Phoenixboy

I don't think you could slide the discs in and out, as the part of the disc that fits over the hub was too deep. I tried to push them back without winding them, wouldn't budge. I also wound them back slowly due to the piston seal creasing, giving it time to reshape itself back to normal. Maybe a bit of silicone grease around the edge of the piston may of helped that. Well your brakes are still working, so I'd say no long term damage done by pushing them back without winding them. My brake fluid level lifted around half an inch within the reservoir, but there was no need for me to extract any before it overflowed.

Well I've just splashed out on it for the next two years. Mainly for peace of mind with regards to my dsg box, engine. They won't be touching my brakes and I won't be taking any of their extras though🤣

I managed to release the caliper bracket bolts going through the back of the rear spring using an extension bar and a wheel brace to get enough force to loosen one off the bolts with limited access. The passengers side back was even tighter, couldn't get the right angle going through the spring no matter how high or low I jacked my car. The other bolt I couldn't get to because of the rear exhaust silencer being so close. In the end I used a torque wrench with just a 10mm socket on to fit directly onto the M14 bit at the back of the bolt, there was just enough room for me to loosen the bolt with the suspension damper being close, too. It can be challenging, but half the problem is having the right equipment first. The fronts look far easier.

I've not had experience with drilled brembo discs, but the brembo discs and pads fitted on my wife's previous Abarth 595 were like butter, only lasted 19k, I then replaced the rear pads myself with Brembo, they lasted 12k. Then decided to have the rear discs and pads replaced at a garage, as I didn't have time, they used Pagid, they lasted another 20k until we sold the car. The rear Pagid discs and pads were still going strong at the point of selling the car. I've used Pagid myself on many Vauxhalls and rate them. Wow £350 for VW pads and rear discs replacement. I'm behind on the prices. I certainly wouldn't pay that, would much prefer to use Pagid or anything else or even Mintex than the factory fitted stuff and use an independent to do so, if I wasn't going to do them myself. I'll certainly be replacing the fronts myself when the time comes, they look a lot easier to do than the backs, especially when you don't have a lift. Yes euros quoted me around £150 to supply only Pagid discs and pads for my Octavia. I decided to go to my local trusted motor factors and buy a cheaper set, instead. I've used the same supplier on and off for since the 80's, never had any issues with any parts they'd supplied no matter the price or make. I expect my nre rear discs I've just fitted at £40 to outlast 29k that the factory discs had previously lasted, but time will tell. The pads I took out were OK, they had plenty of meat left on them, around 50% left. The factory fitted discs and front pads seem to be wearing far better, as I'd expect at only 29k covered from new. The pads I used were Allied Nippon and discs, Juratek. Pic of the M14 bit you need to remove the rear caliper support bracket.

Agree about vag being made of cheese, similar to Brembo these days. I just bought cheapies from my local motor factor. £40 for a pair of discs, £16 for the pads & £11 for the m14 bits. Plus 8 hours of my time, 2 of them spent driving around for parts, as the first set of discs didn't fit. Although admittedly I'm old & rusty. I've used Pagid in the past & rate them, better than factory. Although I think a set of Pagid discs & pads were around £150. I can't see mine lasting any less than the factory ones fitted, time will tell. Last set of pads I've previously changed were on my previous 57 plate Astra H, I squeezed 60k out of those. Any idea what Skoda charge? £350? Gulp!

I decided to test the old grey matter today and replace my rear discs and pads, prior to putting it in for an MOT, only covered 29k on original rear discs and pads. Fronts are in better shape. Bit disappointed by the longevity of the rear discs. First pictures of original disc. Next picture of disc, pad and calliper stripped off the hub. The hardest part I found was taking off the calliper retaining bracket, had to buy a couple of M14 heads to do so, access very tight and the bolts were tight, but I got there eventually working off the ground on an axle stand and trolley jack. It would have certainly been easier from a lift. It's been over 10 years since I've changed rear discs, would have been unable to do so without a rewind kit, too. Which I already had. Last pic, finished job. Fronts looks a doddle to change.

As long as the car accepted into the all in service/warranty plan then everything that's stated is covered. Mine would be, it has a fdsh, but one of the previous services was carried out was by a Ford dealer, rest Skoda main dealers. I'm not sure if there's a pre-check by a Skoda dealer first, I'll find that out if I sign up to the plan over the next month. https://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/all-in-service-plan Do you know of there's a coolant change interval on the 1.5tsi ACT engine? Thanks.

Regarding my previous post, I decided to ring the Skoda yearly extended warranty customer helpline, as the terms and conditions are the same as the 'all in', policy wording for cambelt coverage. Yes it's covered for sudden failure, not covered for adjustment, checking or replacement during the specified serviceable replacement period. So I'll now take it as it is covered. The 'all in', customer services help line couldn't give me a direct answer, just supplied me the link to their warranty plan terms and conditions. Which added to the confusion. It would have been so much easier if within the warranty small print they'd have stated that the cambelt was covered for sudden failure within the first place, providing it was replaced within the manufacturers specified replacement period, which is now 10 years, up from the previous 5 on the 1.5tsi ACT engine.

What's not covered items seem to include timing belt failure (page 7). I'd rung Skoda warranty and they'd emailed this to me, presably the VW all-in plan was the same as Skodas. Like everything it's all within the small print. All in Warranty.pdf

What they quoted. Thats what I'd pay if I were to book it in.

