Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen)

RBalaM · 4th July 2020, 12:53

Voted a big yes.

Have been admiring the Octavia from generation 1 and with each generation, the love for it has only increased. What is that you do not have here, top class build, design that does not age so soon, rich interiors and that crazy engine which can make you go crazy

So you have everything except proper ASS.

I just wish they improve thier ASS. As I have been hearing or reading so many stories and it matters alot when going for a used vehicle.

frozen.ash · 4th July 2020, 13:00

As far as owning a Skoda is concerned, it's always a NO from the mind, but a big YES from the heart.

There may be multiple sorts of worries associated with owning and maintaining a Skoda, be it the reliability, maintenance costs or the service and parts concerns. But every time you get behind the wheel of an Octy, you heart just begins to race, and you get that peculiar rush of blood that only the European brands are able to provide you a taste of.

Me being someone ruled by the heart when it comes to all things "automobilean", I have voted YES!

vvb8530 · 4th July 2020, 13:34

As an owner of a 2015 Skoda Octavia 1.8tsi equipped with the infamous DSG i would only like to share my experience with anyone who is on this thread and keen on owning an Octavia some time. Skoda has definitely upped their game in terms of their customer service, the DSG has been absolutely trouble free and although I have had some other smaller issues which are also pretty common to most Octavia's like Thermostat leak or bust Sensors these issues have been almost immediately addressed by Skoda either under warranty or with goodwill warranty. Complaints with regards to the DSG even in the 1.8tsi with dry clutch seem to have almost vanished now and if at all heard any then that has also been covered under goodwill even if the car is not under warranty. With the service interval of 15000kms or one year the maintenance has been very reasonable and infact cheaper or at par with my other car which is a Toyota Crysta that requires service every 5000kms. The cost of replacement parts have not been very different from any other Japanese or Korean brand either.

Like most people here even I had heard horror tales and so my ownership was filled with nervousness, to the extent that even though i upsized the wheels I still kept the stock wheels safe with me incase of any warranty related issues, however my experience has been more than satisfactory, the after sales service staff at the dealership have taken really good care of the car and addressed all my issues every time, what they could not handle at their level has been taken care of by Skoda Customer Care, the guys running the show at Skoda India now are really making a commendable effort in changing the perception of the brand. Which other CEO gets on to twitter and replies to anyone and everyone with problems, also replies to every email from customers. I have had the first hand experience of interacting with Zac Hollis who made sure the bust sensors in my car were replaced under warranty.

The 1.8tsi with the DSG is a brilliant piece of machinery with tremendous mod potentials and hearsay should not hold anyone back from getting one and modding it into a proper supercar killer. I held back on any performance modifications to avoid warranty hassles, now that the car is out of warranty and the right time to go crazy with mods however I am now planning to upgrade to something else soon so that is one thing that I will miss/ regret for sure, maybe someday in the future with enough time and money in hand I will head out to buy one again just so that I can tune it and mod it to my liking.

Some pics of my pride and joy

Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen)-img_9703.jpg

Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen)-img_9706.jpg

Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen)-img_0127.jpeg

Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen)-img_9692.jpg

Cheers,
VVB!!

Rustom Mistry · 4th July 2020, 13:51

Voted No.
It’s of course a very well engineered Europian car but is super unreliable. I kept a skoda Laura and it was a joy to drive but had problems from 20000 kilometres onwards plus the non availability of spares.
It’s a big no.

Gixxy.danger · 4th July 2020, 13:55

Voted in affirmation! I have always been in awe of the Octavia, especially the 3rd gen. The release of the v-RS in the indian market just made us all drool over it, I was no exception. Even while living in Dubai, I would look for used Octavia v-RS as they were roomier and were as quick as a Volkswagen Golf at half the price!

Being a Fiat owner, I am no stranger to dicey ASS and surprisingly big repair bills. Hence, would be smitten to own one of these as soon as I can gather some moolah.

07CR · 4th July 2020, 14:17

Correct me if I am wrong, is the 2.0 L version's DSG reliable? I see many choosing this version happily. Is this gearbox different than the petrol versions DSG?

Epic · 4th July 2020, 14:30

I voted a NO and simply because I had this choice in 2016 when choosing a pre-owned luxury sedan. For some reason the drive of the 2014/2015 Octavia TDIs just did not feel right as compared to the 2015 Jetta TDI that I test drove during that time. I believe the lack of the multi link suspension in the Octavia TDI was the cause of disappointment. I even had the chance to test drive a pre-owned 2014 Audi A4 and preferred the Jetta over it. The Jetta felt responsive and more spacious.

