nta16

Just to add to DerekU's last post, the bits that ootohere put about the spare tyre possibly/probably being as new, unused "green". possibly at a different pressure, possibly different design, build, compound and tread still apply with 15" spare wheel on a car with (more sensible) 15" wheels fitted. On a side note my wife's 2015 Mk3 came with 185/60 r15 tyres (rather than 185/65 r15) that may just be changes in prices or availability or VW supply contracts in the intervening years. A few of us here will remember when 70 ratio tyre sidewall height was the low profile for tyres for sports and family cars. 🙃

Sorry didn't mean to be or seem hard, I can't stand macho b*ll*cks (and I'll punch the first bloke that sez I do 😆) I was just putting my side and experience and I think ootohere was being humorous, and I thought your reply was being humorous - and good in admitting you'd made a mistake like we all do, me very often, numerous times, it's the internet full of errors. Nothing wrong with debate, different ideas, opinions and beliefs and friendly disagreements, I've not seen ootohere be nasty (unlike some others here sometimes) but a bit of leg-puling, humour, perhaps even a slight urine extraction perhaps but I'd only know for sure if I was the author. To me somethings about cars can be serious but 'talking' about them generally isn't, unless it's a matter about safety or breaking any laws.

That possibly shows poorer quality of the drum brake components used/bought by VW than the actual need for rear disc brakes, all the cars I've had with drum brakes have only needed adjustment at servicing and occasional clean but it would depend on vehicle and driver, modern cars are so heavy now, in four plus decades I've never had any issues in the winter with drum brakes, better really when wet. For spare wheel nothing wrong with the 15" wheel or tyre size it's just that when using it it's not the the same size, and possibly make and model, as the other three on the car so should be used with the restrictions, all the driver aids in the world can only do so much the physics of the tyre (hopefully) contacting the road is the deciding factor. The 15" Nexen N blue HD and later the 15" Nexen N Blue HD plus tyres when fitted to my wife's 2015 Fabia Mk3 were not the grippest tyres. For decades off and on I never carried the extra weight of a spare wheel (tyre, jack and tools) instead a manual foot pump but I know others don't like that, I don't like all the spare wheels that are carried that are not checked so often not at the correct pressure or even flat but that driver error. I know many like the fashion of bigger wheel sizes (kinda unnecessary party frock and high heels to me) but other than getting over oversized brakes perhaps the size isn't needed and a smaller wheel means a tyre with more sidewall height so more cushioning for car and occupants from the 3rd-world roads we have. 185/65 r15 gives 24% more sidewall height than 215/45r17 and the grip, handling and ride will be as much about the tyres used as the difference in width and profile. I'll leave ootohere to answer the TPMS bit. 🙂

Try get in, turn ignition on, check dash lights and warnings as you put your seat belt on, then after checks and belt(s) on start the engine, and check for warning lights with engine running and any sounds or smells (hopefully not tastes) before driving off, none of this takes long and you might hear the sounds, particularly all those from under the bonnet as the computer programs do their stuff. My wife's 1.2 TSI (90) engine makes all sorts of different noises at different times and circumstances, I've learnt to ignore them otherwise I get annoyed as I've always found the VW petrol 4 pots to sound badger's arse (and I'm used to BMC/BL cars) of course the VW 3-pots sound 25% (or is it 33.3%) worse, but I admit I'm biased as I've never particularly like VW products (Mk1 Golf GTi excepted) or fallen for the German engineering quality line, well this century/millennium at least. We all know the VW engineers fiddle things around to suit marketing and regulatory needs and this can put compromises on the compromises and mistakes already there. And you know it's the loose nut behind the steering wheel that contributes a lot to mpg or lack of it, as well as other issues on the car . 😁 If you can improve things (overall), great I'm sure others will want to know, good luck.

I believe NGK have the threads coated now, well the ones I've looked at. Generally anything electronic or electrical I favour Japanese over German (not that I know who actually make Bosch's plugs and where), there have been warning about fake NGK plugs being sold. I tried Bosch plugs in the past and soon went back to NGK.

