Former

OBD11 should give good info if it covers your model (I've no idea of contract details) but do not get too carried away with any codes it gives or doesn't, it a diagnostics tool and often only gives pointers rather than answers. As I put before as service nowadays is often just an engine oil and filter change and no more, even just an engine service is more than that let alone the whole car. The engine is not the most important system, component or part on the car the engine can chug along even if not in good condition. Brakes, steering, suspension (all three including tyres), important electrics are more important. As has been put changing the air filter if required and cleaning the air way as much as possible can make a big difference, if the engine isn't breathing well it won't go as well as it could or should, going up a steep hill fast would require good breathing. In my experience it makes a big difference, mainly the cleaning additive package will help especially for you now. When I used it instead of getting the usual black cloud of **** on hard acceleration off a roundabout right turn I got grey clouds of ****. I would recommend you use two tankfuls, one before and during and one after service and/or MoT times and every now and then or every third or fourth fill if you want. The above might save you having to do further cleaning for air and fuel other sensors. If the car has been sitting around I always advise checking the state of the battery and despite it being driven now I would checked the battery is fully charged a few hours after the car has been parked up, allowing for the car's computer systems to be at rest as much as possibly about 12.6V is fully charged. If not I would use an appropriate battery charger and maintainer to fully charge the battery as a even if the car starts and the lights seem bright enough the battery can still be too low in charge for the car's computer and this can cause all sorts of unexpected problems even before the car starts to put up warning messages and lights. Do that straight away with a reliable pressure gauge and at the same time have look at how the tyres are and if all or some of the tyres are the same make, model and age. Getting the tyres and tyre pressure right will make a difference to braking, steering, suspension ride and comfort. Little point having a VRS if it's not on appropriate tyres in reasonable condition. Have a read of the Owner's Manual to see what's what with your car, if you read it and refer to it, for even what should be simple jobs, you will know more about your car than many long term owners and some at Dealerships and garages. Free VWSkoda PDF downloads from here. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models Update portal. - https://updateportal.skoda-auto.com/ (admitted to) Recall campaigns. - https://www.skoda-auto.com/services/recall-campaigns 👍 If I was you I'd take up this kind offer HTH.

Might just need a full and proper service (of the whole car) and internal clean of air and fuel to the engine, engine oil & filter, and a few blowout runs with a couple of tanks of V-Power, depends on it's previous history and use. Have you plugged in a suitable level scan tool to see what shows up, though do not just rely on that. More details are required (as bigjohn has posted).

Other than the silicone brake fluid (DOT 5) when to replace the fluid depends on a number of variations so car manufacturers will have different ideas of when the brake fluid should be changed, at a mileage or time interval, neither will necessarily be very accurate possibly very early or even should have been sooner but that's less likely given the car manufactures caution. You can get various testers to tell you how much water is in the brake fluid at the place you test, such as the reservoir, and some will rely on just that and may not change the fluid for years others do not even bother to check and leave the fluid in for many years. For your mountain roads personally I would put in a good quality brake fluid about every two years but check it every six months as part of a shorter 6-month service. Having had so many ****-poor made modern parts for my "classics" over decades, including lots with rubber and the reason I no longer have my last "classic" I would advise keeping good quality older parts. Not always of course if they are beyond good serviceable and functioning life or for new parts that (should be, but not always are) that will give improvement. For the front calipers if they are working fine why risk putting modern O-rings and other parts on them, I would leave well alone. The front brake squeal is something you can get even with fitting new pads and discs and despite fitting new ant-squeal shims or pads so if your brake discs and pads are still in good condition do not replace them. Cleaning and lubricating the moving areas of the calipers and pads might even stop the occasional squealing you get now. As put before tyres condition, wear and age can make a big difference to the braking (steering, suspension, road holding, ride comfort and noise) more so often than going for fashionable sexy types of brake discs (and perhaps unsuitable fashionable sexy types of pads though some might be good for mountain use).

