PhilTheGeek

Yes, the GPS coordinates on the video and comparison with Google StreetView confirm it.

What's really worrying is that on a road like that you seem to think it acceptable to drive at over 50% above the speed limit. Massive amounts of road markings to indicate hazards, numerous junctions, a speed limit reduced below the national speed limit, speed cameras to attempt to enforce it, footpath immediately adjacent to the road etc. etc. He didn't "run out of bottle", he was being sensible with his use of speed and was opening the gap between him and you when the hazards were increasing. I sincerely hope you don't kill someone with your driving.

Good point, well made. Goes and bangs head against wall for not thinking how a clutch works.

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to your problem, but would like the moderators to confirm whether the supporting the use of a counterfeit VCDS is acceptable. I know that such behaviour is frowned upon in the VCDS/diagnostics section.

Columbus doesn't have a bluetooth adapter, you'd need to fit the bluetooth interface under the drivers seat which also needs the microphone fitted up in the interior light. Amundsen has its own bluetooth option, I'm not sure about the microphone though. I fitted a Columbus, but already had the bluetooth interface (phone prep).

I use a slotted hockey puck and trolley jack on the jacking points. Where the heck do I then put an axle stand?

Unless it compresses a lot then it's going to be way too thick.

I levered out the door pull and electric window switch and looked down inside, the cables were resting against the door card in places but whenever I whacked the door card to cause the rattle they move in time with the door card as they're attached to things like the electric window switches which are in turn attached to the door card.

Isn't dynamat rather thick? I'm looking for something between 250 and 500 microns when compressed.

I was trying to avoid excessive detail. Some gorilla at the salvage yard may well have stamped the life out of the pedal pushing the seized plate up the splines in the hope of getting it moving.I've dealt with seized plates and they do move but it can take some effort. Still a much better outcome than a knackered gearbox as jabozuma postulates. I'm not here to start arguments, just point out that a light clutch pedal probably indicates a not too serious problem.

Door card rattling against the door. My drivers side does it. I've only just figured out where it was coming from and the temporary fix is to slide a piece of cardboard between the door card and the metal of the door about half way down at the back edge of the door. I'm looking for some thin adhesive foam as a permanent fix

Sorely tempted.I'll happily turn up with my VCDS and turn everyone elses XDS to ****. Oops, optimise everyone elses XDS for drag work. ;-)

Have you tried pressing the clutch pedal in an identical model? If yours has a significantly lighter clutch pedal then there's a good chance that the first motion shaft splines on the gearbox have rusted and the clutch plate is now stuck to them.

Underside of the Octavia is very different, for starters the rear axle is a beam axle on the Fabia. Cheers for trying though.

It's not just early cars. My June 2011 has been done, as has my Dad's 63 plate.It's not a recall as there's no safety issue. Some people might get scared at losing drive, but if you're old enough you've lost drive through a failed engine/gearbox/clutch at least once. I've counted and this has happened at least 6 times in 20 years of driving.

DAB needs a different antenna, there's an extra cable that needs connecting to the head unit. Different frequency = different antenna. BtW I'm a radio engineer by trade. Don't skimp just buy the cables and antennae.

I must be in Nirvana. Local garage now knows me, my brother and my dad by name although he does insist on being very prim and proper and saying Mr. {insert our surname}, I wind him up by only calling him by his first name. He doesn't use high pressure, he phones back when he promises and any email we get is just a "How did we do?".

Don't use chrome cleaner you'll rip the shiny plastic off. Have a look round for some of the hardcore detailing guys, they'll be able to advise you on the best product to use.

I've got Eibach springs and Bilstein B8s on order. I've done some minor work just with a decent trolley jack but this is going to need me to get the axle stands out. How the heck do I jack it up and then put axle stands under somewhere strong?

Cheers. I'm definitely not brave enough, a replacement selector mechanism is about £500.

Can you confirm this did fit. I didn't think it would after taking apart a 2013 one vs. my 2011 one as the white plastic bit inside the selector shaft was 90 degrees off. If it did fit, what's the part number?

There are 3 different parking sensors fitted by Skoda. If it's a pre-facelift model (2010 or earlier) then they'll be the dealer fit ones. If it's 2010 onwards then they can either be dealer fit or factory fit. Dealer fit part numbers are: Inner pair BEA 700 001 01. Outer pair BEA 700 001 02. Factory fit part number is: 1S0 919 275 Both need painting to match. I got factory fit sensors brand new from a european eBay vendor for about £20 each delivered.

I've got the kit and am in the Chelmsford area if you want a trip down the A414.

goneoffSki #1 Keith #2 Oz #3 (in Australia) MBK #4 Furbytom #5 Sharkrider #6 Mrburdon #7 Ally_bassman #8 Tweenster #9 Newbie69 #10 TheGrinch #11 Grantwebster #12 kipperbailey #13 Brian 69 # 14 joshburnage #15 daz1412 #16 Gumby #17 Dickow # 18 mdking #19 sittingbull #20 mmmRacer #21 (in Australia) Bingo765 #22 Dr3w_vrs #23 balbazzaar #24 abovethresh #25 Mr j #26 Designer23t #27 alloyvee #28 (in Australia) andy3270 #29 pee81 #30 PulsarET #31 Andy2509 #32 PaddyVRS #33 mickvrs #34 Naths vRS #35 VrsGeo #36 Lordsummit # 37 bobnaldo #38 Wibb #39 DaveyWhite #40 PhilTheGeek #41 May 2011 VRS Estate - had a reasonable number of options now has everything but a Sunroof, headlight washers and a third rear headrest. SatNav is Columbus rather than Amundsen. Was an oil user and previous owner had breather fix and pistons rings (read new pistons). Usage was around 500ml per 1000miles when I bought it @29500 miles. Now @37000 miles it's using half that. I don't worry too much, my fuel consumption is appalling because I use full throttle, full boost, full revs. I now only add oil when it hits minimum on the dipstick and only enough to bring it a maximum of third of the way up the hatched area. I've also ditched Shell V-Power and only use Tesco Momentum.

Back pressure variation used to be a fairly significant issue in the days of carburettors. To get the full advantage a full rolling road session was needed and jets/venturis/needles would need changing along with both the static and dynamic advance on the distributor. These days with the range of sensors on the engine and the adaptive nature of the ECU you'll generally only see benefits from a free flowing exhaust. To gain the ultimate performance a remap will be needed but the difference is much smaller and in many cases the backside dyno won't notice.