Gerrycan

Our 2014 model has only done a quarter of the distance of yours, some cosmetic shopping car park scratches but obviously no rust issues with our temperate climate and with the demise of many manual transmission and wagon (sorry estate) options, plus huge price increases I really don't see any worthwhile replacement worth spending a lot of money on in our market. I could have been tempted with a Hybrid Corolla estate, but it was not released here 😞 and Toyota wait lists for hybrids of any kind are out past a year anyway. Fitting new tyres tomorrow and will probably spend 'big' and change all the belts next major service in June (even though I am not convinced they really need changing). Just got to make up my mind whether I use the dealership or an independent to do it, and then it is set up for another few years when we will probably be ready to get an EV.

Thanks for the update and I'm really happy the Mondeo has worked out so well for you. Odd last paragraph though You are just being perverse!

I have absolutely no idea how the winter/summer diesel formulations affect calorific value, I just thought it was to maintain a working viscosity at low temperatures and that maybe the winter 'dilution' may compromise consumption a bit. I've never owned a diesel in the UK and now live in a coastal Mediterranean type climate so would only see morning frost if I travel inland in our winter and again I have no clue whether our diesel varies to seasons in our region, Probably not but it would in Australian 'Alpine' areas @Gammyleg that is really good consumption you are getting from a small diesel engine in what is a big vehicle but your driving profile would obviously help a lot, From what you describe temperature would have to account for a lot of the difference. Like @MASKO I can get in the 60's returns with my 1.4tsi on a longer journey but that will not happen with adverse factors such headwinds, tight schedules or even very high temperatures when the aircon is working overtime and then it can drop down to the 40's. I do remember my 1.9pd Octavia was far more tolerant of adverse conditions and on one notable long journey we were heavily loaded, pushing at the speed limit through strong headwinds, 40 deg temps (max aircon), locust plague (very noisy and not fun) and even an extensive accumulation of three foot deep wind-blown seeds which totally obscured the road like snow but had the resistance of fairy floss. Still got consumption in the mid/high 50's though which our current petrol engine, good as it is, would not have been able to match.

That is an interesting graph but and while I would be the first to agree that temperature is a factor I am surprised that it is that much. There may be a couple of other factors? Different diesel formulation for winter and the peak also coincides with the summer school holidays so could there be better traffic flow without all the teachers travelling and student pickup/dropoff (it is very noticeable here)? Do you put different winter tyres on? How long was your commute as shorter journeys would be more affected by cold than longer journeys (proportionately longer time to warm up engine to operating temperature)? I used to record my consumption religiously but got to a point where I could 'feel' there were so many factors at play at any one time that there was no real point. My wife is now doing most of the driving in our Octavia anyway, so I wasn't likely to be critical of her driving (and our marriage survive?) was I. I do refuel the cars and still just check the figures that there are no major aberrations from the norm (~6L/100) to indicate any issue. When we had a 1.9pd Octavia we used to do a regular 200km round trip on a Saturday to watch our son play his sport. There would frequently be a high pressure over us so there would be no wind and a midday temperature of about 20 degrees, running on near empty roads flat roads at whatever speed limit applied. The return journey would be after dark (after the game and a clubroom meal) and the temperature would fall quite quickly (clear skies) to between 5 and 8 degrees. The return journey would always average about 5mpg less in otherwise similar conditions on the same route back. Most of that would be the effect of the temperature and a small part due to running headlights in the dark. I used the cruise control extensively.

Considering you were initially looking at another Octavia, the Model X is the last vehicle I thought you would end up choosing When you have had some time with it please post your opinion in the Briskoda review section, I'd love to read it.

Bit of a head scratcher when the car is running so well. I wonder if you, or someone else here, can get more info about those 1.0tsi with injector problems to see whether it is actually applicable to your problem (despite the dealer denying it) If it were one of the many sensors playing up then you would think there would be some sort of error message, but that is not guaranteed either. Do they do emission testing during servicing in the UK and would it be recorded on their report? Or is the first emission test the car is subjected the MOT, when it is usually out of warranty?

When was the last service? How old are the spark plugs? Has there been any recent deterioration in consumption, power delivery or starting?

If you undertake the work then what sort of environment would you be working in? Consider that it is currently cold and wet outside. Do the parts even NEED to be replaced? If not then I think you would be far better off being more attentive for potential hazards on the road when driving.

Five people in a Fabia, on the roads you describe is going to be .....uncomfortable? Where is the camping equipment going to fit?

That is quite remarkable considering the number salted winter roads they would have had to suffer. I lived in the UK for 30 years so know how bad it can be. Since there is no snow here rusting is rare in South Australia unless the vehicle has been driven through surf on vehicle accessible beaches (not my thing).

