OccyVRS

@Wasdom_Kung No offence to those already replying here, but I've absolutely no idea what you're about... This is a very common issue. It occurs on the GTI, S3, Cupra and R too, but it is most commonly the manual handbrake 310mm red painted calipers (exclusively on the vRS 245). My car is a 2020. The caliper was completely bare when I bought the car, and I had it replaced by the dealership. Fast forward a year, and I've just had the other side replaced as it was starting to go too. It has absolutely zero effect on the operation of the caliper and, again, is very common. I have attached two photos - one of the caliper shortly after I bought the car from Skoda, and one of the caliper from the other side, which I recently sold on eBay. I only replaced them for aesthetic purposes - the other side had been flaking since October, and is now happily on someone's PFL Cupra 280. Your caliper is NOT a throwaway - there is nothing wrong with it. The OE part number for the OSR caliper is 5F0615424, and the NSR is 5F0615243. They are £380 from Skoda UK, or £280 from skoda-parts.com. You will find that the carrier is fine - it is just the caliper that has peeled. You can get OEM TRW versions for a lot less, but I am not entirely sure if they are the exact same colour - it depends how much you care. They are cast iron - you don't see alloy until you sextuple the number of pistons. You won't be able to find a place that can colour match them exactly - I tried. The only real option is to either replace the caliper, or get all four powered coated in XYZ red colour. Just repainting it isn't really a solution, as the surface is pretty rubbish underneath. Surface rust will occur, eventually, but it's nothing a wire wheel can't remove. Yes, after fifteen years you may run into issues, but the engine will have blown up by then. The run of calipers were either not prepped properly, or the finish was cured incorrectly, as that is what causes the issue. The paint will bubble, blister and then peel - sometimes in small flecks and sometimes in large chunks. The fact it has peeled away along the casting/mould mark is expected. Rather amusingly, you will often find that listings for 245s are photographed from suspicious rear angles, or don't include close ups of the rear wheels/brakes. Here are a couple I found for sale, all with peeling rear calipers - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506093321640?sort=relevance&searchId=bc1765b7-b169-414f-b3ec-d22827937f6d&aggregatedTrim=vRS&body-type=&colour=&fuel-type=&make=SKODA&model=Octavia&postcode=CR0%208PN&transmission=&year-from=2017&year-to=2019&advertising-location=at_cars&fromsra https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507094312583?sort=relevance&searchId=bc1765b7-b169-414f-b3ec-d22827937f6d&aggregatedTrim=vRS&body-type=&colour=&fuel-type=&make=SKODA&model=Octavia&postcode=CR0%208PN&transmission=&year-from=2017&year-to=2019&advertising-location=at_cars&fromsra https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506063235795?sort=relevance&twcs=true&searchId=bc1765b7-b169-414f-b3ec-d22827937f6d&aggregatedTrim=vRS&body-type=&colour=&fuel-type=&make=SKODA&model=Octavia&postcode=CR0%208PN&transmission=&year-from=2017&year-to=2019&advertising-location=at_cars&fromsra Relax. The car is perfectly safe to drive and nothing is wrong with the caliper. If you choose to replace or refurb it, it will be for aesthetic purposes only. There is nothing to worry about.

It's the same story everywhere. I've found quite a good place near Guildford, although it's a hour hour from me. Previous to that, when I was at uni, I would travel an hour down to Bournemouth. It's not that I don't trust most places but, I just don't. Then again, I'd probably trust a random garage more than a main dealer - they've been absolutely shocking.

https://forums.ross-tech.com/index.php?threads/39563/ There are numerous posts on various forums about it - not something you can see on the cluster, but it is there. I mean, the cars also store how many launches they do - debate on whether it is limited, but it definitely stores it.

What's illegal about this, exactly? If you retrofit a dash cluster into a car, you'll need to adjust the mileage. By the looks of it, that's exactly what he's doing. FYI, if you want to roll back the mileage of a car, you'll need to be a lot more thorough - the ECU and TCU keep their own logs.

