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I am immune from pompous virtue-signalling, but you will find plenty of applause on here for it from others, if applause is what you desire. I haven't seen an appeal to <current year> for some time, so thanks for the trip down memory lane. Here's another trip down memory lane. A prediction for 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2004/sep/11/meteorology.scienceofclimatechange

I cannot help with the cold start problem, but certainly a new AGM (stop/start) battery should be coded when fitted to a vehicle.

I can only assume that either the wheel catches on something at it is turned, or there is some sort of security steering lock that you fit to the wheel and damages it. Something is scuffing or abrading that wheel. That is not material perishing.

There is no purpose of the EGR system beneficial to the driver. Depending on the EGR system, there doesn't have to be removal, they can be blanked off, so only clean air enters the engine to be mixed with fuel.

Can you define what you mean by "cleaner air"?

Hello and welcome. 😊 The Scout is a great car. Skodas and VAG vehicles generally, reward preventative maintenance. The DSG and Haldex (4x4 system) will both need servicing by specialists, so do check they are up to date.

I was going to suggest an EGR delete. The benefits of an EGR delete outweigh the downsides IMO, but Greta and friends won't thank you for the increased NOX emissions.

I suppose that's a Waze feature for when you're really looking forward to where you're going. 😄

I'm sorry I cannot help you. However I am heartily amused at the thread title in the forum list. There's a little head-scratcher for the mods. 😄

I have to wonder what sort of fuse allows the cable to melt like that without opening the circuit itself. 😲 Check the fuse for the correct rating. I don't think I'd trust that fuse again. One for the bin, IMO.

I think @Warrior193 made a very sensible suggestion that AFAIK could be implemented without much bother. But at the moment, I think you've got more than enough to worry about without giving a thought to whether your car will or won't start. Get well first, and then think about sorting it out. 👍

A service history showing oil changes above and beyond the norm won't do you any harm when it comes to selling your vehicle, or if you have a warranty dispute with Skoda. If selling privately, it will greatly boost buyer confidence in how you have looked after your car.

Absolutely yes, you should perform an oil change. The video below provides a decent explanation of the problem (and for hybrids its a real problem), but a TL:DW explanation is: when your engine is cold, water vapour in the system can be and is absorbed into the oil via emulsification agents. When the engine heats up, this trapped water can boil off and work its way out of the oil and out of the back of the car. If your engine doesn't warm up, there is no opportunity for the oil-trapped water to boil off, and so there it stays in the oil. It builds up and up until it's beyond the ability of the oil to accommodate. You can end up with sticky sludge and other unpleasantness and very poor performing oil in your engine. For lots of small runs, you should increase your oil changes IMO. EDIT: Beyond that, oil additives only have a limited life, so "old" oil is not good for your car.

On my Octavia, I think there are 3 settings for sensitivity. You can even switch it off, but then you get a warning light.

This is an amazing example of extortionate tax, compared to the actual value of the original product. It's a bit of a reach, but it's still interesting to consider.

Reading further down that thread, I see this. Now that IS cool.

That is a substantially better result than I feared it would be. I quite like it. 😄

Fit a conical foam air filter, one of those ridiculous waste gate dump/blow-off valves that whistle when you change gear, and a crackle & pop remap. That should get you plenty of attention, however be careful what you wish for. You can also cheat, if you're so inclined. All of the above are abhorrent to me, but I'm happy to help.

I have tried to explain this to my wife, but apparently it doesn't apply if it's raining because then the roads are wet and there's "nothing" you can do to prevent an accident. 🙄

Work out which car you actually prefer, then look at the trade-offs of choosing that car over the other, and see if your preference is enough to counterbalance the trade-offs.

There are synthetic alternatives that can be made from waste &/or plant material. https://www.fuelsandlubes.com/zero-partners-with-rolls-royce-to-advance-synthetic-fuels/

You are asking a lot, and by that I mean you want to have your cake and eat it. "Where can I get a 10 year-old car with the performance, economy and reliability of a new car, that costs next to nothing to run?" I'm being a bit hyperbolic, if that's possible, but you get my point. Reframed another way, perhaps harshly, you might as well say: "I cannot afford what I want, but I must have it." You need to be clear in your head about what trade-offs you are willing to make, or you may never find what you want.

I think you have a very different perspective on this situation, Wyx. There are a LOT of small terraced houses in Rural areas.

Some other fuel, eh? Look at hydrogen vehicles: A potentially viable alternative to petrol/diesel ICE vehicles, but no government policy to support them. The market decided it didn't want hydrogen powered cars, and that was pretty much that. I wonder what things would look like in the UK (and US) for alternative fuel vehicles, if the government policy had been to promote hydrogen vehicles, and EVs had been obliged to succeed without assistance?

The market is always right, so long as nobody messes around with it. As soon as someone messes about with it, then it stops being "the market", and transitions into a "policy". The sale of EVs in the UK is driven Government policy, it is not driven by the market, which doesn't much care for them. EDIT: I realise you didn't promise NOT to object to people wanting one, I was just trying to work out where you were on the issue so I extrapolated beyond the data to see if you corrected me in the event I was incorrect. I was. Your position seems to "I haven't objected to anyone not wanting an EV yet, but I make no promises going forward.". Which is fair enough, if I've got that right. It also makes my original "Don't object to me not wanting one." statement appropriate and relevant, seeing as you appear to have reserved the right to object to me (or others) not wanting one at some point in the future.