? The reason you change a cambelt kit is to prevent this from happening. It's all about the potential of one snapping within my opinion. Otherwise there would be no point changing it, it wouldn't be a serviceable item. The main point being the frequency of when it should be changed. Skoda now state 10 years, although they're not prepared to guarantee that.

Yep officially it's moved to 10 yearly change intervals as from July 2023, what two dealers had informed me, anyway. Obviously if it were to snap after years Skoda would not compensate us within any way, which I was also informed by a Skoda dealer. Unless you had a Skoda extended warranty. So it's basically only a guidance, take from it what you like. Personally I won't be changing mine at year 5 (6 months time), as my car has only covered 28k so far from new, but I probably won't wait as long as 10. It' worth shopping around when the time comes, as I've had one Skoda dealer quote me £579 all in to change it, also had £850, down from £1100, too.

It's mixed messaging at the moment, dealerships I spoke to said they'd recommend 5 yearly change intervals, Skoda now say 10. Skoda extended warranty may also want it changing earlier to keep warranty valid, once I have verification of this I'll post it. Cheapest dealer cambelt change I found was £589, other £850, down from £1100. I certainly wasn't prepared to pay £1100. Although I have 6 months before mine reaches 5.

May still have to replace it more frequently than 10 years if you were to take an extended U.K Skoda warranty, though. This is what I'm also trying to clarify.

I've just spoken to two Skoda dealership's whom now have said Skoda had revised their cambelt change intervals from 5 yearly to 10 years or 140k, as from July 2023. I've also rung two Skoda dealership for cambelt change prices, Skoda Darlington initially stated £1,100, then came down to £850 all in. I then rung Derek Slacks Skoda dealership at Middlesbrough, they stated £589 all in for this engine. So if you want it changing its worth shopping around, even with Skoda dealership's. I'm also trying to find out if the Skoda 'all in', extended warranty, service plan would cover a snapped belt if it occured to the original belt under 10 years of age. When I have I'll update. As I'm considering buying this plan and want to know if the original timing belt over fives years old would still be covered.

No doubt I'd find out the true cost of replacing it the day I ring the dealers up for a quote. I'd only consider going to the dealers if the price was competitive or I had an Skoda extended warranty.

Not like it's submerged in oil, costing mega money to change it. The Skoda dealer I used for some servicing work last year quoted me just over £500 to change the belt, although no idea if their prices had gone up, too. I'd certainly shop around no matter what, anyway.

Ouch! Over a grand for a timing belt. Mine is due within 6 months time, I won't be paying that for sure. I'll post some prices nearer to the time, if I decide to keep it. Other option put the grand into another car. Neither am I going to pay for their tool, they'll be using it on hundreds of engines no doubt. Just had a quick look online, PSC would do one fro £664- https://www.pscautocentre.co.uk/cart

One of the reasons I chose my current Ocatvia was for it's 16" wheels, mainly for comfort & less pothole damage. If you prefer looks over comfort with a firmer ride then go for larger alloys.

I've just swapped my newer tyre over to the back and the noise had seemed to have gone🙂I think it was a combination of tyre noise and a recent stretch of duel carriageway close to me that had been resurfaced, too.

Yes the 1.5tsi does, but the turbo noise is not very noticeable. You also have to listen hard for the whine, easier for me as I know it's there🤣 Just strange how I've recently picked up on it, maybe due to the honeymoon period being over with my car now.

Thanks for the info, guys. I shall monitor it, I don't feel it's bad enough to try to make a claim on what's left of my extended warranty yet, if I do keep it for longer, I'll also consider buying the Skoda 'all in', warranty, servicing package and breakdown cover for two years at £840, then it's the dreaded timing belt after that, so plenty to think about. The other thing to consider is that I'd replaced one of my front tyres around 2 months ago (I'd forgotten), as the one I'd replaced with 6mm tread remaining (Continental), had suffered from very bad side wall cracking, yet it was a 2020 tyre. The other 3 on the car were A1, those were Yokohamas. The only sure way I'd know would be to swap the front wheel over to the back, but it doesn't really sound like tyre noise.

I've owned my 2019 Octavia 1.5tsi SE ACT dsg for around a year now, over the last two weeks I've picked up on a slight whine, sounds like my transmission, only when accelerating slowly through the gears. May have been there from day one, but not sure, may have just picked up on it more due to the weather being warmer now. It's not loud, never had any bad or jerky changes from it. Always performed as it should. Prior to this I owned a torque converter type auto box, that was more or less silent throughout it's gear changes. I've also previously owned manual boxes that have whined, too. Just wondered if this was a characteristic of a dsg box?

I'd say that your steering sounds similar to mine & you have the same sized wheels & tyres fitted as I do. It has a slightly none directional feel to it on longer runs or mine does, anyway. I'm generally happy with the 16" wheels to be honest, one of the reasons I'd bought my car. I prefer a slightly softer suspension set up. I've owned many Astra's previous to this car, too, but on a whole I'd say the Octavia feels far better put together & up to now has been more reliable, too.

I have a 12v air compressor at home (infact I have 3), I inflate tyres to roughly 35psi (as read on compressor), by the time I've disconnected the valves, lost a bit of air doing so, then rechecked pressures with a manual tyre pressure guage they then read 32psi. The compressor gauge was only a rough guide to their actual pressures. I always put a few psi in extra to allow for this if inflating from home. You could also have fluctuations of readings due to outside air temperatures, as much as a 3 psi difference between summer and winter tyre pressure readings. As I always have to recheck mine over the winter months.