Why do I do this

[Petrolize]

At the moment I’ve far too many cars, a BMW E39 that I did toy with selling but given I’ve known the car most of its life and know what a good an example it is decided to keep, plus 530d and manual is a rare combination. I’ve also an MOT-less BMW E30 and a campervan which have hardly had the chance to get used.

Yet have added another car to the list today, purely on a whim as it was cheap and local, a rough but ready Skoda Octavia VRS. Are these any good, it’s the 2.0 petrol version. The dash lights up like a Christmas tree but does still drive well. Has some kind of air intake and performance exhaust, certainly sounds nice upon startup. My vague thoughts are running it until the MOTs almost out in mid August, but whatever happens (and I’m writing this on here so I don’t go back on my word) really don’t want to do another test as it’ll certainly fail, none of the lights seemed to go out with my basic code reader, plus theres a crusty section on one of the sills.

[Wibble]

Bloody good these. We’ll worth sorting and persevering with imo. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Backing on what @Wibble said. Bloody good cars. I like them. I do prefer the Mk1, but these still feel really new and cool to me.

[Petrolize]

4 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Bloody good these. We’ll worth sorting and persevering with imo. 

Thank you for the encouragement! Will take some better photos tomorrow depending on the weather

[Wibble]

My local classic friendly garage owner has had one from new. It is absolutely mint but in “Race” blue, my favourite colour. It has super low mileage and seldom used but kept at his workshop so nice to see it being preserved. These are definitely future classics and the smart person’s choice over a similar vintage Golf GTi I reckon. But I am somewhat Skoda biased😉

[Petrolize]

That blue would’ve been my choice on one of these aswell but the silver does at least give the car more of a sleeper’ look.

Tax looks like £330 a year, ouch! Guess £28 a month is bearable given it’ll only be two months - the same site I just used to check the tax helpfully pointed out 61 days of MOT! 

[Wibble]

I didn’t realise the tax was so horrendous on these. Still worth it though and I suppose 61 days probably does take us to mid August now. Have some fun and if you don’t want to preserve it, let us all know it’s available. Wish I had the space for another.

[Petrolize]

I think it’s because the car was registered June 2006, had it been a couple months earlier in 2006 would maybe have been less £

[RoverFolkUs]

Do like these, haven't heard too many bad things about them 

[Jerzy Woking]

We had a few VRS's at work. Not one got killed, despite many hamfisted people trying to rev them to the limiter from cold. Took loads of abuse that other cars could not.

One with a suroof, in yellow, is particularly sought after for some reason

[Wibble]

My daily  drivers have been Skodas since 2008. First a 2007 Octavia estate Tdi DSG, then 2014 Superb Estate sDSG and currently 2015 Superb estate SE Business DSG. All company owned and kept longer than usual but, apart from the 2014 Superb which got written off, don’t go wrong. Current one should have been replaced by now but current prices have ruled this out and I’m  quite happy with that, as it’s such a great car.
 

 

 

 

[New POD]

8 hours ago, Wibble said:

I didn’t realise the tax was so horrendous on these. Still worth it though and I suppose 61 days probably does take us to mid August now. Have some fun and if you don’t want to preserve it, let us all know it’s available. Wish I had the space for another.

£1 a day ?  It would pail into insignificance compared to actually using it and consuming fuel.  What do you expect to get around town? 20 mpg ? 30p a mile at current prices ? 

[sierraman]

Those stickers would be a red flag. 🤣

[New POD]

8 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Those stickers would be a red flag. 🤣

The air filter would be a red flag. 

[Supernaut]

I'd go as far to say that the stickers, air filter, and warning lights are all red flags.

If it was cheap enough though...

 

Personally, I would have spent my money on the cars I already have. However compulsive car collecting is what keeps this place alive. My thread is relatively unexciting.

