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The car I'm fondest of was the red Peugeot 106 I inherited in 1993. It wasn't quick but once you made it up to speed you didn't need to slow down for bends as it cornered like it was on rails. Being more youthful back then I also drove it quite hard (as young 'uns do) and achieved some surprising speeds driving back over the M62 late one night... It was also the car I was driving when I met the missus. We'd first started chatting via IRC (back in the day where it was all 14.4k dial-up; none of this nude selfies lark; and people used LOL and ROFL) and I drove over to her house to dig out her car before we drove down to Wolverhampton for an IRC meet the next day. It lasted up to the point where I gave one of her daughters her first driving lesson. She panicked and hit the accelerator instead of the brake and drove it into a wall 😬. I still have the repair invoice for that and I've threatened to frame it and give it to said daughter for her birthday one year 🙂

Unfortunately we all have to face the fact now that our cars will suffer this due to age. This is now the point in time where a massive cull takes place and once popular makes and models suffer a big decline leaving the Mk1 Fabia somewhat endangered. Maybe now is the time we all get together and compile a list of where exactly bodywork rot trouble starts and put it in a sticky on the forum, then we will all have an awareness and will be able to spot rot problem areas early. Anybody that has broken up a Mk1 Fabia will know exactly where to target ! As nta16 alluded to, panels rot from the inside out and once you see it its already advanced - Has anyone ever seen the back arches on a Mk3 Cavalier ..? Once the back arches are bubbling the complete back section of the rear chassis legs are like cream crackers. This was the biggest single factor in the Mk3 Cavvys demise. I'm hoping that things go OK at the bodyshop and that they dont take the proverbial quoting an unrealistic price to put you off !!

A couple from Snetterton yesterday.

I realize there is no Scout on the UK market for whatever reason but here is what you're missing in the UK.

A couple more I’ve reprocessed.

It’s a long and boring story, that I won’t inflict on people, but I am now without my lovely Octavia, despite it never being planned that way. Instead, I find myself the owner of a Kamiq - a somewhat bemused owner as until ten days ago I hadn’t even heard of them! FFS, who though that was a suitable name for a car? Even worse, having driven diesel for forty years or so, it turns out it’s a bloody petrol! No surprise then that in addition, I’ve gone the whole hog and got a DSG. I need to take time to reflect on the error of my ways, but this post is simply to thank the various people on this forum who over a number of years have added to the enjoyment of Octavia ownership by freely sharing their knowledge, experience and great expertise, all of which has been of considerable help to me and, I know, to many others. Obviously I am now heading off to the Kamiq forum (I’m sure it must be busier than it seems at first sight), but many thanks and best wishes to all here.

The top search on Google for "camping" returns the definition "the activity of spending a holiday living in a tent." A pod is not a tent; a tent is canvas (or similar) but those shown in the picture are wooden constructions so are a chalet or similar.

All sounds very dodgy. I honestly think it sounds like the driver was trying something dodgy. On a positive note my other half's bike was re-delivered by Hermes. And even though he told them several times not to tip it... they tipped it anyway as they couldn't be bothered to use the tail-lift. He took a photo of them tipping it. But thankfully everything was fine and no damage. And on the same day I got the email to say my bike was ready for collection. And our housemate also picked his E-Bike up the same day too. So we went for a ride out yesterday with the trailer attached to my bike for the dog and beer. It's such a lovely bike to ride and the boost from that motor is just pure joy 😁👍 I just have to be careful with "Turbo" mode. Setting off in anything under 4th gear and the front wheel lifts up! 😂🤣 But I generally find "eco" mode a good balance and kicks in nicely when I pedal harder. I used "Tour" mode a couple of times when going up-hill with the trailer (trailer weighs about 12kg, dog 15kg and a big cool bag with about 16 beers and food etc in).

It takes two to communicate, why decide that the BCM is the problem, rather than the ABS module? Who are 'they'?

Follow up for my keys, Tuts out, two of the three keys were for a completely different car so I now have two new silver keys under warranty, all coded and kessy working. Pleased with that as it would have cost a lot to sort it myself!

Follow up on this. It was a faulty lock module so that got replaced. Under buyer's warranty.

