Keep the Octavia or replace?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Mon 7 May 2012 22:04
Keep the Octavia or replace? - iFocus

Hi All,

A week or so ago I was looking at a Mondeo diesel for £5995, I decided not to go for it thanks to some advice on here.

Now I really feel the need to replace my Octavia TDi, due to impending demise of certain parts of it. Its done 112k, and the turbo whistle appears to be getting louder, theres an issue with one of the rear shocks 'wriggling' over uneven surfaces, juddery brakes, all discs and pads nead replacing all round.

And at the most recent service I was told that a few fault codes are coming up, and have come up again since being reset. They're the glow plugs showing up faults, and wiper motor faults to name a few, the airbag light is on too. And above all the MPG recently has dropped from mid 50s to early 40s, so something is definitely wrong somewhere.

So do I repair the Octavia with the mileage creaping up? Or do I replace it with something lower mileage?

In addition to this I've found a Volvo S40 1.8S (I've always loved Volvos) on a 55 Plate with 66k on it and a FVSH. Its up for £4450. I figure it'll hold its value better being lower mileage and a more desirable car.

So what would you do? Repair or replace with all that lot?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 May 2012 22:17
Keep the Octavia or replace? - balleballe

From what I know the suspension parts of VAG cars are complex and expensive.

Take it to a trusted mechanic or VAG 'specialist' and ask him to have a good look around and quote you for all the work required. This way you know exactly how much it will cost to keep it on the road for many more thousand miles to come (providing it has the 1.9tdi engine)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 May 2012 22:22
Keep the Octavia or replace? - iFocus

Yeah its the 1.9 Engine (BWD engine I think).

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 May 2012 22:24
Keep the Octavia or replace? - Avant

I shouldn't think all of these things will go wrong at the same time, but there seem to be enough separate issues for at least one to be imminent - so flogging the Octavia seems to be the safest bet.

Unless your mileage is huge, buying a diesel within your budget is too much of a gamble, so that Volvo could be what you need. Mileage averaging 10,000 a year is just right - noit too high, not too low.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 May 2012 22:49
Keep the Octavia or replace? - iFocus

I'm averaging between 12-14,000 miles a year currently, but that could be kerbed a little if I didn't drive everywhere needlessly.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 May 2012 22:52
Keep the Octavia or replace? - unthrottled

Why are you trying to justify replacing the Octavia to stangers?! Clearly you've decided that you're not happy with it-so the decision is made. Since the cost of replacement is going to be more than the cost of repairs, you need to have a think about what the Octavia lacks that a replacement car should have. This is very subjective and it's best to be brutally honest (you don't have to tell anyone!).

The worst thing to do is to try to contrive a phoney economic argument to justify a purchase made with the heart not the head. You'll end up with something that satisfies neither heart not head!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 8 May 2012 00:41
Keep the Octavia or replace? - Avant

If you mean 'strangers', Unthrottled, that surely is what forums like this are for - the OP is asking for advice and fortunately people on here are happy to give it.

He's in a difficult position: whereas normally repairs cost less than replacement of the car, if a lot of things are threatening to go wrong in quick succession, the head as well as the heart might incline toward replacement.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 21 Jun 2012 10:10
Keep the Octavia or replace? - Trilogy

My Octavia has now done 215,000 miles. I think it is time to part company. The cambelt needs replacing, a full service is required, there's an intermittent clonking sound from front nearside on uneven roads, a rear footwell is filling with water, one rear window doesn't work (hasn't done so for 3 years, just like the aircon), last year a deer ran out into the car and put a dent in the driver's side door. Plus points are that it has fsh and 10 months MOT.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link