peanut222

Hi, just rescued a 1999 Fun. One family owned since new, had over £3000 spent in 2009 on new engine and other bits. Has been sat at mercy to cornish weather the last 3 years and is in much needed TLC... Had great fun towing it back from my friends with his tractor. =-) So as i'm a sucker, having driven a few back when I used to work at a skoda dealer, and i've always had a soft spot for the fun i have taken the plunge! Any advice on parts, resto tales etc would be greatly appreciated from you guys.. Cheers Keith

Hi, same creaking problem here, Marlborough trying to sell me new rear suspension to solve it... Don't think so...

Booked my fabia vrs in for service and MOT, having previously only been to Marlborough once before to view a used car I didn't know where the service department was, so I parked in the 'skoda customers car park' that was sign posted as I came along the road, when I walked into the sales room I was shouted at by a salesman sat at a desk in his office across the other side of the room, that if I was here for servicing I was in the wrong place. Fair enough but no need to be rude really was there? What if I had been wanting to purchase a car?? Dropped the car off in the correct place, couldn't fault the lovely lady on the service desk at all. I told her that I had noticed a possible coolant leak, that I wanted looking into, and described where it was to her and she wrote it on the job card. When I returned to collect my car it was only serviced no MOT had been carried out as apparently they didn't know it was booked in for one? The first MOT is due in the next couple of weeks so you think they might have suggested it anyway...?? They 'technician' said that apparently the suspected coolant leak was not coolant but in fact rain water.. I know for a fact that it is coolant as when you wipe it with a tissue it is pink.. Bit of a give away me thinks...?!? Plus very little rain water gets in under the bonnet, and if it does it definitely doesn't localise itself around a coolant pipe joint!!! On the way home I noticed an oil smell and some smoke, so on my arrival home I lifted the bonnet to find oil all over the engine cover, all down the engine onto the alternator, all over the slam panel at the front of the car and a nice pool all around the rubber bit under the filler cap, hence the burning smell of oil and light smoking. If you chuck oil all over the engine you would at least clean it up wouldn't you? Obviously not..! This then makes you think; well if the engine cover is covered in oil, I doubt very much he bothered to take it off and look at my coolant leak... The receipt/service sheet says at the bottom about a 'free wash and vacuum', which you've guessed it! Wasn't carried out, in fact it was probably dirtier than it went in (the windscreen was filthy). Oh and when I got in the the car to go home the fuse box cover was still in the foot well from when they plugged the diagnostic machine in, so had probably been driven out the workshop like that and just left on the floor... They have also neglected to fill out and stamp the service book. Another point: the service history shows I had an inspection service last year (just before I purchased the car) so this year it was due an oil change service, but the service book states that a brake fluid change should first be changed after 3years, so that should have been done this time and wasn't... I was going to change the rear wiper as it isn't wiping very well, especially near the outside edge,but decided to wait as I thought that they would change it when it was serviced, it hasn't been changed but was apparently checked and is in good condition... I had booked in for my MOT to be carried out next sat, but think I will cancel and go elsewhere!