The McMurty mini Batmobile. What a weapon! Fantastic small size and apparently under 1,000kg. 2+ tonnes of downforce. It also goes like, well, nothing I've seen recently. Its small size at Goodwood has been an absolute advantage, as has the amazing, committed drive by the two racers that share duties in it. Max Chilton drives it tomorrow in the hill climb and today, Alex Summers became the second fastest man up the hill. I can't find the run from today - yet, but it's worth looking for as it will become available soon. Yesterdays run is below (unfortunately you can't see the fan assisted start, it's simply nuts). Also note the cameraperson is confused at the speed of the thing at the top of the hill!

On the back of what @VanhireBoys was saying on another thread, I thought it would be wise to create a thread to document common rust spots for the Mk1 Fabia and how to spot early signs of it. Feel free to share your own images etc as it all helps towards documenting the rot on these cars, particularly as they become a little more... decrepit. One of the areas where I've seen these cars rust most is at the sills, particularly at the rear, or at the base of the front wings. As an example, here's where mine is just beginning to go at the rear, with some surface rust. Mine had been beginning to bubble up at the two points further along the sill, but I may have accidentally blown the paint off with the pressure washer. This is the other side, which isn't as bad, but just beginning to visibly rust. In regards to rusting at the bases of the wings, I'll use the photos that @TMB posted on my project thread... It seems to be that dirt likes to gather in here and rot them out. As a solution (which might be like peeing in the wind), take the arch liners off, and clean in behind there. I've also used the power washer in the gap between the sill and the base of the arch and it has blown a metric **** ton of dirt out.

I think it means Instant Relay Chat, in this case. So like an instant messenger or that.

1973 GT Beetle. Learned to drive on it (in the late 80s). 1584cc (later 1776) engine with SU carburettors, synchromesh transmission, and steering so heavy I could feel my transverse abs bulking out every time I parked. My Dad’s Saab 900 Turbo. Not as pretty as the 99, but so incredibly smooth and balanced, and the driver’s seat was heated. Such luxury I had never previously encountered. 1973 Morgan +8. So very burbly and understated at tick over and pottering speed. So phenomenally organ-rearranging when you need to take off sharpish. VW TDI transporter, 2l or above, can’t remember exactly, it was a hire van for work. So much oomph. And I did get to drive a few 7.5t trucks. I enjoyed being that high up. Didn’t enjoy that I had to get out of the seat to get enough leverage to brake hard, cos everything was designed for someone considerably bigger than me.

If you knew about regens you would know that oil temperature goes above 100 degrees and the tickover goes from about 850 rpm to about 1000 rpm with a very gruff engine note. How about saving yourself and everybody else time and doing as JR sugests """Stop wasting your time with a generic code reader, get someone on here to do a VCDS scan or find a garage with a Snap On or similar multi-marque dealer level tester to find the code of what is actually going wrong. """

I was reluctantly thinking it was about time to bring myself to part with old faithful and had just started sniffing round the dealers in a very half-hearted way. Then a quick succession of events forced my hand. Can't say any more. I'm still a bit shell-shocked. From the test drive I think the engine/transmission will be fine. So far I have only driven it back from the dealers about forty miles away along back roads - but I got nothing from that experience because I was totally preoccupied with trying (unsuccessfully, as I had no specs to read the manual) to turn off the bloody stupid lane assist, which was trying to kill me.

@Opensider you have download link on PM

It's an 8 mile walk each way, even I'm not that mean...

Not wishing to be confrontational, just genuinely interested- What gives EV drivers the right to expect free charging? Someone is ultimately paying for it. For example, I was on (volunteer) car park duty at our local theatre which shares a car park with a business premises, the latter having several charging points. When an audience member EV driver expecting to use one saw the notices on the charging points which said they were only for staff and customers of the business, much verbal abuse ensued, aimed at me! (OK, I was wearing a hi-vis jacket, but no jobsworth comments, please!)

Make the kids walk - save even more...

At my age I have a similar problem. tom

@RCC49 The issue was not with the cover on 1.5 TSI's.

