142 Skoda Octavia L&K or 09 Opel Insignia

free_man

I currently have 09 Opel Insignia Elite 2.0 Diesel Saloon.
The car has done 15K Km and recently serviced and had timing belt changed.
It has been showing niggling issues like 3 glow cylinders (fancy name for spark plugs) replacements and manifold pipe replacement in 2014. There is also AFL (front lamp) fault with comes on sometimes but the dealer hasn't been able to figure it out.

Just saw a 142 Skoda Octavia L&K Estate (ex-demo) which ticks all same boxes as Insignia and also has huge boot space which is a plus point but not a requirement.

My daily commute is 100km.

Cost wise its a huge jump as I own (no loan) the Insignia and I would pay 400 Euro/pm for the skoda.

I think the problem with opel are just starting and it will get worse.
I will save substantially on fuel as Skoda has 50+mpg and my Insignia gives 35mpg.

Should I stick with Insignia or go with Skoda ?

Jesus.

You had to change the belt after just 9k miles? Its very low mileage for a five year old car.

I'd go for it. You'll have to change at some point anyway so if you're not completely happy you might as well change now.

whippet

my wife just bought a new Octavia (4x4) not the L&K model and while it is a nice car and ticks a lot boxes on paper it is not as refined or as nice to drive as my superb (now nearly 4 years old). The road noise is much more evident and on a longer drive its miles behind the bigger brother. I would assume the insignia would have a refinement similar to the superb (I haven't driven the opel) so with fairly hefty miles and long commutes the octavia would probably feel that little bit cheaper.

The reason why there is a second skoda in the household now is that I have 110,000 miles on the clock and the only part that needed replacing so far is a single side bulb .. by far and away the most reliable motor I have ever owned and I can say that the two dealers I have dealt with for servicing have been a pleasure to deal with.

free_man

Jesus. wrote: »

You had to change the belt after just 9k miles? Its very low mileage for a five year old car.

I'd go for it. You'll have to change at some point anyway so if you're not completely happy you might as well change now.

I meant the timing belt change was done at 142000 km. which is at correct duration for insignia. The manual put the duration at 150000 km.

Bpmull

There's something very wrong if your only getting 35 mpg out of an insignia on a 100km commute. Is it extremely heavy traffic ?

free_man

Bpmull wrote: »

There's something very wrong if you only getting 35 mpg out of an insignia on a 100km commute. Is it extremely heavy traffic ?

I live in Dublin. So its 80Km on M50 (North in morning and South in evening). While its not a parking lot the traffic is quite heavy.

Stallingrad

The Octavia is a clear class below yours, despite being a good car it is really just a Golf with a big boot. Very bland IMO. Have you considered a Passat?

Special Circumstances

Stallingrad wrote: »

The Octavia is a clear class below yours, despite being a good car it is really just a Golf with a big boot. Very bland IMO. Have you considered a Passat?

The indo motors review of it maintains that the l&k Octavia is a mighty "passion wagon".

I can see it whipping the ladies football team into a bit of lather... for carrying team mates to matches, but can't imagine it igniting passion in many other circumstances.

free_man

Special Circumstances wrote: »

The indo motors review of it maintains that the l&k Octavia is a mighty "passion wagon".

I can see it whipping the ladies football team into a bit of lather... for carrying team mates to matches, but can't imagine it igniting passion in many other circumstances.

I loved the interior personally. Now you have got me thinking or doubting myself.

free_man

Stallingrad wrote: »

The Octavia is a clear class below yours, despite being a good car it is really just a Golf with a big boot. Very bland IMO. Have you considered a Passat?

I donot like shape of a passat. Even new ones

Moneymaker

How about a Superb? Or a Mondeo?

Special Circumstances

free_man wrote: »

I loved the interior personally. Now you have not me thinking or doubting myself.

My comment was not a criticism of the car, more power to ya if thats the car you like - as long as you only ever use the terms "babe magnet", "passion wagon" etc in a sarcastic way! (tbh I think that applies to pretty much any car)

free_man

Moneymaker wrote: »

How about a Superb? Or a Mondeo?

Superb are terrible looking as well personally. Mondeo is coming with a new one next year. Maybe I should just wait for that.

Special Circumstances

free_man wrote: »

Superb are terrible looking as well personally. Mondeo is coming with a new one next year. Maybe I should just wait for that.

