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Sold my R5 so on the camera phone for now. A few shots from the past few weeks.

Sky cleared after a deluge earlier......

Thanks so much for the recommendations and apologies for the delay in acknowledging. I ended up trying MAD Motors in Santry and was really impressed. They were fantastic and i got the matrix, flush, timing belt and water pump done for just over 2/3 of what Skoda quoted me for just the matrix replacement. Am raging at that particular Skoda agent, that is an absolute disgrace. I am never going back to them. As for MAD Motors, I'm recommending them to everyone!

Well you've got some nifty multimeters, or a good mate to lend them to you. You cam read up a lot and pick up a lot but the basics still apply and they're pretty straightforward and simple, if you think of the battery purely as a store, or a simple bank account, you can't take out more than is put in, you can only spend the money once and then it needs replacing if you want to spend more. If you want more info, details, and fact sheets, links, on batteries and VW's system PM me. There no trouble with learning for the first time absolutely everyone has to, but some of us struggle to retain or remember what we've learnt, and relearnt. 😄 I only learnt about VW's battery 'coding' stuff when I got a new battery for my wife's Fabia Mk3, all PITA stuff to me. Don't worry about battery serial numbers and battery make that was just for VW's sake and often the factory hasn't bother with the serial number just put a string of ones (1111111111) and all you need do is increase that number by one (1111111112). Also you need to change the battery type from EFB to fleece (VW for AGM) and alter to 70 (Ah). As with all computer data input or 'coding' be very careful to check what you've typed and double-check it before committing to the program. See the example for my wife's car done by a Briskoda member on his OBDEleven. The battery manufacturer was a three letter code but you can just leave it as before. AFAIK Bosch is a Varta so I and you could put in "VAO" AFAIL VW's code for Varta (but mine has been fine left with "Bosch"). You might get the previous battery back for useful use, be interesting to see, as I put the secret is time and patience (which many don't posses, one or both) go as low (amps) slow and long (many hours or day or days) as you can, always fully charge the battery even if it means doing it in a couple of stages if you don't have time or need use of the car.

You can do various load tests but real life use of the battery on the car is proper conformation for me. The car battery is one of the most oversold car parts, in the UK at least, with premature, often distress, replacement when very often using an appropriate battery charger maintainer would have put off the replacement purchase for a very long time. Battery issues is also the number one reason for breakdown call outs in the UK (January 2nd being the busiest for those) the majority of times the problem could have been avoided by preventative use of an appropriate charger maintainer which would also extended the usual life of the battery and if done when required more regularly extend the battery life by years. As the post 2021 cars age there will be more need for appropriate charger maintainer or simply more premature replacement batteries sold. RAC must make a killing out of them judging by how quickly they tell their customers they need a new battery and how much they charge for them, even a mate bought a replacement battery after calling them out, battery not from them as they were so high priced, I took his previous battery away and it charged up well and held charge so I returned it to him to use as a 12v power supply in the garage for radio and tools. He learnt his lesson then and takes more care of the batteries of his small fleet.

A quick play with a spreadsheet shows about 19p/m for petrol and 14p/m for diesel*. In my experience you can knock a couple of mpg off for DPF so that adds 0.5p/m. The difference is there and you can gain bring the costs down if you can raise the petrol mpg to 40 which brings it to 16.5p/m. These are all based on average fuel prices published by RAC. You may find cheaper fuel in your area. * assuming average mpg of 35 and 50. Fuel prices at 145ppl/153ppl, petrol/diesel.

Very similar build-up scenario to my knackered battery last October, using the CTEK to try and save it etc. but it finally died with a now dead cell when we were away in Ireland. Fortunately the RAC came out over the border and replaced my original 2016 OE MOLL EFB with an RAC branded Varta AGM. Thank gawd I had battery cover.

Whilst i don't have a problem with ulez zones in principal, people outside of an ulez zone have a choice whether to continue giving the businesses in them their custom and if they do wish to enter they could use public transport. But i don't think it reasonable to expect every existing resident in the zone to be able to instantly comply so vehicles registered to an address within the zone at the time of implementation should have been exempt. It would have been easy to do with the rules also stating that a subsequent non-compliant car could not be added.

