New Octavia Owner Looking for Advice + Opinions

[Yella]

Hi guys,

I've now put a deposit down on an Octavia at A.L.S. Autos in Cambridge and I collect it on the 8th Feb.

This is it at £3995 with 55k miles on the clock, I think I got a reasonable deal.



Anyway I'm looking for some advice on what to do with it and was wondering what you guys had done to yours. I'm definitely getting it mapped by Revo and sprayed black but I need some ideas on the following:

New Exhaust (performance only, looks and noise are not important)
Which spoiler (Any photos of your spoilers and where to purchase please)
Lowered suspension (Not for looks just to assist with cornering at speed)
What size alloys will fit? (when lowered)
Bigger brakes (I was thinking Brembo? Any advice)

Am I being to demanding for a second post?

Thanks a lot in advance guys!

[Morley]

Why don't you buy a vRS in back magic paint and save all the expense of tarting it up?

[Morley]

You could always make me an offer for my vRS

[Tom_vRS]

What is it?

I like ALS, they are a good bunch down there.

[Goochie]

My thoughts:

New Exhaust - VRS exhausts can be had for £50-£100 used and in great condition

Which spoiler - Entirely up to your personal taste

Lowered suspension - VRS suspension will lower it by a minimal ammount, then change the front anti-roll-bar and add one to the rear - this will revolutionise the turn-in and feel of the car.

What size alloys will fit? - 18 look nice but you're just going to show off your tiny standard brakes.

Bigger brakes - Check the classifieds on here. Seat Curpra R Brembos are nice but check wheel sizes for clearance. 312mm brakes from a VRS will fit behind the Elegance 16" wheels. All you need are caliper carriers and a set of discs (pads and calipers are the same). The rears on the Elegance are non-vented. May be worth changing to VRS rears too.

Am I being to demanding for a second post? - not at all, but why diddnt you just buy a VRS ? I assume you've found the "advanced search" tool here? there is a mountain of info on the above as many have been there before.

Is it a 1.8T or diesel?

[Beretta]

Some nice 18"x8 RS4 alloys with 225/40/18 tyres in the for sale section at this very moment, and yes, they will fit when lowered..........

[cheezemonkhai]

You will end up spending more on the Elegance than you would buying a black VRS instead.

Serious amount of effort and you will most likely de-value your car by changing it's colour should you ever wish to sell it on.

[Goochie]

having said that - my modified Elegance is still cheaper for me to insure that a standard VRS would have been.

Remap, DV, suspension, Exhaust.

[Yella]

Sorry it's a 1.8T Elegance.

The cheapest black VRS on Skoda.co.uk is £7999 and even on Autotrader it's £5600. Due to experience I like to buy from dealers wherever possible, I did look at buying a VRS but paying £3000 more for the same age with more miles on seemed like madness.

Yeah by the time I get my mods on I'll be getting nearer that price but still shouldn't touch it. And I'm paying cash for the car I'm getting and then buying the mods as and when I can afford them. I'd have needed finance on a VRS.

And why would changing the colour from Bronze to a more mainstream and popular colour lower it's value? Yeah the other mods will probably lower the value but if the respray is done professionally it should either have no effect or increase its selling potential.

Cheers for the advice though.

[M.A.C]

Just wondering...any quotes on your paint-job ? Will it include all door shuts, engine bay, underbonnet ? In other words will it be a FULL respray ?
Without it you run the risk of seriously scaring away buyers when you come to sell.
Whats your budget for all this, mate ?

[Yella]

No budget at the moment. I'll save up for each mod (Revo is definitely first though) and grab them when I can afford them. Yeah it'll be a full respray. I've got no quotes though as I haven't even picked up the car yet!

I'm not in the business of cutting corners with my cars. If I can't afford to have it done right, I won't do it, even though I'm planning to have this Octavia until it dies, so resale isn't really an issue, this philosophy will still be applied, but thats just me.

I like having newer cars but it's quite liberating to have a car thats mine all mine to do what I want with and not having to think about the next owner.

[Liverpool-Lad]

I still cant see your logic with this but its upto you. I bought a 43k mile FSH vRS (2001) for £5400. It seems to me as if youre trying to build a replica of sorts when the car is already there to buy. Spend the extra and get a better base IMO.

Youll be looking at probably 2k for a proper respray.

[Yella]

Originally Posted by Liverpool-Lad

I bought a 43k mile FSH vRS (2001) for £5400. It seems to me as if youre trying to build a replica of sorts when the car is already there to buy. Spend the extra and get a better base IMO.

I'm guessing you bought privately or not through Skoda though. As I said I've been stung in the past and prefer to buy through the manufacturer outlets.

