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Thankfully most of the people who post here embrace it in the manner intended though. If you don’t like it, don’t spoil it for other people eh?

So I got a call from my local dealership yesterday asking if I'd still be dropping off my Superb today at 10am for the diagnostic. I confirmed and asked how much it would cost to replace the timing belt. £600 was the reply so I told them that I'd leave it for now. I than rang around a couple of garages for alternative quotes and the best I got was from a local specialist who quoted me £525 to replace both the water pump and belt. My thoughts were that if the pump couldn't be fixed under warranty then I'd take my business elsewhere. But then I recalled the that the technician that I'd spoken to previously had told me that the labour cost to replace the belt would be less, as they've already stripped the parts down to check the pump. So I rang the girl back to inquire if this was the case and was told that they'd only be able to confirm the costs after the technician had stripped it down. Great! So I dropped my Superb off with them this morning, hoping that they'd diagnose the water pump as faulty. To be honest, I was expecting them to say that it's perfectly fine, they can't find any issues and I owe them £109. Then surprise surprise, at 2pm I got a call from them telling me that the pump was indeed faulty and would be repaired under warranty. Fab news, what about the timing belt though? Well with the reduced labour cost and belt kit that'll come to £332.44. Would you like us to go ahead with that? DAMN RIGHT I WOULD! So I've left it with them and it will be ready to collect sometime tomorrow. So all in all I think that's a pretty good result. Now I just need to sort my claim out for unplanned hotel costs with the European AA. 🙂 Mart

This caught my eye today, the 1's making the spacing look unusual:

Stop clicking on the thread, duh.

It was a joint effort between my Grampa and I since he's got experience with fitting tow bars.

There's a point where percent charge at home on EV tariff vs percent charge at public chargers. If you go over that point, you are better off buying dino-juice. Always got to remember, for most people, rapid charging is rare. I used to do it once in a blue moon in Leaf, I don't foresee needing it for our normal day-out in the Tesla, only during actual road trips. So I personally don't care about rapid charging prices, I only care about the service associated with it: many stalls per loc, toilet, restaurant, etc. Also got to remember, destination charging is usually much cheaper or sometimes free if you can get on them. ABC = always be charging.

My beloved Yeti was totalled by a driver coming out of a side turning. The Yeti rolled three times, ending up on its roof. Luckily, my wife escaped with only cuts and bruises and the other driver has admitted fault; the police will prosecute. I bought the Yeti as an ex demonstrator with 2,000 miles on the clock for £19,450 in January 2018. The insurers offered £16,929 this week (September 2022) so that is only a drop of 13%! It was a L&K 2.0 DSG automatic with only 36,000 miles. But I was chuffed with the payout. Treasure your Yeti!

Mine appreciated; albeit briefly. I bought it privately in February 2020 with 32k miles on it for £11,750 and c. 5 months ago, WBAC offered me £14,500 for it with 45k miles on it. The last time I checked, they'd dropped that to £10,500; probably because it had rolled over from being 5 years old to 6 years old.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Just for info. - To save virtual ink and screen space, you can shorten the eBay link to just the item number. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265881626043 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265872809553

just had notification from the lease company that my car is ready for collection/delivery to me. Just need to book a convenient time with them. vrs iv estate, canton, dcc, pano roof. ordered may 2021, i hope it’s not broken when it arrives.

Cheeky swines, There is a 2-in-1 release update that will take it up to 1762 Then once at this next level, the same release can take the 1762 to 1896 After 1896 updates should be OTA (they might still release offline packs for dealers)

...and some long lasting memories too, win win

Yes there are, but the tappets make direct contact with the cams. What most people refer as "tappets" are actually various forms of slack adjusters.

The Renault Zoe has achieved over 400 miles in some maximum range exercise, the only problem is this was achieved with an average speed of 20 mph I recall. As long as there is no minimum speeds, which there are not many in the UK I gather, then take it real slow, an electricity grid pricing protest rather than a fuel pricing protest. A long queue of EVs driving at 30 mph on Motorways and A-road protesting at the extortionate pricing at DC charging stations. Glad to see quite a few of the 22 kWh AC stations are still at 39p a kWh or so, I can get about 2 miles of range added for every minute attached to one of those.

Yup, my Dad explained that one to me whilst rebuilding a 1275 A-series, about 50 years ago. Not actually any such thing as tappets, usually rockers with lifters of some variety. "Adjusting the tappets" just refers to setting the gap (if required) between the rocker arms and pushrods, or lifters. The old man reckoned the name probably came from the tapping noise they made if incorrectly adjusted.

