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At sub £5k you've plenty of choice, why not go mainstream and bag yourself a Ford Focus estate or Vauxhall Astra estate or something along those lines. Think of the advantages, cheap parts, cheap servicing etc, plus when you want to sell on there's always a demand for cheap runabouts like these. At that budget you could go larger and try a Ford Mondeo estate, Vauxhall Insignia estate or even a VW Passat estate or first generation Skoda Superb estate. I wouldn't entirely discount Diesels not all 10yr old diesel's have DPF's fitted. Good luck.
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It looks as though 4 - 4.5K will get me into one with the 1.8, 1.4 TFSI/TSI engine, but it will have perhaps 80K on the clock. Any opinion (leaving aside regular servicing) as to the viability of these engines at this stage? Also, are they chain or belt driven?
Chain drive TSI engines are troublesome, not sure if that is all of them but it certainly includes the 1.4. I believe the belt drive versions are fine, so you'd need to look further into than re when the belt drive version was introduced.
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It looks as though 4 - 4.5K will get me into one with the 1.8, 1.4 TFSI/TSI engine, but it will have perhaps 80K on the clock. Any opinion (leaving aside regular servicing) as to the viability of these engines at this stage? Also, are they chain or belt driven?
Chain drive TSI engines are troublesome, not sure if that is all of them but it certainly includes the 1.4. I believe the belt drive versions are fine, so you'd need to look further into than re when the belt drive version was introduced.
Thanks BBD, from what l've read, the earlier chain cam TSI engines are to be avoided. There is however, so much conflicting information as to when & what model has the chain/belt, in the Octavia.
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At sub £5k you've plenty of choice, why not go mainstream and bag yourself a Ford Focus estate or Vauxhall Astra estate or something along those lines. Think of the advantages, cheap parts, cheap servicing etc, plus when you want to sell on there's always a demand for cheap runabouts like these. At that budget you could go larger and try a Ford Mondeo estate, Vauxhall Insignia estate or even a VW Passat estate or first generation Skoda Superb estate. I wouldn't entirely discount Diesels not all 10yr old diesel's have DPF's fitted. Good luck.
Yes, good point. Both the Focus/Mondeo & Astra/Insignia are both considerations. It's been a long time since l've owned a Ford or Vauxhall (apart from a couple of work lease Corsa's years ago) lt may come down, as l said in the post, as to what crops up that's decent & local. Not sure if it's the time of year or the obvious covid times, but there doesn't seem to be a great deal around here in Shropshire.
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Would suggest you seriously consider a Mazda 3 or 6 petrol. Voted most reliable car in the States. No turbo to go wrong on the petrols and even an elegant stop start system that avoids using the starter motor.
All built in Japan like your RAV 4 . Check for signs of corrosion.
But cars to recommend with no reservations like most of the others mentioned above.
And a good Main Dealer in Stafford.
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Would suggest you seriously consider a Mazda 3 or 6 petrol. Voted most reliable car in the States. No turbo to go wrong on the petrols and even an elegant stop start system that avoids using the starter motor.
All built in Japan like your RAV 4 . Check for signs of corrosion.
But cars to recommend with no reservations like most of the others mentioned above.
And a good Main Dealer in Stafford.
Thanks, the Mazda 6 is a possibility & good to know there's a recommended dealer not too far away in Stafford.
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As far as l can tell, on the mark 2 Octavia (2004 - 2013) with the 1.4 TSI engine (122bhp) had the chain replaced by a belt from 11/2008.
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As far as l can tell, on the mark 2 Octavia (2004 - 2013) with the 1.4 TSI engine (122bhp) had the chain replaced by a belt from 11/2008.
The information above is not correct.
It was from a parts company selling cam belts. However, when l made enquiries to 3 different car dealers advertising 2 60 plate & 1 59 plate 1.4 tsi Octavia's; they've all come back (after physically checking on the vehicles) they are fitted with a chain.
Local Skoda dealer hasn't responded.
Skoda (UK) in Sheffield replied that they do not give out sales information on their cars (!?) & referred me to former dealer.
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As far as l can tell, on the mark 2 Octavia (2004 - 2013) with the 1.4 TSI engine (122bhp) had the chain replaced by a belt from 11/2008.
The information above is not correct.
It was from a parts company selling cam belts. However, when l made enquiries to 3 different car dealers advertising 2 60 plate & 1 59 plate 1.4 tsi Octavia's; they've all come back (after physically checking on the vehicles) they are fitted with a chain.
Local Skoda dealer hasn't responded.
Skoda (UK) in Sheffield replied that they do not give out sales information on their cars (!?) & referred me to former dealer.
This is the problem you have if looking at cars which, in terms of age and price, come close to the changeover point. Maybe a relevant forum could tell/show you exactly how to identify a car with belt from a car with chain by looking under the bonnet?.
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As far as l can tell, on the mark 2 Octavia (2004 - 2013) with the 1.4 TSI engine (122bhp) had the chain replaced by a belt from 11/2008.
The information above is not correct.
