[BHPjunkie]

Originally Posted by sunikkat

Cannot tell about Mumbai, but if in Bangalore this is a good price, only if that 20k kms is genuine. A new one OTR Bangalore would have costed around 33 lakhs and to add there are no VAG diesels available. Also this car is very reliable and can easily put a lot of kms.

Originally Posted by PG245

Hi,
A person I know sold his 2017 pre-facelift Octavia Petrol topend 27K Kms run for 14.5L in Hyderabad. 16L seems to be a good price for this car considering facelift model and diesel.

Man the Octavia was sold even before I could go to check out the vehicle. I guess it was a great deal and the car was sold within 3 days of the listing. So the search continues.

[hyper-VTEC]

Between the TSI and TDI, would a used TDI be a safer bet with respect to the DSG reliability? I am looking for a 2017 (pre-facelift) MY pre-loved car

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

Between the TSI and TDI, would a used TDI be a safer bet with respect to the DSG reliability? I am looking for a 2017 (pre-facelift) MY pre-loved car

TDI DSG is a much reliable unit, I am yet to see or hear a failure in this in MK3 Octavia.
Get a TDI and do a stage 1. You are sorted and looking at around 190 BHP and 400 NM torque.

[spkrnh]

Originally Posted by sunikkat

TDI DSG is a much reliable unit, I am yet to see or hear a failure in this in MK3 Octavia.
Get a TDI and do a stage 1. You are sorted and looking at around 190 BHP and 400 NM torque.

I owned the Jetta TDI dsg and had to replace the flywheel at 50k kms ( 6 years ) which costed 65,000. Though I tried my best to get them to claim under goodwill like the mechatronics for dq200, I couldn’t.
But then, I enjoyed the car so much I let it go.
If I were to get a 3-4 year old used Octavia I would go for the Petrol over diesel anyday. I would get the lovely 1.8 tsi and probably a lesser run car for a lower price than diesel. Keep the 1.3-1.5 lakhs saved over diesel for the mechatronic replacement, which there is a high chance of happening.
Atleast for me, neither is the diesel greatly reliable either.

[Puniaaditya]

Hey fellow Bhpians,

I'm buying a pre worshipped December 2016 manufactured, May 2017 registered, pre facelift Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI CR Manual transmission, in Panchkula/Chandigarh. The mileage on the odo is 65k kms, I've verified the service history and test driven the car. The AC, clutch etc. everything seems to be working fine. The shoes on the car are Pirelli P6, also the battery is just 9 months old too. What could be a fair price of this car? Not revealing the deal price just to get unbiased opinions.
What unforeseen repairs should I keep myself prepared for in the coming years? Seeking advice from existing pre facelift Octavia owners.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by Puniaaditya

What unforeseen repairs should I keep myself prepared for in the coming years? Seeking advice from existing pre facelift Octavia owners.

My 2016 TDI manual has done 69k kms and the car is very reliable.
Few maintenance you can expect are clutch overhaul, brake disc / pads, ABS sensor. Also check out the AC vents and steering mounted control rollers. Suspension is another thing what you can check due to the mileage - I had voluntarily changed the suspension (dampers only) to B6.
TDI manual is a fast one in the segment which in stock itself was doing 0 to 100 in 8.6 seconds. And a simple stage 1 will take it to ~ 200 BHP and 400 NM torque. Cannot comment on the pricing in Chandigarh though.

[Puniaaditya]

Few maintenance you can expect are clutch overhaul, brake disc / pads, ABS sensor. Also check out the AC vents and steering mounted control rollers.

I've verified from the service history that front brake pads were changed in the last service as preventive maintenance.

Let's keep the fingers crossed for the clutch overhaul and ABS sensors to work for another atleast 35k kms.

TDI manual is a fast one in the segment which in stock itself was doing 0 to 100 in 8.6 seconds.