Rob, if you see fresh oil dropped you can usually tell if it's gearbox as the old gear oil it has a distinctive smell of sulphur and engine oil doesn't, sometimes you can tell by colour if the engine and gearbox oils are different colours but that doesn't allow for the oils being old and picking up dirt before they get to the ground. You could look at the colour of the oil on your dipstick to see if it differs a lot from what's on the ground but the smell would be better. The clunk could be gear lever, its linkage or the gearbox. Having a low level of oil in the gearbox won't help so topping up could be a very good idea (it doesn't have to be GL4 now with many modern gear oils but that's another debate about oil beliefs). For topping up Castrol TRANSMAX Manual FE 75W or Millers Trident Professional MTF 75w90 - or better still Castrol TRANSMAX MANUAL MULTIVEHICLE 75W-90 or Millers EE Performance MTF 75w90, If you are able to drain or suck the old oil out (best done with the oil hot) and refill wit fresh new oil then as D.FYLAKTOS has found changing the gear oil, particularly that old, with fresh new gear oil can help, and better quality quality gear oil will protect more and for longer. For full change if you want Castrol then go for this one (distributed by MG Owners Club but available elsewhere too). - https://classicoilsshop.co.uk/castrol-syntrans-75w90 Alternative Castrol is Castrol TRANSMAX Manual FE 75W For a British oil blender, my choice for best use and protection, Millers EE Performance MTF 75w90, look for sales, old stock is fine less than 5 years since being bottled, just give the bottle a quick shake and leave to stand for 5 minutes before using, labels get changed so older stock can be sold off at lower prices to get the new label stock in. If you want to pay less go for what the "professional" use (lower price and performance) - Millers Trident Professional MTF 75w90. HTH.

ETA: sometimes you can find bargains on eBay by misspellings or looking for other less popular cars that the car fits. As just one example a Bosch rotor arm that was fitted to various marques and models was advertised by one seller under different makes and models of car with different part numbers and the exact same rotor arm was at different prices, from the same supplier remember, some £15+, I got a couple for £5 by using a different parts number to those and for £5 each, genuine Bosh and Beru. Shop around as much as you can, don't be too strict with part name, description and numbers.

Personally I would contact the seller to make sure there isn't a mistake in the pricing (stupid algorithms or so called artificial "intelligence") or if they are just profiteering (proper USA capitalism, until one of the big American motor corporation gets a bail out from Government money). At one time there were certain original new wheel bearings available from one source only, they charge £120, but there were some NOS (new old stock) about sometimes, an owner with the facilities converted other bearings and had them tested by other owners and then made a batch of 100 (or 200, I forget) for £45 retail but they sold very slowly as "classic" car owner generally are very tight-fisted and never use their cars so still preferred to buy the cheaper bearings (about £20 or less) that often didn't fit correctly so would wear very quickly and cause issues. Sod's Law when I needed the bearings the high quality set were sold out but Instead of paying £120 I searched eBay and got sets at various prices, one set at £15, most I paid was £40, all within a week or two of starting the search.

Cars that are 40 years old do not have to have MoT provided they have not been significantly alerted in (IIRC) the previous 10 years, the form is a declaration by the owner/keeper. They can be MoT'd in which case they must meet the requirements which are not retrospective and varied over the years, generally the older the car the less regulation. - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/introduction This is a fear of some, that they will be restricted use at some point which is a complete laugh for some as they may have one or a fleet but the cars are rarely used on the road anyway, sunny Sunday afternoon cars. A very few , like myself, insure for unrestricted mileage and use the old over-priced and overvalued car (which are called "classics") virtually everyday and drive it as it was designed to be driven and through all seasons including winter (as they were designed to do), "Classic" insurance, even for unlimited mileage and everyday use is very inexpensive and you can insure for business use too - just like a real car. 😆

It can't, I've no idea what rules might apply in Greece. No, no, many years before that, probably 70s or early 80s, he probably wanted a fast car to get between his women at the time, married or not, him and them.

Do you mean in UK or Greece, I've no idea about Greece. Charley boy's AM was given to him by his mum. But I think I remember him driving another model AM later and it broke down from factory but my memory isn't the best and the internet swamps past info with trivia from more modern times so the history is effectively erased, history is written by the victor, or now lost in a sea of misinformation that AI will rely on.

Plenty more fish in the sea, send it back. I can never understand this can't find the leak a good old fashioned mechanic would put more effort in and it's not usually that difficult but I know of a SEAT Leon that took three attempts to find the leak when it was a know possible on any garage data service. It is more likely no one wants the hassle of replacing what they might find leaking and there could be more than one leak, plenty of plastic parts in German cars. I once had a leak on a brand new car that two garages could find under warranty but just by looking I soon found it, tightened up a jubilee clip (onto metal part) yet I'd been told a specialist company had done a pressure test, and this was 20+ years ago and I don't think things have improved in the motor trade. Get an old-ish Toyota or Honda. Good luck.

