leolito

Those profiling I must make sooner or later ... before winter at least. Funny how I did some work on older Mercs and they all have those ... amazing. Thanks Lee for the explanation, probably if the insurance agent/broker has a customer "profiling" capability then what you say could affect favourably - or not - the premium. They've been thinking for years to do this here but yet is not in effect, which for people like me affects me negatively, as I have more than one vehicle but my (scratch balls) stats are very on the "safe driver" side ... 🤨

In the UK, do you guys have to notify your insurance if you fit an aftermarket spare part not OE? I mean if I have to replace an LCA and instead of putting a Skoda one, I fit a TRW or Lermforder or whatever, if I call my insurance broker to tell him about it, the level of cussing for wasting his time will be memorable .... and same would be if I get same LCA "compatible" for the Superb, say from an Arteon. Just asking .... different places, different norms. I can understand if mounting a metal bumper with a winch on a Landie, from a insurance vs. third parties perspective, but ... for spare parts?

Your mechanic is correct low oil level can raise engine temps, since you have less lubricant whose job is also to remove heat from the engine, but I think in your case this is negiglibe ... you were missing half of a dipstick (if I read right) or you had half of the engine oil topped?. Too little to make a difference. If you are not missing coolant, then there is no leak, then your culprits are few, water pump shroud sticking, thermostat sticking, possible blockage in the radiator, or in the heater core, or some kink in some hose ... there is not much more into it, actually. I reckon you do not have the 'mit silikat' teabag. Now you want no hunches, but sometimes, most of the time, we do not get that luxury ... without going overboard, if this repeats continously, is more than just a sensor going haywire. I would plan timing belt change, water pump and thermostat replaced, new coolant. Address in one single blow more than one, because doing them independently will cost you more.

No, you must check before you get there ... go informed, or risk being swallowed! Go, unplug charger, measure, let it "rest" 15min, measure, start, ideal would be to measure while cranking if you got an assistant, then measure once engine starts. It should be immediate ... after that you can turn it off again - a few minutes at least, and then leave it charging until you go to service.

You can try to recharge the battery fully using one of these 'smart chargers' even the ones from Lidl are good, top it up well and then drive again and see ... you should be able to seeat least 12.4/12.5V on a still healthy battery. My electrical man has some device that measures the State of Health of the batteries, when I am in doubt I give it a shout ... perhaps some autoelectrician or workshop could do that for you?

Wow thread resurrection! For normal gasoline applications, I never seen any meaningful advantage in additives, as written earlier by other here. For Diesels, I have friends that have reported some problems with "stuff" growing in the fuel tank (Aliens?) and recomment something like a "fuel stabilizer", which I also have friends with boats that use it and are satisfied. But is not a "boost power" additive, I seem to understand ...

Then you are entering the realm of the fanatic, for which I have seen only a could of friends go into as much as dismantling the pillars' trim and for example, filling up the holes - say for example where your safety belt is attached, etc. Also doubled the insulating material: whereas I would do the metal on the doors, he would double on the metal on the door AND on the backside of the door cards, trim, etc. Sprayed additional ...don;t know the name in English, like a "body filler" antirumble in the underside, drop the gearbox (longitudinal, older Audi) to put in the "trasmission tunnel", and when the engine was overhauled, also the bulkhead on the engine side, on the cabin side as well but earlier when the interior was out. Also the ceiling, which actually does make a sensible difference. All in all, I cannot tell you if is that much of a grandiose difference, but that was the maximum crazyness I've seen at play in the realm of "mechanical" insulation. I have a friend that makes speakers that says with a proper kit and mics you can record the bothering noise frequencies, and try to counterthem to find acoustic balance ... too much people with too much time in their hands, perhaps 😁

Thanks! Let me rephrase,I got no problem with the "cold" viscosity ... the only experiment in this regard I've made it was in the Ct200h wifemobile, which once I failed to secure the recommended 0W-20 and found 5W-30 and on startup/initial cold running the engine was noticeably rougher. So I am with you on the cold concept ..... My concern is, as explained, at high temp/high load. Don't know you guys, but except a brief spell, it has been every day around 30 Celsius since mid-June. This puts you in the "tropical operating environment", and running on the highway at 2.4/2.7k RPM (that'd be 130/150 km/h) with a loaded car and AC on, I still believe puts a -30 to the edge of its limiting capabilities, true I seldom see past 110 in the instrument cluster indicator, but... Bear in mind all my other vehicles, albeit older, have always run on the various combinations 5W40 5W50 10W60 .... I am just not used to water for oil 😁😚 Lacking grounds to safely change - I do not know if I have the variable oil pump, for example, which to me also sounds folly - I might reduce replacement interval .... Thanks for bearing with me, feel free to simply write "stop thinking about it and DRIVE!" 😄

Well, you have really attacked all areas worth ... attacking! There is not much left, you could look into the "double-glazed" windows available to some upper models, but I think you went into everything ... sorry.

