smargh

It has been well over a year since I went out in my (former) Citigo when it was below 0C ambient, but I think I recall it reaching the usual 90C operating temperature after about 10-15 minutes, including 1min to get it out of the garage, which was around three quarters of a 6-mile journey to work in mostly moving traffic. However, I always kept the RPM under around 2500, which probably didn't help. The only time I think it was only able to reach around 80C on the journey to work was on particularly cold mornings, say -7C. It *might* have only done this when I had the cabin blower on max, which seemed to (and I might be completley wrong!) result in the engine taking a longer time to heat up, which kinda sorta would make sense. In winter, a lot of people south of Scotland would often have an ambient temperature above zero on their afternoon return work journey, so at least that journey would be a lot more likely to reach operating temp.

If going the WBAC route, you will probably automatically get an email where they increase their offer every few days by a few hundred - "your car has increased in value!". Just ignore their 'phone call - mine came from the nearest branch. I think £4,500 ended up as £5,000 after a week. Don't forget that they charge a "transaction fee."

I saw one on ebay yesterday, if you haven't seen that already. Item# 121938242308 in Manchester.

Since the battery light pops up again (I know it's after the engine has stopped, but still...), and in the absence of a VCDS reader, if you have a multimeter then perhaps check the battery voltage before cranking (engine cold and left idle for a day), and then with the engine running. I'm happy to check my own '63 plate greentech if you want a comparison voltage. Should apparently be 13-14 volts on a running engine. I think some places also do a free battery check service, which includes a cranking amps check. My second service included a battery test printout. Also, you mentioned a wash and polish. You didn't pressure-wash the engine bay, right?

I think most parts in a car have their own regulators or protection circuits. Third-party regulators: https://store.mp3car.com/collections/our-products/Power-Supplies-&-Regulators

The same seller had it on eBay for £3,289 back in December: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281783309899 I bet he'd take a silly low offer just to get rid of it. Check the battery first, though! It might not have been moved for a minimum of three months.

In my Citigo I keep a pillowcase filled with colour-indicating silica gel, which I put in the oven once a year or so to recharge. I think there's about 5Kg of the stuff, from a big box which I bought a few years ago on eBay. Condensation is fine most of the time, with the exception of days where it's the "perfect storm" of circumstances - dark, very high outdoor humidity levels, raining, and hot. I'm sure my old Swift didn't have much of a problem, but the Citigo needs the A/C turned on to clear it - it's just rather awkward when I need to put it on cool to reduce the temperature on hot days, which in turn increases the buildup of moisture on the inside, until the A/C can ramp up enough to blow out enough low-humidity air, by which point there's a thick layer of moisture on the inside of the windscreen which takes a few minutes to clear. Normally I just open the window for the first 5mins of any journey, regardless of how cold I am, but obviously I can't do that if it's raining. Nor can I open the window if there's any water on top of the car, because as soon as I open the window and go around a corner, a stream of water will flow onto the door handle & button area, risking electrical problems in the future.

I was curious about the one which mentioned the engine/underbody trays and found it again: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191707536120 - it doesn't seem like anything special so perhaps it was an intentional mistake by the tester.

Yours for £3,289 in Keighley: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281783309899 Since the past few winters haven't been particularly harsh, and if it has actually been maintained properly (tyres in good nick, oil changed regularly, brake pads OK, little rust, heat shield clips OK etc) and it if it hasn't been misused, then this could perhaps be good value for a smidge under £3k if they sort out the ball joint? I know nothing about car value though, so I'm probably wrong