@Graham Butcher What do you want, or others against the ULEZ, just to moan, or to just let their be more emissions or pollution in London?

I've done the same and revived "dead" car batteries. Some of the modern chargers (for 12v battery) won't even try at battery below 6v or 7.2V or 7.5v or even higher IIRC but you can get round that in the way you have and a couple more ways with these so called "smart" chargers (maintainers) to fool them into trying or get the battery to a point where they will try. An image oft t'net of the cheap plastic 30+-year old Bradex B4 I sometimes use, the needle gauge is very useful and I can tell within 2-10 minutes how low the battery actually is and looking at the needle again in 15-45 minutes later if it might take hours, overnight or day to charge.

Can't exactly recall the process but I thought you start the process on your car, with your email address which is then your Skoda ID. To complete the activation in the car you have to have both key fobs available and press the buttons as instructed to link your car to the Skoda ID / profile. If you don't get to the part with the key fobs and you just get "Please Wait" that's a bug in the system and often needs the dealer to sort out although some have reported disconnecting the battery, wait a few minutes, then re-connect can sort that issue out.

Do it, because you can check the status of your car easily with a smartphone app. The app has some useful information and features on it like fuel level (range), whether it's locked, even where you left the car if you're in a unfamiliar town.

The measurement was taken after 6 hours off the charger.

That open circuit voltage measurement tells you nothing about the internal resistance of the battery, the only meaningful test is a load test.

I sure am! It's pretty fishy that anything in Hansard (and thus UK-based) should talk in km/h for a start, but yeah, he's wrong. (Not just any MP, either, a member of the House of Lords)! The lowest speed that the ECE Reg 39 test is carried out at, is 40 km/h even at that speed, the noble lord's claim that manufacturers apply a tolerance of 5% + 10km/h, would put the vehicle out of compliance for both type approval and C&U. At a true 40 km/h it would display 52 km/h (which is above the maximum of 46.5 permitted by Reg 39). Either he was wrong, or there's a typo in Hansard and he meant 5% + 1 km/h. (Even then, he's wrong because all manufacturers don't apply the same tolerances in production. They can apply whatever they like, so long s they stay within the legal requirements!

Becoming the primary user should not mess up the Infotainment system and bring some advantages when run in parallel with the SDkoda App. I would be more concerned that the Infotainment system is running software version 1941, which you definitely should be. Personally, I would go ahead and activate thecar and your profile as the Primary user. Myself and my wife use specific car keys which, when you unlock the car with your set of keys, adjust seats/mirrors / Infotainment preferences to that specific driver.

Construction & Use is old UK-only legislation. Unlike type approval (which applies to the car "as manufactured", the C&U regs apply to the car "as used". In other words, if you buy a new car, the responsibility for speedometer accuracy rests with the manufacturer. However, you can go out and buy it a different sized set of wheels and tyres and by doing so, make the speedo inaccurate. Clearly, the manufacturer can't take responsibility for that, so it's down to you. That's why we need two sets of similar regulations. As you can see, C&U calls up the same ECE Reg 39 that I mentioned earlier. (It also gives the alternative option of complying with the old EC Directive, but that is no longer used these days by mainstream manufacturers and it's requirements for accuracy were exactly the same as in ECE Reg 39 anyway). However, I don't recognise the last bit about a production tolerance of 5%+10 km/h? That's definitely not true. It would be illegal for a start! At a true speed of (say) 20 km/h, the car's speedometer would read 21 km/h (5% of 20) Plus another 10 km/H = 31km/h! Whereas in fact, the type approval regulations would only allow a maximum of 10%+4 which would be 26 km/h at a true 20.

@linni did not say if the replacement Octavia driven last year was on the OEM tyres as it left the factory. I also drive cars that occasionally are 'Deadly accurate' as to the speedo and speee being done. They are not on the factory size tyres though.

