nta16

So in conclusion the Fabia Mk4's Climatronic controls, at least, are (unnecessarily) over complicated. My wife's Mk3 Fabia with 'basic' heating and ventilation controls still takes a very long time, despite a few "hacks" to speed the process, to clear the windscreen safely for driving so the car has to remain parked up with the engine running which is wasteful and not best practice for the engine. This is yet another example of the continuing misconception that German car engineering (design and build) quality is high, most of the high quality left the German car marques last century.

Any Felicia owners able to help out with JoJa2K's Favorit ? Shout out in no particular order - @D.FYLAKTOS @Thefeliciahacker @R_U_AFA @Papez

Hi, welcome. As well as other sections on Briskoda, if you have not already been there, there is a full Octavia section. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/169-%C5%A1koda-octavia/ And 'Performance & Tuning Upgrades'. -https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/212-performance-tuning-upgrades/ HTH.

My thought was towards fabiamk4man and others and the possibilities for the car to become beyond economic repair for various reasons for average owners giving average servicing, maintenance and care to their cars, you are very much above this average but some of the effects may also impact you, computer programs, systems, more expensive items on the later cars, events beyond your control. A 2009 car kept 16 tears to 2025 will be a different experience than a 2023 car kept until 2039. My last car, used as everyday and for leisure and motor club use in the UK and Europe, I kept for 16 years (with lots of work and expense due to the ****-poor quality of the motor trade generally) and it was 49 years old when it left me. I used to drive and do a little bit of work on my neighbour's 2005 car, that is still being used. I enjoyed driving that small cheap 2005 car more than my wife's 2015 Fabia or other neighbour's 2023 car. I have some idea of keeping older and old cars going but can only speculate on a 2023 car and the future. As you can tell I'd not be a fan of any 2023 car generally and based on my wife's 2015 Fabia I'd personally not want it to be a Fabia or VW product generally. Others will have different experiences and views of course particularly on a VWŠkoda site. 🙂

There were some real muppets back then and I expect now, some you'd not trust to remove a sump plug in case they choked themselves with it and if they didn't and put it back in cross thread it to ******. Then there were also some totally dishonest and/or lazy plus of course considering all customers as something they'd trod in - all taught to them by others in the trade including their employers. Not that all customers are angels, I know that from experience of previous lives.

Keith, before fitting the new battery I always fully charge it to 100% before fitting with an appropriate battery charger (maintainer) that way I know the battery was at 100% when fitted. As the battery is new it shouldn't take long to do this. Yes the PITA VW computer system will have it down to 80% soon with use but I also do (very) occasional preventive recharges using an appropriate battery charger as car batteries are expensive and VW computers don't like slightly low 12v batteries. If you want or need to fit the new battery then do so don't wait for 'coding' the world won't end despite how some feel it might. Read the car's 'Owner's Manual' for disconnecting and reconnecting the battery and check what might need resetting after disconnection, basically if you have all electrics turned off, electric windows and sunroof fully closed before disconnection then it's just the time of day clock that needs resetting. Once the new battery is fitted start the engine, turn on the headlights and air-con and turn the steering wheel full lock either way this should confirm with the dumb car computers that the battery is in a good state. Turn them off and go for a drive to settle other dumb computer systems on the car. If you fit the new battery before 'coding' is sorted and you have followed belt, braces and bit of chewing-gum suggestions above and the battery, car, your house or neighbours' house blows up please rush back to let everyone know the dangers. 😁

