Octavia, Passat, Focus – Most Suitable???

problum8

Hi, I'm finally selling my old banger and have a budget in or around 10 – 12k. I do about 40 – 50000 km per year. I would want a fairly spacious car as I’m quite tall firstly but always seem to be carrying something!!. I would also want something that would tow a small trailer/horsebox from time to time. I'm no expert, as you can probably tell so any hints would be great.

I have been looking at a few here on Donedeal from a dealer close to home. If I could get opinions re price/suitability etc on each based on the above information it would be a great help

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4145761
I have a fondness for the Octavia as my 00 model stood me well and my Dad has one!

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4145763
Not sure would this tow?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4148301

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4236212
VW Passat – How would this compare to the Octavia?

Any other suggestions. Would any ‘flashier’ car be an option? An A4 for example?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

mr_edge_to_you

00 Octavia would be much bigger (for comfort) than the current model. skoda made the octavia smaller with 05 model and launched the superb in 03. Superb is a massive car - youd have a great choice with a budget of 10-12k. Many of them are TDIs with 130bhp. Much bigger than Passat/Focus.

vectra

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

00 Octavia would be much bigger (for comfort) than the current model. .

What??
Where did that come from?
I thought it was the opposite?

The new Rapid is inline with the Mk1 octy and that is smaller than the current octavia.

Bpmull

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

00 Octavia would be much bigger (for comfort) than the current model. skoda made the octavia smaller with 05 model and launched the superb in 03. Superb is a massive car - youd have a great choice with a budget of 10-12k. Many of them are TDIs with 130bhp. Much bigger than Passat/Focus.

The new model Octavia is a bigger more comfortable better car than the 2000 model. So your comment doesn't really make any sense. Op the new type Octavia is roomy inside I'm 6foot2 and easily fit in the front or back of my parents octavias. Also my dad has lots of tools etc in the back of his octavia and for a car it has a huge boot that can easily fit all his stuff.

MuppetCheck

Passat is more refined, rides better and is generally a nicer place to be than the Focus or Octavia. If you are covering big miles a bigger car makes more sense as you may as well be comfortable.

mr_edge_to_you

vectra wrote: »

The new Rapid is inline with the Mk1 octy and that is smaller than the current octavia.

Octavia is being relaunched in 2014 a bigger model aimed at competing with mondeo, avensis and passat.

problum8

Thanks all. What about the cars I posted links to in the op. Would you say the octavia there is a good price?

Bpmull

problum8 wrote: »

Thanks all. What about the cars I posted links to in the op. Would you say the octavia there is a good price?

I'd say it is a reasonable price but it seems to be a uk one and the mileage is high enough for 2009. It is the facelift model . Just to give you a guideline a brand new elegance spec is about 22k euro so it's nearly half price.

problum8

thanks for that.. Would a UK import be an advantage or disadvantage in your or other posters opinions?

Bpmull

problum8 wrote: »

thanks for that.. Would a UK import be an advantage or disadvantage in your or other posters opinions?

I suppose it is a bit of a disadvantage when you sell it on as people will immediately know its a uk Import from the mph on the speedo. But other than that I don't see any major issues and lets face it I don't think you would get a 2009 elegance Irish Octavia for that money. The mileage is a tad high but in saying all that the car looks mint and if it was well minded the mileage makes no real difference. My mother has a 2011 Octavia elegance spec Irish one and the only difference I can see between hers and the one in the add is hers has sat nav and walnut dash other Than that they seem to be the same.

bazz26

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

Octavia is being relaunched in 2014 a bigger model aimed at competing with mondeo, avensis and passat.

The new Octavia goes on sale early next year and will be a bit bigger than the current model but will still compete with the likes of the Golf and Leon. The Rapid is based on the Polo and is the spiritual successor to the Mk I Fabia saloon. Skoda already have a competitor to the Mondeo and Passat in the shape of the Superb.

colm_mcm

Looks like all the cars are from the uk.

Leonard Hofstadter

problum8 wrote: »

thanks for that.. Would a UK import be an advantage or disadvantage in your or other posters opinions?

I would see it as an advantage - provided the mileage is genuine. UK cars have better spec, more powerful engines (usually) and are much better maintained than Irish cars. I'm living in the UK now and I wouldn't touch a secondhand car in Ireland and there really is no comparison.

In the UK you'll see 12 and 13 year old cars in the UK being advertised with full service histories, in Ireland you'd be doing well to find FSH on a 3 or 4 year old car never mind one three times that age!