I'm sure that millers is good stuff but I won't be using it. They need numbers to back up the octane claims and alarm bells ring when in 2 places on the same page they claim different increases.

Personally ‘lifetime’ is a stupid term for these belts. Baffles me. personally I would be sticking to 100,000 miles and maybe 5/6 years at most. regarding replacement costs - it’s hard to say as some vehicles have no variable timing, others have it on a single camshaft and some now have it on both. I have personally changed many of these without the official tool and just been very specific with my markings and timing and can comfortably say I’ll do them without the official stupidly priced tool. I wouldn’t charge more than £400 that’s for sure - but can’t be more specific without a reg and vin.

In which case he doesn't know that the pistons, or even the piston rings, are shot. Change your garage.

I think the CTEK range is what is commonly used to maintain batteries.

It's a brushless AC motor so the coils are stationary, I'm convinced it's the alternator voltage breaking down under load.

What does the battery read before and after starting?

I ordered at Porsche Verovskova, and car is ready for transport in factory, it’s not in Slovenia yet, unfortunately. I wouldn’t bet on tomorrow with my luck 😉

Will Get back to you on that, have the codes at work

Yes, they are analogue outputs (0-5v) not switches). I am also now of the opinion that these do not need adaptation! All a bit confusing in the online manuals though as they still mention adaptation!

Thank you now . Need to remove them to see thay I get the right lenght bulbs. Got new ones for the front and new air and cabin filter 🙂

The second option that you have mentioned can be broken down into Option 2a and Option 2b. Option 2a - avoid at all costs Go to a garage who overcharges. This type of garage will create work for themselves by nobbling your vehicle, such as loosening your wheel bearings and pulling off the windscreen washer tube so that your windscreen washer no longer works. This type of garage is very common in the UK. Option 2b - highly recommended Go to a garage who doesn't overcharge. This type of garage will have a fantastic reputation with the locals and many happy repeat customers. So do search them out.

Just go to the Skoda website, open up a chat and ask on there - you'll need your VIN No but it worked for me

I had a 1litre Saxo as a site car for a few months... at weekends I used to have max it out on the M18 after late shifts doing live water mains connections so I could get to the pub before last orders. The speedo would just break 100 downhill with a run-up (so maybe 90 in reality) but it was massively better than the Fiesta diesel that preceded it!

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Each to their own, that and the all black one I see down the road look very plain and stubby particularly in those colours. Personally I think you would need a big hammer to add interest to the body and panel shapes. A difference to what appeals in different areas and countries perhaps. ETA: I think your car looks fine and the protective stripes lined up with the bumpers looks fine too.

Hi all, I'm looking into buying a Mk3 Monte Carlo and was interested to know how feasible / expensive it is to install paddle shift on a DSG model? Until recently I've only been considering manual options, but would quite happily switch to automatic if paddle shifts were an option. Thanks

Osrams were OE fitment on my 2018 Kodiaq as far as I can tell (all four were. They've been replaced with Nightbreaker +150s

I just tried Nige's link out of curiosity, and at a glance the only difference to what a Skoda dealer emailed me is that this has a production date where the dealer version only had a delivery date. Quite a significant difference in this case, made on 16/11/04, delivered 01/03/05. PDF link was sent within half an hour of purchase.

VCDS Can show how many times it has been flashed by OBD port, if the ECU was bench flashed, the counter can be defeated and rolled back to look like it hasn't. If the car is scanned by ODIS diagnostic then checksums are sent off to the mothership, and if they don't match, then it set's a new PR Code flag for the car TD1 for example. I don't think tuner's can fool this, could be wrong.

I'm surprised that a 2011 Fabia needs the radio code (assuming it's the original factory fitted radio), for many years no code has been needed if the radio is installed in the original car. Certainly my ex's 2005 Fabia didn't need a code when I replaced the battery.

Seat of the pants is often enough if you know what a standard car feels like, or do timing maybe with a Draggy, or get on a Dyno. In the UK if you are not declaring a mod because you are playing ignorant and making out you have no idea that used car was mapped then you remove badges like APR with slashes behind. Not that that means if the Loss Adjuster or Police / Crash examiner cares, they can and might well have the ECU checked, as VW Group or other with a Warranty claim have done on occasions. With Insurance Loss adjusters they might well check your social media posts and with Insurance Loss Adjusters ask to check your debit / credit card account. That is them looking for that purchase of a Remap from a 'Tuning company' after you had bought the car.

Certainly with VCDS there is a way to see how many times the ECU has been flashed, but AFAIK it's not possible to tell if those are official dealer updates or a tune.

