SailorP

No slots in the glovebox blanking plate, unfortunately. It's just a blank plate with what looks like a couple of screwdriver-actuated catches to remove the plate. I have an auto-electrician coming next week to fit an aftermarket towbar and electrics. I'll ask him to take off the plate and see what's behind it. Best case is that we find a connector specifically to fit to a CD head unit. But knowing Skoda, I'm doubtful.

Does anyone know if CD players can be retro-fitted? Yesterday I bought a 280TSi L&K, pre-reg on a 73 plate, to replace my 66 plate 280TSi L&K. The old car has a CD player fitted in the glovebox. The new car appears to have just a blanking plate in the glovebox. SWMBO has an extensive collection of CD's that she likes to play in the car on long journeys. So: Does anyone know if a CD player available from Skoda that will plug straight into the glovebox, like in my old car? Anyone know if the necessary connections are present behind the blanking plate? Failing a simple solution as above, would an after-market CD player be compatible, and would it work with the Canton infotainment system without a lot of bodging? And failing all that, I think I might have to drag SWMBO into the 21st Century and sort out her phone with Spotify. Thanks Phil

Haven't been on the forum for a few years, but I'm about to start looking for a new/demo 2.0TSi 272 L&K. This is the first day of research and I need to ask the experts a few questions. I have a series 3 Superb 280TSi L&K Estate. It's a 66 plate version and has been brilliant, so good that my son-in-law wants to buy it from me, even at 115k miles. So...there will be no trade-in dickering over price & condition (good). No finance required (good), it's the post-Xmas dead period (good), and it's a run-out model (good). I ought to be able to get a great deal on one of the remaining cars before the series 4 comes into showrooms. So: Can anyone point me to a list of the standard equipment for the 2023 2.0TSi 4x4 L&K estate? And for the optional extras available from the factory? And is there a glossary for all the three letter abbreviations? I thought I could get this from the Skoda website, but the configurator seems to be for the series 4. An archived version of the configurator would be ideal, but failing that, a list will be enough. I'd like to compare the specs of the various cars available at dealers around the UK. The dealers normally list the masses of equipment that comes with each car, but I need to be able to pick out the actual optional extras from the long list of standard equipment that each dealer gives, to get an idea of how much extra kit each individual car has, and then compare it to the "must-haves", "desirable" and "unnecessary" criteria for SWMBO & me. Once I have access to the list of standard and optional equipment, it will be time to hit the phone to the dealers around the country and ask about their individual cars. Hopefully a new car for the New Year.🤩 Thanks in advance...sailorP

There is a long thread by someone in Eastern Europe adding a load of sound proofing to his Superb, a year or so ago. He did loads of mods, and posted lots of details, so his post should help you. Try the search function?.

My experience, FWIW. I used to be at sea, and did four month trips away, with some 2 to 2.5 months at home. While "between wives", my car (XJS at the time) used to sit unused for up to 4 months. It failed its MOT on disc corrosion...I had to replace all four. The tech who did the MOT said the corrosion was probably down to lack of use, worst he had ever seen. All my other cars have not had this problem, as they were run by SWMBO number 1 or 2 while I was away, rust did not have a chance to accumulate and get dug in. My current "fun" car (SLK 32AMG) sits under dust sheets on a SORN for six months in winter, and comes out May 1st. She doesn't seem to suffer the same problem...dry garage or better quality materials in the discs?

I've just changed my front tyres at 25k miles. They were down to below 3mm, which is my personal limit. There's plenty of depth still on the rears, despite it being a 4x4...I guess the Haldex isn't putting the drive through the rears too often, despite our driving "enthusiastically" round the lanes here. I went for a like for like replacements on the front...Continental again. I have Contis on both our "normal" cars, the 280 L&K and the 1.2litre diesel Corsa, just because that's what they came with when supplied. (The 280 does the long journeys and the Corsa does round town). There is definitely more tyre noise on the new Contis than the old set, which is disappointing. Our fun car (a 15 year old SLK32 AMG) runs on Michelins Pilot Sport, (but only comes out the garage 1st May to 31st Oct and only does about 4k miles per year, so not relevant). I tend to stick with the same manufacturer on all four wheels, rather than mix, say, Conti front and Pirellis rear. I'd only change tyre manufacturer on a car if changing all four tyres at once. I used to run Pirellis on BMWs, but found they wore really quickly. I think for me it comes down to a perception of quality...Continental = German, versus Pirelli = Italian or Michelin = French, or the lower cost non-European brands. Illogical, but what else to use as a choice criterion when the market choice is so large...Phil

