SurreyJohn

One thing I have noticed is how much more expensive superseded designs are, I guess low stocks and people replacing a single tyre if they have a puncture means low sales volumes for these

Be very cautious at looking at 2020 orders and trying to use them as a guide to current order dates. It might have been built and in transit for stock at date of ordering so just a few weeks. Now there is negligible stock and waiting times of 35 weeks (8 months) are being reported. An order today might not arrive until March 2022. And of course might change spec or discontinue model in meantime.

It’s not that much at the factory, they already fit a fan, and one with bigger blades or slightly bigger motor is only marginally more cost. Its same with other bits, all very marginal to substitute a bigger size. Some other parts are included regardless of spec for standardisation, as others have found out, eg when a wiring loom has a plug that doesn’t seem to be used. Software differences probably has no cost at factory either as have to upload a version regardless of what settings are selected.

It varies as sometimes they get a batch that are part of a bigger order, and are able to offer a good price due to the bulk order. Someone who has a good price one month, might not have any couple of months later. The second thing is at the moment deliveries are taking 6-8 months for some orders, so someone may have a good price, but you might be waiting until about March for it to arrive, so may have to trade availability vs price.

It’s deferral alternative advertising by an Oligopoly. Basically they are trying to stop you spending your money elsewhere, and trying to get you more interested so when available are keen to buy. It is normally seen ahead of product launches, when a product is advertised, but can’t actually buy it on date of advert. It is only ever done with higher value products when there are limited number of suppliers (you won’t see this type of advertising for low value products)

It won’t originally have come from Bath, as all their registrations start W (West Country), so it has changed dealer at Trade level AP prefix is Anglia (was the Norwich office) so it has relocated about 200 miles

The 16 inch rims tend to be cheaper 215/60 R16 winter tyres are plentiful with lots of brands available, 215/55 R17 tyres are also easy to get, but tend to be £15-30 per tyre more expensive. So a rough rule of thumb is assume will cost £100 more for 17 inch than 16 inch So main benefit for 16 inch is price, the other is that it much harder to catch the kerb and scratch the rim with the deeper 60 profile tyres.

The 7 ultra high performance all-season comparison has already been linked in post 2 above, but there is another one featuring 9 everyday all-seasons https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2020-Tyre-Reviews-All-Season-Tyre-Test.htm To avoid confusion, the Vredestein Quatrac 5 is being phased out (still available in some sizes), the replacement is called Quatrac (no number). Some larger sizes and performance low profiles are Quatrac Pro which has been around a couple of years Unfortunately bit too early in year for 2021 reviews to come out, but by the time they do, prices will have jumped seasonally. Another relatively recent review is Auto Bild allrad https://tiresvote.com/articles/auto-bild-allrad-2021-all-season-tire-test/

Have you checked the fuse ? Electrics on roomsters are not the strongest, but they normally fail where cables flex at door and tailgate hinges. That wouldn’t really apply to front fog lights. Guessing remotely can’t eliminate a damaged cable from being a possibility. You have already changed the switch, and if it was replaced without damaged pins in connectors, then unlikely to be the problem area. A guess is possibly the connectors or even the earth connector at the bulbs

This is one of those close decisions where how far north you live, the altitude, and topography, and if you mainly do local journeys on poor roads vs motorway cruising. The cross climate is probably better for cruising main roads in south of England and coastal strips further north, but the Goodyear’s more suited to every day driving across the high ground from Chiltern Hills northwards

If you have it in writing (or email) that 4th October is the guaranteed latest date, then you have good reason to request a loan car from that date from the company who offered that condition as part of the contract. If however the date was best endeavours to meet that date basis, then legally you took the risk on choosing to do a trip with the vehicle from 10th October. Your use of the term reassured worries me, because it’s not clear if it was a date guarantee, or you were hoodwinked into thinking likely. I personally wouldn’t trust someone that can give an exact delivery to dealer and PDI date 13 weeks ahead, it means they know exactly how long it will be parked at Emden awaiting a ship, which ship it will be sailing on, how long the port will take to load it on a transporter, and date transporter will deliver it. I don’t know anyone that can advise that to a specific day 3 months in advance. I’m sorry, but I feel someone is spinning you a yarn. A PDI date doesn’t mean you get it on that date either, if it is a lease then could take a week or three to get to you. You might not see it until late November (and if you are away might prefer it to be delivered day after you return, as won’t be able to use it till then)

Pre Covid, used to be easy to find dealers who would do the job for less than published price if you rang them up. You could treat the price list as a National maximum and would often be offered a price about 85% of the max. The dealer will be paid for doing the software update, so try and get the price for your work as an add on to an existing job, rather than a stand alone service job. Some of the service price includes driving it into the workshop, plugging in computer, and cleaning it, you don’t really need to be paying this if they already have it for other work. If the car has only done 6k miles and is only 10 months old, not going to do any harm by delaying service until towards end of 13th month

Probably not going to be that much difference between the Vredestein and Hankook all seasons in everyday driving (as opposed to very spirited driving) Yes the summer tyres will be slightly better at dry braking in the warmer months, but this is more than offset by their poorer braking in colder wet weather. I used to live on edge of London and had to commute using narrow winding A245 (Cobham-Fetcham), which used to suffer muddy field run off and frost hollows, and the summer tyres were dangerous on dark damp winter mornings. The field run off used to wash away any salt. It converted me from summer tyres to all seasons as a minimum. I went further our main car now uses summer or winter tyres, and second car (which only does about 5000 miles per year) has all seasons.

