GeorgeB

HarryLime, you're not far wrong!

Yes I've got contacts who can help me out if necessary. However, I was in the motor trade for over 45 years & although a qualified MVT (motor vehicle technician for passenger cars as well as light & heavy commercial) I moved over to service reception & ended up as an aftersales manager. The company that I worked for had 7 Audi, 2 VW, 1 Merc light commercial & 2 heavy commercial garages. What ever branch I worked at in invariably we had customers who had non franchise extended warranty they nearly always tried to squerm out of paying for the repairs, that's why I don't have an extended warranty. I do virtually all my cars minor repairs, but all services gearbox oil changes are done by my Skoda dealer, as when you come to sell/part exchange the car, its worth more with a full dealer service record, & because it has this record, you can still approach the manufacturers for a goodwill contribution to a major repair, & this is what I've done, though I'm not holding out much hope of a decent contribution from Skoda so the "new old stock" one in Germany is my back up plan for the replacement of the offending failed control unit (the mib2 part of the unit, is in fact the computer that controls the infotainment display).

Yes I know that skoda uk won't contribute towards a part that they have not supplied. However I'm still waiting for a reply from them regarding whether they are going to contribute towards the cost of one they supply, & if they do, to what amount they are willing to contribute. My guess is that it's going to be nowhere near the "new old stock" one that's less than half the cost of a skoda UK one, that I can source from from Germany. I've already spoken to my dealer & they are happy to fit the German one & code it for me

I can't praise my dealer enough, they've been superb, pun intended, as for Skoda themselves, the jury is out. However, the car is a 2016, one of the 1st mk3, so it's 3 years out of warranty. However, it also has a full dealer service record. I have no confidence in extended warranties, as they use every trick to get out of paying for repairs, this is based upon over 45 years in the motor trade, 40 plus with main dealers, & most of that with VW Group vehicles.

It's the module in the glove box that takes so cards & plays your cd's! However it is also the computer that controls the infotainment display & it's called the mib2. I tried over 40 companies that can repair the control units, but not one of them would touch it! Another Briscoda member put me onto a German company that advertise on ebay & they have 2 of them, new & never been used, usually referred to as "new old stock" & the good news is that they are, Inc postage to the UK, 1/2 the price of one from Skoda UK! Am just waiting for Skoda UK to let me know if any contribution & how much they're willing to contribute, if its nowhere as much as I can get one from Germany, my reply to Skoda will be thanks but no thanks.

Thanks Schtum, Have been onto fleabay & seen it, they've got 2 units for sale, both new & unused (although they've been in stock since 2016), & whats even better they're half the price of one from Skoda UK! Am going to contact them tomorrow & see if I can negotiate a discount, the worst they're going to say is no. Once again thanks & thanks for all the replies from all who took the time to look up & share.

Yes,! I contacted over 40 ECU repairers, but not one of them would take Thanks, I'll give them a try tomorrow

Has anyone experienced the failure of a Control unit that is situated behind the Columbus infotainment display? The control unit on mine has failed & as a result has disabled many of the the various displays on the Columbus: they are. Navigation, Traffic info, Phone & input from the auxiliary port in the center console. My car is currently at the dealer & they have informed me that it requires a new control unit! The cost of replacing it is £3429.10! of which £2918 is for the control unit alone! I've searched the internet for a second hand/used one, all to no avail, they're more elusive than rocking horse **** or hens teeth!! I've also contacted Skoda Customer services & explained the situation & asked for a contribution, I'm still waiting for a reply. All replies are welcomed. Better still, if by perchance you've got one lurking about, or know of one, please let me know. Thanks in advance

Thanks to all who responded. I went to my dealer today & they confirmed that the timing belt change on my 2litre tdi 190ps is % years or 140,000 miles, whichever is the sooner. As the car is 5 years old next Feb, I've booked it in for the belt, tensioner & water pump to be changed next January + its MOT & possibly its inspection service (if due, its on a variable service regime)

