Leaderboard

I don't imagine for one second that I'm the only person that Santa let down this year, but I did send him very clear instructions as to the car I wanted from him! This forum is for Skoda owners and, at the risk of being pilloried for heresy, the Superb is not the choice we would necessarily make if money was no object. Evidence of this lies in the number of posts here about alternative brakes, lowering kits, light bulbs, remaps and so on. My choice of a 280 was from the very short short-list (Superb, A5 Sportback quattro and 4-series GranCoupe X-drive) that emerged from some pragmatic box-ticking (ugly cars were excluded), and I am very pleased with it in terms of looks, performance, comfort, all-weather security and almost everything else. But this brings me to a story that I wanted to tell (but which you may find too boring to read) about a holiday in Crete a couple of years ago, where we untypically used taxis on three separate occasions. On the first occasion it was an Octavia, and very nice it was too, but the driver wished he had never bought it because the Russian tourists filling the expensive hotels at that time insisted on Mercedes taxis and would refuse to get into his Skoda - he was getting hardly any business, and would have to change his car for a Mercedes like all the others. On the second occasion we wanted to get from Ag.Nik. to Heraklion, and a taxi driver offered us a very reasonable price to take us in his Mercedes S-class. We spent the whole journey clinging to the door handles to keep position on a back seat that was far too big, far too flat and far too slippery - it might have been a great car from a taxi-driver's point of view, but as a passenger I just didn't get it. On the third occasion we got a Mercedes E-class to take us from Ag.Nik. back to our apartment. It seemed better for being smaller than the S-class, but nothing special. However, the driver started telling me about his 1980's Toyota Celica, and since I'd had an MR2 from the same period it was car-related conversation all the way back. When we arrived, I paid him (plus tip, of course) and he got out to open the door for my wife when, just to finish off the conversation, I told him that I now had a Superb, expecting an appreciative comment from a fellow driver. That is not what happened. Instead, he threw his hands in the air, said "NO!" in a loud voice, got back in his car and drove off without a backward glance. I was mortified - there I was, exposed to my wife as a pitiful excuse for a man in the ultimate test of manhood, by a Greek taxi driver. The thing is, four years after I bought it I still think my Superb is great - just not a "if money was no object" car. It was a restomod Jensen Interceptor FF, by the way, and I had said that he could just leave it on the driveway if the chimney was a problem.

I really enjoyed the ride to the mountains today!

Was -3 when I got up. Is now -1. I've looked outside (it's very pretty), but that's it from me Mrs Gaz has gone out for a walk with a mate. I might do a lap from here to the kitchen (and back - I'm no lightweight) as the kettle seems under occupied again. G

I’ve been touring around the South Island over the new year here’s a cool pic I took in the middle of nowhere.

Yeah, the website I got them from didn't say summer/ winter. I saw the A rating for wet grip and just went with them. Turns out wet grip and snow are very different...

Well after 2 years we finally won our case through the motoring ombudsman against my Skoda dealer.Originally I had a strange rattle on startup .l took the car into the garage twice worried it was the cam chain tensioner.l was told they were not concerned only for the tensioner to fail a month later .l had to pay.for a new engine but paid under protest.l the took the garage on through the motoring ombudsman giving them as much evidence as l could with reference to me telling the garage what l thought the problem was and loads of articles,utube videos and VW technicle bullitens. After two years the Ombudsman have found in my favour and the garage reluctantly have had to refund me for the cost of the new engine.It was a long slog but l got there eventually.

Hi there. I’m Scott from New Zealand. I bought an Octavia Scout 3 a few months back as I needed to be rid of the Mazda MPV that was getting a bit tired. I love the scout but there have been a few faults already (lucky for dealer warranty). It’s a 1.8 petrol and I’m getting 7.3L/100km on average which I think is awesome. I’ve upgraded it already with a double USB kit in the rear. Got all the parts from a friend who looks after Audi parts in NZ. Also want CarPlay as mine is the MIB1 non CarPlay system but I’ll post elsewhere about that. I’m happy with the scout as transport, it’s roomy, comfortable and different IMO. There are 4 other skodas in my extended family and they are all rated by their owners. Anyway, I hope the reliability is sorted now as I want to enjoy this car (Jeffrey) for many years.

