[Closed] Skoda's, marital bliss and a repair bill

You can get tail gate protectors for the estate. Think the boot liner on the estates is rubber one side, and carpet the other. Unless its an optional extra ??

No way , skoda wont go with your new shades .

Its better and easier to ask for forgiveness than permission

He needs our permission Junky.

You need to divorce your Mrs for not liking Skoda, then have a word with yourself for binning a good car for the price of leasing a new one for 7 months 😛

My wife hated Skoda's but I bought myself an Octavia VRS anyway.
After a drive in it, she now likes them a lot.

What car has a £1500 steering rack! Our old bora rack went, replaced by a local garage for just over £300.

I hate Skoda's too. Lots of other options out there that offer similar value. Could you not consider them instead to Keep your wife and me happy?

Seems odd to buy a car that you aren't happy to use for your hobbies. Why not spend half as much and get a car you can use for everything? A friend is pretty down on his yeti judging by the continuous Facebook posts relating to garage bills.

binning a good car

Well quite.

What car has a £1500 steering rack!

Well, its the theoretical max but also includes a few other jobs whilst those bits are apart, such as new lower wishbone bushings, re-aligngment, the new Powersteering motor, flushing the "wrong" fluid* and replacing. There is a very good chance the Specialist will argue some or all of the money from the extended warranty I've got, they have a history of saying "yes" to this.

*Most 159's had the wrong fluid from the factory, mine still does, extra viscosity cause the PS motor to burn out quicker, and certainly when replaced with the correct runnier fluid causes leaks.

I dunno, the thought of a more modern warrantied motor with all the toys, and going back to auto feels good. Or, I wait until 2 years goes by and fix up the house a bit, yet pay the bill, THEN buy the 330 Touring auto I will want 🙂

Why not spend half as much and get a car you can use for everything?

Well, this is where I am now, £5k on that very car. And tbh apart from the above being discovered has no faults

My mates wife hated Skoda's. To the point she publicly stated she would never get in one.

He had the balls to get an Octavia anyway. She loves it!

Women, eh!? 🙄

After a drive in it, she now likes them a lot.

My mates wife hated Skoda's. To the point she publicly stated she would never get in one.

He had the balls to get an Octavia anyway. She loves it!

Women, eh!?

Pragmatism.
If you're going to have a new toy it may as well be one with zero Fanny Magnetism.

Skoda are ace - 100000 pretty much trouble free miles in our 51plate Octavia. Would have another like a shot - but might keep this one going as long possible as there is nothing seriously wrong with it!

What's the deposit like on those offers?

Ah well there's the catch. It's £300 quid more than if I had to pay for the work above in total myself. So yes, I've tried to justify a new car financially and failed miserably.

Why do people go for these deals where you pay £x00 per month for a new car?

Surely much better to buy a car outright and own it - bills for running the car will be less than the leasing costs.

Ok, you don't have a brand new car to drive, but still... No massive monthly outgoings!

Mrs Sox declared her dislike of Skodas too. Junior Sox and I test drove a Fabia Monte Carlo, were impressed with the little tinker and bought her one (and him on as other driver). She adores the little fella.
Now I'm about to replace the Mongdeo (2007 with 12 months MOT!! ) with another caravan towing estate.........but which one??
Diesel VRS?
Another Mondeo?
Mazda6 Touring?

I'm on my third Skoda...beginning to like them now 😉 seriously my first an Octavia was too long for a bloke who hadn't driven for 15 years (biker). So switched to a yeti, love them...OK styling may not set the world alight but the dealers are great and they are well built....now on my second yeti have yet to find a failing in the latest one.

JeZ

My wife doesn't see the point of a car that can do 0-60 in less than 12 seconds and hates estate cars. When I inherited her 1.6 diesel cmax she told everybody who would listen that I want allowed to change it because she liked it. I bought a Focus ST Estate as soon as I could make the maths work.