Chose the pre-owned 2015 Jetta TDI DSG, got it remapped and I am in love with it till today. I can't think of any replacement to it other than a Audi A6 / BMW 530d / Mercedes E250d

SansGT · 4th July 2020, 14:32

I voted for NO.
Though I would love to own it and the heart would always say aye, I would listen to my head over the heart in this case. I wouldn't trust the DSG with its reliability issues and no extended warranties from Skoda to cover it. I love the DSG, but would only go with it if I have warranty cover for the entire ownership. I don't want to get stranded some day in the middle of nowhere and also end up burning a huge hole amounting to multiple lakhs in my pocket. Adding to that, the costly spares and Skoda's service reputation only strengthens my thought. At the end of the day, peace of mind is equally important and the same will get the upper hand in this scenario.

vigneshkumar31 · 4th July 2020, 15:14

YES!

For me, the Octavia is the last garrison against the SUV onslaught. In the deluge of lifted hatches and plastic cladded raised boxes, it is the final bastion of hope to answer "why would you still buy a sedan?

And I say again. Skoda makes the most drool worthy mass market cars out there. Timeless designs, solid build with tight lines.

ShivWason17 · 4th July 2020, 15:46

A big YES from me.

Reason: I have just finalised a sweet deal for pre owned 2019 l&k 1.8 tsi. This has set me back (financially) by the same amount which will get me a mid variant of Creta/ Seltos ATs.

DSG woes aside, the car speaks quality inside out and that 1.8 tsi is a stonker of an engine. My earlier preference for a car has been a diesel MT crossover/ SUV, from a long time but gradually it has changed. A test drive of this car had a major hand to play in this. ��

RohanDheman · 4th July 2020, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07CR

Correct me if I am wrong, is the 2.0 L version's DSG reliable? I see many choosing this version happily. Is this gearbox different than the petrol versions DSG?

Yes they use different gearboxes. The diesel uses a 6 speed wet clutch DSG and the petrol uses the 7 speed unit dry clutch unit.

The 6 speed DSG on the diesels is extremely reliable and I say this from personal experience of over 1.6 lac kilometers on 2 cars (both owned by me) and zero issues on both with respect to the gearbox.

Cheers
Rohan

Pancham · 4th July 2020, 18:13

Given the diesel 10 year old ban in Delhi NCR (where I currently reside) and considering the 1.8 TSI DSG issues, I think the 1.4L TSI will be a very good option for me. I can see the following going on the for 1.4 TSI:

1. The price. I am sure the prices the relatively lower compared to the Diesel and TSI autos

2. Less tech means fewer things will break.

3. Overall you get the Octavia and the whole package.

4. Manual tranny goodness.

5. Finally, the power. As far as I have heard its no slouch either. Agree its not a 1.8 TSI but then again, owning a 1.4L TSI is better than not (being able to) owning the other 2 at all,

gururajrv · 4th July 2020, 18:33

Voted - Yes!

This is that car which is multi-talented! It can wear a suit like a corporate going for a meeting or change character like a college teen going for a college party with those horses under the hood with a nice pair of rims.

vRS is my all time favourite!

Regards

RV

07CR · 4th July 2020, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by RohanDheman

Yes they use different gearboxes. The diesel uses a 6 speed wet clutch DSG and the petrol uses the 7 speed unit dry clutch unit.

The 6 speed DSG on the diesels is extremely reliable and I say this from personal experience of over 1.6 lac kilometers on 2 cars (both owned by me) and zero issues on both with respect to the gearbox.

Cheers
Rohan

Thanks for the clarification. Is it the similar case with the Superb's petrol and diesel DSG as well?

SDO · 4th July 2020, 20:55

Voted a clear No !

I had a mind versus heart battle while choosing my car. Octavia was ruling my heart, but I chose to go with my mind considering the numerous hardships my friends owning Octavia have gone through. Quite a nice vehicle while it runs, but a sore pain when it misbehaves. Anyone looking for a reliable and uneventful ownership experience should probably stay away.