Indeed, I just loved the thrust when I floored the accelerator during test drive, Octavia zoomed to 145 kmph without much efforts.

This is the first time I'm buying a pre worshipped car, and I'm a bit nervous about it. Let's hope all goes well. I love to keep cars long term, I've a 2010 Honda City, in showroom condition. Sometimes I had to show my RC to few people to make them believe that it's actually 2010 model. Now just pointing out to the colour coded sticker with date of registration on the front windshield does the work. Will someday put a long term ownership review for that.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by Puniaaditya

I've verified from the service history that front brake pads were changed in the last service as preventive maintenance.

Let's keep the fingers crossed for the clutch overhaul and ABS sensors to work for another atleast 35k

Nothing no break your sweat on ABS sensors, I have changed only one till now and you can source easily from a good FNG, costs around 3k only. And this happened only after my brake disc and pads upgrade.

Do a good check, bargain for the price and go ahead with it. Now that VAG TDIs are not available it makes it more special. After driving this for a while nothing less than a Octavia VRS or 330i would satisfy you - such is the performance.

[sjain2054]

Originally Posted by GTO

Voting a very, very strong YES. If I wanted a pre-worshipped sedan for a million bucks, it would either be the Octavia or Jetta. I would avoid the 1.8 TSI though. My pick would be the 2.0 TDI with the more durable 6-speed DSG. Or of course, that stonking vRS.

I am in the market for a used car. I did not want to spend more than 12 lakhs at this point in time because I intend to upgrade to a 40-60lakh EV in another 3-4 years.

I have two questions:
1. What difference does the torsion bean rear suspension in the 2.0TDI make? Obviously, if I am looking at Octavia 2.0 then I am one of those fast drivers. Will it be a deal breaker and should I look else where?

2. In the pre-worshipped Superb thread you mentioned that you would stay away due to niggles and an independent garage is essential. Can you recommend such a garage in South Mumbai because if I pick up an Octavia even then it will be useful?

One observation:
While you have mentioned that a used Octavia 2.0 should be a million bucks or so but on OLX I see 2017,18,19 models 2.0TDI at 16-21 lakhs. Very discouraging that

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by sjain2054

I am in the market for a used car. I did not want to spend more than 12 lakhs at this point in time because I intend to upgrade to a 40-60lakh EV in another 3-4 years.

I have two questions:
1. What difference does the torsion bean rear suspension in the 2.0TDI make? Obviously, if I am looking at Octavia 2.0 then I am one of those fast drivers. Will it be a deal breaker and should I look else where?

You feel the disadvantage of torsion beam rear suspension more at low speeds. This along with more stiffer suspension setup in 2 TDI makes stiffer low speed drive. Also the suspension is not the quietest. As a result TDI has better high speed stability than 1.8 TSI (personal experience). But 1.8 TSI takes fast corners better than 2 TDI. Having said that you dont have to worry about fast drives, car is very stable and handles really well at high speeds (with stock suspension) - I mean REAL high speeds.

My TDI is now running in Bilstein B6 and that takes to whole another level

[sjain2054]

Originally Posted by sunikkat

You feel the disadvantage of torsion beam rear suspension more at low speeds. This along with more stiffer suspension setup in 2 TDI makes stiffer low speed drive. Also the suspension is not the quietest. As a result TDI has better high speed stability than 1.8 TSI (personal experience). But 1.8 TSI takes fast corners better than 2 TDI. Having said that you dont have to worry about fast drives, car is very stable and handles really well at high speeds (with stock suspension) - I mean REAL high speeds.

My TDI is now running in Bilstein B6 and that takes to whole another level

Thanks this helps. I did some more research and stumbled upon the Audi A3 in Audi Approved Plus. I did a little more research and found that A3 35 TDI has the same 2.0 engine with the DQ250. And it comes with the multi link suspension and not to mention the fact that its a luxury car so NVH levels and features will be better for sure. Therefore, I think I will start looking for 2018 or later A3 TDI Technology trim cars. As GTO says there is no cheap luxury car because of parts costs and service costs so I have to research on that too.

