NormanE

I posted about turning off lane assist, and getting Scandinavian daytime running lights activated. I was going to buy an OBDII device and credits to do both with One Click Apps, but then I found this on the OBDII website: New Volkswagen Group vehicles starting from 2024 include updated security measures (UNECE R155 & R156, often referred to as "SFD2") that limit full access to all control units. OBDeleven can still communicate with the main gateway unit, but advanced features like full scans and adaptations may be restricted. We’re actively working with VAG and updating our software to ensure full compatibility with these new models. Their live chat thinks that my car probably has SFD2. Their device will detect it, but is plainly ridiculous to buy the device only to find that it cannot do what I want. Is there any way to check whether SFD2 is on my car, e.g. by VIN number?, or might Skoda have just put it in with an update?

I have a diesel Vrs, and (mercifully) I don't think it has a sound actuator. Either that or I am going deaf. It is good news if I can do what I want with the second generation as I really don't want to have to code the changes.

I wonder which kit I would have to buy to do what I want? I would rather that a garage did it, perhaps an independent VAG specialist?

I want to get two things done, firstly to have Lane Assist set to off, or to however it was last set. Secondly, to have the daytime running lights set in Scandinavian mode, which keeps the rear lights as well as the fronts on whenever the car is driven. Does anyone offer a service to set these, or do I have to buy the OBD11 kit? I guess that East Yorkshire Retrofit, who fitted my reversing camera, could do it for me, but they are a 500 mile round trip from my East Sussex location.

I think you need to do far more than just connect the camera. I had a reversing camera fitted to my car by Retrofit Solutions in Bridlington, and saw just how much was done to wire it in, and make sure that it integrated properly with the screen. The camera also needs aligning correctly, for which they have the correct equipment and floor markings. https://eastyorkshireretrofits.co.uk/

I think I may get the local independent garage, which is a VW group specialist, to do an intermediate oil change for me. I am a bit too old to get underneath cars these days. Even the Quantum Xtreem kit car that I had did not need me to get underneath, though changing its filter required loosening the engine mounts and jacking up the engine! This is the little beast, which was great fun and very fast.

Thank you both. I will have to get a Pela oil extractor. I had one on my yacht because you can never get at the sump plug on a diesel in a boat, but of course it was left on the boat when I sold it. I will use the VW branded long life oil in a kit complete with filter. It was much easier in years gone by when there were no sump guards below the engine, and most used a simple spin on filter.

My car has the extended service interval which means that the oil is not due to be changed for two years. I am considering doing an intermediate oil change after one year, using a vacuum oil extractor, and changing the filter. Does anyone else do this? If so, any tips?

Typical dealer trick. Years ago I imported a new Saab 9.3. Lovely car. After a year and about 12,000 miles I took it for service at the local Saab dealer, and was told it needed new discs and pads. I looked at them and told the dealer not to try and cheat me. I never went back to that dealer. I had it serviced every year by an independent Saab specialist, and it did not need new front discs and pads until it had done nearly 70,000 miles.

Very happy with my diesel VRS Mk4. The only annoyance is lane assist, but it is easy to turn off. It has adaptive cruise control, which I have not used much as the car has only been used in the UK as chemotherapy is currently stopping me from taking my usual long continental trips. I would far rather have the old fixed cruise control. Aside from those small annoyances, the car is very good. My old cars were a Jaguar XK and a Seat Leon, both of which had very powerful brakes, which could be quite abrupt on the Leon. I do find the Octavia brakes to be rather weak by comparison, although they are progressive. I do wonder if some more aggressive brake linings would be a good idea, though I think that the issue is really that the Leon had a lot more servo assistance.

Good idea, though my car does not have a rear wiper (it was a no cost option on the hatchback, but had not been specified) the fuse should be there. I do however want to avoid having to wire right through the car. I was hoping to run it from the 12 volt socket, but that now seems impractical, so was looking for a circuit I could tap into in the boot area. If the rear lights were lit when the car was running, they would be an obvious connection point, particularly if I could draw power from the rear lights on the boot lid.