This became confusing indeed eh eh ....oh well. Me, I am still thinking what 0W-40 is compatible with 0W-30, since opposed to Occy (see his lenghtly and informative post in previous page) I do not subscribe to the theory engines have been heavily modified to the point they can't take a +10 in the uppser viscosity range. Honestly, I have not seen a strip down Gen. IV engine, but the main difference I've seen between an early TFSI (got a friend fully rebuilding a A4 B7 original DTM edition) and an earlier similar-sized powerplant (the venerable 1.8T 20v) show everything the former is "optimized" in the same manner: lighter, thinner, smaller ... in other words ... possibly "weaker", or surely less tolerant. I suspect mine 280 is even worse in this regard ... well, stop rant and will not go back to bother on this.

I am already on 0W-30, but want to "upgrade" to at least 0W-40 or 5W-40 at worst, as I mentioned before I still suspect the reasons for said "recommendation" are friction/consumption/emissions based, and not technical longevity or performance, which in my mind vastly overtake anything else powerplant related. Unfortunately, the VW504/507 norm does not contemplate any other oil except 0W-30, and mostly Long-Life at it, again useless as I don't do variable servicing ... If anyone with an earlier 280/272 (JR perhaps) could tell me what is what they have as oil type ... 😚

Considering modern engines from FSI/TSI and EU4 TDIs onwards, the difference in the cost of shortening intervals vs. rebuild/repais has literally skyrocketed, don't know if any of you has had a recent overhaul of a modern powerplant, but the cost is staggering. If shortening lubricant interval extends life of the mechanicals, so be it. Note of caution: if you are still bound to official servicing, buy elements that are OE so they are undetectable in case of check ... the difference in price between a good paper filter like Mahle or Mann and the OE VW is negiglible, but the latter has written "VW" all over it.

With the information above, I would certainly settle on improving the sub-standard suspension. Link to MartiniB has all the parts, and while you are at it, change also the top mounts!! I plan also to do this, but later in the year I am too stuck with other matters first, unfortunately.

That is correct... I fear baskets are not in hot demand. I've fitted a Thule Atlantis 900 which is 235x94x47 on 120cm bars. On the most rearward position, thus allowing the rear cargo door to its full opening, the box overhangs the windshield by a good 20cm, which adds noise. Ideally, I would not use overhang so the rack you have listed seems more than adequate, also in width....I would not go for more than 200x100cm. Consider the bars this connects to, though, they will add height overall and noise. Finally, and maybe unneccesary if you know your hauling, invest some pounds in a good set of straps, ideally the ones with a ratchet and hook, so make sure you thighten well everything you put there....

On the above, emphasis on "apparently", very much apparently. I do not claim to know more than the engineers that design engines, but I remain extremely mistrusting the claim that modern engines must run with such viscosities. The mechanical actions involved in a combustion engine have not changed from its inception. You can have lighter materials, reduced tolerances and whatnot, but the basic process is the same*. You can have optimized refining processes for modern oils, but their function remains unchanged. My theory is that the reason thinner oils are recommended, or imposed, is purely to minimize friction to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, but this goes at the expense of mechanical longevity. In my part of the world where the average car has +200k km, the results are terrifying and the reputation of the TFSI engines is ....below ground, together in good company with other modern direct injection powerplants. Now I know I open a can of worms and a probable battle of words, but nothing can technically convince me otherwise of the fact that running a high-perfomance engine at high load with a -20 oe -30 engine oil with 25-30k km intervals is a recipe for a powerplant that will last more than 200k km without a major and very costly overhaul .... I want to go at least 0W40 but the 504/507 standard is limited to -30, and I cannot find wether this is because of the presence of the GPF or just to comply with Euro emissions ... for now I am with shortened intervals, at least fresh thin oil is better than "well-used" thin oil, in my book .... * when you tear down one of these engines and see almost razon-thin piston rings, and the pistons themselves light and thin as paper cups ... does not speak well of its capability for resistance.

After quitting for the unmpeenth time, and this time I thought it was for good (2yrs solid) I feel into it again since maybe three months ... howver since a week started my usual "downgrading" routine before I go cold turkey again, I hope to succeed, once again😉 Damn bad habit ☹️ However, I have stopped smoking in cars since many years ago, when first a piece of the lighted thing fell into the driver's seat, I was in my Dad's P405 and they were velour ... few weeks ago did the same on my Mom's Uno and that was it for me☠️ Never again, even when parked, even in my most furious smoking period, years ago ... just get out, or wait. The other day I was at a friend's garage, he said "hop in to pump the brakes for bleeding" and I "nope" as I had just lighted ... oh well. Let me get around once again with this. Reminds me I haven't update my endeavors on the SIII lately ... sorry ☹️

