[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by kch82

Dear fellow bhpians,

I am a proud owner of the Chevy Cruze AT and boy have I loved every bit of the drive !
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As always I look to you guys to help me decide as you did for my Cruze buy a few years back Looking forward for your valuable inputs. Thanks.

You are from Gurgaon! Get a petrol Octy while all the smoke clears (pun intended ).
On a more serious note, the Diesel would be more frugal for the 50km you drive everyday, and it is fast enough once you get the hang of it. Better reliability from the gearbox is just an added plus point.
For diesel - look at the Jetta too - it would not be very powerful as compared to the Cruze (same as Octy), but the ride and handling will be much better than the diesel Octy.

[kch82]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

You are from Gurgaon! Get a petrol Octy while all the smoke clears (pun intended )
On a more serious note, the Diesel would be more frugal for the 50km you drive everyday, and it is fast enough once you get the hang of it. Better reliability from the gearbox is just an added plus point.
For diesel - look at the Jetta too - it would not be very powerful as compared to the Cruze (same as Octy), but the ride and handling will be much better than the diesel Octy.

Thank you for the feedback. The smoke in Delhi NCR indeed needs to clear up

However due to certain reasons my choice is limited to Altis and Octavia. In case I buy the Diesel Octavia then I cannot go above the Ambition AT model. For the Petrol Octavia I can go for Elegance AT (which has sunroof and few other features compared to the Ambition). Though I too feel that having a diesel car can be a easy on the pocket but the Ambition model and Wow engine factor is pulling me a little away from the Diesel option.

By the way did you mean that the Diesel Octavia has a better gear box compared to the Petrol ? Any inputs on the realistic mileage I can look from these cars ?

Thank agin

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by kch82

By the way did you mean that the Diesel Octavia has a better gear box compared to the Petrol ? Any inputs on the realistic mileage I can look from these cars ?

Thank agin

As much of a Toyota fan I am, it is not a daily drive for an enthusiast.

Better gearbox just in terms of reliability. The 7 speed DSG has had its fair share of issues unlike the 6 speed DSG in the diesels. However, some claim that those issues are a thing of the past.

Not sure what you can expect from the TSi. For that, this and a couple other threads are perfect to answer your question.
But our Laura TDi gives me a good 12 in city traffic + a little higher revv fun (MID shows 13.5-ish). I've seen the MID go all the way up to 21 in the city if driven properly.

[kch82]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

As much of a Toyota fan I am, it is not a daily drive for an enthusiast.

Better gearbox just in terms of reliability. The 7 speed DSG has had its fair share of issues unlike the 6 speed DSG in the diesels. However, some claim that those issues are a thing of the past.

Not sure what you can expect from the TSi. For that, this and a couple other threads are perfect to answer your question.
But our Laura TDi gives me a good 12 in city traffic + a little higher revv fun (MID shows 13.5-ish). I've seen the MID go all the way up to 21 in the city if driven properly.

Thank you for the valuable inputs. My wife (the ultimate decision maker ) sat in the rear seat of the Octavia (Diesel) and remarked it was quite similar to sitting in our existing Cruze. What she meant was that owning as Skoda would be a very similar experience to the Cruze. In case we want something a little different then the Altis can be a half-hearted better choice. In terms of rear seat comfort and a bit of a different experience the Altis petrol AT drives just ok BUT the sunroof; additional features such as heated side mirrors; electronic driver seat and high quality plastic of the Skoda will be sorely missed in the Altis.

I am more convinced that in the Delhi traffic with air conditioning I should not expect a mileage of 6-7 from Skoda Octavia TSi which can be a deal breaker.

Let us see where this confusion leads me to.

Thank you again for all the help here.

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by kch82

I am more convinced that in the Delhi traffic with air conditioning I should not expect a mileage of 6-7 from Skoda Octavia TSi which can be a deal breaker.

I do not suggest anyone buying the TSI DSG combo, given my bad experience, but if its mileage you're after, then TSI DSG is not the ideal car. However, you could go for the Ambition TSI 1.4, if you don't mind the manual transmission.

Next option is to wait for the New Elantra, New Cruze, and may be a facelift Octavia sometime in the 2nd quarter of 2016. I would say that will be a decent amount of time to wait for a car. Other options with good suspension and decent mileage are Jetta comfortline, Fluence, existing Elantra, but not all of them are automatics. There is a huge variety in this segment and always something new around the corner. Have you tried the XUV Automatic?

