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Yup, perfectly normal. From the owners manual: In short, if it's dark outside and you've not put the low/dipped beams on, it'll dim the cluster to remind you

Wow, who would've guessed that red would fade in the sun, this is why gaily coloured interiors are such a bad idea, apart from the questionable taste of course. Imagine how bad it would be somewhere sunny by now.

Welcome to the forum and well done for getting a Mk1. It's been really good to see a recent batch of new owners on here who are set on looking after their Mk1 Octavias. As numbers dwindle and the rough cars are scrapped or broken it seems that there's a new wave of people who are appreciating the MK1 for what it is and for what can be done to them. My car has had a lot of work by previous owners and myself to keep it going but at the end of the day, it's still a decent car that can be used every day. The list of things you have planned will definitely help to make it run better and if done in the right order will leave you with a reliable daily that can surprise a few people.

morning. what engine does the superb have?

That's because Ken has made up most of them.

Hi All, New to this forum, new to skodas so wanted to join up here and get some much needed knowledge on the cars. Yesterday i purchased this lovely bit of kit 2004, Octavia VRS Estate, completely standard and needing some TLC Interestingly it came with a tilt and slide sunroof, something i've not seen before whilst looking through the classifieds as well as a few other nice bits and bobs, electric mirrors with heating element, full working trip (i wonder how accurate they are) 90% Skoda service history, brand new clutch, cambelt and waterpump done last year, so all in all, pretty decent. As it goes, touching 20 years old, few things need doing, such as: Fixing the god awful creak coming from the front of the car, plan to do a whole poly bush upgrade over the course of the next few months Fixing the rear passenger side window, can hear the motor going up and down but no window movement, bit weird?? Fix the boaty ride by fitting coilovers Rear spoiler needs painting, definitely had a rather rough life looking at it Overall health check, having had a few 20vt's in the past i know its not uncommon for hoses to split and despite this being factory fresh, i am 110% convinced i have a boost leak somewhere so i need to book in for a smoke test Alignment - not sure if this is part and parcel to the creaking and worn bushes but the car drives straight and true, the steering wheel is just out of alignment which is annoying Replace the cassette player deck with a nice android touch screen double din unit, going off ebay prices can be done for sub £100 which is nice and will massively bring the car into the modern era of bluetooth connectivity and sat nav In the long run im looking to take this 20vt further than my previous ones, always stalled at the 270/280 bhp and 300ft lbs mark due to rods. All being well i plan on doing the following aswell as the above r-tec remap, heard very good things about nicky badger 5 tip ebay 'wellycooler' intercooler and piping Cat back exhaust, twin pipes however not the oval, not too keen on the shape New DV, upgrade to a forge one A decent cold air intake (will take recommendations) Remove and blank off the SAI Bypass the N249 Valve Adding a catch can into the PCV system Upgrade dog bone mount and then stick a set of forged rods in there, granted this will leave me still cutting about with a k03s but once all the build up work is done i'll be able to save up for a gt28 or similar Im not looking for silly power however something in the region of 330-350bhp and close to or over 400ft/lbs Thankfully alot of the above can be done for not alot of money, so im itching to get my teeth stuck into it All in all, very happy with it, the mrs is yet to come around but hopefully the above can change that.