So, I discovered https://mot-history.net/ today, and decided to go through most current and "completed" Citigo & Up! listing on eBay and see whether there was anything I might need to get sorted before my MOT, and I though that perhaps someone else might think to do this and I could save them some time by posting my copy'n'pastes. Skoda Citigo BT12 FWZ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 101,465 miles Advisory notice item(s) nearside front Track rod end ball joint has slight play inner (2.2.B.1f) PY12 FXJ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 50,866 miles AJ12 ZYL Test Result Pass Odometer reading 29,566 miles AK62 ENU Test Result Pass Odometer reading 27,550 miles AV12 YJZ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 37,319 miles BN62 ULJ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 31,766 miles BP12 DRO test Result Fail Odometer reading 11,598 miles Reason(s) for failure Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8) Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8) BP12 DSX Test Result Fail Odometer reading 94,564 miles Reason(s) for failure front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3) Position lamp switch insecure (1.1.A.1) Headlamp switch insecure (1.7.1) Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2) BT12 VSL Test Result Fail Odometer reading 30,224 miles Reason(s) for failure offside rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1) nearside front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2) offside front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2) Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2) Advisory notice item(s) offside front front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3) centre lower Exhaust heat shield insecure. nearside rear Tyre tread starting to crack. offside rear Tyre tread starting to crack. CP12 XRG Test Result Pass Odometer reading 11,557 miles CV62 FVK Test Result Pass Odometer reading 19,557 miles DF12 WDN Test Result Pass Odometer reading 34,248 miles DV62 NFC Test Result Pass Odometer reading 20,128 miles FH12 GXO Test Result Pass Odometer reading 33,555 miles FR12 OVO Test Result Pass Odometer reading 20,708 miles GL12 ZYZ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 28,866 miles HN12 VWD Test Result Pass Odometer reading 13,498 miles HV62 LLK Test Result Pass Odometer reading 18,351 miles KM12 FXB Test Result Pass Odometer reading 57,150 miles MA62 JFO Test Result Pass Odometer reading 14,294 miles MF62 BOV Test Result Fail Odometer reading 17,326 Reason(s) for failure Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1) NA62 ATF Test Result Pass Odometer reading 9,128 miles ND62 AOR Test Result Fail Odometer reading 16,985 miles Reason(s) for failure nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a) PN62 VLH Test Result Pass Odometer reading 9,426 miles RE12 XEW Test Result Pass Odometer reading 23,854 miles RF12 RSV Test Result Pass Odometer reading 18,310 miles Advisory notice item(s) both rear tyres starting to perish SM12 RVV Test Result Fail Odometer reading 13,559 miles Reason(s) for failure Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) SX12 AHO Test Result Pass Odometer reading 8,165 miles VO62 EFK Test Result Fail Odometer reading 22,353 miles Reason(s) for failure Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3) WJ62 HMX Test Result Fail Odometer reading 21,245 miles Reason(s) for failure offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b) Advisory notice item(s) nearside front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) offside front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) WV62 UMY Test Result Pass Odometer reading 79,994 miles YD62 FLV Test Result Pass Odometer reading 3,365 miles YG62 YSL Test Result Pass Odometer reading 16,652 miles YT62 NGY Test Result Pass Odometer reading 16,149 miles VW UP! YH12 UKF Test Result Pass Odometer reading 9,527 miles YG62 YPA Test Result Fail Odometer reading 18,858 miles Reason(s) for failure Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b) nearside front Headlamp aim too high (1.8) offside front Headlamp aim too high (1.8) YG62 YOY Test Result Pass Odometer reading 23,243 miles Advisory notice item(s) parking brake and service brake efficiency only just met. MT12 SUF Test Result Pass Odometer reading 29,805 miles YC62 XCR Test Result Pass Odometer reading 13,923 miles FV62 EYC Test Result Pass Odometer reading 26,141 miles NL62 SFU Test Result Fail Odometer reading 41,801 miles Reason(s) for failure nearside front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) offside front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) nearside rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) offside rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) VN12 YSU Test Result Pass Odometer reading 33,736 miles VO62 HRD Test Result Pass Odometer reading 15,992 miles Advisory notice item(s) Fuel cap sealing washer deteriorated but maintaining a seal All four tyres have age related