duro

I usually put the cap on the flap too. The cord is an extra safety to avoid dropping it (as it happened today) and possibly breaking it (not nice). Replacing with a string... Yes, but a plastic one. Can you imagine a woven/leather string drenched in diesel? 😝

Today, at fill-up, tha fuel cap of my MkII '12 felt on the ground... because the rubber cord keeping it attached is severed. I don't know how it happened. Maybe last time I refilled, the service guy pinched it into the filler flap. Does anybody know which is the simplest/cheapest way to fix it? Do I have to buy a new cap altogether? Or an entire new car? (I hope not. Mine, after 8 years is almost as new but diesels are worth less than a penny, today).

The 1.0 and 1.5 engines disappeared from the Italian configurator for a few months. Now they have been re-introduced. Maybe they addressed the issues?

Just opened the Skoda Italy website. Citigo is still offered as a TwinColor special but... no more Citigo whatsoever in the configurator. I'm afraid the electric option will be the only one in the future (if any!) Meanwhile, the 60HP engine has been re-introduced in the Fabia configurator (alongside the 95HP), clearly to somehow compensate the Citigo's disappearance. But I suspect very few will be sold. Octavia has been re-given the 1.0 and 1.5 TSI options (Diesels only looked too silly an option, given the -22% drop in diesels sales, here)

As of today, Skoda Italy website is "updating" the configurator. Meanwhile, the Citigo is still there with the 60HP/man, 75HP/man and 75HP/auto. No Methane engine anymore. Same for the French website. On the German website, the Citigo is listed as selling but you can't configure it yourself: they say you must address to the retailer. The Up! is still configureable on the Italian VW site but only with 60HP and methane engines (no 75HP).

There was a day when car makers had the strategy of "driving the customer up": e.g. the Golf owner always replaced his Golf with another one... but the 1st Golf was 3,7m long, then it got to 3,85, then to 4m, 4,20 and now I think it's about 4,40? And the price rose accordingly. Obviously, as soon as you don't have in your line-up a 3,7m car... you need one. Enter the Polo. And so on. Enter the Up!. Etc. Now they found the easier(?) and faster way of SUV's. Unfortunately, the old car business saying "Small car, small profit; big car, big profit" is always true. I'm afraid a Fabia and a Citigo cost almost the same to manufacture. Virtually all the same mechanicals, same electronics, not very different interior. But a Fabia can squeeze at least 1000Euro more from client's wallet. Just making an example. The same can be said for any citycar/supermini couple of any maker. Also, it seems that sensible cars have no (enough) market. Ford dumped the B-max and is pushing the Ecosport (ugh!) Now VAG dumps the Up!/Citigo/Mii. What a sad day for us "rational" buyers. With two big dogs, I'm afraid I'll have to go back to our minivan days.

Up to a few days ago, here in Italy we could have the Fabia in 60/man, 75/man, 95/man and 115/man/dsg (though not all engines with any trim). Since a few days, only the 95/manual version is available on the configurator! I do hope this means just a new Fabia IV coming, which should be reasonable, as the III is based on old VW stuff and not aligned with current Polo.

In Italy, currently Skoda website is offering configuration of all engines but SEAT and, most of all, VW (Up! is by far the most sold of the trio) only offer the 60HP version. I see that dealers are advertising discounted "Km Zero" (i.e. cars pre-registered by them) at 9 to 10k€, that is a good 25% discount on the list price. Oh! And the Fabia is now sold only in 95HP/manual version. No more 60 and 75 and no more 115/DSG. I hope this just means they're going to launch a substitute for the Fabia, at least.

That Estate looks like just a 5-door hatch. Where is gone the traditional roominess? Hmmm... On the other side, I like the return to single-lens headlights. I think the III was the best looking Oct while the IIIrestyle is the worst looking one, with those goofy split lights. I read in the related article that it'll still "sport" the 1.0 engine. Hmmm... Don't like the idea. These little new wonderboys look fantastic – on the paper – but I strongly suspect their economy is just on homologation cycle. My son replaced his old Yaris II 1.8 133HP with a brand new Fiesta 1.0 100HP. The car is quite fun but he says that on real-world, everyday usage, it drinks fuel as much as the old Yaris big motor.