If the electrical fault is permanent you need to replace the n428. Edit. And or check wiring. It won't really damage anything short term, that's probably why no mil is commanded. With the n428 not operating, I believe the default state is high or rather normal pressure mode. Not reduced pressure mode. That won't operate...

i dont know if this has been mentioned here already, and i thought i saved the video, but... ULEZ protesters have started putting bat boxes over the cameras genius... because any bat habitat is protected by law and you are not allowed to disturb them or move them, thus the cameras cannot be put back in service. Im sure theres a clause that does allow the removal in certain circumstances but those clauses tend to have a lot of hoops to jump through..

In answer to my own question, yes you can. I have just bought through Euro Car Parts an aftermarket headlight, make- Magneti Marelli. This seems to be a quality make, as this company supply headlights for new Italian cars. Picket it up today and fitting it in the next week or two. I decided to buy one now, as the indicator in the headlight showed up a fault on the dash. Strangely the fault light has gone, but it must be failing due to all that bloody water inside. Cost of headlight, £409. Better than the cost of a genuine one from VW, at well over £700.

@Stonekeeper Indeed, Peoples lungs will be the same though. Glasgow Council could not even get their own act together and have compliant vehicles leased or bought in time so that they did not need to hire ones. The issue is that people get incompetents running things, and they always will.

According to the Skoda parts catalogue, the Fabia MK1 uses the same master cylinder (OEM part number 6Q0611019Q) if it has anti-lock brakes and either 256x22mm or 288x25mm front brake discs. For example the below chart shows that a Fabia MK1 with build codes 1AN + 1LR would have the 6Q0611019Q master cylinder. Fabia MK1 with master cylinder 6Q0611019Q (20.64mm bore) has the following build codes 1AC, 1AN, 1AR, 1AT + 1LN, 1LP, 1LQ, 1LR, 1ZD or written another way... 1AC or 1AN or 1AR or 1AT plus 1LN or 1LP or 1LQ or 1LR or 1ZD Skoda parts catalogue https://www.lllparts.co.uk/catalogs/skoda/CZ/FAB/453/6/611/611010 The 256x22mm front brakes discs aren't the smallest front brake discs on the Fabia MK1 because there's also 239x18mm. Even now, the Fabia MK4, Scala, and Kamiq models are still using 256x22mm front brake discs on some models. If VAG felt they were underpowered they wouldn't still be using them. I suggest you first fit new OE quality front brake pads such as ATE and new front brake discs if they are badly worn.

And? Vote in a Tory Mayor and people can fill their lungs with what ever. You do not have a Vote for a London Mayor though do you? How is Vicky Ford MP doing in your region with getting pot holes filled and reducing congestion, maybe getting more EV public charging?

It is now after ULEZ and updating buses taxes has now halved the NOX.... https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/environment-and-climate-change-publications/air-quality-london-2016-2024 About the report Since 2016, London’s air quality has improved dramatically, and the number of Londoners living in areas that exceed the UK’s legal air pollution limits has decreased significantly. Drawing on data from London’s comprehensive monitoring network and the latest modelling from the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI), this report evaluates how air quality in London has improved between 2016 and 2024 and assesses the ambitious policies that have contributed to these changes. Improvements in monitored pollution levels Average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were much higher in London than the rest of the UK in 2016 – and yet have fallen much more steeply in London compared to the rest of the country. Annual average roadside NO2 concentrations across London dropped by nearly half (49 per cent) between 2016 and 2023, compared to 35 per cent in the rest of England, 39 per cent in Scotland and 31 per cent in Wales over the same period. Preliminary figures also indicate that average annual concentrations of NO2 in London dropped to the lowest levels ever recorded in 2023, lower even than the first year of COVID-19 lockdowns. 2023 was also the first year since records began when annual mean particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations did not exceed the latest interim World Health Organization (WHO) air quality target across London’s active air quality monitoring sites. New data from London’s more than 150 reference-grade air quality monitoring sites also show the capital has made significant progress towards reaching the UK’s legal air pollution limits. The number of monitoring sites across London exceeding the UK’s annual legal limit for NO2 has decreased from 56 sites in 2016 to just five in 2023. There has also been a 99 per cent reduction in the number of hours when NO2 concentrations exceeded the UK’s hourly legal limit since 2016 – dropping from 4,130 hours in 2016, to just 22 hours in 2023. Air Quality in London 2016-2024.pdf

My Renault Megane Scenic was and that was an 03 plate.

