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Regarding 'bullying tactics' for smart meter installation, this page at citizens advice explains that it is not compulsory, and gives a link to contact them to report any unwelcome pressure from a supplier. Just scroll down one third of the way to the heading "Refusing a smart meter". Getting a smart meter installed - Citizens Advice Personally I'm not in any way against them, and don't share the paranoia about supply throttling; I also have one. But when the 90+ year-old neighbours were told they must have one (which they didn't want), I was very prompt in finding the info in that link for them.

It is very much b0llocks as will be revealed in the future. Carbon Trading, Carbon Offset, Trading in renewables which is double book keeping or Pyramid selling and really the same kind of fraud that would get others in business jailed. Green certificated energy, electricity and gas. From sustainable sources.

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Major rises in insurance combined with major rises in standing charges for off peak electric contracts combined with a major reduction in the offpeak hours (now 4 hours down from 😎 plus the price being jacked up on the 20 hours of peak consumption collectively make EV's a much less attractive proposition especially as they will all continue to go up in the same manner. Aside from the insurance I have been saying for a long time that is what will happen with electricity prices for off peak tariffs as I have seen it happen over the last 2 decades in France from EDF, way before any electric cars appeared, the same EDF that seems to own most of the electricity generating plants in the UK, they know exactly what they are doing and once someone changes to EV they are a voluntary captive audience to being overcharged.

Is going to be a problem. Was talking to my neighbour who has a competition packed M4 and he was saying it is a worrying scenario when you could be at the lights with an MG4 Extreme which is nearly a second quicker to 60 mph. TESLA are doing an software update which is giving a 100 extra horsepower to existing model Y owners so not surprised insurance company are nervous about EVs that accelerate faster than most people can think. Answer will be to have, like we have had with motorbikes which do 60 in less than 4 seconds, or less than 3 seconds or 2.5 seconds or so and then there were many schemes where horsepower could be limited like we have for bikes ie to 12hp for learners or 45 hp for A2 Licences or 100 hp as a voluntary manufacturer's scheme. Lots of chances to insurance based on a horse power and maybe torque limitation. Issue is EVs are just so much quicker accelerating than ICE cars and what insurance company wants to insure a car with drag strip impressive acceleration ? One of the Ozzy states will not let learners under a certain age have L plates on many EVs and particularly Performance and Dual Motor TESLAs as just too quick.

It does interrupt it, and it sounds like your car has been interrupting it. If it does it regularly then a regen probably takes far less time than if it's had multiple interruptions. I would suggest from the moment you notice your car trying to regen that you turn start stop off, and ensure you drive for at least 20-30 mins. Driving is not sat in traffic, and the process may be slower when doing so. If you have someone nearby with the tools to view the data you can check if you're nearing the threshold for it complaining.

Yes. Unpredictable. I'm wondering if some switch cleaner in the electrics might help. I know there's a lot of advice about computer diagnostics, but my electronics background is nagging at me. Intermittent faults aren't often deep in the computer.

I can tell you now from watching a DPF regen that start/stop working does not mean it's finished. It appears to continue a long time after that, I always turn my start stop off when it does one.

Id be keeping a very close eye on them pipes, the slightest of bends or kinks in them can cause them to leak fairly badly. just something to monitor

If they sell 300 MWh of electricity and end up only able to procure 100 MWh, then they've broken their promise/contract. Now I don't think any of those renewable electricity promises the electricity has to be produced at time of use does it? So you may use 10 kWh one cloudy day but the payment to solar farm is made in 3 days time when it is really sunny. Traceable in the sense their supplier is certified renewable supplier and their supplier are actual renewable generators. So the energy they buy can be traced back to the renewable source. It's the bucket analogy. The bit of water you are using may not be generated by renewable, but you are only paying renewable supplier to replenish it. It's the best we can do in current grid system and I think it's working, seeing so many solar farms and renewable projects. Which generates more clicks? "John Lewis' underwriter has temporarily paused offering policies on fully electric vehicles while they analyse the risks and costs entailed.” or the title that was used? The truth is the title I wrote, buried about 2/3 way in the article. My renewal price increase last month has increased just over 30%, for 2 EV's, which is in line with industry-wide premium increases.

Thanks @ApertureS, I'll try that tomorrow. I got the heater matrix off, in the end! Pipes took plenty of grunt to get off which must've bent them as they didn't align to the new matrix. Bit more grunt and lithium grease got there in the end.

That would certainly explain it then. Thank you.

All the 4s I was slightly annoyed when the fuel consumption had dropped a bit. 44.4mpg would have looked better.

