SwallownAmazon

I am totally confused... I want to fit EBC Greenstuff pads to my 2016 Octavia vRS diesel and have looked at a couple of online car parts suppliers' sites to confirm the correct reference. There are several types listed for this car in these sites for discs ranging from 288 mm to 340 mm. I have the "Build Sheet" from SKODA Partslink24 for my car with the correct VIN, etc and this shows a PR code of 1ZB for the front brakes. Both sites show the diameter of the disc for the 1ZB PR code as 312 mm with an alternative of 340 mm for PR code 1LG. I have just measured the N/S/F disc at 320 mm...... Have I got a "bitza" car? Photo of the caliper attached. Looks like the lower anti-rattle spring is broken and the upper one is distorted - incorrect pads?

Actually this bear of simple brain was looking at the wrong page in the manual. The figures I quoted in my question are for the rear wheels, the front wheels are as near as dammit parallel as suggested by Bluewagon. Back on my head.... and everyone can now go back to sleep!

Can someone confirm to me if the specification +16' +/-10' for the vRS means a toe-out of 16 minutes of arc plus/minus 10' minutes of arc? Seems counter intuitive to this bear of simple brain when every car I have owned has a toe-in for the front wheels. Car is 2016 vRS diesel.

DPF not regenerating and getting blocked? Check fault codes with a simple reader to find out what's wrong and get a good indy VAG workshop to have a proper look.

Someone who didn't respect company property and treated it like ****. Didn't take him again...

How true..... I remember with my previous Octavia, I was away for a few days on Wales Rally GB with a mate of mine who dropped the tailgate onto some equipment we were using and the glass shattered. Fortunately it was a company car but I did have a bit of explaining to do.......

Snowsocks. They do very little damage to your wheels and can be driven short distances on tarmac - unlike chans which have to be removed by law. They are also much easier to fit, cheaper and take up less space. Also used (allegedly) by the emergency services.... https://www.autosock.co.uk/

I've had a look in the manual for my 2016 vRS and it looks like you have to remove the ISOFIX child seat mounting caps and then yank the seat base upwards at either side where the mounting wires are an interference fit in plastic mounting lugs in the body. The book says the plastic bits should be replaced each time but I guess it will depend on how many times the seat has been removed and any damage... Hope that helps. Chris.

My VW specialist workshop did one for me from SKODA Partslink 24 for nothing. Paint code listed in the Vehicle Data section - F3K; otherwise known as "Rocket Ship Red" as my 1990 Audi 90 20v is the same colour.....

I'm having my alloy wheels refurbished in the New Year and I'm seeking advice on the best way to jack up the front end and where to place the stands under the car. I have a large 2.5 tonne trolley jack with rubber pad, smaller 1 tonne trolley jack and 3 pairs of stands of varying capacities (1 tonne to 3.5 tonne). Car is 2016 Octavia hatchback vRS diesel.

I'd be inclined to try a harder brake pad before ging to the expense of changing calipers and discs. I've used EBC pads with some sucess on my Volvo Amazon historic rally car (now sadly gone) and my BMW 740 Sport. They make pads for different degrees of lunacy (!) but I've found the basic Greenstuff ones adequate so far. They are often available from Euro Car Parts and I'll be switching to these on my Octavia vRS at the next service. One advantage of Greenstuff pads is that you don't get that 'orrible black dust on your wheels because they don't contain copper......

What happened when you went to the garage?

Good result! 👍 I have a BMW E38 740 Sport as a hobby car and when that happens, it's time to check the front track control arm bushes. Great big rubber bushes the size of your fist attached to cast steel curved arms and quite expensive (!!).