Just an update: When I asked for remote keys, all of the locksmiths told me the remote locking feature was not available on my car. Yesterday, I convinced one of the auto locksmiths to try the remote keys without touching the CCM. He managed to pair the remote key, cut a new blade, and programme the chip to start the engine. Thanks a lot @SashaGrace for sharing your experience.

Pushing the limits of my knowledge of speaker design (and indeed physics), when an enclosure is smaller, the electrical impedance of a speaker gets larger. I suspect if the foam is completely blocking it moving properly, the impedance is significantly higher still. Given all the crossover is passive, I would guess If the impedance of the woofer has increased, and the tweeter is the same, the voltage drop over the woofer will be comparatively larger than the tweeter, muting the tweeter further.

Thanks everyone, now sorted, contacted skoda digital services, they messaged me back. Yes it was my email & app password & the 2 keys.

I agree with your logic. Also even bends will make them slightly inaccurate according to some reports. ( i might check this driving round a roundabout 😂 ) if the system only places you to a point within 10metres, as you move you would be sort of jumping about a bit and it needs more than one satellite to find your position. So cannot be 100%. I rely on my speedometer and try to not go more than 10% above the speed limit.

£77 from autodoc.

Part numbers for all 2005 Fabia brake-related stuff can be found here, help yourself Tim: Car Parts Catalog - LLLParts

I wouldn't be driving to the UK and if I did and entered the ULEZ, where would they send the fine I've only ever driven into central London and what now constitutes the ULEZ once. I've always found it's far easier to travel to somewhere just outside the M25 and get the tube in.

for Petrol it's euro 4 which is 2005 Diesel would be euro 6 which is sept 2015 by the time most complied for registration time

I’m not saying that the voltage measurement is the way to go to asses if the battery’s life or condition is good or bad. Just saying that i noticed some difference in measurement after initial try of repair mode of the noco5 unit. I will agree that the load test is the proper way to tell if it’s good or bad. This will happen as soon I but the old battery in the car again as I stated in earlier post. Will see, maybe today.

My vehicle, 2015, by far the newest vehicle I have ever owned, non ULEZ compliant. Your 2015 blue Oxmoron, probably non compliant.

Those without ICE cars or the need to have food or goods delivered by ICE vehicles that live in the areas should have the right to clean air. That will be hardly anyone then. Those visiting on the odd occasion should maybe pay up and shut up. But then people like being rebels with a cause, even if they are not affected.

The regs I just quoted, (and posted a link to) a couple of posts above this one, you mean?🤣 Yeah, I know. (I type approve cars for a living)! The bit that was unusual, was linni's replacement Octavia speedometer being "deadly accurate". That's very rare. If a manufacturer makes a speedometer "deadly accurate" he runs the risk that one of them ends up under-reading by a tiny amount (which is not permitted under Reg 39). If the type approval authority that issued the approval catches him doing this, they can force a recall, withdraw his approval (so he can't register any more cars), and the European Commission can fine him up to €30,000 PER NON COMPLIANT CAR! So... When the type approval regulation tells you the speedo has to read anywhere between true speed and 10%+4 km/H ABOVE true speed, but under no circumstances ANY amount BELOW true speed... ...and you know the fines and penalties if they catch you having built a car outside of those limits... What would YOU do, if you were a car manufacturer?😉

The piston cooling jet regime is additional and has its own pressure switch in a different locatikn to detect operation. It can activate in either reduced or full pressure mode.

What specs are the cars? Putting that aside, I went from a MKI 140 and MKII 170 Superb Diesels to a MKIII 280TSI. I had the diesels as I was doing a 22k PA commute. If that hadn’t been the case I’d’ve had petrol engine types. I’m not sure how the 220 stacks-up against the 280 in terms of MPG, but I have a silly short commute of 5 miles round trip twice a day and I get a real world average of 24mpg. On the other hand, I’ve just done a drive to Liverpool, which was 198 miles and I’ve averaged 38.4, including 25 miles crawling on the M25 and in the contraflows on the M40/42. So that is probably 8-10mpg less than I used to get in the MKII but frankly, the two cars are like chalk and cheese. Personally, for 12k PA, I’d go for the petrol over the diesel.

