MK1 octy got to go... what to replace with?

[greg123]

Because....

Of leg room in the rear. I'm 6'4 and can't sit very well unless no-one can sit in the back.

Otherwise, the mk1 octy is about my perfect car.

I prefer the front suspension and transverse engine over the multi link and transaxle which is both not as efficient and more complex and expensive to repair as well as having less steering feel of the Passat/A6 etc. On the plus side, they ride better on the open road.

So - suggestions please?

I'm happy to make it a project as I'll be fitting on of my vegoil conversions and want to keep it. I'm up to swapping out the engine (or buying one with a blown engine).

Ideally - low tax group.

Would also like auto but put off by mpg, so maybe thinking of fitting a DSG box and TCU.

My favourite engine is the later 110tdi, not the PD.

I like cream leather, I dislike sunroof and metallic paint.

I need estate with a big boot, but rear legroom is important.

Airbags etc are important and the car must be fully loaded.

So.... any suggestions?

So far I have come up with a post 2000 passat estate diesel SE/Highline manual. To which I sell the engine and box and put a 110tdi and a dsg.

If people have good mpg experience with the 5-speed ZF in the passat, I'd consider keeping that, however buying an automatic means a much higher tax group - where as converting to auto keeps the original tax group.

The A4 100PD is in the lower tax group like the Octavia, no passat though :-( I think the A4 is a bit too cramped bodyshell and boot styling. The A6 I like the look of...


Humour me and come up with some VW parts bin special that I may like!

Or suggestions?

I also thought maybe a Superb (GREAT rear legroom) with a Passat estate rear conversion..... I'm crazy.

Greg.

[k04]

The superb does have chunks of legroom in the back,thats if you still want to take the skoda route again

[greg123]

It does! But I need an estate....

I'm going down the A6 route at the mo, supposed to be superb size (same platform) and good estate, but lower tax groups than the passat or superb!

Greg.

[gadgetman]

If you're talking new car, then the new superb is available in estate form

[Taxi 219]

Iam 6'4" too and my Mk1 was fine for me and no passengers ever complained of poor legroom behind me.

[greg123]

That's as may be, but put your seat back so you can sit nicely (34' legs and I like to stretch out, so put your seat accordingly) there isn't enough room to get anyone in but a child.

I'm amazed you didn't notice this. Or maybe you have your seat up close? It's a plain and simple fact that the octy has very little rear legroom, unless front seats are pulled far up.

I'm guessing it's around half to 1/3 of that of a superb with the front seats back. Virtually any car review on the octavia will mention it and it's one of the reasons the octavia has such a great boot for it's size, bigger than the golf's and on a par, maybe longer, than the bigger passat's.

Greg.

Originally Posted by Taxi 219

Iam 6'4" too

and my Mk1 was fine for me and no passengers ever complained of poor legroom behind me.

[greg123]

Sadly I generally buy vehicle around 2k, in broken form usually! So a possible top end of 4k or so, if I save up for a while.....

Which puts me in B5.5 passat, Audi A6 C5, Golf Mk4, Octavia Mk1 facelift region.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

If you're talking new car, then the new superb is available in estate form

[Taxi 219]

Originally Posted by greg123

That's as may be, but put your seat back so you can sit nicely (34' legs and I like to stretch out, so put your seat accordingly) there isn't enough room to get anyone in but a child.

I'm amazed you didn't notice this. Or maybe you have your seat up close? It's a plain and simple fact that the octy has very little rear legroom, unless front seats are pulled far up.

I'm guessing it's around half to 1/3 of that of a superb with the front seats back. Virtually any car review on the octavia will mention it and it's one of the reasons the octavia has such a great boot for it's size, bigger than the golf's and on a par, maybe longer, than the bigger passat's.

Greg.

Yes totally agree Greg there is very limited room at the rear.I don,t stretch out to drive and at times felt cramped in front.This was also one of the reasons i got a MK2 instead.

[VRSPhil]

I'm 6'4"... getting on for 6'5" and I too have an issue with rear passengers in my MK1.... Basically I avoid it.

The B5.5 passat is an improvement space wise. I looked at one recently and was impressed with the interior space.

The B6 A4 is very cramped IMHO. I always think of it as being a large car, but having looked at one recently, it felt smaller inside than the Mk1 Octy.

Mk2 Octy is bigger inside. As a front seat passenger I had no issues having a 6-footer in the seat behind me. Not much good for your budget, unless you find a broken one?

Can DSG be fitted to an older car?! I thought it was ECU controlled with millions of sensors etc... which would surely make it near impossible?

[bigal rallyred]

I sold my Octy Vrs a year agoand have the same space issues.
I'm 6'4" and I went for a new shape Passat and I don't even have my seat all the way back which is a first for me.
I know it's out of your budget but my advice is just to go out and try cars to see.
I hated having people in the back of my Octy as it was so crampt that I had to move my seat forward, I have 34" legs also so know where you're coming from completely.
Passat B5.5 would be a good starting point there are loads about and it's a buyers market at the moment.

[greg123]

Hey guys, thanks for that.

Yes I agree that a B5.5 seems to be a good place to go looking, anyone had experience with the C5 Audi A6? It looks bigger than passat even and unlike the A4 not got the 'cramped' styling.

Skoda Superb - great, I have a customer's 130pd with full cream leather in black that I look after, however no estate = no good for me.

I'm definitely thinking toward the A6 avant right now, but curious why it's listed as lighter, more fuel efficient, lower CO2 than the passat yet it's bigger. Also curious why it's NCAP crash rating appears to be lower than the passat/A4 yet it's essentially the same platform and has all the same build features when you look under the skin?

Cheers, Greg.

[OctaviaBuzz]

Driving a mk1 Octavia as a taxi and being 6'0" myself, i found i had to adjust my seat forward and learn to like it. And i got used to it quite quickly. I do however slide the seat right back when i'm stationary, and give my legs stretch room. Even in my own Octavia i sit close to the wheel now, lol.

If only the Octavia had a sliding rear bench that could borrow say, 4" from the boot, its be perfect. A friend has a NISSAN MICRA with a sliding rear bench! If nissan can give the choice of sacrificing boot space, why cant an Octavia with a boot twice as big? Just my £0.02