Phil-E

But on my previous car I was extremely limited to oil choices. It was a 2008 Saab 9-3 Convertible with the 1.9 TTiD twin turbo diesel. There were literally 2 oils available that met the requirements (some GM number and had to be 0W-40). Was literally either the genuine GM oil or Mobil 1 that was it! And they were both bloody expensive and it needed nearly 5l.

I've also been using Mannol for years. It's also the oil that most garages here (in Germany) tend to use! I just bought some for my next oil change. I contemplated taking it to a garage. But on balance of the extra expense, distrust of garages I have, the hassle of booking it in around work etc just to have a stamp in the book it's just not worth it. I bought enough oil and filters (Mann oil Filters) for 2 changes and NGK spark plugs (due this time at 120,000km) for less than €90!

I can't comment on that stereo but I recently fitted this one to my 2012 Octavia estate: https://www.ebay.de/itm/Autoradio-Navi-Fuer-Octavia-08-09-10-11-12-2013-Android-GPS-USB-DSP-2-32G-/383809536210?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286 No idea how it compares price wise to yours. I then bought a USB DAB receiver. But do yourself a favour and don't bother with the windscreen DAB aerial. They're mediocre at best. Since you have an estate you can fit something along the lines of a Kenwood KAE-DAB1G6 kit. It replaces the amplifier in the rear C pillar and uses the aerial that's on the rear window for DAB.

I do seem to see a greater number of 1.6 TDIs with DSG problems compared to the petrols. I don't know whether it's down to the torque or something. The DQ200 has a torque limit of 250nm which is (by no coincidence no doubt) exactly the torque from the 1.6 TDI. The older 1.4 TSI produces just 200nm but the newer 150 bhp 1.5 is also rated 250nm.

I did a quick search and there is suggestion that the superb does have the window aerial in the back. So you'd need to remove the rear trim round the window and swap out the amplifier there. And perhaps run a new cable to the front. The kit I got used the existing cable and used a passive amplifier at the back and came with an active amplifier that goes behind the stereo. The alternative is to swap the roof aerial with a DAB one and run a new cable from there.

I believe this was an option yes. I recently had problems with my Octavia too. GPS reception is terrible and I also fitted a windscreen mount DAB aerial and I literally got zero reception even following all the instructions of attaching the earth strap to bare metal etc. On my previous car (Saab 9-3 Convertible) the windscreen mount aerial worked really well and got good reception. I looked at the options list for my car and one of the items describes "heat absorbing windscreen" which I believe is the screen with the layer of metal in it or whatever. As for DAB in the Octavia estate it's easy as there's a kit that swaps over the amplifier and uses the aerial that built in to the rear side window for DAB. Don't know if there such a thing for the Superb? I know the Golf has the same aerial in the rear window (not the side one).

Although officially the oils don't have a service schedule as with any oil they do degrade over time and do pick up contaminants. So I would still suggest a change at some point. But with a 2020 car you don't need to worry. I just changed the oils in my DQ200 from 2012 with 117,000km. They were a little dirty but I've seen worse come out of manual gearboxes with fewer miles on them!

People always seem to slate this engine but it's actually a pretty well and clever designed engine. It's just unfortunate that like any engine with a chain there can and will be failures. But most failures happen after people ignore the warning signs. I really like the separate water pump. No EGR as you said. The oil filter is very easy to access for oil changes. We've also driven with 3 adults, a dog and the boot loaded to the roof all the way to Denmark and it felt completely effortless. Never felt strained or struggled and still returned good economy. We also had a trip with the same luggage and people but also 3 bikes on the tow bar. Up and down mountain roads too. Just a peach to drive. A little quirk of the engine that a lot complain about but that is normal are the "cold" starts. So if the ambient temp is a bit warmer (no idea why) on a cold start the exhaust blows/gargles. It's something to do with a catalytic converter pre-heat where the valve timing is different to let some unburnt fuel out the exhaust valve (or something along those lines).

