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Hello and welcome Mark!

I'm getting 38-39MPG on regular unleaded, measured via same pump cut-off and trip mileage, so after a couple of refills, I'm going back to super unleaded. As far as I'm concerned, the benefits of 97+RON outweigh the possible saving in cost, and I'm not convinced there's a cost saving to be had. As fuel increases in price, the 10p difference in price between the two fuels (where I buy mine) will make any cost saving even less significant. Oh well, it was worth a try, and now I know. Of course now I have to do a similar check for Super unleaded, as my car was reading a little over 40mpg over the test period, having reset the long-term MPG. So as some of you have suggested, the in car figures really aren't worth a lot. Now I know that, too.

It's a good question, @J.R. My use of the word "cheeky" in the above phrase was used to acknowledge the fact that there is no scheduled oil change immediately after the running in period, so changing the oil at that time would be superfluous to the manufacturer's recommended service intervals. Furthermore, using "cheeky" was intended to add my characteristic playfulness to my posts, as well as not place any burden of requirement on Lux, who might not have any spare money for what could be argued is a spurious oil change shortly after purchasing a new car. Beyond that, there is also a subtle cultural implication of pleasure in my use of "cheeky" as it brings to mind (thought possibly not to your mind), the idea of something that can be done fairly quickly and will provide a measure of pleasure. Hence the rather tired expression "Fancy a cheeky Nando's?", from which I drew inspiration, though one might also have heard "Fancy a cheeky pint at lunchtime?" between colleagues at work. The lame superfluous filler word I was substituting for "cheeky" would be "quick", which I suggest is the word from which the colloquial use of "cheeky" has evolved, though I'd be willing to hear other people's opinions on its etymology. Use of the word "quick" would have implied that no other work beyond the oil and filter would be carried out, but while for some the act of changing the oil in their car is a quick job, for others, it is not, and requires some inconvenience. By substituting "cheeky" for "quick", I acknowledge that the oil change might be unnecessary and possibly inconvenient, but that Lux would be happy with the outcome, without placing any burden of expectation upon Lux that he should change the oil after running in his car. You grumpy old so and so! 😋

You have bought products that claim to be like-for-like replacement compatible with your car. When installed, you car returns error messages about the new products. Why do you assume it is your car that is at fault here and needs a remedy applying to it, and not in fact the bulbs you bought which are the problem? Can you not return the products you bought because they do not work as advertised?

Sixthly, the Gen3B runs on 0W/20 oil, which is thinner than the oil specified for 220 and 230 vRS engines, IIRC. I think the 245 has 0W/20 specified for it, though. All these little factors add up to help MPG.

Also, they're not as good in the wet as reviews suggest, and I suspect they will be awful in snowy conditions. They're good in the dry, mind, but I really want great wet conditions performance, and they're okay, but not quite as good as I'd like. That said, they are pretty quiet, which I love!

I like the full logo they use on the back of Chinese cars. It's kitsch, but I like it. (I noticed it as I'm watching a lot of Chinese origin dashcam crash videos at the moment.)

Hello and welcome!

It'll be interesting to see how it settles down when it's run in. You might do well to have a cheeky oil change after the running in period to clear out any particles knocking about as a result of running in. But some might see that as a bit overkill.

If you say so.

Personally, I'd leave that switched off while you're running the car in. Then when it's run in, leave it off until you sell the car. 😋

I don't have a vRS, but I do have a petrol 2.0TSI, and when I am "feather light" on the throttle, my car changes gear somewhere around the 1500rpm mark, going up to 2000rpm if I'm going uphill. Are you driving around in VRS (or Sport) mode all the time? That said, 25-26mpg if it's around town in a vRS doesn't seem THAT bad, going from what some people say their vRS does.

This might be helpful. Have a look and see if everything that should be done has been done. I'd also be looking into the cam chain and make sure the tensioner is working as it should. Check the water pump for any evidence of leaking. Not sure if you have the silica bag in the coolant, but if you have, that might be a cause for concern, so make sure the heating inside works on both sides and the coolant looks a healthy pink/purple. Some silly things can be annoying, like the fuel flap not opening sometimes, but there are other folks on here who may be able to give you more specifics on things to watch out for. What's the service history like? Full Skoda dealer or independent specialist?

Hello and welcome! First of all, try and find out what engine it is, check for the engine code so you know what you're dealing with. Usually the later the generation, the less trouble you'll have, though maintenance is obviously a critical factor too. Try not to get too bogged down into wanting one specific engine over another, though. You can still do everything right and end up with a lemon, and do everything "wrong" and end up with a gem. That said, that era of Gen 2 EA888 engines are susceptible to high oil use, IIRC. I think 1 litre per 1000 miles is considered "normal" by VAG. (Hopefully someone will correct me on this if I'm out on that figure.) I'd check the oil level and if it's a bit low, consider it fair warning. How many miles has the car done? Is it manual or DSG? Have you run a check on the vehicle?

All stick, no carrot.

I wonder what the models are saying about Co2 now?

Hello Nikiku! You have some fun ahead of you.

Yes, but what was the point of posting an advert, @Rooted?

Sponsored promo videos are unlikely to break from the sponsor's required message.

I think that's a good call. I have a Ctek charger that works a treat.

You've effectively raised your gearing slightly, which may or may not give slightly better economy, with a performance trade-off. They look alright to me, and will be easier to clean.

It might help to know how the speed rating for a given tyre is determined, when making a buying decision that involves a choice of speed rating. My car came with W rated tyres, which when I replaced them, I changed to Y rated tyres. I did this as I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that the Y-rated tyres would be better-made and more resistant to blow-outs than W rated tyres. But I did this based on an assumption, not on any actual knowledge of how tyres actually achieve a speed rating.

I bought my kit from Ali Express, and it was all straightforward and was plug and play for about £45. There is a full guide here. My tip would be to run the wire down to the back not up in the headlining. That way you don't have to worry about it fouling the airbags in the A-pillars and above the doors. I found a dowel and net curtain wire invaluable when threading the wire. Also plan ahead for where you're going to put the large boot trim down if/when you remove it so you don't mark your trim. Good luck!

Can you tell us what the options for speedy heat in a MK3 petrol Octavia are, @ApertureS? Not for me, (edit: by that I mean I have heated seats and I'm toasty in the car) but without a heated windscreen, demisting takes a while, and if there are solutions to get warm air blowing fast, I'm interested to hear what the options are.

When you say "Had it done", do you mean you got someone to come and remap your car for you?