The heater element may be turned off - go to climate menu, settings and tick supplementary heater. regarding the heater matrix they are roughly a 2 hour job on these cars and not that bad to do at all, as long as the pipes aren’t seized! make sure you also replace the seals with the correct kit that includes clamps

It spins the front wheels up, slides sideways if you hoof it around a roundabout in the damp (albeit that is with ASR/ESC off to courtesy of fuse removal) Just feels a lot more exciting and engaging to drive to be honest 😂 That might be because mine isn't right though, I'd have thought a 4x4 VRS would be reasonably fun to take off in, which is effectively what my Scout should be in a straight line at least

That looks identical to my Amundsen MIB2.

Only cars with adaptive cruise control will do that. Standard cruise will merely keep fixed speed and not adjust it automatically.

I think you've misread my message. You're correct about ASR intervention rather than ESC though. I said i cannot get my front wheels to lose any traction at all on a wet greasy road even foot to the floor in 1st gear. I realise the Haldex system will kick the rears in when the fronts lose traction, thus limiting the need for an ASR intervention but the power is so poor the front wheels don't even get near to losing traction. As you say very low powered cars will spin the front wheels in the wet, but not my apparantly 185ps 400nm Octavia

With the 8Jx19 ET45 Karoq rim, 245/40R19 would offer more protection from kerbing damage than either 225/40R19 or 235/40R19. So fitting 245/40R19 to your standard 8Jx19 ET45 Karoq rims is something you might want to consider if protecting these rims from kerbing damage is a high priority. As well as the 235/40R19 fitted to a 7.5Jx19 ET48 rim from the Octavia MK4 that I mentioned in a previous post, another option could be 225/45R19 fitted to a 7Jx19 ET43 rim from the Kodiaq. An example of a 7Jx19 ET43 rim from the Kodiaq is shown below. Karoq 8Jx19 ET45 alloy rims CRATER https://eshop.skoda-auto.cz/cs_CZ/alu-kolo-crater-19-karoq/p/57A071499A+8Z8 Kodiaq 7Jx19 ET43 alloy rims CRATER https://eshop.skoda-auto.cz/cs_CZ/alu-kolo-crater-19-kodiaq/p/565071499H+8Z8 I've added 225/45R19 and 245/40R19 to my "Outside diameter of tyres" chart. 225/45R19 and 245/40R19 aren't standard tyre sizes on the Karoq 2WD but they are standard tyre sizes on the Karoq 4WD. A 225/45R19 fitted to a 7J rim will have a similar amount of protection from kerbing damage as a 235/40R19 fitted to a 7.5J rim. With the standard 8Jx19 ET45 Karoq rims, fitting 245/40R19 should give some protection from kerbing damage, but it won't be as good as a 225/45R19 fitted to a 7J rim or a 235/40R19 fitted to a 7.5J rim. Outside diameter of tyres 215/60R16 664.4mm 215/55R17 668.3mm 215/50R18 672.2mm 225/40R19 662.6mm 235/40R19 670.6mm 225/45R19 685.1mm (1.9% bigger outside diameter than 215/50R18) 245/40R19 678.6mm (1.0% bigger outside diameter than 215/50R18)

I tried WD40 made zero difference !

Can anyone tell me if this claim is true or is it pure BS? John Lewis stops insuring electric cars over repair cost fears (telegraph.co.uk)

Do they really not know what VW Group TSI,s or Diesels get as Fixed & Variable servicing? Very little gets changed or done at each Service with a Skoda Main Dealership and stuff needs paid for so the Independent garage should pretty much know what is important. Servicing and Maintenance. Pollen filter every 2 years or sooner, plugs and air filter every 4 years or sooner, do brake fluid when tested and needing done, do brake servicing, do hinges and latches, check everything, tyres, wipers, suspension, drivetrain etc etc. It is very basic stuff for almost every road vehicle.

OK, I have been looking into the whole smart meter thingy and the tariffs that can be had, I'm with OVO and for a while today I was unable to get any details on their tariffs, but that has been rectified now, albeit I'm not convinced that its correct as I have downloaded now 17 A4 pages full of tariffs for electricity, most of which seem to be identical🙄, no details as the times that night rates etc are available. But I did find is a so green tariff, heavily lacking in any detail, zero indication of how the standing charges or the kWh costs or if there are off-peak prices etc, zero. They explain that I would get 100% renewable energy. I just wonder how the hell they can do that when, I'm still connected to the national grid which carries a mix of renewables and fossil fuelled energy. If there is X amount of renewable energy generated, when that is all gone, they have to use top up fossil derived energy. In England, renewable is either solar or wind and there is not enough of that to go round and indeed there are days when there is next to nothing wind or sunshine. So is this just a load of marketing hype or what, oh, and for the benefit of feeling smug in the belief that I'm using green energy, it will cost me £10 a month membership fee, for what? Answers on a postcode please

My experience with the same engine is very similar. Really good engine in my view.

