Another Newbie

Just done London to Plymouth with indicated 67mpg. SE 1.6 (105) Three adults plus bags. Speed 60-75 indicated, mostly about 65. Four stops and a short stretch of stop-start traffic around Bristol. Not sure yet how accurate the trip comp is, but am pleased with the sound of those numbers.

I bought a Fabia SE 1.6tdi (105) for motorway driving. Test drove a Greenline and thought it was too loud and low-powered to tolerate for hours at a time, but people do seem to get better economy from them, even with motorway driving. Some helpful replies here: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/273161-most-economical-diesel-for-higher-motorway-speeds/ In my 1.6tdi, now that I've done 4000 miles, am getting about 60mpg over a tank in the summer with about a 70:30 motorway:town split. I generally take care to drive economically and keep at or just below 70mph on the motorway. Without taking the trip computer figures too literally, mpg does seem to really suffer with: - traffic (stop-start, gear changes) - journeys shorter than 30 mins - speed above 70mph Individual cars, driving styles, and the local landscape seem to cause lots of variation, but from what I've learned about my car so far I think that by doing nothing but steady long journeys at below 65 mph the figure would be significantly better than 60mpg. Hope this helps! A

It's a puzzle!!: 2002 'Comfort', standard suspension, had plastic cladding. 2013 SE, sport suspension, no cladding ??? :s

My 2013 Fabia 105tdi doesn't have it. My Fabia 1 1.9tdi did, but it seemed to reduce ground clearance significantly: kept scraping on speed-humps etc. Eventually it caught on something, bent, garage removed it, no more scraping. Might have saved some damage over the years I suppose, but I preferred not to wince at the noise.

FWIW I found the aux socket a bit of a tight fit and didn't realise at first that the plug wasn't right in (no sound until a gave it another shove). Even then I needed to turn the volume right up compared to the radio - until someone from here told me how to increase the Aux input sensitivity. http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/284171-low-volume-on-aux-input-with-swing-radio/

Looks like a clever box of tricks! Now I just need to decide whether I actually need it :-)

Would you mind posting back to let us know how you get on with it Lrmulli?

Just tried it: Yep, press and hold the right-hand button, select Aux, choose level three. Perfect. Thank you Greenstripe!

Has anyone found a solution to the problem of low volume when connecting a phone to the aux input? My blackberry plugged into the aux socket, the BB volume at max and the radio volume to max (about 50?) gets the same volume as listening to the radio on about 15. This would be OK but if I switch back to the radio and forget to turn the volume down first I loose my eardrums! I've been looking at headphone amplifiers, has anyone tried anything similar? Or do you know if there a way of adjusting the aux input sensitivity?

"presumably you're not changing down to 2nd because it's a 30 zone, but because you're going even slower?" Yes, if I have to slow at all, or if there's a hill. From what you say about your it sounds like that will improve over the next few thousand miles and then I can be lazy like before, which will make it the perfect car :-) "Kids growing up..." Can see it would be a bit of a tight squeeze with a family!! ...Fabia estate or something bigger?

"presumably you're not changing down to 2nd because it's a 30 zone, but because you're going even slower?" Yes, if I have to slow at all, or if there's a hill. From what you say about your it sounds like that will improve over the next few thousand miles and then I can be lazy like before, which will make it the perfect car :-) "Kids growing up..." 9an see it would be a bit of a tight squeeze with a family!! ...Fabia estate or something bigger?

I've been obsessing over all the details too, partly cos I'm so new to it and didn't want to get done, and partly because I just wanted my first new car to be perfect. In a way it paid off because I really love it. Hope your monte suits you as perfectly too. Enjoy!!!

Thanks Andy. I am loving it - interesting what you say about a remap though. I'd always assumed remaps were for top-end speed and acceleration, not really to improve the ease of the drive. I've gone for a 5yr warrantee though so think I'd better not do it. Perhaps a treat for a few years' time if I've still got it! Or maybe I just need to learn to make my down-changes slicker...

Ha! I asked my dealer if he'd fit steels and keep the alloys for a small discount and he answered with a politely restrained "can I be frank...". LoL. I think he couldn't believe anyone would ask such a stupid question. My insurance told me it would cost a one-off £50 admin fee to make the mod so in the end I just kept the alloys.

Yes, that sounds like it. Its only really an issue in 30 zones and seems like a fair trade-off for the quiet and smoothness, but it's going to take a bit of getting used to.