SWRTWannabe

The subject says it all - considering replacing my MY99 Sport with the Tavia and wondered if anyone had any good / bad experiences etc. Thanks in advance!

druddle

Come in TaviaRS, your advice is required...................

Seriously, if i was in the market for a larger 4 dr saloon then i would very seriously consider it. Until then the Clio will do.......va va voooooom.

[Edited by druddle - 03/01/2002 14:16:59]

father_jack

Plus they've just brought out a 4x4 version for £15,500. It has the 1.8T engine but only 150bhp - still easily modded to 225 or whatever.

BuRR

Apparantly the RS has the bog-standard Audi TT engine in it.

golfturbo

The Octavia 1.8T has 180 bhp as far as i know - if its 150bhp then its a detuned version like the GOlf and A3

They use the k03 Turbo and can be re-chiped to approx 200 bhp with 220-240 lbs of torque, gives a big kick in the back around 2800 rpm but drops off about 4800 costs about £500.00 - if you want more bhp you need to stick a k04 on which costs about £1500.00
good for about 240 bhp and about 250 lbs of torque - holds the power much better to the redline.

The K04 is the same as the one used on the TT 225 but the engine internals are different so a normal 1.8t with a K04 doesn't = a TT 225(re-chip 270 bhp 300 lbs torque)

Bigger turbo conversions are available...

father_jack

The 4x4 is in the previews section of the autoexpress site. It makes a cheap scooby alternative once chipped etc.

TaviaRS

Lovely!

I got mine at the end of Sept and have now done 15500 miles!

I've had a chip change now - 225 bhp and 259 lbft. It is now rather brisk (0-60 about 5.5, 163 flat out). Insurance is cheap (a relative term) and the upgrade added £60 for the year. Servicing is every 10k. First one is £50, second is £128, third is £50, fourth is £250. Warranty is 3 years, UNLIMITED mileage. Huge boot, but at the expense of rear passenger space. Average fuel economy to date (including 2 trips to the ring with 50 laps each time, and 2 track days) is 33mpg. On a trip I get about 38 to the gallon.

The speakers that come with the car a tinny and the headunit needs replacing. Chuck an amp under the boot (with the full size alloy spare) and your ice is sorted. Better than the Leon which has the autochanger in the glove compartment.

The only downside (I go climbing and mountain biking) is the colour of the carpets and the centre section of the part leather seats which are very pale and show every mark.

You can pick up a new one from the dealer for about 14 - 14500.

Shurlock Row in Waltham/Shurlock Row are your nearest dealer and they have a red RS demo. Failing that mail me if you wanna have a look.

Jon

SWRTWannabe

I went to Shurlock Row and had a demo in their RS (most impressed with both the car and the dealer), and like you say it has a boot that you could get lost in!! The servicing is certainly cheaper than the Scoob

I've actually pretty much made up my mind to give a Tavia a go when I change in a few month's time. Found some reviews on the web and everyone seems to be full of praise for it.

Thanks for all the info and advice!

TaviaRS

Yep, I got mine from Shurlock Row as they are my local dealer. They are helpful, and as the guy said with the old Skodas the dealers had to be good to actually shift them. The service department there are also good and very helpful.

golfturbo

Very good re-chip results - which tuner is that from ?
most i've heard from a re-chip on that 1.8T is 210 with with 240 lbs torque....

CrisPDuk

Driven both an RS and an A6, the only difference I could tell between the two was the stereo and the price, I say get the RS, a decent stereo and a terraced house with the change.

father_jack

163mph Tavia - ru serious...... ?

TaviaRS

Yep, good innit? Up from 153 prior to the change. As standard it had 194 on the rollers at PE.

Having the map re-done as its not very driveable. Overboost enabled so it hits 21PSI then drops to just over 15, and its a very sudden drop, thought at first that the dump valve was being forced open and dumping its pressure. Rather stuffs the traction control as well. Reckon I can live with a little less torque. I'll just get it to boost consistently at 14.5 PSI and the torque will go down to about 230 lbft. These figures are all on NUL, so should be better on SUL or Optimax.

Steve Wilson

My reading of the situation says that 14.5 psi is about the maximum pressure you should use for reliable life. This is good for ~ 195 bhp without any other modifications and is valid for standard 150 or 180 bhp motors. Further boost apparently requires larger jets to avoid running too lean and is better done with the larger 225TT or S3 turbo.