Sorry rtj70..I should have been clearer in my post... I reckon I can operate the dip switch faster than the SLA system can detect an oncoming car and blank out the relevant sector of the high beam to avoid blinding the oncoming driver. And thinking on it a little more... I am definitely faster manually returning to high beam than the SLA, which seems to take several seconds to restore the blank sector after the oncoming car has passed. I drive a couple of cars, two with conventional manual high beam/dip controls, and the S3 with the SLA, and I find the SLA delay irritating. But it's not a huge issue, and any automation in a car which reduces driver thinking load improves safety. The less you have to do in the "cockpit", the more you can concentrate on controlling the car and anticipating/planning the immediate future.

Got agree about the S2 bi-xenons versus the S3 SLA set-up. The high beam on my S2 (2012 Elegance) was definitely brighter than the current S3 (2016 280 L&K) with SLA. And I reckon that I can operate the dip switch for oncoming traffic faster than the SLA does. That said, the automation of the high beam sector changes means one less thing to think about when you are driving, which has got to be good. Phil

Had this nearly a year, just got round to posting the image. 280 L&K Jungle Green with beige leather. Haven't seen another Superb in Jungle Green yet, but plenty of Yetis in the same shade.

I have beige leather in a Jungle Green L&K 280, and imho it looks the dog's whatsits. The cabin is brighter than the dark leather option, and the comment about hot cabins is spot on. My old BMW's were black, and were hot in summer. I agree with opinion that beige looks good with darker colour paint. My old S2 4x4 was a dark maroon with same beige interior. Both cars had/have many admiring comments on the interior (but we know that's a lot to do with the Skoda surprise factor...this is a SKODA???). The interior cleans easily, so the beige shouldn't put you off for that reason. Beige with white or silver might look a bit pallid. I'd say avoid the light/light and dark/dark combinations. Rgds Phil

I am not happy. Have just received the letter about extended warranty on the diesel engines affected by the legally-required fix...but too bl..dy late. I could spit I'm so annoyed. I spent over £900 in March getting my Superb 170hp TDi 4x4 EGR valve replaced at my local garage....(who would take a 4 year old car to main dealers)? I trust my local garage, they are friends, they service all our cars and do a good job. They have been decent to me in the past and were very apologetic when their estimated £600 for the job turned into lots more after the job took them far longer than anticipated (it's a 4x4...lots of bits to come off before you can access the EGR according to them - they contacted Skoda Techline to confirm the procedure. I visited them during the repair and was amazed to see all the bits of front transmission laying on the floor beneath the car). They even undercharged me for the labour, cutting about 6 hours off the bill because they felt bad about it. Anyhow, this big bill prompted SWMBO to agree that it was time to change the car, so I now run a Superb series III 280PS L&K. We stuck with the Superb because otherwise our Superb Mk II was a lovely car, and we wanted the same again, basically. The whole VAG diesel scandal prompted us to move back to petrol (and I would use any excuse to avoid SWMBO's preference for diesel so I can drive a performance car!). And we're retired, so why not enjoy the money while we can etc etc....so it's not all bad, But still...If we had received the letter in time, I could have tried to have the fix done at a Skoda dealer....after all....90K miles in 4.5 years is a reasonable mileage for a diesel, well within the 160k they talk about in the letter. But I can't take the car or the bill back them and ask for some money back now, as they car has gone, and there is not much else I can do in terms of complaining to them or the media, as VAG's reputation can't be made any worse than it is already by failing to help out an ex-owner. So £900 down...grrrr! SailorP

SailorP...I spent half my career at sea (on big tankers) hence Sailor, and P is initial letter of my first name. I use this name on other forums, haven't seen anyone else use it yet.

Joining a forum like this is always useful for sorting the occasional problem. I see paying a subscription almost like a moral imperative. I've been a member over on the Merc forum since 2008, as I have a 15 year old SLK for a summer toy. I've had a load of help from more knowledgeable members over the years, so I feel I owe something. I see paying a (nominal) subscription on a special interest forum like this as a "good thing". It goes towards the general good of all the participants, and those who don't mind paying help support the system. It's just like tax and the NHS etc. That sounds a bit moralistic for this time of night...must be the Cab Sav talking.

Duh. I should have thought of that. Thanks. SailorP

Newbie question about Freedom membership. I've been to the shop and see "Freedom - Site Supporter" for sale for £12, and "Freedom 24" for £20. What's the difference? SailorP