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Hi, Does anyone have any experience with the Hunter 4 wheel alignment system? Had my car checked at a local wheel specialist. They have a good reputation, BUT I was slightly concerned when the operator was finding my car on the software and he got two options. I'm paraphrasing but one was "standard" suspension and the other was labelled "RS Sports" suspension. He initially went with the standard until I asked him if that was correct as my car is the vRS model. He didn't definitively know which he should choose! This may be a stupid question (wouldn't be the first time!), but I wanted to check whether the vRS Estate I have which is completely standard has the "standard" suspension" or the "RS Sports". i.e. was the RS Sports suspension standard on my car or was it an optional extra for the vRS model? Additionally if anyone can recommend somewhere to go to get my alignment checked at somewhere that knows how to use their equipment properly and are good mechanics at making the necessary changes, please let me know. I live in Sheffield but regularly work in York so anywhere between or near either of those would be great. Thanks in advance for your help.

PastyBoy, Decbeck - thanks for your advice. Decbeck - PM sent.

Forgive my lack of knowledge! Would these fit straight onto Mk 1 Octavia VRs estate? (I *think* the original Spiders are 16 x 6.5J, ET 42, PCD 5x100) Thanks.

Please bare with me as my technical knowledge of cars is limited! My rear o/s caliper isn't releasing properly and my mechanic is finding out prices for a replacement for me from Skoda tomorrow. I just wondered if anyone has any tips on my options - any recommendations on where else I can get a caliper (I'm assuming from Skoda will be the most expensive option)? Is it possible to get such things as refurbed calipers? Any advice gratefully received.

My car battery died last week and has been replaced with a new one. The first indication I had that there was a problem with the car was that it wouldn't unlock with the key fob. Then it wouldn't start (was completely dead) which led to the battery being looked at and replaced. So I assumed once I had the new battery the central locking would work from the key fob but that's not the case unfortunately. I had a look in the handbook which describes doing the following to re-synch the key fob: i) Press any button on the key fob ii) Within a minute open the drivers door with the key I've done this but with no success. Are the above instructions correct as I have a handbook for the Octavia Tour and not the original as it was lost when I bought the car? The battery could have gone in the key fob but that would be very coincidental to have gone at the exact same time as the car battery. Is there a light or anything that should illuminate on the key fob when it is working? Is there anything else I can check along the lines of fuses etc.? Any suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks for the replies. The recovery got me started easily and he quickly checked the alternator was working ok, which it was. Unfortunately he didn't do an additional check to make sure the battery was actually taking a charge. So 100 miles later into my 170 mile journey I stopped for petrol and lo and behold my battery was still completely flat So after not using a recovery service for probably 7 years I used them twice in 3 hours!! Luckily my mechanic is where my Mum is so dropped it straight down there for him to sort out this morning.

I've not used the car much recently but need it today to go home and do my Mother's day duty . Last night I checked oil level, tyre pressures etc. but the car wouldn't unlock from the remote key fob. So I guessed battery might be flat, and when I tried to start it there was nothing! So I borrowed a neighbours battery charger (one of these modern more sophisticated chargers apparently that monitors the charging cycle etc.). The charger indicated the battery was charged late last night but I didn't actually try starting it. Now this morning I tried to start it and nothing again :( I've called the recovery to see if they can get me going but had a few questions: 1) If the battery is dead, am I better waiting until I can ring round a few places for prices than taking one from the recovery company who I assume will be overpriced? 2) Any advice on where to buy from/what sort of battery is best (there seems to be quite a choice in battery technology nowadays). 3) Is there anything I should specifically do before removing the battery in terms of avoiding damage to ECU etc.? 4) When I bought the car it didn't come with the original owners manual so I bought a replacement from Skoda which they still publish for the 'Tour' I think. It's unclear whether I do or don't need a code for the radio (I don't have one), as it says you might not have a radio that needs a code. Any ideas? Sorry for all the questions, I'm not very experienced with car mechanics and don't want to mess anything up. Any help greatly appreciated.

