Dubturbo

Hi all, I know, another clutch question 😆 In my defence though I did search a lot beforehand! I'm looking at replacing the factory clutch and fly on my PD100 after over 300,000 km. It's not slipping at all that I can detect, but the fly is getting chattery, so I want to do it as preventative maintenance before something fails as it's my daily driver. The engine is completely standard, but it is driven a lot and is driven on, so I'd like something a bit beefier than OE. When you replace, upgrade and all that. I'm going to stick with a dual mass setup, there doesn't seem to be any sort of heavier duty flywheels, so that'll likely just be standard. I've been looking at the Sachs Performance offering, they offer uprated clutch, pressure plates and release bearings, In their blurb they say it wouldn't just be suitable for tuned cars, but for taxi or driving school applications too. That'd surely do for me as well 😆 A bit of a firmer pedal wouldn't bother me, but I wouldn't want too much extra noise out of it. Has anyone any experience of Sachs Performance clutches on lower powered TDIs? Any feedback on how they are to live with or how they wear? Thanks a mill!

Hi all, As the CD drive has failed on my Symphony MP3 CD I'm replacing it with one of my favourite old Blaupunkts. The Symphony manual says that it has GALA, and the Blau can accept the signal, but pin 1 of the ISO power block where the GALA feed usually is usually located is empty. Does anyone know if they moved it on the Octavia Tours, or if the car simply hasn't got GALA at all? Thanks!

Thanks for the reply! That's what I thought as well, I don't see why the floor pan would have changed! Mine is an 08, can never be too sure if they did something funny with the Tour though. I'd have tried my mk4 mats only it's away having paint done at the moment so time for a bit of TLC for the poor old Octi!

Hi all, It turns out my usual favourite mat supplier doesn't have an Octavia 1U2 template :( Just wondering if anyone has fitted mk4 Golfs to their facelift Octi with good results? Or are the -> 2000 and 2000 -> carpets identical by any chance? Thanks

Thanks for the replies guys! I'll try out some 225s then

Hi guys, I'm looking to fit a set of 17" VW wheels I have to my Octi TDI, but I'm unsure about tyre size. I know the RS unusually came with 205/50/17s, while as far as I can tell all other PQ34 platform cars like the Golf, A3, Leon, TT, Beetle etc all used 225/45/17s when 17s were fitted. Does anyone know which would be correct for an Octavia TDI, as opposed to an RS? I find it odd that a single model got different tyres when everything else across the platforms was so similar! Thanks a mill

Hi all, I'm looking at swapping over the manual air conditioning system from a cheap 1.4 that I've picked upto my mk1 TDI. There's loads of info online about converting from manual A/C to Climatronic, but nothing about upgrading from a simple old air blower to manual At first glance the 1.4 compressor etc. all seem like they will fit, but again no guarantees until they're offered up. Any tips/tricks/advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hello Ireland, from Ireland :p You're welcome! Same car here, 08 reg

That's true, we have the highest growth rate in the EU at the moment.

From an outsider's view (I'm from Ireland) it's really interesting to read the views here, untainted by media bias etc When it comes to trade, to keep it relatively free, the UK would need to continue to play on a level playing field with the EU, such as EEA states and Switzerland must do through their bilateral agreements. That would seriously dilute the comparative advantage the UK would have by not being bound by EU directives and regulations. A failure to do so would result in more trade being restricted, and while that would hurt both sides, it would hurt the UK a lot more than the rEU. So to really free yourselves from European regulation without big economic shocks, you'd need to seriously diversify your trade away from the rEU to other sources. Difficult sure, but not impossible. In terms of movement of people, which is a controversial question there, whatever measures the UK would implement, it can expect the same in return from the rEU – so for example, if the UK were to place restrictions on the right of Bulgarian of Romanian people to live or work there, the rEU would most likely place similar restrictions on British workers throughout the union, and not just in those states. It may sound drastic, but freedom of movement is one of the core principles of the European project, and restrictions on one member state would be considered restrictive against all. From our perspective here in Ireland, the EU has on the whole been a very positive experience. While the economic boost of EU structural funds helped us improve our infrastructural deficits relative to other EU members, that money was more than wiped out by losses caused by membership, with the lost fishing catches to EU fleets being an example. And of course we have the debt overhang from the economic crash caused by cheap Eurozone credit that we've been busy dealing with for the past few years. However the economic advantages of free trade with our nearest neighbours and - for all the flaws of the eurozone - the fiscal stability of sharing a common currency with our biggest markets, have more than outweighed all of these in helping us to realise our full economic potential, at what is a relatively small cost of shared sovereignty. For us, negotiating with our partners to achieve our goals is a very small price to pay. Ultimately, whatever choice you make, the sky won't fall in. The doomsday predictors are selling you a pup - pragmatism always kicks in with these things, and if interim agreements on trade, or movement of people or capital, need to be devised in a hurry, then they'll be devised in a hurry. Your trade with the rest of the EU will still continue, just as Norway or Switzerland trade with us reasonably freely now. More gradually though, as years pass and more permanent agreements are made, the UK’s relationship with the rEU would have to change very significantly to take full advantage of being outside the club. If that’s something the electorate is prepared to do, then it’s a valid option to consider.

Hi all, I know the SMIC debate has been brought up a million times, but this is a little bit more specific! I’ve decided to upgrade the side mount in anticipation of some mild TDI tuning – going from 105 to 135 or so. I’m not looking at a top spec wide mouth front mount, just something a bit better than standard. I’m a bit torn between the Turborevs side mount and the Darkside one – has anyone any experience or recommendations for either, or even another one I don't know about? Thanks a mill!

Hello all, I wonder what's the neatest solution to convert regular facelift mk1 headlamps to an LHD beam pattern? I have a set of stick-on converters, but I reckon they'll be welded on after a while in use. I was half-thinking about sticking them to a set of headlight protectors, but they're rare as hen's teeth, and expensive enough too. On my last sojourn I didn't bother with any converters as I was doing no night-time driving, but I'll definitely be driving at night this time. Is there a more obvious solution (reusable converters maybe?) Thanks a mill

Received them today - exactly as described and a gentleman to deal with - thanks a million Jay, chuffed with them

As the rear bumper has been slightly damaged in a tip anyway, I thought it might be an idea to upgrade to a vRS bumper on my Octavia Tour TDI. Thing is I don't want to fit a new exhaust, and would like something I can refit if I do ever need to replace the backbox...are there any decent vRS-a-like bolt-on exhaust tips to be had out there? I'd imagine the swept-down pipes would need to be removed to make it fit, but no matter!

The truth is these days no marque in the group has its "own" engines, save the units that find their way into halo Audis, Lamborghinis and Bentleys say. The 1.8T was "originally" an Audi design, which was itself based on another Audi design, which was ultimately based on a 1960s Mercedes-Benz design! So everyone who drives anything from a mk1 Golf GTI to a mk1 Octavia vRS can say they're driving something with an "Audi" engine, but these days it really doesn't matter anymore. And as for perceived differences between the brands? Audis have bigger displays and more functions and shinier switches, but in substance when you compare like with like they really are the same thing. When Bernd Pischetsrieder was head of VAG, he got in hot water for making a speech where he said he didn't understand why people spent so much buying Audis - underneath they're really just VWs. And that's from the chair of Volkswagen AG!