Eccles

Not surprised by briscaF1's discovery. My very knowledgeable mobile mechanic looked at mine last year and pronounced that it was perfect and the five year advice offered only in UK was highly suspect. I'll have another look in two or three years he said but why should Skoda do differently to other makers who are now generally talking 100k miles or thereabouts. I don't do a lot of miles but I do know that the belts are of far better quality these days than when they kicked off back in the 70's.

All this claptrap makes I laugh. Do people seriously imagine that different makes of oil make the slightest difference? I have used Mannol (German) synthetic from the second year in my now nearly nine year old 1.2. Don't know what was put in at the start but wouldn't mind betting it was Mannol due to the nationality. Currently £14.59/5litres on ebay why pay more?

Whether you believe me or not is up to you but I am absolutely certain that the MPG of my 1.2 dropped off noticeably when the E10 arrived and it did not seem to be such a happy bunny after a while (accelerating up hill, etc.) After reading a number of complaints in various publications I decided to go back to what Tesco calls E5 about a month ago I know the fuel is about 5% more expensive but am now convinced that I get around 8% better MPG with it and the engine itself seems altogether happier. Part of the problem is the nutters who are convinced that we need to do this kind of thing to halt climate change and they are not always right. E.g. getting folk to part with large chunks of hard earned cash to buy heat pumps which are known not to be much cop when it gets really cold.

It's only the headlight lamps that need special handling because of the special glass used. You can handle all the others no sweat.

You need to use Motul 5W-30 but it must be 100% synthetic and I cannot say because I am not familiar with Motul.

cam belt change not necessary unless you have done at least 80k but my man would do it for £250 he says, the belts are not as dear as some would have you believe I can get a Bosch job for around £80

As a matter of interest, why was the cam belt changed at only 13k miles? My garage says not necessary until you have done at least 60k and VAG agrees it seems despite their "recommendation" to change at five years - note it's only a recommendation not a mandatory requirement and based on the fact that after five years some of the cars will have done maybe 80k. My car is now eight years old and done 20k, mechanic looked at the bellt last year and said "good as new".

Don't mean to be mean but condensation on the inside is caused by you (and me). Our breath deposits a few millitres all the time and of course it can be seen by breathing out vigorously on a particularly cold day. If you have the car's ventilation system operating much of it will get pushed out but many people have it set to recirculating mode so your moist breath stays in the car and causes condensation.

Very interesting and I think I will stick with my mobile man, no VAT and £37/hour or the garage down the road £55 + vat for the stuff the mobile man can't do. It's a dam shame how folks who don't know better get ripped off bymani dealers whose costs are not much different from my "garage doen the road".

Fascinating, are they effectively saying that brake fluid is no longer as good as it used to be? My very experienced mobile mehanic who I would trust with my life tells me that the life of said fluid varies enormously. He checks mine with a hygrometer every year as "it only takes half a minute" and presently mine is four years old "well you don't do the miles now you are retired" he says and of course he is right. The ignorance of even so called main dealers can be quite amazing at times.

Utter rubbish of course JG, Toyota says similar or are you going to question them as well?? :- Petrol variants produced from 2005 onwards - Toyota Aygo 1.0 50 kW = Timing belt, check and replace if necessary after 10 years. Toyota Aygo 1.0 51 kW (new type) = Timing belt, check and replace if necessary after 10 years. Toyota Aygo 1.2 60 kW (new type) = 165 000 Kilometres or after a maximum of 10 years. Dieselvariants produced from 2005 onwards - Toyota Aygo 1.4 HDi 40 kW = Normal load 240 000 kilometres, heavy load 180 000 kilometres. In both cases up to 10 years. Or maybe VW uses a crap timing belt which no-one else uses, I suspect not.

