Rab-k

Anyone sourced/fitted a towbar (fixed or detachable) to a MY2019 estate? (The Facelift, which has what I've seen referred to as a "Shelf Bumper"). Can't seem to find either a towbar/fitter/manufacturer for my model, which is somewhat annoying/inconvenient. Cheers👍

Thanks Ken. I've only got experience with the oil burners we've had... Octy 4x4, Octy Scout and Fabia Greenline. I guess I could phone my main dealer and pick their brains as to the 1.0l MPI.

Quick question... When changing the toothed/timing belt on a 1.0l MPI at 50k, is it necessary/recommended to change the water pump at the same time? Or can the water pump be done separately, given the configuration of the engine?

Well, that was 2 hours and a 32 mile round trip I'll not get back. Utter lemon! Ad says "Private" sale. Turns out the guy is selling it on behalf of a "mate" who, wait for it, owns a garage. 🙄 Leaking oil spread over the rear underside. 5 year/50k service (biggy) overdue. Brakes grinding. Parked with handbrake off and rolled against kerb - guess it's binding. Interior shabby. Exterior similar. Guy still asking for more than the top price quoted by Autotrader for that model/age/mileage - and that was after knocking £300 off the price in the Ad! Funniest thing...advertised as "excellent condition inside and out" 🤣 Only benefit was letting my 18yo witness at first hand what you're up against trying to find a decent 2nd hand motor. 😡

Cheers!

Off to look at a 2016/66 Fabia 1.0l for my 18yo. Private sale. 55k on the clock. Wants over 5k but that's not going to happen - especially as the timing belt will need doing in the not too distant, given its age. Other than the usual, any tips on what else to be on the look out for with this model? Water ingress, engine issues, shocks etc. Cheers

Hunting online has resulted in a couple of hits regarding the window regulator panel being a source for water ingress into the doors. (This needing to be resealed if it ceases being watertight). Also, the number of drain holes in the door needing to be doubled in number. (Don't have the car so can't look to confirm where/how many are present). The door card leaking is also mentioned. Sound familiar to anyone?

Been having issues with water ingress in the front footwells, which had been thought was associated with the forward drains for the pan-roof; but it was tested without any fault appearing. However... Dealer now advises, (following return visit for same issue), that the source of the H2O is in fact the front door speakers...??? (Have also heard from a friend who had the same issue with a 2016 Golf). Anyone able to shed any light as to how this could be the case? Are the doors filling up with water then, once the level is at speaker height, does it then drain out from the speaker? Are the door or window seals at fault to enable such a level of water to accumulate? Should there not be a drain(s) in the door to allow any such water to escape freely? Is this a common complaint? Genuinely stumped as to the hows/whys/wherefores. Answers on a postcard...

Sounds like a dirt/rust issue, especially given the grit/salt on the roads at the moment. Hydraulic fluid was fine. Hopefully it'll do it when I'm driving so I can get a better idea myself. Just need to get the damned leaking pan roof sorted.

Sorry - registered Nov '17, purchased Feb '18, 18K on clock, (1st serviced at 12K). Suspect if I take it in I'll be told all appears ok, so hopefully it'll perform its lacklustre braking for me one of these days.

Living at the top of a hill with a T-junction at the bottom makes for an early application of the brakes from about 20mph approx 20 secs after engine start/moving off. SWMBO has complained about the brakes 'fading' and requiring to be 'pumped' into life in order to bring the car to a halt at the bottom of the hill. Haven't experienced it personally, but anyone have any ideas as to possible cause? Cheers.

They're a pain in this weather. Sub-zero temps combined with dirty (grit+salt) roads = multiple washes of the windscreen = headlamp washers frozen in the extended position for the rest of the 2+hr journey.

Just out of interest, who is the car with? (Should the same problem come up with ours it may be useful to know who has had experience of dealing with such issues).

Plenty of videos online showing why it's a bad idea to fit Winter, (Incl. Winter rated All Season), tyres to your front wheels only - you tend to find yourself going forwards backwards, so to speak. I got my Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 from Kwik-Fit. See if your family members can get you a deal on those. Have a look at the Nokian WR D4 if you've not done so already. You may have to get them online, (I use www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk ), but I found them to be excellent on winter roads.

Spent three years just outside Newton Abbot and recon there were enough winter days below 7°, where Winter rated tyres perform better than Summer tyres, to make them worthwhile. A big consideration however is your S.Devon summer temperature range. >20° and your wear/performance/handling will not be as good in an All Season as it will in a Summer tyre, so having a set of both Summers and Winters might be better in your case. (Wheel/Tyre Trees can be picked up on eBay for less than £20 and I'd recommend them for storing your 'resting' set - be sure to give them a good clean and use a screwdriver to remove all the stones stuck in the tread before storing).

You could always run on what you have until they need replaced... I went through the summer/alloys >< winter/steels switching process for about 8 years before I eventually tired of it and opted for a set of All Season tyres year-round. I would store the set not in use on a tyre tree in the corner of the garage and swap them myself in October and March. Several tubes of Copper Grease later I came to the conclusion that the climate here in the Central Belt of Scotland, usually averaging -5 to +20, was a Goldilocks-Zone for All Seasons and I haven't looked back. Currently, I have Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 on the Scout (c/o Kwik-Fit) and Michelin CrossClimate on the Fabia (c/o Costco). Just make sure if you opt to go down the road of All Seasons that the brand comes with M+S and 3PMSF markings; they're good for those parts of the continent that require such during the winter months should you venture there. Makes for happy motoring on days like these without the hassle factor...

Having same water ingress issue from pan roof but after 3 days water testing the dealer couldn't replicate the leak. Within a week of having it returned the same thing again after heavy rain. No idea what constitutes a water test but I doubt it equates to a good old Scottish dose of "****ing down outside". My previous post had some helpful links from others on the same subject...

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 worked well up/down the steeper sections - really sure footed even when 'given the beans' going uphill. (M+S & Mountain/Snowflake). Octy MkII mudflaps make a big difference in reducing snow build-up on the rear underside. (Flaps need repositioned holes for fitting). (White Skoda badge, rear bumper protective panel and 4x4 badge c/o Superskoda).

A821 yesterday, (Aberfoyle to Callander via Duke's Pass), and not a Gritter in sight... N i i i i i i i i i i i i c e !

Golf Alltrack with Pan roof seems to have issues also. Will see what happens once dealer calls back to arrange for it to go in. I'm hoping they'll check pipes and valves initially which shouldn't take long. Don't want to wave goodbye to a 4x4 with winter rated tyres for 1 - 2 weeks with snow a possibility in mid-Jan.

Thanks for the replies/link to other thread.

Having a similar issue - is your situation resolved?

Having a water ingress issue around the RHS of the driver's foot well, forward of the door. Dealer's mechanic suspects it could be associated with the pan roof drain overflowing on one side, depending on how heavy the rain and if car parked on a slope. Could be that the roof isn't sealing quite right and the amount of rain water getting in overwhelmes the drain. Not confirmed by detailed inspection as yet, but has anyone heard of or experienced a similar issue?

Sounds likely to be the issue here in that case. Off to the dealer in the New Year it is then. Thanks for the steer.