nta16

Given VW balls'd up before on DSG box and them blamed the oil rather than their specification of oil and/or German engineering build and design then I might think about 5 or 6 years or the 8/100k-miles, VW's "lifetime" for the gearbox (so oil to me too) won't have a warranty of more than 8 years, not in the UK anyway. A manual box I'd think of 10 year oil change but given VW old clonky saloon 5-speed box in my wife's 2015 Fabia I changed to a better oil at 6 years and it seemed to help a little.

@Ootohere has the details on DSG oil changes. It won't be once a year. You do need someone that knows what they're doing as DSG oil change isn't difficult but it's also not as straightforward as on an old manual box (and even the manual boxes VW don't make it as straightforward as other manufacturers). Some, particularly engineers, say that (manual) gearboxes and rear axles don't need oil changes in the life of the car but I have always found benefit, particularly as I don't use the factory (costs) stuff in the changes. Great to see you looking after your car but you don't want to be over doing it and perhaps spending your money and using resources too frequently.

Many will say it's been in the ground for millions of years - so don't worry about the age of the oil. Not a good idea if you care about your engine and want to use it for a long time. It also depends on how the oil is stored. Have a look at the following video and any others you can to check and cross reference the information from this and anywhere else (including manufacturers and internet). HTH. EXPIRED: When Does New Oil Go Bad -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1T4XFPgBeo

A dozen different people will give you thirteen or more different answers. I like and use Millers Oils EE Performance and I used their oils (in a different vehicle) and like them plus I like the fact they're a British blender though I've no idea whose base oil they use or whose additives. Oil weights has been covered in another thread, personally I'd use very good quality Ow-30. As important is the timeliness of the oil changes (and filter for engine and some gearboxes) and the thoroughness of the changes (more old out to get more fresh new oil in) and Dealerships, garages, and mechanics are most often more concerned about speed and ease rather than thoroughness which is why you could well done a better and more thorough job than them.

From me just the usual when buying an unknown car, buy on whole car condition (not just cosmetic condition) and check and cross reference any information you get particularly the history to the car. You've not put the year of the car or it's engine really, an engine code is useful. or gearbox. You might get more responses and more detailed information by looking at and/or asking in the 'Skoda Superb Mk3 (2015 - 2023)' forum (link at bottom of post) where owners of the model have real world experience o them and may have a better idea of costs and values of the model. Modern (VW) Škodas are very much VWs but with things arranged so they don't get too close (or overtake) the more expensive named brand. Also of course many parts are VAG (VW, Audi). General info from me. - The car you have driven may be an excellent, mechanically and electrically very well kept example but unless you have driven a few of the same model, year, engine, gearbox, possibly trim level it will be (very) difficult to know how good just (this) one is with another or others as a comparison. The "services" on these modern cars amounts to little more than an annual engine oil and filter change, which isn't even a service for the engine let alone the car and it's more important systems, components and parts. The "service" includes a look see for any chargeable work which often are quite rightly turned down or ignored. The "services" need to have been done thoroughly (uhmmm) and on a timely fashion. Then VWŠkoda UK have "maintenance schedule" items which really should be part of services but the German marques have their own way of doing things (and specification numbers in addition to what others use). These items also need to be done thoroughly (uhmm) and in a timely fashion. So check what "services" and " maintenance schedule" items and work should have been done to this particular car at times and mileages, whichever is sooner in each, that these have been done and on time, check and ross reference all. An MoT is reassuring especially with no advisories but it is only to one person's (hopefully trained) opinion at that one point in time that the car meets the minimum statutory standards it doesn't mean that the car is as good as it should or could be or that it might not fail the MoT as it's driven away from that MoT. If the car didn't get regular use and/or mostly short journeys do check the state of charge and health of the battery as these modern cars, particularly those with start/stop rely heavily on the 12v battery to keep the complex and intertwined computer systems and programs happy and if the state of charge (and health) is too low for them they will make you suffer for it with all sorts of unexpected issues, warnings, warning lights, unseen error codes, even when the headlights seem bright enough and the engine starts. Plus a Superb often has more electrical "assists", "aids" and comfort gadgets. Often all that is required to sort things is to properly recharge the battery or (expensive) battery replacement and possibly 'coding'. Good luck, I'm not a VW fan so I would always suggest an older Toyota or Honda. Skoda Superb Mk3 (2015 - 2023)' forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/299-skoda-superb-mk3-2015-2023/