Its a 2ltr TDI 190ps DSG SEL Executive 4X4 Estate

I have a 2016 Superb 2litre 190ps dsg 4X4 estate, first registered on 2nd Feb 2016, its now just racked up 50k miles, my question is; does his engine have a camshaft timing belt or is it a timing chain? If it is a timing belt, what is the belt change intervals? I've got it in my head that its 50k or 5 years, whichever comes sooner. any info would be gratefully received

Legal requirements for fitting an aftermarket towbar are: 1. The towbar itself must be the correct one for the vehicle, that is to say that it is designed specificaly for the vehicle it is being fitted to. 2. The design & subsequent testing must be approved to EC 94/20 type approval. These regulations were introduced in the United Kingdom on 1st August 1998 as a part of the wider European Whole Vehicle Type Approval. In a nutshell, the regulations mean that for passenger cars registered on or after this date, if fitted with a towbar, the towbar must be designed and manufactured to EC94/20 standards. 3. An EC Approved towbar will carry a plate or other durable label bearing the EC approval number plus other information including the S-Value (maximum tested noseweight) and the D-Value (the test load as calculated by EC94/20 requirements - note the D-Value is not the same as the towing capacity). The main requirements of an EC Approved towing bracket are that it is fitted to all of the towbar mounting points specified by the vehicle manufacturer, that it has undergone a rigorous testing procedure overseen by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), and that production towbars are subject to Conformity of Production (CoP) to ensure that production towbars are manufactured to the same standards as required by the initial test towbar. 4. There are no regulations re re-programming the the ECU, however there must be either an audible device, or display within the drivers line of sight, that shows that the indicator lights on the towed trailer (or caravan) are workng in sinque with the vehicles indicators. but by using the genuine factory towbar wiring loom, you gain the following; Its a plug in & play fitment, the ECU knows that there is a trailer coupled to the car & also disables the rear fog lights on the car but not on the trailer, the indicator repeater appears in the dash, and the fitting agent doesn't have to fabricate a wiring loom, thus saving you more labour charges!

Poseido, you can get plugs that fit into the "cigarette lighter" socket, with eithe 1 o 2 usb ports, go to Halfrauds & they have different types. check out this link https://www.halfords.com/technology/mobile-phone-accessories/universal-charging/halfords-triple-usb-car-charger.-215282.html Sorry, didn't read your location...DOH! but I'm sure you can get something simular in the Spaish equivalent of Halfords

Hi Sail-Fish, This happened to my 2016 Superb estate, turned out that it required a nw sensor & both tailgate struts, fortunately it was still within warranty at the time. If you don't have a warranty of any sort, its an expensive repair!

If you do think its a scam..then why haven't ou repoted them to the ASA?

I'm now getting somewhat bored with this! Remember, the ancient Greeks & Egyptians thought that the sun revoled around the earth! And up to the 14th/15th century all thought the world as they knew it was flat! Moral, all s not what it seems, aslways be prepared to be proved wrong! Bye for now........DILLIGAF

As I believe that they (the FTC pellets) have worked, to do as you say in your last sentence would be for me to commit an act of fraud!

Wikipedia....if you can't dazle them with brilliance...baffle them with bul****!

Don't know, apparently its a trade secret And they couldn't carry out real life fuel consumption comparisons when fuel consuption figures were obtained in a laboratory conditions! so the science thee was usel;ess as well!

Don't know the traffic density as for the 1st 9 weeks (from 23rd onwards) I was in "isolation, as I received a telephone call from my GP on the 23rd March stating that I was on the "at high risk" listing & that I'd have to self isolate for 12 weeks. Friday 22nd May, informed by GP that I am no longer deamed to be at high risk, so "normal" lockdown rules now apply, so now I'm free from "house arrest". Effect on fuel consumption, approx 10 weeks to the gallon! Return the product, Can't as its in th fuel tank. Only way to retrieve it is to drain the fuel tank, remove either the in tank fuel pump or the complete fuel tank...so thats a no then!

Unfortunately I was not being attentive in my physics class when they were teaching quantum physics, especialy the bit were they were trying to explain the space/time theory. Therefore, whilst I agree with your first line in your post, its not conclusive comparison, its just a comparison, and unless you can explain how one person is to drive the same car at the same time, as far as I can tell there's no other way, in this "test" to obtain a comparison. Oh and by the way FTC is not an additive.

