Westbury63

Cool. Enjoyed looking at your work. Keep the photos coming!

Thank you for the information. I had no idea that would be needed.

Every day is a school day. I had no idea a battery would need to be coded to a car. Every battery I've ever replaced, aside from radio codes, has just been a simple old off and new on affair. Why on earth would a battery need to be coded?

Sorry to hear of this. Nasty business. Did the other driver have any action taken against them?

The Somme reference is accurate. This time of year, they always looked like they were wearing boots !!

Poor old chickens! They dont like rain. We kept chickens for years, and they always looked so sad in the rain.

Out of interest, is that something you can do yourself or do you need diagnostics? Thank you.

Not sure what the back of those headlights are like, but in a normal headlight, those sympton would be down to a loose fitting cap of some sort. Eg the rubber cap not put back correctly when replacing the H4 halogen bulb. I would be having a look and check everything fitted correctly, or get the dealer to do so if its under warranty.

Some very detailed and informative replies, thank you. From what I am reading and the links posted, the technology has been gradual and not at the behest of consumers but legislators. Interesting. I remember reading an article by Richard Hammond many years ago. He was talking about his Yamaha FS1E 50cc needing an MOT in February each year, and how the 16 miles round trip to the MOT station on such an underpowered (although not when you're 16 they're not! ) vehicle on slippery rural roads acted as a bit of a reset button. It reminded him about other road users and viewing hazards for what they might be, potentialy life changing encounters. I think it would do most folk the world of good to experience the same. Maybe to a couple of hours on a 125cc and a couple of hours on a pedal cycle ideally, to remind them of what roads are like outside of their supersafe metal boxes. Reset their driving to surviving without a never ending list of letters confirming the safety stuff fitted ESP / ESC, ABS / TC / ASR / XDS/ XDS+ etc. 26,610 people were killed or seriously injured on UK roads in a year. 1770 deaths, meaning 24,840 were seriously injured. 68 people every day! This figure remains fairly constant despite all the increases in standard fit safety equipment, How come this does not make the news? Why is this acceptable? What cost to society in purely financial amounts if nothing else? So if the safety kit fitted increases, yet to no real decrease to the 26610 figure, then surely we need to look at driver education and training? I for one would be happy to sit my drivers test every few years, or have it subject to appraisal. Believe it or not, 1989 doesn't seem like a lifetime ago. In 2005 I purchased a 2002 Octavia and ran that for 13 years. It had all the tech I've ever wanted and all the tech I'll ever need. I wouldn't have minded cruise control mind. However, looking at the Scala technology in the thread I referenced, I don't think a new Skoda would be for me.

Today I read this thread and it got me thinking. How did cars end up with so much tech fitted? Did customers ask for it? I passed my drivers test in 1989, and remember the days of old school cars with nothing fitted to them at all. Tech fitted such as airbags and ABS are clearly progress. I enjoy my car having an ECU, I no longer need to maintain points and use a manual choke to start my car. All advances that have been positive. But, I think technology has gone too far. Yetiherts lists all the gubbins he has to do to his car at the start of each journey for example! Too much.

Agreed. Too much tech by far! Out of interest, do we know how cars ended up with all this stuff fitted? Did customers ask for it? - I should probably start a new thread rather than hijack this one! EDIT: I have started a new thread !

Really sorry to hear of that. Takes the shine of a new car and what should be a great experience. I would be getting the dealer to sort this asap. Probably advise keeping a log of events just incase you need it in the future.

The Heko products look great. A more thrifty option is to use Correx board cut to size with a pair of scissors and attached with cable ties. Works on my car.

I find that Correx board and a couple of cable ties works really well and so easy to install.

Nice photograph ! I thought ZW plate was Zwickau, but apparently not. You are western area nearer Saarbucken. Nice part of the wold.

Cool colour. Not seen a Skoda in that shade before. Nice beach in the background

60.39 in a big car like that is fantastic!

The MK1 and MK2 Octavias that I have owned have had boots commodious enough for those dogs, so the MK4 will be ideal.

Agree with Redboy. I wouldn't accept that at all. Hopefully a new pressure cap will resolve, but the garage need to get that sorted.

Welcome to Briskoda If a brake is binding, it will be in both directions. Jack the car up and see if the wheel spins freely, this will tell you if a brake is binding. If you unable to do this, after a run, have a feel of the calipers. If a brake is binding, you will feel the heat. The squeak in reverse I suspect is nothing to worry about. I would try a few firm brakes in reverse to see if this clears the issue. If not, at 5000 miles, I'd be back to the dealer and let them resolve the issue. HTH

One thing I learnt a couple of years ago that helps with the interior of the car misting up is to cool it down before parking. What I do now on cold days, is for the last 3 miles of my journey is set the interior temperature to cold to cool it back down again. If its not raining, get the windows open for the last few hundred yards and get it a close to ambient temperature as possible. I find it stops the car misting up inside. The other thing I have always done when the temp is 5c or below, is poUr a 2 litre bottle of tepid water over the windscreen. It will start to warm it a little and stops it misting up with your breath when you get in the car. HTH

Sorry to hear of your stress with the car. I have read quite a bit about the 1.5 kangarooing, do you know if Skoda have formaly acknowledged faulty cam sensors as the cause? NB: This might be best in a new thread.

That is a fine looking car! I would miss that too. I ran a mk1 2002 Octavia 1.6 for 12 years and 130k miles. Best car I've owned in 31yrs motoring. I would argue, best car Skoda ever made.

I couldnt agree more. They make you feel like you are being an inconvenience by asking them to fix something under warranty. It's such an uphill struggle to get even very simple things resolved. I would hate to have a serious VAG problem to get resolved with Bristos, such as timing chains or the new 1.5 TSi that they still can't get right. Let alone the whole EA189 malarky. A Kafkaesque time to be endured if ever there was. Such a shame Bristos/Marriot aftersales as so appalling, as their sales team are very nice. I've dealt with them before. Strike me as a company that see their customers as people, and not something that ruin their day as Bristos do.

I purchased an Approved Used Citigo from Bristos. The sales process was excellent and very easy. 10/10. I would not deal with them again however and would advise all to avoid Bristos. They are part of the Marriot Motor Group and suffer from the 'We're to big to care' syndrome that large dealer groups usually do. The aftersales service is shocking. When problems arose, I was met with apathy and objections at all turns. My car never did get fixed and Bristos frankly did not care. I used them for a service on our Citigo. Mainly from the perspective of preserving the residual value of my car by having a full dealer history. I opted to get the brake fluid changed in addition to the service, bad move. The reservoir was overfilled and brake fluid was covering the exterior of the reservoir. The car was even returned with an oily steering wheel !! The servicing was sub fast-fit standard at premium prices. The only upside was the Skoda branded wallet to put my A4 printed invoice in. It's your money. Spend it with people who actualy care. I would not want to attempt to get a complex problem sorted by Bristos who would easily turn it into a Kafka esque scenario for you.