[rugsrags]

A pleasure going through your thread adi. A good hindsight into your love hate relationship. I drive an elegance diesel which has now clocked around 29500 kms with the MID showing oil change in 400kms every time i start or switch the car off. The service then is now due.
I did face the issue with the creaking ORVMs but it was sorted initially only by the dealer by adding some lubricant and it hasn't cropped up since then. The rest of the car though is now squeaking its way across wherever i go. I don't blame the car though since the roads this side are as good as not there. Hence been waiting for the service to sort out the noises.
The car has been giving a consistent F.E. of 13-14 in the city and around 16-18 on the highway runs.
I now need to change the tyres since the stock tyres look pretty worn out and have been facing a lot of punctures of late. Goodyears actually don't seem to have much life in em. I plan to stick to the stock size though will probably change to Michelins this time round.
The other sound which worries me is the sound of a creak which comes occasionally over certain speed breakers at low speeds and it sounds as if it comes from the left side. Could it be the bushes? I dont know how to replicate the sound though so i'll try to explain it to the service centre.
Another issue is the vent control. Even in re-circulation it lets in all the bad odor from outside.
Would love to upgrade the rear tail lights but i dont have the patience to do the coding myself and i doubt the dealership to have the expertise in it is the only thing preventing me. the other thing i miss is the original skoda horn. Mine has the normal horn which skoda later changed.

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by rugsrags

A pleasure going through your thread adi. A good hindsight into your love hate relationship.
The car has been giving a consistent F.E. of 13-14 in the city and around 16-18 on the highway runs.
I now need to change the tyres since the stock tyres look pretty worn out and have been facing a lot of punctures of late. Goodyears actually don't seem to have much life in em. I plan to stick to the stock size though will probably change to Michelins this time round.
The other sound which worries me is the sound of a creak which comes occasionally over certain speed breakers at low speeds and it sounds as if it comes from the left side. Could it be the bushes? I dont know how to replicate the sound though so i'll try to explain it to the service centre.
Another issue is the vent control. Even in re-circulation it lets in all the bad odor from outside.

Thank you rugsrags.

Regarding FE, city figures seem fine, but highway numbers could be better. What conditions are normally faced on these highway runs? What is your average speed? I remember an average speed of 70-75 kph and 20+ km/l mileage from my old Laura DSG.

Regarding tyres, hands down Michelin. Its one of the best tyres I ever bought, and specially 225/50/16 fits well on the stock rims. If you want to stick to stock size, try the PS3 in stock size or just one upsize, 215/55/16. Tyres are super silent, stick to the road well and absorb bumps quite well. I got them for around 12K a piece. Wear pattern is also decent, as even after 15000 kms, tyres seem to be as good as new.

Regarding the creaking noise, I hope its the same noise that I face from the very beginning. Yes, I also narrowed it down to bushes, but my dealer was reluctant to check it while the car was facing mechatronic issues, hence will have to wait for next service. I plan to install Bilstein suspension at about 70,000 kms. I have already completed 54000 kms. Will live with this creaking for another 6 months.

Regarding aircon, You have to turn off 'auto-recirculation' from the Setup menu, accessible from the Climatronic control panel. That should solve the problem, or else your cabin filter might need a change/cleaning.

Regarding LED tail lights, its totally worth it. Its a straight forward swap physically, as in just remove the old light, remove the reverse bulb, foglight bulb, and indicator bulb, put it in the new holder for LED lights, and its done. Only issue is coding, which is again very very simple if you have a VCDS Cable and I can give you the codes which I used. Its actually quite simple and inexpensive mod, which will completely change your car's aesthetic appeal which is quite a drab at the rear end. Install a boot lip spoiler, and you will see a good transformation with your ride, with subtle additions. The lights cost about 17-18K if I remember correctly, and you do not need the dealer's help here at all. Order them from skodadop.com or else ask the dealer if he can sell it to you off the shelf. If you order from skodadop.com, don't forget to order the bulb holders too as the shape is different from that of the existing lights.

Cheers!

[adi_petrolhead]

Today the car did some serious off roading! Yes you heard that right. Incidentally had to tread upon very bad patches of mud and gravel, half paved 4" roads, tight swooping downwards 90 degree turns, etc. Car did wonderful, ground clearance was spot on, did not scrape the bottom even though I had 5 adults and luggage in the car!! I had increased the tyre pressure to 36 psi for all four tyres. I guess that was a wise decision after all. The car was beyond recognition, covered in mud, I drove constantly for 2 hours or so.