View Poll Results: Would you buy a used Skoda Octavia today?
Yes	509	72.30%
No	195	27.70%
Voters: 704. You may not vote on this poll

4th July 2020, 12:53	#31
RBalaM BHPian Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Chennai Posts: 27 Thanked: 34 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) Voted a big yes. Have been admiring the Octavia from generation 1 and with each generation, the love for it has only increased. What is that you do not have here, top class build, design that does not age so soon, rich interiors and that crazy engine which can make you go crazy So you have everything except proper ASS. I just wish they improve thier ASS. As I have been hearing or reading so many stories and it matters alot when going for a used vehicle.
	() Thanks

4th July 2020, 13:00	#32
frozen.ash Newbie Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Pune Posts: 19 Thanked: 30 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) As far as owning a Skoda is concerned, it's always a NO from the mind, but a big YES from the heart. There may be multiple sorts of worries associated with owning and maintaining a Skoda, be it the reliability, maintenance costs or the service and parts concerns. But every time you get behind the wheel of an Octy, you heart just begins to race, and you get that peculiar rush of blood that only the European brands are able to provide you a taste of. Me being someone ruled by the heart when it comes to all things "automobilean", I have voted YES!
	() Thanks

4th July 2020, 13:34	#33
vvb8530 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Bombay Posts: 277 Thanked: 670 Times View My Garage	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) As an owner of a 2015 Skoda Octavia 1.8tsi equipped with the infamous DSG i would only like to share my experience with anyone who is on this thread and keen on owning an Octavia some time. Skoda has definitely upped their game in terms of their customer service, the DSG has been absolutely trouble free and although I have had some other smaller issues which are also pretty common to most Octavia's like Thermostat leak or bust Sensors these issues have been almost immediately addressed by Skoda either under warranty or with goodwill warranty. Complaints with regards to the DSG even in the 1.8tsi with dry clutch seem to have almost vanished now and if at all heard any then that has also been covered under goodwill even if the car is not under warranty. With the service interval of 15000kms or one year the maintenance has been very reasonable and infact cheaper or at par with my other car which is a Toyota Crysta that requires service every 5000kms. The cost of replacement parts have not been very different from any other Japanese or Korean brand either. Like most people here even I had heard horror tales and so my ownership was filled with nervousness, to the extent that even though i upsized the wheels I still kept the stock wheels safe with me incase of any warranty related issues, however my experience has been more than satisfactory, the after sales service staff at the dealership have taken really good care of the car and addressed all my issues every time, what they could not handle at their level has been taken care of by Skoda Customer Care, the guys running the show at Skoda India now are really making a commendable effort in changing the perception of the brand. Which other CEO gets on to twitter and replies to anyone and everyone with problems, also replies to every email from customers. I have had the first hand experience of interacting with Zac Hollis who made sure the bust sensors in my car were replaced under warranty. The 1.8tsi with the DSG is a brilliant piece of machinery with tremendous mod potentials and hearsay should not hold anyone back from getting one and modding it into a proper supercar killer. I held back on any performance modifications to avoid warranty hassles, now that the car is out of warranty and the right time to go crazy with mods however I am now planning to upgrade to something else soon so that is one thing that I will miss/ regret for sure, maybe someday in the future with enough time and money in hand I will head out to buy one again just so that I can tune it and mod it to my liking. Some pics of my pride and joy Cheers, VVB!!
	(34) Thanks

4th July 2020, 13:51	#34
Rustom Mistry BHPian Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Meerut Posts: 31 Thanked: 37 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) Voted No. It’s of course a very well engineered Europian car but is super unreliable. I kept a skoda Laura and it was a joy to drive but had problems from 20000 kilometres onwards plus the non availability of spares. It’s a big no. Last edited by SDP : 4th July 2020 at 16:09. Reason: Typo
	(4) Thanks

4th July 2020, 13:55	#35
Gixxy.danger BHPian Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Mumbai Posts: 47 Thanked: 60 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) Voted in affirmation! I have always been in awe of the Octavia, especially the 3rd gen. The release of the v-RS in the indian market just made us all drool over it, I was no exception. Even while living in Dubai, I would look for used Octavia v-RS as they were roomier and were as quick as a Volkswagen Golf at half the price! Being a Fiat owner, I am no stranger to dicey ASS and surprisingly big repair bills. Hence, would be smitten to own one of these as soon as I can gather some moolah.
	() Thanks