As above, get the brakes done - the binding needs addressing and tbh the general condition of them isn't very good. Get the brake fluid done, along with the handbrake as it's all the same job (although, I don't think it takes half an hour to adjust the handbrake - not to mention with more meat on the pads the issue might fix itself entirely)? Leave the shocks - for now, anyway. The control arm bushes are the bits of rubber that keep everything nice and tight - the ones in question are in-between the control arm and the chassis of the car. Funnily enough, I literally had this last month - I ended up just replacing the arms (with SuperPro arms and fresh bushes) as it worked out to be the same cost as replacing just the two bushes. I didn't get under the car, but I knew there was an issue with the alignment/tracking, so it made sense it was those bushes. I would be temped to get an alignment done, and see how bad it is - if you have am RS6 GT I can understand keeping everything in tip top condition, but on an average Fabia, if it works for now, leave it till next year. Again, it depends how bad they are (tends to be they debond). Same story with the binding - it's likely a seized caliper, however it is likely that for a Fabia, the cost of fitting the £10 seal kit will be more than buying a new caliper. Pics 1 and 2 (I think the fronts?) are absolutely fine for now, but pics 2, 3 and 4 need to be replaced - you can see that you're only utilising about 1/3 of the braking surface. You can see the lip on the discs in the first and last photos. It's an indicator that they'll need to be replaced, but considering the car and driving style, you should be fine for another six months at least. As above, rear discs on small town cars tend to suffer a bit, as they just don't get the use. My vRS brakes get regular work outs, but around town I can see the merit of drums. BTW - ask the garage to get you OEM brake bits, not OE. OE is Original Equipment - in other words, the parts come with a VW stamp on them, in a VW bag. OEM is Original Equipment Manufacturer - made in the same factory, but without the VW stamp. Depending on your brakes, they'll either be TRW or ATE. I personally went OE for the brakes on my vRS as I'm quite hard on them, but didn't want to go back to Ferodo or another performance setup. I doubt there's that much difference, but hey ho - it's just something I wanted to do. IIRC I paid north of £300 for the front discs - TRW are about 1/3 of that. Again, for an average Fabia, there's no difference and they should be about half the price for the fronts.

Yes, that is true. I'm still stuck in the F and pre-LCI G series - I forget the new M5 is 2435kg. But is that really an EV trait, or is that just demonstrative of a) how good an M car is and b) how bad a non-performance track focused EV is? I'm sure a Tacan Turbo GT Weissach would give an M3 a run for its money (it did a 7:07 vs the G80s 7:28), but that is quite an extreme example (it's full of scaffolding and has no rear seats). I think it's the very essence of an electric car - it's not designed to be a driver orientated experience (bar the 5N, etc), so of course it's not going to be engaging to drive. Are they designed to be fast in a straight line, or is that just a byproduct of electric torque? All of that aside, on the average UK roads, I think EVs just don't offer the best experience. You need to be launching them on smooth tarmac up to 100mph to enjoy them - I'd far rather have something RWD that goes roar, when I floor it from 20mph to 50mph once in a while. BTW - what did you replace the G80 with? AWDish in that size has to be a Turbo S or M5?

Which, I'd argue, is nobody (legally) on UK roads. The days of speeding are over - the only fun to be had is on an empty slip road, to the speed limit. Anything else is playing with fire.

Oh completely, not to mention stuff like regenerative braking negates the need for the larger brakes anyway. I'm just saying that, generally, more weight means beefier components that cost more. It seems to be a trend with new cars to have large brakes - my dad's new 118i only has 130bhp, but yet comes with 350mm discs and 4 pot calipers. Still, I guess it's preferable to be over-braked than under-braked. If you think the borders are bad, you should see things a bit farther north - I'm not sure what's worse, the 911s or the Focus STs! P.S. - the MG X-Power something something, with plastic covers over the calipers -

504/507 is 0W-30 and 509/509 is 0W-20. It is likely that a certain region will only get access to certain engine codes - those engine codes may be specifically for 20, or 30 weight oil. As I found out with my 2020 vRS, there are some subtle differences (like the oil pump) that mean a slightly thinner oil is actually better suited for hotter temperatures. Certainly, stick with what is says on the sticker. 0W-20, really, is for emissions - it's just a shame that the engines are apparently optimised to run on it, rather than 30 or even 40. From my understanding, the EA888 Evo4 is designed to run on 0W-30, whereas the later runs of the EA888.3 (like my car) is designed/tweaked to run on 0W-20.

