Skoda Octavia vRS (2005 - 2013) 2.0T FSI Hatchback 5d (2007/07) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

I thought long and hard before buying a Skoda as I remember the rubbish/joke cars they used to make. This is not a joke car; it is a great car. I think it says I don't care what other people think, I know a good thing when I see it.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Other Skoda owners love it and regard it as some kind of super car (which it clearly isn't). Some still remember the 'old' Skoda image and would never buy a Skoda (or a Ford or Vauxhall come to that). Importantly I don't care what they think.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I would buy this car again (especially the latest model). It met all my expectations and is fun to drive which is important to me. It is better than a Golf GTI but has the same engine, drives better, looks better and costs less.

What are you likely to buy next?

I am very likely to buy a Skoda either another Octavia vRS, possibly a Fabia vRS or even a Yeti. 3 series BMW's (and 4 series Audi's) are still nice although difficult to justify the price when comparing like for like with my vRS. Smaller options would be a Golf or even a Seat although once again they seem poor value for money against the Octavia vRS. Price isn't too much of an issue for me but value for money is when comparing two very similar cars.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£16,500

When did you buy the car?

March 2008

Did you get a good deal and why?

Deal was fair; I paid what I expected to pay. 'Threw in' a tow bar for 'free'. Dealer didn't negotiate on price very much although I suspect if I could have been bothered to walk away and go to another Skoda dealer they would have moved a bit.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

5 door, large boot, performance engine.

What was the dealer like?

Treated very well, not a high pressure sell, allowed a good test drive and time to go away and think/come back. Showroom modern with tea/coffee etc.

What's it like to drive?

I love driving the car. I used to drive a Saab Viggen which was a straight line monster (but rubbish in the curves). The vRS isn't as quick as the Saab but is still fast and handles really well. The suspension is great, engine smooth with almost no turbo lag. Interior is sporty looking but more comfortable than the Golf GTI which I also test drove.I would happily buy a vRS again (and might do so).

What's it like to park?

It's not a big car so no real problems parking. The turning circle is good. No parking sensors which is a shame as I always seem to park about 6 feet away from a wall although that is probably more my problem than the car's.

Have you had any problems with the car?

One component failure - the ESP sensor. Was told by independent garage that this was not uncommon on the VW stable of cars. Was just out of guarantee but Skoda replaced the item and although I paid, they gave me a 20-30% 'goodwill' discount as it was literally 1 month out of warranty. No other mechanicals. The lacquer on the spoiler started to peel after about 3 years. It looked quite bad until it all peeled off (after about 6 months). Now I have a matt blue spoiler but it doesn't look bad. The 18" alloys look good but now badly need a refurb. as the coating is coming off.

What's most practical about your car?

Luggage space is huge which is one of the reasons I bought the car.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The power pack is an option (why?) and I wouldn't buy the car without it. I miss heated mirrors and any audio controls on the steering wheel. These are not even an option as a retro fit (again why?). Otherwise the options are what I would regard as 'standard' for a car these days.