Touch wood, not a single problem, the tyres did fantastic, so did the suspension, the back seat passengers were super comfy, I had a commanding view of the road ahead, and all this while the AC at 21 degrees, kept us cool and calm.

This was my first ever 'no-road' driving experience. I was scared like hell, but I am really proud of this black monster.

Also, a 520d BMW did the same track as I did, and it too was effortless. I don't have great pictures to show the gravity of the track, but trust me, it would scare most first time off roaders.

[rutvij]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

Today the car did some serious off roading!

It was reassuring to learn about your experience. What was the route that you took?

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by rutvij

It was reassuring to learn about your experience. What was the route that you took?

Not a special type of route, it was incidental. I was going to Dungarpur, Rajasthan, and had to pass Bichhiwara and Baldiya villages. These villages did not have roads at all. The destination did not have an approach road made, it was practically a carved route that can only be used for big dumpers, that's what we had to use too. There was some serious incline, approach angle, tightest turning radius, etc.

[rugsrags]

Regarding FE, city figures seem fine, but highway numbers could be better. What conditions are normally faced on these highway runs? What is your average speed? I remember an average speed of 70-75 kph and 20+ km/l mileage from my old Laura DSG.

The highway runs are usually pretty fast with an average speed of around 90kmph (not the speed mind you...its the average speed i get over the trip which also includes the yamuna expressway so i'm cruising at mostly 100-130kmph)plus i love leaving people behind so on the highway runs i tend to floor the accelerator more often than required.

Regarding tyres, hands down Michelin. Its one of the best tyres I ever bought, and specially 225/50/16 fits well on the stock rims. If you want to stick to stock size, try the PS3 in stock size or just one upsize, 215/55/16. Tyres are super silent, stick to the road well and absorb bumps quite well. I got them for around 12K a piece. Wear pattern is also decent, as even after 15000 kms, tyres seem to be as good as new.

I'v got the tyres changes to michelins now though i stuck to the stock size. The ride has drastically improved and they're super silent too. Cost me 8100 a piece. Apparently the stock size is the same as the size one gets in the superb.

Regarding the creaking noise, I hope its the same noise that I face from the very beginning. Yes, I also narrowed it down to bushes, but my dealer was reluctant to check it while the car was facing mechatronic issues, hence will have to wait for next service. I plan to install Bilstein suspension at about 70,000 kms. I have already completed 54000 kms. Will live with this creaking for another 6 months.

Well i got the car sent for servicing and i was told that they have solved the creaking noise but skoda can never change since i heard the same creaking noise come in again the next day. Incidentally the 30k service cost me a cool 15k. 9.1k was the parts price and the rest was labor charges! And no this did not include tyre balancing and alignment since i was getting the tyres changed.

Regarding aircon, You have to turn off 'auto-recirculation' from the Setup menu, accessible from the Climatronic control panel. That should solve the problem, or else your cabin filter might need a change/cleaning.

I'm checking this now and it seems to be working.

[itwasntme]

Hi Adi,

Am taking the liberty of posting a few random experiences on your ownership thread as yours is the most realistic (!) so far:

My TSI is running perfectly with 1,300 km on the clock already

Usage:
Daily is about 75 km with normal work-week usage (including visits to multiple office locations within BLR CBD)
Highway and city mix is 40:60 with AC on 95% of the time albeit at a setting of barely 22.5 degrees.

Mileage (!):
Overall 9.5 km/lt mostly due to my return trip where I face a minimum of 15 km of B2B traffic.
Mornings are typically 11 to 11.5 km/lt due to faster flowing traffic.
Mornings before I hit congestion I typically get 13 km/lt at speeds of 90 km/hr with a few spirited bursts too. Haven’t tried S mode too much yet.
Am expecting this to improve post-service

A few queries based on my 3 week ownership:
1. During complete B2B traffic, the DSG rarely drops to D1 as mentioned multiple times across all threads. Should I go manual and use ‘1’ instead of forcing the DSG to stay in D2 (and probably slip the clutch)? I tried it a few times and it’s not too much of a hassle really

2. During 2 minute traffic halts, I am keeping the DSG in N with handbrake. Assume this is better than P to avoid damage to gearbox from rear-endings?

3. Does the TSI drink engine oil like the TDI? Do I need to keep a can in the car? If so which is the best after-market mix to go for? I don’t have any Skoda service centre nearby

4. Should I fit the sill plates? Do the sills get scuffed badly over time? The original accessory (set of 4, rubbery plastic black, not chrome) is pretty reasonably priced at 2k. Pics attached.