[dave j]

My daily is a diesel Octavia vrs and I love it! I think the petrol ones can have timing chain issues but they are great cars

[Petrolize]

I admit the car was a bit of a red flag. Problem today is whilst cleaning it the radio stays on and let’s put a horrible pulsating noise through the whole car every so often. Should I start it and see if that resets things. Locking and unlocking central locking made no difference 

[Jazoli]

8 hours ago, sierraman said:

Those stickers would be a red flag. 🤣

 

8 hours ago, New POD said:

The air filter would be a red flag. 

Yup, I'd have not got past looking at the pictures to be honest.

I had a mk1 VRS it was brilliant.

[Rocket88]

Thought they had belts….

[Boycie]

I had a brand new black one as a company car in 2003 ......stealth bomber , by the time you'd see it it was gone .....huge boots on the the buggers to 

[HMC]

21 hours ago, Petrolize said:

At the moment I’ve far too many cars,

I hear you 

[Petrolize]

Before, it was actually worse then it looks 

After, still not great but gave myself an hour and a bit to do what I could in the time. 

Freebies

Plus a few pictures of the outside as I quite like the way it looks

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Good looking car there. Get them Clubland CDs in the changer though!

Also quite surprised to see it has manual rear windows, just assumed the vRS had electric in the back from standard like the others.

[Petrolize]

They already are! Turned on the 6CD changer and they played at full blast. I was very surprised they were manual in the back aswell but one thing less to go wrong.

[AnnoyingPentium]

7 minutes ago, Petrolize said:

They already are! Turned on the 6CD changer and they played at full blast. I was very surprised they were manual in the back aswell but one thing less to go wrong.

Good stuff! I've got a similar 3 CD set currently stuck in my 10 CD changer... 🤣

On a Skoda of this era, not having electric windows in the back is probably a blessing, tbh.

[JackThrust]

9 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Good stuff! I've got a similar 3 CD set currently stuck in my 10 CD changer... 🤣

On a Skoda of this era, not having electric windows in the back is probably a blessing, tbh.

There was an optional "comfort pack" or some such that added leccy rear windows, a front centre armrest and climate control. Can't remember if all that became standard on the facelift.

Love an Octy Vrs, I had a mk1 in dog dick red which remains my favourite car I've had and the one I regret selling. Also had a facelift MK2 Vrs in yellow which was a bit shit alas. It had the early DSG box which was on the way out.

I would bloody love a mk1 estate but even knackered ones are big money now.

[vaughant]

There's a more specialist VAG style fault reader available that you can usually get from ebay for 30 odd quid that will do everything and reset all systems. 

VAG love to throw up lights for no or minor reasons very frequently. 

 

[horriblemercedes]

On 6/10/2022 at 11:28 PM, Petrolize said:

I think it’s because the car was registered June 2006, had it been a couple months earlier in 2006 would maybe have been less £

No, that's Band J. It was unaffected by the 21/03/06 change. Bands A-K remained but Bands L and M were added. They hadn't existed until then 

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 hour ago, JackThrust said:

There was an optional "comfort pack" or some such that added leccy rear windows, a front centre armrest and climate control. Can't remember if all that became standard on the facelift.

Love an Octy Vrs, I had a mk1 in dog dick red which remains my favourite car I've had and the one I regret selling. Also had a facelift MK2 Vrs in yellow which was a bit shit alas. It had the early DSG box which was on the way out.

I would bloody love a mk1 estate but even knackered ones are big money now.

Ahhh I see. Didn't know about the Comfort Pack.

There's still a lot of love for the Mk1 Octy vRS. I'd love an estate one too, but again, prices to buy are a big limiting factor.

[Fraz]

Brilliant car. I loved mine and would gladly have another. 
 

Re timing chain - These have a timing belt however the cams are linked with a small chain on the pass side. The tensioner for it fails and causes engine borkness. They tick before they die. Worthwhile watching for. 
 

If you don’t have kids buy a pack of baby wipes for the white bits of the seats. I found they clean them really well and quickly as stops them getting grubby again over time. 
 

The sills on these get hit with stone chips and rust for fun. I grinder mine right back, vatcan, stone chip then repainted then the correct colour. I bought a cheap set of oem mudflaps from Ali express or eBay. They fit really well and protect the sill for the future and look totally oem. 
 

Get it remapped!