Don't believe every thing you read particularly if it's from a journalist and even more so a motoring journalist, those rare check any facts and the magazine want to keep in with the car manufacturers and not upset their readership. It may be 90% it may not, registered doesn't mean the car is on the road, some of them could be all over a garage/restorer's/AM's shed floors or facilities. Many won't see the light of day much if at all. All that stuff was about protecting brand and AM owners values. Some of the models were never that popular and often difficult to keep on the road even if you wanted to, I should think a lot of any 90% is the more modern cars (that owners rarely use). As a lad I lived 1-5 miles from the Newport Pagnell factory and when AM were doing good and/or got yet another new owner the craftsmen from Wolverton British Rail would leave BR and got to work for AM for more money to have to return to BR when AM inevitably got into trouble again, this meant they broke their pensionable service (the fable of the dog with a bone in its mouth that drops the bone because it's seen the reflection of a bone in water not realising the reflection is of the bone he formerly had in his mouth). Not sure AM had an unbroken run and has had many owners in the past, not all British, with just about all losing lots of money owning it. A famous story, no idea if it's true, IIRC, when David Brown (hence DB model numbers) owned it a friend asked if he could have the car at cost price and when it was built the friend's bill was a lot more than the usual retail sales price and he was told that was the cost price, they lost money on each car. AM owners for a lot time have been in two groups, those that can afford them and those that thought they could afford them but can't or don't want to spend the necessary money to get them going and keep them going. I went with a mate to look at an AM V8, they were unpopular at the time so low priced, IIRC Ford owned the company then so the modern cars at the time were getting better. My mate never did get an AM but did get one of the first Jag XK 4.2 V8s in the county waiting for the ever promised F-Type that took many years more to appear by which time he'd learnt what a waste of money cars were, he did very sensibly buy a soft top so at least it was some fun.

They're obviously not used much, well the red cars at least, more show cars than go cars. The 70s MGB is probably tartan red, whether it was originally is a different matter, over here and USA when they're restored they are painted tartan ("tarty") red because that's the fashion with old farts and those very slightly younger as they think it's more traditional and it looks shiny. They also very often convert them to shiny chrome wire wheels, even if the car originally had wire-wheels they'd have been painted not chrome. Worst of all in my mind many screws on wooden panels on the black painted dash and vinyl door caps and anywhere else they can get a shiny bit of wood, and they are screwed on to the dash and glovebox, looks false and totally wrong to me but each to their own. E-Type looks better as a coupe to me, and I prefer an earlier model, they go for stupid prices, bright red again of course. Jag saloon looks nice, I very briefly thought about having a 5.3 V12 (pillarless) coupe for a short time just to improve the profits of il companies but they're so big for an old car, small and light by todays standards. 😁 Rollers are wedding cars over here and that type not as silly over-valued as you might think, you'd go for the Bentley version, and no VAG (plastic) parts all over it. 😁 In Greece you'd only wat to be in the soft-tops, even if the Jag or Roller have air-con (other than putting the windows down) I doubt it's very effective. - the owners think the cars are so precious that they can't leave the windows down in all that heat - or they can't trust the public. The Mini or Beetle, and that green car whatever it is, would impress me much more, especially if they're actually used and driven and not just mobile display cars, I've seen enough shiny static cars to last me at least three lifetimes, cars are to be driven as designed.

I don't know the "plumbing" of the Estelles but normally you can bypass the heater matrix some older cars came without a heater, or it was a cost extra, also a vehicle going to a place in the world that doesn't get too cold might not have a heater. To bypass you just run a hose to lose as much of the heater inlet and outlet as possible. I don't know what the Estelle heater matrix is made of but if it can be removed you may better be able to judge it's condition inside and out and clean it better. What makes you think the heater is shot, do you mean the matrix or the fan blower, with the MGs a lot of heating effect is lost by the heater box seals perishing with age so hot air gets out and cold air can come in. With your previous water pump and coolant see what comes out in the wash, I put in the notes to use a bucket to catch what comes out of the system each time that way you capture what comes out and you can inspect that for metal bits or coolant gloop and other debris. I'm not sure how corrosive the coolant would be and in such a short time more likely the old water pump falling apart and taking any muck out that's plugging a gap would cause a a weep or leak. Most garage wont put in anywhere near the time and effort you can/should, the secret is to get out as much residue each time as this is where the crud can be and any residue dilutes the amount and effect of the next flush or fill. This is all very basic work, like much of car servicing, maintenance and some repairs it boils down to clean and lubricate but needs to be done properly and well to have the most effect. Great time of year to do such a job when it's warm and things dry quicker, who wants to mess around with cold water when the weather isn't warm, whereas the water can keep you cooler in hot weather. If you do a good thorough job and then just change the coolant regularly and timely then unless something disintegrates in the future you'll not need to be as thorough with future coolant changes. Allow plenty of time and then some more, don't rush the job or miss anything out, I allow three days that way if I finish in a day or less that's great but if I get fed up or have to wait for something I'm not bothered but if you're not using the car you want wait much longer. Good luck.

