glosrich

Skoda dealer, Halfords and eBay in descending order of price. Your paint code is on the chassis sticker in the passenger door jamb. Or just Google the name for the code.

There only trying to get the really old and dirty ones off the road, from what I can see, the Euro 1,2,3 cars that are pretty smokey when pushed hard. The Octavia 3 TDi are all Euro 5 & 6 so won't be affected for at least 5 years, probably a lot longer as they are pretty clean with the DPF. Less particulates than many petrols. Something has to be done as the air quality in a lot of cities is dangerous at peak times and it is harming us.

You're right Auric. One tailgated me out of Birmingham airport carpark last week, I wondered why, that must be it.

Did the dealer say what the car is set to, annual or variable servicing? If you look on the car menu on the radio it says when the next service is due.

Welcome to petrol, same service intervals as diesel, you just don't have to queue up with the trucks for fuel ...lol

I mentioned it when you said you had ordered a 1.4. I'd be wanting a 1.5 if I was buying now.

I've heard of it filling up in the doors, but not the tailgate. Has the tailgate glass ever been replaced? Maybe its leaking in? My hatch is at Birmingham airport outside, so expect my doors might be filling up....lol

Sometimes you want the wipers to stop upright, maybe if you are putting a frost protector under the wipers. Sounds a bit OCD. Next you'll want the wheel badges to all face upright when you park....lol

It's not a massive big deal but, the alloy wheel centre cap badges are just the usual cheap plastic stickers with lacquer on. After a couple of winter's the lacquer peels giving this white appearance. They are about a £5 each from Skoda, but less on eBay.

Didn't think any mk3 Octavias have ever had ACT. Only on the Superb and Golf, Leon. New 1.5 TSi is now replacing the 1.4. ACT isn't just software, it's different camshafts also to allow the cylinder shutoff.

As always look all over for damage, wheels, stone chips, quality tyres, service records. From the age and mileage was probably a company car, so should have been serviced either annually or every 20k miles. Check the gears and clutch, selection can get sticky and the clutch juddery. Cambelt and water pump is about £400, but I don't know the interval.

Definitely consider hiring one for a day. Do Skoda do the 72hr test drive on the Superb? Beyond that ask a dealer for an extended test drive, explain you're not sure about auto. Or Enterprise car rental. £50 for a day would prevent an expensive mistake.

No twin charger TSi engines in the Octavia 3. The output change was purely to compensate for the emissions reg change euro5 to 6. 1.2 TSi had a similar change 105ps to 110ps. These engines are belt drive cam, not chain like the MK2 engines. Long life belt, 100k miles + changes.

Watched kettle never boils... Well it does eventually... I think they use the 'Highway' car carriers. Mine was on Weser Highway. http://www.kline.com/CarCarrier-Services/Car-Carrier-RoRo-Ocean-Transportation-Services.html

4 headlights ala facelift Octavia....lol

These engines are a bit noisy at start up, when on cold start 'choke', but as long as it drives normally, returns the usual mpg and doesn't burn oil, I would not worry about it. Also have a search on you tube, there are videos of similar noises for the 1.2 and 1.4 TSi. Don't get confused with the earlier 1.4 TSi videos of rattling timing chains, as our engines are belt drive.

Been driving an Opel Astra Sports Tourer hire car for the last week here in Czech Republic, and it rides and handles a lot better than the Octavia, very little suspension or tyre roar. Its on 17" Continental tyres. I'll try and get some decibel readings at 70mph on the motorway to compare. However the roads here are a lot smoother...all our EU grant money has been spent on lovely smooth tarmac.

Back in the old days....around 1994, VW group in Milton Keynes used to operate a demonstrator service via a firm called Keddys. A dealer could ring up and have a suitable demo car delivered for a day or 2, at a cost, for a customer to try. Also make sure your other half is comfortable driving and parking it, they are big. Mine likes the idea of SUVs like the Kodiaq, but wouldn't be able to park it. An Octavia or Superb estate might be a better compromise. Or a Zafira, they are half price at 6 months old, and actually not bad cars. The new ones shouldn't burst into flames either....

Just means voice control isn't standard on your car and a Skoda dealer would have to activate it, after you buy a licence key, sort of like Microsoft software licences etc.

Its not easy like it was in the 00s on VAG cars.

Is it in stock at the dealers or at the port in Emden? Only thing to check with a dealer stock car is damage, especially if its been in the showroom on display.

Just make sure the price to change is as low as it can be. Price check your car on we buy any car and other sites, and look up the discounted price for the new one on some site like www.broad speed.com and see if the price to change is fair.

Have a read of the manual, the keys can store personalisation such as locking, electric seat position, climate control, radio etc ala BMW and Mercedes keys.

Mine is also tappy. Its likely just the hydraulic tappets filling with oil when you start up. Mine taps for about 15 secs then goes quiet. Also these engines are direct injection, so they are quite loud. However mine is being serviced in 2 weeks time, so I'll mention it to the service tech, as it has got worse. Car is a Sept 15, now at 10k miles. Oil is topped up towards the max, is yours topped up? When was it last serviced? The metal rubbing will be the rear brake disks. They do rub slightly, especially after its rained and the disks have a film of rust on them. A couple of hard braking sessions or a bit of handbrake soon clears it. Nothing to worry about.

Just buy your parts from a Skoda dealer, you'll know they are genuine then.