Just turned 165k in the last week or two, still drives nice.

They are not a figment of imagination. But to make statements about 10% over type approved tyre sizes being illegal is ridiculous. So @Sanqhar please post the section on construction and use regarding the Tyre sizes and 10%. Not about speed accuracy as that is a separate section. So there is the Speedo situation. People have fitted parts or Speedos to ensure that the tyre size used and Speedos are accurate. As it is from the factory they over read and slightly larger / more circumference can have the Speedo accurate. When you go beyond that then you can make adjustments / adaptions. As it is private vehicles very seldom have Speedo accuracy in the UK checked, certainly not at MOT,s. It is just repeating duff gen that is the issue when it comes to tyres and wheels and THE LAW.

Hello Olly Gaz

Smart mater's can allow those with them to get electricity cheaper at times. But really people who have no idea about those who only have a few quid a day to do some cooking, washing and maybe not even have heating are not going to be saving money just because they can charge their EV during the night or because someone that uses more in an hour at peak time than they do in a while day is getting credited for stopping the grid being under stress. This is another con for the more than 'Just getting by' crowd, maybe even Tory Voters. What a b-alls up with smart meters and those as usual making a fortune in the manufacture and installation and much more of a not fit for purpose product with many of them. All with them by 2012 is a distant memory, as is the penalty for the energy or transmission companies that never met the targets for having them installed.

I have a 2014 1.6 diesel SEL ESTATE 73500miles full history

Alternatively you could have it wrapped. Thinking about old Max Power days when people had their window surrounds to look like carbon fibre, and plenty of "chrome delete" options but there might be a more OE look on offer

Sounds like you are playing it safe by testing the right fog light on its own whilst on an unplugged pin. It would also be worthwhile repeating the same testing to the left fog light, to ensure it works. If they both work, then there shouldn't be any reason why the cable bridging would not work for both fogs.

Smart meters CAN help reduce your bills. These devices are what give access to the Time of Use tariffs offered by the suppliers nationally. I'm very keen to get a working smart meter as my average price per kWh would drop from around 20p on Octopus Tracker to 14 or 15p on Octopus Go (cheap rate midnight to 4am). The key is I have to be responsible for making use of the opportunities to save money afforded by a smart meter. In the same way it is up to me to reduce my consumption to save money and be more green. Last winter I turned down the flow temp in my boiler to increase efficiency through greater use of condensing mode, my tank of oil lasted an extra two months. Savings through my actions. This year I'm installing more loft insulation and even though my house is well insulated, I'll still see improvement.

https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/12/2021-audi-sq5-sportback-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2022/01/2021-cupra-formentor-vz-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2022/02/2021-toyota-highlander-gxl-hybrid-hybrid-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2022/02/2021-hyundai-palisade-limited-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2022/03/2022-mini-john-cooper-works-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2022/05/2022-skoda-kodiaq-style-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2022/06/2022-audi-rs3-sportback-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2023/09/2023-toyota-hilux-sr5-cruiser-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2023/09/2023-toyota-gr86-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2023/10/2023-toyota-gr-supra-car-review/

Catch up: https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2020/07/2020-mazda-cx-30-gsx-car-review-goldilocks-zone/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2020/09/2020-skoda-kamiq-monte-carlo-car-review-all-the-car-you-need/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/06/2021-mg-zs-ev-car-review-entry-level-ev/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/08/2021-volkswagen-golf-tsi-r-line-car-review-the-peoples-car-evolved/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/10/2021-hyundai-kona-2-0-elite-car-review-solid-all-rounder/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/11/2021-honda-jazz-crosstar-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/12/2021-audi-s3-sportback-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/12/ford-escape-st-line-x-phev-hybrid-car-review/ https://www.drivelife.co.nz/2021/12/2021-hyundai-tucson-crdi-limited-car-review/

Old thread but for info. I am pretty sure that you were talking about an alternate design of tensioner ( also like the Gates one for the Yeti 2.0 tdi ) that does not have a locating tab that engages with the recess in the head, as the original Litens tensioner had. These alternate designs appear to rotate endlessly but I think they work once they contact the timing belt and then they hold their position and can be tensioned up against the belt. And I believe they do have a spring inside - the Gates one certainly does.