What do you think?

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by sjain2054

Thanks this helps. I did some more research and stumbled upon the Audi A3 in Audi Approved Plus. I did a little more research and found that A3 35 TDI has the same 2.0 engine with the DQ250.

What do you think?

Yes A3, Octavia and Jetta were the top contenders for me back in 2016. Dropped A3 as it felt small for my requirements and no manual. Finally chose Octavia over Jetta (though Jetta has better suspension set up) as performance in Octavia felt better.

So if space is not a constraint, then you should definitely look at A3. End of it, it has four rings too

[sarfraz1997]

TSI Addiction

Our family's first TSI was the Vento TSI which we brought home back in 2018. Having experienced the DSG gearbox albeit the much dreaded DQ200, We fell in love with how much refined the TSI's were over the other turbo petrol engines in the market. The DQ200 although not as reliable as one would like, is a potent gearbox which can get you addicted to how gear shifts are so slick on an auto-box!

Since our 2011 VW Jetta TDI DSG was nearing the 10 year mark (approx 90k KMS), coupled with the fact that we got a good offer for it back in 2020 considering the COVID first wave prices, we were tempted to let go of it and get a newer car. After having sat on the offer for 3 months (yes, the other person was so much in love with the car that he was after it for 3 months!), we finally decided to let it go. My parents stay in Dubai, my brother in India (Bangalore), and our base in Hyderabad. Back in 2020, I was going to leave for my masters after taking a break from my career in 2021. For a short while after letting go of our Jetta, we wanted to have a single car since except my brother, Nobody else from my family would be here in India to use a car. However, with the onset of COVID, and having been thrown into wave after wave, I had pushed my plans to 2022.







There is a picture of our Vento on the same road, at the same spot (Doddabetta Peak Road, Ooty). This picture is available on my (Ownership Review : Journey with my VW Vento 1.2 TSI Highline) Vento thread as well.



With life returning to normalcy, my brother and I were finding it difficult to manage with a single car as it meant cancelling the other person's plans, or finding alternate methods of transports which were super inconvenient during COVID tenure. We quickly realised that if my brother moved out of Hyderabad after his WFH period ended, it might be troublesome for my parents or me to go around when we visit Hyderabad, specially considering that we travel fairly a lot when we visit India. We're a family who enjoy road trips, although not too long distance trips considering the safety aspects. If its within 400KMS Radius, road trip would be our preferred choice.

As is the case with most people who have had a D segment sedan, and a German/Czech make at that, there are very few cars that might quench the thirst after getting used to the driving pleasure, build quality and safety. We didn't restrict ourselves to just brand new cars, but were also considering slightly used cars for good deals, more so considering three out of the four members of our family would spend majority of the time outside India. Being the enthusiasts that we've been since our childhood, I thought a used 320d might be a good upgrade in terms of safety and driving pleasure. It is very nimble, and not too heavy on the pocket for maintenance if treated it well. Having getting used to the space, my brother preferred a 5 series. After having experienced how agile the 320d felt compared to the 520d, I kept looking out for a 530d.

Every used car has a story and I'm very particular when it comes to purchasing used cars and would not put down any money until the story checks out on all fronts.

Close Calls

1) Although our hearts wanted a BMW, our minds weren't too far behind. Just shortly after we sold our 2011 Jetta, a 2015/6 Jetta TDI DSG came up for sale. It was exceptionally well maintained, low mileage car (3x K KMS) single owner example. The dealer was quoting 11 lakhs, we offered 10. He came down until 10.3 Lakhs, and we stuck to 10 since we weren't very excited about it since it was merely a facelift version of the car we just recently sold. The dealer said he'd wait until the next weekend, and if he didn't get a better offer, he'd give it to us. When the weekend came, he informed us that he had sold the car at 10.3 Lakhs to somebody else.

