Leaderboard

@Graham Butcher I agree about all the tech on modern cars being a nightmare -modules, radars, sensors and cameras etc whether EV or ICE. Unfortunately I believe one of the main uses for cobalt other than in batteries is in refining oil and producing hardened drills for oil rigs…. I think as the government are pushing manufacturers to build ev vehicles they should be supporting the car repair industry with incentives to train technicians and get equipment to make it less risky for people to own used EVs as they become more available. Edit : Just to add Ive spent just over £1000 on maintenance for my Superb over the last 40k miles - 4 x oil & filters, spark plugs, rear discs and pads account for 60% of that which an equivalent EV wouldn’t have needed (and I saved £250 over dealer price by doing the discs and pads myself).

Waste of money, sadly.

^^^ "ordinary people." We really are talking lots of tripe now to prove some point or another. Lets talk washing machine and driers, microwaves, computers, mobile / smart phones and 'Jarvis Cocker'. Common people / Ordinary people. Somebody must know the scrappage numbers of EV,s from failures other than accidental damage ones. Drivetrain / component failures, or maybe they are just assuming that there are however many. Most people if we are talking a majority can not fix an ICE vehicle regardless of the age / generation on them.

Quite right, and to add insult to injury, these parts are also hidden away in sealed cases and also in inaccessible locations and the sealed units are many and nondescript and are not even available to the ordinary person, only authorised dealers, who also do not have the skilled staff to even understand which parts do what and if they will even attempt to repair the car, they go through a trail and error of swapping parts, of which all parts are chargeable. Even if they don't cure the problem which can cost thousands of £ and the upshot of it all is, that the actual failed part, if you could pin point it and replace it, could be a simple SMD resistor or a capacitor costing just pence, and a modern car has thousands of such electronic parts.

This is irrelevant very few electronic things break so early in their life, it is a complete red herring being chucked into the discussion because you all seem to be under the impression that I'm bashing EVs here when I'm not. I'm bashing all the tech that goes into all modern cars regardless of their propulsion system. But it is still a fact however that all EVs do is to swap mechanical complexity for more electronic and software complexity. For instance, there are not 7100+ parts of an ICE engine, but there that number of battery cells in a Telsa model S battery pack, plus all the other parts required to keep it at the right temperature, balance the cell voltages etc which is still only technically the same item in essance as a fuel tank, is it not?

Changed the rear pads and Discs today with no problems using Vaws 3.0 to put parking brake into service mode.

Plus the costs for in-production white goods are scary too - recently my Bosch tumble dryer refused to work showing an error code that required a new control board. Cost? - £350!!! As a retired electronics engineer I asked the repair technician to leave the replaced control board with me so I could investigate. The failed component? - a £0.50 relay...

Having owned an EV and then moved back to an ICE I’ve ended up with an interesting perspective on this whole debate. I had issues with a couple of scenarios where I couldn’t find a working fast charger or had to wait ages, when I didn’t have the time, to get on one. The repair infrastructure - at least for Skoda - clearly wasn’t there, my car needed battery cell replacement under recall but the dealer couldn’t do it and would need to send it to some VW ev centre. Then the electricity prices went up but bizarrely at the time the value of my car had gone up so I sold it for more than I’d paid for it. Easily the best car I’ve ever had as it did nearly 30k miles and cost absolutely zero in maintenance costs. There’s no doubt that since then the charging infrastructure has improved - I see them all over the country. People I know keep telling me how crap EVs are and quote all the stuff about battery fires, degradation, children being forced down mines to get cobalt etc etc. I now find myself constantly disagreeing with these people, some of whom are good friends but have swallowed the whole anti ev dialogue. I’m at the point now where I actually want to get another ev just to annoy the anti ev people.