The only Skoda I would buy is a Yeti 4x4.

Modern Skodas are great, how can anyone hate them? Is it just that they remember back to when they were the subject of a load of jokes?

Tasha thought I was mad when I bought the Octavia, then lived with it/drove it. She rapidly changed her mind. We had a safebag in ours, kept it clean

The Simpsons pch deals are loss leaders, they don't even cover the depreciation.

As an owner of a Octy vrs mkiii, I'm biased, but they have a great deal to like and little to have.

£1500? www.ebay.co.uk or google VAG spares or breaking?

That offer? 2k upfront to hire a car for 2yrs on only 8,000miles a year? I do 8k in just 6months!!

So thats £3,400 a year for 8,000miles. Before 7p a mile over adds to 3.4k?

Plus you'd put a mountain bike in and out of it- those odd scratches come handback time...

Buy secondhand

Is this the Alfa we all said not to buy?

Awe really, the Alfas borked already ?

Eh ?

😯

The mark three vRS is pretty nice. I've just ordered an oil burner for my next company car...it was so much better than the 1 series or A3 that I could have had instead that it was hard not to really. Most of my friends are ripping the pee out of me, but I'm the one that had to live with it. I figured chucking bikes in it will be easy and it'll swallow all of our little one's junk too.

Our 330 is a great car but saloons are rubbish family cars (I should have held out for a touring). The new 330d autos are immense. We had obe as a courtesy car for a week and it was brill. I didn't really want to give it back....fast too.

Have you considered the Superb Saloon? The boot is huge and more discrete. Just an idea if you've already got a patio with very deep foundations.

We have had three, a Citigo which we no longer have, a Fabia Monte Carlo and have now got a Fabia VRS. We like them, they fit our needs well and despite not being the best handling things in their class have everything else like size, price, reliability and quality in their favour. We will keep our current two until they are scrap.

[img] [/img]

Regardless, your man maths doesn't currently add up. Lease deals aren't great unless you want to be in a new car all the time or need a car with a warranty and don't have the capital to buy it. Unless you think your Alfa has a raft more bills coming up then I'd stick with it.

What do you drive? I drive a Superb!

It feels like it should have a exclamation mark

Has the powersteering failed outright and/or leaking? Or is it just making noises/stiffer when cold.

If the rack has totally failed then fair enough but if its just noisy/leaking from the reservoir then the Alfa forums suggest fitting the revised/improved reservoir for circa £40then a refill with the green fluid.

Personally if the car is good in every other respect than I'd be tempted to fix and keep.
Bushes and wot not wear out on any car especially with a heavy diesel up front that's just wear and tear not reason enough to move a car on IMO.

Personally if the car is good in every other respect than I'd be tempted to fix and keep.

This, yes.

The rack has a lot of play in it and is close to an MOT fail, and the jobs' big un, as the job to replace the PAS motor etc when its gone. Its groaning slightly hence whens its all apart you do the whole lot at one, as its cheaper.

Whilst its in, its also cheaper than an extra visit to replace the bushes. 159's are notorious for naff bushes which where the inner from tyres quickly. They get replaced with "power flex" bushes which prevent that for literally £15 more than the standard parts all in.

Vis a Vis, get it all done at once.

Please remember as I said earlier, although its unfortunate I've experienced this, I do have an aftermarket warranty which the Alfa specialist is confident will pay for some if to all of this work - they will be negotiating on my behalf increasing the chance of success.

Once done, the Alfa will be tip top, no more issues.

You need to divorce your Mrs for not liking Skoda

Most Skodas look pretty bad I reckon - the Octavia VRS estate seems to be one of the odd ones out.

Even the front of a Yeti looks dodgy, particularly in the wrong color.

And the Superb looks particularly gash.

I reckon they style the VW/Audi ranges to aid the perceived value of the different brands.

I'd fix the Alfa...

I've got a Superb.

It's comfy, plenty fast enough, has a massive boot, huge legroom and is economical to run.