Fully recharge the battery with a charger that can go low and slow as possible, 2 or 3 amp charging better than 4 or 6 amp but will take a lot longer. The day after the full charging check the battery for (state of) charge and if possible state of health, a poor battery could hinder your recommissioning whereas a good battery in good state of charge and health will possibly speed up recommissioning and help with keeping the whole car going well.

Absolutely leave them be. If you are replacing the flexi-hose do make sure the new ones are of good quality if they are rubber. For the same reason replacing rubber O-rings with new poor quality rubber O-rings would be a backwards step. When replacing the brake fluid also flush a good amount of fresh new brake fluid through the whole system until it comes out thoroughly clean at all exit points. Brake fluid is not expensive so buy extra for the flushing. Once the system is empty you might want to clean the inside of the reservoir that way it is easier to see any discolouration at that point. Clean the rear drums and shoes and adjusting the rear brakes as required, if the 14% difference is across the axle just clean, lubricate and adjustment could reduce any difference of one side to the other. Tend to handbrake as required. Distance is not a good gauge of brake wear as it depends so much on the brake use required or given by the driver, 10km of city driving might require a lot more braking than 100km of highway, if you are some where with lots of steep hills with lots of bends and slow traffic plus some driver's use the brakes more and harder than others. Always remember the tyres are a big element of brakes (and steering and suspension).

Well done. The plugs would have been the very major contributor and Redex was redundant when using the Tesco Momentum. I'm not sure any garages do a full car service any more, engine oil and filter change and visual inspection of some other stuff is about it. You could yourself change the engine air filter and if required clean anything else engine air or fuel related. That just the engine of course, which isn't the most important component or system on the car. The brakes, steering and suspension (all three include tyres) and safety electrics are of more priority, as you've already found the engine can chug along even in a quite poor state and the world doesn't fall apart (only your wallet with all those petrol receipts). I'd not think too much about where all that petrol went for now remain on a positive and see if the service brings any further improvement in MPG but don't expect too much unless your brakes were binding or you're running your tyres under-inflated. Given your plugs gaps I'd not be too surprised at anything the service turns up but also given your current MPG hopefully it won't be too much. Good luck.

Barry, hi, welcome. You might be better posting, and looking, in the relevant Octavia section, 2013 appears to be both Mk2 and Mk3 otherwise I'd 'Report' your post to be moved to one of them. You might need to expand on what you mean or happened when it stopped on you and wouldn't start, it's not Twitter or Facebook with limited space for a post. Good luck.

Not only a self-confessed engineering expert, with all the arrogance of a surgeon but without the additional extensive education and training and possibly looks, now an expert in metal health, and wholesale and resale of car batteries, is there no end to your talents (except diplomacy obviously). I'm not the one fitting the battery but I thank you for taking your valuable time to me give your opinion despite not fully reading what I'd put, I value your advice, to different levels at different times. If only your talent of giving ultra fast solutions, none wrong by your own admission either, could have be turned towards world hunger, poverty and cancer we'd be rid of them by now. It's not just you, but all of us, that are blessed by your presence. Next time I personally want to do anything I will think what would sepulchrave tell me to do and better still if possible run it by you beforehand.

That looks like it will outlast the car. Personally even though it's new I'd fully charge it with an appropriate battery charger (and maintainer) before fitting it to the car, hopefully that wouldn't take long. Read and follow the instructions in the 'Owner's Manual' for replacing the battery, check for resets that might be required, even if listed not all seem to be needed.

