[Timothy]

Originally Posted by how_you_doing

Hi, it is Petrol Automatic.

The price seems fine, as the on-road price in Delhi for the car was 28 Lacs when it was phased out earlier this year. With regards to the condition of the car, you would know better as you have not posted any pics.

The weak link in the car is the 7 speed DSG, but it's been much improved in the face lifted model. There is nothing wrong with it per say, but a lot depends on the conditions the car has been driven in and how it's been used. Check the service history record of the car from the Skoda workshop as at 42k kms. it must have undergone 4 services & if there is any record of an accident or any major mishap. Also do check for any modifications that may impact the warranty. You will still have 2 years of warranty left plus you can always purchase an additional 2 years, so you will have 4 years of peace of mind.
All the best and let us know if you go ahead with it and do post some pics. Cheers

[vikrantshete]

I would like to share my recent off roading experience with skoda octavia 1.8 TSI though I'm not sure how many people would be interested in something like this.

In the current times there isn't an option to go for long drives due to different lockdown rules in different locations (I'm in Maharashtra). Being stuck in a remote location we decided to go to a nearby temple which happens to be an isolated place and has hardly any visitors and hence can be assumed to be a reasonably safe.

We did not know that the last 4 Km leading to the temple would be a complete Jungle safari off roading experience. We initially thought that we could go back home as Octavia is not suitable for off roading and there is a huge risk of underbody damage which could cost a fortune (as Skoda is not known for any cheap repairs!) but given my experience with the car on under construction roads the initial part of the 'kaccha road' didn't seem much of a challenge. So we decided to go further and to stop when it seems undoable.

To start with we were a little cautious and got down and removed the potentially dangerous stones on the road before inching the car forward and slowly I got more confident about the car's ability to glide through the toughest spots provided one makes sure to choose the right path in a non existent road and keeps a low speed. In short there shouldn't be a hump between your front tires as you move forward, least of all not hard stones!! I preferred to keep the wheels on raised part of the terrain and it worked!


As we kept moving forward with three people and some luggage onboard we did not face an issue with ground clearance at all! Octavia is not meant to be an SUV and of course it did slip a bit sideways through mud. Also if you come to a halt just before a stone and the start again to climb on the small stone fixed in ground the wheels are going to spin in place and make you loose your direction. This could be risky as at times you only have millimeters of margin before being hit in the bottom but there was no such occurance in my case.

Finally we reached our destination safely and came back to the main road safely. I have attached a few pictures that I could capture. They only show the better part of the road. Actual terrain was much worse with bigger pebbles and deeper depressions and mud along the way.

I must say that Octavia as a product is polar opposite of Skoda India's reputation for service and support. Ride quality, I feel, is better than Harrier and Creta off road. Octavia completely took me by surprise with this feat. So far I had managed to drive on smooth highways and also a few gravely patches along the roads. I have not faced any issues with the car itself in 20400 Km so far but the long term reliability of the car remains to be seen.

I Will most probably not take the octavia off road like this again but this was a first for me and quite a good experience.

[nma83]

Originally Posted by vikrantshete

I would like to share my recent off roading experience with skoda octavia 1.8 TSI though I'm not sure how many people would be interested in something like this.
...
I must say that Octavia as a product is polar opposite of Skoda India's reputation for service and support. Ride quality, I feel, is better than Harrier and Creta off road. Octavia completely took me by surprise with this feat. So far I had managed to drive on smooth highways and also a few gravely patches along the roads. I have not faced any issues with the car itself in 20400 Km so far but the long term reliability of the car remains to be seen.

I Will most probably not take the octavia off road like this again but this was a first for me and quite a good experience.

Well this is a one of a kind (no) road test for this car . I guess Octavia owners in Bengalooru will be nodding in agreement given the kinds of terrain we endure in our daily commutes - pre-covid of course.
The only time I have scraped the car's belly is while traversing a tall speed breaker with 5 people and luggage on board.

[how_you_doing]

Originally Posted by Timothy

The price seems fine.

The weak link in the car is the 7 speed DSG, but it's been much improved in the face lifted model. There is nothing wrong with it per say, but a lot depends on the conditions the car has been driven in and how it's been used. Check the service history record of the car from the Skoda workshop as at 42k kms. it must have undergone 4 services & if there is any record of an accident or any major mishap. Also do check for any modifications that may impact the warranty. You will still have 2 years of warranty left plus you can always purchase an additional 2 years, so you will have 4 years of peace of mind.
All the best and let us know if you go ahead with it and do post some pics. Cheers

Thanks, I am not able to see the car in person since March due to lockdown. I am attaching some of the pics sent by the dealer. As per him, the car is in really good condition and mostly driven on highways. Servicing was done in March this year.