As always it's each to there own, to do as you please or suits you. Unless I was doing 18-20,000 miles in 12 months or under I would have the oil changed every 12 months anyway, just ask or tell the Dealership to do that, they ain't gonna turn the money down, as for warranties AFAIK in Europe the work don't have to be done at an official Dealership as long as the work done and parts and materials used are good enough. As for hot oil, note I put warm (hot), whoever is doing the work is responsible for Health & Safety, theirs and other peoples, over the decades I've done a few warm (hot) drain oil changes on engines, gearboxes and rear diffs and despite not being mechanical and a bit clumsy I've never had any trouble with the oil being warm (hot) - other than some always missing the bowl(s) and going on the ground, we don't all have lifts or pits or even any sort of shelter from the elements when it's too hot, too cold, too wet too windy, oh, the joys. ☹️ Farting about with cars is always a dirty, messy business, particularly petrol and worse still diesel engines but you do what you can to avoid oil, grease, rubber, dust, dirt and debris as much as you can getting on you and your clothes. Professionals are often more interested in speed of the job, and getting on to the next job, than taking time, being thorough (and giving a **** for many of them in my experience). Professional just means you're doing it as paid work not necessarily that you are any good at the job. I only started doing work on my cars because I was fed up or sorting and redoing properly work I'd already paid professionals to do, often I would do a better job not because I was better but because I cared about the quality of the work and outcome and didn't give myself time pressures. Is it worth worrying about any sort of real longevity on a 2023 car to make it worthwhile to worry about a bit of extra effort with the engine oil and just go with what many (most?) others do and just meet the minimum requirements for warranty then get the least expensive oil for whenever you feel the need for an engine oil change.

Longlife is more of a marketing term as an oil needs changing when it needs changing and that could be before or after any set regime, any good oil or better oil will generally be long(er) life than a lesser oil. As I put I think a thorough, warm (hot) drain oil change is more beneficial that a cold oil suck out. Getting the oil to full working temperature 90+c (view the oil temperature rather than coolant temperature for this) each time the engine is run will also help and extend the service life of the oil. Always annoying to see how much lower the oil prices in Europe (and America) but as it's often just a once a year change in the overall cost of owning and running a car paying a bit extra for oil makes fractional difference. Unless it is on very special offer I personally would never pay for oil just because it is labelled as VW (brands).

Checking all electrics and electronics certainly even on new, refurbed or s/h parts. Also as suggested programing /'coding' balls-up, errors and omissions, updates, are always a possibility with computer systems, thank gawd we don't rely on them.

If you adopt a bad body posture when you are young you will really regret in later life. Hopefully you don't vape at all - or mess about with your phone whilst driving or hold it out of the window as I saw one black VW Golf Gti do earlier this year on a local road unfortunately I was walking in the other direction and don't own one of these camera phones.

Then if you want to sit lower in the seat you need to reduce the cushioning and under support that is currently supporting and lifting you, get your buttocks nearer the floor like race and rally cars or black (they're always black, if only from the soot if diesel, in UK) VW Golf GTi (and it used to be baseball cap on backwards, not so much now or you can't see for the vape smoke).

If you thin out, or wear out, the seat base foam and under support you with sit lower in/on the seat base so the back rest will be higher from the base. Opposite of when an old seat is very worn and you just put a board in for support and to raise your body. Wide board for a German marque seat of course. 😁

Do not put too much/excessive, er, weight, or consideration on the oil grade or grade range figures or other specification figures, as with the cars, the oils have been blended for wide use and conditions and with some compromises, plus real world use over real time may give slightly different results and outcomes to formula testing. And then it depends on how strictly VW control the blender in what VW want from the oils. I would guess VW exercise a lot of control hence the VW specifications numbers, same as other manufacturers I know, partly marketing but possibly to help cover the design and build compromises of the engine (gearbox) as all mass market engines must have. Of course I would never suggest flaws in anything VW builds or does. 😁 If anyone thinks a car manufacturer has its customers' best interests at heart then I can introduce them to an African military person who can offer them a fantastic investment opportunity. 😄 (one for older reader there 😄).