There have been various threads and postings on this DIY installation job but not a step-by-step guide. Have just fitted these on my 2009 Roomster with a Pano roof and thought others might benefit from my fumblings! The Big Picture The roof rails can be retro-fitted to cars with or without a Pano roof. There's no difference when it comes to installing the roof rails. If you're not too handy with tools (or have limited access to tools) and you have deep pockets, then definitely get a Skoda dealer to do this job for you. There's been mention on the forum of Skoda dealer Parts Department staff producing low 'book price' labour quotes. Accept the quote! Drilling into the car to locate some hidden captive nuts certainly feels a little 'balls out' (even using the Skoda template) so the job is not for those of a nervous disposition either! However, if you're a bit of an impecunious bugger like me and have done a few more technical things on your car then this job is definitely do-able....as long as you have the right tools. Stuff you'll need:- The roof rails themselves. Skoda part number: LAH770001 The roof rails template. (Attempting to do this job without the large templates would be a nightmare and if you get it wrong it might require an expensive visit to a bodyshop to put right your mistakes). Skoda part number: LAH770011 . There are two of them, one for each side and they can't be mixed up. If you buy this installation kit from a Skoda dealer then it will also come with a selection of small plastic templates that allow the accurate enlargement of the pilot holes you'll be making. I didn't have these small widgits so had to ad lib a bit but nevertheless achieved a satisfactory outcome Tools Power drill, Dremel drill thing (or die grinder, or similar), 1/2" or 3/8" torque wrench (that goes as low as 12NM), a Torx and a splined bits for torqueing down the securing bolts. A sharp-pointed centre punch, hammer & needle nose pliers. Consumables Drill bits: 3mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm. HSS or similar. I broke two of the 3mm bits so have a few spares of these smaller one. Dremel or die grinder bits to expand and clean up the quite large holes you've made. Paint: Primer (I used rattle can of acid etch primer, sprayed a bit into a jar and used and a very small artist's paint brush to apply the paint. Plus some sort of quick drying top coat to seal the primer and keep the weather out. (Above) #1. One of the large Skoda OE templates in position on the Roomster. It's made of cheap plastic but carefully and accurately moulded to the contours of the roofline and B pillar. Don't leave the template out in the sun just before you use it - which is what I did - because it expands lengthways at least 8mm or so which was a bit alarming and gave quite a locational error at the rear rail fixing points. I let it cool down to below room temperature and then got busy marking the centre of each aperture onto the masking tape I'd put down in the general location of the bolt holes in the roofline. (Above) #2. A bolt set for one roof rail shown. 4 bolts per side, all different sizes. M6 and M8. The two longer ones go at the rear fixing points. *Note they have Torx and splined socket heads. (Above). #3 The captive bolts are located beneath the black dots....I hope! Make a dot in the centre with a pencil or Sharpie then lightly punch it with a centre punch. This will reduce the chances of your drill wandering around too much when you first start the 3mm hole. (Above) #4 Using a selection of drill bits progressively make the holes 6mm and 8mm. The 6mm holes are at the front end and rear end of each rail. (You should be able to see the captive nuts down in the holes....and yes, they were there thank God, pretty much spot on!) If you have the selection of small plastic hole templates in your installation kit this is when you insert and trace around them to give you the finished hole sizes sizes. I didn't have the small plastic widgits so had to use other freehand methods to sketch the larger holes onto the masking tape. (If you have the small plastic widgit templates then you can skip the next three photos.) (Above) #5 My free-stylee approach to sketching the larger holes. As a temporary measure, place the longest 6mm bolt into the hole at the front of the car and lightly screw it into place. Finger tight only. (The bolt you're using will eventually be used to secure the roof rail at the very rear of the car.) (Above) #6 With the roof rail lightly attached at the front of the car, next swing the roof rail over where the rear holes are and temporarily tape it in position. They won't line up, which will freak you out slightly (or a lot). You'll assume the roof rail is too short, or the template was wrong , or the captive nuts in the wrong place. Or all of those things! But don't worry everything will come good. (Above) #7 Trace around the projecting pegs onto the masking tape at the front of the car. (Above) #8 Drill 3mm holes then enlarge with 5mm until all the drilled holes merge and the excess metal in the centre can be pulled out with needle nosed pliers. (Above) #9 Dremel time! Smooth out the edges of the holes. Test fit the roof rails. Make sure there's clearance all round each protruding peg since you'll need to rust protect the edges of each hole so you don't want any pegs rubbing on the sides of the holes. Make sure you hoover out all the metal chipping that have fallen into the holes. (Above) #10 The Dremel with one of the metal grinding bits I used - Dremel grinding bit 115. A steady and firm hand is required when using this tool. You definitely need face protection when this thing is cutting metal at 22000 revs. The grinding bit was just about up to the job of cleaning up the holes but only just. No way could it have been used to remove most of the 'meat'. (Above) #11 Also used Dremel grinding stones (right) to smooth off any final rough edges around each hole. (Above) #12 Remember photo #6 above, the one where the holes didn't line up? Well, with the two holes at the front of the car now complete and front pegs dropped into place, miraculously the pegs at the rear of the vehicle become aligned. Witchcraft! Next step is to drill and enlarge the rear holes similar to previous steps. (Above) Paint protection for the holes. I used acid etch primer and then some anti corrosion stuff I had lying around in the garage. It's at this point you'll want to touch up any nicks you created when using the Dremel or die grinder. I had a couple that needed minor attention with a body coloured touch up paint kit. (Above) Almost there. A test fit of the roof rail. Torque down the bolts at each end of the rails. M6 bolts torqued at 12NM and M8 bolts at 20NM. Nearest the camera you can just make out where I nicked the paintwork with the wayward Dremel. I fixed the paint prior to final fixing. (Above) The finished job. The plastic cover trims at either end of the rails snap into place easily & securely after you've torqued down the rails. (Above) The 'Destructions'! Each set of roof rails comes with a easy to understand set of written and diagrammatic instructions. Well worth referring to. Hope this helps! End note: If money was no object I would definitely let the dealer do this job!

