phil235

1.2 (we have a manual) generally OK. Loosens up after 10,000 miles or so, so a demonstrator may not give a true impression. But overtaking those who insist on doing 55 on the speedo (true 51-52) on an unrestricted single carriageway does require anticipation and space - and 4th, if not 3rd.

If only Skoda would produce a Yeti XL (cf. SEAT Altea, or Fabia Estate v. hatchback), everyone's problems would be solved. The boot litres figure is misleading - especially when you specify a spare wheel; it's floor plan area that counts.

The ultimate in double declutching was the Centurion tank. Massive gear lever between your knees (2-handed operation), double declutching up and down the box, but changing up was quicker just touching one of the steering levers instead to slow the box down (not in confined space on road). If you missed a gear you'd be in neutral with inadequate drum brakes and unusable steering. Preselectors - yes: My 1934 Riley 9. Stretchy cable brakes plus oil in rear drums meant changing down for emergency stop - lest ditch measure into reverse - until half-shaft gave up. But that was 1962...

I've just bought a set of Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons, 215/60 R16 95V, fitted and balanced on 4 new steel wheels, from mytyres.co.uk (delti.com) for £520 delivered from Germany - good price, I thought. Surprisingly the V rated were cheaper than the H. Ordered 29/11, arrived 8/12. I'm hoping the wheels are up to OEM spec. The markings between the stud holes are as follows: 7JX16H2 DIN 27 163307 KBA SRD DE ET45 11 14 43930 164501 And round the circumference: KBA 43930 1645 28/14 A [two little horizontal symbols] REG 002653/2012 Apart from the wheel size which I know is right, does the rest of this make sense to anyone? When we've worn out the original summer Contis I'll transfer the 4 Seasons on to the alloys and sell on the steelies.

We've had our FL 1.2 manual (well, hers really) since March, and I'm impressed. I get 39-41 mpg on a part-motorway run (at car speed, not HGV); she gets rather less overall but tends to forget about 6th gear and swears at "that silly little thing always telling me to change up". Main point is that the engine has loosened up nicely after nearly 7000 miles, so don't judge it on a brand new demonstrator. And 16-inch wheels are comfortable, and precise enough if you're not a trackday wannabe (and more kerb-proof than 17s). Go for it!

For rear parking sensors (audio only) fitted at home, look at avrmobiles.co.uk Fitted in less than an hour, very good service.

Simplest answer would have been a bit more rear overhang and longer boot, cf. Fabia Estate, SEAT Altea XL. Departure Angle would still have been OK, and would have worked for 2WD and 4WD.

Isn't it better to switch front to rear when fronts are down to ~5mm, so that all 4 can be replaced together - say with Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons, so no need for separate winter wheels/tyres (assuming a couple of mild winters to start with )

I've found that a hard slam isn't necessarily the answer, as there's sometimes a small bounce. Pull the tailgate down, then place a hand on the number plate and push it home firmly but not brutally.

But the FL S does! (Just as well, since the default door unlocking and speed warning got SWMBO seriously annoyed...)

What - with their speed limits and enforcement? But many Aussies like big engines, and are being weaned down gradually. I'd have ordered a 1.4; 1.2 is no more than adequate, and I miss the low-end grunt of the old 1.9TDI in previous Fabia. Presumably each country's importer chooses its model range and options...

I've checked some old posts, but couldn't find for sure whether the S (which has rear speaker grilles but no rear speakers) is wired for rear speakers. The 'Swing' radio in the FL has the facility for front and rear, so I'd like to add rear speakers if not too difficult. Also perhaps better quality speakers all round, as the standard fronts sound a bit tinny. Can anyone help, please?

Agreed. Stretch the boot a bit - to the length of the old Fabia Estate would do. Rear overhang would be no more than say LR Disco, so could hardly upset off-roaders. Current boot with spare wheel kit is inadequate, and sliding the rear seats forward leaves a cliff-edge. Biggest (if not only) disappointment, in my view. But DON'T make the vehicle any wider. Ever wider cars are a pain if you have a pre-1970 driveway or garage, and in tight multi-storey car parks.

Sorry not to have been back sooner. Yes - the guy took about half an hour. Nowhere near ECU - just connected to reversing light live. Only odd thing is it gives a bleep a few seconds after start-up even if you don't select reverse - just lets you know it's awake. Bleeper (mounted on top of back RH trim panel) has loud-quiet volume adjustment too. All works nicely.

I've bought Summit SUM500 from http://www.uk-carmats.co.uk/home.php?cat=1177 for £49.99, incl delivery. They also do aluminium. Rated 75kg. Finish not as good as Thule and the like, but OK for occasional use. Carmats also do a sturdy boot liner for £29.99.