@Giannis20 looking at your picture it seems possible, that foam, when pressed, is pressing against speaker suspension and impacts the sound. However that doesn't explain why you do not have enough treble, as this is coming from tweeters, that are not blocked by the foam (i assume ). Anyway try whatever you can, as really your experience is the opposite of my experience with Focal, so there must be something wrong. Even if they are not the best speakers out there, they are objectively way better than factory speakers.

Sometimes my infotainment catches some bug and sound goes bad. What helps is to reset focus in sound settings and bring it back to front seats, as I usually do. Who knows, maybe worth doing the same in your car, just to be sure?

Yep. I washed our two the other day for the first time this year. Not such an intensive process as yours, just a BH Touchless foam covering, jet rinse, then a wash with Autobrite Graphite infused shampoo (new to me), rinse & BH wheel cleaner. No drying necessary because I now have a pure water filter which works a treat & saves the arm ache of drying the cars by hand. I also find that a leaf blower also gets rid of the majority of water quite easily. Especially handy for my wife's taller Kona roof. Typing this reminds me I have to touch in & polish some scratches on my roof as well. However, even with the labour saving devices, I was still aching & stiff for a day after. Getting older sucks.

in the UK the speedo can over-read by 10%, most seem to be about 5%. By law the speedo must not under-read at all.

Flywheel un place with 25mm x1.0 ARP bolts torques to 70 FT lbs, friction disc and pressure plate to,checked if it releases, and it does.

All Seasons are fine for UK winter and probably better suited as full winters operate better in colder conditions, so All Seasons cover that gap between Winters and Summers. Newer ones also get alpine rating so okay for use in Europe in winter.

Put Conti AllSeason on in December 23. Such an improvement on the OE Pirelli P7’s in the dry and wet and, of course, in snow. They’ve covered about 6k and have no perceptible wear.

For those who didn't hardwired the dashcam, how did you plug it in? Or where did you placed it on the windshield? I find only weird responses myself for these because the base of the rearview mirror is wide to accommodate the sensors, so I can put the dashcam to the right or the left which is pretty much to the side not center. Under the mirror it doesn't work since the majority of dashcams are bigger/taller so it would stick out too much. After that, the only cigarette socket is under the armrest and the cable would be in the way, from the mirror to the armrest, not ok, not safe. What options did you guys found - except hardwiring it? I don't really want to since I don't want to have problems with the warranty, sometimes I don't try a whole week and the battery might deplete too much.

It's a well known problem so it should be relatively straightforward to quote for. I have no detailed knowledge of them but have noticed a lot of taxis advertising MAD Motors in Santry who advertise as VAG specialists. If they're used by taxi drivers, they're likely to be competitive on price so might be worth a call. There's also Mulligan's Garage on the other side of the city in Synge Lane - again no direct experience of them. A lot of people recommend Dalton's near Portlaoise but its a bit of a trek and while they've a good reputation and would likely be cheaper than a main dealership, they're not going to be rock bottom on price. It'd be worth phoning a couple of the above for a rough quote to compare with the main dealer. As far as costs are concerned, I've no idea but I know that it's labour-intensive and needs to be done properly as a lot of gunk can end up in the cooling circuit in the block itself. If it's a quick job done cheap, you'll likely end up with the same issue sooner rather than later. I've seen UK quotes of between £800 and £1200 so I'd assume something roughly similar here in Euros. You should push for a goodwill contribution from Skoda Ireland as it's a well known problem caused by a design flaw. The fact that you went to your dealer for servicing suggests that you may have a full Skoda service history which should be worth something in return.

Like many other forum members I have dynamic indicators fitted and a) they fit correctly, b) mine has passed 3 MOTs with them fitted and c) they also have the tell-tale in the mirror frame. Quite happy with mine thank you very much !