Our Octy iV is back from our dealer and everything seems to be working correctly. I cannot fault them for doing their best to help me. It’s been in a couple of times, but last Friday the service manager at Derek Slack Motors sent the following e-mail: I have a new vehicle on site that I have tested and all the save functions etc work correctly so my plan was to swap the Control unit from this vehicle to yours (there is little point ordering a new unit as it may come with the same glitches yours is suffering least this way we have a tried and tested new unit). Then once the technical team come up with a fix we can then either swap for the latest version or update accordingly but at least this way you have a fully functioning vehicle. Yesterday the control unit was swapped over and coded, test favourites were added, the car was left overnight and they were still there this morning. I collected it and everything works correctly, including the satnav. The car was collected on May 11th and it has taken 4 months of effort to get to this point. It’s taken a lot of e-mails, stressing how much we like the car but it was spoilt by the software issues. I did say I would reject the car if it wasn’t fixed and chose a replacement so that we could exchange quickly. I sent copies of the e-mails to my contact in the Executive Office at Skoda UK, the MD (he claims that he reads every e-mail ) and the dealer. Things seemed to progress two weeks ago when I asked VWFS the procedure for rejecting the car. The Skoda UK contact has regularly 'phoned and kept me up to date, so once she made contact with me, I felt more reassured that Skoda UK was taking my complaint seriously. Incidentally, reference has been made to changing the Infotainment screen, bur as this is just a display, it’s the control unit which works the various functions. Skoda refer to the control unit as a 'MIB' unit, which is the latest development if the multi-media interface (MMI) introduced by Audi in 2002 so after a bit of research I've found this quote: Modular Infotainment Matrix (MIB=Modularer Infotainment Baukasten in German) is a new architecture intended to solve a challenge that is becoming increasingly urgent – innovations in consumer electronics and rapid gains in computing power are being introduced at speeds that are much faster than the product cycles of automotive manufacturers. The central computer in the modular infotainment platform, housed in the glove box, comprises two main units in a single housing – the Radio Car Control Unit and the MMX (Multi-Media eXtension) board. Along with its working and flash memories, the plug-in module integrates a Tegra processor from Nvidia, which can handle all online, media, voice control, navigation, and telephone functions. The new architecture makes it easy to update the hardware; the fact that the MMX board can be swapped out ensures the system is always up to date. If any other problems arise, I’ll update this post.

Hello. I run an engineering workshop on the sunny isle of Madeira. Just bought a Mk1 Fabia Estate as the workshop runabout. Ive got a few queries, so I thought I’d ask on here. cheers, Mike

Shame I now have a 1.2tsi Yeti which is a nice enough car, but I, too shudda kept the Roomie!

I booked with the dealer's central booking service. I recall asking about the cambelt, and was advised 'at the 5 year service. When I dropped the car off, the work was confirmed. When I picked it up, a different service person confessed his surprise that the work wasn't needed. Big John.....I remain delighted with this car. The power is so effortless and much more than enough for my needs. Even after nearly 5 years, I can still frighten myself if I put my foot down!

New BSO picked up today, Paint Protection fitted, need to find a bottle carrier that doesn't foul the frame and a colour coordinated tube strap. Suspension tweaks in the morning then a test ride. Orbea Wild FS M20, part Carbon frame, 38 Fox forks, DT Swiss wheels and Shimano 12sp and 4 pot brakes, Bosch motor

@TheWanderer I pretty much agree with @Defenderben with the note that the fuel level may not have sorted itself out right until you leave the car overnight.

I reckon it has faded where one side has seen a lot of the sun.

That is because it has just based the quantity of fuel you have added and your previous driving characteristics and estimated 420 miles. Once the E10 goes through, things may well change, as it adjusts the timing etc or whatever it deems necessary to cope with the fuel it is getting…. IMO. Someone more knowledgeable may give a better answer.

The bar is installed behind the air intake, so you don’t see it if you don’t know it’s there. It was hard taking good pictures with the high beam on. But you get an idea of how it looks.

