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BEN99W

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    Chelmsford

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  • Model
    Skoda Roomster 1.9TDI and Mazda MX5 turbo

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  1. OK I finally managed to get my door open and swap out the problem lock. I used the method suggested here: Which did the trick. In fact the old lock now appears to function flawlessly once the gearwheel had been manually run to its extremes, so Ill keep it for spares. Presumably a bit of debris had got somewhere it shouldn't causing a jam. This process is actually pretty straight forward and Id say better than any of the WD40/hammer/thumping on door suggestions that clutter youtube. Cheers Ben
  2. Hi All My roomster nearside rear door suddenly refused to unlock. Won't open from inside or outside, won't unlock with the keyfob or the internal switch by the gearlever. Ive read all the posts I can find on this and it seems to be a common issue. Most people seem to resolve it by thumping the door and spraying lots of WD40. This hasn't worked for me. I've got the door card off and Ive bought a used replacement unit, but I can't get the door open to remove the lock. I've been at it for days. Also this issue reared its head the day before the MOT expired so now can't use the car until its fixed as this is an MOT failure point apparently. It appears my door is deadlocked, because the red plastic mechanism on the top of the lock unit which can be freely moved from a locked position to an unlocked position on my used unit always springs back to its locked position on the one in my door when moved by hand. This definitely isn't an electrical issue because I can plug the used one into the wiring loom and it operates as it should. Plus I could hear the lock trying to do something originally, although it's making less noise now, possibly none. Anyway, some people have alluded to smashing the lock unit out with a chisel to remove it. Is this really going to work? I fear that once I go down this route, if the door can't actually be unlocked this way, then I'll effectively be writing the car off. Any help gratefully received. Ben
  3. I didn't ever have reversing display on mine. The original stereo was quite basic. I expect you could get a reverse camera to work as it's a pretty versatile unit. Ben
  4. Bit of a late reply im afraid, but I replaced the stereo on my 57 plate Roomster with an Android unit from Ebay. There are plenty of different versions once you look, many replicating the appearance of VAG dash design so it looks OEM. Mine gives me DAB, SatNav, Spotify, phone connectivity, plus the usual radio and CD/DVD. Ive also added an OBD bluetooth dongle so I can read fault codes and read engine parameters (a screen of dials including oil temp and boost gauge). Basically you can add whatever Apps you want to it. It was half the price of a genuine VAG Satnav stereo, and because of the more basic software on our generation of Roomster those units did not give full functionality anyway. Had it since Feb and I've been well happy with it. Ben
  5. Ive only had my Roomster a couple of months, but have definitely noticed that it appears to shout Slow Vehicle at other road users. Ive had numerous drivers pull out in front of me or attempt unnecessary overtakes. A tuned Roomster must make a great sleeper or Q Car. In a previous job I used to roadtest cars and got to drive pretty much everything. It was quite interesting how much certain cars could engender noticeably different behaviour from other road users, and some cars I think it would be enough to really detract from your ownership experience. Worst of all was a yellow Porsche Boxster - the negative treatment that provoked was amazing! I think it's certainly worth driving with an awareness that other drivers are going to make assumptions about you based on what you're in. Ben
  6. Last night I had to drive along country roads in the rain and it became apparent just how bad those headlights are. I was having to toodle along at 30 like an oap. So a HID upgrade is a must. I've also had the cam belt done now. I also reset the gear linkage. Finally I also added an android stereo which looks like a standard Skoda unit. It's great to have dab and Spotify while at the wheel. I also added a dongle to the OBDII port so I can run the Torque app too. Ben
  7. Got it. A good bit of italian tuning. Thanks.
  8. One of the things I wanted to change on my Roomster was the lack of lumbar support. Although after driving it for a few weeks the seats were actually pretty comfy to me, but Id already ordered an inflatable cushion so went ahead with installing it. I bought one of these: http://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/real-race-single-cell-inflatable-lumbar-support/prod_4246.html and used this guide to remover the seat cover: I decided on the right position by placing it until it hit the spot for me, then used a contact adhesive to stick it to the foam under the seat cover. Ive not taken any photos of my install because everything is already included in the above guide and once fitted, you can't see anything other than the inflation bulb. However I will say that Im really pleased with how it turned out and find the seat definitely improved. It's a little pricey but the materials are good quality and it's totally flat if uninflated for those who might not want any extra support. The hardest part of the job for me was reinstalling the seat because not having a spline socket I couldn't remove the whole seat rail and so instead I split it by removing the bolts that hold the seat to the rails. These took a good hour of fiddling to get back in. With hindsight I'd get a spline socket. Ben
  9. Thanks again Richard Yes the head lights seem to be as bad as people make them out to be. Ill have to do something about them. Thanks for your other advice. Ill certainly maintain the servicing correctly. What's the long hill in 3rd gear for? Is that not diesel particulate filter clearing? I don't think I have one on this engine. Ben
  10. Thanks all A remap is definitely on the cards once Ive determined the integrity of the cambelt. I think the nearest to me is AMD who seem to have a decent reputation. Ive also cleaned out my EGR and changed the oil just to be sure it has the right spec oil in it. So far Im loving Roomster ownership. Ben
  11. Has anyone had their headlight become opaque with age, and is there a known remedy? I've just bought this Roomster and the driver's side lamp has a noticeable haziness or opaque quality which the passenger side headlight unit does not. Ive had cars do this in the past and have sorted it with a good polishing as the deterioration was external, but this does not appear to be the here. I don't think its condensation either although I suppose it could be a residue from years of misting. Is it possible to gain easy access to the inner face of the headlamps? I know with some headlamp units you can heat them up and split them in an oven. Cheers Ben
  12. Thanks guys. I've been a browser of this forum for years, but it's good to finally have reason to sign up. Ben
  13. Thanks Richard I responded to your welcome post, but probably more useful to confine it to the Roomster section. Where did you get your remap done. That mpg figure is great. I was also toying with having a terraclean done to clear all the muck out of the engine, as any problems my friends and relatives have had with diesels seem to be as a result of build up. Any thoughts? Ben
  14. Richard Thanks. Mine is also a 2007 with trim level 2 (love the unpretentious naming strategy). What is the purpose of the LED bulbs? Is it just cosmetic? Can you give more details of your remap? Cheers Ben
  15. Hi Ive just bought a Roomy with the 1.9 lump in it. It's my first diesel (I know Im late to the party) but I was wondering if there are any changes worth making to improve performance and reliability. Im tempted by a remap if anyone has any recommendations either way. Would this be safe on a 75k mile car? Also do people remove the EGR function? The service history has become a little sketchy in its later years so I plan to do a thorough service and this may well include a cambelt/water pump renewal as I can find no documented evidence it has been done. Are there any particular frailties I should also look out for? Cheers Ben
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