The only drawback is the mph clocks, but considering that we share a border with a country that's still using mph, that's hardly a bad thing.

The other potential drawback is that because UK cars are generally much better kept than the Irish equivalent, and therefore can hide their miles much better than Irish cars, they are prime targets in Ireland for being clocked, and that is why sometimes people (stupidly) think that buying a UK import in Ireland is a bad thing - it's only a bad thing if you don't do your homework on the car's past history, in exactly the same way that if you don't do your homework on the past history of an Irish car is a bad thing.

captainspeed

captainspeed wrote: »

........

The only drawback is the mph clocks.................

And sometimes the price
The likes of a 330i costs a lot less in Ireland, ignoring VRT.

Lots of UK stuff is eaten with rust too, seems as you mention 12/13 year old cars it's not an issue that can be ignored.

I'm in the UK regularly, plenty of stuff on UK roads is in absolutely woeful condition.

Two sides of every coin.

problum8

What about an A4? Would it be a suitable car for my needs as described in op? Is the elegance the top model of octavia? I would prefer the a4 looks wise and it is a nice drive. Sorry for all the questions and thanks for help!!

Bpmull

problum8 wrote: »

What about an A4? Would it be a suitable car for my needs as described in op? Is the elegance the top model of octavia? I would prefer the a4 looks wise and it is a nice drive. Sorry for all the questions and thanks for help!!

The elegance is the top spec of the Octavia apart from the vrs which is a sports version. The a4 is a lovely car and I personally like them a lot. But for 12-13k euro you will struggle to find a high nice a4 the Octavia is better value for money without a doubt I know it doesn't look as nice as an Audi A4 but I suppose you can't have it everyway.

problum8

Ya.. That's pretty much what I was thinking.. Maybe another couple of years I can have the A4!! Going to look at a few Octavias this week... There should be plenty of value I suspect?

Bpmull

problum8 wrote: »

Ya.. That's pretty much what I was thinking.. Maybe another couple of years I can have the A4!! Going to look at a few Octavias this week... There should be plenty of value I suspect?

They should be good value although diesels do seem to make good money. The good thing is the Octavia is a very underrated car so that's why they are generally good value. Best of luck with the search lets us know how you get on as I'm a bit of an Octavia fan. Any more questions about them just ask.

bazz26

If you are looking for something with space then that rules out the A4, they are not a spacious car.

Tea 1000

I'd be looking at something a little fresher in the mileage if you're doing 50k per year. I'd be thinking along the lines of this too:
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Accord/2.2I-CTD/30913535202866590/advert?channel=CARS
Alternatively something like this is decent.
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCi/6213334660853160/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/NT-ZETEC/201240210352475/advert?channel=CARS

yop

bazz26 wrote: »

If you are looking for something with space then that rules out the A4, they are not a spacious car.

V true that, had one and it was shocking small!
Have a mondeo and it can take the kitchen sink, the Octavia from what I recall has an even bigger boot.

Personally I just feel that Octavia interior, from the few I have been in, were a bit plastic compared to the A4.

Bpmull

yop wrote: »

V true that, had one and it was shocking small!
Have a mondeo and it can take the kitchen sink, the Octavia from what I recall has an even bigger boot.

Personally I just feel that Octavia interior, from the few I have been in, were a bit plastic compared to the A4.

The interior on the classic spec octavia is full of plastic and is a depressing place to be however the ambiente is an improvement. But the elegance has the best interior and generally has Walnut. But I would agree that without a doubt the a4 has a nicer interior. It's a pity they cost so much really.

MuppetCheck

The interior fittings of either a basic Octavia is just as plastic as the higher spec. Plastic wood only adds to it.

The Octavia is old hat at this stage, and for 50k a year I would most definitely for a car bigger than a Golf with a fat arse.

yop

MuppetCheck wrote: »

The interior fittings of either a basic Octavia is just as plastic as the higher spec. Plastic wood only adds to it.

The Octavia is old hat at this stage, and for 50k a year I would most definitely for a car bigger than a Golf with a fat arse.

What Octavia costs 50k!

Tea 1000

yop wrote: »

What Octavia costs 50k!

His mileage in km's per year. Not his running costs of a proposed Octavia!

vectra

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

Octavia is being relaunched in 2014 a bigger model aimed at competing with mondeo, avensis and passat.

Actually spring 2013 with the vRS following on around July/August

They should look very similar to this