CookieMonster87

@MarkyG82 the car is coming up to 5 years old. They never mentioned anything about the DSG at the 4 year point. I know that the cam belt is due at 5 years/50k however most people seem to get it done at the 5 year point regardless of the mileage. Can the same not be said of the DSG oil service?

@MarkyG82 I got it from this however I think the pricing may be out of date now as I’ve seen a similar layout in blue that was a bit more expensive (couldn’t relocate it though).

Can anybody recommend a good product along the lines of Supagard that offers some stain resistance and acts as a water repellent for protecting cloth seats?

My car is due the cam belt/water pump and DSG oil change at its next service (5 year point - currently with around 25k miles on the clock). Whilst it’s having this done I’ll probably get them to fit a new expansion tank minus the silicone - an issue the dealership I use for services hasn’t heard of. I bought the car as an approved used from a main dealer and paid £179 for a service plan to include 2 servings of which I’ve used 1. Should I use a main dealer and keep the servicings with the manufacturer or take it to a VAG specialist which would be cheaper than using a main dealer even with my remaining service plan service? I’ve read some good things about Unit18 in Milton Keynes. They are around the corner from Racingline HQ and are a supplier of their products. I’m also thinking of a remap so I could kill 2 birds with one stone here. Thoughts on this, plus a rough cost comparison from people’s experiences would be most welcome.

Mk3 FL vRS TDI (not 4x4) here and getting 52-60mpg. Mainly doing motorway miles with a bit of spirited driving on A and B roads given the chance. A few use an app called Fuelly that’s handy for giving a more accurate insight in to your mpg and running costs based on the mileage you do vs fuel put in. It’ll log all this and add up your spending.

The LED lights are very good granted. I have an issue outside of this though otherwise I wouldn’t be the only one with this issue. The auto levelling is working fine, they move when I put the ignition on. It’s something I’ve noticed since I’ve had the car to be honest and I just put it down to the fact the lights were better but I’ve seen other vRS with LEDs travelling towards me and I don’t find their lights to be blinding. As for the the MOT side of things I can’t comment as to how thorough they would be with a 4 year old car with less than 25k miles on the clock but you’d like to think they would do a proper job.

Considering the original thread I’d hardly say everything is ok. I’m not exaggerating the number of times I’m flashed by other road users - it’s a lot! So for the safety of myself and others I’ll be having a crack at the adjustments as per the instructions above and using an alignment guide I’ve come across on YouTube. If they appear massively out in comparison to the guide then I’ll know I’m correct to adjust. Will post the results.

@langers2k pm sent, thanks for the reply. I’ll have a go at making those adjustments although I’ll kick myself if I missed that in the manual! I understand what you mean about travelling over bumpy roads. Have been followed many times by a car with LEDs and wondered if I’d been flashed for something. I mainly do motorway driving so it shouldn’t be an issue.

Is there a way to manually adjust the level of these lights? On a 2 hour drive at night I’ll get flashed by other road users regularly including by those that I’ve been following. I’ve mentioned it to my dealership a while back who said that they were fine and it’s passed it’s last 2 MOT’s with no issues. As far as I know the continental travel option is correct as I don’t get warnings on the dash. I’ve parked up in front of the garage and had a play with this but can’t say as I noticed any movement from the lighting to make me want to choose the other option. I do not have high beam assist on this model although as I have the lane assist camera I’d assume it could be coded but that’s a whole other thread. The car is on standard suspension and 18” wheels. I find it frustrating that I bare the brunt of other road users for something that is out of my hands. Quite frankly it’s a danger to them and to me being on the receiving end of the responses. With a change in my work routine I’ve been driving a lot more at night and it’ll only get worse when the nights draw in. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

I think I’ll do this to my LED headlights. I regularly get flashed at night for them being too bright. Skoda have checked them and they are apparently calibrated fine. No issues on past MOTs.

I do 300 miles every weekend on the motorway with smaller trips in between. I went for a Diesel DSG because of this and return 52-58mpg however I would love to go back to a manual petrol when more practical! Currently toying with the idea of a remap or even a toy for weekends to satisfy my urge for more spirited driving.