Well done 7 years is good and compared to some with newer models changing batteries at 4 (or even less) and 5 years and as can be seen on many threads and posts over the models on Briskoda members experiencing all sorts of unexpected warnings, warning lights, unseen error codes and issues even though the headlights seem bright enough and the engine starts "so it can't be the battery" in too lower state of charge. VWŠkoda Owner's Manuals for the cars had to change the battery at 5 years and later IIRC 4 years which for many would be far too premature even for many of those with more use, abuse and neglect but VWŠkoda like other car manufacturers make good profit out of car parts and Dealerships and garages from the labour and services to replace those parts including 12v batteries. I've seen on here it put that Dealerships are now even offering a service to recharge the battery (£40) which may be helpful to some but a perfectly good charger maintainer can be bought for £15-£30 and used for many years. Preventative recharges (and maintenance charging for little used vehicles) are best to fully prolong the reliable useful life of the battery - but some may prefer to when required just replace the expensive battery and pay for the 'coding', each to their own.

I often complain about the quality of VW's products but I have never noticed the brakes on my wife's 2015 Fabia Mk3 having any faults (other than an occasional intermittent trill). So it makes me wonder what might be wrong with the brakes on your car or your driving or as you put your expectations. What are your tyres like (forget tread depth) are they old, low quality, mismatched. How are you driving to find the brakes wanting. Is your car fully loaded with weight and you go down long steep slopes, hills, mountains. Are you discs, pads, drums, shoes, lower quality makes or examples. Slotted and drilled discs are often the fashion choice for the more spirited how much the slots and drills actually add to average normal use road driving over swapping from worn to new brake parts is a different matter, those that use their Fabias for track use will know more for their track use. The standard brakes seem to most to be reasonable on factory standard Fabias, I've seen moans about more regular work to rear drum brakes but can't remember if those moans relate to the Mk3 Fabia. For modified Fabias their will probably be information about brakes in the 'Performance & Tuning Upgrades' and 'Fabia Projects' forums. 'Performance & Tuning Upgrades' forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/212-performance-tuning-upgrades/ 'Fabia Projects' forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/205-fabia-projects/

Sometimes replacing the battery is necessary, obviously I'm not referring to your case as I have no details, but many times this replacement is premature as the batteries may well have taken and held a (full) recharge and given longer good reliable service life. More owner/drivers are learning and relearning that some of their vehicles may occasionally, or more regularly, need the use of battery chargers and maintainers with the use or lack of use of their modern vehicles.

Sounds fine to me, differences are too small for any concerns. Things to note and check, are some tyres of the same size, in either size, offer more or less protection than others. The 215 may be more available in a wider range of makes and models of tyres, or may not be and at higher or lower costs for the size. Good luck.

A new company to me so just had a quick look, their HQ is the next county to me Bedford(shire). Their site marketing blurb has me a little itchy - "Not a budget brand but a value brand." - "As a genuine alternative to higher-priced OE brands,". But as they only distribute the filters and other(s) manufacture them they may well be as good as others. - "Comline has forged links with some of the world’s foremost filter production facilities." A quick look at their catalogue and their products seem like they could be good. - https://www.comline.uk.com/ The owners look like they would know others in the UK car parts and consumables businesses and they also hold another formerly well known old established company name/brand of MOTAQUIP whose product (distributor cap) I believe I might have used in the last 10 years and it was good IIRC. - https://motaquip.com/about-version-2/

You live and learn (and hopefully remember what you've learnt) but you had a go and learnt by your experience which will make it more memorable and should help for future occasions. Perhaps you'll take up the issue with a passion and become very good at painting. Or be like me and find paints and glues and protection products are an absolute PITA and headache, find it hard to believe that in the 21st century we have such stuff on cars still (mainly because it's all very cheap stuff for manufacturers). Brake fluid that lifts the paint, paint that doesn't heal itself to some extent, cars are and have on them such ancient technologies. grrrrrr ................ 😄

