@Ratmagiclady
I don't think so - you're "talking" to someone has been tuning/upgrading car engines, suspension and brakes since he was 18, and is now 71!
The car had done just over 100k miles when it was remapped (an EXCELLENT remap BTW, happy in traffic all day long, and then goes like stink when the right foot is applied), but when I floored it once too often on a damp road then that blew the OEM turbo.
- Clutches & DMFs last about about 100k miles, and so it due for those anyway.
- Stiffer (Audi Sport!) front-wishbone rear-bushes and Octavia VRS/Golf GTI rear ARB fitted and it handles pretty well (could use slightly lower front springs & stiffer front ARB, but that's a lot of money, time and effort which I am unwilling to spend ATM). The ride ain't bad either now I've ditched the rear Bilstein B4 shocks and fitted std ones
.
- Front discs upgraded from std 288mm diameter to 312mm Mintex (thicker, and vented, of course!) discs with matching pads -> instanteous, smooth & powerful braking whenever neccessary ("the windscreen is where you are going if your belt isn't tight and you aren't holding the roof-handle", is I what I say to the passengers!).
As for your comments about Skoda - don't forget they have been building vehicles since the early 20th Century, were a "supplier of choice" (under heavy German Occupation duress!) of tanks to the German Army during the 2nd WW, and then starved of investment until bought by VAG in the 1990's.
Since then, Skoda have taken the best bits from the VAG parts bins and design studios, packaged them to suit the actual requirements of their customers - and then built them better, and with more "whistles & bells", and sold them cheaper, than the VW brand itself!! The customers obviously agree because, from being the runt of the VAG family, Skoda is now pretty much "up there" with VW itself at the mid-upper part of the range (Audi being possibly at the top, and SEAT down the lower end).
PS: just saw your comments about the "MoT" and I assume you are referring to the emissions & smoke tests - it sailed throught the last 3 tests on a "Fast Pass" basis with absolutely no need for the more detailed testing which is applied where a car fails Fast Pass. My concerns relate only to the fact that London and other UK cities and towns are rapidly reducing the acceptable levels of emissions for older vehicles and banning them from the centres &/or imposing high daily access penalties - and that may mean that I have to buy a more modern & lower emissions vehicle earlier than I had planned .