@Kenny.j don’t feel bad for asking. My MY17 FL doesn’t have it and I always wondered what it was having seen photos of it on other cars. Now I know!

@Pierre1968 drop me a PM and I’ll see if I can help you out.

@Pierre1968 you could remove the badges you have, disassemble, prep and spray yourself before refitting with new backing. Failing that you could get it sent to a member who is able to receive delivery and get them to forward them on to you. Obviously this option will cost a bit more in postage and take longer to get to you.

@roaddetective thanks for posting this. I’ve been thinking about going down the black badge route for a while. I was only looking at the grille the other day wondering how it was fitted. The vRS badge appears to be stuck to a backing plate. I wasn’t sure if the grille was shaped to accommodate this or not. Good knowing the above as I can mark/tape before removing to get the same alignment for the new one. Can I ask which black badge you bought, I’ve seen 3 front adhesive black badges on the Kopacek (formerly SuperSkoda) but not sure which is a match for the Mk3 FL vRS?

My local STS Tyre Pros checked my alignment for free using a Hunter system. If adjustments were required, and I went ahead with the work, then it was going to be £60 if I remember correctly. Definitely worth shopping around.

There are at least 3 different black vRS adhesive badges on the Kopacek website. The 230, 245 and Kodiaq versions. I’m guessing it’d be the smaller 245 version I’d need for the front. I’ll pop out and have a measure after the football! Failing that a can of Plastidip is in order!

@simonds3135 I agree, makes a big difference. Did you put red vinyl on the rear badge too? I’ve thought about doing similar using the original colours with the black vRS badges. Ideally I’d like to use OEM badges with coloured inlays however I’ve seen aftermarket ones available which may be an easier option, I’m just not sure on the quality.

Thanks for all the feedback on these! Decided to place an order come pay day. I’m also eyeing up a couple more bits, namely black badges all round! @simonds3135 thanks for your thorough review on the lights! Great looking car you have there with that colour and wheel combo. Am I correct in saying that you have black badges fitted or is that just the light? Unsure on the correct vRS badge for the FL grille as there appears to be a few options available.

This is a good idea. Assuming the connection for the Karoq are the same as the safety lights and will reach the bottom of the door card once the hole is cut. The current lenses could be replaced with the reflective ones. I think you’d be limited to the Skoda logo with this method however. I do agree though that the aftermarket ones are a bit ugly.

Just having a browse of the former SuperSkoda site for some lights and came across these; http://www.kopacek.com/Skoda/OCTAVIA-III/Octavia-III-RS-Facelift-original-Skoda-fog-frame-lid-RIGHT Pleasantly surprised to have found that they stock these and at a reasonable price too. I assumed there would be more involved than just that bit of trim. I’ll just go ahead and replace the part instead of reworking the peeling one. Short but sweet thread, hopefully it’ll help anyone else out in the same boat though.

I do a lot of motorway miles so I guess it’s to be expected over time. It could also do with a good clean mind. When we get some better weather I’ll have a go at touching it up. Am I correct in saying it should just need a couple of coats of lacquer as opposed to gloss black?

I’ve noticed that the lacquer on the gloss black trim by the DRL on one side has started to peel (Mk3 FL vRS). I can only assume this is due to stone chips due to the position although there is no other sign of damage. Is this a straightforward piece of trim to replace/repair or is it not really worth it with the same thing only likely to happen again?

I’m just seeing if anyone has the following, or similar, Door Safety Lights from Kopacek (formerly SuperSkoda)? If so, do you rate them, how did you find the install and is there any coding required? Thanks in advance. http://www.kopacek.com/Skoda/OCTAVIA-III/Octavia-III-MEGA-POWER-LED-safety-door-lights-with-GHOST-light-RS-RED

@Greezy56 I know that while driving the infotainment on my Mk3 TDI will say that the “Auto Start/Stop requires the engine to be running to operate”, as badly worded as it is, this is an indication that the car is doing a DPF regen. Doesn’t appear to affect the climate control though. Could be a long shot in terms of your issue but worth considering. Hopefully someone with more experience with the Mk4 will chip in.