PetrolDave

I used a 256GB SDXC card in my previous Octavia with a MIB1 Amundsen.

Pull all the black plastic covers off on one wheel, you should find 4 'normal' bolts and one security bolt - unless Skoda Israel decided to delete that important item.

That looks to me like the wall fixing bracket from an IKEA Billy bookcase - which you can get free from IKEA by doing a spares order for part number 106989.

... or OBDeleven or any similar VAG diagnostic tool.

There are several on Amazon that claim to be flush fit.

First thing is to clear the codes as they don't reset automatically and see which ones (if any) come back. Then if code still present check the battery voltage (a brand new battery won't necessarily be fully charged) as the electric power steering is very voltage sensitive.

The hardwired cable includes a 12V to 5V converter for the USB cable to the dashcam, this converter will still be consuming power even when the dashcam is unplugged.

You would be surprised how poor the product knowledge is of many dealers and some specialists. AFAIK all Octavia 3's have start/stop, which means that all Octavia 3's have battery monitoring and hence all need recoding when a new battery is fitted.

Not sure if this applies but I'll mention it anyway. Is there an upper clutch switch? When this failed on a previous car the revs would hang higher for a second or so.

I've ripped my cassettes to MP3 and put them onto my iPhone so I can play them at home (HomePod) and in the car (CarPlay).

MIB2 was only fitted from production after mid 2015 (my previous March 2015 Octavia had a MIB1 Amundsen). So you have MIB1 Amundsen.

Trty listening to the title music of Masterchef - my brother has a soundbar with a separate subwoofer but my soundbar doesn't - and on his you hear a deep bass sound that is totally absent on my setup. It's such a difference that I have a new soundbar setup on my wish list...

+1 on both of those comments.

On both my previous 2015 1.4TSi and my current 2016 1.8TSI the battery was/is wrapped in a fabric box that included a lid, but you seem to be describing something much more rigid than that? Maybe something more rigid was a facelift change?

One mechanical water pump plus one electric after-run coolant pump IIRC.

I can only remember one post regarding water pump failure on the smaller TSI engines, so given the oldest cars are now 9 years old I don't think it's something to be regarded as a preventative maintenance job.

SashaGrace no longer owns an Octavia 3...

The advice to replace the water pump at the same time as the timing belt is only valid on engines where they are on the same end of the engine - which means it does NOT apply to the 1.0, 1.4 & 1.5 TSI engines.

I always had a chuckle at how the rear silencer on the early XR2s just sort of hung in mid-air, just waiting for some corrosion and a large bump/pothole to make it snap off onto the road.

1) Poorly fitting bung in the spare wheel well base. 2) poorly sealed rear light cluster. 3) Poorly sealed tailgate/hatch. Basicaly anywhere at the rear end that has an opening to the outside. One way to test is to sit inside the boot area while someone else sprays a pressure washer around the rear of the car.

1. Depends on what headunit it has. 2. No, Android Auto needs a MIB2 headunit which was only introduced from mid 2015 production date.

I had the same experience when living in Southampton, the local Skoda specialist was verging on incompetent (even letting my ex's car out with the reversing lights permanently on and denying they had done so!), so I started taking her Fabia to the VW specialist I used in Totton and the standard of their work on her Fabia was as good as on my RS4 i.e. excellent.

I just got a set off fleabay that came in the original OEM labelled bag.

The standard VW/Audi/Skoda radio removal keys, you need a full set of 4, available from many places including Halfrauds.

I have to admit I went for a Metro instead of a Fiesta, after 2 Austin Metro's and 2 MG Metro Turbo's I vowed never to buy another Austin/Morris, Austin Rover Group (ARG) vehicle as the last one 'eat' 3 batteries and 2 exhausts in just over a year (all replaced under warranty but just too much hassle).