Penguin

Blimey this thread still running after nearly 3 years ! Still got secondhand 3.3uF non-polarised electolytics fitted. Stereo dosn't annoy me now ...even after listening to it for the past 2-3 years. Did try an "audiophile" grade 3.3uF cap on on side & decided there was no benefit whatsoever (and it didn't fit in nicely either!)

Change the antenna - when they fail the inbuilt amplifier usually fails & although FM is usually acceptable the AM is useless. If radio is standard Stream mP3 - hold in the menu button for about 10 secs - a diagnostic screen will appear & I think ANT On should appear top left if amp is ok ...but it can still be bad even with this showing "OK"

I've had this for 18 months -drove me nuts ; a clacking rattling noise induced by short undulations - cross hatching really triggered it off. Back to agents 4-5 times - damper replaced & various other. Turned out to be Brake caliper / carrier / pins. These were loose, worked fine but rattled. I would not have believed such an item could be so annoying. Agents eventually replaced carrier & pins on caliper & checked all was tight. Completely gone!!

Had a 1.8tsi for 25 months - 23k miles now : never uses any oil....so far

Hi: had a 1.8TSI (HB) since dec 2007 now on 22,00miles. Initial fuel average was about 32-4mpg but increased noticeably at 3-5k. I have noticed a marked difference when the temperature drops below 10c - summer mpg generally 38-39 average but I reckon its down to 34-35 at this time of year(december, jan) seems to drop about 10% and its not just cold starts, it returned 37mpg today comming back from Sheffield - Norfolk at 70 -80mph indicated: in summer exactly the same trips gives over 40mpg. Other comments - similar - engine is more a little like a good TDI with loads of low down grunt available, but wider a power band and certainly much smoother than the equivalent 2.0TDIs. I agree it seems to progressively run out of torque much above 4500rpm but dosn't do so suddenly like dervs, so you don't get caught out of revs during an overtake. Good unit generaly & pretty economical considering its performance & asking price. Last car: 2.0 Honda Accord - no comparisom in performance & fuel consumption - despite the acclaimed VTEC etc. yOne irritation - quick getaways in first gear are not easy. Engine bogs down if not enough boot applied & takes off like a scalded cat if you give it too much & turbo comes in(with attendant wheelspin , tramp etc.) getting it right is a fine line!

Looks interesting - - looks standard but can't see skoda doing that as its going to be in direct competition for the VRS.:confused: Revo sort of job as standard!

I have a 1.8TSI - have done about 15k miles now.Tried both regular95 & 98 for extended periods : I have concluded no appreciable difference in economy but I think the engine is fractionally noisier on 98 & has very slightly more power at higher revs but no difference at under 3.5K I now use 95 as price premium is now about 4-5pence /litre in UK(4 - 5 %more) I think the1.8TSI is tuned for torque & driveability rather than ultimate output. Also is subject to recent EC ruling -all cars must be fully useable on 95RON effectively (unlike the earlier FSI units)

Have a 57 1.8TSI EleganceHB :Bridgestone ER300s -original -very noisy on course road surface(like here in Norfolk) Hopefully will find something better when they are changed as I know where he's coming from. :( Any suggestions????

Yeah the last bit is the telling thing - tax as everwhere...above all else! I used to think the UK was the biggest burocracy capital but I begin to believe Germany & italy are possibly worse. ( more fanatic about enforcing it - certainly in Germany)

Sounds like the authorities are a bit serious about modifying anything in Germany. A colleague of mine told me some years ago " you may not legally modify a car mechanically in any way unless its done by one of the tuning houses " at huge cost I expect! don't know if its true?

Does this kit actually make a lot of difference to tyre / road noise . I was tempted but thought £195 was quite a lot if it didn't make much difference?

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: How do people in Denmark afford to buy any expensive cars - You have very high average wages there or something? You could buy a BMW 630 for that money here!

