Get the Skoda. They really are worth their money, the Vrs has a pretty good interior as well
for 14k you could get a Porsche 968 so you could be in with the in crowd. but you'd need a bike rack then. cheers julian
I must admit, I haven't been impressed with VW staff so far. I've only every been into two dealerships - the first 2 years ago when I was considering buying a new Polo, hung around 20 minutes waiting for someone to give me the time of day and promptly walked out after being ignored. The second time was last weekend. Hung around for 20 minutes.....you get the picture! If this is their before sales service, what's the after sales like ? A bike rack is an option if I find a small car I really like. So, lined up for this weekend, I think I'll take a look at the following : - Skoda VRS - Seat Leon Cupra (might even look at the diesel - apparently good fun AND economical) - Audi A3 1.8T - possibly a Golf (although it would be the old model and they weren't too hot) ......hmmm too many VAG cars here...... - possibly a Civic Type-S - apart from it's people carrier looks, it could be a good trade of of performance and practicality. - might have a look at Toyota's, although they've never really appealed to me. - wouldn't mind a look at an Alfa 147, although they could be costly to run. - maybe a 3-series, although around here they don't stand out from the crowd (except in my work car park, every other car seems to be a BMW) That little lot should keep me busy
A mate of mine had a BMW 3-Series. It recently went in for repairs and he was given a new Vauxhal Astra for three weeks. He now has one on order and the BMW is history
The CTR tyres do last longer than 8,000 miles for most folk but it does depend on how you drive it of course!
Do you know how long they last for the average driver with just a heavy right foot every now and then ?
There are donkeys in all walks of life. Anyone remotely interested in driving will not prefer FWD over RWD.
I was looking at a review of the Octavia 2.0 TDI, it costs £15k you get electric everything, an interior straight out of an Audio or BMW, the best bit costs £10k less than an Audi. I fact I guess its probably based on the same chasis as the A4. If I was ever rich and could afford a car I would probably get that Skoda, its one of the few cars I would consider new. In this group test the cars that were tested against were the A4, 3 series, C class, and S40. Quite ironic that Skodas can now compete with some of the best European marques.
AT- don't buy it new. As good a deal as new skodas are, they still have poor image to the unenlightened, and depreciate horribly. A nearly-new Superb can be bought for under £10k, and it's as big inside as an S-class which will cost you £50k.
True, it will be several years until I can afford anything like that anyway. By which time I mnay be able to buy a 2004 Octavia for around about £3k or somthing. They just seem to offer brilliant safety, comfort, equipment, good chasis and engines for a good price. My uncles done 100k in his 1.9 unturbo charged Fabria, its really really slow but he has had no trouble with it at all. At one time he used to drive a a brand new BMW 750i too. I like Skodas image as well, its very understated, very much an I know how to beat the system brand.
at, iirc the octavia is built on the golf/bora platform rather than the a4/passat one. as for fwd over rwd. well if i had a tank slapper on a diesel covered juntion or roundabout i'd prefer understeer to oversteer. that way i go up the grass verge rather than ploughing into oncomming traffic arse first. but if i was driving it like i stole it on a track then the lure of lurid tail slides would be fine. but then if i was getting a car for the track i'd get a supercharged atom or one of the bike engined 7-a-likes. cheers julian
the best car that suits your criteria,imo,is the Skoda Octavia vRS Estate,no question,imho,particularly with a bike next best is a s/h Cupra R
Why is it ironic. At one time Skoda's were the cars all else were measured by. It was only with the advent of communism that they ceased to be one of Europes top makers
In normal driving, rather than hooliganism/incompetant driving, RWD is preferable because the steering is free from artefacts.
bub, how does steering free from 'artifacts' help when you are sliding on diesel or ice? cheers julian
Aye, that's why I bought a 4wd Octavia.... Complete with switchable traction control and ABS it corners like on rails, and a 2 year old estate cost me less than £10k! And out here in the sticks, the 4wd definitely proved it's worth when it snowed..
Once you are actually sliding, you are a passenger not a driver any more, and it really doesn't matter which wheels are driven, even all four. Four-wheel drive doesn't make your tyres any stickier. My 328i SC is perfectly stable on snow, if enough care is taken.
Devil,I agree but only when the driver is competent,most aren't.Understeer is inherently safer because if you do nothing,like most drivers will do when they panic,ie lift off and brake,they are more likely to get control of the car or at least slow enough to avoid a serious accident. With RWD,you obviously have to apply oppo lock and know what you are doing on the throttle,even with a modern diff and a stability programme. 4wd will not aid grip,you are correct,but you will have increased traction,making a slide less likely than with rwd/fwd