Welcome on board. We also have a Yeti in the family a 2010, my wifes wheels. We love it.

If you have a RLS (rain light sensor) for auto wipers, then you'll probably just need a new light switch, an extra wire to the BCM and some coding

Wino, you Sir are an absolute Legend! I couldn’t wait to test it so go my torch and went out to have a look. Disconnected the connector for pcv valve heater and it stopped burning fuse. Going to take pcv off Tomorrow to get part number and replace. Thank you!

My last car was actually a 2011 Octavia VRS TSI. Such a great car I bought another VRS but a MK3, as you can see. You might already know they do have great engines but there is one problem, the timing chain tensioner was known to let loose and bang goes your engine. Skoda cured this problem in the middle of 2012. When I had mine as preventative maintenance around 50k miles, I had new timing chains and the the latest tensioner fitted. The motor ran perfect until I traded it in at 104k miles for the VRS I have now. Hopefully the tensioner has been changed already, might be worth checking. Cost in the UK to have it all done was around £650.

The most important thing to check on the TSI CCZA engine is that the timing chain tensioner has been updated. There's a big thread at the top of this section about failures that I suggest you have a brief look at. Briefly, the tensioner can fail and the chain slips causing piston and valves to collide with repair bills up to thousands if you need a new engine. Speak to the seller and find out if he knows if it has been done with the paperwork to back it up. If not then you need to allow for the cost of replacing the tensioner when you make an offer. I had my chain and tensioner replaced at a cost of £650.

If the car in front comes to a stop then so do you. You have to dab the accelerator to get it to start off again, at least on mine you do. It then resumes up to the speed you set prior, or up to the speed of the car in front.

Cheapest MK3(Or at least it looks like MK3, comparing googled pictures) is 2014 model for 12k, which is simply too expensive. It's also 153,000km(90k in miles). I will probably offer like 7.5-7.7 if I actually see the car and it interests me. Positive thing about those accidents is that I know about two of them and I know they're pretty much nothing serious. Other 3 that I don't know of are in the same price category or lower. Since that's the only downside I found in this car so far, I'm still kinda interested.

My 2.0 tdi dsg SEL registered March 2016 has halogens and headlight washers. I've recently changed the bulbs to Osram Nightbreakers lasers for the dipped beam (H7) and Cool blue intense for the full beam ( H15) which also has the drl bulb as part of it. Easy to change them out. They are a good improvement especially the full beam. Punches through the dark very well. I'm very pleased with the spec on the SEL. About they only thing it does not have is adaptive cruise control (but it does have Front Assist) and Smartlink (for android auto or apple car play) is not activated but can live without that. Regards.

I have no experience of Greek taxis drivers and was unaware of the nuances of the market, but that was a funny tale. Money no object car? What would I have? Really tricky, but as its fantasy and we can ignore realities such as economy, reliability and servicing. I would like a Citroen SM please.

Yes - decent quality fuel - not supermarket fuel - i.e. a branded fuel (Shell/BP/Esso) with additives. I know that other none-branded fuel's meet BSI requirements, BS EN288 (unleaded) or diesel BS EN590 (minimum requirements), but not all fuel is created equally.

@varaderoguyWhat do you mean by a decent hi-grade fuel? Is that Premium Diesel from Shell / BP etc rather than standard diesel as sold by all Brands and Multi National be that Branded Retailers or Branded Super Market Filling stations? Regardless of how well maintained even getting Full Main Dealer Servicing to the recommendations / Schedules / Owned by a VW Trained Master Tech etc they were and are a lottery. The Members reporting issues with the 1.8 TSI's might be a tiny percentage of people that had ones failing, but then since VW Group fail to accept how many lemons they produced we will never know. No matter how many thousands of good engines there are, you are looking for one of those and not the lemons. Euro 5 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 & 2.0 TSI's can be like getting a bad apple from the barrel or even a lemon.

