Skoda Octavia

jayok

From reading these boards over the last year, I've mentally noted the number of positive recommendations regarding the Skoda Octavia many owners sing their virtues of cost and Golf designers, etc. But I have to throw a spanner in the works...

I have just returned from Germany and hired myself a 1.9TDi Octavia Wagon (estate shaped) and I have found it to be one of the most unrefined cars I have ever driven. The car was newish only 800kms on the clock and only 1 month old, but the gearbox was like paddling an oar, lacking any sort of smoothness and simply clunking after "vast distances were travelled across the selectors" into gear. To top it off it handled like a brick on ice!! I only done 140km/hr on the Autobahn for fear that the car wouldn't made the bends!

The engine was a diesel and I expect the usual diesel harshness but as someone who regularly travels abroad and hire cars this really left me disappointed. Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking the car, I am just curious about those citing the virtues of the car, how do you explain the poor refinement of the machine?

BTW I don't hire BMWs or cars like that. The previous car I hired was a Focus and while the engine was slack luster it's handling was superb! Equally I've have most fun in a 1.2 Fiat Punto.

ds20prefecture

jayok wrote:

I have just returned from Germany and hired myself a 1.9TDi Octavia Wagon (estate shaped) and I have found it to be one of the most unrefined cars I have ever driven. <snip> Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking the car, I am just curious about those citing the virtues of the car, how do you explain the poor refinement of the machine?

How bizarre. My wife's 2000 1.6 Octavia estate has quite a refined petrol engine, dependable handling and plenty of grip. The gearbox is not at all notchy and of reasonable throw. It is among the most boring cars ever made, but I don't think that's what you've found fault with.

Was it a new shape Octavia? I know the 1.9 TDI is not the most refined diesel made, particularly compared with the likes of the Peugeot or Alfa 4 bangers but there's oodles of sound insulation in the new Octavia. Disappointing if the new car is worse than the old.

Perhaps its first 800 miles were very hard rental miles?

bazz26

Could it have been the old 1.9 SDi non turbo diesel engine?

This engine originates back to the old MkIII Golf and Vento.

jayok

The car was definately a Tdi version you could hear and feel the whine - besides it said so on the back Also it was the new shape Octavia so maybe the made some poorer alterations.

Yep, I'm not knocking the car, I believe the engine was perfect responsive and the build quality of the car felt very good. Equally I understand that there's a car for everyone but looking at other cars in the class segment, Focus, Toyota, etc I was just rather disappointed again with the gearbox and handling. Perhaps is something that they have done with the newer model?

I suppose the question I was asking this is when I was initially on the lookout for a diesel car I was determined to get a Skoda after reviews of people here and elsewhere, although I'd never test driven one. In the interm of looking for a diesel I ended up buying a petrol car beacuse of lower purchase cost, less depreciation (it was already 5 years old), etc. If I'd bought the Skoda I would have be gutted. During my test drives I drove a Focus, Megane, Avensis, Mondeo, Corolla, A3 but for some reason missed the Octavia, of all of them the Octavia seems to have the worst handling and gearbox. Are my expecatations too high? Is a Skoda more like a disposal generic appliance that a finely tuned machine?

PaddyFagan

jayok wrote:

Is a Skoda more like a disposal generic appliance that a finely tuned machine?

It's not been my experience, but my Octavia (vRS) is neither diesel nor fitted with the standard gearbox/suspension. Sounds like the new model is a shift in the wrong direction, everyone I know who owns/has driven Octavias (both petrol and diesel) hasn't had a bad work to say about them.

Perhaps you got a lemon jayok, fancy arranging a test drive with a skoda dealer here and letting us know if their car was any better? :rolleyes:

Paddy

jayok

my Octavia (vRS)

First of all congrats on getting that back - I hope you have years troublefree motoring from now on!

Well automatically I assumed that the vRS was going to be tuned a little <cough> better , but in reality the bulk of the models they are going to sell will be the more normal 1.9TDi, 1.6, 1.4 etc. There is a Skoda dealer here just off Manor street, I might out of pure curiosity try a 1.9TDi there to see if there is a difference. May be it was a lemon? Haven't driven enough of them to say, but I will let you know.

J.

ds20prefecture

jayok wrote:

During my test drives I drove a Focus, Megane, Avensis, Mondeo, Corolla, A3 but for some reason missed the Octavia, of all of them the Octavia seems to have the worst handling and gearbox. Are my expecatations too high? Is a Skoda more like a disposal generic appliance that a finely tuned machine?

I would say that all of them, especially the Škoda, are generic appliances rather than finely tuned machines. I think the difference is that the Škoda doesn't make any pretense at being anything else. And it both less expensive and generally better equipped than its competitors, while being of comparable build quality to the Toyota. I think this is why Škoda score so highly in satisfaction surveys - it doesn't set a very high expectation with its marketing or pricing, and so owners are pleased when it doesn't break down and is reasonably well equipped.
It would be interesting to compare the MkII Octavia with the Mk V Golf, like for like, if you're in that test driving mood.

PaddyFagan

jayok wrote:

First of all congrats on getting that back - I hope you have years troublefree motoring from now on!

Thanks

jayok wrote:

Well automatically I assumed that the vRS was going to be tuned a little <cough> better , but in reality the bulk of the models they are going to sell will be the more normal 1.9TDi, 1.6, 1.4 etc. There is a Skoda dealer here just off Manor street, I might out of pure curiosity try a 1.9TDi there to see if there is a difference. May be it was a lemon? Haven't driven enough of them to say, but I will let you know.