I agree with all. I wouldn't say no to an Ioniq 5N or a EV6 GT - I just wouldn't be in a rush to say yes either. I've been in a 5N several times, along with a hot BYD Seal. They're both very fast cars, and I could even maybe live without the engine sound (again, having been in some fast electric cars, the acceleration is good enough for me). The issue lies in the handling, the braking and the design. EVs are just too heavy, and I don't like the design language, on so many levels. The Ioniq 5N, by the way, starts from £65,000. Now, that's not a bad price for 640bhp and a sub 3 second 0-60, but I can think of so many other things, starting with M and ending in 340i, 440i, 550i, 2, 3 and 4 that I'd rather have. That's of course not to mention that, given my age, I'm years from spending that on a car - and I don't really fancy a Nissan Leaf. I'm not making the case for EVs - as above, I am a piston head until I die (cars, aircraft and other things alike). It's kind of like a hob. Lot's of people rave about induction hobs, and the new ones that are completely hidden under a counter top are very cool, but I'd rather have a gas five burner. @lol-lol I'm more impressed it can put down 2650nm, even with AWD and 315 section tyres. Speaking of tyres, that is the other issue with EVs. Due to their weight, they all need beefy suspension, beefy tyres, brakes, etc, that wear out at a faster rate than lighter ICE cars. It's only a small thing, but as the new (and again, deeply impressive) M5 demonstrates, less weight and less power is better than more weight and more power. It doesn't matter how large the carbon ceramic brakes are on the new super saloons/estates (M5, RS6, etc) - they'll still get left by a 2008 Lotus.

Well, now, steady on - the Nevera R might have 2,080bhp but the Lotus does still make do with 2,010. The Nevera is faster, but it’s designed to be - the Evija is a track car isn’t it? I’d still take the Koenigsegg Jesko though. Have you been in a fast electric car? I’ve never been in anything like a Rimac, but I’ve had the pleasure of being a passenger in a Porsche Taycan GT. It made me feel quite ill, if I’m honest. I still don’t really understand the speed - it’s not so much a 0-60 as it is, one second you’re stoped and then the next you’re moving at motorway speed. I am a piston head until I die, but nearly all electric cars are deeply impressive. I can almost guarantee that every vRS car on this forum, bar maybe two or three, would be absolutely dusted to 60mph by a middle of the road, dual motor Tesla Model 3. Yes I know there’s no soul, blah blah blah, but you cannot say that some of these electric performance cars aren’t incredible.

Hi @ose Just to add my 2p to things, from the quote - 1) The parts cost, actually, seems about right. Okay, the discs seem rather expensive for a Fabia, but if they're using genuine OE stuff, then it's about right. 2) The hourly labour cost is acceptable for a specialist VAG garage. The place I use is about the same per hour, with VAT. 3) The number of hours needed for the job is a bit high, but to be honest it's nothing crazy. I will say that it often costs less to replace the control arms, rather than press out and in the bushes. Three and half hours is how long it takes to do this, but I'm a bit disappointed they didn't make this clear. All of that being said, there are some issues. The labour for doing the shocks and control arms should be combined, and reduced, as they're part of the same job (sort of). The misting of oil is extremely common on a VAG car and, really, is just an indicator of the shocks working!It doesn't mean they need to be replaced. The worn brakes do need to be replaced, but not necessarily now. Without knowing what the bushes, brakes, shocks, etc look like, it's difficult to agree or disagree with the quote. If they really do all need doing, then that is probably a fair price to pay at an independent VAG specialist for a good job. I think the issue, might be, that they don't all need doing. I see you're in the South East - whereabouts?