Superb estate looks fine (to me). Superb saloon looks disproportionate. Especially bad in the favoured "metallic beige"

Stallingrad

free_man wrote: »

I donot like shape of a passat. Even new ones

You should take one for a drive though, you might be happily surprised.

bazz26

New Mazda 6 estate?

free_man

bazz26 wrote: »

New Mazda 6 estate?

Mazda 6 estate is fun to drive and good looking but costlier than octavia, insignia or superb

jca

free_man wrote: »

Mazda 6 estate is fun to drive and good looking but costlier than octavia, insignia or superb

And puck ugly:(:(

colm_mcm

Mazda6 is easily the best looking car in its segment

MuppetCheck

free_man wrote: »

Mazda 6 estate is fun to drive and good looking but costlier than octavia, insignia or superb

You should be able to get a Mazda 6 Platinum spec for around the same price as the L&K Octavia which frankly is insane money for an Octavia. You'd be better off with a VRS in terms of residuals and performance. A Leon FR ST is very similar too but won't hold its value as well.

quadrifoglio verde

colm_mcm wrote: »

Mazda6 is easily the best looking car in its segment

In the press release photos. When it's specked by paddy however it looks like it's a 6 year old car with a new plate. When I saw the press release last year I thought, wow Mazda have done something here with the 6, but any I've seen on the road are Meh

Cork selfbuild

free_man wrote: »

Superb are terrible looking as well personally. Mondeo is coming with a new one next year. Maybe I should just wait for that.

I drive a Superb, sitting on the M50, you will not be looking at it from the outside, I've almost 70k km after 18 months from new, I must say I love it, the facelift is an improvement, I do like the estate.

But it's the spec, it's crazy, every toy you want, You can watch a DVD on the built in Sat Nav if it really is a car park! :P

It's a really nice place to be inside to pass the time sitting in traffic or munching motorways, miles ahead of the octavia or insignia imo...

JohnBoy26

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

In the press release photos. When it's specked by paddy however it looks like it's a 6 year old car with a new plate. When I saw the press release last year I thought, wow Mazda have done something here with the 6, but any I've seen on the road are Meh

I have to agree about them looking a bit meh in the flesh. Nothing to do with the spec either, just something about them in general, it's like Mazda over done it with the styling or something. I think they will age badly in a few years as a result.

colm_mcm

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

In the press release photos. When it's specked by paddy however it looks like it's a 6 year old car with a new plate. When I saw the press release last year I thought, wow Mazda have done something here with the 6, but any I've seen on the road are Meh

Any ones I've seen down here in the wesht have been properly specced and always in that bright maroon colour.
I thi they're really well proportioned, as is the 3 saloon.

bazz26

Same here, most new model 6s I've seen down here are Sport SE or Platinum models with xenon's, large 19" rims and ivory leather interior in either maroon or silver. The only bog spec ones I've seen have been rental fodder.

MuppetCheck

Even in basic trim it's not bad, not a huge difference from the high spec one shown already.

ninty9er

The one thing that sets the VAG oil burners in the D-segment is their asthmatic entry level engines. While the Avensis and Insignia aren't going to set the world on fire, they won't leave you in a tight spot. Those VAG wagons, in particular the Superb due to its size, are dangerously underpowered with the 1.6.

MuppetCheck

And L&K Octavia is a 2 litre 150bhp engine though.

Bpmull

ninty9er wrote: »

The one thing that sets the VAG oil burners in the D-segment is their asthmatic entry level engines. While the Avensis and Insignia aren't going to set the world on fire, they won't leave you in a tight spot. Those VAG wagons, in particular the Superb due to its size, are dangerously underpowered with the 1.6.

Dangerous is abit strong the 1.6 tdi in the superb isn't as bad as you think as the turbo on them is set up differently to the octavia there easily as quick as a 1.6tdi octavia. Granted neither are quick cars by any stretch of the imagination but there not dangerous slow.