I bought one of the follow for £8 off eBay then bought another later, for £4, both new, I used the second to get gearbox oil out (no drain plug). Used them both for years, still have one left used it only this week to get water out of a domestic water meter box. Better and more expensive extractors are available. Hilka Multi Purpose Siphon Pump Kit - one eBay example only - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266835870315

I used to use Bars Flush Cooling System Cleaner but it doesn't seem to around anymore* other than a USA version. I was told local car company Cosworth used to put Bars (Leaks) Conditioner in their engines but don't know if that's true,(course they also done the "dog's turd" in the tube for those with memories that go back). * other than below - Bars Flush Cooling System Cleaner - for example only - https://www.hids-direct.co.uk/bars-flush-cooling-system-cleaner-100g-baf100/

I thought you might be in London, and your need for speed, hence changing a 3-yearold battery, not sure why you need a new lever but you got someone to come out and turn up when need (and actually turned up) and is doing you job when you need it so you have done well. I totally understand needing the car fixed so you can work (to pay for the car and it being fixed). Also many times it's better to pay someone else to sort the hassle. This wasn't mechanic's work more someone who can actually do diagnostic, without and without a scan tool, the scan tool got him to the aera then he used his senses, eyes, and touch as well as his common sense all very basic stuff and unsexy like boys-toys scanner, never forget the basics as you can do them too. I don't understand allowing drinking and eating in cars, hate (plastic) cup holders in cars (don't like DSG boxes) - but I am old and miserable. Good luck.

Rich, assuming you have actually driven the car a distance to get everything operating as they should and that the thermostat is opening and you have no air locks and checked the heater was working fully, car runs at usual temperature on reasonable length drive. Assuming all that best way to clean the cooling/heating system is to clean the heater matrix, engine block and radiator inside and out, same for any hoses you can. If possible it can be better to remove the rad and heater matrix if reasonably possible (and any pipes and hoses). The exact details I don't know on your car but small drain holes are nor best to drain from when things need cleaning disconnecting bigger hoses with get more debris out. Existing drain taps or drain holes out to clear them may also be necessary. The following is for other British "classics" but you can get the idea and adapt as required. - More thorough system clean and overall - before starting consider if the water pump and heater fan motor need replacing and (if not already fitted) whether to install an electric radiator cooling fan as this would dovetail in with the work below. You may want to check or change the hoses, thermostat, heater tap, fan belt and pressure cap. Procedure: a) clean the whole system with something like Holts Speedflush b) drain the whole system - engine block, heater matrix and radiator c) use a piece of thick wire to clear out the crud that collects at the engine block drain hole at each draining of old coolant, cleaner and when flushing out d) get the radiator and heater matrix out of the car to give them a good shake at the same time as flushing and reverse flushing [or do three points below with items connected together, flush, back-flush, flush again as below] flush clean water through each of the three areas until water runs out thoroughly clean reverse flush each of the three areas until water runs out thoroughly clean final flush through each of the three areas until water runs out thoroughly clean e) gently brush clean both sides of the radiator fins f) gently brush clean the heater matrix and if required renew the foam seal around the heater matrix and the heater box foam seal g) siphon out the coolant and clean the inside of the expansion tank – remember after to half fill it with coolant and to replace the pressure cap before refilling the rest of the system h) follow the refill instructions from the Driver’s Handbook to avoid getting air locks or ‘hotspots’ that could cause overheating of the engine. Flushing and reverse-flushing - I’ve found just using an ordinary ½” (15mm) open ended plastic garden hose is ideal for fitting to the heater matrix inlet and outlet and an off cut of the same hose is ideal to use as an outlet for coolant and flush water going into a bucket – that way you can see and inspect the crud and muck that comes out and also capture the waste liquid. You can easily and quickly swap over the position of the hoses on the matrix inlet and outlet for reverse flushing and you don’t need to secure the hoses with clips unless you have particularly high-pressure cold-water mains, if so also don’t turn the tap on too far, you want to clean not damage. If you are particularly worried about electrics getting wet then cover them in cling film (I only bother to do this if I’m cleaning the engine bay and will be fully rinsing the engine bay). For the radiator you might want to use some sort of adaptors or just rags around the garden hoses if the radiator is remaining in the car. For the engine, again depending on where you use as access and drainage points, you might want to use some sort of adaptors or just rags around the garden hoses as hose seals. On each drain and each flush I like to syphon or blow out the residue liquid from the matrix, engine, radiator and bottom metal cross pipe as a very surprising amount of liquid is left in despite your best efforts to drain – I had the radiator out of the car and shook it every way yet there was still some liquid left in it. I blow the water out by just using an off-cut of garden hose and my lungs but don’t overdo it as you could hyperventilate. For syphoning I used a very simple plastic syphon bought off eBay (you can get then for around £4 onwards) which I’ve used for various jobs on the car over the past few years so well worth the investment. After a thorough clean like this if you use the correct coolant mixture and regularly change this coolant when required (usually every 2 years) then future changes should be just drain, flush and refill. Some different products (no order) - Wynn's Radiator Flush - https://www.wynns.uk.com/product/radiator-flush/ STP Radiator Flush - https://www.stp.com/uk/product/radiator-flush/ Liqui-Moly Radiator Cleaner - https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/gb/radiator-cleaner-p000197.html#1804 Prestone Max Total Cleaning System Cleaner - https://prestone.com/product/prestone-max-total-cooling-system-cleaner/ Prestone Toatal Cleaning System Cleaner - https://prestone.com/product/prestone-total-cooling-system-cleaner/ Holts Speedflush - https://www.holtsauto.com/holts/products/speedflush/ OEMTOOLS 87009 No Spill Coolant Filling Funnel Kit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IVaxY1yXI8 HTH.