Why does no other manufacturer that I know of suggest a cam belt change at five years????? E.G:- Ford Model Cambelt Change Intervals Ford B-Max Cambelt Change Every 150,000 miles or 10 years Ford C-Max Cambelt Change Every 150,000 miles or 10 years Ford Ecosport Cambelt Change Every 150,000 miles or 10 years Ford Edge Cambelt Change Every 125,000 miles or 10 years Ford Edge Vignale Cambelt Change Every 125,000 miles or 10 years Ford Explorer Cambelt Change Every 150,000 miles or 12 years Ford Fiesta Cambelt Change Every 144,000 miles or 10 years Ford Fiesta Vignale Cambelt Change Every 144,000 miles or 10 years Ford Focus Cambelt Change Every 144,000 miles or 10 years

Please don't fall for this expensive con trick, belts these days are vastly superior to those of 20 years ago and are generally good for at least 100k miles. No other car maker is "advising" folk to change the belts at five years - you can check it out yourself if you don't beleive me. Mine is now 8 years old and showing no signs of deterioration. My v. knowledgeable mobile mech did some checking for me and discovered that this "advice" is absent in other countries where Fabias are sold.

Why oh why do folk still believe this cam belt rubbish???? My mobile mech did the research on this a while back and obtained confirmaton from the belt makers that belts these days are "for life" meaning at least 100k miles then check the condition if you have been doing silly things like forest rallies/whatever. Mine is now almost 8 years old and no sign of deterioration which is as it should be. NB no other maker (Ford, Honda, Nissan,etc.) "advises you to change cam belts at 5 years".

Agreed, took a full size tumble dryer to the tip last week, that saved a few bob too. NB don't buy a Hotpoint Aquarius condenser dryer, they are crap.

THink you need to move away from that garage, both the salesman and the fitter are mental:- My key fob is still working afater seven years.

Oh dear, how often have I seen this topic and had to reassure folk. My very knowledgeable mobile mechanic finally scotched it two years ago by going to the belt manufacturer directly. This five year business is unknown on the continent and seems to be peculiar (and unnecessary) to VAG UK. The belt manufacturer suggests it should be examined at 160,000 km - that's 100k miles to you and me and then examined every year. Apparently the belts are so much better now than when they started 40 odd years ago that they are often described as "for the life of the engine". My Fabia is now 7 yrs old and my mechanic states that the belt is "like new, why change it".

Why does every other maker I can think of suggest that cam belt is there for life or suggest something over 120k miles? Its because today's cam belts are rather superior to those available a few years ago.

Turn the dam autostart off, it just wears out the expensive battery too quickly. It may seem a "nice to have" but you did OK before you had one didn't you? i alway switch mine off before pulling away.

I don't buy Bosch, too dam dear for a bit of plastic and rubber and you are just paying double for the name. Got my last pair a few weeks ago for £8 on ebay.

Why do people still spend time using ice scrapers and the like when it is so easy to put a cheap screen cover on in the afternoon? I bought mine on ebay 20 years ago for £1.99. So far as misting is concerned, it can only happen if there is moist air in the car - think about it.

Just wondering: There are some people who get the revs up and let in the clutch far to slowly, my father in law was one and eventually paid for his bad driving with a new clutch which cost £450 in those days (30 yrs ago)

I drove cars for over 50 years with no air-conditioning it did not seem to be a big problem to me. You have guessed it, if my A/C unit packs up I will not replace it.

I asked my very knowledgeable mobile mechanic recently as my Fabia Estate 1.2 is now over six years old. He did some research on the continent (don't know where) and eventually asked how many miles I had done - 17,000 actually. " Forget it" he said, "Those belts are reckoned to be "for life" it seems and vastly better than those made a few years ago so don't even bother until you have done at least 100,000 or you know it has been damaged in some way."

Certainly don't pay £500 for a cam belt change or anything like it. My very knowledgeable mobile mechanic is doing mine on Tuesday for £200 - about £80 for the kit and £120 for him. He reckons it would be good for another couple of years but I want to play it safe. The official VAG advice is check it at five years but changing it at that time is only a recommendation - I asked them. Got my aircon done last year for £45 at a local garage.