The tandem pump is an intermediate fuel pump and has nothing to do with the braking system. All diesel engines have to have an electric or engine driven vacuum pump to provide vacuum for the brake servo and other stuff. Diesels don't generate enough vacuum in the intake manifold to be able to provide enough for the brakes. In the event of loss of vacuum the brakes will still work, you just won't have servo assistance.

I recently had Smart Link activated on my 2016 VRS for Android Auto. Its great apart from one annoying thing I can't work out. If I switch to Radio or Media the only way I can find to get back to AA is to select Menu -> Smart Link which isn't easy when on the move. I keep looking for a 'Back' function or some easier way to navigate back. Am I missing something?

I wouldn't buy a bi-fuel car, as it is important that I can travel through the Channel Tunnel (normal times) ans, as far as I am aware, LPG cvehicles cannot travel.

You can adjust it with VCDS; may ask @SashaGrace if it is still a problem for you.

Regarding the seat, just store the seat memory position on your seat position memory number and when you've opened the car with the new key, press the original stored position before making all the adjustments in your driver profile. Hopefully that's the theory anyway and you can continue to adjust radio settings too.

Probably easier to re-shell the main key 🤣

find out what engine code it has, and ask about - clutch, flywheel, timing belt and service history (fixed or variable etc) all the usuals.

Not yet as they are closed on the weekend, but spoke to them last night

The Alpine house..........

Having had no response from Skoda you can't know that for sure. Specs are always in flux and manufacturers are constantly striving to lose weight to keep costs down and to meet emissions targets. Upping the nose weight could be down to something as simple as removing the tyre inflation kit from the boot, or they've made the rear seat frames from aluminium rather than steel. These are just possible examples and the guys on the end of a phone at customer service won't know about those types of details. That's why you're having to wait whilst your query is escalated to a higher level and someone who hopefully knows the answer. On another matter recently, it's my experience that because specs are changing so often, people in the industry can't or haven't kept up with them and sometimes your only hope comes down to pot luck by finding the one nerdy head tech in a dealership that really does try and keep up with it all. Frankly and maybe harshly, I'd stop beating yourself up about finding the reasons these weights have changed because it won't make any difference to your current car. What is stamped on the specs plate is what you're stuck with. If a 75kg noseweight limit is too low for you, then you bought the wrong car. Maybe you went for style over substance, thinking that the more powerful car would be capable of taking more weight. Not an unreasonable assumption I guess, but if you're buying a car for a specific purpose then research should be done before buying to make sure the car is capable.

My mate has a vectra vxr and I really like it.. I wasn't a fan until one nite he had had a drink so he threw me the keys...it put a smile on my face... I don't understand the hate they get. I've had 2 ep3 type r's... the first being a Milano red one.. I bought it from Honda a year old... loved it!!.. drove it everywhere like a nutcase to get in to vtech took every corner on 3 wheels and it never let me down... I then bought a diesel audi a4 avant because I was doing a full tank a day with my job at the time...safe to say when my Job changed I bought another ep3... even then I used to see the octavia vrs and liked them but for some reason never got round to buying one... owning one now is a pleasure.. I don't know what it is but even now when I lock it I do the old lookback just to see it sitting there 😂... It cost me 2500 and I care about it more than any car I've owned.. it definitely gets under your skin!. I'm really looking forward to adding the stage 1 especially with how diffrient you say it feels.

Thanks for the replies it's a 1.9 TDI

Welcome @RunningDog to the forums!

As above - 1.9tdi discontinued 2010 (possibly at the time DPFs became mandatory) !.9tdi produced oodles of torque and was very economical and reliable, if a little gruff. Tinworm not an issue on Roomster I consider my Roomster Scout 1,9tdi the best car I have owned in 50 years of motoring. I still regret selling it.

I remember my first ever drive of a MK1 vRS. I was selling my S14 200sx as we'd found out our first child was on the way & needed a bigger car. I went to Harrogate to test a brand new vRS and drove over in the Nissan. On the test drive, the salesman encouraged me to put my foot down on a stretch of dual carriageway and I genuinely thought the mat was stuck under the accelerator pedal due to the lack of get up and go. I bought one anyway as I knew it could be remapped but it wasn't the rocket ship I had expected. As I got to know the car I learned how to get the best out of it but when the warranty ended I went straight out for a Stage 1 map and never looked back. Now I have a Stage 2 car I don't think I could live with a standard vRS as it would just frustrate me every time I drove it. My mate is into Hondas, he owns a DC2 Integra and his daily is an EP3. When we compared the EP3 to a standard vRS (when both cars were new at the time and standard), the Skoda was definitely quicker than the EP3 in a straight line. However, when we got to some corners it's game over for the Octavia on its standard suspension set up.. I also know what you mean about connecting with the car. I've owned a lot of cars and this is definitely one that gets under your skin. Surprisingly though, the other I would have back in a heartbeat is my Vectra VXR.