Sounds like there's air getting into the fuel system causing the fuel to drain back into the tank. I had this issue on my previous Saab (1.9 Fiat/Vauxhall engine) and it turned out to be the leak-off pipes from the injectors. They weren't leaking fuel (as there's no pressure in them) but the rubber had gone porous and would let air in and cause the engine to chug and run lumpy on a cold start.

I just know that there's a filter that also physically fits but doesn't have the drain valve in it. And owners have reported a clattering sound from start up.

I'm afraid I don't know the VAG number. But I do know that the Mann W 712/94 is the right one with 2 non-return valves

Make sure the correct oil filter is fitted. It needs the version that has the anti-drain valves. There's a version that fited the 1.4 TSI but doesn't have the valves and so the oil drains back down into the sump and can cause a clatter/rattle from a cold start. But this doesn't happen with the correct filter. My water-pump was squeeking last year. Then the coolant had dropped a bit so I toppped it up and it stopped squeeling and hasn't dropped since. I've read that the seal can squeel and it's to do with the coolant (either the wrong type or too weak mixed). Thankfully the pump is super easy to change on these engines should the need arise.

What diagnostics is the garage using? I'm really surprised it's not thrown a code at all.

I fitted a Columbus to my previous Octavia. That was a 57 plate (but 2008 model year car) and it already had the appropriate gateway and had zero battery drain.

I think if it's got a K (or anything before K) then it's a battery drain one. L and on should be fine. Also a general rule of thumb that 2007 or older generally need a can-bus upgrade.

There have been some timing chain problems. The early ones (from 2009) suffered the worst. And there were various revisions of the chain and tensioners. The important things are strict servicing (fixed servicing is the best for these engines). Make sure to start the car up from dead cold and listen to the engine with the bonnet open for the first few seconds. A slight rattle for a couple of seconds is normal but if it's very loud or lasts longer then it will need the chain doing. Other than that they are pretty solid engines and reliable. Are very smooth to drive, decent torque from low down and pretty frugal if driven steady.

You're showing your age now 😜 I've not been a property that doesn't have 3 phase here. I think it's still pretty rare outside of commercial buildings in the UK. The other half's gran has her own hot water heater in her flat but it runs on 3 phase and is an on-demand heater (no tank). It's rated at 18kw! Guess that's the advantage of 3 phase is being able to power stuff like that.

The colours are slightly different but yes:

Here in Germany it is very rare to have a gas oven and or hob. Most flats or joint houses don't even have a gas supply into the actual house. They will have a big shared boiler (and usually supplemented by ground or air source heat pump) and that's it. So we also then have 3 phase into all properties and the oven and hob is wired into 3 phase at 400v which I believe further increases their efficiency. I didn't know what I was looking at when I came to "plug" the oven in when we first moved over here and there were 3 live wires! Lol

So they don't really learn your driving style. More that they react to your driving style. There are certain values on the ECU that are fixed that the car references the sensor values to. And there are other values that it learns and adapts the fueling etc to. But these values aren't really anything to do with driving style. And as for the DSG, that is just a feature of the gearbox. You can reset it but this just resets the learned values. It's not your driving style it's learned. It learns the clutch biting points, clutch pressures, oil pressures etc.

Actually. Looking at the listing it doesn't come with a canbus decoder. Is that correct? In which case it won't have a reverse signal wire. You'll need to use a relay in that case then and use the reverse light as the trigger for the relay.

Did you pick up the reverse signal from the reverse light? Is there any reverse signal wire on the stereo loom?

Well if it doesn't work out I can highly recommend the Alpine KAE-DAB1G6 kit. It replaces the amplifier for the rear side window antenna for a passive one. Then has an active amplifier that sits behind the stereo and splits the signal into AM/FM and DAB. Signal is crystal clear and no need to run new wires from the back of the car.

I think the kit was revised from around 2010 or 2011 onwards. So any new chain kit after this date should be the revised kit. It was the early TSI from 2009 that had the most issues.

Ok. Are they dedicated GPS and DAB aerials then? Or passive? So long as the aerial doesn't have a filter or amplifier in it then it should work for DAB. The window mount that my USB DAB receiver came with was appauling and barely worked.