nicknorman

Got a low brake fluid warning a few days ago. A bit surprised but then again I haven't topped it up for years and I know all the pads are approaching wear limits. So I added some to take it up to about 1/2 level (so it wouldn't be too full when I fitted new pads etc) and had a 450 mile drive down to the Midlands with no problems. But the next morning, low brake fluid again. Oh dear, definitely a leak, albeit a slow one. Some signs of dampness at the rear offside suspension area so I'm guessing a brake pipe has corroded through. I am 450 miles from home and away from all the service information I printed out from ERWIN, so intend to see if I can get it fixed tomorrow at some local garage (Tamworth). Does anyone know if that will be a difficult job, eg does the brake pipe route over and thus hidden by the fuel tank? Being a 4x4 will that be a big deal with the transmission in the way etc? The car definitely knows I am going to sell it at the end of the year, and it's sulking! That plus its just topped 100,000 miles.

I've been told my build week is week 47, this for a 280tsi L&K ordered mid-August. This will presumably mean I get the new car very early in the new year, not ideal for Scottish weather but never mind, perhaps it will be a mild winter again!

It just makes a contact so surely it must be plug and play?

Out of interest what is the usual interval between the build date and completion - ie how long does it actually take to build? I would presume just a few days on a production line, but I don’t actually know.

I certainly removed the drop link when I did it. Both rear wheels off the ground of course. But quite possibly undoing the shocker bolt on the other side would achieve the same result. Might be a bit easier to get to and less rusty!

Interesting. However that test was of B16 shocks. A replacement for OEM shocks on the superb would normally either be B4 or B6. I have no idea whether they would have the same damping valve as B16 or not, but it might be a bit bold to presume that they do unless there is evidence to support.

Looks like I got in just in time. Configurator is now saying you can’t order a Superb.

I got oil and filter from TPS. Probably not the cheapest but for the DSG, I prefer to use genuine parts. Last time, March 2022, it was £29.40 for filter and seal, and £109.04 for the oil, all +vat.

Sorry I don’t understand the question. Do you mean the dampers or the sensors? I had one front damper replaced, it was around £500 for OEM from TPS. I got a cheap sensor from ebay, it was around £40 but has worked fine. If I was buying a set of dampers I’d probably go for Bilstein damptronic rather than the Monroe OEM ones.

Well I went for the red which apparently is “exclusive”. But I really don’t think that affected the delivery time. Paint is just paint after all!

In my case I’m not in a hurry. I originally planned to order a new 280 in a couple of years, I’m only doing it now because it looks like it won’t be available in the 2024 lineup. In the mean time I have a perfectly good 280, with 96,000 miles on the clock but otherwise fully functional. The breakdown I think is 12-14 weeks for build , then 4-6 weeks for shipping over to UK. For the latter I think it’s just a matter of the timing, they collect a gaggle of cars and them ship them over en masse, so it depends on whether your car is first or last of the gaggle. So probably 20 weeks is the worst case, and more likely sooner.

Can’t really help you with the detail, but I have a 2016 L&K. It came with lane assist and emergency assist as standard. I added traffic sign recognition fairly easily. Of course we know that different countries have different specs, but it seems odd that you have the windscreen camera but it’s not doing anything useful. Are you sure you have the camera? Of and for clarity, the camera is in the windscreen, the radar unit is just behind the centre of the front grill.

… and the DCC dampers are VERY expensive! Oh and there are 3 suspension position sensors to add (or one, if you already have 2, depends on the type of headlights).

My 280 tsi has now done 96,000 miles, I don't have any intention to do anything to the cam chain until it starts to get a bit noisy, which so far it hasn't.

I think that in general, a cambelt can fail without warning. Whereas a cam chain(s) such as fitted to the 280tsi gets quite noisy for a long time before it fails. As far as I'm aware there is no published interval for changing the cam chain, if there is please could you point me in the right direction?

Well I pushed the button. Now I just have to wait 5 months or so…

Yes the DQ381 does seem to have occasional problems, although of course we only get to hear about the bad ones, not the good ones. I’m just hoping that now we are a few years in, VW a have sorted out the mechatronic weaknesses. I will have to decide whether to take an extended warranty or not…

Well if you look at my location… first one near home, second one nearest heading south that isn’t part of the same group.

2 seconds seems a long time for such a decision…

One thing I hadn’t quite realised until I started looking properly, is that whilst the 2016 280tsi has max torque of 350 Nm (limited by the 6 speed DQ250 gearbox presumably) the 2023 version has the limit at 400 presumably due to the newer 7 speed box being beefier. Hence the 0-62 time improving by 0.5 seconds.

I tried Carwow but they couldn’t help. They suggested I might like a 1.5tsi instead. I declined!

Went to one dealer. Most unimpressed, got off to a bad start when I said “280 tsi” sales guy said “is that diesel or petrol?” He then droned on for hours about finance and trying to upsell me stuff, we barely talked about the car even though I kept trying to drag the conversation back to it, Looked shocked when I asked for a discount and had to consult his boss. Sales manager was unfriendly to the point of aggressive and having grudgingly given me some small discount, wanted me to sign up there and then, and when I declined he was struggling to hide his anger. I left thinking maybe I wouldn’t bother with getting a new car. But a fairly long drive to another dealer from a different chain produced a completely different experience, chalk and cheese. So I think I’ll be phoning back on Tuesday (the chap is off until then) to order a new one. Yikes! I am still amazed at the contrasting experiences at the two dealerships! Oh and the general view for a 280 L&K estate seems to be 12-14 weeks plus 4-5 weeks for shipping. Which is not too bad and anyway I’m not in a hurry.

I am 66 but I’ve never bought a new car in my life. But thinking about it now, my lovely L&K 280tsi has done 95,000 miles and since it seems the 280 might not exist in 2024, I’m thinking of ordering a new one this year. I tried Drivethedeal and Carwow but both were completely useless when it came to a specific model (L&K 280 tsi). Existing car was an ex-dealer car 9 months old with 6k miles and in a stroke of luck had a tow bar, about £10k less than new list price. Ideal but you don’t seem to get them any more. So I guess it’s a trip to the dealer. So my question is, does one just have to pay the list price, or do they expect you to haggle? Obviously there would be some wriggle with trading the old car in, but what about if I just wanted to buy the new car for cash and sell the old one separately?

It’s relatively easy (if you are careless) to install the pads with those little shiny spring things having missed the slot and been bent back at one end. That’s what I’d check first.

Yes most likely the water pump shroud is sticking. It is a common problem.