KWP

Go to a VAG specialist independent in future. Discs do not fall for being lipped, that's a racket a lot of garages do, new pads maybe. It's too late now but with your car only doing about 7,000mi a year you could have had it serviced every other year if they used long life oil. Good luck with your future, I hope it is stress free.

Knobs on the A/C control like the Superb? Hope so.

I don't think a manual gearbox has a DMF, they are fitted to DSG gearbox. You might be needing the clutch replaced before too long or it may last for years. Probably why the previous owner sold it.

Ps gentle application of the brake pedal slows the car using regen

I own a 1.5 mhev Octavia and it just feels like the car knows what to do for the best, for instance when approaching a 30mph speed limit at say 40mph with foot off the accelerator the car slows down all by itself to the speed limit by starting the engine and using regen. Going down hills is similar. So I don't worry about it, I can just 'feel' that the car knows what it's doing and the mpg economy I get certainly back that up. So if I were you I wouldn't worry about it, just enjoy the driving experience and use your extra concentration to avoid all those flippin' potholes.

Why not feed it from the convenient usb socket above mirror?

2024 Octavia 1.5 etec SEL 1st edition with wireless phone charging. Does anyone know how to change the voice volume when leaving the car for message "don't forget to remove your phone from the wireless phone charger" (Tip I found on Google search:-scrolling the volume control while message is playing doesn't work)

Maybe you could set up an "individual drive mode" to make it behave in the way you would like?