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so to put them in groups :- Fabia: Tom_vRS - fabia vRS VRStu - AMD or Regal - fabia vRS SkodaLover - fabia vRS walkie - Fabia vRS, mpopevrs - fabia vRS Decron Fabia VRS Matt_D - fabia vRS Flatfourburble - fabia vRS AvRS - fabia vRS ItsOnlyMe_vRS - fabia vRS Octavia mk1: Boyced - octavia vRS/golf Beretta Octavia vRS ncarring - octavia vRS Bengie - octavia 4x4 seandolan - octavia vRS Octavia mk2: Makefish - octaviaII vRS Superb: Baker21 - superb Other: Goochie - Nissan 350Z Spectators: Octygone. - superb right so thats the list as i see it, if anything changes or people want to be in then please add your/remove/move yourself in the above catagories this will be e-mailed to AMD by 3:30 so be quick boys and girls

:wavey: Hello Been a little bit busy lately. I decided to take my car to a local Company to see about a bonnet lifter, after so much hassle regarding lifters and the Fabia's inability to take one. Well, suffice to say, after some work this evening, there is NOW a true, one-off bonnet lifter kit available for the Fabia. Its still in slight R&D mode at the moment, but earlier this evening my car DID HAVE A WORKING BONNET LIFTER. :woohoo: Anyway, details are sketchy, as is the price in the end, as they've not been able to get a true idea yet, but I was pretty impressed with the appearance given the rough & ready work done. The classic reason why a bonnet lifter has never really worked with the Fabia is due to there being no space between the bonnet and wing when the bonnet shuts. This lifter uses space INSIDE the bonnet, i.e inside the rubber seal. A one-off bracket has been manufactured which positions the butt of the lifter exactly in the right spot, sort of alongside the battery case. Then on the bonnet the existing mount for the bonnet strut is used to attach to. Both ends having nuts with ball joints on the end, and the lifter clips on. The bracket uses 2 existing bolts to attach itself to the car, and is really easy to install. It is also really strong and provides a solid base for the lifter without causing damage to visible bits of the engine bay chassis. A press is being made too, as there's 2 lips to overcome where its mounted. However my "hammer induced" bracket was perfect for where it will sit. It provides what is in my opinion the perfect weight feeling of a bonnet lifter. You unclip the bonnet, and carry the weight until a good 2 foot in the air, then the weight drops, and it will sit in that position, then a gentle tap up and it lifts right to where the bonnet usually stands when the strut is used in the usual position. It does do the last bit up a little quck, but nothing that drastic. Once up it doesn't block access to the washer fluid cap either (does when closed, but that's irrelevant It also appears to provide a more solid bonnet, with it being less "flappy" and unstable with just the strut in (would be more reliable in strong winds, etc) So, WHO'S INTERESTED THEN? I feel quite chuffed to have got this developed - A show kit will be the next aim (once tried & tested on my car) Talk was made about using stainless steel, but really the mild steel used on the test kit looks OK, and there will be the option also of getting it colour coded to your car (as I knew it would look better in diamond silver on my test bit) The bracket remains 90% hidden when installed, with only the bit sticking out the butt of the lifter attaches to, which will look much better colour coded. The poll is mainly a guide as to the people who would like one. I would estimate the cost of a whole kit, including a brand new oem VAG lifter (actually a boot strut) to be around £50. Probably less though. Will be the bracket (painted), Lifter, Bolts, ball joints, 2 washers, and full pictorial guide as to how to fit (guess who'll be doing the guide ) This thread is to get views of people. Hopefully I can answer some questions, and get an idea of the sort of price. it does look good when installed - Got that o.e.m vag feel with the black strut (none of this stainless/chrome lark, although options being considered for other types of strut at the moment )

I'm in Jason, obviously as long as it's priced sensibly. The genuine strut is £12.71 Plus Vat ans the Mounting balls are £2.66 Plus Vat. When I have more time later I'll look up some info on the Polo bonnet ones if that helps.

Was a little worried, Ive heard about how you canadians look after your submarines

People often forget that cosmetic testing is already illegal in this country, but only since Labour made it so in 1998. So any debate on animal testing is always about medical testing. I'm for animal testing, against fox hunting* and against fur where it means stitching together 500 gassed chinchillas to make a coat - leather, suede, sheepskin coats (Riiickyyyyyyyy - leave it aht ) are all fine by me. *not because of its cruelty but because it appears to have been the preserve of toffs and bumpkins who proudly believe it's their right to break the law on one hand while simultaneously calling for the imprisonment of any immigrant suspected of being entitled to Job Seekers' Allowance. And it's astoundingly shandy as well, to have dozens of armed people on horses and quad-bikes and 100's dogs all chasing after a small animal. If I were to start 'cat hunting' in my street that would presumably (:rubchin: not sure) be illegal too but I wouldn't try to style myself as the Great White Hunter as a result - not exactly 'Aliens vs Predator' is it?

Hi Difficult one this. The need to test medicens on animals is hotly debated and personally, I believe that valid experiments for the furtherment of medical advancement can be and are performed to our benefit. Many people who vehemently disagree with this will happily go down to the supermarket and buy factory reared chickens, oblivious to the suffering inflicted in the production of their food so they can have it cheap. You then get the more switched on protestor type who is a bit more aware, but with these people, it is often difficult to seperate their dislike of corporate wealth generation from their moral levels. Drug companies and their employees make an easy to justify target for this group. Then comes the hard core type that has a fanatical beleif that their view is the only valid one. These people will deny others a viewpoint and a right to carry out their work. Will often cause injury and misery to those carrying out this work. Where the industry could do itself a favour is in regulating what is permitted. The repeated testing of combinations of vanity products for product licencing in various countries is something I believe we no longer need. These industries have got all the materials they need. They may want more, but they dont need them. Nor do the consumers that buy the products. On the other hand, the use of animals for testing to validate or assist medical advancement is something I personally beleive should continue where valid. Ultimately, we dont care much for animals in our society. You only need to look at the percentage of cheap intensively produced food on our supermarket shelves to see this. I always buy free range meats and poultry and avoid processed foods where the origins of the meats cannot be known. Eggs are only bought from the guy down the road whose small number of magnificent looking hens I see wandering around the big grassy yard when I go up and get the eggs. In the winter, they dont lay, I dont have eggs. Sure it cost me a little more, but I know I am not supporting less humane ways of food production. So at the risk of being unpopular (that 'll make a change then), yes, I must agree that medical based testing on animals I do support, in the knowledge that this is not done to cause suffering. However, when cosmetic company X wants to test a blend of know validated materials for use in its NEXT BIG THING marketing hype product, I think that these should not be tested on animals. Chris