Update on FTC. Preamble; I have now covered 2016 miles since introducing FTC to the fuel tank on the 6th Feb, results of 2000 miles prior to FTC & results of 2016mls after FTC introduction, featured below. I have made a concious effort to drive as I normally do & not try to drive in as if I was in a mileage economy competition. However I do concede that there may just be a subconcious effort in my driving style to vindicate my decision to use FTC & "prove my point" by obtaining better fuel economy. Also, in my defence I'm far to old to be a boy racer, I got that out of my system by racing motorcycles & cars (not both at the same time!) in my late teens & early 20's, but I do, as they say in police circles, maintain swift progress! My perception since introducing FTC is that the car is far more responsive & has more "pep" & get up & go, but this is only my perception. Previous 2000mls before FTC 2000 miles After FTC Average fuel consumption over 2000 mls 47.6mpg Ave fuel consumption over 2016 mls 51.8 mpg Overal gain of 4.2mpg Average Adblue consumption, shows it drops by 500mls every 1000 mls shows it drops by 500mls every 2000mls. Adblue consumption lowered by 50% I have no idea if the emissions have been reduced by the introduction of FTC, I'll have to wait until next January when the next MOT is carried out. On the 28th January I had to drive to Bradford to attend a court hearing (I was a witness for the defence) drove up on the 27th & returned home to West Sussex on the 28th, Case was adjouned untill 5th March. A 596 round trip for each attendance, fuel used 1st trip 53.4 ltr, = 50.09mpg. Fuel used 2nd trip, same route, 47.58ltr = 57.14mpg. Route was A259, A27, M27, M3, A34 M40, A43, M1, M62 & M606 one all outward & homeward journeys as was traveling times (approx 7 hrs including stops). My conclusion, FTC works for me & its £29.50 well spent!

Has anyone had any issues with the DSG gear selector unit in the 6 speed DSG? The car is was 1st registered 03/02/2016, 1st owner Skoda UK head office, senior managers car, de-fleeted at 6 months old with 6326 miles recorded, I purchased it 02/02/2017 from a Skoda dealer who purchased it directly from Skoda, now with 6404 miles recorded. Last Tuesday, as I drove away 1st thing in the morning, I had a warning come up in the dash "WORKSHOP. Error, always select P when leaving the vehicle", A bit strange I thought, as you can't remove the ignition key unles its in park anyway! After a short drive the error message cleared itself. Then when I started my next journey it came on again, but this time it stayed on, so I contacted my dealer & arranged for it to go in that day so they could run a diagnostic check, the diagnostics showed that there was a defect with the gear selector unit, & that it required replacing, they had already contacted Skoda & managed to get a contribution, namely the unit (£380 + VAT) would be covered by "warranty goodwill", but I would have to pay the labour to it it, £350. I contacted Skoda customer care that afternoon & asked if the would either cover the cost of the labour, or at least make a substantial contribution towards the labour cost, as I felt that this unit should have not failed so early in the cars life cycle, they had checked my cars service history & they noted that it had full dealer service history, as well as the Haldex & DSG gear box oil changes at the correct intervals, they said that they would talk to my dealer & come back to me within 48 hrs with a decision. They came came back to me on Friday & said that yes the unit had failed sooner than they would have expected, however, as Skoda had already contributed towards the repair, by way of supplying the unit FOC, they would not contribute towards the labour. Any info or feedback would be most welcome. TIA George

Just to end this topic, I'd like to state the following: 1. Its my choice what I do with my car. 2. If it doesn't work & I can't get my money back, I've only lost a few £££'s 3. It is actually a proven product, going back to the 1940's. Originally for use where the local petrol was sub standard, but it does work with Diesel as well. 4. They're not supposed to "disolve" in use. I's catalyst, you don't expect you cars catalystic converter to "wear out". 5. They're still used by the military of many countries, hence finding them in a 1960's landy doesn't surprise me. 6. Yes, I've come across many so called fuel saving devices in my time & dismissed nearly all of them as phoney. 7. Yes I make typo's all the time, its as a result of being dyslexic. Here endeth the topic!