Thanks for posting, so about 34 weeks (or 8 months) As someone else has been told 34-35 weeks I think that is probably realistic timeframe

I was once told by a dealer that for a particular model, target was only 1 per quarter, I think it was the Rapid. Probably a similar thing with Scala in they don’t need to sell many so if already reached negligible quota aren’t interested. Rather encourages people to go to car broker or car wow rather than visit nearest dealer and not be valued as a potential customer.

Few drops of white spirit, white vinegar, lemon juice and surgical alcohol (apparently clear vodka also works for the alcohol) Then rub it with cotton wool pads (which you will find in make-up remover section of shops). Hopefully dirt will transfer to the pad which will change from white.

Diesel engines use VW509 spec. (VW508 for petrol engines) It is synthetic oil 0w-20 For top ups you can get half litre and one litre bottles at most big petrol stations, eg Castrol at BP, Havoline at Texaco, Helix at Shell, Quartz at Total etc. A small top up quantity of 5w-30 spec synthetic oil is not a problem if that is what you have If you want a 5 litre (or bigger) bottle to change the oil, then motor factors or online sellers. You might glean more background info from this rather long thread on oil on a petrol Kodiaq https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/496180-oil-petrol-engine/

I heard the logic of setting up a standing order for £100 every month to a deposit account from a savvy financial person, the theory was that even after paying tax, insurance, servicing, out of the fund, the average person would have £2000-2500 still in the pot when manufacturers warranty runs out at end of year 3. Very few people would need an extended warranty when they have a car contingency fund built up over first 3 years whilst manufacturers warranty was still active. Of course if don’t spend it, it is available as extra deposit for next car. Wont really work though for those buying a car with little or no manufacturers warranty left, an no other financial contingency pot saved up.

It works both ways, if nothing goes wrong then it is money spent on repairing another persons car for them. All the premiums cover repairs, plus some to run the scheme, and some profit for the warranty company, so for every £1 of premium, only about three quarters will actually be spent on repairs You dont need to be be good at maths to work out if someone claims £2000, and premiums are say £250 then about 11 other people will be paying for it and not getting any return themselves. Generally speaking would be better off transferring £30 per month in a deposit account, and chancing it. Actually more sensible to stick nearer £100 per month and using it to cover car insurance, car tax, servicing, MOT, replacement tyres etc when needed

VW508 is the correct spec for petrol, VW509 for diesel They are both synthetic oils For the petrol, I believe you can also top up with VW504 (but shouldn't be used for long life services)

Have a look at pages 108 and 126 of this Superb brochure, there are 20 + 19 wheels listed with pictures https://www.skoda-auto.cz/_doc/65d2415b-5441-4a0a-8811-a34a6de20cc8 I have used Borbet rims for my winter wheels, they have a handy wheel finder, and can find what will fit without adaptors or different bolts https://www.borbet.de/en/configurator#256727977!06E418A

I would request bit more info than a vague on track eg build week and status code You want to make sure they have actually looked up your order, rather than send a generic answer

Seems to be a common problem with modern tyres if the car is parked in sun and all weathers rather than in a garage https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/469885-perishing-tyres/ There is another thread where Pirelli P7s are wearing slowly and asking for suggestions https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/495755-tyre-dilemma/ P7s are not designed to be used in colder weather (they are Italian and summer tyres). My suggestion is get them checked and when you come to replace them go for all season tyres. But remember all season tyre prices jump seasonally soon. If you want recommendations then any of Continental All season contact, Goodyear vector 4season Generation 3, Vredestein Quatrac Pro. Maybe Michelin cross climate plus or Hankook kinergy 4S 2 H750 or Bridgestone A005 Evo

I gave up few years ago worrying about fuel consumption when on my same 13 mile commute to office at roughly same time of day I discovered that traffic levels meant I typically got about 41-43mpg, but during school holidays got 47-52 mpg, and on days where there were accidents or roadworks got 33-38mpg. Simply due to differing traffic levels and congestion. Having discovered same route at same time could be anything from 33-52 mpg depending on traffic levels, rather made worrying about few percent of fuel consumption to be pointless. If @stever750 wants rock hard Eco tyres on the smallest rims possible to save fuel then that is his/her choice, but realistically would be better to choose the smallest most economical car possible to go with the tyres. However for most people tyres that get you home whatever the weather are more important.

Took the Roomster from Wiltshire to Yorkshire earlier in the week and can’t really tell the difference on motorways and main roads. They are slightly more rumbly on poor tarmac The real difference is in the colder months when the all-seasons grip a lot better in cold rain.