Rentacar

[Stringent]

While my parents car has gone in to have its bodywork sorted out, they currently have a Skoda (shudders) Octavia 1.9 Turbodiesel, which I am driving to and from work, and my mum is on my insurance ... I think its cos she works in a school and bumps and stuff.

Anyways, needs quite a lot of revs to get going otherwise it stalls. Stalled the thing twice on my first go. It does move though and am quite impressed. However, the interior looks a bit cheap, its quite roomy though I'll give it that, I feel a bit lost in it as its a big old saloon as I am used to my 3dr Escort! Has Air con which is a life saver thes past few weeks.

Would I have one? Er no. Sorry that Skoda badge on the sterring wheel still does something to me ... But they do look a lot better than they used to.

[unrealrocks]

Yeah - my dad had one of those to drive to cov in ... he said they wern't half bad, although he said the same about the plasticyness

[Moby-Dick]

I like the octavia - is it the 90bhp or the 110bhp one ?

the vRS is a bit of a beast

[TiG]

LOL, sorry but the skoda octavia rocks matey, my VRS is superb, lovely interior and much better than the plastic focus etc. And what do you mean you need lots of revs for the diesel. If anything thats the exact opposite of what my experience of driving diesels are like.

The octavia's clutch is very easy to despress, which is the way i like it, you sure your just not experienced enough at driving different cars?.

My octavia has 180bhp, its cheaper than the VW Golf, or Bora, Cheaper than the Seat Ibiza, or Leon. Yet is the same car.

Sure my VRS has a lot of extras compared to the TD octavia, half leather seats and much more sculptured seats, but it fits 5 adults without fuss and its superb for long distances.

Plus i'm not a fashion concious person, all decent car heads know the octavia is a stunning car, i don't need to justify it to anyone as the car suits me, but before everyone else slates it, imo you need to considure what its up against. For its range i personally think its pretty outstanding

TiG

[Shad]

Wondered how long it'd take you Tig

[Howard]

I like the newer Skodas. Nice cars. Saw what I think was an VRS absolutely hauling it down the road a week or so back

[dkmech]

Whenever i have to drive a rental i stall it at least once per trip, be it a 2l mondeo, a tdi passat, a 1.8l avensis and etc... I drive a 1.1 pug, so you'd think that if i were to stall anything then it would be it. But its just that the new cars feel slightly different and when you are not used to a car and are not careful it is quite easy to stall. I can't remember if i stalled that 3.2l vectra or not - probably not - was flooring it far too much for that

And thumbs up for the skodas!

[Atomic]

Anyways, needs quite a lot of revs to get going otherwise it stalls.

Really? I was able to pull away in 1st with no revs just the clutch in the diesels Ive driven... stalling ones a bitch too, they just chug loundly warning you before stalling.

[Grey M@a]

I wouldn't knock back the offer of a 1.9 TDI octavia, not exactly sluggish is it

[Vimeous]

Flanderz
For us petrolheads it does seem like the revs vanish far to quickly I agree. I've borrowed a number of different diesels and for the first few minutes felt the same as you.
However a little more time and experience shows that often a change in driving style reaps great rewards. Most diesels operate best between 2000-4000rpm (some lower, some higher) so why not hold back from charging round the rev range like you would in the escort and sit for a bit longer in the bit of the rev-range that gives the most torque. Two things will happen. 1) the drive becomes less manic and 2) you'll be motoring round at an indecent rate.
Of course one thing of note, especially if you have a lower powered diesel in the Octavia is that it's a much heavier car than the escort ever was and so needs that little bit extra to get it going.

Give it a go and have fun!

[[GSV]Trig]

Out of all of the Skoda's I'd ahve the Octavia RS thing, wouldnt touch any of the others tho...

[Stringent]

Oh I AM having fun :-) Nice to have a car with some oommphh in it. Floor the accellerator in 2nd, vooooooooooommmmmmm!

[TiG]

heh shad what did you expect?

and flanderz if you think the 1.9Tdi is fun you've got a lot of fun to come in driving when you start moving up the car power ranges

TiG