Wow, to replace a connector, I think you've might have found why this electrician was available when others weren't - perhaps I'm being unfair as just doing this over a forum everything sight unseen but it really doe sound a lot to plug a scan tool in, find the connection and repair or replace but if you're happy and it's your car. Good luck let us know if this fully sorts the issue.

Are you sure it's not the bloody annoying lane "assist" in part? My wife told me front "assist" on my wife's 2015 Fabia has come up to say it wasn't active I guess that was leaf or debris at front grill area or computer programming lapse or computer brain-fart. Another time whilst she was driving slow through town traffic by herself sudden car panic and car jumps on brakes for no apparent reason, then my wife sees a bag blowing in the road, - ya gotta luv these computer driving "aids". In 2020(?) there was a computer chip shortage for car manufacturers and assembly problems who know what went in and with cars in those periods. As has been said loss of power steering will make the steering seem heavy but it should still steer, if you've only ever driven cars with power steering then it will seem even heavier than to those that lived before PAS was the norm. I'm sure some of the member here might have heard of this. Good luck with VWSkoda, they are very, very, very reluctant to accept or admit to much. You could look and see if their are any, admitted to, Recalls or VWSkoda in-house technical sheets to excuse the behaviour, if it was a Telsla it'd be 100% driver error, not that VW are much better. "Škoda Recall Campaigns" - https://www.skoda-auto.com/services/recall-campaigns

Fuse would save the wiring, well except for any that was caught in a fire.

It's just a matter or economics, plus whatever scan tool would have 99.9% of stuff on it you won't use (but could still foul-up) and you need the misnomer of a "smart" phone or laptop for OBDEleven. More often than not they don't give you an answer but a direction and many misinterpret their readings.

ETA; I've no idea where you are but there might be a Briskoda member near you with a VCDS or other appropriate scan tool that could do a proper full scan report and delete any error codes, and perhaps help more, for a beer token (unless they are professionals) - do check they have updated their scan tool for your model before plugging it in. See here. - Briskoda VCDS Owners Map (click me)

Oh dear. The scan tool does need to be VW compliant and up to date for the vehicle but it is just one diagnostic tool in this situation. Did you get the mechanic to clear any error codes, 'code' the new battery in if required, get a full scan report, have you tried driving the car a short distance? Sounds like you might (but might not) need a good auto-electrician, might be something like starter/ignition switch perhaps, or perhaps another connection or broke/wire. Let us know how you get on.