VAGCF

Just searched and found this on the Skoda website. As I thought the Full LED are Matrix - why didn't they just call them that! Volvo's version is Pixel but I don't have them as they dropped them for awhile.

The website is somewhat unclear! But just having another look the 130 has different LED headlights to the Monte Carlo - the 130 having LED headlamps with variable light distribution, darkened. As someone remarked elsewhere (may have been you Derek) it's not clear anywhere what the difference actually is between LED headlights and Full LED headlights? Though from what is said in the handbook and above about the 130 I think it is fairly safe to say that the Full LED are adaptive and the LED are fixed. Also the Optional Light and View Plus Package which the Monte Carlo and 130 have as standard would suggest that they have cornering foglights as well and not fixed and so the function isn't dealt with by the headlamps? But it could just be that it is badly written as is often the case. My wife has this package so I will have to have a look in the dark!

According to the website all models are stated as currently having cornering foglights apart from the 130. This has front foglights though so probably an error not mentioning with cornering function?

Main reason I changed to AGM on my motorbikes is that in some cases the paintwork on the frames or swing arms had been damaged due to a badly positioned vent pipe and if I ordered a new battery online you had to fill it with acid which I was never that happy with having to do. Some owners have also used Li-Ion batteries though you have to be wary of low temperature use. With older vehicles they don't care about battery type as volts are volts as far as they are concerned!

I've had a couple of cars including the Yeti (which had halogen fog lights/ cornering lights) and whilst they are useful for giving more illumination to objects closeby as you turn a corner as you surmise they aren't of any great benefit.

I worry about getting points driving my Volvo XC40 and my wife's Fabia 1.5 nevermind something with even more performance! I don't want anything that is a sloth to drive but over the last few years I have become increasingly frustrated driving even everyday cars as with their performance it is so easy to exceed speed limits that on many roads have been artificially reduced. My main enjoyment with my Audi TT, which is a joy to drive, it that I can put the roof down as I certainly can't get anywhere near using it's performance. I never thought I'd say this but I really can't see the point of high performance cars anymore. I often choose to drive my Volvo more quickly down many roads because it doesn't have the sports suspension and low profile tyres that the Audi has which means I'm spending more time looking out for potholes and poor surfaces.

That's my view as well. AGM batteries have been out for years and I've fitted them to my motorcycles many years ago. Many if not most modern cars require recoding if a battery is replaced (even my 11 year old Audi TT requires recoding even if the same type of battery is used) and it doesn't require any more expertise if replacing a wet battery with an AGM other than changing the codes. Anyway good to hear that you've managed to get the battery changed but sorry to hear you encountered problems again.

When I was working we had an instructor come in to teach us economical driving even though we used our own cars for work. We used the instructors car to drive as we normally do and then as instructed to which included being in gears too high I was happy with (almost lugging and little acceleration available) and going over speed bumps too fast - both of which was at odds with my mechanical sympathy. It certainly worked as I received a certificate for the difference in mpg achieved but couldn't wait to get into my own car again to go home and drive normally again! When I took my driving test (mainly manual cars at the time) you had to make an emergency stop without stalling the engine. Good job that the cars then didn't have the characteristic that modern Skodas do!

Thanks for the additional and detailed information. It's my son (who lives about 2 hours away) who is buying the car and so will be doing the initial test driving but I'm advising on what to look out for and if required will test it as well. I read up on the 1.5 DSG version before buying my wife's Fabia just over a year ago and that is fine as is my BIL's VW T-Roc, fitted with the same combination, which he has owned for 3 years, so was fairly confident that the issues had been resolved but wanted to check that was the case with the years my son is looking at. It's pretty damning to see that they are still having issues with the manual cutting out though, but have to wonder at some dropping down to such low speeds in high gears resulting in the revs only being 700rpm! I have a DSG as my everyday car, albeit a Volvo, but have mainly driven manuals and still have a VWG one and never drive it like that.

