Faults:

Hazard relay failed, ABS sensor replaced, all the expected minor electronic niggles of higher mileage. Rear windows are slow to move. Rear wiper stuck, did not bother fixing, probably the motor unit.

Mechanically the car has been excellent, I service it on time and the cambelt has been replaced. Front wheel bearings were an expensive replacement at the last MOT however, but forgivable at the mileage. Usual consumables - brake pads, recent tyres, etc.

Armrest broke so I removed it, stupid design anyway (gets in the way of the handbrake).

Cosmetically it has seen better days, but it is far from new. Red paint is a little faded but no major rust.

General Comments:

My Octavia mk1 on an 04 reg is the last of them before the newer car came along on later 2004. I like the look of this Octavia the best, and I'm glad I got a low mileage, near top spec car when I bought it years ago; I knew it would last a long time and be reliable.

Elegance model has air con and electrics. Interior is dull looking (grey everywhere) but seats are comfortable enough. Visibility is good and I like driving this car.

1.9 TDi must be the most popular engine and it's easy to see why - over 50 mpg and acceleration is good.

If you are looking for an older, cheaper, reliable workhorse of a car, you could do a lot worse than one of these. Ask any taxi driver!

Faults:

The expected wear and tear of age and mileage, plus I changed the timing belt at 80K miles.

Air con has been better.

No major problems with my ownership.

General Comments:

Basic and boring Octavia Classic spec. Basically no fancy electrics. But a reliable and economical car, nothing more nothing less.

Getting older now, but I plan to keep this until the end - it is a reliable car with lots of room, has decent power and does around 54 MPG; for a 2004 car it is hard to beat.

Could be more refined, but is pleasant to cruise in and look at, mine has grey cloth interior and outside is blue; I added alloy wheels with good tyres and that has sharpened the car up a bit.

Faults:

Alternator and battery failed; this was its only breakdown. To be fair it was partly my fault, the alternator and pulley were sounding very noisy for months and I should have realized. Thankfully happened when I was driving fairly local and found a safe place to pull in and the car got towed to a garage while I got taken home safely. Cost over £350 to fix. Reasonable.

Hazard relay failed, cheap and easy fix. Arm rest is useless and positioned annoyingly (gets in the way of the handbrake), I just removed it, it broke anyway. The rest was mostly wear and tear expected of any car - brakes, suspension, exhaust, wheel bearings, etc, and I had the timing belt changed as scheduled. I did every oil change at 10K mile intervals regardless of the service indicator. The engine and gearbox were very reliable.

Cosmetically there is slight rust around the rear arches, but it is 17 years old.

General Comments:

The Laurin and Klement Octavia is the top spec. Fully loaded with leather and electric everything, this is the one to have. Nice alloy wheels and silver metallic paint, I love the look of this car inside and out. This is the last of the MK1 shape on an 04 reg before the MK2 shape came out in later 2004.

When I bought this car I had heard many good reviews praising its reliability and popularity as a taxi. In all fairness it is a reliable car, though I would say slightly overrated. Yes it is good, but you will have your fair share of problems and wear and tear expected of any car when it does go wrong. But I see why people like them, lots of space and economical.

Interior is a nice place to be, wood grain effect is a little plastic and fake though. But the seats are very nice and the driving position is excellent. Good all round visibility. The car handles well and gear-change is slick and satisfying. Road noise and refinement could be better though, it is a little too noisy sometimes, especially compared to my previous petrol Audi A4 which was silent and smooth.

The 1.9 TDi engine is one of Skoda's absolute best and reliable units. Fast enough when you need it while doing over 50 miles per gallon on average.

Overall I like this car very much, it has been reliable and an absolute workhorse for work and leisure. At 17 years old and over 160K miles on it, I suppose it will not last forever. Be a sad day when it has to go, but I am keeping it till it dies, and will likely replace it with a more modern Octavia.