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I think they're both Skoda OEM part numbers. There actually seems to be three different cabin filters you can get. A plain dust filter, a filter with activated carbon, and a filter with carbon and antibacterial properties. Not easy to determine which is which.

I want to replace my Cabin filter on my MY19 Octavia 3 FL. I think I've found the right part number, but I've also found another part number for what seems to be the same thing. Part numbers 5Q0 819 653 and 5Q0 819 669. Will these both fit the Octavia 3, and one has some sort of extra feature?

Before embarking on such a project, I would make a list of all the benefits and risks of such a modification. Such as:- Benefits: Some people are likely to be impressed by it. It might look pretty cool. Tailgaters will back off sharpish. Risks: Some people are likely to be unimpressed with it. It might look a bit stupid. Accidental (or deliberate) activation may set someone else's car/property on fire. Your car may catch on fire. Pretty sure this is an MOT failure, and likely to be illegal. Prosecution & Fine. Increased fuel consumption. May introduce reliability issues. May possibly become a target for local plod, who might become determined to do you for something, if not the flamethrower exhaust. Even if you do it, and then realise the issues and remove the system, being able to honestly say "I had a car that shot flames 4' out of the exhaust." with photos to prove it, is a pretty interesting conversation point. If you can do it cheaply, and it's reverseable, what the hell? But I'd strongly advise against using it when driving on public roads.

Ooh! That looks good. Have you got a link for that tunnel mat?

I don't think there's a direct equivalent, but the trim level seems to be somewhere between SE and SE L. (I'm assuming you have sat-nav but no front LED headlamps?)

Hope you enjoy your Superb, that's an awful lot of car for your money. What trim level did you get?

I've found the Skoda sat-nav preferable to the Google one, which ain't all that, IMO. I find Google sometimes takes me via odd routes which I suspect is using me following an unusual route as a data gathering service to. I used to think Google used different routes because of traffic & roadworks, but having been taken on a route on Friday and finding my right turn Google was telling me (across the A34 dual carriageway) was blocked by roadworks which had been in place for a week or so, I'm now not so sure. In fairness, I've sworn at my Google satnav so much, I would understand if it deliberately led me on longer routes to punish me.

How's the new car?

What a position to be in! Let's reframe the issue: What is the problem you have, that the new car will solve? If the problem is "Avoiding a £1k bill", a new car isn't going to do that, as cost to change will be more than £1k. A 5YO 69K mile Octavia has a lot of life left in it if it's been looked after well, as yours seems to have been, so biting the bullet and paying for that big service during a period of strong used car prices may turn out to be more of an investment than a loss. That said, if you really want a new car (which I can relate to, as it was the reason I swapped my old car), at the current time I would tend to lean to a brand new/nearly new car, as used car prices are inflated. If you're looking at 3YO cars, I think you could find yourself like someone taking advantage of selling their house during a housing boom, only to find their new house has an equally inflated price. Good luck, whatever you decide.

Either they're going to have to spend a fortune on this (which after all the COVID-19 related borrowing to pay people to be furloughed, means borrowing will be massive) or it ain't going to happen. A cynical government might borrow it anyway and then fluff the next election and pass on a poisoned chalice to the next administration. Wouldn't be the first time it's been done. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/may/17/liam-byrne-note-successor

No worries. I have used the same tyre fitter for about 20 years now, and he's told me some horror stories, particularly about the condition of tyres on school minibuses and private hire cabs. But actually wearing through the tyre until it couldn't hold air was a first for him.

What an epic spec!

Yeah, the Ghost system looks good, but the constant code entry for a shared car means it's probably a non-starter for us. (Ironically.) A mechanical transmission lock seems to be a good option for my car with the DSG.

You managing alright without it at the moment? I know when you're suddenly down a car, it's not just the theft. it's the unexpected lack of transport that causes problems. I'm not entirely sure whether you can get a courtesy car from the insurers until you formally make a claim.

Just a thought, but why not put an advert up on here asking for a straight glass swap with someone without rear tinted glass?