Awesome result for the Renault Zoe, the only one I would consider from this batch of cars. Best value and by far best range. 240 miles or even 250 plus achievable in more normal conditions ie 15 to 25 C. It just need some styling to make it a bit less Noddy like I reckon. Lowered (25/30 mm) and stiffer suspension.

Ahh thanks! Sounds like a good way to protect your car from the salt I did waxed mine before winter with Soft99 and it’s pretty good or at least my car isn’t getting as dirty as w/o the wax.

I know, there are not many people who treat cars like me. But when I buy a new or better used car,the first thing I do is lift it up,remove the tires,inner fenders and all plastic shields under the car, cleaning(if is a used car) mask the brake rotors and exhaust system. Then I spray on wax in several layers,let it dry for a day or two.Reassemble everything,then I wax inside the doors and tailgate. Some time in November I wash the car and give it a waxing with Sonax wax. Been doing this for 30 years now(3 cars) works fine for me.

Pumping..

OE Skoda wiper blades are unfit for purpose. I can confirm what unclerichy said - Bosch Aerotwin Flat A864S for the fronts, and Bosch Specific Fit A403H for the rear (on the hatch, at any rate). I got mine from wiperblades.co.uk and they are perfect in every way.

The Invoice should have the price you are being charged per part supplied. As to the profit, when the Minor / Interim Service was £179 & the Major £289. you still got charged £289 even if no Air Filter, Spark Plugs or Fuel Fitted was replaced. Still got charged the same if the car had 3 or 4 spark plugs, and 2.8 litres engine oil or 4.6 litres. The Free Car Wash & Vacuum was bl00dy expensive if you put in a 2 year old car and were charged for a Major Service and only had Oil/ Filter / Sump Plug and a Pollen Filter replaced, or maybe not even the pollen filter. Then seeing the list of things Skoda say will be done compared to the work sheets is an interesting one.

They can be tested with a MK1 earhole!

Octavia 5 minus 1 doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I`ve owned cars since 1977(yes I`m old) can honestly say that I never washed the car during the winter!

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/483719-any-citigo-e-iv-user/ Not cheap. £240 for not a lot according the info on the bottom of this thread.

Fair enough. What is "dame" in your post?

I have Goodyear ultragrip 9+ winters on one car (205/60 R16). In the recent weather (cold rain, sleet, frost, including ice patches) they have gripped the road like it’s a dry summer day The tread pattern (the slightly curves V shapes) looks similar to the all season vector4 season Generation 3. When I bought them (Autumn 1999) there was not much choice in the standard wheel size 215/45 R18 and the limited choice of all seasons cost more than set of 16 inch wheels with winter tyres. To be honest if it wasn’t for the apparent waste of new tyres the car has come with, it has become clear to me that summer tyres are now generally pointless in UK, and latest all season are much better if you don’t intend to change wheels twice a year in UK

Hiya, What size is your current wheel and tyre combination and what pressure are you running them at? (My winter setup is 205 55 16 and it is lovely, even with a few more PSI in. To each their own, but its not generally recommended to mix winter and summer tyres. Best have a full set of either.

Folks, For the last 9 months I’ve had a constant EML on with fault code 005629 - P1495 - N345 Valve circuit open or short to ground. Testing with vcds showed no voltage getting to the N345 valve when actuated. I ignored this for 9 months as it didn’t effect the cars driving however with an mot looming I decided to get it looked at. Vehicle - 2007 Octavia vrs tdi engine - BMN With help of someone with access to the official wiring diagrams I noted the green wire from the N345 plug ran to a plug behind the passenger (RHD) headlight and had continuity, The yellow wire from the valve runs directly to Pin 15 on the 60 pin plug at the eco. It had no continuity, i found the broken wire in the plastic corrugated section which runs from under the EGR valve area to behind the passenger headlight. Wiring was replaced and heat shrinked and viola no more fault code. I post this this as I found many people on various sites with the same fault code and no one mentioned how it was fixed. Hopefully this helps someone else. Cheers fraser

It’s a nice ass alright

Bosch a684s for front. A403h for hatchback rear. Confirmed on my 2016 car.