I was told by a Skoda dealer there weren't any front mud flaps designed for the vRS, however my mechanic ordered and fitted a pair without problem from his usual VAG supplier. That was in August last year and I've had no problems with them at all.

I was as equally surprised as you! Yes, he is a very good mechanic, which is why I was so puzzled by his opinion. The only explanation I can think of is that with my limited mechanical knowledge I somehow explained what I was talking about wrong -but it's not that complex so I shouldn't have caused any confusion!!

Many thanks to the OP and everyone else's replies. Just wanted to ask something that has puzzled me after I asked my mechanic about replacing the oil pick up as recommended here. The mechanic is not a Skoda or VW specialist but is a very, very experienced time served mechanic who is highly respected and has worked on many cars with this engine. When I mentioned I would probably have this done at my next oil change he said he wouldn't bother. His grounds for this was that the car has always had the correct spec high quality oil, and that once you take the sump off these engines you struggle to seal them again properly as there is always oil running down from somewhere as you try to seal them on refitting. It is this second point that puzzles me! I have no mechanical experience at all, so rely on his knowledge (which has served me faultlessly over many years), but at the same time, the knowledge of people on here is phenomenal and has already helped me enormously. Is there anything in his concerns about sealing the sump?

Thank you for your help.

Thanks both for your reply. I didn't include the detail as I thought it would put people off replying! I'll give as short a summary as I can. The reason for asking for some general unofficial advice is that my friend is only 18 and recently passed his test. He is currently considering not involving insurance but paying out of his own pocket because he figures it will be cheaper for him in the long term than the increased premiums through having made a claim. However I think he is not in anyway at fault and should therefore involve insurance to clear him of fault. Its of course possible that I'm wrong, hence my post on here: He had safely edged out from a side road onto a well lit main road (30mph limit) in order to turn right. So was therefore stationary and blocking the nearside carriageway (traffic coming from his right). As he waited for a gap in the traffic coming from his left, a driver coming from his right elected not to wait but to drive around the front of his car (and therefore crossed the centre of the main road they were on). However, this driver mis-judged the size of their own car and as they moved back onto the correct side of the road, clipped the front left side of my friends car with the rear left of theirs. They are claiming it is my friends fault for the incident as in their opinion it was illegal for him to be in that position on the road. I have no professional legal or insurance claims experience but I disagree with their position. I have been driving for 18 years and regularly do the same manoeuvre if necessary in busy traffic, and see countless other motorists do the same. Is it really illegal? In my opinion, they cannot claim to have not seen my friend as they obviously carried out a manoeuvre to drive around him, and in doing so crossed to the wrong side of the carriageway. Surely they are the ones at fault? Is their any legal strength in arguing that in seeing him, they should have waited and given way to him? Your opinions greatly appreciated.

Hi, A friend of mine has recently been involved in a minor (but potentially costly) 'accident' with another vehicle. I won't bore you with the details here, but just wanted to ask if anyone on this site works in the legal or insurance professions and could offer me some basic unofficial advice. Thanks

Thanks for the advice.

I don't use my car that much in terms of driving frequently. It can often be a week or more between when I actually need to use the car. Then when I do need to use the car it will be for several hundred miles over a weekend, mainly motorway miles. So, I'm not doing those engine damaging short journeys and spend little time (hopefully!) sitting in traffic. So thats the good news, but I'm sure such infrequent use has it's downsides too? For example the brake discs are covered in surface rust by the time I come to use it. Are the tyres or suspension being stressed detrimentally from being stationary in one position for prolonged periods of time? Should I leave the handbrake off and chock the wheels to stop the handbrake binding? Is the body work going to be affected (I live on the coast, approx 200m from the beach so lots of sand and sea air blowing around - the car it parked outside). Anything else I've not thought of? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to keep the car in as good condition as possible. Would it be worth taking it for say a 20 mile drive once a week just for the sake of getting everything up to operating temperature, applying the brakes hard a few times to clear the discs? Any advice most welcome.