Electronics might not have macro moving components but to describe them as inert is a total misunderstanding - they generate heat, require mechanical mountings (solder, circuit boards, etc.), need connectors subject to heat and corrosion, etc. Most people cannot repair, or even diagnose, faulty electronics and that will be the cause of most EVs being scrapped even when their mechanical components and bodywork are still in good working order.

So is Sportage, Ateca, Kuga, Kamiq, Tucson, Countryman, CX30 & Cupra Formentor among the SUVs, small to large. The test score was about halfway down the rankings, Kamiq lowest in the list of recommeneded cars. Cars had to have at least 3 blobs out of 4 reliability rating up to 4 years old and a sufficiently large sample base - delving into the detailed reviews on the internet the Karoq had over 200 responses but that included cars over 4yrs old. The Karoq wasn't among the best in this regard, though I've had no problems to speak of in my 6yr old 1.0 TSI DSG. They did have some concerns about the ride (1.5 model) but wheel size not mentioned. The latest VAG diesel engines are said to be a bit too noisy too, but note road and wind noise are decribed as modest. 'Which' do say some daft things though, commenting that the economy was disappointing when compared with a much newer model Golf - what do they expect. It seems average amongst it's SUV peers. I note that the Kuga was said to have a rather hard ride. The Karoq is described as a large SUV whereas in a further article on EVs it describes the Elroq as a small EV SUV - I'm pretty sure it's larger than the Karoq - another annoying example of 'Which' inconsistencies - why do I still subscribe????? They do like the Elroq very much though, at £30,000 starting price, it's 2nd from the top behind a £90,000 Merc EQS. I was interested to read what they thought of the ride, which they liked, but it seems they tried one with DCC. Reviews elsewhere generally seem to say the car without DCC has a rather hard ride. They had praised the Karoq for visibilty but not so much the Elroq. I sat in an Elroq when my car was being serviced last week and it does have a very attractive interior and exterior - to my mind looks better than the Enyaq. I also much prefer the new front end styling to the rather awkward looking front of the original Enyaq (and all Skodas of that era frankly, including the newer Karoqs). The Enyaq is still pretty high up in this Which EV comparison list mind you. Finally just to mention an item that appeared on BBC breakfast TV yesterday. Nature bites back -Someone with a VW campervan has had her car engine bay attacked by rats twice. Apparently the cause is VWs well intentioned aim to reduce the amount of plastics and use more natural materials, but the soya base top cating of wiring and tubes seems to be attractive to rodents. This incident isn't a one off case either. I wonder if my 2019 Karoq uses such materials - so far no problem, but we get plenty of rodents of all shapes & sizes round our way, opposite Epping Forest.

Are smart phones or laptops unproven technology? Are high power motors unproven technology? EV are just those two added together. There's absolutely nothing special and nothing new about EV's.

The manufacturers are listening are they not. Stopping building the factories, stopping building components and building EV.s. Giving up on them. They are going back to building diesel cars because arm chair experts think they should. The government agree with this obviously. Drill baby drill!

Or just buy a 32gb Vag card of Ebay. Any Vag card, VW, Skoda or Seat from a reliable seller. The original older 32gb you might find cheaper. Saves the hassle.

Said like a true EV denier. Then what does this have anything to do with truth about EV's? Exactly, all pure speculation with zero knowledge. (case in point, BMS per bank!?)

Surely an issue for those buying new or used EV,s or electrified vehicles as keepers, and those leasing / renting new and handing back could really not care less about 5-15 years on. There are those that have owned EV,s now for a few years and even still have them and have bought another or 2. It is really unreal how people bother about what others have and they are not going to be having to drive or buy if they do not want to. Like older drivers, or drivers that are not buying new cars anytime in the next decade.

Just be wary of matte/semi gloss paints - they tend to mark very easily are are not the same as the stuff they use on military trucks.

@Graham Butcher @lol-lol Short of dropping it far enough to break one of the 3 moving parts, what even can go wrong with this ?