I can only offer advice based on my expereince with DPF and EGR valve problems I've had since buying my 2016 Mk 3 vrs diesel at 145,000 miles earlier this year. I had to replace my DPF because the original one was full of ash and the electronics kept trying to regen. Because the ash content was too high, it showed a variety of codes/warning lights and eventually went into limp mode. All sorted now with new EGR valve cooler and DPF, pus assorted sensors, gaskets, etc. With a bit of internet research, I found the service life of these components (and the turbo) is around 120,000 - 150,000 miles after which they need to be replaced. You look to have done considerably more than this and the ash content of your DPF is at the maximum. Bite the bullet and have it changed and at the same time consider a new turbo because if the oil seal fails, DPF will be choked in minutes.....

Thanks for that, I'll take a look at the weekend - weather permitting....

Anyone know how to remove the gear knob from the lever on my 2016 Octavia vRS manual? The pretty metal trim around the front edge of the main emblem has started to come apart leaving a sharp edge that cuts into the fingers when changing gear. Is the knob separate from the gaiter or does the whole thing have to be changed?

I had a similar problem with my 2000 BMW 740 Sport a few years ago. Broken front spring replaced with a standard item which made the car sit lop-sided. Garage told me that the "Sport" springs were only available in pairs,so they got the standard one without asking me. When I gently "blew my top" at them for not asking me, they had the car back and changed both fronts for the proper items only charging for the parts, including the refund for the wrong one. In your case, they have clearly fitted the wrong spring / strut assemblies, front and back. Take measurements of the ride height of your mate's car, centre of the wheel to the lowest point of the wheelarch, and compare that to the measurements on your "repaired" car; there will be a significant difference. Present those to the service manager and tell them to sort it..... If you still have the sales brochure for your car, it will state the vRS suspension is 15mm lower than standard but it only actually quotes overall height. You mention in the original post that it was a "major franchise EH"; is that a Skoda franchise or other manufacturer? If it's a Skoda franchise we need to know so as to avoid in future....

My inclination would be to take the car to a specialist in-car-entertainment retailer/installer and get them to take a look at it. Might be something as simple as an internal fuse.....

I bought one of these back in the summer: AUTOPHIX V007 OBD2 Scanner Compatible with Volkswagen VW Audi Skoda SeatI paid around £60 from Amazon but they seem to have gone up a bit since then. It reads codes and enables fault deletion but I havn't got around to finding out what else it can do.

No it won't, Manufacturers will only appoint dealers that can afford the shiny white elephant showrooms that now seem to tbe the norm. They don't care a monkeys about customer service because once you've bought the car you're stuck with it for good or ill.

Update? Are you content now?

These folk might be worth a try: https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/ They specialise in old car fittings but may have modern stuff as well. I've fitted LED's from them to my 1937 Morris 8 so I can see and be seen a bit better.

My wife's 2008 SEAT Altea has had exactly the same problem twice - new door lock needed each time.

Yes, 'twas a mis-type. Still, 5W30 is still knatsy thin - like sewing machine oil. I'm much more used to 20W50 or even straight SAE40 in my classics......

Like JohnMack, I pensioned off my 2008 BKD engined Octavia diesel earlier this year to buy a 2016 vRS diesel with the CUNA engine on around 145,000 miles. Like any car, previous maintenace is vital and the car I bought didn't have much recent history - silly me! The memsahib and I both loved the car when we saw it but after a few weeks, the problems started. The pale orange engine light came on shortly followed by the curly glow plug light which sent it into limp mode; I'd also noticed a heavy oil consumption -~ 1/3rd litre in 200 miles. To cut a long story short, it's had three exhaust gas temp sensors, two DPF pressure sensors, EGR valve cooler and DPF all replaced at a total cost of around £3,000. The heavy oil consumption turned out to be a leak from a missing gasket somewhere in the turbo area which allowed oil to leak onto the manifold but it's still a lot higher than I am used to. It is because the oil used in these engines is so thin (0-30) that it just disappears. If thicker oil is used, the residues clog up the DPF which will ultimately block with replacements available at £1,200 - £1,800 depending on where you get them from. Ignore re-worked ones as a bad job. Notwithstanding the above horror story, we both still love the car; it seems to be well engineered, (DPF system aside) has more than enough power and handling to keep a retired rally driver happy in his dotage!!