advice - when I bought my Mazda3 saloon way back in 2006, I brought all my holiday luggage (empty, of course), box for provisions, golf bag and trolley in its box so I could see which cars it all fitted into without having to either put the rear seats down or take out the parcel shelf (hatchbacks).

That car was the only one I was looking at where it fitted in without a problem. All the dealers (from all the makes I looked at) were fine about me trying...after I showed them all the items were clean and not sharp. Job done.

It's amazing how many people don't check the boot size, rear space for passengers or even bother to properly adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel in order to get the most accurate representation of the driving/ownership experience.

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Sat 22 Feb 2025 11:56
Which vehicle should i go for ? - SLO76
I wouldn’t touch a VAG car with a DSG box outside of the original manufacturer warranty, they’re hugely complex and prone to vehicle life ending failures. I’d hand it back.

Be careful buying a used commercial vehicle, most are offloaded when they’re no longer economically viable. The Transit is murder for engine problems, you’ll see loads of them putting out plumes of blue smoke on most motorways these days. We run a fleet of them as school minibuses and they’re always going wrong. The only VW we tried was an automatic and had to be sold on as it was off the road too often.

I’d suggest a rethink.
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