It says it all! 😁 Well put ... indeed a shadow of ... "wtf". I mean, I had stayed locked out of other cars before, and ownership of a RR P38 means you can become a stranger to the car nevermind it is yours and you use the correct key, so I learned to have it on me at all times, if doing work and key is on ignition lower a window, and so on .... yet this left me baffled. Luckily it took me less than a minute and a couple of tries and then directly call to the woman to fish in her purse ... otherwise the holiday (which was not really a vacation, read on) in a foreign land in a secluded area and with the in-laws would have quickly developed in a hell-on-earth scenario .... However I see here and there posts of people with same cases, almost always same situation ..... so it makes me think kessy does "not" cover entirely the interior of the car, if keys are in the boot it can't sense them. That would be plausibile cause if the interior antenna/sensor/whatever is around the dash area, but then why it would lock if it was "open" already, doors and all, I had just parked it? Most of the other cases was after "open the car, put key in the boot, car locks as no door was open" ... mine did it the moment it closed ... I need to read and pull out a code, but does the SIII has some function like "slam and lock" that perhaps I activated somehow?

Resurrect thread .... so we are on holidays and the car is full and so I leave my carrybag in the boot and we go do some errands ... I park the car, we open the doors and get out, remove items from the boot - not my bag, close, the normal stuff ... all is well ... I open rear left door to retrieve something, close it and immediately the dreadful "strak!" of the locking mechanism is heard! We in the yard in proximity to the car - woman, mother-in-law (!) and me look at each other with a pang of uncertainty ... like "what has just happened ..." Any attempt to re-open is futile. Thanks to a inspirational moment by the Lord above, I had decided to give a 2nd key to SWMBO to keep in her purse - her purse was I'd say out of range in the moment the drama unfolded. Hey presto, open with the 2nd fob and like nothing had happened. But in true, how did it happen? I read I am not alone in this ... Mind you, we have another two car with KESSY, lesser hierarchy cars, and this has never happened in several years of ownership, in also similar cases. I know I made a mistake and should have left the key in the pocket, never again.

Never seen that, also "higher class" cars do not get what you are mentioning ... you could cut up some old mats to fit, though.

I did ... had not idea what you guys were talking about 😅 Seems a silly gimmick, but to each its own. Cops here would have a ball with this, sure way to earn a ticket or at minimum lose half an hour of your life on the side of the road giving explanations .... 🤪

Yeah, I saw you mention, but here sometimes "charity" works, unfortunately, differently ... let's not go into it.

I went against MP3, once you compress the file you lose some quality, better not to ... after some test tries, passing files from audio CD to various formats, I settled on FLAC as a compromise between file size, quality, and, as I mentioned, the fact that you do not apply compression. If going MP3, I would advice at least 320 or above, at lower there is some ... like chopping in the higher frequencies, unpleasant. This happens with some of mine older MP3s which I am replacing, if I find a better quality source, of course.

I stupidly reply in here as well ... Don't know how much can be of help, but years ago, when I could not afford a car CD unit, I would use my Discman with an adapter cassette to my removable radio* but the CD unit in itself requires its place fairly free from vibrations and also you must check it can work in any position ... I honestly do not know how much of an advantage it would be. I am certainly NOT going back. I miss my CD collection a lot, and I dislike playlists spotify and the buch, and that is why I am slowly, slowly passing the stuff to digital and from there to USB sticks. Cumbersome, but is the end of an era and must go with it. Like Penpusher above, woman is more than happy see all my CDs disappear, but I am still wondering how to dispose of them.... An unexpected advantage of this ordeal is that I will get rid of all car CD units entirely, and then you can "duplicate" the USB sticks and ran them through a media receiver, which is much cheaper lighter and simpler than a proper CD unit ... * I wonder how this contraption would sound to a young person today ... 😁

Don't know how much can be of help, but years ago, when I could not afford a car CD unit, I would use my Discman with an adapter cassette to my removable radio* but the CD unit in itself requires its place fairly free from vibrations and also you must check it can work in any position ... I honestly do not know how much of an advantage it would be. I am certainly NOT going back. I miss my CD collection a lot, and I dislike playlists spotify and the buch, and that is why I am slowly, slowly passing the stuff to digital and from there to USB sticks. Cumbersome, but is the end of an era and must go with it. Like Penpusher above, woman is more than happy see all my CDs disappear, but I am still wondering how to dispose of them.... An unexpected advantage of this ordeal is that I will get rid of all car CD units entirely, and then you can "duplicate" the USB sticks and ran them through a media receiver, which is much cheaper lighter and simpler than a proper CD unit ... * I wonder how this contraption would sound to a young person today ... 😁

Thanks travs for the links ... I will do some checkup and upkeep myself! 🙂 Just for laughs, I had a recent trip - I will comment separately - and after one stop the MIB would not reconnect, and I had to continue the journey with Waze on the phone screen ... I was laughing thinking exactly what I was going to write exactly in here after declaring exactky mine was running fine ... 😁 I must say though, the "wondering" between Android auto and Mirrorlnk I get it often. Question to all: are any issues related to how many phones are linked? I made a trip last year with a friend that linked itself to the car and it drove the system bonkers and it took me quite a while to get rid of the friend's phone from the car ....