Wow, I remembered correctly, not a first but happens less and less often now. 😄 The chaps need to forget any fashionable race or track seating positions as sit sensibly in the car not how some book or perceived wisdom suggests and not for optimum fast driving steering and gear change as you are in a very compromised road car not a race or track car with customised and personalised seating. As I put only Sweden put any real effort into their seats for safety and comfort, certainly not the German marques generally as we know VW are very happy to make compromises and even not care less about some aspects and/or lie and cheat so never expect too much from VW. It used to be smaller cheaper cars were aimed at the mass market those with less money than can afford the bigger and more luxurious cars and, as a total generalised, previous generations of people with less money were smaller and shorter possibly partly because they weren't getting as much high protein food and had more lower/different health issues to those with more wealth. Off course things changed when more rubbish food and drinks were more widely consumed, thanks Yanks. 😄 (one for D.Fylakos there 😄) The seat bolsters and harness are fine for track and race use but it concerns me to see them on road cars as it means the occupants have less idea of the speed and movement of the car and encourages more speed and less sensations input. I must admit I do feel odd the few times I've been in an old car that doesn't have seat belts or just the lap belt but I got used to it (compulsory wearing of seatbelts wasn't introduced to the UK until the early 1980s IIRC). Too greater feeling of security encourages greater recklessness, if in an accident all the safety features keep you safe so it doesn't matter (of course this isn't always true but that's another matter). Remember that baby-brained Lewis Hamilton in his early season of (hero-worship) roundy-round race driving crashing a car cos he wasn't winning knowing he'd be safe. As always for seats and everything else with cars, each to their own it'd not be good if we all thought alike, as long as it's legal do as you please.

Have I misunderstood or are VW engineers margins that wide(!?). So new, if going on +/- (?) 44 psi just simple maths (plural) would be 101- 261 psi? And more than 10% across cylinder is fine and it's just my poor memory?

😄I've just noticed the MX-5 floor mat. 😄

If you're happy with Julian's books great and if your seat customisation works for you great too. Generally German car seats bases at least are too long in the leg and too wide, I expected German people are generally talleer and wider than me. I can't remember the SAAB seat but (older models) Volvo seats were the best for me, they took seriously the seats which makes sense when you consider how long you could be sitting in them. My wife said the (early Merc, when they balls'd them up) smart seats were most comfortable seats for her, must have been pre-Merc design. 😄

IIRC a head restraint was/is(?) supposed to touch or restrain the back of the head about level with your eyes, but my memory ain't the best.

As usual/always a lot easier said than done both messing with foam and altering metal frames. I only watched the very start of the video but the bloke said he's done a book on it so he is really selling his book. If you have a knack for crafts messing with foam might be easy for you but I can't see how it would be a great idea to then reuse the existing seat covers. If you can weld seat frames again great but then you also need to be good at crafts for the foam and covers. Proper upholstery seems to be a dying art/craft/business in the UK at least. Finding good ready made seats from another vehicle that fit is another route. I tried to get car seats made for one of my old cars and it was a right pain even then, nearly 20 years ago I wouldn't try now as even if I could find someone that could and wanted to do it it would cost an arm and a leg. Years before that I once tried to recondition some old car seat foams, covers and webbing with my wife but it got us to possibly the worst argument we have ever had (in 48 years now) and we agreed then it wasn't worth any amount of money saving for us. Those beige quilted seats in the (LHD MX-5?) look terrible taste to me, as the dash and steering wheel bits too, but as always each to their own and the black plastic dash does look very black plastic but many owner's efforts to improve this just made it worse in my opinion.

Location has Brecon. But as always great that you make the offer. If it was Northampton I would offer even without owning the mighty VCDS machine.