Thanks Trev. Actually, I was just thinking if cutting the new pad wire "and forget it" could've been a viable solution. I'm more on mech things than on electrical ones and didn't was to make a mistake. The side I still have to do IS the LH one and – as said – I didn't find any cable connection in it. What still puzzles me is the fact that ALL the pads suggested by the online vendor AND the only type sold by Ferodo (the one I bought) do have the cable... but my car has not.

Hi everyone, I spent two hours in understanding how to dismantle the front brake caliper of my Octavia 2012 1.6TD and them mount a new pair (the old ones were... ehm... a bit off) and... when I got to the other side I realized the second brake pads I bought have a cable attached to one of them (the wear sensor, I assume). Unfortunately, I dont see a similar cable on the ones still mounted on the car neither I've seen one on the side I've already done. The pads I bought are Ferodo FDB1398 and had them from Mister-auto. I re-checked with their site right now and it seems that all the pads they say fit to my car have the cable attached. Also on the Ferodo website catalogue the shown pads have a cable. Any suggestion? My car currently has new pads on one wheel and old ones on the other and I don't want to go around this way!

A fresh oil is always a good idea (you don't say if you already changed it since the full transmission exchange at 71k) and it won't do bad (aside to your wallet). I confirm that the DSG7 in Octavia 2 1.6TD is a dry clutch. In following versions (e.g. Octavia 3) they could have changed it, maybe. As far as I understand, the DSG7-dry is a "cheaper" unit, meant to be used with lower torque engines: TD up to 77KW or small petrols (like the old 1.2/1.4). Also, I've heard that in 2011 VAG "updated" this gearchange, probably to address known issues. My car is a spring2012 model and I hope it'll hold at least for three more years, after which we plan to change both family cars.

Hi, yours is a dry clutch. I have the same model (Oct.II 1.6CRD DSG), bought with 15,000km. Now it has 60,000 and no problems. Only, I gave up the idea of fitting an aftermarket speedbox to boost torque because 7-sp dry clutch DSG should have a 200Nm limit. I think that by using it properly and with due maintenance, there shouldn't be problems. Anyway, given current demonization of diesel engines, I'm afraid our cars will be "banned" before we'll have g'change issues.

I'm using the same set of bolts for alloy and steel wheels with no discernible problems. On the contrary, my son's Yaris – bought 2nd hand – had wrong "steel wheels" bolts which slightly damaged the alloy wheels bolt holes for they carved into the holes edges and we had to change them with "flat" bolts. I think that the main risk is to use "conic" bolts with alloys, while using "flat" ones isn't a problem. As my Octavia had OEM "conic" bolts with her OEM alloys, I assume they're OK.

You can check any wheel size/type here: http://www.wheelfitment.eu/index.php

Ha! A hair dryer? I'm just thinking about my impatient and lazy wife and son taking it out, unfolding the cord, using it thoroughly on 'screen, then re-folding it and putting it away properly. Son just waits for the engine being a little warm, regardless of the 'screen situation. He often shoots away with a perfectly white 'screen (he says it's irrelevant 'cos he is still asleep anyway). Wife doesn't wait a second. She would simply ignore the wipers or just tear them away. Somebody (me) will deal with them afterward.

Thanks Offski. Sad news. But... my car was the personal company car of a Skoda dealer, so maybe it was somewhat cared of better than average. Let's hope. Anyway, another nail in the coffin of a tuning box fitment. I already was almost sure it won't stand the extra torque. Umh... I see from your link that the campaign was for cars up to july 2011. Mine is from early 2012 (actually registered april 2012). Does it make any difference? Probably not...

Just bought a pair to subs the awful Turkish stones that came with the 2nd hand steel wheels I bought. I'll have them on front wheels to eliminate scary understeer in the wet (maybe I'll get some fun tailsliding as a consequence). Still have to have them mounted on the wheels but it's a matter of a few days as temperature is now constantly between 3 and 10 degrees C. About using them throughout the year, my trusted tyre fitter told me that modern winter tyres do not melt away in warm weather as they used to years ago BUT their performances do degrade if you use them above 15°C, as well as summer tyres become hard below 10°C. Having read reviews about the mediocre all-round performances of 4-seasons tyres, I chose to have two sets and exchange them.