I have a good dash cam in the windscreen, but nothing at the rear. I cannot get a rear camera that connects to my front camera. My idea to solve the problem was to fit a stand alone camera like this one https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156577523699?_skw=dashcam&itmmeta=01JHQNF0TF174MJVJ572QWB6C7&hash=item2474bf67f3:g:p8sAAOSwvt9nWrN4&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwHoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKn5LrstUAPGQ6k9w9st8uBtbIQrsoGqn5xfFKTtaRtMIfEWB%2B6OZtlm84R6kACs2IWS1TDnpDkVmBAo9C6H96fngjLZsumzOlQXtOhWefqpciwlg%2FTZrOowMftDPhcQWdMYTjC2wMi%2FVm96DKCYZDbaK13XSL0WKYH9%2FNeAjvPJaqAhQIIEjN7%2Frrt7kT%2B5DHe2ONqwDm6JEJWpVh3BQ0b%2BGM47GKiakxbljS31oi6hEw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9KNvPWNZQ inside the rear screen and power it from the 12 volt socket in the boot. The problem with that is that the boot socket seems to have permanent power, whereas I need power only when the car is in use. Am I right about the socket? Is there anything I can access from the boot that has power only when the car is running?

I am quite OK with a space saver. All of them are only intended to be used for less than 500 miles and at no more than 50mph. I have had and used them before, but I have never before seen one with so little tread depth. LingLong may be a known brand, but that does not make it a good one.

I will try that. I routinely turn off Lane Assist but don't bother turning off ACC as I just have no use for cruise control except on a long journey.

Every other car I have owned (more than 20 of them) has either had the odometer built into the speedo, or displayed it on a digital screen. The total mileage of the car and the trip mileage are normally displayed at all times. On my 2024 VRS diesel hatch I cannot find how to display the odometer whilst driving, although the total mileage is displayed after I turn off the engine. In lieu of trip mileage, I do get the distance covered "Since Start" in the driver display but not a dedicated mileage trip, which would be very useful to count up the mileage of a tour spread over several days. Is there a way to do that, and to show total mileage?

I tried to edit my post but cannot do so. The Tyre make is "LingLong", which I have never seen before. Tread depth is about 1mm above the wear bars and not much more below them. I would not feel very safe with that tyre on, particularly in the wet.

I bought the space saver spare and the jack and tool kit from the local main dealer. Whilst the kit is good, the space saver spare supplied is a completely unknown Chinese make with only the bare minimum of tread to make it legal, and is smaller in overall diameter than the car's road wheels. My other car is a Jaguar XK which uses a very similar space saver tyre made by Pirelli, with acceptable tread depth and overall diameter closer to normal wheel diameter. I would advise buying only the jack and tool kit, which includes a plastic part to support the boot floor and sourcing a spare wheel with a better tyre from one of the specialist suppliers.

Thank you, I was a caravanner years ago, but now have no need to tow anything. I just wanted to be sure that the car could be fitted with a tow-bar. I think the VRS Tdi would make a brilliant tow car if the need arose. The best car I ever had to tow a caravan was my manual 2001 Saab 9-3 Tid, which had a 125 bhp diesel according to its brochure, but mine was imported from Denmark with UK specification and I think it was actually more powerful than claimed as the same 2.1 litre engine was rated at 150 bhp in the 9-5 model. I think the VRS would be better by some margin. For the caravanners here, my test of a tow car was the long dual carriageway hill on the N20 (Now the A20) in France going north from Brive la Galliard towards Donzenac. It is a few miles of steady climb with varying gradients and the Saab was the only car that towed an 1100 Kg caravan all the way up in 5th gear at 55 to 60 mph.

Thank you Longship. I have saved that. It confirms my thought that the car has a 1600KG towing allowance.

I have never seen the brochure.

Just a shout-out for Keiran at East Yorkshire Retrofit. He fitted my new VRS Hatchback with the reversing camera and took great care calibrating it so that the reversing lines are correctly placed. It is a great addition to the car, especially if (like me) you garage the car where you have to perform a zigzag reversing manoeuvre to get it out and down a narrow entrance way.

I just looked at the rating label on my 2024 Mk4 VRS Tdi The label is low down inside the drivers door and half hidden behind the front edge of the driver's side rear door. It had the following numbers arranged in a vertical row. 2015, 3615, 1-1060, and 2-990. All are in Kg. The last two are front and rear axle weights, so I presume the first two are maximum vehicle weight, and gross train weight, as the difference between them is 1600Kg I think that means that I can legally tow 1600KG. Is that correct?

My name is Norman, and I have bought a nearly new Octavia VRS diesel hatchback. It was a pre-registered car with only 25 miles on it when I went to see it. So far it seems to be a brilliant buy. I traded in an older (2010) Seat Leon FR diesel which had been brilliantly reliable but was approaching 15 years old. I still have my 2012 Jaguar XK, but will have to sell it as I need the Garage space.