TheWanderer

Replace like for like. You force a wrong sized battery in and it breaks the fob or it gets stuck in there then you're looking at a nasty bill to replace it. I hate it when people suggest putting in a bigger one and whilst it may fit with a struggle, its quite simply not designed for it and I have scant sympathy for those who do it and come unstuck and it results in a nasty bill for them. Do it properly or not at all.

I would recommend that you use Duracell, Varta, Panasonic, Energiser brand's and echo AGFalco's comments. Don't buy 10 from the likes of Aldi or Lidl, they're awful. You can get some good deals by buying double packs in multiple too, so look for the likes of 4 for the price of 3, then keep 2 in the house, 2 in the car, 2 in your wallet and 2 at work, so should the fob run out, you're not going to be caught out. It's just a case of putting a coin in the slot twisting it and accessing the battery and replacing it. I've been caught out at 0115 in the morning, but now I've got a spare key & batteries in my bag and batteries in my locker and wallet. All are Duracell and have a good long date on them.

Good call. Although I'm not sure how long I'm keeping it as yet. I don't know if I'm staying with Skoda yet either. My heart ❤ says stay with it, my head says sod it, this car's been a RPITA and the Mk4 is a crock of 💩 at the moment with serious software issues and it's just not worth the hassle again. I'm thinking about a BMW 128Ti or 2 or 3 Series.

Pay Car Tax and Insurance... 😥

Apparently they have updates for cars that we don't have in the UK. There's a discussion about it somewhere on here.

Anyone tried any of the Australian fixes?

I just don't really trust it. Its been to Nottingham and back perfectly, the time before that I went to Nottingham and then across to Rocester to see a mate there, then made a wrong turn and ended up in Donnington over a bumpy level crossing and that sent it into an electronic mental breakdown with false alarms and the VC every few minutes from Donnington to Guildford. They fitted a new experimental wiring harness and it's fine again. But unfortunately it has had so many issues that I have lost confidence in it, but I don't know if with its abysmal reliability history it would qualify for an extended warranty!

I know what it's like, mine has been in 16 times, it's now running on an experimental wiring loom, it's working so I'm not worried about it anymore.

I have a somewhat temperamental RS which is now 3 years old, just passed its first MOT and will be taxed in a couple of days time. But now getting reminders about my car's warranty running out next month, so I was wondering what advice you can give me. Are they worth the money? Have you taken one out? Are there any "pitfalls"? Do you regret buying one or has it saved your bacon when something went wrong with the car? I've been quoted £338 for 12 months with Skoda Finance, all the way up to £701 from one company. Your help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

What did you put in the tank to make it do that? 😆

And extended warranty doesn't cost £1k. I've just got a quote for £338 for my 3 year old RS which I don't trust, but I'll be keeping until SUK pull their corporate fingers out of their backside and get the Mk4 software etc running correctly. If I were you I'd get some quotes for extended warranties online including Skoda's own first. But if you're looking to buy another marque then it might be pointless.

One of the best posts I've seen in a long time.

Well I've tried that and I suspect that they could well be the root cause of the problems. I've ditched the cheap versions and paid a bit more for duracell batteries and haven't had any problems with keys since.

Well whatever you choose to do have a happy Xmas and happy new year. 😊

What you can use is if you have a safety can opener is a only food can and pop them in there and replace the top.

Come guys give Joss the benefit of the doubt. I've had a look and the manufacturer has replaced the old version with a "new and improved" version. All I would say is if you want to try them, do so at your own risk. If you install them, let the forum know how it went and their effectiveness. However if they do come off and do significant damage to the car's bodywork, then you can only expect scant sympathy from the forum with the response of "We told you so" Ultimately the choice is yours.

Mine gave no warning. Just stopped.

By law of sod the battery will expire when you are out and about, at work, evening out with friends etc. I've got a second key in my work bag in a RFID pouch, plus a second set of batteries just to make sure that I'm not locked out and don't end up waiting for a taxi to get me home at 3.30 am after a 9h 30 shift.

It depends on where you live. If you live in a less salubrious place then a simple tobacco tin placed in a drawer should suffice, but you can get RFID pouches from Amazon that should work and stop anything leaking from the key. Just be aware that whilst working KESSY is great. The flipside of it, is if it plays up with battery running out at silly o'clock in the evening or morning, you won't be able to start the car without the alarm going bonkers and immobiliser kicking in. So keep a set of spare batteries in your bag or wallet so if it does stop working then you can do a simple battery change which usually fixes it.

Yes, you can get them for a 20 inch wheel. Not used them myself. But if you want them get them fitted professionally. Also be aware that should they come loose the damage to the paintwork of your car can be significant as it whips around at high speed until you stop and remove it.

I don't know why you are so worried about it, it's nothing special unless you are an audiophile and even then you're more likely to get a bespoke speaker system installed into the car. I think it's overrated and not worth the money for what it is and you won't get any money back by having it installed.

Care to share where you got it from?

Is this what you're after?

The cabin is OK, the design of the infotainment system is to be quite honest crap, it's a fingerprint nightmare. Virtual cockpit resolution is pee poor, my tablet is better. External styling is awful too.

From what I have seen on here I don't think that there are many if any redeeming features on the Mk4. It seems to be pretty much an unmitigated disaster for Skoda. I think that they're trying to be too clever for their own good and they're failing quite spectacularly. I seriously question the validity of the motoring media/press reviews of the vehicles from all of the software issues and reliability issues highlighted by thousands of customers across the UK. From all of the faults and complaints I'm wondering if the reviews were "sponsored" by Skoda to avoid a certain a certain word to get these awards and outstanding reviews that the Octavia has been receiving by the motoring press/media. I won't be making a purchase for these very reasons and despite my Mk3 being a right pain in the backside for the last 16 months, it's now performing well and I'll be keeping it until the PCP comes to an end and then I'll decide.