I will certainly get it checked at the Skoda service centre though two things I need to closely look into it are -

1. Why sell the car just after 2 years?
2. Its insurance is not renewed (lapsed in June), will it cause any issues later?

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by vikrantshete

I Will most probably not take the octavia off road like this again but this was a first for me and quite a good experience.

This route used to be a regular shortcut for me.

https://youtu.be/C-fYm79bkzA

[vikrantshete]

Originally Posted by nma83

I guess Octavia owners in Bengalooru will be nodding in agreement given the kinds of terrain we endure in our daily commutes - pre-covid of course.
The only time I have scraped the car's belly is while traversing a tall speed breaker with 5 people and luggage on board.

Bengaluru makes a good testing ground I guess.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

This route used to be a regular shortcut for me.

Octavia is definitely sufficient for soft roading/mild off roading unless someone wants to go half wheel deep in mud and water like the Thar or other dedicated off roaders.

[Dr.Vikas]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

This route used to be a regular shortcut for me.

You seem to have been testing the capabilities of your car to full extent.

IMO, this much abuse should not do any harm to the strong built-up of the Octavia & even on such short stretch of bad road, the 180 horses shouldn't get strained.

Still, take care & happy driving !

[evil_grin]

Originally Posted by vikrantshete

I would like to share my recent off roading experience with skoda octavia 1.8 TSI though I'm not sure how many people would be interested in something like this.

We have this notion in our heads that (even monocoque) SUVs are meant for tackling bad roads and hatchbacks and sedans aren't. But if you compare the ground clearance of hatchbacks, sedans and crossovers, you'll find that at least in India, they are quite comparable (barring a few like the Honda City).

In fact I did a rough comparison using my fingers between the Seltos and the Octavia for the distance between the ground and the bottom of the door sill and you'd be surprised that they were quite close (1 finger difference). And if you check the official stats, Octavia has a GC of 155mm (from lowest part of body) and the Seltos has a GC of 190mm (from centre point of the underbody)

Of course real SUVs like the Endeavour have more massive ground clearances, but hatchbacks and sedans have ground clearances similar to crossovers (monocoque SUVs).

So if you're buying a crossover thinking you'll get a lot more ground clearance, think again.

[vikrantshete]

Originally Posted by evil_grin

We have this notion in our heads that (even monocoque) SUVs are meant for tackling bad roads and hatchbacks and sedans aren't. But if you compare the ground clearance of hatchbacks, sedans and crossovers, you'll find that at least in India, they are quite comparable (barring a few like the Honda City).

Agreed. Visually the difference in GC is not much. Overall performance of a car depends on the stiffness of the springs and tyre pressure as well. I usually inflate to 34 PSI and rarely scrape the belly that too only on poorly constructed, sharp pointed, broken speed breakers as I am not that fast on speed breakers. Though, I would not say that Octavia is an off roading vehicle as it can't do the speeds on difficult roads like the compass, harrier, XUV etc can do.

Even crossovers have sometimes reported some damages due to being hit by stones or some sharp object from underneath. People should not discard octavia due to lack of GC as I and quite a lot of other people have found it adequate for most purposes but I would like to mention that I once miss-judged a stone on the road and dragged it along for a few centimeters which caused the underbody plastic to tear. There was no damage to the car but the plastic itself cost 5000 Rs for replacement. I got the torn plastic tied up by a local mechanic and drove a few hundred KM after that. Finally got it replaced from the SC. This can happen in case of corssovers as well if you are not careful as GC is not even that high.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by evil_grin

We have this notion in our heads that (even monocoque) SUVs are meant for tackling bad roads and hatchbacks and sedans aren't. But if you compare the ground clearance of hatchbacks, sedans and crossovers, you'll find that at least in India, they are quite comparable (barring a few like the Honda City).

Thats the third gen Honda City that you might be talking about, which was notorious for the soft suspension which bottomed out at the least provocation. In the current 4th gen City, the ground clearance is 165mm just like most other sedans/hatchbacks, and more importantly, the suspension has been stiffened to ensure that it rarely bottoms out on bad roads. Save for the extreme broken roads scenario, the 4th gen City has not been known to bottom out or scrape at all. For City and general expressway driving, it works just fine. Of course, offroading/ quasi offroading scenarios are out of the question, but then that is no different in case of all other hatchbacks and sedans.

