MikeHig

Returning to this old topic, a replacement battery cured the problem in my case. The old one was getting weak to the point where stop/start rarely kicked in. All is well now (crossing fingers!). Also the mirror-fold using the lock button has returned!

Here you go. The Octavia stamp is just visible on the near edge.

Ivan8192: Thanks for that. I'd heard about those chains and seen a few around but never bothered to find out the make. They do seem to be the best effort so far to make chains that are easy to fit. I read the reviews on Amazon: mostly very favourable. Some folk had troubles fitting them, finding the process fiddly but I think that's a matter of a bit of practice first. The only adverse comment I heard while out in the Alps is that they are not as robust as conventional chains. One guy ran a wheel against a curb that was covered in snow and crunched one of the "arms". As you say, they are very pricey! I lean towards a full set of good quality winters on steelies. They may not give quite the traction in really deep stuff but should give better allround grip and no messing about in the snow! Also, by going to the small wheels and narrow tyres mandated by Skoda, I would be able to fit chains if absolutely necessary - such as a "Day after Tomorrow" scenario!! SkudMissile21: I've not tried snowsocks but I've talked to several folk who have and read a few reviews. They are easier to fit but they don't give as much grip as chains. They are also vulnerable to running on dry roads, in tunnels for example. They are a good option for occasional use for short distances such as getting out of snow-bound parking.

My Superb estate came with a liner which is clearly stamped "Octavia"! It seems to be a genuine Skda part from the stamp on the underside. Surprisingly. it fits exactly at the front with the chamfered corners, and down the sides. The rear edge is straighter than the boot lip profile of the Superb so there's a few cm gap in the middle. So it's a good make-do fix if you happen to see a cheap Octavia mat on Ebay or wherever.

That's been my argument a couple of times. The gendarmes just looked at the tread pattern which is very different to classic snow tyres - on Crossclimates, at least. The first time (in a previous car) they baulked and I had to put chains on which turned out to be a good call further up the road! The second time one of the cops had been briefed about these tyres and let me through. That was a relief because fitting chains on the Superb is a real faff - it's was a struggle doing a test-fit on a clean garage floor! You are right - clearances are very tight.

I'm looking at buying a Sportline with the 280 engine. In normal times (remember them?) I drive out to the Alps a couple of times over winter. When conditions are bad the gendarmerie often restrict access to cars fitted with full winter tyres or chains to avoid carnage. They can get sniffy about Crossclimates and the like, despite the "snowflake" marking. Looking at the online manual - if I am reading it correctly - Skoda only "allow" the use of chains on 17" wheels with 215/55 tyres. Presumably there is a clearance issue with anything bigger. Is this correct? Has anyone tried using chains on 18" or 19"? If it is correct I will have to factor a set of full winters into my budget rather than running Crossclimates or similar and carrying a set of chains. Thanks for any advice.

Thanks Roberto, that's good to know. It makes sense to me to do both because the power and torque curves are changed by the remap. It would be interesting to hear if anyone has done just the remap, or done them separately, and can comment on how the remap works with the stock DSG settings.

Seeing the endorsements for RevO, has anyone had their DSG upgrade as well as the remap? I'm wondering if it is worth doing alongside the remap (on a Sportline 280)

I've had the same experience. The first time was just after Christmas and it has happened maybe 6 times since - maybe one journey in 4 or 5. It happens in different ways, sometimes with a bang, sometimes with a thumping "heartbeat", sometimes no noise at all. In my case, when the noise comes it is from all of the speakers and it's pretty loud: once I thought someone was pounding a fence post into the ground until I realised it was coming from the car after unlocking. The screen flashes, goes dark, etc, as you describe, every time. I have tried turning the radio off before switching off the ignition. The next time I started the car the fault re-appeared a couple of minutes after I turned on the radio. Hopefully bumping this post will catch someone's eye who can offer some advice.

I've had the same notification. Tempted to ignore it and pretend I'm driving a BMW!

Thanks for the replies. Good to know it is a standard feature so my car has not been tweaked. Gav: yes, later VW cars fold their mirrors on locking, if my Golf is any example. It's a feature I like as it's an instant check that the car is locked.

I am slightly embarrassed to find that my car has folding door mirrors, having owned it for 3 years! It's a CR 170 Elegance estate on a 64 plate. A few weeks ago my son pointed out that I could lower the windows remotely - not a feature I had felt any need for. However, in the current heat, I decided to use it to try and keep the car a bit cooler. By mistake I pressed and held the lock button and was surprised to see the mirrors fold after a few seconds. Please can anyone advise whether this a standard feature for my model or does it mean it has been tweaked with VCDS or similar?

Afaik there's no similarity between this engine and the much more recent 3.6 used by Porsche, Audi, etc.. This one is a "VR6", meaning it is a very narrow-angle V6 - 15 degrees, I think - with a common cylinder head for the two banks: It's more of a wiggly staright 6! The current 3.6 is a normal V6.

