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New vRS diesel? - woodster
Backroomers, I'm on the cusp of buying a new Skoda Octavia vRS Diesel. Anyone got any experience of this car, or indeed it's new common rail 170 engine as used in the Mk6 Golf GTD I believe)??
New vRS diesel? - dieselfitter
I can only offer some comments on the VAG 2.0TDi CR 170. I've had one for 10 months/15K in my A6. This unit is smoother and quieter than the PD unit it replaced - it doesn't make that hammer drill noise that all PDs do. No problems to date, and no oil used, which is just as well considering the price of 5W30 low ash synthetic oil. Reasonable economy - we drove up to Newcastle from the Midlands last week and on the way up Mrs DF got an indicated 50mpg, I drove back and got 45! Performance OK.
New vRS diesel? - Avant
Go for it.

I wanted a Golf GTI estate - GTD to be exact - and that's exactly what my Octavia vRS is, at £6,000 less than an Audi A4 with the same mechanicals, similar equipment and the same excellent build quality.

8700 miles in 6 months, with no problems so far. The CR diesel is indeed a great advance on the PD unit: there's no big wallop of power any more, but acceleration is seamless and just as quick, and there's very little turbo lag at lower revs. And it's much quieter than the PD that I had in my previous Golf.

I think you still have to have the vRS to get the CR 170 engine. The ride is a little harder than in other Octavias but I don't find it a problem. If it is for you, try a Superb with this engine - only about £1,000 more for the SE.
New vRS diesel? - woodster
Thanks both. It's exactly what I wanted to hear Avant. I've got a Golf GT TDi and need a little more room. A bit more power and tidy handling will do nicely. Have to use it for work every day and then family duties at other times. SWMBO is coming with me on Friday - I don't think she's cottoned onto the vRS bit yet!!
New vRS diesel? - DinUK
I am also interested in this car/engine combination. Do you guys have DSG?
Also in the brochure it says regarding the DPF (which it has):"..during regeneration ... a constant speed above 37 mph must be maintained. This does not always suit customers who make frequent short journeys or experience stop/start driving or drive within inner-city or urban areas". Any experience?

DinUK
New vRS diesel? - idle_chatterer
I've bitter experience of the old 170PD in an A4 B7 but having driven the 170CR in an A4 B8 and the Octavia would agree it's a big improvement (although no better than comparable engines from Honda, BMW and Ford have been for a number of years imho).

I have looked at the Skoda VRS as SWMBO is keen on getting a Golf GT and I wanted to compare the two, the Skoda is undoubtedly excellent with more space and a comparable build, my only quibble is that it lacks curtain airbags as standard, something I'd expect on an 11K super-mini these days which rules out anything but a factory order for me.
New vRS diesel? - dieselfitter
DSG - no thanks! I'm not confident in it as a long-term prospect and prefer a manual anyway.

Haven't had any DPF problems so far. I've noticed several forced regen cycles - fan running on after the engine is turned off when you wouldn't expect the engine to be hot - but only a handful of times in 15,000 miles. I understand that sustained driving at >2000rpm will maintain a high enough exhaust temperature to keep the DPF clean. Someone suggested that if you do a lot of stop-start city driving, keep in 3rd gear at 30mph rather than 4th.
New vRS diesel? - Avant
Mine's a manual: DSG works fine for many people but I like a quick step-off from when needed. Any diesel automatic or DSG, starting from idling speed, won't be quite as lively off the mark as a manual where you rev a little (up to 1500 rpm) to start off.

Touching wood, no DPF problems but I do a highish mileage. In traffic sometimes idling speed increases to 1000 rpm for a short time: this could be regeneration. I'm sure I read somewhere that CR engines were likely to have less trouble with their DPFs than PD engines: I've no idea why, not being a mechanic!
New vRS diesel? - woodster
I've driven a DSG Audi TT. Superb on the move but then the novelty wears off. I rather like changing gear myself and I reckon a manual box is a better long term bet, and better resale option. I think the complexity and potential bills if it fails would put people off when I sell it. Am I right in thinking that there's no option but to have DPF?
New vRS diesel? - midlifecrisis
I'm very keen on a VRS as my next car. Still have my doubts on the DSG, but that's tempered by the ridiculous decision that you can't have a multi function steering wheel without DSG.

As for DPF. I often have to leave my work BMW 530d on the run lock when at the scene of RTCs. It can sit for a considerable period on idle. It's quite startling to see the rubbish that comes out the back when moving off. Doesn't seem to have done it any harm though.
New vRS diesel? - Falkirk Bairn
As for DPF. I often have to leave my work BMW 530d on the run
lock when at the scene of RTCs. It can sit for a considerable period on
idle. It's quite startling to see the rubbish that comes out the back when moving
off.


A dose/couple of tankfuls of V-power/BP Ultimate Diesel looks like it is needed!
New vRS diesel? - J1mbo
I'm waiting for my vRS Petrol with DSG, the reason I went for the Octy was for the DSG. I chose a petrol over the derv cos of all the horror stories about blocked filters, injector issues and DMF failures. IMHO, people should be more concerned with Derv issues then DSG issues.
New vRS diesel? - DP
I read somewhere that CR engines were likely to have less trouble with their DPFs
than PD engines: I've no idea why not being a mechanic!


I would guess it's because the CR engine is cleaner to begin with, and chucks less soot down the exhaust, so giving the DPF an easier time of it. Given the amount of clag that comes out of even a healthy PD engine's exhaust when worked hard, the DPF must load up pretty quickly, and so need to regenerate more often.

I believe it was primarily exhaust cleanliness that forced VAG down the CR route. In terms of sheer efficiency, and specific output, the PD engine still stands comparison with any equivalent common rail design.
New vRS diesel? - 659FBE
The PD engine will indeed match and outrun most CR engines in terms of specific fuel consumption.

The soot theory does not therefore stand up - if the PD is as efficient as the CR then it can't produce more soot for a given output demand.

The "problem" with the PD (unit injector) engine is that pressurised fuel is not available in the injector upper chamber to allow fuel to be injected when the exhaust valve is open - needed to facilitate DPF regeneration. With a CR engine, you can have fuel from the rail at any time the ECU asks for it.

I suspect also that VAG and others have also quietly moved on in DPF development such that blocking problems under frequent light load conditions are less likely to occur.

659.
New vRS diesel? - idle_chatterer
The PD engine will indeed match and outrun most CR engines in terms of specific
fuel consumption.


My experience of the 170PD was that it was very thirsty, both for expensive VAG 507 oil and diesel - 40ish mpg average over 32K miles and I changed my driving style as a result - 'mimsing' at below 70mph on motorways etc. By comparison my 330d BMW gets 45+mpg without any associated 'mimsing'.... The 170PD had awful power / torque delivery characteristics too imho, not sure if that's a characteristic shared with it's PD brethren ?

I never had any discernible problems with the DPF though and only remember it regenerating once when the car was a few days old - it smelt awful, in fact the exhaust always smelt awful, kinda sickly sweet. The CR BMW (or SWMBO's CTDi Civic) by comparison don't smell too bad.

I know from numerous people that non DPF PD engines can be good (if gruff), the 1.9 130PD in particular I think ?

I'll admit to being a vociferous critic of the 170PD now - It certainly cost Audi a sale when I came to change anyhow....