Pleased to hear it is working out for you so far. The 1.4tsi can be quite economical too in my experience. No ICE car likes short runs from cold starts but driven sensibly then journeys over 5 miles should average in the 40's and better that when the temps go up and/or journeys are longer. Australians are used to torque box autos so they often burn out the DSG clutch packs because they don't adapt their driving to what is an automated manual. Typically at traffic lights they will stop and just press the footbrake enough to hold the car still. Not a real problem in a torque box but I believe DSGs only disengage if the foot brake is pressed firmly otherwise they are semi-engaged as for an expected hill start and burn out the dry clutch. Not such a problem with the wet clutch DSG fitted to more powerful engines. Enough of a problem in Aus for Skoda to release the Mk4 Octavia with the old 1.4tsi engine and an Aisin torque automatic and not the Euro 1.5tsi and DSG although it is with the Scala There are videos on the topic on the internet. The Rapid was only sold in Aus with the 1.2tsi engine but I keep a look out in case a reasonably priced/mileage version (preferably manual) comes on the market locally although sales were low here. It would be to replace my 20 year old Toyota Echo which refuses to die

In my experience the standard Octavia suspension is quite good if performing to specification. While our current mk3 with torsion bar rear suspension and 17 inch wheels is not as good as our previous mk2 with rear irs and 15 inch wheels, it still acquitted itself remarkably well on some 80km of unintended travel on a dirt road rally (Targa Tasmania) section to a remote National Park in Western Tasmania with four on board and boot full of luggage. I have driven on London roads and they really don't compare . Sure big potholes should be avoided, otherwise it will cost you. After the bang you describe I'd be considering getting the front wheel alignment checked, and while you are there get your suspension professionally checked. It is your work vehicle and so you have an obligation to maintain it and I'm sure costs are claimed in your tax returns. Speed bumps (and worse, speed dips) have to be taken at a speed commensurate with vehicle load and bump/dip size. I've seen SUVs with plenty of ground clearance and overconfident drivers nearly lose control when taken them too fast. It has nothing to do with ground clearance (except with Ferraris and Lambos etc and that is just funny to watch on the many speed bumps/dips we have locally). As a cabbie do you run your tyres at high rather than comfort pressures because you can never be certain when you will pick up a maximum load? That is what I would do and it would minimise the effects of any unintentional high speed road contact Consider also that changes to the suspension specification may adversely affect your insurance premium, especially as a commercial passenger carrier. Or if undeclared invalidate any claim in the event of an incident.

And I am proud to say I aced the baby shower's prediction competition over 50 other entrants! Got the sex (girl), birth date and height spot on, and was only 20 minutes out on birth time and 200 grams out on weight. Parents were a bit spooked out by the accuracy and the fact it was me, and my daughter thinks it is hilarious She is, of course, drop dead gorgeous but I may be a bit biased

After a pretty hectic couple of months of work and social activities things will subside enough for the next three weeks for me to catch up with things including exercise. The plan got off to a really good start with an 'early' morning 5km run last week, then went and got a whooping cough/diphtheria/tetanus vaccination (to protect my first and brand new grand-child) which made me disinclined to do anything for a few days, and then resumed running this morning followed by a relaxing paddle along the seashore. Of course I say running, but that is what I used to do before it slowed to jogging and I am not quite sure what to call it now....so 'running ' it is. Doctors appointment this afternoon for a precautionary checkup to make sure I'm ok to continue with my regimen, and since my last checkup was before Covid I have my fingers crossed for no surprises.

You might want to update your profile from year 2009 to 2015.

Seems your car is a mk2 so is it possible your shocks need replacing?

Hi @DadWagon, I might as well add my tuppence worth to this topic. I'm not sure what is actually motivating the change since you seem quite happy with the mk2 and I can understand this as my old mk2 estate (with 1.9pd) was a joy to drive, especially after a couple of Korean MPV and SUV family dictated needs vehicles. I'm guessing your mk2 has independent rear suspension, which you would lose by transferring to the mk3 with rear torsion beam on the lower power versions (irs only on 4wd and vrs models). The latter is not well regarded by some in this forum although I found that driven normally, on normal roads I cannot tell much difference between them. However on Australian dirt roads the mk2 irs and the 15 inch tyres provided a far better ride of the two but that's probably not a real issue around Maidstone . I'd personally avoid any bigger wheels than 17 inch though. There is better space for rear passenger in the mk3, Halogen headlights are slightly better, but even more so in the face lift version of the mk3 but higher spec headlights are recommended if you drive on unlit sections. The mk3 is quite a light vehicle for its size with the smaller petrol engines fitted and so are quite nimble and potentially very economical if you drive 'sensibly'. I drive more sensibly than my wife but even she averages around 6L/100 around town. Like @Rodge I only drive manuals so cannot comment on DSG versions. Good luck with your search and try to get a few test drives to see what you are getting, or losing, with a change.

In attempting to answer your oft repeated question this will sound more like psychoanalysis than anything Your 'fear of carbon build up on VAG engines' is likely due to use, or misuse, of the internet. Yes there are many references to this problem on the internet but if you actually look in more detail most originate from the US and most are pretty old. Well prior to the 1.4tsi's existence VW sold a direct injection engine in the US which had a very bad reputation for carbon build up. Strangely, similar engines sold in Europe had a much more expensive DI and multi-point injection which allowed the inlet valves to be 'washed' by the petrol from the multi-point injection system so was not regarded as an issue. Coming back to the 1.4tsi, you are probably frustrated by the lack of response to your question but this engine has been a workhorse for the group for a few years now and put in a number of vehicles and no one has responded because it is not a reported issue, certainly not in Briskoda. Trust me if it were a problem then it would be here. I'm not saying there is not build up, I am sure there is some but apparently no worse than any other vehicle on the road. The 1.4tsi is excellent in my experience (90k km, 8 years) and you could expand your search to include the 1.0tsi 3 cylinder engine which is also a very nice unit and seems to be remarkably reliable, frugal and offers reasonable performance despite the small capacity. Other options are to go with dual injection systems such as those found on the 2.0tsi gti's or more left field the recent Ford Focus 1.5Litre 3 cylinder which also had dual direct and multi injection.