4th July 2020, 14:17	#36
07CR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Pune Posts: 1,477 Thanked: 4,200 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) Correct me if I am wrong, is the 2.0 L version's DSG reliable? I see many choosing this version happily. Is this gearbox different than the petrol versions DSG?
	() Thanks

4th July 2020, 14:30	#37
Epic Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,558 Thanked: 922 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) I voted a NO and simply because I had this choice in 2016 when choosing a pre-owned luxury sedan. For some reason the drive of the 2014/2015 Octavia TDIs just did not feel right as compared to the 2015 Jetta TDI that I test drove during that time. I believe the lack of the multi link suspension in the Octavia TDI was the cause of disappointment. I even had the chance to test drive a pre-owned 2014 Audi A4 and preferred the Jetta over it. The Jetta felt responsive and more spacious. Chose the pre-owned 2015 Jetta TDI DSG, got it remapped and I am in love with it till today. I can't think of any replacement to it other than a Audi A6 / BMW 530d / Mercedes E250d
	(1) Thanks

4th July 2020, 14:32	#38
SansGT BHPian Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Thane/Kolkata Posts: 185 Thanked: 494 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) I voted for NO. Though I would love to own it and the heart would always say aye, I would listen to my head over the heart in this case. I wouldn't trust the DSG with its reliability issues and no extended warranties from Skoda to cover it. I love the DSG, but would only go with it if I have warranty cover for the entire ownership. I don't want to get stranded some day in the middle of nowhere and also end up burning a huge hole amounting to multiple lakhs in my pocket. Adding to that, the costly spares and Skoda's service reputation only strengthens my thought. At the end of the day, peace of mind is equally important and the same will get the upper hand in this scenario.
	() Thanks

4th July 2020, 15:14	#39
vigneshkumar31 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Goa Posts: 754 Thanked: 5,821 Times View My Garage	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) YES! For me, the Octavia is the last garrison against the SUV onslaught. In the deluge of lifted hatches and plastic cladded raised boxes, it is the final bastion of hope to answer "why would you still buy a sedan? And I say again. Skoda makes the most drool worthy mass market cars out there. Timeless designs, solid build with tight lines.
	(3) Thanks

4th July 2020, 15:46	#40
ShivWason17 BHPian Join Date: May 2020 Location: Dehradun Posts: 64 Thanked: 159 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) A big YES from me. Reason: I have just finalised a sweet deal for pre owned 2019 l&k 1.8 tsi. This has set me back (financially) by the same amount which will get me a mid variant of Creta/ Seltos ATs. DSG woes aside, the car speaks quality inside out and that 1.8 tsi is a stonker of an engine. My earlier preference for a car has been a diesel MT crossover/ SUV, from a long time but gradually it has changed. A test drive of this car had a major hand to play in this. ��
	(1) Thanks

4th July 2020, 18:13	#42
Pancham Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kolkata/NCR Posts: 1,756 Thanked: 2,652 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) Given the diesel 10 year old ban in Delhi NCR (where I currently reside) and considering the 1.8 TSI DSG issues, I think the 1.4L TSI will be a very good option for me. I can see the following going on the for 1.4 TSI: 1. The price. I am sure the prices the relatively lower compared to the Diesel and TSI autos 2. Less tech means fewer things will break. 3. Overall you get the Octavia and the whole package. 4. Manual tranny goodness. 5. Finally, the power. As far as I have heard its no slouch either. Agree its not a 1.8 TSI but then again, owning a 1.4L TSI is better than not (being able to) owning the other 2 at all,
	(2) Thanks

4th July 2020, 18:33	#43
gururajrv Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: KA 01-09 Posts: 1,255 Thanked: 2,460 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) Voted - Yes! This is that car which is multi-talented! It can wear a suit like a corporate going for a meeting or change character like a college teen going for a college party with those horses under the hood with a nice pair of rims. vRS is my all time favourite! Regards RV
	() Thanks

4th July 2020, 20:55	#45
SDO Newbie Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 23 Thanked: 77 Times	Re: Pre-worshipped car of the week : Used Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) Voted a clear No ! I had a mind versus heart battle while choosing my car. Octavia was ruling my heart, but I chose to go with my mind considering the numerous hardships my friends owning Octavia have gone through. Quite a nice vehicle while it runs, but a sore pain when it misbehaves. Anyone looking for a reliable and uneventful ownership experience should probably stay away.
	() Thanks