Can’t wait to get a lovely fresh baguette and good cheese. Off to Switzerland for two weeks climbing… so trying to get some fitness. Going over an old peak mountain biking book, pre-suspension, figure my gravel bike is at least comparable. one down. Some bridleways are seriously overgrown! day 2. never been to langsett on a bike. figured I’d finally do a bit of it. Better coming down I think Man the ride up the “snow road” into todays wind was a downer. The bridleways are deeply rutted, much carrying and walking today 😞. Guy on full Susp bike was impressed I’d come down the woodhead to dam bridleways bit on a gravel bike. My junk definitely wasn’t as impressed with my choice.

May as well do the resistor first, to restore ventilation options. Then drivers side wiring bellows; then - if faults remain after fixing any problems there, the wiring bellows on passenger side.

It was somebody with one of those Kia 350kW charge capable machines. I think the highest speed chargers can peak at 900 volts. so a bit of maths says if the voltage is at max and the car is a 350kW one, then the current is almost 390 amps, multiply that by the two cars that could be charging from the same station and assuming that there is one cable set, run into the charge point/station, thats 780 amps needed for two cars on peak charge!!! That's an awful lot of juice and big copper like that is terrifically expensive.

Slight scare yesterday, going out at 6.30 to an evening near the in-laws.....ignition on, dash lights....click, click bugger! 1.5amp Trickle charger for 20 mins and away we go. No lights left on, no interior light, radio goes off with ignition....maybe doesn't like being left for 4 days? Talking of radio, was turning on but no display so time to investigate. First call...check the fuse in boot 😀 nope. But the one next to it bearing in mind they are marked fuel relay and 2 ECU....yep one of the ECU ones had blown. Radio back and the warning beep to say keys in ignition....I had completely forgotten we had that 🙄. Looking forward to the LM Classic now 👍

Burning off the Baguette and Fromage....

Aren't the thing that most of us think as Wigwams, really teepees (Tipi?) ?

The most that I've got in the Superb iV is 187.48 mpg and I managed to do 1,643 miles before I needed to refuel, not bad for a 50 litre tank. Don't ask me how I managed to do that because I don't have a clue.

Were it mine and of course I would then be repairing it not giving it to a garage I would not replace the entire sill, I would cut progressively further forward until no more rust then replace all the rusted metal including the membrane, if the vehicle warranted it I would do a flush joint using my Joddler and Avdel pins. The reason for not doing any more than necessary is any welding will destroy the factory seam sealing and internal cavity protection causing accelerated further rusting, also its a lot less finishing and paintwork to do. The factory spot welding will be stronger than any repair plug or seam welding.

It will be a camp site even if it is Pods or maybe a Pod site. There are Camping in cars with no tents, and dogging without a dog. There are not enough 'Best EV's for dogging' videos. This looks perfect.

A mod can move your thread to the Octavia section. I do not have an Octavia. Reliability of the vRS petrol of the age you are looking at is good.

If it is a diesel then yes it has a DPF . Are there cars with not self Regenerating DPF,s?

Really useful thanks! If services on the above are in order what's the general reliability like of the vRS? Would also be useful to know your opinion on what yours was like to drive

I imagine @Breezy_Pete is your man for explaining what to do... because it certainly ain't me!

A lot of those issues would stem from wires in the door loom beginning to break down, IMO/IME.

They're all frauds so I guess we'll have to wait for the OP...

Found the run. The start is utterly crazy and so addictive to watch. I would love to know how many Gs the driver is feeling.

In the late 70's and early 80's I worked most evenings and all weekends welding (mainly) sills & inner sills on Minis, 1100's Escorts etc etc, it was the only way I could continue my studys and appernticeship as my wages only just met the rent I had to pay. £25 for a sill including the part and underseal was the going rate then, double bubble if the inner sill needed doing, it was before the days of restoration so unless it was a collector if the inner membrane, the part that gives the most structural strength, was rotted it was simply left like that, the sill & inner sill would cover it! For Minis & 1100's they made sills that extended 3", 6" or 9" onto the rotted floorpan, they covered a multitude of sins and then even the inner sill was not replaced I was earning £16 gross, my first investment was a £75 trolley jack from Halfords (£62.50 with discount from the company motor club) I'm still using it today, then a BOC Portapak for £278 including 10 year cylinder rental contract, gas was very expensive even then, IIRC started at £11 then went up and up, these costs were quickly recouped. I watched an interview with Gordon Murray and he described doing exactly the same thing as me at the same age on the same vehicles and his price structure was the same!