STREAM Headunit - radio done this twice to me. First time it wouldn't come on again - all display as normal but no sound. Next time i turned on ignition all was normal. The second time I was playing an mp3 disk - huge crack and immediately returned to normal. Gremlins:finger:

Hi folkes - sorry I didn't see the questions & post some replies but not looked on here for a few days - however Chavdarlk & Genoa doing a grand job. Hope you all get the same results I had as it transformed the sound from the standard kit in my Octy to very acceptable....... from harsh & irritating! Nice picture of the cap installation jules...however as Chavdarlk pointed out - doubt the 3300pf would have produced anything audible from the tweeters! (just shows how horrible they sound with the originals in to actually make it sound better !) I 'm surprised Skoda hasn't fitted lower values as standard. The original (6.8uf) installed on these tweets sounded offensive to my ears:eek: All I'm looking for now is a similar mod to reduce the tyre noise on some types of road surface in my Octy. Elegance 16" alloys with ER300 Bridgestones on (originals)

1,350 in GBP pa for full cover.... Thats a bit scary:eek:

....and 10% more weight against 6% less BHP! Performance is generally about BHP/ton. Power = RPM x moment (torque) & as long as an engine torque curve is properly matched to the load (by correct gearing at any given road speed vs.rpm ) - overall acceleration will follow suit (all other things being equal) e.g. it is incorrect to say a "petrol VRS is slower than a Derv. VRS , because at 60 mph in 4 th gear the TDI has better acceleration due to more torque" - drop a gear in the petrol VRS & the picture becomes different!

Yeah 700BHP might register with the character that informed Toneboy that R4 Lw was "low powered" ! I wouldn't want the electricity bill:eek:

As an aside I nearly bought a secondhand MK1 VRS a few years back ( but couldn't live with the seat & carpet colours in the event) : how do they compare performance wise on the road? e.g. I notice the 0-60 & top end figures are extremely similar on paper. The MK1 vrs uses the old 20v 1.8t unit so has different characteristics I'm sure, but power is also pretty similar 180 v 160 (quite small percentage wise). Still haven't noticed anything as quick in grp. <11 insurace as the tsi!

Yes Ednmra ...mine does similar - think the problem is the turbo on the TSI unit spins up very early (suposedly from 1500 rpm ) giving good low down torque unlike many earlier Turbo engines that tend to need 2000+ rpm before they get appreciable boost. Result is as you write - a bit all or nothing at the low end on take off. I believe the Ford diesels e.g. Mondeo 2.0 TDCI limit boost in first gear to reduce this effect (& probably wheelspin & stress on the drivechain also) This would probably be sensible on TSI also - I'm sure the electronicallly controlled dump/bypass valve (I assume there is one on these) could be programmed to "switch out" the turbo in first gear? (whether ECU knows its in 1st is another matter:rolleyes:)

Done the mod yet ? - done both the fronts and rears on my car now - costs pence for some capacitors & a bit of time - big improvement on sound for very little cost or hassle. http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/octavia-ii-poor-sounding-stereo-fix/118870/5/

YEH ....I'll second that - actually considered getting one of these as they are silly money a year or two old & good motors generally ....but... driving one for two hours Kills my back. The lumbar seems to have a bump in the middle of my back and the top curves your neck towards the dash - Bloody agony for me after about 1 hr! (but strangely OK for the first 1/2 hr or so.) How Fords get away with these I don't know - must be just me & a few others:(

Tyre pressure monitor on mine came on the other week - after nearly a year with no air needing added. I thought "here we go - bloody fault " ...stopped , got out and looked - no flat tyres, checked pressures all round...sure enough OS rear was showing 22 PSI (others 30ish). pumped up & 1 week later same problem. Seems I have a very slow puncture/ valve leak & I'm impressed - this system certainly seems to work.

Yes - I would have assured him a 500KW (~700 BHP radio transmitter!) is not low powered ... even at 150miles it should be LOUD & crackle free. I could receive it(albeit rather noisily ) in Western Poland in daylight hours on the radio in the Honda I previously had. On this radio it even gets noisy between buildings & under telephone lines around Norfolk! - strangely the MW is excellent. (Germans have given up with LW I think VW Golf I looked at didn't don't even have LW as far as I could determine on a quick test drive)

Sounds bad news - with oil potentially thinned down that much it could have done bearing damage I would immagine.Hope you get it resolved OK .. I wouldn't accept any of their conclusions about overfill - especially if they haven't kept the removed oil for examination.

They replaced mine with no quibs. under warranty. (though mechanic said he thought they had "fixed that problem")