As for the octavia in general I find the new one very disappointing I've been in a few granted not l and k ones but considering how the price increased I can't see where it's justified. Also for a car that's supposed to be so much bigger than the mk2 headspace is at least 2 inch less in the back due to the way the roof slopes. My parents have an 11 reg one top spec and I think it's a grand car and has a reasonable amount of space in the back too. As I said its a fine car for what it is back when they bought there's they were seriously cheap compared to now but turning around and spending around 30k on one wouldn't make sense to me.

jca

colm_mcm wrote: »

Mazda6 is easily the best looking car in its segment

It doesn't say much for "its segment" that front grille is dire:(:(

ninty9er

Bpmull wrote: »

Dangerous is abit strong the 1.6 tdi in the superb isn't as bad as you think as the turbo on them is set up differently to the octavia there easily as quick as a 1.6tdi octavia. Granted neither are quick cars by any stretch of the imagination but there not dangerous slow.

I'm quoting someone who drives 1500km a week in one. I had one myself last weekend. They're comparable to the old 1.4 Golf or Focus. When you consider it's the same engine offered in the Golf which isn't exactly going yo set the world alight.

It's 100kg heavier than a Passat, and 250kg heavier than a Golf before you put anyone in it, yet has the same engine tuning. I'm not known for my light foot, but you would have to be completely ignoring the car's own gear change indicator to keep a bit of power available under your right foot.

Jesus.

A 1.6 TDI in a Superb is criminal

thierry14

Jesus. wrote: »

A 1.6 TDI in a Superb is criminal

Only interesting car Skoda has made in recent years has been the Fabia RS, rest are boring as hell.

105bhp in a 1600kg car is indeed criminal.

That's the same power to weight ratio as a 98 1.2 Renault Clio.

whippet

Jesus. wrote: »

A 1.6 TDI in a Superb is criminal

well after 110k miles in one I would have to disagree.

I have taken it with a family of four and full to the brim with luggage to the south of france a couple of time, across the UK and never once did I think it was 'dangerously underpowered' like someone here mentioned.

My daily commute is a mix of motorway and back roads .. plenty of over taking and if you have any sort of driving ability it isn't a problem .. sure i'd love to have more power, but when it is me paying for the fuel and with such high miles it makes a huge difference.

My previous cars before the superb was a MKV GTi and E36 323i .. so its not like I don't really understand what constitutes power or lack thereof.

I can get up to 70mpg on the daily commute (by the clock .. couldn't be arsed being properly scientific any more) .. yes it's a boring auld fart of a car .. but with kids, dogs, big commute .. it ticks all the boxes for me . comfy, frugile, decent dealer network, big and has everything as standard.

Jesus.

Fair play Whippet and I don't want to denigrate a car I've not actually driven. The bro-in-law has the 1.6 in an Octy and its fine but then its a smaller car. I know 0-60 times often aren't always relevant but they do give some indication as to how nippy a Motor might be and 14 seconds is slow as hell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cest6L9WtsQ

thierry14 wrote: »

That's the same power to weight ratio as a 98 1.2 Renault Clio.

:eek:

whippet

Jesus. wrote: »

Fair play Whippet and I don't want to denigrate a car I've not actually driven. The bro-in-law has the 1.6 in an Octy and its fine but then its a smaller car. I know 0-60 times often aren't always relevant but they do give some indication as to how nippy a Motor might be and 14 seconds is slow as hell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cest6L9WtsQ



:eek:

slow is all relevant, what is there to be quick about, yeah 0-60 in 6-7 seconds is fun the odd time you actually might be inclined to do it, the vast majority of the time you get up to speed at same pace as the rest of the traffic around you. And when your on the motorway at 120-130kph you are going just as fast as all those around you.

I've had my quick cars .. i enjoyed them, but at this moment in life the superb I have is more suitable.

Donie75

I recently drove a 141 Demo Passat 1.6tdi for a day. It was the 1.6 105bhp and I thought it was fine for motorway cruising as long as you don't want to overtake at pace but it was very sluggish everywhere else. I see the new Passat 1.6tdi will have 120bhp so maybe this will trickle down to the Superb.
Personally, I'm looking at the new 2015 Passat but after driving a Passat 2 litre 140bhp for nearly 8 years, I'm definitely going for the 2.0Tdi 150bhp.

Jesus.

How about the 2.0 BiTdi? 240bhp

free_man

Thanks for all the feedback and comments.

I have since then driven a 132 Superb Estate 2.0 TDI 170HP elegance with sunroof and high spec sat-nav.
Found it fantastic.

Miles ahead of Octavia or my Insignia. The rear legroom is bit too much.
But looks wise, it crap.

I think I will stick with Insignia for another while.