I particularly like seeing the look on folks faces when I say I drive a Skoda 😆

I'd repair the Alfa 😀

[i]Once done, the Alfa will be tip top, no more issues.[/i]

Hmmm!

Another vote for fixing the Alfa here (from a petrol vrs estate owner).

Modern Skodas are great, how can anyone hate them?

They take their styling cues from the Seat designers wastepaper basket.
See the Skabia above.

My current Alfa is the oldest I have owned.

I bought it for 7K, at the first service there were some issues that were covered by its extended warranty (airbags) so I got them fixed and told them to scour the car for anything else that needs fixing.

Spent another 3.5k on it fixing everything that was iffy, and 800 of that was covered by the warranty.

But it is pretty solid now, going by comments from the independent who now services it.

Alfa depreciate a lot, why not take advantage of that, they spend the extra depreciation fixing it up and end up with a very solid car for the age?

Or you could spend more on something from the VAG group and then find out that they are not actually that well made after all...

I'd be fixing the 159 rather than leasing a new car (especially a Skoda)

this is not rocket science

get it fixed, then decide if you want to keep it or chop it in for a skoda

otherwise you'll lose a hell of a money on it

Once done, the Alfa will be tip top, no more issues.

Hmmm!

Oi! It's true. anything else will be wear and tear for its age. It isn't losing oil, dpf is below 60% (reported by diagnostic), clutch and gearbox are good currently. It's been serviced, checked over, air con cleaned, disinfected and topped up, egr deleted and remapped, discs and pads currently good, interior is in very good nick.

It's not a great car for driving in traffic - much more hard work our kuga with a lighter clutch and less on/off turbo and more linear delivery, but when the traffic clears it's a blast. The Italian leather smell is to die for and the looks speak for themselves.

[i] Oi! It's true.[/i]

It may well be, but you can never really know despite all the checks.

[i]
The Italian leather smell is to die for and the looks speak for themselves.[/i]

You make it sound like a Maserati......its an Alfa 159 FFS! 😉

I'm a fan of keeping and fixing.

The Italian leather smell is to die for and the looks speak for themselves.

You must be lucky, my last Alfa with full Momo leather smelled like BO in hot weather, did smell nice when cold though.

Looks wise you're right though, you're not going look back a Skoda in the same way.

See the Skabia above.

That's a nice thing to say 😐

The Italian leather smell is to die for and the looks speak for themselves.

^^ that looks like you'd be sitting inside Lady Parts 😯

Don't like that at all.

Anyways, fix the Alfa, still not too sure what it needs fixing in the first place.. 😐

Whats not to like about that,

1. Red leather
2. It's an automatic
3. It's probably a diesel

Happy to help! 😉

Looks like a man with no taste designed your car,,,,

Some cars can pull it off ....

Even alfas.

How ever that has failed on so many levels.

Looks like an amstedam whore house sofa.

Anyways, fix the Alfa, still not too sure what it needs fixing in the first place..

The steering rack is worn to near MOT failure.

Just to say, mine is manual, and exactly the same interior as that Brera above, except with Black leather.

^^ But, but, buuuutttt.

How come the racks gone ?

Man, I is soooo cunfused.

Thought you had this checked out pre purchase, and scoured the forums n stuff...

Seems like, well strange for the rack to go.

😐

I did. They found some play in it from purchase I just didn't tell you lot. MOT's not until next Jan, so I have a few months and of course addition wear is dependant on miles.

BUT, my extended warranty was £400 - so if I can get it done for free now, and not pay for a new warranty next year I'll be £400 better off, so if thats the case I may as well get it done early. Plus, while its drivable I don't need to pay for a tow truck...

Whats not to like about that

I'm not looking to be 'orrible, but you are asking - everything!

It looks like a set of dead animal lungs, stitched together and inflated.

I hope you never need the airbag; I fear a nitrogen-filled set of sheep intestines will whack you in the mush.

