Former

With chemicals you are best to follow the instructions that the manufacturer gives unless the contact the manufacturer to see what variances can be successfully made. Whatever way you decided to do the work it needs the thorough flush through with water until it comes out very clean (then back-flushing might release more, before forward flush again) is required, then allowance made for the amount of residue clean water left in the system before adding concentrate or pre-mixed coolant,

That is not necessarily so, many improvements can be made on the factory original vehicle which are always full of compromises (and mistakes), there have been many improvements (as well things getting worse) over the years since your cars left the factory. Despite it's certificate of age your Felicia I'm sure has things on it that are not factory standard, the oils and coolant have changed at least, tyres and I bet a concours expert could point loads of stuff on your car.

Fair enough. As I understand it you get much better looked after in Aus with cars than we do in the UK, we get 3 years warranty on stuff like VWs and would have to purchase "cheaper" brands like Kia and MG to get 7 years warranty (car manufacturers can still can rely on out of date good and bad reputations and snobbery in the UK). The Fabia Mk3 is a big car to me but that's another matter. The newer the car the more complicated they get, owners are now relearning and learning about using (appropriate) 12v car battery chargers (maintainers) again as we used to in the 1970s when we had old-bangers (now called "classics") and not nearly new or new cars, because of all, and increasing, electric convenience devices and driving "aids". Reading the Owner's Manual before you buy will help with buying the car and will certainly help with ownership. Cheers.

@Fia , hi, welcome. sorry, deleted, as I misunderstood that you only wanted the short version, sorry you will have to put up with the fuller online English language version but it's not any interactive version, just read only (I ignore any videos). Here, in case you've seen a different version in the car. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

Tested for 20 years in use would seem a reasonable test time for most, not simulated test conditions car and other manufacturers use that do not really simulate real world and real time conditions. On some engines there is a worry about hold too much heat to the head but many owners have done it without reporting or seeming to get any harm. People often forget about the numerous variables that make up any situation and event, one difference could give a different outcome. Makes more sense that if you can get more air out that to a certain level getting more air in might bring improvements. I used to take my Midget to a cylinder head and engine specialist with a flow bench as he also had a dyno, he would also try experiments on it just for the fun of it and see what made any difference and how much and its limits. He told me he tried out a bodge made version of what we call cold air induction (your hose from a hole in the car body) with increasing lengths protruding from the vehicle, got up to a 2m length of drain pipe I can't remember what he said the results were. Experienced people like him that work on very old design and old used engines and cars will often know the results they expect to see but don't say or prejudge things and with experience know to also know the unexpected can and will sometimes happen, so then they learn more. They might say what has happened in the past in the circumstances but won't say that will definitely be the case this or every time. I told him I'd bought some HT leads direct from the producer and they had made a noticeable improvement on my car, only slight but noticeable and I got the producer to send him a set to test on the dyno as he wasn't convinced, he put them on a (proper) Mini grass racer with small low (well below Felica) powered engine as that was perfect to see any slight improvements and he freely admitted that there were improvements which he had not expected at all. Like you I have tried stuff and gone against received wisdom sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, sometimes I've thought it worked to later discovered it didn't hasn't (like VW engineers) other times as things change what didn't work before now does and visa-versa.

Hi, welcome. Just to be clear, a wagon is what we call an estate here in the UK and others a combi (or BMW touring). People come in different sizes at all ages but as my mate told me the Fabia Mk3 when launched had the roomiest cabin, it is a 5 seater cabin. The back seats in my wife's 2015 hatchback has ISO fixings for babyseats on the two outside rear seats and depending on how big the babyseat is I'd think two reasonable sized adults would also fit in - but - I don't know, we don't have kids and have never had kids or a babyseat in the Fabia, four adults but never five. You are much better looked after by VW in Aus that in UK so a second-hand Fabia might be better than in the UK. I recommend before buying you read the Owner's Manual as it will tell you a lot about the car, you really also need to read it and refer to it when required as soon as you own the car and after to help you know about the car and save you time, hassle and money and unnecessary trips to the Dealership, garage, mechanic, auto-electrician, which in the UK can involve a lot of unnecessary expense and hassle. The German marques love complex computer programs and the start/stop system can mean many owners use, abuse and neglect the car 12V battery even more than when a car doesn't have start/stop so do check the state of charge and state of health of the battery on a VW or Skoda and when you get the car take care not to let the battery get too low for the computers, info in the Owner's Manual. Free VW/Skoda pdf downloads of the Owner's Manuals here, Fabia Mk3 is a previous model. - https://www.skoda.com.au/apps/manuals/Models Here are some UK videos of the UK Mk3 that you might find generally helpful, I don't know if there are much differences. - Are Hondas and Toyotas that much more expensive and difficult for you to get then? HTH.