perishing WK62 UJT Test Result Pass Odometer reading 65,102 miles VA12 BGK Test Result Pass Odometer reading 17,017 miles BJ62 JFN Test Result Pass Odometer reading 15,619 miles KP62 JXH Test Result Pass Odometer reading 25,906 miles DF12 VCM Test Result Pass Odometer reading 29,736 miles Advisory notice item(s) Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay YA12 VXE Test Result Pass Odometer reading 29,320 miles BG12 LYP Test Result Pass Odometer reading 21,696 miles WL12 JYA Test Result Pass Odometer reading 24,045 miles OY12 LZD Test Result Pass Odometer reading 23,091 miles Advisory notice item(s) Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) Front registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d) YT62 HVP Test Result Pass Odometer reading 29,775 miles PJ62 MLL Test Result Pass Odometer reading 26,695 miles SY12 WKK Test Result Fail Odometer reading 32,209 miles Reason(s) for failure Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2) PE62 KCF Test Result Pass Odometer reading 10,660 miles FV12 MFP Test Result Pass Odometer reading 23,064 miles Advisory notice item(s) n/s/f tyre starting to crack in tread o/s/f tyre starting to crack in tread o/s/r tyre starting to crack in tread n/s/r tyre starting to crack on tread n/s/f wiper starting to split EY62 KYA Test Result Pass Odometer reading 15,872 miles LD62 DPK Test Result Pass Odometer reading 35,006 miles ND12 VMF Test Result Pass Odometer reading 22,929 miles HJ62 VYY Test Result Pass Odometer reading 4,946 miles GJ62 KRN Test Result Pass Odometer reading 43,019 miles MF62 GVW Test Result Pass Odometer reading 5,693 miles NA62 TYV Test Result Pass Odometer reading 23,318 miles NA62 UZC Test Result Pass Odometer reading 20,132 miles KW12 MVA Test Result Fail Odometer reading 18,842 miles Reason(s) for failure nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2) SB12 FZN Test Result Pass Odometer reading 8,331 miles YA12 VXW Test Result Pass Odometer reading 26,170 miles ML62 WZV Test Result Pass Odometer reading 29,087 miles MW62 ABZ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 17,999 miles FR12 MHX Test Result Fail Odometer reading 54,417 miles Reason(s) for failure nearside front Headlamp aim too high (1.8) FR12 MHX Test Result Fail Odometer reading 49,540 miles Reason(s) for failure Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2) Advisory notice item(s) nsf seatbelt slightly not retracting intermittantly NL62 XVZ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 25,496 miles GY62 MVV Test Result Pass Odometer reading 21,130 miles EK62 CVY Test Result Pass Odometer reading 13,230 miles LG62 PRZ Test Result Pass Odometer reading 19,193 miles OV12 DKD Test Result Pass Odometer reading 33,843 miles Advisory notice item(s) Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d) YF12 LJN Test Result Pass Odometer reading 13,764 miles SH62 AHO Test Result Pass Odometer reading 25,660 miles Advisory notice item(s) offside front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) GD12 BYW Test Result Pass Odometer reading 19,105 miles YT62 ZHD Test Result Pass Odometer reading 4,933 miles VE12 TWC Test Result Pass Odometer reading 16,912 miles DV62 GSU Test Result Pass Odometer reading 5,797 miles SL62 KVV Test Result Pass Odometer reading 31,211 miles GF62 ZFD Test Result Pass Odometer reading 56,651 miles FP12 KJY Test Result Pass Odometer reading 15,598 miles AU12 YML Odometer reading 38,465 miles Advisory notice item(s) insp light on small chips in windscreen AU12 YML Test Result Pass Odometer reading 34,794 miles Advisory notice item(s) Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) DE62 FYT Test Result Pass Odometer reading 24,963 miles LP12 OHS Test Result Pass Odometer reading 13,267 miles WF12 XBU Test Result Pass Odometer reading 9,051 miles AV12 WBJ Test Result Fail Odometer reading 17,035 miles Reason(s) for failure Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b) Advisory notice item(s) n/s/f and o/s/f tyres low on inner and outer edges. FE62 OYW Test Result Pass Odometer reading 15,389 miles YK12 ERF Test Result Fail Odometer reading 6,696 miles Reason(s) for failure Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer deteriorated (7.2.4c) DV12 MKK Test Result Pass Odometer reading 35,730 miles YE62 EKH Fail Odometer reading 7,969 miles Reason(s) for failure Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8) Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b) Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3) NL62 JCJ Test Result Fail Odometer reading 19,010 miles Reason(s) for failure Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8) Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8) Advisory notice item(s) Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) KM12 KJK Test Result Pass Odometer reading 22,938 miles VK12 UTR Test Result Fail Odometer reading 30,255 miles Reason(s) for failure Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) VO62 HTP Test Result Pass Odometer reading 19,256 miles

