nta16

Yes, that's how much faith they have in their product, with good reason on some of their parts quality but the standard 5-speed manual boxes seem fair enough for type of car, the oil change will marginally help in longer term use and maintenance but it's unlikely any real gearbox related issues particularly up to 100k-miles. Doing it yourself is just cost of oil and disposal, bit of cleaning consumables perhaps but paying labour charges takes you into diminishing returns for 100k-miles unless they are to be serve or gruelling use of car and gearbox (clutch). If you are new to the car I'd save the labour cost for other bits that might fail. Also bear in mind VW don't produce any oils they just have their label stuck on the bottle, if you can get the VW label soil at a reasonable cost then fair enough but you may find you can get better for perhaps even less. Their current numbered coolant (G12evo) also has "suitable as a filled-for-life filling" is miscible with G13 and G12++, your expansion tank probably has G13 on it but G12evo has superseded this in the German numbering system and use in vehicles, if I hadn't already changed it I think I'd leave it in for 10 years. A 100k-miles is nothing to modern vehicles, well for the engine and gearbox at least. Do bear in mind the Dealership will do a quick cold partial empty empty and refill, you would probably take more care and do a better job. Good luck whatever you decide or do.

Opportunity now to put in fresh gear oil of a higher quality than you did 5-6 years ago if you want. Why would you put the old oil back in if it's that old and the labour work expensive. Clean fresh oil is the way to go. You could also ask the mechanic to keep the old oil for you to see how good it looks and if there are any bits in it., whether the mechanic is able to follow this simple request and task is another matter, but then you have trusted him to do the work. Personally I would prefer a woman to work on the car as there is more likelihood that a woman would be able to do the work better and carry out your request without hassle, but they probably, very sensibly, prefer women as customers. I would think you would want everything as clean as possible when dealing with rubber bushings to prevent earlier wear on them anyway.

When was the last time you changed your gearbox oil?

You just did, and it didn't hurt. 😄 Fair enough, but this is, an English language, car website so you see boot, bonnet, wing, manual (gearbox) and other non-USA car related words all the time. As you may know there are a some words that Americans that mean something entirely different in UK English. For instance in the UK very many bathrooms do not have a toilet in them. 🙃

Boot, this is an English language site. Only joking, but we all in Europe not the US of A.

It can depend on which gauge in which car but generally until proven otherwise it is best to take a gauge as being just a gauge rather than an accurate. About 16/17 years ago my wife had a brand new car whereas my car, well some bits of it, were 34 years old at the time, and at least a few of the gauges on my car were more accurate than on her brand new car but my gauges were mechanical and could be calibrated, one was electrical though and was accurate. British engineering rather than German engineering quality. 😁 😄 .

Hi, welcome. Have you checked in the Owner's Manual, you appear to have "Infotainment Swing", look under SmartLink. Information, restrictions and instructions are there. You can view online from following link. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models You can check for some updates here too. - https://updateportal.skoda-auto.com/ And any Recalls (that VW admit to) here. - https://www.skoda-auto.com/services/recall-campaigns The Owner's Manual is worth reading and referring to when required as this can save you a lot of time, money and hassle and visits to Dealers, mechanics and auto-electrician. Particularly worth reading with a 2021 car and newer is the section on "12v vehicle battery", I recommend ignoring the bit about checking the acid level indicator, if the battery has one, as this will give you false confidence that the battery isn't low in charge. The engine will start and lights seem bright enough and the battery still be too low for the car's computers and they will make you suffer for this mistake even before you see any battery low warnings (first sign is usually when start-stop is inoperative in conditions where it should normally be operative (see Owner's Manual for "START STOP", "Operating conditions"). Sometimes the battery may need the use of an appropriate 12v battery charger and maintainer to fully recharge it rather than just driving the car to extended the useful service and life of the battery and get it beyond the 4 or 5 (or less) years that many have then need to change and 'code' the expensive battery. I suggest preventative full recharges as it's very easy clean, handsfree remote work, can be done whilst doing anything that's better than farting about with cars. Do read and follow the instructions in the car's Owner's Manual and for battery charger maintainer. HTH. ETA: just noticed you put the photos up in landscape (and not portrait), thank you, which might suggest you are older and know about the importance of battery state of charge (and state of health) but doesn't hurt to be reminded particularly on the more modern cars with so many driver "aids" and comfort and "convenience" electrical items on the car to drain the battery.

Out of curiosity and for education which of those gearboxes was it that the VW engineers changed their minds on which oil should be used?