5. Any other basic precautions I should take?

Thanks in advance!

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Hi Adi,

Am taking the liberty of posting a few random experiences on your ownership thread as yours is the most realistic (!) so far:

My TSI is running perfectly with 1,300 km on the clock already

Hi
Pls feel free to even post pics of your ride here, along with the new additional features like KESSY, new infotainment system and its Carplay functionality.

Regarding your FE figures, they seem right in the range as mine so no issues there.

Regarding the scuff plates, I would recommend you wait for superskoda.com as they are working on an illuminated version of the same. I already have these black plastic ones installed and they are good enough, but illuminated ones will be nicer.

You can keep the DSG in D, no need to shift in manual mode and use 1st gear instead of 2nd. Do not use the N mode frequently. Its mentioned in the manual that try keeping the car in the same mode as much as possible, also mentioned is that change as fast as possible from P to D or R to D. Doing it slowly, step by step movement, can harm the gearbox.

I tend to keep the car in D with the brake fully pressed, and I shift to N only if I know for sure that its going to take more than 2 minutes to begin moving again.

I had kept a 1 L bottle of oil in the car, but didn't get any opportunity to use it yet. Oil level has been optimum right till the service intervals. The car has had three oil changes so far.

For me the only sad part in the car is lack of paddle shifts, and the creaking front suspension.

Where do you plan to take your car for service? For me too, the service station is about 100 kms away from home. My experience has been average so far. I started facing vibrations from the car on speeds over 90 kph, at about 35000 kms. I had then changed the tyres, and did alignment which solved the issue. Then during last service, they changed the brake pads, against my will. I believe the car comes equipped with a error program for worn brake pads. But the error never popped up. They warned me that not changing brake pads would lead to damaged discs, and that will be an expensive affair.

I guess overall here on the forum, all Octy TSI owners have had altogether different experiences in their ownerships. So drive hard till it lasts!

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

A few queries based on my 3 week ownership:
1. During complete B2B traffic, the DSG rarely drops to D1 as mentioned multiple times across all threads. Should I go manual and use ‘1’ instead of forcing the DSG to stay in D2 (and probably slip the clutch)? I tried it a few times and it’s not too much of a hassle really

2. During 2 minute traffic halts, I am keeping the DSG in N with handbrake. Assume this is better than P to avoid damage to gearbox from rear-endings?

3. Does the TSI drink engine oil like the TDI? Do I need to keep a can in the car? If so which is the best after-market mix to go for? I don’t have any Skoda service centre nearby

4. Should I fit the sill plates? Do the sills get scuffed badly over time? The original accessory (set of 4, rubbery plastic black, not chrome) is pretty reasonably priced at 2k. Pics attached.

5. Any other basic precautions I should take?

Thanks in advance!

If I may take the liberty of answering..

1) If it is very slow crawling traffic, its better to shift the lever to manual mode and move in D1. This way you will reduce the load on the clutch as the DSG shifts to D2 very quickly and slips the clutch.

2) Yes.

3) Its sips a little more oil in the first 5K kms or so. You can keep a litre f Shell helix Ultra 5W 40 for top up if necessary. I would recommend checking oil level once in 2 months and topping up if it falls below halfway mark. Mind you Skoda uses Castrol Professional which is not available in the market. I have always topped with Shell and personally feel it is OK as the grade is same. There are divergent views on this, so take your call! You can try sourcing a litre bottle from the service centre if necessary.

4) Go for it.

5) Can't think of anything else. Please start a thread!

[kiran_cr]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

A few queries based on my 3 week ownership:

1. During complete B2B traffic, the DSG rarely drops to D1 as mentioned multiple times across all threads. Should I go manual and use ‘1’ instead of forcing the DSG to stay in D2 (and probably slip the clutch)? I tried it a few times and it’s not too much of a hassle really

2. During 2 minute traffic halts, I am keeping the DSG in N with handbrake. Assume this is better than P to avoid damage to gearbox from rear-endings?

I have a Rapid DSG. I can answer few points.

1. I encounter lot of b2b traffic inside and outside ecospace. I move the gear lever to manual and keep it at 1st gear to avoid slipping of clutch. When its completely standstill i move to N.

2. As answered in point 1, when i sense that i ll be standstill for more than a minute or so, i move the gear lever to N. To avoid DSG from overheating.