If you like them all, why not ask the dealer which colour of the three he sells most of? That way you can pick a popular colour that's likely to hold it's value well, or a less popular colour that means you'll have a less common car. (Or see if he'll do you a deal on a particular colour?) Unpopular colours can really dent a cars value (my car is white, and I don't think it will help the resale value) but all those three you fancy seem like good colours. But of the three you state, Graphite Grey would be my choice.

Any news on your stolen car, @WayTooTall?

At the time he was embarrassed, but his explanation was that he's just not that interested in cars. He just gets in them, drives them to where he wants to go, and gets out. (I think it was a VW Sharan) He services it when it asks to be serviced, and relies on the MOT to highlight any problems. I get his logic, but I don't think the way he does. Edit: The cause of deflation was what the tyre fitter told me. I believed him. (Detail from original pic.)

Hi! Your Citigo looks great in silver!

Agreed! "WeBuyAnyCar" is normally a reasonable indication of actual market value. (You have to register and put up with a bit of spam mail. Also they may increase the price offered after a week or so.)

If I notice the car's handling changes, or have a tyre-related "moment" then I change the tyres pretty much straight away. (I once ditched some tyres about 12 months old as they were rubbish in the wet.) But if all is well, then I change tyres somewhere between 3-4mm. Here's a close detail pic of one of the tyres a guy at work had on his MPV that he carried his kids in. He noticed nothing wrong until he had a flat tyre because the air just started leaking out where he'd worn away ALL the rubber. (You'll be delighted to know he's an Aerospace engineer with an Engineering degree.)

If you're going to do it yourself, this hot dry spell is a perfect opportunity to avoid sealing in any existing water. I don't think cars bodywork can get much dryer than this.

Hi there! When I sold my old car, it was at somewhere between 120-130k miles at 14 years old. (The dealer offered me £300 for it.) When I was looking for a replacement car, I really struggled to want to spend several £1000s on a vehicle that had done anything over 60K miles. And low mileage older cars caused similar cognitive dissonance: "Huh! I'm not paying £10k for a 6 year old car that's not that much different (in day to day function) than my old one, which is worth £300, so I'm told." Eventually I bought a 12-month old low-mileage car, which was way above my original budget, but felt better value. Despite doing my research and planning what I was looking for, a lot of that went out of the window when I came across the "right" car, and the buying decision was triggered by a price check to make sure the agreed price was okay. I tell you this, as your perception of value is something unique to you, but actual market value can vary wildly from your perception. So my advice is to buy something you feel is good value, but check the market value to ensure you're not paying more than you have to. Good luck! Note: Salesmen were absolutely useless at offering buying advice, blooming hopeless! Edit: Just re-read your post and seen your car is £10K for 6YO car at 90K miles. Personally, I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole, especially as you do a lot of miles. But I'm a tight old git and to me, 10 grand on a car which will have over 100K miles by next year seems too expensive. But then we're back to perception. If £10K for a 6YO 90k miles car seems okay to you, AND the market agrees, then who am I to argue? Follow your gut feeling on it, but check the market price too. 2nd edit: Something that helped me, was looking at the cost to change, which in my case was pretty much £10K, and asking the question "What am I getting for my £10K?". I played my own bank-manager / Devil's advocate. Having to justify spending £10K on a car when I already had a perfectly serviceable car stopped me pulling the trigger on a car for some time. That said, it is perfectly okay, if you have the cash set aside, to fall for a car, and just want it, without any other justification than "Oh wow! I really want that car! " That's perfectly okay. I rationalise replacing my old Mondeo, saying I sensed big bills were gonna happen, and it was going rusty, older diesels are going to be priced out of low-emission zones, etc. but a big motivation in changing car was that after 10 years, I just fancied a new car. And as I'd saved up for it, that was all the reason I needed to buy one.

I did not know rain-closing was a possible option. That is really cool!

Doesn't look good for front parking sensors on a 2019/2020 spec 1.5. Looks like the only vehicle with them as standard was the vRS Challenge,