If you want to save a few pennies this is the equivalent to what I put in, Millers XF Premium MTF 75w (GL4). - https://www.millersoils.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/8374-XF-Premium-MTF-75w-5.pdf

I done my own on my wife's 2015 1.2 TSI, 5-speed (PED 02T) box, I used a Millers 75w80 (GL5) because it was a good oil at half price. Now I would use Millers EE Performance MTF 75w (GL4), this includes a load of VW number for those that need/want to follow VW dictates on oils. - https://www.millersoils.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/8327-EE-Performance-MTF-75w-1.pdf Yes it easy for DIY (easier that other simple jobs on this car which can be unnecessarily more of a PITA thanks to the design and VW fantastic-plastics) if I can do it anyone can. How much you need depends on how thorough you are, a Dealership might be a quick cold drain and get away with 1 litre perhaps but I don't know, as DIY it's a bit over 1 litre so you need to buy 2 litres. I've no idea what a garage would charge probably a very high price for 2 litres of oil, waste disposal of old oil perhaps, and labour at an hourly rate., plus VAT on all (Just about all of the following was lifted from a previous post of mine on this subject.) I've not seen any horror stories about the 1.2 5-speed (PED 02T) box and some engineers and mechanics will tell you that it is a waste of time and money to change the transmission oil as it will last the life of the car, that is correct it is just a matter of if you believe that the oil, and the additive package with the oil, remain good enough throughout that whole time of the car. Personally, and there is evidence, I see/believe that that fresh oil will be better as it will be overall less worn (for want of a better word) but people, as with other matters, can have strong believe on this either way and debating oil beliefs is endless. If you change the oil you want to check first that you get the right oil and that you can get at and loosen the fill/level plug - you don't want to take the drain plug out and then find you cannot get the fill plug out. Best to get the transmission oil hot or warm (usual cautions here) and remove the fill plug to ease flow and volume and leave to drain for as long as practical to get as much of the old oil out so as much fresh new oil can go in. There will always be some residue of old oil left in you are just trying to reduce this amount of residue. I personally at the end of the drain pour some warmed (solar gain or oil bottle in hot water) fresh new oil into the transmission with the drain plug still out to act as a sort of little end flush/rinse and again let that fully drain for as long as practical. On this gearbox (PED 02T) the fill and drain plugs weren't at a big difference in their level on the box and the fill plug was a bit of play to get a tool at and undo, not difficult just a bit awkward as Sod's Law whatever I had available wasn't ideal length but could be done. IIRC(?) the plug fitting was something annoying like a H7 not in my tools so borrowed. When I had a look to see what tools I would need and check I could loosen the fill plug and remove it (cold box and oil) I took the fill plug out a little and had a fair run of oil which suggested to me that perhaps the box was overfilled when fitted/delivered to factory I don't know if that is the case or the case for all others but the car needs to be level front to back and side to side for refilling (unless you lift the car higher one side and overfill again). Filling for me was best done for with the help of my (reluctant) "glamorous assistant" holding a funnel with a length garden hose attached in the engine bay to slowly pour the fresh oil in for refill whilst I laid under the car making sure the other end of the hose remained at the edge of the filler hole and to shout stop when the oil overflowed out of the filler hole. Of course you could use other methods. As I couldn't turn the gears in the gearbox to check oil fill level again I put the fill plug back in and went for a quick short drive leaving the plastic cover off and breeze blocks in place. I had a mug of tea and done some better stuff than farting about with cars (that's a lot of other things for me) to make sure gearbox and oil are cold to check level, look for leaks before I put the plastic cover back on and tidy up, clean the tools and put them away. I always take a lot of time on these jobs, I never go at any pace other than slowly, I couldn't care less about any macho rubbish about how quick someone else can do the job (they usually exaggerate and don't allow for setting everything up, checking work and putting everything away anyway). I also allow time for teas and pees and getting distracted by doing more interesting stuff. I used to get neighbours ask what I was doing but they soon learnt that if I was working on our cars I was best left alone (yet I don't mind working on neighbours cars and stopping for a chat as I volunteer for those jobs). HTH.

@Thefeliciahacker you do tend to be too rigid in some of your thoughts and expressions, too much faith and emphasis on engineers, they do make mistakes and not know everything and in my experience as a total generality rarely admit they are wrong and don't know something. Not everything has to be designed and instructed by an engineer many things on cars have successfully been done on a car without them and advances made, possibly even by ignoring the given engineering wisdom of that time. Same with some legislation which may or may not be amended later. If you think the German engineers are always correct and the best then I think you might find you are mistaken at some point. You do give lots of good advice and you can always put what you think, your opinion, your knowledge and experience but you must accept that others have different and possibly lots more experience than you currently have. As I've put before I hope you modify and rein in what and how you put things to others when you are working with others that are not engineers, and to women, but you are young so probably won't accept this until you are older and picked up a few experiences from continuing with this, perhaps you won't as there are plenty of old men with similar attitudes.. I'm totally lost on a few items that you have put are wrong and even unsafe/dangerous but it doesn't matter as I'm not in GR, not that I can see how they apply anywhere, but again it doesn't really matter.

The German engineers of VW since (according to below) 2018 use G12evo, who would go against the German engineers, but then they keep changing their specification so it depends on when you last changed the coolant, G12eve is "lifetime" coolant too.

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? 😁