Thecko

That's the primary reason I don't use my phone + bluetooth to be honest, I'm instead using a usb+aux-in cable with my iPod so I get full playlist control + song info on the Swing unit. For controlling playback on Bluetooth both the actual phone and the car's multimedia unit need to support AVRCP (needs version 1.3 for track meta information), but manufacturers seem to assume that nobody will know what any of this means and therefore don't seem to publish which standards they conform to, meaning researching whether your phone and/or car are even capable of doing this becomes a complete guessing game :(

Note: the *really* cheap Y cables on eBay that have a very thin triangular junction box where the two cables branch off actually don't have any type of serial converter in them so will not work.

You need a Y cable (a cheap one on eBay that says it's for Mini should work), the USB side of things is not for USB mass storage but is actually a TTL->RS232 Serial converter, with the other part of the Y cable being a standard 3.5mm audio cable. The official cable from Skoda is stupidly expensive for what it is. In terms of MPG reported on the trip mine tends to be around 5% optimistic compared to what I actually get brim to brim but I don't know if there's going to be any difference in (in)accuracy between the petrol and diesel variants.

If your decision tree has a heavy preference on technology, gadgets and shineyness, then I actually also expect the Fabia 3 to come up trumps... but different people have different priorities, I'll be astonished if the Fabia 3 is 'bigger' than the Rapid in terms of interior space / boot capacity, as that would put it on the same level as the Octavia which would be boneheaded.

I imagine in terms of physical size/space the Rapid will still sit between the Octavia and the Fabia, but in terms of equipment/comfort/refinement we'll just have to wait and see I suppose. I don't think the new Fabia is MQB based, so it'll be interesting to see what they serve up.

I can't speak for anyone else but when I bought my Rapid there were very few 1.4 TSIs around and even fewer that had any kind of pre-reg discount available.... I've still not driven one yet, I'd like to find out how well it goes, but the lack of a manual box is a bit of a bummer and even if I had the money to throw around it would probably put me off buying one.... I think the entire left hand side of my body would get bored in an automatic.

The lack of one-touch-up window control is probably the only thing that actually does annoy me about my Rapid tbh... I couldn't care less about the other windows in the car, but putting my window up while I'm driving I'd prefer not to have to have my hand away from the steering wheel for so long. Does look good in green How is the ride quality over potholes/rough roads compared to the Octy?

I'd just like to pitch in and say I'm glad somebody's buying a Rapid in Rallye Green Hope you enjoy it ThePlumber, if one had been available when I got mine I'd have been sorely tempted!

No, I'm just being facetious as I know a number of people who have the same gripe about people using traffic lights "when it's not busy" and yet I've been in cars with them when they've raged about it because someone legitimately used the crossing - From it I have concluded they don't hate being inconvenienced unnecessarily, they just hate being inconvenienced full stop and appear to think people should wait for 5 minutes if necessary for a gap in traffic before crossing... it winds me up, and I've decided to vent about it here as a reaction to the arguments sounding almost exactly the same

Given the description I'd have to wonder why it's there at all then, I assume you've written to your local council asking them the question.

Actually, the buttons are there for a reason and I'll nearly always use them unless I know I have enough time to cross the road with no chance of someone speeding along... Someone had a go at me for using a crossing correctly once (evening time, steady stream of traffic), saying they hate it when people do it to them when driving and that we should simply wait for a gap in the traffic to jog across - hey, I'll tell you what, if you're close enough to the lights in your car to be inconvenienced by those lights turning red then maybe, just maybe, they actually did the right thing by pressing the button and waiting for the signal to cross.

The problem with journalism is you can never tell whether things are being said tongue in cheek or not. Remember his "maybe it's because I'm black" comment when he was being called in front of the stewards for some pretty poor driving at the time? The press had a field day with it but if you saw the TV interview where he said it he had a smile and a small chuckle to himself, making a crap joke when the situation's pretty bleak is something we've probably all done on occasion.

I assume you mean a Mk2 Fabia Estate

Did you see Rosberg checking it out when he joined the team for the photo? The look on his face was totally along the lines of "WTF is this?!"

It really depends on how you drive and what the cost difference is between the cars, you'd have to ask your dealer about that.... I'd say, take a (good, long, typical journey for you) test drive of both cars, look at the trip computer MPG, take 10% off that figure to be safe, and work out the difference in petrol cost over your usual annual mileage, also look at the difference in VED cost for both engines (the 1.2 mpi is a higher band), work that out over the loan term and the tsi might not be quite so expensive as you think?

Sounds like a standard PCP deal to me... If that deal is 0% finance over three years then it's actually not such a bad deal, you could always take out a £5k personal loan (whatever the interest rates may be at the time) to pay the final payment on the car... Or, and I know this could be a stretch on finances, put £140 a month in to a small cash ISA, after 3 years you've got £5k in the bank.

I want some for my Liftback as well .... haven't managed to find any :( Wonder if Lee @ Preston Motors is lurking and able to shed any light on the availability....?

It's more likely the water in the doors thing, I've had it once and never happened since, pretty easy to drain them and there's a mod the dealers can do, see here for info: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/276763-water-collecting-in-rear-doors/

Must be one of those cars that seem to come fitted with a digital accelerator - off or on, nowhere in between.

That might be what would prompt you to gesticulate at another driver, but I wouldn't assume that in this particular case, I've had a few times where I've been in a lane overtaking a lorry travelling at 70, then pull in ahed and have a car who was behind me cut in front of me and do the exact same thing. The first time was within a month of me passing my test, so was an inexperienced driver, lucky for both of us that I did at least have quick enough reactions to slam on my brakes (god knows what the lorry behind us thought of the matter). I realise many people see the 70mph speed limit as being out of date and should be raised, but honestly, there is absolutely no justification whatsoever to get so outraged at being behind a vehicle travelling on the speed limit.

I can't say I agree with any of the assertions made in that article if I'm honest, and I've certainly had no problems with 'glare'. There also appears to be no real survey conducted, just a case of 'many motorists claim'. Facts gleaned from people posting on internet forums perhaps?

I've left mine on (I have a switch in my fuse box, others don't - it seems random whether it's fitted or not?)... It does amuse me though that they're brighter than the side lights

It's like that trying to get on the roundabout to turn right from` the business park where I started work a couple of months ago, the A34 heading towards stockport grinds to a complete halt every day and therefore everybody who wants to join the car-glacier feels everyone else should come to a stop too *sigh*

I worked within 5-10 minute drive of Cheshire Oaks for 5 years and the standard of driving on display every day was utterly abysmal, therefore being unable to park a car between two white lines doesn't surprise me at all, deliberate or not!

Drove 145 miles home after making the outward journey yesterday morning..... poor thing is now in desperate need of a wash and probably won't have time until the weekend after next now :( Might give it a once over with the lance at Asda after work tomorrow just to make it look semi respectable!