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Presuming you have a more recent Octavia III, but most of the cars have a function called "Hill Hold", which acts as a temporary electronic handbrake in addition to the mechanical level handbrake / parking brake. "Hill Hold" basically acts almost like a handbrake when doing a hill start in an older car - allowing you to have time to match the revs and balance on the clutch before moving away. With this electronic aid, you can sit on a hill with the footbrake on (rather than handbrake), then release it and the car will hold itself for 1-2 seconds before releasing the brakes, allowing you to do clutch balancing / pulling away in that time - minimising the use for the traditional handbrake. I would presume that's happening with you - I also have a sloping driveway, but reverse out in a similar way. 'Hill Hold' sometimes catches the car if you've had your foot on the footbrake to start the car and then release it. Either way, it's totally normal Edit: 2 x articles here with descriptions (probably better than mine): Drive Tribe Skoda Auto

Good point - my stock clutch (at 39k miles now) only slips when accelerating in inappropriate (too high) gears on the motorway under the increased torque, but is solid when pulling away in 1st through 3rd. At some point I'll replace it with a Sachs system, but only when it's in for more work as it'd be inefficient for me at the moment.

Sorry for late reply! Map was bought when old Shark had a deal on, so I think it was £399 for a remote Stage 1 tune with Adam at AW Tuning in Sidcup. Then, when there was the only minor niggle with the EMS light, I went along to MK once they'd been bought by Racingline to get it checked out and calibrated to the additional components I'd added to it - but that was FoC, due to excellent customer service. Outside of that, the suspension, intake, engine mount, rear ARB, and exhaust was 'spenny' (all in all) - think about £5k in total, parts and labour. I know Revo and other tuning co.'s do packs / selection of parts which take cars up to Stage 2 - which is basically about as far as I'd take a FWD EA888 platform. It really depends what you want it for. For the most part, Octy III VRS petrol owners go for similar approaches (i.e. suspension, at least Stage 1 for more linear power, exhaust). My objective was basically "understated optimisation" - so faster and more linear power delivery, less 'wallowy' handling and lower ride height etc. Depends on what you want to go for but definitely review the options as to whether you go for 1 'packed' service from 1 tuning company, or go for a mix.

Presumably this would be this setup - and therefore the additional hardware installs would include IS38 turbo, intake kit, turbo-back exhaust, intercooler, uprated clutch, big brake kit... The eventual output on their example power graphs show figures upwards of 360-80 BHP with 520+ NM torque. Additional hardware you'd want would definitely include a lower engine mount (poly- or billet steel), otherwise it'll wheelhop like mad under load (and obviously decent tyres - at least 235/35 to put that power down). Anti-roll bars and potentially lowered springs (H&R / Eibach etc) are a good shout too, to stiffen the chassis and lower centre of gravity respectively if you're looking to actually use that additional power and speed. The only Stage 3 EA888 VAG car I know / have been in to relate is a friend's manual Mk7.5 Golf R and that's obviously 4WD. It properly shifts, but his clutch is basically ON/OFF when moving through slow traffic - and has to put decent revs down to avoid stalling. But then again it doesn't slip at all under power. I just worry for his driveshafts! 😅 I've gone stage "1.5" (or Racingline's OEM+ before it was called that, with some additional modifications) and to be honest that's enough power to properly shift without being too silly, or affecting reliability over usability. It obviously depends what you're looking to use it for of course, but as I'm basically 99% road-driving then getting to illegal speeds takes literally no time at all. Would be interesting to hear / see your experience of it if you go through with it.

I blame 'being in my mid-20s', 3.5 years ago, for that initial lapse in judgement 😬 Got the videos kicking about somewhere to remind myself of what a silly idea it was... had 3 months of it, with a few drives up to Birmingham & back for work where I was noticeably talking louder for the first hour as I was basically deafened 😉

There is a bit of resonance at certain frequencies, yes - although nowhere near as much as the non-res.'d system! 😅 (which I initially went for and then very quickly changed to res'd). Myself and (crucially) my other half don't find it too much of an issue, although it can be worse based on empty boot (defs worse on an estate than a hatch) and with seats down. Would have thought in an estate, adding some soundproofing in the boot / rear seats would significantly improve it as you say. AFAIK there's not much you can do re: connection to chassis to deaden the sound, but think it would be minimal benefits anyway. Either way, definitely better than the non-resonated system 😜