Hi, welcome, You might be a VW (Škoda) fan, I'm not so I'd always look at older Toyotas or Hondas for longer lasting and more reliable and less running expense (as always with used cars of course based on current condition and a thorough cross check of any history presented). The rear seat bases of the Fabia Mk3 estate (Combi) can be removed, whether the estate rear seat backs fully fold flat I don't know. Looking at the Owner's Manuals for each model and (part) year will give you some information on the seats and lots of other information about the model, link to follow. I would suggest looking and/or asking in each of the model and mark forums for information on each model to get real world real owners' information (as well as looking at the Owner's Manuals) links to follow. My wife's Mk3 Fabia is a hatch or I'd get a tape measure out for you. I can only say the MK3 hatch had the most spacious cabin for its class, at the time it was new at least. HTH. Free VW(Škoda) pdf downloads of the Owner's Manuals at this VWŠkoda site. - https://www.skoda-auto.com/apps/manuals/Models VWŠkoda Recalls (the ones they admit to). - https://www.skoda-auto.com/services/recall-campaigns 'Škoda Fabia' forums. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/166-%C5%A1koda-fabia/ 'Škoda Octavia' forums. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/169-%C5%A1koda-octavia/

The Grinnall was the three-wheeler open body two-seater car type rather than trike (IIRC they might have done a four-wheel version too, but I'm not sure about that). Very comfortable seat as I remember it and I said I was impressed with the smooth gears changes as we went from village to open road back to village and the driver smiled and said he'd kept it in the one gear. Obviously it was allowed 1 mm just that I wasn't used to seeing such low tread and it was on for what I was used to at the time a wide tyre making it look even lower. I was used to fully open cars, and without helmet, helmets are for tracks not public roads as far as I'm concerned and I don't like to wear a helmet on a track either. Yes but if the car is actually used or driven then this is England so the drive could start out dry and go to wet or worse light rain and greasy surfaces. The club had a couple of Ariel Atom owners bring their cars to a charity passenger ride event, one had clever semi-track type tyres on and could hardly go out for runs and the other was owned by someone that actually used the car with full road tyres and went out all the time, it was November in Birmingham! On a performance car I'd give a set of tyres up to 1,000-miles to see if I could get on with them and if I couldn't I'd change them, what's the point of having a performance vehicle that doesn't fully handle, unfortunately the days of being able to do such are long ago now - but to a lesser extent the principle still applies but the limitations are greater and fully accepted and adjusted for now.

I decided against posting this last night buy have changed my mind again. To me it smacks of some sort of algorithm or AI pricing unrelated to any real garage servicing pricing, I wondered if even the oil had been changed or the car put to other use I could well be wrong but at £150 for a "service" and it includes collection and return (and 40 miles away!) it'd be a string of red flags to me in Northampton, and I'd thought, but could be wrong, that generally Kent pricing would be higher than Northampton. I hope I am being over suspicious because of hearing consumer programmes on Radio 4 for decades with all sorts of schemes going on before you hear about them on the telly box or t'web box but I felt uneasy about this.

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The starters and alternators are supposed to be good enough to allow for full start/stop use and VW have had it on their model for a long time now. To be fair I can't remember seeing anything(?) on here about Mk3s having starter or alternator issues (but then I forget a lot) so perhaps it is an issue to a limited time of production as I have seen something about VW starter motors generally playing up, perhaps for this period showing a batch fault. Other than the plug socket they don't look much different to the ones on my 1960s and 70s cars, cars are such ancient technology. Let us know how you get on with this, perhaps you might feel like taking a few photos and doing a write-up for the Fabia Guides section. Thanks for info on Topdon, I thought I recognised the button(s) on the right of it from some diagnostics vids on a YT channel I follow but the scan tools change so often I can't keep up with model numbers and features even from one supplier.

Sorry I wasn't sure, I only had a quick look at the video and thought a Mk3 might or might not be the same for getting at starter motor. Sounds like 21st century German engineering quality for the starter motor then. The Japanese and "cheap" Korean cars tend(ed) to have lighter, smaller, more efficient and robust alternators and starters. Still you'd hope that VW could have theirs last more than 8 years, I'm sure if you asked it'd be a one-off tiny batch fault of therm. Be careful about aftermarket starters if they are anything like the quality of aftermarket alternators with wrong fitments and short lives. Off-topic If you want to say, which model exactly of Topdon do you have and how do you find it's function and accuracy on your VWs and subscription charges?