It's a matter of fashion over function now. Previously 15" wheels would be on big heavy (for the time) saloons, or sportscars, I know even very small cars now are big and overweight (particularly VW) but many/most have oversized wheels for fashion only. Depends what you're used to and when you were young and how much you value fashion or want to have bigger wheels than your neighbours, 70% profile tyres used to low profile. Some clubman racers are going back to smaller wheels for the track so maybe in the future the fashion will go to smaller tyres and wheels and big wheels and tyres will look so old fashioned. Remember the three spoke alloys wheels. 🙂

Hi, welcome, You'd probably be better posting in the relevant model section, could ask to transfer this thread to that section but you've not put what model you have and engine. Just looked you up and see it's an Octavia so I'll 'Report' the post and ask if it can be moved, to save duplicate threads, to Skoda Octavia Mk III (2013 - 2020). - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/235-skoda-octavia-mk-iii-2013-2020/ You could add Octavia to your name plate too to save confusion if you post in other sections later. Good luck. ETA: wow that was a quick transfer, well done Moderator.

You must have the music up loud, or used to the sound of diesel engines. 😄 Get my wife's 1.2 90 on its power band it goes well with one or two in the car but we've never had 55mpg that I know of.

Good call, I didn't think of that my mind was stuck on the Amsoil additive.

Just bear in mind a petrol Mk3 Monte Carlo might be quite a bit different to a Mk1 TDI VRS whether 1 or 1.2. Be interesting to read how the Mk3s compare with the Mk1 (allowing for age/mileage wear/tear/abuse differences. Good luck again.

If you want not to be taking your work home surely you would be looking at getting a Japanese car with a proper Japanese engine, possibly older than 2016 to outlast a 2016 Fabia Mk3 with a lot less hassle. If not as I put other might contribute here or more information in other threads. With just two people in the car my wife's Mk3 1.2 90 engine goes well enough though we do not get the miles-per-gallon others say they get, but it is a petrol engine, so. Good luck and if no one else already has perhaps you could report back on your finding between the 1.0, 3-pot and 1.2 4-pot.

Big figures always look impressive but how reliable and long-lasting and how much servicing, maintenance and repairs are required. The Japanese tend to be better at smaller items generally, and often cars, Americans think 2.0 litres is a small engine, 1 litre would be a starter motor. 😄

All good advice. Good point, you'd not be buying the 3-cylinder 110 as just as a town runabout or glorified shopping trolley but it is pushed more and possibly be pushed more depending on the driver and car's use and going from a diesel and VRS. My wife's 1.2, 4-cylinder, 90 has far from the sweetest engine bay noises I've heard and I'm used to 1960s and 1970s British Leyland products, I think I'd be too fragile for a VW 3-cylinder. Plus modern cars are so heavy in themselves, when I've driven my wife's Fabia with three passengers there's a very noticeable difference to just driver and one passenger but that's with 90 engine and standard (not-so-robust) SE suspension (front at least) on 15" wheels (14" wheels and tyres might have be better). Plenty of threads here about the 1.2 TSI 110 in Mk3s and some on 1.0, 3-cylinder and hopefully others might be along with their input.

From what I can see from all the posts on here the Mk1 and Mk2s seem more robust generally than my wife's Mk3 at least, if I was you I'd look for a decent Mk2 against a Mk3. You'd want, as with any marque or model, to test drive a few decent (driving not looks) examples of a Mk3 to see how it stacks up, also going from the black world of diesels (my wife's previous car was a diesel) to petrol will also bring differences. With a 1.0 three compared to a four 1.2 I'd always go for the 1.2 four unless I only used the car round town or glorified shopping trolley but hopefully @toot will be by and post all the info. I've had a few 3-cylinder cars so I'm all for them if they're good but they weren't VW engines and mostly two seaters. With the turbo (and direct injection) its pushing an engine so going from 90 to 110 is an increase and to then drop the capacity is a further push. I'm not sure of the differences to 2017 cars, again @toot will know the details.