You can go round and round on the internet until you disappear into one of your own orifices and still not have a definitive answer on things like engine oils, people have their own strongly held beliefs on such stuff. Use a good quality oil or better quality oil if you want, a very good 0w-20 oil should/might be better than a good quality 5w-30 and it is so the other way round, a very good quality 5w-30 should/might be better than a good quality 0w-20 - BUT - the differences might be small or very small. It may also depend on if you expect still to be using the engine and car in x-years time or you are only keeping the car for a short(er) number of years. The oil has to suit the circumstances, the engine, it's use and the conditions of use. Following what VW wants will meet VW requirements and that is fine, or you may want or think you need more which is fine, it is your car, time and money. VW do not care much about your engine once it is out of their warranty they would prefer to sell you either a new car or as much servicing and repair of your existing car as they can get as they can make plenty out of parts - but not out of oil, unless you buy it with VW labels on. Generally any 0w grade oil will be a good oil just to meet the 0W grade but to meet the 5w grade takes a good oil too so it is up to you which keeps you more content. Unless you do double oil changes and oil analyses over a period of time with two oils to compare it would be difficult to judge or confirm results. Personally I would use a very good oil of whichever grade you prefer. As you know if you want you can be overloaded with information and opinions and beliefs I can point you to loads of information none of it directs relates to a 2023 Fabia in Greece though, so just buy good quality, or better, engine oil and do timely, thorough* oil changes. (*this is not sucking out cold engine oil to me but fully draining out warm (hot) engine oil)

Lots of ongoing debates/arguments on this, yes it would be best practice to "code" it (data entry really) the very few bits that actually need changing, lots of threads and posts on this forum alone with the details. Other scan tools can be used but you could have a look for a Briskoda member in your area with VCDS (or other) that might be able to do it for you for a beer token (hyperlink at bottom of post). If you need to change the battery as you can no longer use an appropriate battery charger maintainer to recharge the old existing battery enough then before disconnecting it to change the new battery read the 'Owner's Manual' for your car and follow the instructions for disconnecting and reconnecting the battery and what might be needed to be reset after doing so, generally if you don't leave electric items on and window(s) or sunroof open then it's just the time of day clock. If you fit the new battery it can be 'coded' a bit later without the world ending, some others never bother but that's the debate and they may be lucky enough to own earlier models years. HTH. Good luck. VCDS owners - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/262215-list-of-vcds-owners-previously-known-as-vag-com-vcp-owners/#comment-3091029 VWŠkoda site for pdf downloads of the 'Owner's Manual' if you want it or don't have the paper printed version. - https://www.skoda-auto.com/apps/manuals/Models

That suggests coolant perhaps by colour and smell. That could be a variety and mix of things. Plenty of threads and posts here on head, gasket failure, engine stuff and sorting issues. Not really, I've no idea of correct new engine figures but you don't get them in a standard used old engine but you want some sort of consistency of your test method and with he figures between cylinders with perhaps IIRC a variation of only up to about 10% for age and use. Others know lots more than the very little I ever knew or can remember and certainly about the model and their engines. Main issue nowadays is getting any decent modern made new parts (many can be crap straight out of the box/packet) or s/h parts but again the others will be able to advise on this. Good luck.

Just picked up one of the working remotes this morning and realise that white bit would be the red conformation light, wasn't even using the remote just putting the keys back in their place, some days and seconds of the say my brain is better than for the rest of the time. Also whilst looking for the quote above I noticed the typos in this and double-word error, should read - ... or the panel for the three push buttons as there's another flexible plastic diaphragm under there anyway. You probably already knew that but just to clarify for future, teach the AI.😆

Sorry I'm lost now as you seem to have two different fobs my wife's car only came with two flick-out keyblade fobs and I assumed that was the way for all. Bear in mind I have taken my fob apart (ETA: before) but can't remember exactly what I done (other than not being able to fit a spring as possibly I didn't see a second roll pin or the springs proper location and fitment - Sod's Law springs will spring out before you can see where from, and often get lost). When I took the key apart this time there was nothing under the text label (but there again this fob didn't have a label(!??!). The board I have (for the flick-out keyblade remote) looks to me the same as yours and to me it doesn't look like there's anything missing on yours or mine from that side of the board but I know nothing about electronics and I have poor quality eyes (and brain) (I broke off the speaker wire connection on my 2003 DAB radio and can't see on the board where the connection might have been and have to use the additional external plug in speaker to get one-channel stereo). BTW the (internal) spring for the flip button has a foot at one end only and needs correct location so keep all bits in order and orientation if you remove them (or like me more often drop or knock them to the floor). If want or need you could take a photo of the other side of the flick-out remote board and I'll see if there are any difference(s) to the one I have.