Our 1.4tsi experiences the same gurgling noises from water build up when subjected to successive short journeys in cold or cold and wet weather. A longer journey with the occasional rev in the lower gears when warmed up will clear it, I have seen litres of water pour from some (non Skoda) cars exhausts when accelerating away from traffic lights in cool conditions soon after a cold start.

The plastic nut covers on an Octavia had me scratching my head the first time I took a wheel off Once the wheel is off it should be very easy to see the condition of the disks and the remaining pad thickness, will see then if the mechanic was taking his 'duty of care' a little too far or not. Surprised you did not get a video report sent to you of their investigations, I received one on our last service. I was the main driver of our first mk2 Octavia and I drive economically and as I brake minimally and lightly the rears were far more worn than the front but my wife drives our mk3 and front wear is greater but still a long way from replacement at 90k km. An independent mechanic recommended replacing disks (rears) at the same time as pads some years back on our mk2. I know Subaru dealers had no hesitation machining my son's disks when his pads were replaced so I think it is fair to say the VW's have less metal. I don't know if VW/Skoda Aus pads/disks are to a different spec but I know the alloy wheels get incredibly dirty, very quickly from all the dust they generate.

My half-marathon running great nephew from the UK arrived to visit us over Christmas and we have now done a few local runs including my first local Parkrun (yay!) A forecast 41 degree day means we diversified to water activities, but a cool change tomorrow means we are looking for another run in the morning. Quite enjoying the experience of running with someone.

I'm not sure my V8 seduction would have survived a long term relationship, as I mentioned the drive with a lesser engine made the other issues with the car were all too apparent. Being a fuel miser I would have cried everytime I filled it up.

Yeh, unfortunately I think everyone knows their reputation but still enjoyed driving the '4' though compared to the other equivalent expensive 'thoroughbreds' I drove. Same thing with the Jeep Cherokee Grande. Awful reputation for reliability but a surprisingly good drive, although that is just my opinion.

Folding umbrellas have never lasted long with me, especially when there is wind with the rain. I prefer to carry a more durable smaller golf umbrella and they last for years. I can relate to your search for the perfect car. I had a casual job at our airport for a few months where I was able to drive a lot of different, and many expensive cars over admittedly short distances (about 8km) so it was a bit like speed-dating (or what I would imagine speed-dating to be like). I developed a real dislike of X5s and Toyota Land Cruisers. I found that Porsche, Ferrari and Lambo's were largely overrated and really not good idea in an urban environment and a real pain to park. Audi A8 were raved over by my colleagues but maybe they raised my expectations too high as it did not hit my button nor did the modified AMG G-Wagon. The Tesla S was much more pleasant than I expected but even I got range anxiety driving the thing as there was only 20km range on the thing when it was left with us and I was relieved to plug it in a soon as I could. So what worked for me? Amongst the larger SUV I liked Land Rover Discovery 4's over the Range Rovers and later Land Rovers which I found to be relatively anodyne although very competent. The real surprise was a Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk (6.3 litre V8 supercharged) which had wonderful driving feedback and ride but drank like a sailor on shore leave even at a steady 60kmh. A V8 manual Mustang totally seduced me after coincidentally driving an auto Mustang the car before and being pretty unimpressed (might have been the 2.3l turbo version). An old XJ still had it despite needing a lot of TLC and some brand new Mini Clubman Cooper S were a real buzz (not as good a 'go-kart' feel as the originals though) There was one car that I would have happily driven off with and it was a humble 1.4tsi auto mk 7 Golf hatchback. I had driven a few other golf (including GTI) but for some reason this one stood out as exceptional. Couldn't hear the engine, the gear changes were non perceptible (seriously, I had just driven the Tesla S 20 minutes before) and it handled the urban bumps like a magic carpet so obviously something either wrong or very right with it. I think I must have been pre-programmed by our Octavia but it really was another level experience for some reason. The casual driving job ended when Covid arrived but it has left me with a dilemma as to what will eventually replace our current 2014 'goldilocks' Octavia estate. Probably an EV but preferably not a Musk thing, or Chinese, all of which severely limits my choices here in Australia. Might have to do my own EV conversion?

Christmas is coming when this runner's mind turns to the many sock presents I usually receive. I have a nominal UK foot size ten which means I find that the 7 to 9 size sock range are a little too small and the 10 to 13 are a little too big.....and the small ones always shrink in the wash while the larger sizes always stretch with use and washing. Does not seem to matter the price paid for them either. I do not remember it being a problem when socks were made in the UK.