A rapid pootle back down the A12 again in my friend's very nice Octavia, now coming up to 50,000 miles and still feeling hewn from the solid. Most of its life is spent pootling in South London. I don't know how much fuel it uses but that low-pressure, modest-output petrol turbo while not quite a gem is a very nice unit indeed. Perhaps it would feel more of a gem when one got used to the location of its high torque band which seems quite narrow for a turbo engine.
It was a relief being allowed to drive because the owner, a very good and close friend of 50 years' standing, suffers from a restless right foot and is absent-minded, so often in the wrong gear. He's perfectly safe and competent but after a while I find my teeth being set on edge by slightly jerky progress that could be quite a bit quicker and just as economical. I caught him holding the car on the clutch at an uphill junction too and simply couldn't keep stum about it. He didn't mind of course.
The rumble of all the extra transmission machinery under the floor is still fairly subdued (i.e. not noticeable to the vast majority of people). A non-4X4 version would be a bit quieter and a bit quicker except of course in the wet. The temperature gauge still only works sporadically, loose sender connection probably. The car has given virtually no trouble in two years.
If you are looking for that sort of car and find a good one of these, it comes very highly recommended by me.
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Of course I recommended him to buy it a couple of years ago after checking what HJ had to say and asking here (most posts were favourable).
So perhaps I am preaching to the converted. Reasonable thing to do on a Sunday don't you think? So read this again tomorrow.
:o}
Edited by Lud on 04/04/2009 at 20:04
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I always like the old 1.8T in my Golf, Passat and briefly an Audi A4. Only 150bhp and about 205 lbft torque.
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A 160 bhp 1.8T is now an option in the new Octavia.
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Had a loan of an Audi A4 Avant with the 1.8T engine a while back. Sweet engine. Bit thirsty I thought but nice. Drove a similar model soon after with the 2.5 diesel. Probably quicker but nose heavy and not as pleasing to me anyway, as the smaller petrol engine.
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VW did low capacity turbos back in 1998.... now all seem to follow ;-)
Okay my 1.8T Passat emitted, I think, 192g/km of CO2 and the equivalent power/torque 1.4TSi is a lot lower. But we're talking a 1999 car (got mine in 2000).
Interesting what I get next with the new 1.6 Turbo petrol engines in Fords
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Having got rid of the Skoda I can say that with the benefit of hindsight that they are as good as people say the are. The dealers are fine (better than the VW one in the same group by a country mile). The car took on over 20k with no problem other than an erratic tickover (irritatingly spelt "irratic" on the job sheet/invoice) which wasn't cured (told to wait for it to "fail") - I only got rid of it because of changed needs - The CRV does feel a lot more car for the extra money, the only howevers being the odd minor control layout thing.
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I could still be tempted by a VRS Octavia estate I think. If only they were slightly bigger. I had a hired one ( not a VRS but whatever the semi-luxurious one is ) and found the loadspace tight for my needs. Having said that, I guess you learn to live with things if you want to.
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Getting a vRS estate on Thursday and will let you know how we get on. It's essentially a Golf GTI (GTD in my case) with the estate body. I'd have thought it had as much space for luggage as a Signum, but not of course as much as a Mondeo.
I went against most people's advice in the 'I don't need a new car but...' thread - a perversely satisfying feeling although the advice was excellent! I would do a deal only if I could spend per month more or less what I'm paying now: it's £15 more but I'm getting a faster and quieter car. If I'd been able to put up with the battleship grey colour and full leather seats of the current limited edition, I could have had it for slightly less per month than now.
Sorry - slightly off topic as this is neither 1.8T nor 4x4. I hope I'll be forgiven....
Edited by Avant on 05/04/2009 at 17:11
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Sounds good. Look forward to hearing how you get on with it. Always quietly liked that model. They seem to go quite well from what I've seen.....
What colour did you specify ?
Hope you enjoy it !
;-)
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The Octy Mark 1 4x4 150 1.8T is quite a rare car and IMHO an impresive one, being quite a q car. Isn't it a Haldex clutch unit that only feeds power to the rear wheels when needed? There is a lass who comes to my local Briskoda meets who searched for a long time for one and now as a 5 door. A very unassuming looking car but she states it's brilliant on the country roads in her native Eire when she goes back
I'll probably plump for an Octy next but don't know whether to get the 170 CR, TFSI, 1.8 TFSI or even the little 1.4 which seems to get very good reports. Despite all the stuff about Diesels no longer being viable, the VRS Diesel seems to hold its value much better.
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I like VAG cars so next time (now our company scheme now lets me choose them again).... I will seriously consider an Octavia (a few years away though) and possibly with the 1.4TSI or 1.8TSI.
PS I know it's not the same 1.8T of old.
Edited by rtj70 on 05/04/2009 at 20:14
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I'm also considering an Octavia to replace the A3. I could do with a slightly larger hatchback, but not as large as a Mondeo and this fits the bill. I've had a sit in one and it's well specced - even the handbrake is set for RHD!
1.4TSi DSG is the one I'm waiting to test drive - on paper it virtually matches figure for figure the 2.0TDi 140 (apart from torque), but is £3,000 cheaper.
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Isn't it a Haldex clutch unit that only feIsn't it a Haldex clutch unit that only feeds power to the rear wheels when needed? eds power to the rear wheels when needed?
I do believe it is mattbod. It cut in once the first time I drove that car, coming out of a wet roundabout. Amazing.
But I would be afraid of overfamiliarity getting one into trouble one day.
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Humph - being quite happy to wait a few months, I said to the dealer (Jewsons of Oxford) 'find me a Race Blue one and if there isn't one in the country I'll do a factory order for September'.
Funny how that can galvanise a dealer - naturally they found one in Race Blue. Certainly there have been none of the problems that others have had in the 'difficult to buy a car' thread.
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That's the best colour. Saw one like that in the car park at Oulton Park in amongst the Cheshire exotica. Held its head high in my view.
You'll be looking like a bit of a sporty old Hector for a couple of years, good for you !
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Nice to know that - I always think that in the story of the Trojan war Hector was worth two of Achilles.
(Motoring connection - Trojans were rather primitive cars and vans msde between the wars - the vans were still used by Walls to deliver ice-creams till the 1950s).
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I've fond memories of the 1.8T engine in one of its first incarnations, when fitted to the A3 mk1 1.8T - hope it doesn't appear too arch italicising my own pun btw!
I loved it - plenty of oomphh (for 1998 anyway..) , with economy around the 30-40mpg mark - dependent upon journey type. It was the torquiest thing of its size - even amongst many contemporary TDI diesels - with very pleasing 5th gear acceleration for the M-way. What shines most brightly really though, was its low weight - diesel pull, with 4 cylinder petrol-engine lightness. It also seemed that its relative understressed-ness lent it quite a smooth demeanour with no (perceptible to me,anyway) turbo lag. I could quite happily buy similar again
Edited by woodbines on 06/04/2009 at 09:35
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