Just couldn't help yourself then, I had already agreed about the mechanical components, but it is all the really complex control, electronics and software that makes EVs overall way more complicated then an ICE. That is one reason why there is a shortage of skilled people to work on them beyond doing the simple things like normal servicing. Most normal people can actually see a problem with something mechanical, and with the right tools could more than likely also fix it, can you see faults with electronics, software, etc? Yes there is a certain amount of those elements in modern ICE vehicles, but go back a few years there was none of those things was there? Look at the classic vehicles at rallies etc that are still to this day usable and could be everyday drivers and are are the most part, cared for by their owners. The same thing will not be happening with EVs in the future and if you want a even more clear illustration, take a mechanical calculator and an modern day electronic one.

I've not had an issue with misting but I drive with AC on all the time, summer or winter. Stop/start I hate but it is a habit now to simply press the button, on starting the car, to deactivate it. Lane assist does not bother me that much and, sometimes feel, it has made me a bit better driver as the way to control it is make certain that you indicate before changing lanes. Not a bad thing, in that. In two years I haven't had any instances of it pulling me off course as some drivers have reported. As for satnav, I use google maps through Android Auto on my phone and have no issues. Always up to date without any subscriptions. Don't like not having a spare wheel so got one of those as soon as I got the car for peace of mind. I sometimes think the comfortable ride is down to my model having the 15" wheels. Anyway ... all just my opinion.

Thank you!! Very much. From the pictures, the box is not farm from the ignition lock. Interresting page - will save that one. Didnt know Etka was online, for free.... The key has been found. He had left it in his daily rider.....

We are underwhelmed with our 23 reg Fabia 4 mc. The problem is knowing whether there is better out there if you have to get a petrol engined car. Expert reviews were so positive and I did plenty of research. As someone who has bought few cars I expected amazing progress after a 2002 Peugeot 307 diesel bought new. The Fabia looks great has plenty of interior space and is far better geared compared to the Peugeot when it comes to crawling around at 30mph and less in heavy traffic. The mph is great on a long journey but we are getting about 37mph for our predominantly urban driving albeit with far fewer gear changes than we expected. We couldn't care less about in car entertainment and use a Garmin sat nav. I was miffed that we couldn't get built in sat nav as an option but having been reading posts on the forum for some time I reckon that turned out to be a plus. It's the electronic aids and software that are our biggest complaint. The start-stop feature may be useful as an indicator of battery level. It doesn't work when the battery level is low. The reversing camera and sensors are great but stuff like lane assist is infuriating. So far it has been an absolute pain when starting off in cold damp conditions not because of starting issues but because of the windscreen misting up. It's by far the worst car we've had in that respect. What would have been a better choice than the Fabia 4 I don't know but I'd suggest looking closely at a Ford. The Fabia is a lovely drive in ideal conditions though and I was able to spec a spare wheel. I think anyone who believes the Skoda hype about "simply clever" features is in for a reality check.

I think you're referring to the old MK1 Scout (no MK2 in UK... yet). I have the Sportline 2.0 TSI, thus: Mudflaps not standard, but the dealer kindly threw them in free as part of the deal. Underbody guard not standard on mine either; however, interior mats were standard. Mine doesn't have remote park assist and didn't want it anyway. I have the Convenience Plus Pack with: Canton Sound (it's great!), skinny spare wheel, electric/memory passenger seat, & virtual tailgate pedal. I don't have the variable boot floor as it's taken up with seats 6/7 and the spare wheel. I also have the Light Pack and Winter Pack. More or less fully loaded apart from panoramic roof (which I would never have again, due to leaks and cracks from hailstones). Specs appear to vary between countries (I'm UK), so head off to your local dealer and see what they say. I also recommend an extended unattended test drive if possible. I had a demo for 24hrs.

I am away without my car. I will let you know when I return, but I have no official recall notice.