Whats the rack made of that its worn to near mot failure. Gruere ?

You know how" worn " a rack as to be to fail mot right..... It like be like driving by proxy using letter sent by royal mail to change direction before it fails an mot.

Look at any land rover on the road .... 1948-2015 😉

Also , youll probably find your warrenty doesnt cover "oh its a wee bitty worn i want it changed"

Ps i know a landy has recirculating ball power assisted steering not a rack. But free play at the wheel limits are the same regardless for mot.

Well then I'd get it done now if it's That Bad.

And, you know, I'd get a second opinion on the wear too.. Just in case someones pulling the loose bit in yer trews.

Glad to hear, in other words, the cars going well though.

And, you know, I'd get a second opinion on the wear too.. Just in case someones pulling the loose bit in yer trews.

This has occurred to me, but thanks.

You know how" worn " a rack as to be to fail mot right..... It like be like driving by proxy using letter sent by royal mail to change direction before it fails an mot.

I don't, no. I was shown - with the car in the air - the amount of wheel movement before the rack was engaging. It was about 4" side to side.

As bikebuoy intimates, I have a friendly garage behind my house, so I'll pop it in for a 2nd opinion.

Obviously things like this can make one nervous, as my wife drives the car also. I don't want either one of us to find we are suddendly going straight on at a corner at speed.

A "stuck" rack happened to me once before in an XR3, luckily I was merely turning at some lights in town so just cam to a slow halt in the middle of the road.

Aye we know the dangers all too well, but a second opinion on this kinda thing really should be without question.

We, yes we, don't want anything nasty to happen to you.

Anyway, were you on the A3 late Sunday night heading back to London ? Around Waterlooville/Petersfield ?

4" seems a lot, I'd have thought that would be very noticeable when driving... I'd get the credit card out for that.

Anyway, were you on the A3 late Sunday night heading back to London ? Around Waterlooville/Petersfield ?

Nope. I was accompanying 12 craft beers on the sofa for dads day.

Oh, Alfa like yours with 2 MTB's on the roof heading North back to Town, did wonder if it was you but glad I didn't hoot and wave 😆

Was it wandering all over the place ?

Weeksy, no not that I can tell. It's not the sharpest to turn into a corner, but it isn't bad by any means bearing in mind it has a diesel lump up front and standard spec wandering bushes.

Buying an Alfa for 7k and spending 4.3k on it, doesn't seem like much of a deal to me (TunerGuy). OP you'll always be spending money on an Alfa, the cars are a labour of love and money. You are stuck in a hole now as without fixing the car it will be worth very little. Skodas are very good products now, I do feel your pain as my Mrs has ruled a Yeti out. If it where me I would find some other cars/brands you like and run them past the wife, it's my view the Alfa will be an ongoing cause of pain.

Fix the 159 - you know it makes sense. It's a car you love to drive which will only feel even better once it's had some TLC.

Tomorrow the new Alfa "Giulia" is unveiled to give you something to save up for 🙂

You'll always be spending money on an Alfa, the cars are a labour of love and money… ...Skodas are very good products now…

Sorry that's just not true with modern Alfas, they don't take any more or less looking after than other cars of a similar type.

Skodas have definitely improved over the years but I wouldn't say are a step above Alfa in terms of build quality and reliability, there are things that were far better on my last Alfa than my current Skoda - paint finish on the Skoda is piss poor, rust is far more of a problem, timing chains on the tsi engines frequently fail and the air con compressors seem to be viewed as consumable.

Sorry that's just not true with modern Alfas, they don't take any more or less looking after than other cars of a similar type.

Tell that to Kryton....

or my mate who had to scrap his...

I only know 2 people who've owned Alfas... both have ben nightmares...

It's not a good stat, doesn't prove much... but tells me not to buy an Alfa.

He seems happy with his car?