Thanks for messaging. I agree with getting the sills fully replaced, I wouldn't of bothered patching them anyway. I have it booked in to a local garage who reckons he can weld in two new sills for circa £400. I'l just see what he says when he sees the damage in person. Thanks again for the advice. I see, I'm hoping it's not just the tip of the iceberg because when I used to go to a garage for MOT's a couple of years back, they used to spray the underneath of the car with some kind of rust inhibitor of something, probably just old oil because I don't think it was the proper underseal. But I'm hoping that may of stopped the rust from spreading out further than the sills. As I said to VanhireBoys, I have it booked in to a local garage for him to inspect the damage and give me a more accurate quote, he said on the phone roughly £400 so I'll take see what he says it from there. I did message a body shop nearby but they didn't reply so I wonder if it's because they don't want to touch this kind of job due to the iceberg theory. Thanks for your advice, Tom

It is basic wheels for RS. They are named Comet. 18". From what I checked UK Skoda web, standart there are Altair, but for example in Central Europe are Altair rims about £400 extra. Maybe that's why you are not see them often.

Dropped tank at The Surgery for some surgery https://www.thesurgery.co.nz/ Plan is to cut a hole, remove gauze filter, treat rust and coat the inside, weld a breather elbow on the cut-out piece then repair. Another elbow on the filler and connect with fuel hose. Also there's a small leak in the weld connecting filler to tank which was covered by black silicone !! Looks like the filler neck isn't original to that tank. I suspect it has been repaired and they've blocked or cut the internal filler vent. In the meantime, bit of cleanup. The remaining stuff is old rust protection I don't want to scrape off. I also found a seatbelt bolt wedged in the corner! And some new hoses that actually bend, for the fuel return and breather connection.

First picture when collected

TBH I've stopped worrying about it, the difference is probably tiny and not worh fretting about. Nevre had nor have I ever heard of any problems with stater motors etc by this. I turn it off when I'm in busy moving traffic since I don't want the hesistation of the engine having to restart if I'm trying to dart out.

I have had a message from Skoda today that my car will go into production in week 32 - 2nd week of August, 12 months after ordering.

oK, THINK i HAVE SORTED THE PROBLEM, REPLACED SENSOR, STILL THE SAME PROBLEM, LOOKED AT VARIOUS YOUTUBE STUFF, HAD A LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL SENSOR, NO TELLTALE TRACKING ON THE BOTTOM FACE, SO, SQUIRTED SOME SWITCH CLEANER INTO THE 2 HALVES OF THE PLUG/SOCKET, REINSTALLED THE ORIGINAL SENSOR CONNECTED UP, VCDS'D THE SYSTEM AND IT ALL RESET, WENT FOR A DRIVE, STILL CLEAR, I think maybe moisture got into the plug etc a few weeks ago, when i hosed off the wheel arches etc, who knows, i am now a happy bunny!!! Sorry about the capitals, couldn't be bothered to rewrite it all.

Be aware then if sub 40,000 miles then maybe servicing costs to be spent. If a DSG or S-tronic the servicing of the box at 40,000 miles. So £200 plus. If not done and past 40,000 miles then not great. Maybe spark plugs at the 40,000 miles plus. The brake fluid should have been replaced or tested. The pollen filter changed. So just check service record on the system or invoiced from an independent. If no record best assumed needs doing.

Well so far all trouble free.... Interesting when going shopping 😁 Bungee cords to hold 2 bags on rear shelf, bits in the boot and beer etc on the floor in-between OHs legs 😂 Out today for Lunch with in-laws so Tom'y got to be inside their garage out the sun and rain... 3 car garage, each door 3m wide to get the Fezza in without folding mirrors. I'm parked in the centre bay 🙂

Is that image with it plugged into mains? Strange it has an AMPS reading. Edit: To save going round in circles I know that was plugged in, that is the charging voltage that will say very little about the state of the battery. It has to be in the morning after standing all night with NO CHARGE to give a voltage that pertains to battery health. On a volt meter NOT on a charger.