I got the '23 SE Comfort DSG model from new and love it apart from one thing. If you search my profile you should see some reviews I made when new, at 6 months and at 1 year, I think. Anyway, in a snapshot .... I find it to be an impressive car. Size and comfort suit me really well. The drive is wonderful with plenty of speed and power when you need it. The DSG auto box is an absolute dream. Fuel economy, for a small engine automatic, is impressive (I go by the in car computer reading) and regularly gives in the 40's around town but comes into its own on a long journey. Last month I had a 3 day trip around some Scottish castles in the Aberdeen area covering 600 miles which returned an impressive reading of 58 MPG. The only thing I truly hate about this car is the infotainment set-up. This is my own personal opinion and, I know, is different to most. I'm an old-timer who loves having CD's to play and would trade most other things about this system to have a CD player installed. I don't stream music from a phone so put a lot of my CD collection on memory sticks to plug in but it always messes them up. Won't play anything without putting it in alphabetical order. Anyway. That is my only issue. Enjoy your car and let us know how you get on with it.

Hyundai follow Leap Motors and other Far East EV makers slash prices..... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/hyundai/367436/hyundai-slashes-prices-across-its-entire-ev-range&ved=2ahUKEwisyv6R_tyOAxUuYEEAHV7RAvoQFnoECDMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3j4R0fgAsTg4XhNBVW9RE3

Vast majority of EV components are inert. Don't reciprocate, don't require their lubrication pressurised, warm up to work best changed on a regular basis along with the oil filter. No air filter changes either. ICE reciorocating engines are a 19th century idea that hung about way too longer. Would have liked to see the vvankel engine take over about 50 years ago. Worked with Norton a bit when I worked for Piper. Would still love and RX7 or RX8 and I think there was an Audi, well it wa NSU that Audi integrated into itself. ICE is stagnating, only existing in the near future with EV ech providing a crutch for its existence in production over the next few months and then oblivion. Maybe a sliver of hope with hydrogen power in cerrtain specialist applications, trains, truck to remote areas etc.

Had the same issue with my recently acquired 2016 diesel vRS with 144,000 miles. DPF warning light came on when trundling in traffic on a very hot day. Fault cleared by my friendly garage - showed as "Intermittent DPF Pressure Sensor". Fault cleared and OK for a few days then, Same fault cleared by garage but was shown a Hella sensor on the "upstream" side and the original Bosch one on the downstream side. Advised that they both ideally should be changed so booked car in. Incidentally, I was told by a friend who followed me one day at this point that there was quite a lot of blue smoke from the exhaust. Before the work could be done the curly glow plug light started to flash with the original DPF warning light again and car was in limp mode. Got the car back after two days restored to health. The garage told me it had recently had a new turbo fitted but the folk who did that work for a previous owner in Newcastle ignored a number of other faults including the almost choked DPF and an exhaust gas temp sensor that was almost burned away to nothing. They must have also reset the DPF "electrickery" to zero which meant it would not regen on its own. Anyway, two new Bosch DPF pressure sensors, a new EGT sensor and a forced regen later the DPF is now down to 4.3 gms soot (from 49 + gms); all the lights are out and it goes like a train with no smoke from the exhaust. My advice to DaveyK would be to look for your local BOSCH specialist garage (who may specialise in VAG cars as ours in Sevenoaks does); they should be able to sort you out.

Thanks Nick. Took it out on the Motorway yesterday. It is fine now. Happy weekend!

Nice. I am always trying to chase my personal best of 400 miles at the halfway point (from August 2019; hot weather, recent service, unladen) and finally did it again last week! It's the European (German in this case) diesel; I swear it goes further.

