hitthenorth

Thanks. Yes going back to a car that takes double digit seconds to get to 60 will be one of the hardest compromises. Mileage is 35,000 and it appears I seem to have started going through oil. Next service is due very soon (fixed 12 months) but hoping to change before that.

I've nervously followed this thread for the last three years. I'm hoping to shortly part with my Octavia 1.8Tsi, but am rather forced to go for another petrol engine as although I do some long journeys, they can be few and far between. Given all the excellent knowledge in the last few posts, I was wondering what manufacturer's petrol engines, say from 2013 onwards, people rate for reliability. I love the Octavia, but with a previous diesel one's DMF starting to fail, and the problems discussed in this thread with oil consumption and timing chains, I'm thinking of a 1.6L Kia Sportage. At least then there's a good warranty.

Quick update - my local dealer said it wasn't possible to buy from a dealer! The next nearest dealer has quoted 12 months at £395/£365 and 24 months at £625/£545 in both cases prices are with/without Skoda Assist.

Thanks. Skoda UK passed me on to the Skoda Approved Warranty scheme from Car Care Plan which I believe is the same as the one you mentioned. I will call a few dealers.

Just rang Skoda UK and was told there was only a 12 month option and it was £349 / £399 with/without breakdown cover.

@Zillio - was that £550 for both years or per year, and was it by calling Skoda direct? That seems a good price compared to the minimum of £400+ I got from an Audi link I saw on this or one of the other threads, and that was after setting the mileage to max 15K and £250 excess.

I try to ignore this thread as best as I can but always come back to it worrying - especially now as my manufacturer warranty runs out in 5 days. From the first page am I correct that the vast majority of those affected have been pre-2011 and 2.0 litre engines? Just trying to put the risk of my 2011 1.8TSi into perspective and figuring out whether the age and engine size is relevant. The lack of post-2011 1.8's with problems could be down to the new tensioner in CW 20, 2010 combined with a different engine, or just that there aren't as many of them around and they are newer?

I had a 1.9PD for four years - the first diesel I'd owned in over 20 years of buying cars. Loved the economy, (regularly over 50mpg even on short commute), and the torque that was there when we were fully loaded with camping gear. Now gone for a 1.8TSi, largely because I normally do a tiny amount of stop start miles for months on end so the diesel, especially with DPF, didn't make as much sense. It's definitely fun to drive and still plenty of torque when fully loaded. 2000 mile round trip to France camping was a bit more expensive, (somewhere a touch over mid 30s mpg plus the cost difference in France of petrol over diesel), but it seemed a much more pleasurable and quiet drive although that may just be down to it being a car that is 6 years younger.

Thanks for the replies. I'm not so worried about the current level - if it's over then it's by a very small amount; it's the not knowing whether I may have gone a little over when I topped up or how far over would risk being a problem. If the level stays fairly constant over the next few thousand miles then it was probably below the max from my garage before the journey and me topping up. Will have to wait and see I guess. If I remember right the car was levelish and a decent amount of the hatch marks on the dipstick were visible, although it wouldn't have had a long time for any coldish oil to drain back.

Well my trusty 1.9TD Octavia II Estate has gone and now have a 1.8TSi Estate which is a lot thirstier on fuel but nice to drive. Just taken it for a 2000 mile round trip to France camping and have a question/concern about oil level I hope someone can answer/reassure. New oil went in at my local garage before we set off and before the journey back I checked the oil and topped up with 250ml. Thinking back now the check was from cold, (the manual just says switch off engine and wait a few minutes - no mention of operating temperature etc), and not that long after moving it so may have been a false low reading? Now I'm home I've checked again expecting a similar drop but I reckon it's a tiny fraction over the max, although my garage reckons it's absolutely spot on, (although that was at most 60 seconds after the engine was off). I've probably removed 100ml though with all the dipping I've been doing :-) Now I'm concerned that I may have run it over the max especially with all the warnings about the cat but there are five possibilities I can think of: It has used a little or no oil, wasn't up at the absolute max to begin with, and my 250ml has just taken it to the level it is currently at now. It was at max to begin with and used say approx 125ml on the way down/whilst there and the same on the way back and may have run for a while with approx 125ml too much. It was 125ml over to begin with, used 125ml each way and ran for a bit with approx 125ml over both there and back. It was 250ml over to begin with and used that amount both on the way down and the way back. It didn't use any on the way down but somehow used the extra 250ml on the way back. I guess (1) is the most likely, (2) and (3) probably isn't enough over to be be a concern?, and (4) and (5) aren't likely. I didn't measure before we set off and I only normally do small local mileages, (hence the move away from diesel), so probably won't know for quite a while how much oil it really does or doesn't use or definitively which of the above are true. Thanks for any replies.

When we first got ours it took a while to realise it was even there, same as for the under passenger seat box. Still forget about it sometimes and then subsequently find things we've "lost". Seems safer for small valuables than the glovebox therefore if you have to leave anything in the car. Stuff does slide around in it though.

Quick question - just in the process of selling my 05 Elegance 1.9PD Estate and buying an 11 plate Elegance 1.8TSI Estate. Should the new car come with a plastic undertray at the front? My old one did and the garage said they'll get one and fit it if it should have come as standard but wanted to do my own research before they respond. Thanks in advance.

Took a while to get everything apart, but sure enough the rear washer fluid pipe was loose and spraying everywhere. All sorted so thanks for the help.

OK thanks a lot for that. Will take a look when it's not pouring with rain and blowing a gale. Just didn't want to get everything apart and then be missing something.

Thanks for the quick reply, but I'm anticipating it being some wiring loom block that is going to be affected as per the discussion below, in which case I'm wondering what the "neutralising" bit is? http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/183485-high-level-brake-light-always-on/