Could you clarify how short the short distances were, and how frequently it was used? I'm cycling to work a lot more now and might end up having concerns about the battery life.

I have no idea if this is a good or terrible idea from a paint perspective, but if it's a marker pen, at my workplace I use alcohol-based hand sanitiser to clean ink from touchscreens (on PDAs). It comes off pretty much immediately.

I've been geting really annoyed with road gritting recently - I seem to be going to work just when the gritters are putting down a fresh layer. My year-old car was sandblasted by a gritter for the first time a few days ago, and every time I hear a grain of grit hitting the front/under the car, I just know there's a patch of rust which will be visible next winter :( Especially on exposed metal like the radiator & other engine parts. So, yesterday I bought an underbody (gentle) nozzle for my pressure washer. Personally I think there's an argument for not gritting so much, or perhaps looking at less corrosive compounds, or maybe lowering tax on winter compund tyres so that they can in turn spend less on gritting.

Perhaps a silly question, but do these squeak when you have wet feet?

I do 26 miles per day, consisting of 22 miles of motorway and A roads, the rest is the town road onto the motorway. Attached is my Fuelly graph which I've been using since I bought it in October - I always fill up to the brim so I can use Fuelly. The latest improvement is probably due to two recent 50-mile motorway runs combined with using Shell V-Power for the previous two fills, and the much warmer weather. Note that the first thing I do when I start driving is turn off stop-start... If I reach traffic lights where I know I'll be stopped for 30secs+, then I turn it on. I also accelerate fairly slowly (annoying every other driver) and use engine braking whenever possible, especially when approaching traffic lights which I know will turn red (again, this annoys other drivers... sorry).

Probably the only car I would put through a car wash would be one which would be taking part in a banger race the next day. Snow foam (Autobrite Magifoam) + cheap noodle mits + drying towels + Bilt Hamber clay bar + optional polish + wax or sealant.

In my opinion the gearbox is too smooth. I like to get obvious feedback when I'm not rev matching - my old Swift made it very obvious, by kangarooing & the quick engine noise pitch change was very obvious. It has taken a few months for me to get used to my Citigo - it's too quiet, and too smooth. I can imagine some drivers taxing the gearbox more than it should be, for example by accelerating too much when shifting up - the engine takes quite a long time to slow down when the clutch pedal is depressed & accelerator at 0% I've actually considered the possibility of a putting a microphone in the engine bay so I can hear the engine noise change :-\ Perhaps I should've got an old car. Hmm.

I have no idea, because I wouldn't want to risk any chance of any debris or gunk at the bottom of the tank being sucked into the engine, or running out of fuel. In terms of best mpg, I track it with fuelly.com - 63.0mpg on my latest fill. I only hit the 60mpg barrier after around 2000 miles. I think the 50 limit on my local motorway, which is 85% of my daily journey, is helping with consumption. Obviously warm weather also helps.

There are two revisions so far. Garmin's systems refer to the two as... SKODA_PID_V1 SKODA_PID_V2 You can tell which version you have from the file \NAVIGON\version.xml file - it's in the <platform> section. Obviously the VW version has "VW" instead of "SKODA", and you might easily be able to change it in the file, but you will need to delete the old Fresh settings (%appdata%\Fresh) and create a brand new Fresh account, then register the satnav again with the new account, otherwise I think it says that the device is not supported or something similar. You may also be able to get the VW features ("Blue"?) of the satnav, but be aware that every time the satnav boots up I think it re-saves the "correct" settings to the .xml file, so you would need to edit the contents every time you tried to use it with Fresh, which most people might not be ar*ed with. As for the differences between V1 and V2, I don't know - the rumour was some extra memory, but there could also be differences such as component firmware revisions etc. The form factor is very unlikely to have changed.

What brand & version are the tyres?

When I think of two bits of plastic held tightly together and trying to rotate against each other, I can imagine that kind of noise. IANACM (I'm not a car mechanic)

Mileage/mpg depends, I've found, mostly on subtle elevation differences. I observed significant differences in mpg between journeys to & from work - this tool confirmed my elevation/gradient suspicions: http://www.doogal.co.uk/RouteElevation.php - it plots a specified route on a graph.

Is it like a 1mm or less diameter dot of dark orange with another 1mm+ of some lighter orange surrounding it? If so, there will probably be more, and they might be iron particles (generally industrial fallout, i.e. factories or railways) on top of the paint which can be removed with a clay bar. Bilt Hamber is recommended widely by detailers because it just needs a constant supply of regular water. That should remove them with some elbow grease. My new white Citigo had these over most of the bodywork :(

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/volkswagen-hot-hatch-is-back-on/1226908 I personally want a hybrid Citigo, perhaps primarily electric with a generator (LPG?) as the "range extender" similar to the BMW i3 or the Volt. *ahem* ... and a DAB radio would be nice

24AI is mentioned on an Italian forum. Google translation: