TEKelso

Many thanks for these comments. I put the question on the basis that such a modification might be officially available from Skoda dealers, but your answers confirm my suspicions regarding compromising the insurance. Yes, I do use a cushion, and have done on 3 Skodas now, though at 5ft 08", I'm not exactly a dwarf, but I appreciate the extra vision.

Is it feasible to raise the driver's seat about 2" (beyond the existing ratchet limits) by having "distance pieces" fitted to existing seat securing bolts on floor?

Fabia 11 Petrol 1.4 Car at local Skoda dealer where loss of coolant was found to be leak in water pump which additionally had contaminated the timing belt...both renewed under warranty. Reading Briskodian's message on this page brought to mind that I had a "catastrophic" water pump/timing belt failure at 70mph (+) on M6...luckily very close to the Haydock Park slip road. This was an Octavia, some 5 years ago.. AA Relay attended but couldn't identify the fault roadside resulting in car and we two being ferried 200 odd miles back to Ayrshire. In this case I had bought the car with 18K miles on odometer and fault occurred at 27K. In present instance, I had this in mind, having timing belt (and possibly water pump) replaced early,at 40K miles (presently 34.4K), so instead of the expected bill for £300+, this, in effect, has been done under warranty Many thanks for all your responses.

Over the last two weeks The level of coolant in the reservoir "bulb" has dropped to below the marked minimum level. On the first occasion it was topped up with "G12" at a close-by garage. for the first few days after topping up the level was monitored with no apparent drop in the level. Today I have found that the level is just under the marked minimum level and have topped up to half way between the minimum and maximum levels with TESCO antifreeze/summer coolant. Have been unable to see any signs of this leakage, cardboard on ground under engine proving useless for this purpose owing being sodden with driving rain! Have book car in with SKODA dealer in two days time. Hopefully remedial action will come under warranty which has 9 months to run. Any other experience of such coolant loss with a relatively new car?

Fabia II Estate On setting off for town yesterday I was alarmed by a loud rattling noise the frequency of which varied with the speed of the car. Returned home immediately and couldn't see anything hanging loose under the car, nor was anything untoward visible in the engine compartment with none of the former rattling audible when engine revved up. Called out Skoda Assist (to find out if car roadworthy to drive to Skoda dealer on Monday tomorrow|). RAC man arrived within about 20 minutes and suggested a trial drive. As soon as I started moving there was the most awful screech. Stopped immediately and RAC man, right away, said the trouble was a stone between the brake disc and its casing (offside front). Subsequent test drive showed and sounded nothing abnormal and on return car jacked up and slight score found on the inside of the brake disc casing! His instantaneous diagnosis had obviously been 100% correct and postulated that the offender could have been a half inch granite chip with which the garage drive was covered, possibly raised as the car was previously reversed onto the drive. RAC man said that this was a not infrequent occurrence (and reason for callout) with (uniquely) SKODA, VOLKSWAGON and AUDI cars, all having similar design to the housing of the brake assembly being wide open to the ingress of a "foreign body"

Short of a round journey to the nearest Skoda dealer, I find that Halfords do not stock suitable windscreen wiper replacement rubbers (driver and passenger) for the above models. There is no mention of these items in the company's catalogues, the shop assistant, checking on the computer of updates also drew a blank. Has anyone else had this experience? (I expect the nearest dealer will need several days for them to be obtained from central stores and the price no doubt will be double any equivalent!)

Further to my previous message, today I used the aforementioned "mallet" treatment with complete success

Evil Miyagi/Fatbloke/Ad Lav, Many thanks for your response : TEKelso

My first experience of alloy wheels and with a view to cleaning the inside rims, my attempts to remove the rear wheels have been unsuccessful. Both wheels appear to be "frozen" to the hubs.....no problem removing front wheels. I wonder if this is the result of galvanic action between the dissimilar metals, or rusting of the hub. When the car was bought I also had a spare wheel supplied. Not much use if I have a puncture and can't remove the wheel! Car is going in for its second service in a couple of weeks and I shall then have the wheels freed. However would like to know in advance of this, whether this is a known problem and what the solution might be. Thank you

Hi! Having previously owned an Octavia I now have a Fabia II Estate which is approaching its second service. Very satisfied with this car TEK

Many thanks, Bluvrs2. What kind of sealant do you use in preference to lacquer? TEK

I have obtained a touch-up paint kit from the nearest Skoda dealer but all the printed instructions are in Czech (?). The kit contains two plastic "bottles" , one labelled "zakladni lak" and the other labelled "bezbarvy kryci lak". I am presuming that the first mentioned is the "grey metallic satin" pigment , to be applied first to the scratch, with the second being a lacquer to build up over the pigment. Before trying this, I would appreciate any comments/hints from anyone who has used this Skoda touch-up kit, or whether there is an instruction chit in English available. TEK