It should certainly be more noticeable at higher speeds and acceleration as that when more air is coming in. Do I take it you already have a non-standard exhaust?

@RichardStandard10 just to be clear I wasn't suggesting you necessarily need to use the Red 100 on a 'paper' waterpump gasket, I've not had to but I've no idea about for a 130. I suggested the Red 100 for general use on the cooling system and IF a 'paper' gasket wasn't available, though we went through how to made one. As you probably learnt from your rebuild you have to go about any work thoroughly and take your time and however long you think it'll take and whatever you thing you'll need Sod's Law it takes a lot longer and you haven't got the one thing you need to do or finish the job. As I put I used a coolant that would find any weep potential so that made things worse that using an ordinary 18 months / 2yr change coolant. Take no notice of disagreements as it means you are at least getting different information. experience, beliefs, opinions and views. 🙃

We don't have to agree, and I don't agree with your absolutes such as anything less than 150w is unacceptable, you may well be correct but we, you and I, don't know what was originally in the 130, the fan size and type and the motor number of watts power. The 130 is an older and simpler car than your Felicia, I can remember the rad is at the front but not its size or fan with it. You can say what you want from your teachings and 'book learning' I only give my experience and that of others that I know or have been told from and I can assure you in 30+ years of actually driving various "classics" in the way they were designed to be driven and used and not like a museum piece in servicing, maintenance and repairs I've dealt with a few cork and paper and other material gaskets in real world application and use and had advice from experts of the various "classics" and their engines so I dispute your absolutes about what can be used successfully with paper gaskets. I 've heard from fully qualified engineers and time-served mechanics what should and shouldn't be necessary or work but it hasn't always applied in my experience. The gasket is to cover imperfections, all cars are full of build and engineering compromises, and mistakes, and matters generally may get worse with time, age and use, abuse and neglect, Cork gaskets, well they can now be a right PITA, perhaps 50, 60, 70+ years ago they were good or fine but they weren't when I used them. Now if you look back you will see I suggested you as the person that would know about sealant if the gasket wasn't paper, and I put to use 'paper' only where possible, the Red 100 was a general suggestion for general use on the cooling system gaskets IF required. I too have always found the water pump paper gaskets that I've fitted to be fine by themselves but I've no idea about a 130 water pump and its gasket, but to repeat, in my experience of the few sealants I've tried on cooling system gaskets the Red 100 was the best, I applied it to the gaskets where previous fresh 'paper' gaskets had failed to fully seal, (yes I did prepare the surfaces with just the 'paper' or 'paper' and Red 100). You will learn latter in life that some things become less certain than you thought or knew they were previously and even not correct, even the VW engineers make mistakes and have to make changes. 😉

Do bear in mind your "damned-crappy 15W-50" was straight mineral engine oil and your "tremendous Synthetic 10W-40" is some sort of synthetic engine oil - not that I think that might be the main element in the difference to your petrol consumption. Be interesting to see how much your hard driving on the mountains improves the feel and performance of the engine.

Unless another owner/driver with the same year and spec of Fabia as you puts differently I suspect it might be that aftermarket hub, or perhaps some gear change warning or perhaps you have other car related stuff plugged into or in the car. What else does the aftermarket hub record or show could it be one of the other items on there. To me there was a two to three seconds delay between hard acceleration and bleeping. Let us know when you find out what it is. I think JFrankMiller and gumdrop more or less covered what I was meaning. Don't bother with that it's just wearing on parts and components and there are lots of cars that are more powerful and quicker no matter what you have - but if your tyres aren't inflated correctly that won't help. I appreciate in that video you put up you were not being a hooligan but quicker driving isn't about always being faster or fastest, quick drivers are very smooth in their operating of the vehicle, so smooth a passenger might not realise how fast the car is going. That's why low down and level progression torque in the car is better than peak power and high revs, it's about the feel of it not the numbers on a graph or under the dash needles. What, you want to drive your car hard and you have not done all the driver checks and maintenance and on one of the most important components on the car, tut, tut. 😁 Check the tyre pressures when they are 'cold' with an accurate reliable pressure gauge and at the same time check each tyre for tread wear, lumps bumps, cuts, etc.. Tyres effect the braking, steering, suspension, the road holding, car handling, comfort and noise, you want good tyres in good condition particularly if you are going to be driving hard or in a spirited manner.