Other thing that matters, outside of brand, is if the tyre has a manufacturer approval thingy. I know BMW/Porsche/Audi stamped stuff are insanely expensive compared to the identical (technically) tyre not stamped.

Tyre price, really, is determined by the width of the tyre, followed by how popular/common it is. It's double the sidewall profile, which means it costs less to manufacture. The most expensive tyres are the lowest profile sizes, actually. Width does also play a part too - it's very difficult to manufacture a wide, low profile tyre, compared to a narrow, high profile one.

Yeah, but there's a large price gulf between 215/65R16 and 275/30R20!

Same process though, removing the pump and cleaning the gauze/screen, or am I missing something? BorgWarner own what used to be Haldex AG over in Sweden. I understood that the people at Haldex specified shorter intervals than the corporate parents in the US. Ultimately, it's like this guy I overheard recently in a tyre shop - asking what the minimum was on his tyres, pads, etc. Just because there is a minimum or maximum thing, be it wear, service intervals or whatever, doesn't mean it's advisable to push it. If you can afford to have the car, I'd argue you should be able to afford to service it well within the correct intervals. I'd follow the newer recommendation of 2 years/20k miles, however if (like recently) the car is going for a DSG service or whatever, I wouldn't shy away from getting the Haldex done too. Preventative maintenance will only help!

Granted, that is a G01 X3M, so 2017-2024. I quite like them, and most of the M cars, 1 series, etc. The new stuff, I agree, is gopping. I've no idea what they've done.

Yes - I wouldn't get any JLR product. I've had too many friends have issues with all of them, some being annoying problems and some being catastrophic failures. For the money they ask, I'd rather spec up something else. Mind you, money is an interesting topic. For the price of a brand new Audi A1, I could have bought my 2020 vRS (now on 40k miles), and still have enough money left over to push it comfortably past 400bhp. Not that anyone does buy them anymore, but I have to question who signs on the dotted lines.

Sorry. Best looking goes to the Macan S - dark blue with black interior and papaya stitching. Obviusly the value aspect is missing a little though! I quite like a Tiguan or GLC too, but for me it would have to be a Macan, X3 or Formentor (bonus points for hot ones - ABT or AC Schnitzer). Santa Fe has good indicators at the front!

@PeteJManchester can I confirm, are we talking about the Haldex AWD or the Haldex VAQ (front diff)? As @Ootohere can confirm, the Haldex needs the oil changed and filter cleaned every 20,000 miles or 2 years - it's not just about the mileage or use. If you're expected to do all the maintenance, then the diff is something that needs to be done. IIRC it's about £160ish to get fresh oil and the pump screen cleaned.

Like all budget tyres, Davanti get the job done. They are a 'British' company - HQ is UK but everything is made in a Chinese factory. For your tyre size, good quality Michelin tyres are about £160ish, however for a normal car being driven normally, there's no point. if you've got something fast, or regularly sit on soaking wet motorways then sure, but for average driving like around town, there really isn't much need. My girlfriend has some Davanti on her Fiat - not sure I'd put them on my vRS, but they absolutely do a perfect job. Toyo, Kumho, Yoko, Hankook and Uniroyal are all decent tyres. Someone took a chunk out of the tyre on our new 1 series, and BMW replaced them all with Maxxis. I love them on my MTB and wouldn't run anything else, and for 130bhp they seem to do the job.

I paid around £150 more to go from 245bhp to 350bhp. Come renewal they wanted almost double my premium, so I ditched it. I'm young though, so no suprises. For a proper map, I'd expect to be paying 10-20% increase.

FYI post is over a year old and OP hasn't been back here since then!

CARC will a) be very difficult to get hold of b) very expensive, if you can find it c) probably not the most fun to spray It's very cool stuff (works by basically being so hard, any bio/etc can just be washed off. Doing a roller job won't look very good - I'd rather have rust lol. If you're only concerned about the looks, you could treat the rust and then just wrap the car? Wouldn't be as god as paint, but would be better than a roller job.

Just be wary of matte/semi gloss paints - they tend to mark very easily are are not the same as the stuff they use on military trucks.