BlueWagon

It almost looks like the bottom of a coke bottle that someone jambed up there. Maybe one full of sand or something. Seems like an odd thing to make fake but still join to rear muffler

Does gas come out of both when running?. Probably the most obvious way to tell yeah

I think the reported wear is not very accurately measured. The slight mismatch is probably within the limit of error in the measurement. Wait till they are really worn and I think you'll get a more accurate result. Of note, the rear pads on the landcruisers I used to run always wore about 3 times more than the fronts. They were smaller pads by a long shot and simply didn't have enough meat on them to last as long as the fronts

I think what Ootohere is saying is that with such high Mileage, if you re map it and up the power you will hasten it's death. In standard form it may have another 100K in it. Once you up the boost and fuel you may only see 10-20K before the donk, clutch or turbo bite the dust. Entirely up to you but you may end up spending alot of money on a car which is then dead in a few months. I'd just fix the things that anoy you for a minimum cost and run it out for a few more years in standard format.

Have a look underneath. Does the right tip join up to the main exhaust system?

It might I'd charge the battery at the very least

That's not that solid.... Pretty flat really

What does the mechanic say? Maybe more injectors are on the way out? What were the symptoms when it "broke down". Maybe something else was also wrong

Which transmission are you doing?. If the DQ 200 then maybe you drainage the Mechatronic unit which holds 1L....

How gradual is gradually. Was it 3 months ago it showed 12??? Did you get it serviced then and it reset to 12? Clearly a 12 month service interval in that case.

Press the accelerator a bit a second or two before you release the brake, and release the brake slowly. This isn't great for the clutch but it will probably give you the instant movement you want. Unfortunately the idea of crawling with the brake slightly engaged isn't really a thing with DSGs. You can do it but at the expense of clutch life. Much like a manual, you can't hold the car with the clutch for more than a fraction of a second without burning the clutch. They are not like traditional autos where you can allow slip of the tourqe converter.

I think if you disabled that function you would very rapidly burn out the clutches. The clutch needs to disengage otherwise it will be slipping and just cook very quickly. How else could the wheels stop turning with the engine running and transmission in gear? Either clutch slips or it is disengaged. I am pretty sure the DQ250 was the same, just it probably engaged a bit earlier as it could slip more without damage (because it was lubricated and cooled by the fluid - wet clutch).

So how low is the oil level and how much is needed to get the level back to where it was after the service? Maybe 0.5L? I wouldn't assume the oil level was at the max mark after the service unless you checked yourself. At 200,000 miles the engine is likely a bit worn and some oil consumption is expected. If you confirm exactly how much is being used someone can tell you if it is a problem worth fixing or not. I wouldn't expect much more than 250-300K miles from a 2L diesel engine before it needs some overhaul work. Burning 0.5L per 3000miles isn't so bad and a heap cheaper to just top up every week than a rebuild. The taxi's I drove used about 1-2L per week. Just keep topping them up. Oil is cheap.

Sounds like something loose like exhaust shroud or belt tensioner. Does it go away after warming up? Suggests exhaust. What about if you rev it up a fraction. The vibration frequency would change a bit and the loose part would stop resonating.

Not sure what you need the engine on for but can you power whatever you are running from an auxiliary battery? Idling for long periods probably not so good for the engine? What happens if you turn it off for say 1 hr and sleep then start back up to recharge/warm cabin.

Just post a decent picture of the belt you can see. Someone will tell you if its the timing belt or not

I think if you have to add say 1L every 12,000 Miles thats nothing. 1/4 of the stick every 3,000, so the full high to low interval after 12,000....who cares. I'd think that after 12K you're nearly ready to change the oil anyway. Could be rings, turbo seals, pcv bypass.....hard to say without doing tests/looking in intake etc. After 200K miles its not like the motor isn't slightly worn. I'd just keep an eye on it.

How quickly did it drop? 1 second, 1 min, and did the heater get any cooler? Eg did the engine actually get cooler. Can you unplug the charge air coolant pump and see if it changes the results. I would think it could potentially cause excessive cooling...but not sure how much the effect on the engine temp would be as the thermostat should control the engine temp still.

Fuel pump in tank that you either didn't notice before or maybe is louder because they change a filter. There was alot of filters charged on that list. Was one a fuel filter? Where is the noise coming from? Inside, engine bay, underneath? Is it when engine running or just ignition on?

I would change the oil to the correct grade as a first step. No guarantee that it is correct or not long overdue for a change seeing that you just bought it.

Looks like an aftermarket mount off a towbar, bike carrier, or more commercial vehicle suspension component. Maybe a delivery van or the like. Unless you have aftermarket fittings on either car, probably not yours. Unlikely for something to fall off a car parked in a driveway. I'd expect it to fall off over a bump in the road or simply rattle off driving. Or from a vehicle parked there idling for a long time.

Probably not painted on the line but supplied painted and then fitted on the line. So the paint is not likely done by Skoda. Same as interior trim is probably painted/coloured where it is made not where it is fitted. Bumpers are likely supplied unpainted and painted separately by Skoda somewhere before they are fitted. Correct, there is paint behind the bumpers and inside engine bay. All bare shells free of engine, door trims interiour and glass would be painted as an early step on the line. Either way, 8 yrs is probably outside any warranty. I didn't realise how old it was when I said it should be warranted. I'd just get a body shop to paint it.

I think you'll find there is a low fluid warning on the brake system but the fluid level is probably not quite low enough to trigger warning on the brakes yet. Low on the reservoir is not empty, just the minimum level where everything can work fine. You said it was a week ago the clutch was playing up so it's a slow leak. I'd top it up and bleed the clutch system then start looking for leaks. Get someone to pump the pedals slowly and look for leaks underneath and in engine bay on firewall. As suggested by someone it could also be in the brake system. You just noticed the clutch failing first as it draws fluid from higher up.

As a spray painter, I doubt it's that challenging. They can simply (and very neatly) mask the screens and rest of the car then paint the part in situ. I've personally done plenty of roofs, trims, garnishes etc. Old or new, a good sand, some primer on the plastic part and it will be as good as ever. Yes 8 yrs is actually not bad for the length of paint life on a plastic part like that. UV and heat (from sun) will kill the clear coat pretty quickly. But not a massive job to fix properly either.

Hows the fluid level? Id check that first up. shared with the brake fluid as far as I know. I'd look for evidence of fluid leakage on the firewall or inside above the pedals. If there its the master cylinder and maybe easier to repair than the slave which may be inside the transmission bellhousing. If there is fluid leak under the trans it's the slave. Maybe a leaking pipe union.