New car delivered yesterday and absolutely delighted. Looking forward to stretching it’s legs when the lockdown eventually eases 😀

Hi, I used to have Bosch wipers on my Volvo V70 but don't think I could find them for the Superb. Went with Hayner instead, only replaced them in April 2020 so not sure how long they last but they do the job.

$250 sounds more reasonable. I was wondering, do you have Indian companies that make pattern parts for Skoda, or are they all import? Are they taxed heavily? $4.169 gallon! If you could send some over here!! We pay $7.20. Ouch. Cool bike ride. I've seen some videos on Youtube of Enfields in Indian mountains, looks very perilous. I take my hat off to you Sir!

It is the way it used to work many moons ago, but these days I rarely venture out without my TS860 or TS860S in those conditions and they don't go quiet because they tend to grip. if they go quiet south of Watford Gap hell will have frozen over Wouldn't be the first time I have driven and stopped just fine on a surface I could not easily walk on getting out of the car.

If he studied figures and thought before recording he would have seen that both the e-208 and e-Corsa 8.1 second times are 0-62, both are given 7.6 seconds with 0-60. As it is either can better those times, as can a VW e-Up better the VW times. Then as for unladen and laden weights, maybe Matt should take them to a Public Weigh bridge sometime and find the actual truth on the various cars weights. He needs to stop saying BHP / HP when the figures are actually in PS, or vice versa. PS If the Police Officer knows what they are doing which is driving without due care and attention basically then surely an official warning is in order. What a place to conk out!

P1200 primarily relates to the N249 boost control solenoid, with a secondary check of the diverter valve, but they are separate components that need checking. http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/17608/P1200/004608 Split r valves dont play well on vag stuff, but if it has been on for 5 years, that should not be the issue stopping it starting provided the valve has been serviced appropriately. I would check your wiring connector to the n249 for damage or corrosion on the terminals, as a start, then try a substitute known good valve and go from there. Hope it helps

You'll probably have to create an accout on Erwin and pay for an hours access to view the workshop manual for this procedure.

Here's a picture of mine. Needs a wash already.

Hi, it's the Octavia 2l diesel 150bhp. I also got a Fabia 1.9vrs. Car is on 36k miles but overdue on time, as it is every 4yrs. The offset spanner tool would save a lot of taking apart. I plan to do every 20 k miles as like most oil related maintenance the service intervals are way overstated in my opinion by manufacturers. I did a parallel engine oil change on both cars yesterday. It cannot be overstated the difference an engine oil change can make. Much quieter. After 5k miles I could smell a hint of the diesel in the engine oil, from the regenerations and interrupted ones. The Fabia, without DPF, nothing. Tip I picked up on here is to dip the oil filter in the fresh oil before inserting. There is a moment of no lubrication on starting when using a dry oil filter. Unfortunately, on the 2l Octy there are cables foiling access and it is a messy affair. I will do some more measuring and take a punt on whether to get a long or short offset spanner and report back if I found the correct one. Thanks

You won't regret it. I had a mk3 vrs tsi for 6 years (longest I've kept a motor) and this is miles ahead. Takes a while to get accustomed to the infotainment but the build quality both inside and out has moved on leaps and bounds. I'm in and out of alot of different cars and Skoda has struck this perfect

Can I ask if the charge cables were provided? I have the VRS iV on order but the website doesn't say if the cables are provided ad the dealer didn't 100% know either. Cheers

Few other pics of the upgrades I have done.

Yeah HUD is defo a gimmick. I was going to for the heated screen/steering wheel but decided against it, because its the iV I can heat/cool the car remotely and set it up to do it automatically on specific times and days so didn't see the point in getting those options in the end as I will never need to de frost the car. Comes with ACC and dimming mirrors etc.

Here's mine

Black front Skoda badge.