I have a 2012 II FL 1.6CRD with 7DSG. How can I know which g'change version it has? It's the "old" one or the "new" one? Can you help? Thx

Having known a lot of dealers and independent of many different car brands, I'd say that, in general, there's no definite rule about which category is more competent. It's all up to each one's intelligence and willingness. Generally speaking, in today's hyper-computerized car world, an official dealer should be more knowledgeable about each own brand – at least about electronic issues – if only because they get mandatory training and direct info from House. Independents tend to be more flexible and building a wider experience – working on many different models – thus often being more helpful about odd and strange issues, expecially if purely mechanical. The downsides are that officials are sometimes narrow-minded and unwilling to go outside the easy – and cheaper! – route, while a lot of independent tend to be less than masters of competence and prone to bodging to keep their price below those of official ones. As said, it's all up to single companies/persons. Unfortunately, you have to find it by yourself, unless there's a "trusted reviewer" on hand.

In general, I found that official dealers – of whichever brand – tend not to mess with retrofitting anything, expecially if complicated and potentially problematic. Either they don't want future discussions about warranty, or they hope you start wanting a new, better specced car. Independent mec's tend to be more helpful – probably 'cause they're used to just about anything being asked to them – but you must be sure you get a knowledgeable one. Although, even top official mec's can prove a mistake. I remember a few years ago – when I dealt in classic Mercedes spares – having a client redirected to our trusted mec after local Merc subsidiary completely messed up a 50's Ponton.

Here: http://vag-shop.co.uk/kenwood-caw-vw2150.html

How can you scratch a glass with a plastic "blade"? Also, if there's just "freeze" and not solid ice, a scraper is a few seconds job. A hairdryer is a good thing if there's real, solid ice AND you have a convenient plug nearby, unless you use one pluggable to the cigar lighter, which is quite dangerous for the battery's health. Plus, you have to get out the thing and then re-wind the cord and store it away. All things OK if thick ice makes it worthwile.

Living in Northern Italy countryside, it's not uncommon to have -10C° to -15C° in winter before dawn. OK, nothing compared to Scandinavia but colder than London, I presume. In most days, a few seconds work with a 1€ hand scraper is enough to get rid of the frost. When there's "thick" ice (our area is quite humid and that becomes real ice when well below zero) a few minutes of car running with full blowing heater are enough to reach the "scraping time". I avoid to pour water on the screen because when it's very cold, water immediately freezes and you're at square one (if not worse). Absolutely NEVER pour hot water! The huge temperature shock could break the glass. My wife being too lazy or nervous about quick leaving to work, I bought her (on Ebay, from UK) a plastic windscreen cover held by several magnets, so she puts it on/takes it off without fiddling with hooks and she can just throw it against a nearby metallic garage door where the magnets stick to and it also has the chance of dripping the ice on the ground before she comes back to re-use it.

Hi all, sparked by a newsmail received by TDI-Tuning about their new CRTD4 product, I went to their website, just out of curiosity. When I got to the before/after power/torque graph something looked a bit strange. Rolling the mouse over the graph lines there are popups showing the performance values for each curve at 500RPM intervals. But... The power curve for my 1.6 CRD showed max power at 6000RPM (!) – and still going up at that point! – and the torque curve maxed at 3500RPM (!). Relative values should be 4400RPM and 1500-2500RPM, as per owner's manual. So, being an over-suspicious type, I went to check the published graphs for two more cars: Audi A4 1.8 petrol and Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.6 diesel. One should expect very different curves – both in height AND in shape – because of a petrol engine and because of a diesel engine which is advertised for more torque than Skoda's. Well, comparing the three graphs, we can see the curves are veeery similar. Expecially the torque curves are virtually identical among the three cars. Main – only? – difference is the torque/power level which is indicated. I wouldn't want to jump to conclusions but... I'm not 100% sure anymore that those advertised "custom mappings" do are so "very" custom. Opinions?