Space: the final frontier

There is no doubt that one of the great characteristics of the Octavia is the amount of internal space that is on offer, particularly in the Mk3 combi we currently own.
Due to our proximity to Adelaide airport we often end up as unpaid taxi drivers to family and friends and the ability to absorb three or four people and their luggage into the car is quite amazing.

The boot was on the other foot when my wife and I took a long overdue visit to the UK with one standard suitcase and cabin luggage each and it was interesting to see the challenge that presented at various stages of our journey.

Home to Adelaide airport was in an older Hyundai Accent. The two large suitcases fitted very snugly in the boot and the hand luggage in the rear passenger seat. Easy.

Heathrow Airport round the M25 to our first drop-off was in my UK friend's new C200 Merc sedan. Only one suitcase in the boot and hand luggage around it. The other suitcase took up two rear passenger spots and cramped my wife into the corner.
I had the front passenger spot but I have to admit I found the seat more uncomfortable than the 20 hours I had just endured in airline economy class. Woeful.

The short final transition in my sister's current shape and small Ford Fiesta hatch promised to be challenging but one suitcase and hand luggage in the boot, and a rear seat laid down and the suitcase laid lengthwise on it meant my wife had plenty of non-impinged room in the rear. Brilliant.

Our hire car was a Kia C'eed hatchback (1.6L manual Diesel) and the boot on that was just an awkward shape for our two suitcases. Surprising.

Not part of our journey requirements but we did have a jolly in my nephews new F-type open top sports car. Huge fun of course but when we looked in the 'boot' there would not have been even enough space for our hand luggage. Laughable really.

So I can best end of by saying "there is no space like home".......Sorry :)

We are going to the UK and two weeks will be driving, already looking at hiring an Octy to fit our families stuff in as we know what fits in ours. Pretty easy to do it that way.

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Originally Posted by Gerrycan

There is no doubt that one of the great characteristics of the Octavia is the amount of internal space that is on offer, particularly in the Mk3 combi we currently own.

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Apparently, because the Superb has so much interior space, the new MY18 models have a "voice amplifer" function that projects the sound from the front seat occupants to the rear seat occupants!!
Aye aye aye.

It was my intention to hire VAG group vehicle, but it did not have to be as big as an Octavia since there was only the two of us.
I ended up with a reasonable deal on a VW Golf or similar, which turned out to be the manual Kia C'eed diesel, only 4 months old and returned a true 61mpg average over 2000 miles.
When I looked at hiring an Octavia I was really shocked at the hire prices being near double for other options and up near some smaller BMW/Merc prices.

For whatever reason you seem to be able to get far better car hire deals arranging them in advance through search engines like Expedia, than going direct.
Better deals available also if you pick up and return from an airport.
We ended up paying about $600 for 24 days + best in-house insurance at $450 (there were cheaper higher risk options), and it would have been another $250 for an additional named driver. My wife was happy for me to do all the driving.

I usually hire from rentalcars.com. cheap and reasonably flexible to change bookings. I've even hired at 07.00 and picked the car up at 8.00.

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Originally Posted by brad

I usually hire from rentalcars.com. cheap and reasonably flexible to change bookings. I've even hired at 07.00 and picked the car up at 8.00.

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A quick look at that site and that works as well as any.
A Ford Mondeo was on offer at 60% of the best Octavia price, but they all have the 'or similar' caveat

Always worth looking out for the specials on free named driver, insurance etc. That can make a difference.
While the airport pickup and drop off are cheaper they can be a bit awkward depending on flight times in and out.

I use economycarrentals.com and hired a car in the USA for cheap. From what I hear on whirlpool, its one of the cheapest places to hire from all insurances etc included.

You do take the boot space for granted Gerry - I'm often amazed when I try and put stuff in other cars and have to think about what i'm doing / muck around with packing. The octavia is just a chuck it in the boot and off you go sort of proposal.

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Originally Posted by GTR27

I use economycarrentals.com and hired a car in the USA for cheap. From what I hear on whirlpool, its one of the cheapest places to hire from all insurances etc included.
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Seem very competitive. Definitely get much better deals collecting and delivering back to airport in any country.

I am surprised someone picked you up when you landed in London ...

I was told to get on the Heathrow Express and walk about 8-15 minutes from the stop to my mates house - which we did, with suitcases and in the rain. He did live 10 minutes from the city though and as expected did not own a car.

But yeah, big boot.

When the new London CrossRail (Elizabeth) rail-line is completed that will make a big difference to my journey options through to Essex.
The M25 ring road is incredibly busy 24 hours a day......well I can confirm that at 5:30 am it is nose-to-tail in both directions....three lanes plus the formerly sacrosanct 'hard shoulders' in places.