yorkshiretight

Just to say..... I had assumed there was a lever but there wasn't and the Skoda dealer offered to change the beam direction in the workshop which involved taking off the front end bumper and withdrawing the headlamp unit, making the switch and putting the whole thing back together again. The charge was to be £60 but that was just "one way". Another £60 was required to change it back! Could be wrong about the model therefore but it doesn't matter. If you don't have a lever you need these covers.

Changed my Superb 2 last year for a later model which is equipped with a "magic" switch to change the headlamp beam settings from right to left hand drive. Previously I'd purchased from Skoda the only remaining, at the time, pair of headlamp covers, which are clear and stuck a beam bender lens to one of the covers thus changing the beam and preventing dazzling oncoming continental motorists and of course leaving my headlamp glass free of the grunge these things leave behind. It worked very well. I still have the covers which just clip over the headlamp units and are trapped when the bonnet lid is down. Excellent devices still in their original Skoda box. If you'd be interested in using them on your car give we an email at [email protected] and have a trundle over to Holmfirth. Storming Holme moss is a legitimate leisure time activity. Chris

Here's a late tail-end comment that late readers might find useful. If your model has the HID units, the ones with the transformers seemingly welded to the back of the bulbs and which cannot be accessed except by people with double jointed crab claw fingers you will find there are no little levers to change the dip direction. Instead, you might find that Skoda have a polycarbonate type headlight shield that easily clips in place over the entire headlamp unit and has a beam deflector pattern cast into the surface thereby not only bending the beam in an approved manner but also protecting the headlamp from stone impact. I say you might find skoda sell these because when I bought mine, probably 3 years ago, the parts computer indicated I was buying the last pair in the UK so maybe they went off list. However there are afterpart equivalents if you have a look about. So much easier than the stick ons.

Thanks for these responses. Yes the implications of deep weld penetration are not lost on me. The lead on a specialist company was most welcome. I will follow through although I suspect the cost will be painful. The bright spot is that my local skoda shop have been far more open minded and will at leat contact HO so we'll see what happens. Yeah the roads are really bad in W.Yorkshire but as we'd been in Norfolk for 3 days before the break and they have beautifully smooth roads, narrow but beautifully smooth, then I don't think Yorkshire's roads can be to blame. Oh hell! Yes they are! Thanks again. Yorkshiretight

My superb is still under warranty so when a "slow" puncture was checked and discovered to be a cracked alloy rim it was straight round to the dealer to sort out a replacement. Granted I was on holiday at the time and didn't fancy a 300 mile return journey on the limited speed spare so was forced to buy a new matching rim. The dealer who supplied it was gloomy at the prospect of getting any change out of Skoda for the rim under the vehicle warranty. Although the alloy shows some kerb rash the split is actually on the inside face, ie. body side of the rim. Question: Has anyone else got experience of cracking rims? Has anyone else managed to get a new wheel from skoda under warranty arrangements? I'm considering having the crack welded and using it with a matching tyre as a spare to give me a "full speed" option in the event of a puncture. Any technical input on this idea? The only website I've seen that offers mechanical repair to alloys shows pictures that don't fill me with confidence. Anyone know of companies in this field, along the M62 corridor? Thanks Yorkshiretight

We didn't know of that website in advance but, Yes, you can order in advance and they will have it ready for you. Tesco are the only company on the site that have their own entrance directly from the car park so although you might not get parked up right outside it will be easier than pushing one of their carts through the crowded shopping mall.

Headlight beam bending for Europe: November 2009 I bought my Superb Elegance earlier this year and was really looking forward to a continental tour until the practicalities of changing the headlight beam direction kicked in. I found an old string on this DG that basically said don’t worry about it but as I knew I’d be driving at night, in November, using country back roads, terrorising the Gastons with 400 volts of lightning wasn’t on even though some of them may deserve it! The local Skoda dealer quoted £85 to change the beam which would include a return trip to the garage to have it changed back when we returned. My mate who has an Octavia assured me that there was a switch on the back of the headlamp units. Flick it and all would be well. I dismantled the nearside lamp as best I could without removing it from the car but could find no switch. All was not well. I have 2 trips planned to France this month so £85 a time was definitely a non-runner. The old DG string referred to a part number for a set of headlamp protectors. £35 ish quid. A call to the dealer confirmed such a thing existed and added that the part is marked as obsolete and that the stock computer showed only 1 set left. So I bought them. They fit brilliantly. The fitting instructions for the Eurolites kit of patches didn’t really have the correct variation listed (imo) but a position was found that cut of the beam on the passenger side. The driver’s side headlamp did not have a Eurolite patch applied because it’s throw seemed OK. In the dark, in France the one sided set up worked extremely well. The beam was cut off to avoid on coming traffic and the unadjusted beam lit up the pavements/bushes. I know there are aftermarket stone covers for these headlamps and frankly, for the money, you’d be daft not to use the covers/Eurolite solution. It makes better sense than messing about with these rather touchy headlamp units. AND NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS If you’re considering a booze cruise to France to stock up on Xmas cheer, but have decided the £/Euro (must get a keyboard with a Euro symbol) is too parity to bother then here’s the latest info: Diesel (mine’s an oil burner) In 1500 miles we noted a variation of up to 18% in the price of diesel. Prices range from 0.999/l up to 1.18/l. At 0.999/l that’s significantly cheaper than UK (somewhere equivalent to low 90’s/l) whilst top end prices are about the same as UK. And the booze…….. We were shocked at the price of everything in our favourite supermarket, the Auchan at Coquelles. All the old favourites like olive oil, coffee. cheese are now too expensive and wine in those outlets is not as good as it used to be. So continue on to Cite Europe and go to Tesco’s wine shop. Brilliant selection, all the stuff you see in the UK and more at prices designed to get your credit card out of your pocket. For instance in the UK Tesco have loads of 3 bottles for £10 offers. In France its 6 bottles for 10 euros so that’s actually less than £10. In plain English around £1.50/bottle. Ferry day trip tickets are about £30 return so as the Yanks would say… Go figure.