As Mac's alluding to, there's a 2.0 TDI that's a right lemon, and ticking time bomb for catastrophic oil pump failure - all covered here: https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/2-0tdi-oil-pump-balancer-shaft-problems-the-definitive-guide-audi-vw-skoda-seat.140949/ Gaz

Welcome @RunningDog. Are you near Maud, so Victoria Garage? Simply the best.

Hello RD, welcome aboard Gaz

Quite frankly, considering some of the translations between Czech and English, this is not surprising. You have Auto Lights - the system to switch on headlights depending on light conditions. That can also be called Lights Assist. The function for Lights Assist in terms of settings is about when the lights turn on. This is where the confusion is. Even worse, that sub menu only pitches up when you enable Highbeam Assist - which gives the impression that it controls the highbeam sensitivity. It doesn't. It controls when the lights switch on. I have mine on Early.

My 2007 Roomie Scout was mint when sold earlier this year, no rust ANYWHERE. Remapped the 1.9tdi was magnificent, and towing effortless. Sold only because of the difficulties I had getting in and out !

As far as I'm aware, this is perfectly normal. When in daylight and the DRLs are in use, the instrument lights are out. They illuminate when you switch on the headlights. I hope you are not implying that you are in the habit of driving around on sidelights, which are only intended for use when you are parked. If this is the case, perhaps you should consider leaving the switch permanently on Auto, which will allow the car to decide what lights you should be displaying.

Goodies update.. After reading through a few threads and being recommended by Evil i went ahead an bought some new Meyle ARB bushes aswell as new top mounts / bearings, hopefully going to get these fitted over the weekend and hopefully say auf weidersehen to the creaking at the front. Found out a pal of mine also whos heavily into his vag cars has some crazy version of VAG-COM with all the bells and whistles, and kudos to him hes offered to use on the Octi to see if theres any stored codes and fingers crossed will be able to tell me if infact there is a boost leak or not.. however one thing ive noticed and have been noticing is when driving, lower in the rev range the car seems to run a little bit lumpy, im suspecting coilpacks on the way out..? Can anyone clarify? Also, theres a god awful squealing and rattle when pulling off in a high gear or doing early changes ... aux belt? Either way, bit by bit im still planning to get the car back to as best near stock condition as possible before i send it in for a map, dont really want to leave any stone unturned. Thanks for the welcome DoDaniel! Yeah i think im going to do that, especially with the wishbones and stuff, i really do NOT fancy going through the trauma of trying to remove the bushes with a hacksaw and blowtorch lol. I wouldnt be surprised if it were the shocks or something along those lines if im honest, i genuinely just thought the car was ridiculously soft from standard, the suspension doesnt look like its sagging in any way, its just the body roll when going round corners is enough to knock someone sick lol, ive planned now for a set of JOM coilovers for it, i know theyre cheap ebay jobs but i've used them countless times before and personally have never had an issue. I'll have a look at all the hoses over the weekend, there are alot of them lol, anywhere specific to put my attention to? Oh no, you're a Potterhead!? - More of a Hunger Games man myself.....

I’ll pretend I never read this…

Welcome, Good to see another Black Magic MK1 VRS Estate on here. Here's mine. I've had some of the issues you've mentioned, so I'll try and cover what I did to fix it. Creaking from the front: I found that after many years of service, the bushings on the control arms, ARB's and drop links were original to the car and needed replacing. I replaced these with all new OEM parts as it was quicker and easier to get them with new bushes pre-installed than fitting polybushes myself. Floaty ride: This ended up being some original shocks causing the problem and some long gone bump stops on my car. I took them out the car and they immediately feel down, no damping whatsoever to them. I opted not to go for coilovers as the car is used to haul the family around on weekdays, so I ended up going for this Bilstein B4 kit from eBay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333688524788 Whilst you're in there, make sure you replace the bump stops, top mounts and the bolts hold the shock to the knuckle. On that subject, you'll need this to spread the knuckle apart to make removing it easier. I cannot stress how much time this saves. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003PZERSI/ Boost/PCV Leaks: Very, very common on these. The PCV system basically rips itself apart every so often, especially the top 'Y' breather hose and the one that connects to the bottom of the intake. That one is a pain to get to and can't be seen easily. You can get full PCV kits on eBay or replace them with silicone alternatives, but those get costly. Other than that, just check your hoses from the intake down through the intercooler and back. Can't remember if you said it was running the stock intercooler or not, but the 'pancake pipe' can get split I've read. Other than that, regular service, good fuel and the car will last for years to come. On a final note, defo get a stage 1 done asap, cannot tell you how much of a difference it makes.