Battery arrived, within 24 hours of order, swapped over, expected a few alarms post change as expected but short drive and lock to lock steering check sorted that (TPMS alert was a nail in rear o/s tyre, why do things happen all at once!), and since no further low battery alerts! Bought an OBDeleven as we have two Skodas and and Audi in the family, changed the battery in config so now just wait and see! Tayna supplied Varta battery £130 all in, expensive way to verify fault but substantailly cheaper than other or OE alternatives! Windows up on lock work immediately and after a few trips auto stop / start also, which appeared not to on the questionable Bosch battery, fingers crossed! Time will tell! Thanks for all FB and tips, appreciated.

You can’t get 99 octane easily in Northern or Southern Ireland, so when I go there I use this, which does do what it says on the bottle and is far more effective than the Redex I’d previously used.

So I finally sold it to a not-so-local dealer. I showed Motorway price to him and he agreed to pay the motorway price. 2013 Skoda Octavia 2l diesel, sold for £5200 to a dealer just outside M25. Unfortunately trying to sell it locally was fruitless. I live very close to North Circular, driving into it need ULEZ compliant car to avoid £12 per day. All enquiries were "is it ULEZ compliant". Can't you read it's a 2013 diesel...... I had it on Carwow for a week initially for £5250, no dealer bid on it. So overall happy with the price I got. In summary, to get best price, have to do some legwork and talk to dealers if private sale is fruitless. So overall cost for me to run this car for 30k miles VS running a similarly priced Nissan Leaf for 36k miles and very pessimistic resale value. edit: if anyone bought this, I can tell you all about this car: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209149769755

I've got a NOCO Genius 10

@AspmanI assume we are not talking a nice simple battery type like for a Suzuki Jimny, So something more involved like modern vehicles. MINI or the like? Just been out sorting out my extension cable, greenhouse heater and the charger i used for cars and bikes and that i plug in and unplug as needed, and take the car a few miles each week. This is as the cold nights are coming this week. All pre winter stuff done yesterday & this morning, coolant check, locks, bonnet catches, door seals and hatch, windscreen wash, hinges, tyres / pressures.

Anything will be a classic if you wait long enough. But for some more common cars you might have to wait a very long time before it becomes an investment. Better to buy something you will love to run as your classic, if it increases in value then that is a bonus. We've a car (JCW Mini coupe) which we've bought with a view to it being a future classic, but that is secondary to it being something the Mrs has always wanted to own (again).

I heard from the dealer today. My VRS has arrived and I can collect it next Tuesday. Yay!!

600km road trip did not go as planned! I made it to my destination with several issues. It started when I hit a bump in the road and immediately lost all boost. Turning the car off and on brought it back. From that point, the car gradually restricted boost more and more as it ran, to the point where after 10-30 minutes of driving I had no boost and could only cruise at 3500rpm with no throttle. Hills were very tricky. And New Zealand is hilly. Stopping the engine and restarting gave all the boost back each time, until it went away again. Also I seem to have lost part of a transmission or engine mount. Then it started raining hard, and it seems a new feature is that my windscreen lets water in at both bottom corners. Above the wiring and relays at one side and the ecu at the other. Also the boot is leaking. So a very frustrating day. Another #gumbootrally almost attended! We did the rally in another car so all was not lost. https://i.imgur.com/Bl8cTPB.jpg https://i.imgur.com/eqXai9K.jpg https://i.imgur.com/EZdGvx1.jpg https://i.imgur.com/GO77bcM.jpg https://i.imgur.com/9lmlA2R.jpg https://i.imgur.com/MZwZpfD.jpg https://i.imgur.com/hWvLSeF.jpg https://i.imgur.com/HPiIbOr.jpg https://i.imgur.com/SoRX4Z4.jpg https://i.imgur.com/kh3gxzt.jpg https://i.imgur.com/rF8ifVQ.jpg https://i.imgur.com/8AcrMUi.jpg https://i.imgur.com/HLasApY.jpg https://i.imgur.com/b8JQOKL.jpg https://i.imgur.com/nKdw5CA.jpg https://i.imgur.com/aSvXz9L.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KwRkASl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vfeElnu.jpg

... or barn finds in original unrestored condition.

Any rigid glue you use will break unless the area is prepped properly. I think the best solution that never fails that a DIYer can do is cable tie stitching.

Well, to load 6260/6276 into units older than C14 you have to change some IDs in the unit with the service software (e.g. SetConfig) or have the software modified and new checksums calculated - however both don't make any sense as GPS chipset is different in C14 so after loading 6270/6276 to the older unit GPS will not work.

I am downloading some firmwares to check out the contents. Have to report back later once downloaded.