2) A couple months after this, I found a well kept 320d on sale by the preowned department of BMW - Kun Exclusive on a Sunday, I asked to see the car on the same day but they informed me that although the showroom was open, the preowned department has a holiday on Sunday. After having inspected the car on Monday, I had gotten it checked at BMW service centre for upcoming repairs, and had also checked the service history on Tuesday. After all my checks, I'd paid a token of 50k to BMW on Wednesday and decided that we'd take the car on the coming weekend. However, owing to a family emergency, my brother and I had to travel on the weekend and asked for an extension of 3 days. Upon informing them, the preowned department of Kun exclusive started showing their ugly side. They'd called me on Monday saying somebody visited their showroom the previous day (Sunday) and purchased the car on the spot. This was surprising to us since when I'd asked to see the car the previous Sunday, they turned me down saying they don't work on Sunday's, and now that we asked for an extension of 3 days after having paid an advance, they magically worked on Sunday and sold the car.

3) A few weeks after this, I came across a 2018 Skoda Octavia TDI DSG L&K in silver shade. This car surprisingly had a pink coloured DRL on one side, I thought it was just the usual Skoda DRL acting up (Many cars from 2013-2018/19 have DRL issues where they start by turning yellow until finally giving up). Similar to the previous cars, I went, checked the car, scanned the car with VCDS, got it checked at Skoda and also verified the service history. after having searched for cars close to 6 months, I was starting to get annoyed with how increasingly difficult it was getting to purchase a used car. This car seemed exciting enough since it was the similar 2.0 TDI engine we owned previously and know a fair deal about, coupled with DQ250, one of the reliable gearboxes from VW's DSG family, plus the excellent mileage of this engine sprinkled with all the latest features. However, having the OCD about the story of the car, I wanted to check deeper about the DRL issue. VCDS scan showed no errors about it, upon inspecting the headlight, I found out that it was an aftermarket assembly from China/Taiwan. It did not make sense that the first owner having taken extended warranty, and nil dip insurance throughout its life so far would skimp on a headlight. My mind said no, and I walked away from this car.

In a parallel dimension

At the same time, we were also visiting various showrooms checking out new cars that fit our budget (A max stretch of 25 Lakhs).

1) VW T-Roc: Living right opposite to VW Showroom, this is the car we started with. The first time we test drove this car, we went in our Jetta before we sold it, and it simply did not feel like a car worth spending 25 lakhs on. The interiors quality were very similar to our Vento which was just almost half the price of the T-Roc. Although we liked the engine, at that point, we were not ready to get another DQ200 home. We loved the panoramic sunroof, and the looks of this car. However, We have a lot of airport runs and highway trips. A car this size would not be able to accommodate our luggage. We just couldn't accept the fact that we might not be able to use this car even for our usual airport trips. Hence it was axed from the list.

2) Kia Seltos: We have a Kia showroom right next to the VW Showroom opposite to our house. After having walked out of the VW Showroom, we went to Kia to check out the Seltos. This car impressed with how it looked like a SUV of considerable size, and the long features list. However, a quick TD disappointed us since the suspension was a touch too hard to our liking.

3) Honda City: This car does look great, and is relatively easier on the pocket than their German/Czech rivals. It is a lot bigger too. (Virtus and Slavia weren't out at the time yet). We decided that if we do not find a used car that we liked, we would purchase the city and get done with it. Our father has a strong liking towards Honda and their engines, and how fuss free the Japanese cars are. Hence this seemed like a very good option that fit well within our budget.

4) Hyundai Verna: The 1.0 Turbo Petrol engine was just launched, and it had a plethora of features. However, the rear seat was a step down from our Jetta and Hyundai's safety standard worked against the car after having getting used to the build quality of VW.