And in any case if I spend £500 on a revo map I'll have a faster car than the standard VRS. All thats to do then is the optional bits. Once the suspension is done there's not a vast difference between Elegance and VRS IMO.

In truth the VRS seems like a bit of a rip-off when I can buy mine from a Skoda dealer for £1400 less than you spent on yours, give Revo £500 and have a faster, more powerful car albeit with less extras. The only advantage I can see to the vrs is the handling which I'm sure I can address for less than £900.

And the main point is I had £4000 cash to spend. I'm currently finance free and laughing for the first since I was 18!

[Wardy]

Welcome to the site

That's surely the first time I've seen the vRS being called a 'rip-off' - I think it's a superb package for the money.

Each to their own, however. Hope you enjoy the car and keep us updated on progress. I'm sure you'll find all the information you need on these pages

Steve

[Bloodnok]

Originally Posted by Tom_vRS

What is it?

I like ALS, they are a good bunch down there.

Another vote for ALS here as well, bought my car off them and they are a great bunch.
And if you are in the area, chequered flag at Attlelborough are very helpful as well.

[Yella]

Originally Posted by Wardy

That's surely the first time I've seen the vRS being called a 'rip-off' - I think it's a superb package for the money.

I agree as a stand alone car it is fantastic and I would love to own one. However they hold their value so much better than the Elegance, and as a result when it comes to buying second hand the Elegance is much better value for money if you're prepared to tinker with it a bit.

[cheezemonkhai]

Full respray would put a lot of buyers off, especially when you see the MOT etc documentation and HPI checks saying

- Bronze
- Bronze
- Bronze
- Bronze
- Black

I know I would either have walked away at this point, or certainly be asking serious questions.

Modding the car won't increase it's value at all, and the respray will cost at least £2k for a really good job I would think.

That coupled with the higher retained value of the VRS and I would probably still not do what you are suggesting. Which ever way you do decide to go let us all know how it goes

[Morley]

You could always buy mine for around £6K FSSH or you could buy it from my dealer for about £7K when I trade it in. I suggest you save up if you don't want to finance the difference. Why waste money ruining a perfectly good Elegance even if it is in bronze.?

[Yella]

Originally Posted by cheezemonkhai

Full respray would put a lot of buyers off, especially when you see the MOT etc documentation and HPI checks saying

- Bronze
- Bronze
- Bronze
- Bronze
- Black

I know I would either have walked away at this point, or certainly be asking serious questions.

Modding the car won't increase it's value at all, and the respray will cost at least £2k for a really good job I would think.

That coupled with the higher retained value of the VRS and I would probably still not do what you are suggesting. Which ever way you do decide to go let us all know how it goes

Yeah if it's gonna cost that much then you're right, it's not worth doing. I can live with bronze anyway. I just ain't got the cash for the VRS.

Originally Posted by Morley

I suggest you save up if you don't want to finance the difference. Why waste money ruining a perfectly good Elegance even if it is in bronze.?

Well obviously it would be better to save up and buy one, as with everything. But sometimes we need things now. If I could have saved up and bought my house outright I would of but I'd be 50 before I got one.

And why would it be ruined? I'm not some 17yr old ch*v who wants to stick a plastic body kit to my car using super glue then get a dump valve because I like the whooshy sound. I'll be getting it professionally remapped and improving the suspension. If I really wanted a VRS I would just buy one. I've got the money but I'm planning on spending it on a new nursery, pushchairs, car seats, a steriliser, baby clothes and all the million other things you need for a baby. I'm getting the Elegance because I can't justify spending the extra cash when I can get the same car for £3000 less and build it up to above VRS standard slowly as and when I can afford it. So effectively I am saving up, but I'm saving for the mods rather than the car. That way I can get the car now. I can't survive with a 2 seater for much longer.

All mods will be done professionally and if they cost too much (including the respray) I won't bother. Seeing as though I'm gonna have the car till it dies it doesn't make too much odds what a potential buyer thinks. I'll be honest in my advertising and if they don't like it they won't buy it.

I'm not getting a VRS. I'm getting the Elegance. I could see your point if I was buying it on Monday and then spending £3k on it on Tuesday but I'm not. I'll spend £500 and get it remapped making it more powerful than a VRS but still £2500 cheaper, the rest will follow as and when.

Thanks to those of you who seemed to understand and gave helpful comments by the way!

[elegance1.8T]

stick with the golden bronze, just so i'm not the only person on here with an Elegance 1.8T in that colour. BTW so far i've fitted a Vrs spoiler and suspension, 312mm TT brakes and APR remap, plus our seats don't get as dirty and we get a centre armrest as std!

welcome to the club!