This earlier forum discussion may be of interest I could happily lose many of my 2024 Fabia's electronic 'selling points' (and I'd prefer the simplified air-con system that I think your 2023 Colour model may have). However, those are personal preferences and other owners may think the opposite. Otherwise, I'm happy with my car and prefer it to the 2021 Hyundai i20 it replaced. It drives and corners well, stops well, is comfortable, well made, is economical fuel-wise and its automatic transmission generally operates seamlessly. Forum criticisms need to be treated with care - if a car's owner has had problems that have not been addressed to their satisfaction, they will complain loudly on-line, but few owners will bother to proactively post on a forum that they are pleased with their vehicle. You've test driven the car, liked it and (presumably) the price is OK. If you can cancel the deal and get your deposit back, that's an option, but, if you do, what would you get instead?

It's about the dumbest video i have seen. Blade Its a form factor not a chemistry. Blade means the battery pack can be shaped in to shaped which allow more flexible positioning off the battery pack. BYD have been using LFP and even going down the road LFP very early as well as lead private battery company in the world as CATL I believe is part or wholly Chinese government owed. Still not aware of anything other than EVs being about a tenth as likely to go up in flames than ICE cars and with the above moves away from NMC to LMP and other safer battery chemistry the gap is only going to get wider.

It fascinates me that we have somebody who knows, or has bothered to find out, why you need to code in a new battery having to constantly repeat the fact you need to code in a new battery. It is true that back in the stone age charging systems were a little more crude than they are today, hence why the car did not need to know (could not be told) it had a new battery. When I was young I'd happily slap any old battery I could find into my old clunker to keep it going. Sadly those days are gone and now the cars electronics control everything and need to know about battery replacement as they'll then compensate for the fact as has been explained above.

First plug in OBDEleven or VCDS and see if any errors come up. The window switch panel can b replaced, if necessary, assuming that is the problem.

Yeah, I'd seen that summary. I wonder has the firmware been corrupted. The battery has been replaced at some stage, it's somewhere between 18 months and 4 years at a guess. Currently there is a Halfords battery. Hence my assumption. I'm hoping it was the voltage drop in the battery that may have caused the glitch. I've yet to see the fault since, and had no visual fault.

Thanks @travs, I haven't done the reset with holding the power button... I will give that a go - is that like a hard power cycle? I'm at the stage now where I can't really legitimately spend any more time on this for a couple of days - so a guest user (correctly configured) and wired android auto is going to have to do for now! Just curious - does anyone know what network the esim uses in the UK, or if it can be accessed to be changed? Presumably Skoda thought that 3g would be around forever... Oh - and I got in touch with the main skoda dealer - they quoted me £180 +VAT to investigate the issue... Thanks for all your help, I will try some more bits later in the week hopefully! G

335mls on half a tank of diesel

Mrs L didn't get on with the driver position in the Elroq compared to the Karoq and certainly preferred the more traditional interior of the Karoq to the iPad focussed approach in the Elroq. £30000 is an interesting marketing ploy but to get one with equivalent range (something the Elroq is advertising itself as) and with the same bells & whistles as our new Karoq Sportline would have taken us well over the £40k 'luxury' car tax bracket. All in all, I'm really happy with the Karoq & hope I'm still saying that in a few years time 🤞

It does seem strange. Previously our XC40 was the same so we sort of got used to it. On the theme of getting used to it, when we took the Elroq in the get the towbar fitted, they gave us a Seat Arona. It had a noisy, smelly engine thing in the front and an old fashioned DSG lever between the seats. It was a long journey home as most cars we couldn't catch and the one we did catch we daren't overtake as we didn't have 3 miles of clear road in front. To add insult to injury, we had to put petrol in it before taking it back. I guess the point I'm making is that some things are easier to get used to than others🤣🤣

I pick up our 85 Edition on Wednesday 🤞it’s felt like a very long three months…

I had a Network Error when I first downloaded maps - but in Chrome downloads there is an option to resume - I think the PC went to sleep and that interrupted it. Nuts about the Skoda Connect though. I think I did it all at the same time when I first had the car and that was on v278 so never needed to set it up on later versions.