Without knowing your mates or seeing what cars they bought they could well have bought dogs and driven them into the ground. A friend of mine just had to have a new engine in his wifes Polo GTI (2 years old, 20k) shit happens, doesn't mean I wouldn't buy a VW.

Having owned a good few Alfas over the years (without issue) I'd say they're pretty reliable if you're sensible.

Kryton57 - Member

I have to spend £1500 on a new steering rack.

jamesfts - Member

He seems happy with his car?

Not that happy LOL.

Whatever you do, dont go for one of these lease deals you end up totally screwed over and it costs a fortune.

weeksy - Member
Sorry that's just not true with modern Alfas, they don't take any more or less looking after than other cars of a similar type.
Tell that to Kryton...

Well, to be fair, its only had new pads, an EGR blank (choice) and a service, in the six months since I bought it. I did change the tyres from the shitty ones that were on it, again thats a matter of choice.

In general I'm very happy with it.

Back to the PAS - googling the symptoms reveals I have none of them, except the demonstrable play when moving the front wheels when the cars is of the ground. The PAS fluid is on the minimum mark, but I never checked it before so it could have been that way for ever for all I know - there certainly no fluid on the garage floor.

Maybe I should just drive it until a more obvious symptom appears.

4" of play at the wheel ..... You would not/should be able to drive it if that was the case

Strikes me as praying on alfa fear! Get second opinion.

For Kryton

[url= http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/general-alfa-discussion/27374-recommended-alfa-romeo-specialists-north-london.html ]CLICK[/url]

It's not a good stat, doesn't prove much... but tells me not to buy an Alfa.

As came out in a previous thread on here, current Alfas have a lower warranty incidence rate than their VAG rivals - I know it's not what the media want to publish but there are a lot of myths about a lot of cars out there still. It's not that long ago that TG did a eulogy (of sorts) following the demise of Saab - it essentially said most of the stuff that they (& others) had spouted over the past decade was a load of old guff.

I know 3 people who have had Boxsters - 2 were nightmare, money-pits.... tells me not to buy a Porsche.... 😉

All the stuff about Alfas having dodgy steering racks is rubbish based on random internet forum postings like this one.

I think the leather looks ace btw - though not in red - but I have a Corrado VR6 with leather in it too. It's available from all sorts of brands, even Skoda these days I should think.

Whats the deal on the Octy VRS for £200pm? ie whats the deposit and mileage ?

[url= http://www.simpsonsskoda.co.uk/new-car-offers/june-octvrspch/ ]Details here, FunkyDunc[/url]

I was tempted by the Simpson's offer, but £6800 for two years' motoring seems quite alot, especially when its way more car then we need for nipping to the shops, over a choked M8 or the occasional long journey down South. I did test drive an Octavia as a result - the 1.6 TDCi. It was very mice but.... just... a bit plain. So I bought a 1 year old Honda Civic 1.6 dTec. Feels a lot more sporty, frugal as **** on diesel and looks... well, different. Innit.

Ah its not that cheap.

£7k for 2 years on a very low mileage.... no chance!

Currently pay £330 per month for BMW 320d Touring (no estate tosh) fully insured & maintained 12k miles

You lot are heathens , Alfas and red leather interiors are a given unless its a Red Alfa which should then have a tan leather interior to be perfect.

I suppose the Red leather clashes with your Tartan travelling rugs and velour tissue box 😉

Well, I've just come back from that second opinion. This was from the local Garage at the back of my house, I know the chaps so you think they wouldn't piss on thier own doorstep.

There verdict is, there is nothing wrong with the rack, track rods or no play in anything. Regarding the atypical 159 steering rack problems he basically said [i]"If you're worried keep an eye on the fluid & floor, if it starts grinding or the steering gets heavy, pull over. But basically, stop worrying and if it breaks get it fixed"[/i]

Shrugs. The other advice was from an Alfa specialist with a national reputation. One wonders who is right and why they'd tell me it was a problem.