Only as an example the Comex 12" (High Power) fan is about 150w (12.5a) these were fitted as replacements to standard MGBs, on my 1973 Midget which was used as a "daily" on unrestricted milage insurance policy, and I didn't drive it like it was some precious museum piece, I had a (previous make) 9" Revotec fan which I ran for 5 years then as I uprated the car a bit went on to an uprated 9" Revotec fan, can't remember if it was a Comex, which was 10 years ago and that's still on the car (AFAIK). Again as example only, MGB replacement fan. - https://revotec.com/product/9-0-225mm-high-power-fan/ The fan efficiency depends on more than the electric load of the motor but generally the bigger fans obviously have bigger motors needing more electricity. I lifted this off a post from 12 years ago by a chap called Nick Jenkins - "A puller fan is more efficient than a pusher. A straight-blade fan is more efficient than a curved-blade fan, but louder. Cubic Foot per Minute (CFM) ratings are not certified; it's the manufacturer's claim, based on their testing. I don't like fans that zip-tie to the radiator, but a lot of people are okay with it." This I think is correct,, I forget and often mix up opposites, so as always with any information from any source check and cross reference it with if possible two different reliable sources, the internet is a great place for misinformation and I must have done my share. Good point about noise, generally a bigger or more powerful fan makes more noise, not too much worry on older cars like Skodas and MGs, part of the joy is the sounds you can hear from them. The Midget and MGB are different to a 1988 Estelle 2 Rapid 130 but were both more horsepower, what was the original 130 fan motor power (I don't know I had my 130 Rapid new in 1986)? Oh, the certainty of youth, Loctite 5923 may, or may not, be the best thing to use on paper gaskets but it's certainly not the only thing, for decades gaskets on old, used, cars have successfully sealed using no sealants and other sealants. A mate who works on "classic" race engines uses Wellseal and he gave me a liquid version but it's a bit too liquid for my liking and use. As long as the surfaces are reasonably good and must be clear any appropriate sealant for the job, if applied correctly, should seal. You can go with whichever you prefer or think does the job the best. I liked the Red 100 as it's semi-setting, but so are others, in my experience of the cooling system on my car with the use of a coolant that will find any small weeps, Red100 worked best for me.

Suddenly remembered Steve O, Jackass, I didn't see much of it, can't think I was their demographic, but I can't remember how long ago it was because I'm old so was probably too old for it when it was on the telly. The oil geek is a pro and as he says he's "all about the science instead of the speculation" and how things work together in the real world, which oil to which engine in use. The Americans have a lot of interest in motor oils (in oil all over the world 😆). I've decades of scarring and burns from dealing with the motor trade over the decades, their are good people in there, when they are allowed to be, but also many types that think customers are something very smelly and brown they trod in on the way to work/business, that's not to say all customers are angels. Most oils nowadays are good, if the Dealership is using whatever VWSkoda HQ or UK says then that'll be OK (well until they change their minds) certainly within warranty period, what's that 7, 10 years? 😁

HEPU is a concentrate - I can't remember seeing or hearing in the video what ratio to water the concentrates were tested at, or what ratios the premixed were or their levels into minus temperate they were mixed for and rated at. Test were simple electric ring to glass container at normal atmospheric pressure. Whichever you chose to use just make sure it will be easily available in the future so that you can stick with it and not be mixing unknown factors in different liquids again.

Jumping in I am being a bit unkind to 0W-20, a good 0W-20 will be a very good oil, that particular multigrade has little to do with GPF as the other multigrades mentioned cover GPFs too, ETA: if you're not keeping the car long term stick with 0w-20 and if using a very good 0w-20 you could probably stick with that for the car's life as that multigrade will also improve with time and availability as markets catch up and new higher levels become the norm. A good oil is a good oil, and a better oil is a better oil, it's a matter of getting what's appropriate. The 0w-20 oils (and well below this have to be good) the 0w-20 is to help get the nth fraction more mpg out of the very ancient basic internal combustion engine. As always the better build and quality the engine is the greater its parameters to use and abuse, personally I think VW have been and are a bit rough which is mostly fine in the short and medium term but less so longer and much longer term. If you're interested have a look at 0w-8 that a Japanese engine can take and it will give you an idea of VW's engine 0w-20 oil (and 0w-12). - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sALAUhldASc