Just swapped out my Yeti for an Enyaq IV 60, it was delivered on the 3rd Sept. Super happy with it so far.

I've had alot of cars... the last before the vrs being an fn2 type r and the vrs feels faster. I've never actually liked the feel of a turbo I've always preferred a naturally aspirated engine 1. Because you know what you are gonna get when you put your foot down and 2 because I just feel there more reliable (sometimes) 😂. That being said the vrs seems to have a decent bit of poke and it's almost consistent!.. most of the time the turbo seems to be awake and i get that little push back in the seat especially in 2nd and other times it's just not there 🤷🏻‍♂️...it is standard at the moment but I will deffo be visiting rtech for a stage 1 as soon as they can get me in... I'm hoping that will help with the power delivery being more responsive and I'm looking forward to the torque people talk about. Congrats on your mk1 octavia purchase tho... I love mine... I've deffo got that connection with her that I just haven't had with some of my cars. She's a keeper.

If it hasn’t been messed with, that what standard power feels like. When I went to stage 1 on my black VRS, the difference was shocking. Purely because of the amount of torque that was gained from a Shark Remap. I’ve since gone stage 2. But, I have a completely standard VRS and it’s almost painful to drive as there is no get up and go. It’s just like a you say, a linear power delivery). It’s that noticeable that even my PD130 feels quicker because I have more torque being a diesel. So I’m finding it more fun to drive. My stage 2 on the other hand, is completely different, but there is still a limit on torque, which is around 300. My PD130 would get 280/300 ft-lbs from a stage 1 alone. I never planned to get the Red one mapped. But I’ve since found out that it was previously mapped by Ben at Shark, but has since been removed and returned to stock due to the the last owner complaining of poor MPG. But, in the new year I plan to see Niki at R-Tech and just have a stage 1 on it.

I think your engine code must be CGPA then. I would suggest that you check the chain timing before replacing anything else. This can be done by removing two covers from the battery end of the rocker cover, and checking the relative angles of the two slots in the ends of the cams. They should always be at the same angle relative to each other. When cylinder 1 is at top dead centre on either compression or exhaust stroke, they should be parallel to the head/block join. Crank sensor is in an awkward to access spot on the back of the engine block.

I searched for “multi tube vacuum attachment” and was able to find them 👍🏼

If the body work of our 2008 160K mile 1.4 TDi was anything to go by I wouldn’t worry too much about the tin worm in older Roomster’s.

I think up to 2010 for the EU / UK. Someone will correct that if wrong.

Well, that was 2 hours and a 32 mile round trip I'll not get back. Utter lemon! Ad says "Private" sale. Turns out the guy is selling it on behalf of a "mate" who, wait for it, owns a garage. 🙄 Leaking oil spread over the rear underside. 5 year/50k service (biggy) overdue. Brakes grinding. Parked with handbrake off and rolled against kerb - guess it's binding. Interior shabby. Exterior similar. Guy still asking for more than the top price quoted by Autotrader for that model/age/mileage - and that was after knocking £300 off the price in the Ad! Funniest thing...advertised as "excellent condition inside and out" 🤣 Only benefit was letting my 18yo witness at first hand what you're up against trying to find a decent 2nd hand motor. 😡

Intercooler all cleaned and sprayed and looking great, ready to go on anytime now, been out for a nice drive too

So had some time in the car with the new shocks including a longish trip yesterday (1hr each way) with a mix of town, country and cruise driving. Overall the change is better in every aspect. I need to remove the rubber assisters from the rear as that "patch" is being shown up by the better damping. I will drive it for a little bit without but very likely to fit an upgraded rear roll bar as a proper upgrade. With the way these shocks work they need the travel in the stroke to react. The rubber blocks are limiting the springs somewhat at the rear. Turn in is good but the overall ride is hampered as a result. Better roll control is the way forward. Will report back again once these changes have been made. Mighty car mods discount on whiteline at the mo. Rude not to. Rear roll bar going in sooner than I originally thought.