Octavia 3 wagon manual 103TSI Ambition ownership

[Gerrycan]

Just could not stretch to it. I am happy with my Ambition with the exception of the driver seat not having adjustable lumbar support. The dealer said it did and I did not check the specification because I had never come across a car that did not have it as standard for the driver. A small pillow is helping but not ideal.

I have no personal experience with HIDs but if you have a much brighter foreground when having to drive on dip then won't your eyes adjust to that foreground brightness making it more difficult to see into the darkness beyond?

[GTR27]

You would think so, but I've found that good lights make driving at night less fatiguing.

When I first ordered the car it was a stretch due to work circumstances. But I've reshuffled uni to part time and gone back to full time work (rather than other way around) so now could afford rs if I wanted. But happy with amb+ it has everything I want and be stuffed if I'd wait even longer than I have to. ~7.5 months is a ridiculous time to wait for a ~32k car.....

We seriously considered the amb, just because it's unbeatable value. But figured if we are going to wait that long, we want some of the extras from a higher model.

[Gerrycan]

Agree about good lights making it easier but my experience is that it is more about the optics than the power.
Two of the best car lights I have experienced were the AU Falcon ('cept when you had some weight in the back) and the very unlikely Kia Carnival (S#!t in most other respects). Both on bog standard Halogen.

I must be out of touch as I have just a read a 'warm hatch' comparison of several vehicles on the CarPoint web-site. These are not basic models or even low priced and yet some do not have driver lumbar support either. Might be more forgiving of Skoda (but my back hasn't)).

[brenno]

Just could not stretch to it. I am happy with my Ambition with the exception of the driver seat not having adjustable lumbar support. The dealer said it did and I did not check the specification because I had never come across a car that did not have it as standard for the driver. A small pillow is helping but not ideal.

That's odd. When I ordered I was offered the option of height adjustable front seats with lumbar support on both.

Since our vehicles are otherwise identical in specification, I would be keen to know the part number for the rear shock absorbers on your car to see if they match with mine. I have a feeling I have the wrong type fitted - it feels like I'm driving something with cheap JDM coilovers.

[GTR27]

Checked for the delivery packers in the suspension? Seems like a common issue on Briskoda.

For ~25K (fora manual with travel pack) a Manual Ambition wagon has literally no competitors. A hyundai i30 is around 22-23K for a base model wagon, and has a gutless 1.8NA and 100L+ less boot space, along with being a smaller car.

[Gerrycan]

That's odd. When I ordered I was offered the option of height adjustable front seats with lumbar support on both.

Since our vehicles are otherwise identical in specification, I would be keen to know the part number for the rear shock absorbers on your car to see if they match with mine. I have a feeling I have the wrong type fitted - it feels like I'm driving something with cheap JDM coilovers.

My rear shocks are part number 5QO 512 013 FQ. Apparently they are associated by some on Briskoda with a rear rumble but since I played around with packing around my spare wheel I am not really aware of any major rumbling problem at any speed or rough surface.

Quite honestly the ride with the torsion bar is better than I expected (feared?). I do not push handling to any extent where the multi-link is really necessary.

[Gerrycan]

Checked for the delivery packers in the suspension? Seems like a common issue on Briskoda.

For ~25K (fora manual with travel pack) a Manual Ambition wagon has literally no competitors. A hyundai i30 is around 22-23K for a base model wagon, and has a gutless 1.8NA and 100L+ less boot space, along with being a smaller car.

The I40 is a better comparison with the Octavia 3 but still has a smaller boot and the 'cool' styling impacts to much on the usefulness of the windows for me and much more expensive.
I have owned three Korean cars from new and while they have great showroom appeal and give reasonable first impressions on the test drive, they soon lose their appeal. Lots of annoying aspects regarding, ride /handling / steering / reliability / ergonomics etc were not as good as the reviews.
The Octavia 2 was the first car I had driven in years that I loved from the start and which lasted.

[GTR27]

Agreed. I40 is Mazda 6 money. Mazda 6 is closest to the Octavia, but substantially more exxy.

[brad]

Agree about good lights making it easier but my experience is that it is more about the optics than the power.
Two of the best car lights I have experienced were the AU Falcon ('cept when you had some weight in the back) and the very unlikely Kia Carnival (S#!t in most other respects). Both on bog standard Halogen.

I must be out of touch as I have just a read a 'warm hatch' comparison of several vehicles on the CarPoint web-site. These are not basic models or even low priced and yet some do not have driver lumbar support either. Might be more forgiving of Skoda (but my back hasn't)).

Agree, good halogen design is a match for HIDs but skoda projector halogens are pretty crap straight out the box.

For your back - try pilates or yoga or something else that strengthens the core muscles (even 20hrs a week of proper activity works). My FIL used to be laid out for days on heavy duty painkillers with his back. When he retired from his desk job 25 years back he bought a 3 acre property and his wife works him like a navvy in the garden - hasn't had a back issue since.

[Gerrycan]

Agree, good halogen design is a match for HIDs but skoda projector halogens are pretty crap straight out the box.

For your back - try pilates or yoga or something else that strengthens the core muscles .

Haha, thanks for the advice. Actually my cores good, it is really only this seat that troubles it. Running, cycling and gardening no problem.