5) Skoda Kushaq: If the T-Roc left us disappointed, the Kushaq left us depressed. I'd started getting frustrated over how painstakingly difficult it was getting to like and purchase a car. Forget our Jetta, the interior quality was a couple steps down from even our Vento! Although the cabin space was decent, we felt this car did not justice the asking price.

6) Skoda Octavia: After having expressed our disappointment in the Kushaq, the PPS Skoda dealer at Kondapur had just got their Octavia TD car that evening. They offered us the first test drive of their car, and we immediately fell in love with it. I always felt that the MK6 Jetta's build quality > MK3 Octavia. However, the MK4 Octavia is a different ball game altogether. The 2.0 TSI motor is a hoot to drive. It did not have the dreaded DQ200. The interiors felt two notches above our Jetta. Finally a car that felt like an upgrade from the Jetta. Around the same time, I'd gotten to know that there were mouth watering discounts on the Octavia. One of my friends picked up one in Mumbai and had told me that not just dealers, but Skoda was also offering great discounts from their side. However, PPS Dealer in Hyderabad refused to pass on the benefits that Skoda was giving, and we had to walk away since we weren't comfortable stretching that much.

7) Skoda Slavia: After having been on the lookout for over an year, I ran out of patience and booked the Slavia the minute the bookings opened. In fact, my booking was among the first 5 at the newly opened PPS Skoda. It looked good, decent size, 1.5 TSI + DSG combo, it was ticking most boxes for a frustrated individual.

As I kept on looking for used cars as well, I came across a 2017 Skoda Octavia 1.8TSI Style AT in December 2021 at a fair price considering how the prices of used cars sky rocketed in second half of 2021. I immediately went to checkout the car, It had done just 11K KMS, the service history checked out, the story checked out, the owner had maintained it well. The delivery time of April 2022 for the Slavia, coupled with the fact that it was around 30% more expensive than the Octavia I was considering made it an easy decision to vote in favour of the Octavia. Lets say I checked the car on Day 1, I paid the advance on Day 2, and got her home on Day 3. Soon after getting the car, I'd gotten Sunfilm on all windows, and PPF on the headlights from Autopia. As usual, they did a very good job, and are among the best in the city IMO.

The Style variant of the Octavia although not the top end, is fairly well loaded. It comes with auto dimming ORVM's on both sides, a good 8" radio which supports CarPlay and Android Auto, the LED Projector headlamps. The only part of the car I hate are the alloys. Skoda could've done a lot better than the Style variant's stock alloys. Having been smitten with retrofits on our Vento, I already had a list of retrofits that we'd get on this car. The MQB platform is so potent that it is possible to retrofit features that otherwise come in cars that are at least 50% more expensive. I moved to the US 3 weeks after getting this car, and had already procured a few parts for retrofitting within the 3 week period. Although I didn't get an opportunity to have them installed before I left, I got them installed recently. I will share more about these upgrades in the future posts.

[sunikkat]

Nice . It’s very difficult to find an upgrade for Jetta / Octavia.
What wheels were in your Jetta? It looks 17 inchers. Also what mods you had in Jetta?

Agree the mod potential is unlimited in these MQB cars. Only the money and time is your limit. Looking forward for the list of upgrades in Octavia.

Have many miles of happy driving

[sarfraz1997]

Originally Posted by sunikkat

Nice . It’s very difficult to find an upgrade for Jetta / Octavia.
What wheels were in your Jetta? It looks 17 inchers. Also what mods you had in Jetta?

Agree the mod potential is unlimited in these MQB cars. Only the money and time is your limit. Looking forward for the list of upgrades in Octavia.

Have many miles of happy driving

Yes, definitely. I can imagine how much more difficult it is going to get for us to replace our Octavia. The wheels are 17” Momo Quantum’s.

Haha yes. Couldn’t agree more. The list will be out soon enough. There are quite a few interesting things in the pipeline. I’m driving down to Pune tomorrow to get them installed by NSquareAutoTech.