AndrewTait

Had a tyre fitter squash the sills on my car - Cost him a fortune to put it right! Flickr: longtimeout1973's Photostream Yes, I know the car is dirty, but it was January!

Just out of interest, how much did the dealer charge you for retrofitting Cruise? I want to get it fitted on mine, but feel agreaved at paying someone to fit it when I could do most of it myself (all bar the VAG-COM bit), but can't seem to find the time to do it. As for the main discussion - I bought a MK1 Elegance estate, as I preferred the look of the estate over the hatch in mk1 form. However, if I was buying a mk2, (which I am not) I'd buy a hatch as I think the estate looks overweight. I like the look of the mk2 VRS, and will certainly consider this when I eventually change my mk1. Having said that, I run my cars until they fall apart, so it could be some time yet! On the residuals front, from the information I have seen on the internet, yes, an Audi A3 will cost more than an octy of the same age and condition, but the A3 cost more when new. As a percentage, they've probably lost about the same amount. I also feel that Skoda put in the effort to out build VW. My ex has a Mk4 Golf, of similar age and milage to my octy. The Octy feels better put together, and other than servicing, I've not had to spend anything on it. My ex has spent almost as much as she paid for the car initially to get it put right, including a new gearbox.

Must admit that I'm thinking of doing the same - Too many kids with ribena in the back of mine with light coloured seats. Leather would be much easier to clean. Just need to source some leather interior now!!!!

My Elegance estate is on standard set up as well, and I regularly ground the undertray on the speedbumps down the road I live on. That and the bottom of the front bumper on kerbs when driving into parking spaces.

You will need to remove the door card, and then the catch mechanism. If you are competent with electronics you can then replace the microswitch on the door catch. Alternatively, replace the entire catch.

Our very own vRStu has the details on how to do this here: Octavia-vRS.com - MFD Install Guide

Cheers!

Do you have the part number for them? If so, could you post it here. Cheers.

The Microswitch is built into the door catch, the bit that holds the door shut. As for checking it's functionality, I'm pretty certain you have a fault with it - Your 'puddle' light does not come on, the interior light does not work from this door, and the lights on buzzer is not working. I suspect, the car will also lock itself after a short while if you only open this door (Assuming this function is enabled on the car!)

During the week I get a reported average of 46-48MPG. On a run the other week from Manchester to Conwy, with 3 kids, me and a boot load of camping gear, and travelling at 70ish, I got a reported 58MPG. My Dad has a 2.0 140BHP desiel Laguna Estate, and even on a run he only gets 45MPG (ish)

Don't know if this is the same with anybody elses, but my Y plate (01) Octy Elegance doesn't have a cup holder in the front at all. All that is next to the handbrake is a pen tray, that jsut collects dust, and other bits of assorted crap that I throw in there. Would be really interested in the polo cup holders if I could get hold of them. Which year of Polo are they out of?

I had some muppet damage the sills on my Octi estate, when he jacked it up with a bottle jack, when he was changing the tyres for me. He did use the jacking points, but the lip on the jack (From a 7.5 tonner, I believe) was too high, and crushed the sills. Cost the owner of the company (small independant place) about 1k to have the sills sorted for me.

I've had my 110BHP Diesel down to 4mpg. To qualify that was full throttle, in the wet, and ASR switched off.

Thanks Stu, I'll have a look!

I've got a Y (01) plate 110BHP Octi TDI elegance which I want to fit cruise control to. I know I can get the bits and fit it myself, but could possibly need a little assistance, and would definitely need it enabling with VAGCOM. I was wondering if there was anyone here with VAGCOM in the Manchester area who would be willing to assist me with the fitting and then enable it for me, in exchange for some beer tokens? I am assuming that this kind of kit would be suitable VW MK4 Golf Bora Octavia TDi - Retrofit Cruise Control on eBay, also, Volkswagen, Car Parts, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 08-Jun-08 20:00:00 BST)

I had a problem last week, where the sunroof would refuse to close, on my 01 Elegance estate. I ended up taking the head lining out, and removing the sunroof unit from inside the car to see that one of the plastic (rainwater?) guides had been chewed up by the glass part of the roof. I managed to get the roof into the closed position manually, using the little allen key whilst out of the car, and refit the roof to the car. I have left the control disconnected as my 10 year old nephew is prone to meddling. The questions I have are this - 1. Can you buy the plastic guides seperate? 2. Will having the sunroof disconnected have caused fault codes to be recoded in the ECU?

Just pull it from the point nearest the rear of the car. There are two metal spring clips which will come out, and two plastic lips which hold the front of the panel into the light.

The regular high rev motorway runs will not cure it completely. I have this very problem, as confirmed by 2 VW specialists who have driven my car. The majority of my driving is motorways (less than 1/4 mile to the motorway from home, and 100 yards from the motorway at work.) I work shifts, and often find I have the motorway to myself to give it some beans, and I still get this problem on occations. I've now got used to having to switch it off, and back on again. Just unnerves people who are not used to it, and causes problems occationally. I travel along the M40 quite regularly, and you can bet your last dollar, that the turbo will not kick in when climing the hill just before High Wycombe!!!

I have encountered the opposite problem. I have 2 young kids, and have the rear windows switched off, but occationally catch the kiddie switch and switch them on, only to realise when the girls are leaning out of the back windows!!!

go for the silicone sealant - I used to keep a tube of it in my first car - a rather rusty Rover 213, to seal around the boot area, where water was poring in. As the rust got worse, I added more and more sealant. Didn't have to remove it for years.

The thing that concerns me is the cracks in your brothers disk. Glad he changed them, any seriously heavy braking and his disk could have shattered taking most of the front wheel with it! Seen it happen with a number of cars, and doesn't leave much behind.

No, not a sign of smoke other than a little bit of the usual cold starting smoke first thing this morning. To drive it now, you wouldn't think this had happened at all.

Just as an update to this, the car was fine driving home last night, and again this morning. Seems very strange.

First of all the car is a 2001 (Y) Octy Mk1, 1.9 110bhp TDi, Elegance Estate. It's done 66k, and due a service (indicator came on last week). Strange thing happened today - went out at lunch time (yes, I was working on a bank holiday!!!), and drove the 2 mins to the local supermarket. Got there, no problem at all, but not driven far enough for the engine to warm up. Came out after 10 mins or so, started car fine, tootled around the car park, avoiding all these people who haven't got any work to do today , again with no problem. Came to pull out onto the road, and there was no power, and the car started to sound as though it was mis-firing. The revs would not go above 2k, no matter how far I buried the accelerator. There were no warning lights or anything, just no power, and this mis-fire. Finally managed to move away, and get out of the entrance to the car park, and pulled up at the side of the road. Switched the engine off, and waited a couple of minutes, restarted the engine, and a cloud of white smoke out of the exhaust, and still mis-firing. However, the revs would go right up, but not as fast as they normally do. After a couple of times reving it, the mis-fire stopped, and the car drove fine, if a little rough at tick over. Any one got an idea what could have caused this? Thanks in advance. Andy