You really must start asking yourself whether something you have read (or imagined) is plausible before repeating it. That sort of nonsense was rife in France and dissimulated by EDF/Energis who had a vested interest, 99.99% of the people here swallow it which equates to the in most cases forced take up of the Linky meters, I am one of the 0.01% and have yet to meet another, they tried all sorts, frequently doorstepping me and trotting out the ridiculous to me line which works with 99.99% of French people "you are the only one not converted in the area" expecting me to be ashamed. There were also lots of false stories printed that those who had not converted would be charged hundreds of Euros a year for meter reading as the government had allowed a law change. In fact all that happened was that if I do not inform them of my meter reading then I will be charged €8 every 2 months until I do so. Even that cannot happen in practice because the contract I have with them (I will not sign another) obliges them to tke a meter reading every 12 months not me, I paid an awfull lot of money to supply and install 8 EDF approved latest generation meters in 2013 including the comms cabling to the outside remote reading pastille which is now redundant together with their meter readers. Why the heavy hand? Well its just scare stories but the reason behind them is that once a smart meter is fitted they can remotely cut off your supply or restrict it to 3kw or even 1kw when it suits them, they will of course lobby for the law changes giving them the powers to do so, I guarantee you that it will be declared to be for reducing CO2 or whatever the mantra of the day is then.

One does not have to permanently mount either the solar panels or batteries which hold cheap electricity from off peak grid supply or that from solar panels. One just takes the array and the batteries with one when one moves. Example of solar array, a sol tracking one and a battery which has solar as well as grid input and an inverter capable of powering home appliances. Allpowers, Bluetti and Ecoflow are common choice and can be had for under a grand and will save about a £1 a day and they will work for a decade giving near original capacity. They can be daisy chained to supply many GWh of power, enough to supply the house's major appliance through the day and then be recharged again at night on the cheap lecky. Some people carry them in the car as emergency charge ie Bjorn Nyland in his EV drive the vehicle until it dies tests.

@Graham Butcherwhere have you read this, and when are these going to be mandatory? This type of story telling is a real issue. @Leemaybe has a clip with Colin from Portsmouth saying much the same.

Some really good trips away this summer. Not all of them dry, but we had fun anyhow.

There is a place called DSG Paddles which supply aftermarket DSG knobs, one of which looks quite good. Or, get one from another model.

There are a lot of modified vehicles in the UK with oversize tyres that have had a SVA or IVA and MOT,s and that are insured and funnily the 10% tolerance is a figment of some internet imagination. There is Type Approval (Edit typo) & C&U, and there is also declaring Modifications with insurers & also having a speedo calibrated. Maybe not common among those with a Karoq though.

I guess it's to meet the new emissions standards with minimal changes to the existing engine... Maybe readying a 300PS vRS for later in the line-up? (Rofl)

What law is that and what is the tolerance please?

If you owned one of the single horn vehicles like mine you would realise just how pathetic the horn sounds, it really is an embarrasment, it sounds like something a toddler would have on a tricycle. I never want to use mine, sometimes I do so instinctively and then curl up with embarrassment, I want to hide!!!!!

No, you need one rated to 507 00.

https://mib-helper.com/

Hi, A quick update. I've collected 2 gallons of old engine oil this afternoon; when I asked how much I owed it was free of charge in fact the guy was glad to get rid of it because it now costs to dispose of old oil; I can have as much as I like but this mixed with diesel at 50/50 will last years for the fences I want to treat; usually I brush it on taking ages this time I'll use a spray gun. This is a bespoke fence I made about twenty years ago when I installed the new pathway; it's made to suit the slope and made from treated roof tiling battens costing very little indeed other than thought to design and time to make; each panel is secured by four hex head 75mm long turbo screws enabling the panels to be removed allowing a proper treatment. The fence still looks like new because I treat it every three years or so. These panels cannot be bought; the acorn finials are wood-turned from the post top offcuts with oak capping blocks. Just adding this for interest. I never want anything for nothing so I took along a box of chocs on the back seat of the car which were welcomed as I handed them over. Kind regards, Colin.

It won't be G12, that's ancient. Most likely G13 or G12evo from factory, I'd use G12evo to top up as it's the newer tech and compatible with G13.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10170208-0001.pdf Will tell you what you need to know, G13 would be in the car. But most will top up with G12, G13, G12evo nowadays.