20* years ago I'd be in a local tyre fitting place that also dealt with performance cars and you'd have owners of new(ish) heavy performance Merc, Range Rovers and the like drivers in asking for one or two tyres to be replaced and looking to go to lower (lowest) priced offerings, they have always driven among us. Even much newer cars can have mismatched tyres now and older and much older cars have good quality and condition set of four same tyres on them, it all depends on the owner/driver and often has little or nothing to do with if they can afford it or not (or claim not to). My neighbour had some Chinese tyres on his TR7/8 that were IIRC from the late 90s, they came with the wheels he bought, from a different make and model of car, many years before, they were more like rocks, I said at the time the Russians would want them for their military vehicles where the tyres were failing from being used to invade Ukraine, I think the Russian Generals had been on the fiddle with procurement (from China?).

Obviously I have no idea how you drive and you may not drive your VRS in a spirited or verry spirited way (allowing for sensible driving within the law and state of our 3rd-world roads) but you've got a VRS so you might be used to driving with the likes Ultracs and if you swap to a different tyre you might have to rein in a bit, and if you done that you might get more miles out of the Ultracs. 😁 The model of Efficientgrip you have must be different to the ones I once had to be happy with on a performance variety of a model and of course reviews and reports of such things can be often relative and subjective. Sorry I've never used Pilot Sports but did notice in another thread that PS3 were still available (can't remember size) sometimes earlier models of tyres are better than later or current models.

Sorry I don't know. I would start by looking to see if I could get at it from the underside once the plastic tray is removed but that could all well be a waste of time. The video that follows I think looks like it might be for a Mk3. I had Haynes from 60s and 70s and never found them much use as they seemed to cover how to open a door to rebuilding an engine but little in between and some errors and omissions in parts specifications. Are you sure you need to replace the starter motor, seems soon even allowing for poorer quality less durable VW parts that can be on VW's products. HTH.

If it's not a mistake you have got to wonder what is up with someone that thought those tyres were suitable for sale, even for off-toad mud-plugging sports use.

Great you got it sorted, well done. Download the relevant copy of the Owner's Manual and if you read it and refer to it then you could save yourself time hassle and money from unnecessary visits to Dealership / garage / mechanic /auto-electricians. Your light switch is different to the one in my wife's 2015 Fabia that might be different trim levels or added in extras or yours being an earlier build (though I think my wife's was built in the April or parts from then anyway) though registered end of September 2015. Buzzing around glovebox might be a relay perhaps, and my first thought of issue was that it might be the switch itself but then there's the connection and wires to it and elsewhere and now you know there's an unrecorded/unreported accident repair you can included that in your thoughts. Not that it matters too much as any car unknown to you could have all sorts of history behind it. You give a good example why these checks on the car's history mean and reveal only so much, and some miss a lot, and why they should not be rely on too much, same as a fresh or current MoT that many seem to think means the car is sound, you buy on the current condition of the car when you have inspected it or paid someone else to do so and scrutinise, check and cross reference any history presented. I had to look up mfsw, for me and others (though I'll forget) it means multifunction steering wheel. On a car of this age new to me after brakes (and tyres cover brakes, steering and suspension) the first item I check is the battery, particularly important to a modern VW with start/stop, make sure it is fully recharged and in good health with clean secure connections (same for main earths) then I check or carry out a full service to the age or mileage of the car. I find prevention is better than cure. The service check and works I will stagger with use of the car to get used to the car and see what needs sorting and when and how the car drives and how I can drive it and get used to the controls and where they are and what on the car I want to use or not. These aren't bad cars by any means but some of the VW parts quality and durability have been very low on my wife's car but I haven't believed the German engineering quality nonsense on their cars since the start of this century, and a but before that for Mercs. Good luck, and remember prevention is better than cure for most things on cars.

As above and in snow and ice and other road or tyre to road conditions ABS can increase the braking distance which will make things feel different. Can you get live recorded data from when you have excessive ABS at low speeds to see hat else is going on on other modules and systems, are you able to see around the physical area for anything that might mess with the poor dumb miniscule ABS and car brain and the system.

Wouldn't this be a warranty issue, let the Dealership sort it out. Being cynical they may say they have never heard of this before and perhaps offer you a £40 recharge of the 12v battery, check the battery voltage before taking it in and tell them the figure you got if they offer such. Why pay for a new car and put up with this sort of thing (which you would probably get less of or not at all on an older car).