5 bhp increments available for new rear box, centre section or airbox modifications.

golfturbo

Yeh that sounds more like it - i got 192 bhp from the re-chip
and 205 lbs torque (the newer 1.8t's get better torque)

Full Milltek exhaust with sports cat increased it to 200 bhp and 215 lbs torque....the torque curve changed quite a bit - held onto the power better after 4500rpm, nice sound ,but lost a bit of the kick around 3000 rpm....prefered it before the exhaust.

Had to upgrade to the K04 to get some of that grin factor back

TaviaRS

Ah, now thats what I want, The KH04 turbo. How easy to fit? I'm also getting a large FMIC (there is loads of space in a Skoda so no cutting required), but that won't be for a while. As you say, I have been advised that my 20+ PSI is not a good idea, and being honest its as subtle as a kick in the nads! So, its detuning on Friday. I've seen one on the rollers and its 210bhp and 225 lbft with the 14.5PSI. That'll do for now.

golfturbo

I had the ABT FMIC fitted at the same time i had the K04 put on
Not that much room in the Golf, was a ******* to fit i believe .

It cost me £1500.00 plus vat to get the k04 upgrade - i had a bit of an excuse because mine is a high miles car, so i could justify it to myself and i'd gone to the expense of the exhaust, so felt i needed to make proper use of it.

With the K04 and the exhaust it really does sound the part
the K04 makes a sound like a BOV on lift off.

With the newer 1.8T you should expect to get about 240 bhp with about 260 - 270 lbs torque but with a much flatter curve than u have at the moment.....keeps pulling to the redline

I few tuners have bigger turbo upgrades 300+ bhp on offer

howardb

Theres an ongoing write up in CCC magazine from a bloke with an Audi TT trying to achieve 300bhp. In Feb 2002 edition he fits a FMIC. Don't know how relevant this is to the Skoda though.

golfturbo

The TT 225 engine is different(sronger internals, lower comp) to the other 1.8t's
He's using the tuner that i use, AMD in bicester
I think he's had the re-map, taking it to 270 bhp 300 lbs torque
which is about as much as you can get from the engine with the standard turbo - FMIC doesn't make a power difference on paper as far as know, it just makes it more responsive and hold the power better at higher revs. i have a FMIC and people without it and the k04 upgrade have the same power on paper...

AMD are working on a bigger turbo conversion at the moment - checkout www.handa.tv - The car is at AMD having a much bigger turbo put on it. I think he's looking for 350+ bhp

MTM do a BIG turbo conversion to 330 BHP - not sure which one they use though.

ianc

so...

is there any major difference between the 150 and the 180bhp (RS) engine? Or is it just ECU? Are the costs the same to re-chip and reach similar power outputs? I am considering the octavia but fancy 4x4 and an estate - would make more of a sleeper also. :-D

Cheers,

IanC

golfturbo

Speak to Scott at AMD 01869 323205

IVOR GOT AFASTUN

my brother has a skoda....and he says they are pants coz its costing him nearly £50 aweek to run.......................coz he has to push it alot so he has to buy new shoes, hope thats of some help to you all

his was 180 bhp.......with a pipe bomb behind it

TaviaRS

but at least in this weather the heated rear screen keeps your hands warm!

wilf

Is it really worth getting a tavia if bug eye impreza's are so cheap now and eservice intervals have been extended?

I know the scoob doesnt look nice but the Skoda is even worse imho

SWRTWannabe

With Prodrive doing the rework of the body, then I wonder how much it will affect the future value of bug eye Impreza's, especially as the general feeling I get is that people prefered the old look to the current "bug eyes".

So, my thinking is I am going to give a Tavia a go this time, and maybe look at the Scoob when I next get a new car. The other advantage is that if we decide to have kids, there's plenty of room in the boot to put them in there instead of having to worry about them puking on the seats

golfturbo

If you buy a 4wd you get a very respectable 0 to 60 after a re-chip between £300-600 depending which tuner you use
195 bhp and 220-240 lbs torque with 4wd......k04 upgrade + exhaust with sports cat etc £2500, 240bhp upto 270 lbs torque
should get into the 5's no problem - some guys here and in the states are pushing 400 bhp + with stock internals on that 1.8t

SWRTWannabe

The RS is front wheel drive - from the brochure and details on the Skoda web site, the 4x4 is 1.8 Turbo but on 150bhp as opposed to the RS's 180.