Dont intend to spoil the Skoda party or anything, but I had an Octavia for 4 years, and to be honest i wouldnt buy another one. The car was nice enough to drive, good road holding reasonable power,(1.6) and pretty solid. But the following things put me off:
1. They should make the boot smaller and give more leg room in the back. For a family car, the leg room in the back is very bad, especially if the driver is tall and has the seat back all the way. Any child over 12 would fibd it tight in the back.
2. There is very poor ground clearance, go over any size ramp at all or a low gate stopper and the bottom of car hits the ramp even at a snails pace, the gate stoppers also catch the car. Also park at any sort of a reasonable high Kerb and the front panel will scrape off of it.
3. I had serious mechanical problems with mine. It was probes near the cathalytic converter , they went, and had to be replaced at a cost of over €500. If I didnt get them fixed the cat would have gone which would have cost over a grand.
4. The car started to flood inside with water whenever it rained heavy, the channels for letting the water flow out had become blocked and the insied of the car was like a swimming pool.
5. When I came to sell the car, last year, it was a 2001 model, bought new one owner, with only 35,000 on the clock, dealers were giving me rubbish money and I found the depreciation rate excessively high.
6. I think its a myth that Skodas are cheap and value for money,they have crept up in price and lose value quicker. thereare plenty of other competitors out there for around the same price or maaybe a little more, eg Corolla.
6. i ended up buying a new Mondeo diesel and i have found it to be a real pleassue to drive, and touch wood no problems so far.
Jac k