Sorry that attachment doesn't open for me, so more questions and info from you required.. Dash messages can come and go so quickly you don't always get a chance to see them, often a PITA distract from keeping your eyes on the road and driving. If you don't see any panic (sorry) warning lights or messages then perhaps plugging in an appropriate VW enabled correct level scan tool might see a record of the incidents. The ogres that are the computers can be quite timid and nervous and over sensitive, look at them wrong and they whimper, a bush that's 20 foot away at the side of the road frightens them or what it thinks is a white line or something in the middle or side of the road. When you say accelerating hard what do you mean, from what initial speed, in what gear, on what surface? Does this happen on the same place on a road or whenever you accelerate hard? Are you in Eco drive setting? What's your engine and gearbox type? I expect you have one of those bloody silly annoying (whoops) electronic handbrakes and not the very old fashioned (reliable) mechanical types? You've checked your tyre pressures (preferably with a reliable accurate (off-board) tyre pressure gauge? Tailgate fully shut? Checked all car stalks or menu settings? There are so many more things to go bleep, bong or chime on a 2022 car, I'm out of ideas.

Are you wheel-spinning? Check all your car stalks or menu settings, otherwise. -

My gawd, whoever allowed that sticker on a VAG product is for the sack, giving away the multigrade suggested, what a slip up ! Based on the quality of VW engines and not worrying about the stretched mpg claims needing such stuff I'd still go 5w-30, 0W-30 if buying a step up in price quality. I've corrected my previous post based on the better info from Ootohere's post, I would definitely want good or better quality oils at 0w-20, no "cheap" stuff.

I don't know how the prices go but near fits are 205/45 r16 - 195/50 r16 - 225/45 r16 - 205/50 r16. The near widths of the tyre make very little if any odds to road grip that's all about the tyre's design, make up and compounds. Narrower tyres on 7" width rims will sit squarer and add stiffness to the tyre walls. As also better made tyres will will be better overall regardless of their size. You can check out the differences to 215/45 r16 on the following sites for yourself. Personally I'd have 15" wheels (if 14" wouldn't fit) and have more tyre sidewall, air and 'rubber' (pneumatic) suspension on the wheels, and slightly better feel to initial pick up of acceleration (what very little sensation you can get from modern cars that isolate the driver from what's going on with the car). https://tiresize.com/tyre-size-calculator/ https://www.willtheyfit.com/

Fan in front of rad blows, behind sucks. Depends on your wiring but fit as large as you can to the radiator. You can get slimline fans that give a bit more space. Only as an example Comex (Revotec) 11" (high power) fan to give you ideas of air movement and electric power requirements. - https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/files/transfer/technical/doc/comex_high_power_11_inch_specification_2.pdf And Comex Slimline 11" - https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/files/transfer/technical/doc/comex_11_inch_specification.pdf

No. Big difference in sidewall height from (nominally) 3.8" ( 97 mm) to 4.7" (119 mm), 23.7% increase. Your speedo will under-read (not good for your licence), you'll lose some suspension wheel to wheel arch space, OK if you don't get into too much mud or snow and your suspension isn't to soft and sagged, slight gain on ride height.

Let VW confuse you with their additional specification numbers. - https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners-and-services/servicing-and-parts/spare-parts-and-oil/oil.html Then perhaps consider a good quality oil from an English blender that covers the range of additional VW numbers. - Millers EE Performance Engine Oil C3 5w30 - ETA: based on Ootohere's later info change to Millers XF PREMIUM ENGINE OIL C5 VW 0w20 (and better as the oils get greater availability) - https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-162388-millers-oils-xf-premium-c5-vw-0w-20-fully-synthetic-engine-oil.aspx As you can tell I'm not a VW fan or of their, ever changing, additional numbers or not specifying weight/grade range of oil or silly 9,400m/1yr or flexible (20k-m(?)) oil changes, change at 10k-miles or 1 year whichever is the soonest and use a good quality oil. I'm sure others will be along here soon with official VW engine oil dictates. Good luck.

What exactly do you mean by that because that sounds different to your previous post. Do you mean when you operate the stalk to activate the windscreen washer it doesn't work but when you operate for the rear window the washer does work, two different operations? Below is from my wife's 2015 Owner's Manual. -

We all do such things, me all the time. At least you can admit it to yourself and others, many simply can't.

Yes I remember that and the following post, I'm not the one putting up those videos and I've put my comments a few times before and after that video. The high and low temperature point of the various coolants tested are only two points of measure are we are not told that the coolants are at equal concentrations and it doesn't tell us about their various levels of corrosion protection and lubrication. All have service lives that are shorter than VW labelled G12evo at least. You want the whole cooling/heating system clean inside and out, all parts and components working as they should, no additional hinderance from misplaced additional items or inappropriate insulation.