[akshay_b]

Originally Posted by how_you_doing

I will certainly get it checked at the Skoda service centre though two things I need to closely look into it are -

1. Why sell the car just after 2 years?
2. Its insurance is not renewed (lapsed in June), will it cause any issues later?

I think I've met with this seller in RT Nagar who had a Style Octavia 1.8TSI a few months ago. I can tell from the background in the pictures

Renewing the insurance shouldn't be a problem, you may need to send video proof of the car to the insurance company to renew a lapsed insurance.

If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, make sure you get the car thoroughly checked at Skoda service before you finalize. Just FYI, the new Octavia is just 7 months away.

[Timothy]

Originally Posted by evil_grin

In fact I did a rough comparison using my fingers between the Seltos and the Octavia for the distance between the ground and the bottom of the door sill and you'd be surprised that they were quite close (1 finger difference). And if you check the official stats, Octavia has a GC of 155mm (from lowest part of body) and the Seltos has a GC of 190mm (from centre point of the underbody)

Interesting to know this, so far I haven't scrapped the bottom on the Octavia but the car does have a long front overhang, in-fact it is much longer than that of my older Civic.
My house driveway has a marginally steeper ramp from the road, normally its never been a problem taking the Octavia on to the driveway, but once I tried to reverse in to the driveway and due to the long front overhang the plastic strip which protrudes about an inch downwards from the bottom plastic cladding started to scrape on the ramp. I immediately stopped and took it front end first. Luckily there was no damage whatsoever to the cladding.
So the long overhang is a marginal dampener, especially when reversing over steeper inclines, otherwise the GC is fine

Originally Posted by akshay_b

Renewing the insurance shouldn't be a problem, you may need to send video proof of the car to the insurance company to renew a lapsed insurance.

If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, make sure you get the car thoroughly checked at Skoda service before you finalize. Just FYI, the new Octavia is just 7 months away.

Yes you are absolutely correct about the lapsed insurance. I have had the comprehensive insurance lapse twice on my Civic and the surveyor just came to the house, checked the car, clicked some pictures and renewing it was a breeze.

The new Octavia will no doubt be the car to have with its contemporary styling, a more powerful engine, DQ-381 gearbox and technological upgrades. But seeing the current L&K Superb's price, the new Octy will not be less than 34-35L OTR. That's double what he is getting the current one for......

[maverick145]

I am facing issues with the wipers on my Octavia 1.8 TSI Petrol Automatic L&K purchased in January 2020. The wipers keep making the loud sound when rubbing against the glass and especially the left one while going down. I got them replaced and had to persist for the job to be done in warranty as wipers and other wear and tear items are supposedly covered for six months. However, the problem still persists and I am unhappy with the sound. The Service Advisor tells me that it is normal.

Can other owners comment?

[SLK]

Originally Posted by maverick145

However, the problem still persists and I am unhappy with the sound. The Service Advisor tells me that it is normal.

Can other owners comment?

Not normal. But not unusual either.

Does it make sound only in rain or even when you spray the washer (which is soapy)?

If only in rain, you should try treating your windscreen with good cleaning products, its probably hard water or something. Also clean the blades regularly.

If they make sounds even with soapy water, try aftermarket blades or else your springs are loose? (Unlikely)

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by maverick145

I am facing issues with the wipers on my Octavia 1.8 TSI Petrol Automatic L&K purchased in January 2020. The wipers keep making the loud sound when rubbing against the glass and especially the left one while going down. I got them replaced and had to persist for the job to be done in warranty as wipers and other wear and tear items are supposedly covered for six months. However, the problem still persists and I am unhappy with the sound. The Service Advisor tells me that it is normal.

Can other owners comment?

I had this same issue. I'm still using the wiper blades from 2017 doesn't rain much in Gujarat. I cleaned and polished the windscreen, and always use a good cleaner there on. I periodically wipe the blades with a fine layer of wd-40. Also spray some on the wiper hinges. That usually does the trick. This can also happen if the glass and blades are 'extra clean' if you know what I mean. The blade should be soft, malleable with your finger, and glass should be clean, but not so clean that even your finger sticks to it.
Another trick that has worked for me is heating the wind screen. I normally use the front defogger as soon as it starts raining, at exact outside temperature, or 'HI' temperature reading. It does make an impact on how the wipers glide on the windshield.