You have software version 324. I never spent any time on it. Basically since 2021 its been: 278 (awful and nothing worked) - 306 - 308 - 324 - 330 - 332. 308 was needed to update after (i.e. you couldn't go from 306 to 330) but you could skip after that. I went 306 - 308 - 330. Painlessly done. Go to this link: Travs' mega.nz site and there is v332 in there. Its safe (there are a couple on here) its just a free ftp site for file downloads. Download and unpack v332 into the root of a usb drive and extract it - there should be 2 folders, DATA and META (I think from memory but don't worry if I've got that wrong). The files will be about 4 or 5Gb so an 8gb stick it fine. Plug it into the car, turn the ignition on, after the MIB has turned on, press and hold Menu button until the MIB reboots into Engineering mode (black screen, red writing) and there should be options there to update - all touch screen still. Some options need a 2nd touch (1 to select, 1 to confirm) and then it should just go through the update itself. Navigation: I see you also have 22.6 navigation data which is old (2022 Month 6 I think is the date format). Go to this thread: here and you should have a link to 2025.02 (25.2). This is where you'll need a 64Gb usb stick as the data is marginally too big to fit on a 32Gb. For this, you just plug it in and leave it to update when the car is on; don't sit there and wait for it as there is no progress bar or procedure. It will take a while to update (its a lot of data) and will pick up where it leaves off as you use the car or park up. Personally, I'd suggest whichever USB port you don't use, get a stick for that and then plug it and leave it. Periodically look back at the software page to see if the version has changed and that's when you know you're done. This is the procedure as they are usually subscription based OTA (over the airwaves) updates which happen silently in the background. Ok I think that's everything - report back if you have any problems...or if its sorted! Oh - radio database don't bother with. Its the thumbnails pics for all the radio statiosn. I've tried everything and nothing seems to work. Save your time on that one.

Using Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6. The tyre pressure was on the recommended figures. Double checked to make sure, after the first tracking; since it almost felt like the tyre pressure was too high, but it was the toe.

Makes sense - almost all posts with electrical gremlins are in the majority battery running out, or more mechanical are wheel speed sensor packing up.

Well my 2024 Monte Carlo rear vents certainly aren’t just for decoration and work faultlessly without other vents being closed or fan on max. Climate control on mine always set to auto, ac on and temp set to 20°C all day every day summer and winter.

The code is: 1H0953257B https://webautocats.com/etka/skoda/fel/101/953600/ To buy it as new the price is astronomical ! 😲

The code on the module helps? In the other end of the ring isn't the modul attached?

That’s a really detailed breakdown appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I’ve had similar experiences comparing small and midsize SUVs lately. The Karoq definitely offers solid visibility and comfort, though I’ve also found that the ride can feel a bit stiff depending on the trim and wheel size. I agree that reviews can be inconsistent, especially when comparing older models to the latest releases. The Elroq does seem promising with its updated design and ride quality (especially with DCC), but like you, I’m curious how the standard suspension performs. And yes, the front end design looks far more refined now. Interesting point about the soy-based materials attracting rodents that's something manufacturers really need to address across the board. Your experience with the 1.0 TSI DSG is encouraging though nice to hear it’s held up well over 6 years!

u should try doing a Search or having a look in the Superb Guides section - u'll b surprised wat u find. How-to Guide for MIB Firmware Update - Skoda Superb Guides - BRISKODA

I've had my Mk4 Fabia Colour edition for just over a year now - it was 6 months old when I bought it. Can't fault it for reliability. Have had no problems - save for an intermittent tiny squeaky noise coming from the dashboard which I cured myself and the handbrake needs adjusting slightly which will be done on the next service. Excellent fuel consumption and quiet comfortable ride. Some reviews say the interior is not quite so luxurious as other cars - I personally have no complaints about that.

I found the issue, I was a bit too panicked, it was just a broken wire in the wire loom connecting the boot latch with the body of the cars. I found several other wires that had their insulation broken. Luckily spotted in time. Hopefully helped somebody.