Yeah - I'd hope the vRS is a bit better alround. But the general impression I got from other owners was that the difference wasn't _that_ big. If the Mark I TDi handled like the Mark II you had, then the difference must be HUGE.....

Paddy

Kermitt

I've driven octavia tdi, superb tdi and passat tdi.. and the most refined of the lot was the superb. Octavia was a bit coarser than vw car alright. But the superb is a fabulous drive. the new 2.0Tdi is a cracker of an engine.. and it handles way better than outgoing passat. Still have to drive new vw though.. Father is getting one in January.. interesting to see how it compares

jayok

Ok, test drove another Skoda today, unfortunately it was brand new 05 demo, so I didn't get to test the old one (the dealer didn't have the older 1.9TDi) in stock.

However, I'm afraid to say the gearshift long thow factor is still there. Didn't get an oportunity test the handling in the way I would like, i.e. 120 km/hr on the motorway so I can't really comment on this one. Surely some one here has upgraded from an older TDi to a newer one and can tell me if there's a difference?

Alun

FWIW I've always found VAG cars' gearboxes to be on the notchy side. I had a 2.3 VR5 Bora once which had probably the worst feeling gearbox of any car I've driven until I got used to it. There appears to be a lot less initial resistance when you initially move the gearlever, so the trick was to be quite gentle with it rather than trying to force it, as it were.

As for the "brick on ice" handling ... I've picked up brand new cars from a garage before where the tyre pressures were way over the top. That gives a similar effect.

ds20prefecture

jayok wrote:

Ok, test drove another Skoda today, unfortunately it was brand new 05 demo, so I didn't get to test the old one (the dealer didn't have the older 1.9TDi) in stock. However, I'm afraid to say the gearshift long thow factor is still there.

Rented a 1.6 FSI Mk V Golf over the weekend in Italy - 12000 miles on the clock with a 6 speed gearbox. Exactly the same as you describe it - actively unpleasant to use. Long of throw (maybe only a little longer than previous VAG 5 speeds, being honest) but nothcy, baulky and not condusive to the extensive shifting the gutless engine and 6 gears demanded.

I wonder what the DSG is like?

jayok

Rented a 1.6 FSI Mk V Golf over the weekend in Italy - 12000 miles on the clock with a 6 speed gearbox. Exactly the same as you describe it - actively unpleasant to use. Long of throw (maybe only a little longer than previous VAG 5 speeds, being honest) but nothcy, baulky and not condusive to the extensive shifting the gutless engine and 6 gears demanded.

If this is the case then it's an awful pity to ruin the car with this. I would have imagined with VW's experience that a short-throw gearbox would have been no hassle.

I wonder what the DSG is like?

Is the DSG just a form of Triptronic? So really you're not moving the gearstick at all.

ds20prefecture

jayok wrote:

Is the DSG just a form of Triptronic? So really you're not moving the gearstick at all.

Yes and no - the DSG is a twin clutch system with the next gear pre-selected for you. Closer to a manual than a tradition automatic in execution, unlike tiptronic. A DSG car shift faster than a manual or auto.

But yes, you lack a physical connection to the selector shaft in the gearbox. In this case, that can only be an advantage

yellow012

I own a mk2 Octavia 1.9tdi and tbh I haven't noticed any problem with the gearbox, I have about 20,000km on the clock since I bought it new in January and the only slight issue with the gearbox I have noticed is sometimes needs a firm push to get it into 4th. As regards handling if you try and hustle the car down a back road you know you are driving a fairly large heavy car but I'd imagine its the same for any diesel car of this size. My wife owned a mk5 Golf 1.4 until recently and the Octavia is a much nicer drive, the extra weight and power of the diesel engine just makes it feel much more solid and planted on the road. The Golf and Octavia are quite similar to drive, very direct steering, strong brakes, the Octavias suspension seems to be setup slightly softer to give a more compliant ride.
As regards the I.9 engine, the power can be a bit on/off, I've heard people complaining about stalling the engine on take off or slow traffic. It happened to me a few times when I got the car first but once I got used to it, its not a problem. Maybe this PD engine is not as flexible as the common rail french diesels? As regards economy on the computer its averaging 4.5litre/100 litres so can depending on where I am driving can get upto 1100km to a tank.
I previously owned a mk1 Octavia and the new model is a big step up from it. Everything has been improved on the mk2 and it just feels like a higher quality product. Anyway hope this helps..

ds20prefecture

yellow012 wrote:

I previously owned a mk1 Octavia and the new model is a big step up from it. Everything has been improved on the mk2 and it just feels like a higher quality product. Anyway hope this helps..

I helps me anyway - I'm considering a Mk2 Estate to replace our Mk1 in a year or two.

Is your car a 5 speed or 6?

yellow012

ds20prefecture wrote:

I helps me anyway - I'm considering a Mk2 Estate to replace our Mk1 in a year or two.

Is your car a 5 speed or 6?

Its a 5 speed, I think the 2.0 tdi is 6 speed.

bazz26

According to the carzone website there are two diesel engines available in the Octavia:
1.9 TDi 105bhp 5-speed manual or 6-speed DSG with automatic clutch
and
2.0 TDi 140bhp 6-speed manual or 6-speed DSG with automatic clutch.

ds20prefecture

And to summarise - avoid the six speed, in both Golf and Octavia

Pity the DSG is so bloody expensive.