Thanks for the replies. After posting I read the post with the 1.5 issues (lengthy post as I found I'd posted on it years ago!). It seems that the DSG model is not affected so I have advised my son to steer clear of the manual version.

Hi, one of my son's is looking for a family car and is considering a Karoq or a Kamiq. When I was looking at the 1.5 Karoq as a replacement for my Yeti around 7 years ago I remember there were problems with jerkiness when pulling away (worse with the manual) and engine stalling. This caused me to look elsewhere as I didn't want AWD with the 2.0 petrol or a panoramic roof with the spec. I wanted. Son is looking at around 4/5 years old and sub-40k. miles. I assume that at that age the problems I mention would have long gone? Certainly have on my wife's Fabia but that is just over a year old. Assuming that is the case are there any other issues with Karoqs of that age? Thanks.

My wife has had hers for just over 12 months now and agree with everything that has been said. The sharp brakes catch me out now and again especially as those in mine are a little soft. We ordered a good spec. but got a good discount so overall very pleased with the car.

Same colour as my TT! Though it's called Samoa Orange. Not many cars can carry it off (it's used on some VWG SUVs but few around fortunately!) but the Fabia Design/Colour Edition does with its black roof and trim which breaks it up and provides a nice contrast.

There's a thread on here all about Aero trims and their removal.

To be honest they don't look as bad with black wheels but it was a no brainer for us. I'd already checked that ours wouldn't be supplied with them but if it had I'd already told the salesman to make sure they were removed before we collected the car! Adding plastic trims to alloy wheels just isn't right!

Had ours for nearly a year now and very pleased with it. Turn the stop/start off and Lane Assist but that's no biggie. Had to look things up now and again in the online manual including the infotainment system but that's generally the case with all cars nowadays and no big deal. Only minor niggle is when I wash the car is the wheels. They are the ones designed for the Aero trims (but fortunately came without them) and have a channel where the trim fits. This is difficult to clean out of brake dust and holds water - but I'm nitpicking here.

It seems that manufacturers have difficulty in designing a fob where the battery can be easily replaced as that in my Volvo XC40 is a right pig and you don't get a low battery warning as I found out on more than one occasion when I couldn't open the door! As regards the wheel covers fortunately ours came without them, though I'd already told the dealer to remove them if they did come fitted. After washing the car a few times now the only trouble is that as the wheels were designed for the trims you have a big groove which is difficult to clean behind the spokes and holds water when washing the wheels, not a biggie though.

Thanks Derek, I'll have a look.

Came back last night and my wife locked the car as usual, it has Kessy. She went out this morning and found that all the windows were down. Anyone else had this happen? Seem to remember this happening a couple of times with my Yeti.

I frequent the Audi TT forum and it often mentioned that the reader has to be VAG specific as otherwise codes are often not picked up or are too general and don't identify specific problems.

My Volvo restarts if you take your foot off the brake if you are not using Autohold and if you are it restarts when you touch the throttle as you are ready to pull away. I use Autohold on and off dependant on the situation and find it works very well. When I drive the Fabia I miss having a proper Autohold (is the brief holding called Hill Hold Assist?) and when stopped hold it on the footbrake. I did try the handbrake once out of interest, but as said, the car's systems don't recognise it being applied and the car creep easily overcomes it. I've also tried going into N but unlike with manual it doesn't feel like a natural thing to do and you have to check that you are in fact in D before pulling away.

My wife got a bottle of champagne! 🍾

I was thinking that and posed the question on the XC40 forum but never got a reply. For those using the cars as designed i.e. doing daily journeys on electric only then the engine could potentially be hardly used which wouldnt do it any good and the fuel could even go stale. Another of those things that sound OK in theory but in practise maybe not so much so.

Yeah I had it happen on one of the rear brakes on my TT when away on holiday once, absolutely horrible noise, it soon cleared though.

Really! As Derek says, why have they been dropped from some models then? Other factors, mainly driving style have a far greater impact than afterthought wheel trims. Some cars had proper aero wheels, mainly EVs, but fortunately they seem to have mostly disappeared.