Fiat are hooking up with Tesla to pool their "fleets" for emission regulations so that Fiat can avoid - or reduce - their liability for fines under the EU's tighter regs, due in 2021. Makes one wonder: > Are the other companies doing enough to avoid fines? > Which ones are going to be hit and how hard? > How much of the rapid expansion of the EV market is driven by the imminent new regs with their massive fines for shortfalls in compliance?

Success!! After some pressing and clicking it finally popped open and I'll keep it from closing fully until I can try some WD40 or whatever and see how I get on - after my trip. Thanks for all the helpful advice: much appreciated.

Thanks xman. I think the design is different on my car - the flap is rectangular for a start. Also I've never looked closely but I think the catch is a sort of plunger arrangement rather than the latch shown in your diagram. Taking off the interior trim to access the solenoid is a good suggestion if only I could see how the heck to do that! The only fastener I can see is behind one of the hooks in the load cover track and it's one of those strange "star-headed" screws. Now I'm out of time to do any more I have discovered that I can twist the flap at the back upper corner so that the catch is visible. Worst case, I'll apply some muscle to it with a screwdriver! Fingers crossed, it might decide to work next time. If it does I'll block the ctach and gaffer-tape it shut!

When I went to fill up the car earlier the fuel flap did not open when pressed. I plipped the locks a couple of times and it opened. However I have just tried it again at home and it refuses to work. Of course it had to happen now. I am leaving on a long journey early tomorrow! There's nothing in the handbook about an emergency release. I did find one thread on here where the poster was able to release the flap by pressing it in while cycling the locking. That did not work on mine. So I would be very grateful for any suggestions on how to get it open, including using force, if necessary. Many thanks.

You might want to look at a "top-up" insurance instead of return to invoice.The problem with the latter is that it does what it says on the tin - gets you back to your invoice value. However, if you were fortunate to get a very good deal on the car you may not be able to find another one at the same price level. I have an extra cover which will pay up to 25% on top of the insurance valuation or k£10, whichever is less. I took it out on my first renewal when the new replacement provision dropped as the car was a year old. It cost £42.

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere: I did a quick scan but didn't find anything. Anyone who has plans to drive abroad after March 29th should be aware that, if things go badly, they could need some extra documentation. According to my insurance broker, the companies are taking the position that they will let things run on as at present for "a few weeks". However, if we crash out, the Green Card will probably be reinstated. Further it may be necessary to have an International Driving Permit. Hopefully common sense will prevail, even in a no-deal scenario, but it will bear watching.

wyx087; I think you've nailed it. The Megabattery in Oz is making money hand-over-fist by arbitraging power prices. They could do the same thing here alongside charging cars and the extra revenue would let them keep charging costs to attractive levels. Also there is already a payment mechanism in place in the UK for "grid support" - batteries qualify.

On the standards/compatability question, it's my impression that there are multiple systems in the market at the moment. Another comment on the video was that these stations will have the different versions of cables and connectors and the software will recognise the charging requirements of each vehicle. This system can charge at up to 175 kW and does not use cooled cables whereas there was a recent demo by Porsche which ran at 350 or 400 kW and definitely did use cooling. That rather suggest that 175 kW may be about the limit for uncooled cabling: it will keep your hands warm when "filling up" on a cold day!

Really interesting video: that's an impressive company. The Fastned guy gave a brief answer to the supply issue question when he said that the power draw of a large station, when busy, would be too much for the grid so batteries will be needed. There was also a comment towards the end that it's "not cheap". That has to be expected, given the level of investment and the kit required. Unfortunately they did not quote any figures. Clearly Fastned are expecting lots of regular customers, especially those who cannot charge at home. However the reporters felt that it will be used by folk on long trips or as a quick top-up, presumably because of cost. It will be very interesting to see how this evolves and, indeed, how the overall business model develops. It's a good time to be a battery supplier.

Another improvement in charging times: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-tesla-supercharger-can-give-1000-miles-charge-hour This kit draws a serious amount of power, up to 1 MW. It will be interesting to see if service stations etc have to upgrade their electricity supply.

Such a huge price cut is likely to get attention, that's for sure. The target market is, imho, more likely to be high-end luxury saloon buyers rather than sports saloons. Although the Teslas' acceleration would embarass even a McLaren or Ferrari, motoring reports don't class them as "sporty" to drive. They have many other virtues which make them stiff competition for the Merc S-class and similar. On a personal note, I have never seen one being driven "enthusiastically": I imagine the range would plummet on a hard cross-country drive, let alone a track session?

Hi Jez, I did have the insert but took it out, along with the big plastic bolt, as I wanted to stash more kit. I have an old plastic bowl holding all the usual tools plus some extra ones, gloves, plastic sheet, old cagoule, etc. The wheel is a snug fit in the well and the bowl likewise so nothing shifts around.