Llyod, I replaced both incandescent DRL bulbs on my wife's car and just that was a fiddle so I'm not sure how you'd get to the other bulbs from there. Removing the whole headlight unit I'd wonder about alignment when removing/refitting, but I could be wrong. I noticed one DRL light wasn't as bright as the other but Sod's Law it was a bulb I'd run out of and as I don't drive the car usually I forgot about it, a week later the car's computer noticed and threw up a warning. The bulb I took out by then was the blackest I'd ever seen, whether that was caused by the bulb or the car's wiring, connection or computer I don't know. Of the two DRL bulbs I replaced one was original factory the other wasn't, which was which I forget now so whether one of these bulbs going is another VWSkoda German engineering thing I don't know. I'm not sure just putting in one LED one side is a good idea generally even for testing but again I might be wrong. Have a look at Classic Car LEDs for reliable good quality LEDs. - https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/ Yes please do tell us how you get on.

Good news, so you are two steps closer. The VWSkoda 'Owner's Manual' aren't the best but it does make sense to have the aeration in the bit about air-con. My wife would say you had a "man-look". 😉 In your working life were you never told to RtFM, or like the electricians we employed had no experience of doing so, in the 'Index' 'Sliding/tilting roof' which takes you to 'Electric sliding/tilting roof', on to 'Electric sliding/tilting roof with solar cells', on to 'Climatronic (automatic air conditioning system)'. As with many things not a push one button and it's done and good practice for VCDS use. 😄 More good news for you, I know nothing with VCDS so can't help(?) with it's use but there are plenty here that do and are happy to help so do check with them before using the system for guidance. As always, and for viewers that don't understand old men's' banter, I hope you get things sorted to your satisfaction (or better), cheers.

If you look at the tiresize calculator with 225/45/17 then click on the "Alternate Tyre Sizes" tab for "16" you will get a list of tyres in green and how near they are in size as a percentage difference. Now you need to check the availability, range and price of the sizes offered to see what's actually available and at what prices. 225/50/16 - 205/55/16 Then of course you might be with a silly insurance provider that takes exception to you changing the wheels and tyres from the size the car left the factory with, as has been cover in various other threads. Plenty of insurers don't worry about such things but if you have a cheap policy and/or with a very general family type car provider they might.

Different places have different databases, no databases are 100% accurate in my experience, Halfords seem to go their own way with batteries size numbers. Tayna is the supplier I've used a few times - they do ask you to check and confirm your requirements. Do not assume that the battery fitted to the vehicle is correct unless it's a factory fit. Even then then perhaps it could be improved on, perhaps larger battery hence the tray space or the tray allows for diesel/auto battery in a petrol vehicle. IIRC(?) companies like Toyota (unlike VWSkoda) give battery specifications sometimes in the 'Owner's Manual' / 'Driver's Handbook' so look there too if the paper printed copy is available. https://www.tayna.co.uk/Toyota-RAV_4-Car-Battery

Hi, welcome. Why do you need to change the bulbs? Have a look at your 'Owner's Manual' for how to change the bulbs, and lots more useful information. If you don't have the paper printed copy you can download for free a pdf copy from Skoda at this link. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

With some insurers and brokers yes but possibly not with others, note the post from Adrian Flux. If you get your insurance through one of the comparison sites that's usually fine for ordinary cars or vanilla models but often specialist insurers or brokers can offer more suitable policies for vehicles that are not ordinary or vanilla models and sometimes the premiums can work out lower (or much lower). For 3 decades I had "classics" (over-priced, over-priced old cars) and low volume manufacture sportscars and the specialist insurance providers provided very wide range cover at very reasonable premiums and most of these cars were also daily use cars and for work, no garage or mileage limits, fully comp, UK & Europe breakdown cover included in many policies. My last "classic" was modified some insurers didn't like that but the one I was with just wanted the modifications listed, premiums remained the same. Look around someone wants your business at a reasonable premium -unless you have high risk factors.

Varta, Yuasa, Bosch (made by Varta), Duracell, Endoroline. If you are changing the battery type (standard / EFB / AGM) or significant change to Ah you will need to 'code' the battery in, start-stop cars need EFB or AGM batteries. https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/types/096/tech/