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I love Skoda jokes, hope they will go on for ever, as it'll help keep prices down.   

2009 2.0 common rail TDi estate.  42k from new. 

Excellent car. Very rapid, economic, well screwed together and reliable.

Swallows a lot of my large RC Planes and Helicopters and all pit gear. Flying mates are amazed how much it can carry!

I bought mine, and now after experiencing it, three people I work with have bought Fabias.  All very pleased with them.

I don't move a layout around currently, but it would not be a problem if I did.

My other half's uncle works for South Central Ambulance Service, and had a company Skoda Octavia...

Absolutely loved it, had it chipped with a Police spec chip by the mechanics, and it flew.

They tried to replace it with a new Mondeo, and he took the Ford back and got his old Octavia back.

My neighbour used to be an Inspector in the police force and told me that when the police switched from Peugeots to Skodas they cut their repair bill by 50%!

Having said that I drive a Skoda Octavia 1.9TDI Automatic which I bought from new. Have a had a few problems with it though, all the oil leaked out one day and ruined the cam belt! Luckily it was still under warranty. The cable inside the door snapped so I couldn't open the driver's door from the inside. Also the central locking sometimes opens all the doors except the driver's door (not very useful!)

It's a nice drive though!

We have Octavia's as company cars and no one has a bad word to say about them at all.

Very reliable, relatively inexpensive and decent equipment.

I think we have bought around ten or so in the last three years.

I Bought my Skoda Octavia elegance 1.9tdi manual new in 2001.

I am a truck driver for a living so you can imagine my car gets neglected a bit...

It has done 170,000 miles now, still going strong and no major faults. I have got no plans to replace it because it has been so good.
The faults I have had with it are:
Windscreen wiper mechanism seized-£80 repair
Indicator relay died-replaced in 1 minute with a VW one-£15
It now needs a new air flow meter-£40 this will be its third one.. if you pull the plug off, the car still runs, more economically but not as fast on acceleration.
Air con pumps shear off, £200, mine needs its third one now.
Brakes need relining about every 40k miles. you need discs on every second set of pads.
Servicing, every 20k miles or 2 years, whichever is soonest or when the oil light comes on! lol. which happens at about 40k miles! I wonder how I know that??
both front window lifters wires snapped through corrosion. £60 each
never started once, caused by a dead battery after 150k miles and 9 years.
Cambelt changes every 60k miles.
Catalytic converter failed after 10 years probably because I belted it on a kerb getting out of the way of an ambulance.
I had all suspension bushes changed at 160k miles because the back axle was helping me steer-£700 including labour-Ouch!
Overall, Humphrey as he is called is the best car I've ever owned, reliable economical (I can get 80MPG if i drive steady!) averages 60 mpg on motorway (at a steady 75-80mph), about 50 round town.
Boot is like a cave on the hatchback, I fit 2 Labradors and a German Shepherd in there with other stuff too!
It will tow a trailer at about 55MPG when we go camping. Back seats fold flat too for more space. seats 2 adults and a kid in the back but the rear legroom is a little tight, possibly because my seat is well and truly back! excellent stereo system with 6 cd changer in the boot, sounds superb. Front seats have plenty of legroom and space.
Go on! buy one! The Octavia is the best kept motoring secret out there! Even a Skoda salesman said the model I've got is bulletproof but I don't want to test that!
BTW my Mrs nearly didn't go out with me because I drive a Skoda! Lol. Happily she has now changed her mind and frequently comments on how reliable and comfortable it is...

Hope that lot helps..
Cheers

Mark

Thanks for such a detailed review Mark - and thanks to everyone who's given their views! Think we'll definitely be buying a Skoda now !