It was from a parts company selling cam belts. However, when l made enquiries to 3 different car dealers advertising 2 60 plate & 1 59 plate 1.4 tsi Octavia's; they've all come back (after physically checking on the vehicles) they are fitted with a chain.
Local Skoda dealer hasn't responded.
Skoda (UK) in Sheffield replied that they do not give out sales information on their cars (!?) & referred me to former dealer.
This is the problem you have if looking at cars which, in terms of age and price, come close to the changeover point. Maybe a relevant forum could tell/show you exactly how to identify a car with belt from a car with chain by looking under the bonnet?.
Yes, l have no problem physically checking under the bonnet, l just wanted to know the changeover point to narrow down the search. l've also, as you suggest, looked on Skoda forums but they also seem to be unsure.
To give Skoda UK their due, they've come back & offered to contact the local retailer, on my behalf. We'll see if anything comes of it.
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As far as l can tell, on the mark 2 Octavia (2004 - 2013) with the 1.4 TSI engine (122bhp) had the chain replaced by a belt from 11/2008.
Having looked at more than a few Octavia's over the years and having owned 3 1.4 TSi cars I can confirm that the above is wrong.
All the 1.4 TSi's in the Mk2 Octavia were chain cam engines. If you can get engine info they were 1390cc.
The totally different 1.4 TSi (only the badge was the same) was introduced in late 2012 and fitted in the Octavia (in the Mk 3) from early 2013. If you can get the engine info they were 1395cc.
Visually the 2 engines look totally different. One example is the oil filler and dipstick. On the belt cam engines they are next to each other with the dipstick to the left looking from the front of the car. On the chain cam engines they are some way apart with the dipstick to the right. The oil filler is a give away, if the belt cam engines had it in the same place as the chain cam engines you would be pouring oil all over the belt.
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As far as l can tell, on the mark 2 Octavia (2004 - 2013) with the 1.4 TSI engine (122bhp) had the chain replaced by a belt from 11/2008.
Having looked at more than a few Octavia's over the years and having owned 3 1.4 TSi cars I can confirm that the above is wrong.
All the 1.4 TSi's in the Mk2 Octavia were chain cam engines. If you can get engine info they were 1390cc.
The totally different 1.4 TSi (only the badge was the same) was introduced in late 2012 and fitted in the Octavia (in the Mk 3) from early 2013. If you can get the engine info they were 1395cc.
Visually the 2 engines look totally different. One example is the oil filler and dipstick. On the belt cam engines they are next to each other with the dipstick to the left looking from the front of the car. On the chain cam engines they are some way apart with the dipstick to the right. The oil filler is a give away, if the belt cam engines had it in the same place as the chain cam engines you would be pouring oil all over the belt.
Thanks for the confirmation Skidpan, useful info'.
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Just goes to show the lack of knowledge, even from main dealers, as to the products they have sold.
Given that local dealers have physically checked under the bonnet & skidpan has extensive experience with VAG 1.4 tsi motors, they have both confirmed the Skoda Octavia fitted with the 1.4 tsi around the 59/60/61 plate (mark 2's) are chain driven.
Given that, l've had a response from the local Skoda main dealer, that "......the Octavia 1.4 has always been a belt. The 1.2 engine was the one which went from a chain to a belt"
It may be the message has been corrupted from the front of house to the service department & they're referring to (as skidpan was) the mark 3. However, my enquiry was specifically around the mark 2 around 8 - 10 years vintage.
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Just goes to show what a minefield buying a VAG car is.
No such worries with a Mazda petrol . No cam belt and no turbo . Peace of mind ?
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Just goes to show what a minefield buying a VAG car is.
No such worries with a Mazda petrol . No cam belt and no turbo . Peace of mind ?
Yep, if a good one crops up within a reasonable distance it will be a strong possibility.
Keep it simple!
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Just goes to show the lack of knowledge, even from main dealers, as to the products they have sold.
Given that local dealers have physically checked under the bonnet & skidpan has extensive experience with VAG 1.4 tsi motors, they have both confirmed the Skoda Octavia fitted with the 1.4 tsi around the 59/60/61 plate (mark 2's) are chain driven.
Given that, l've had a response from the local Skoda main dealer, that "......the Octavia 1.4 has always been a belt. The 1.2 engine was the one which went from a chain to a belt"
It may be the message has been corrupted from the front of house to the service department & they're referring to (as skidpan was) the mark 3. However, my enquiry was specifically around the mark 2 around 8 - 10 years vintage.
Any half decent dealer will get the technician to come out and talk to the customer directly - service advisors, by any name, are administrators not technicians.
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To be fair to the local main dealer, after l pointed out the information provided may be incorrect, they've come back to me. It was a misunderstanding from front of house to the service technician who thought the enquiry was indeed referring to a mark 3 Octavia from late 2013 that does (as confirmed by skidpan) have a belt.
The main dealer states ".......if the vehicle has a CAXA engine code and is a TSI then it will have a timing chain, this was produced only in Octavia 2 (11/08 - 06/13)"
From other Skoda forums it would seem that any problems with timing chains were, in the main, the more powerful 1.4 (140 ish?) 1.8 & 2.0 TSI's
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