travs

I’d say the Octavia is more lively for track/b-road. The Superb is a big family motorway cruiser; more room, more sedate. I think the 280 power suits it really well for that. Plenty of options for replacing/upgrading parts etc

I like - along with the oil filler and washer fluid filler cap etc. but then I see the price and am sad

They’re very effective. Drove down to in-laws with the kiddies and with the rear screen from @Tankdave and these, it was like being in a blacked-out limo in the back. 5 days from Order to Door from Australia is decent too.

Having 2 small children and a sunny time of year, I thought it would be a nice touch getting the roller-blinds built in but they're expensive. Instead I went for Snapshades magnetic ones which pretty much cover the entire glass area and is very quick and easy.

I'd change the whole thing given the age and mileage; components are going to start showing their age so you'll be saving hassle by replacing the arm which includes 2 bushes and the bottom ball joint. You'll find they're just as likely referred to as Lower Control Arms or LCAs. You can get the aluminium ones (pattern parts from Autodoc) but you have to be careful which model as per this post - Passat and Arteon are ok, Golf parts are not as they're too short so make sure it isn't that. I'd also consider changing both sides as it goes, for the same reason.

Yeah I'd leave that to someone who knows what they're doing if it comes to repairing physical damage as opposed to ingrained dirt. Heat on interior materials (especially plastics) is something suggested on a lot of forums but its a short-term effect and in the longer term it'll look worse. Check out auto-recon ronnie on instagram - american bloke who's a wizard when it comes to repairing interior materials but he's been doing it since the dawn of time.

I'm swapping rears to fronts in perfectly workable condition. If I didn't, I'd end up with old cracked tyres at the rear after going through several sets of fronts, even on an AWD when the rears should be chiming-in on occasion. Always been the way except in a rwd 3-series. Whilst I don't disagree that traction at the front isn't essential, I don't think its the "essentialness" of grip in question; we're splitting hairs over when to swap tyres rather than re-educating ourselves away from running tyres bald. So personally, I'd still prefer to lose the front-end than the back. I'd also prefer that to happen if my wife is driving too because the first thing she'd do is lift off and I wouldn't blame her for that.

Why?! For you that's every 2 years.

As above, generally my fronts wear quickest so when it comes the time to replace them, the rears go on the front and the new ones go on the rear. I want the front to give way first so the best tyres go at the back. Always the same make/model and only ever the 2 on the same axle. That is entirely my choice based on what I choose to believe etc. Each to their own and live and let live etc

Generally interior materials have some sort of grain; be it leathers or plastics. When you get marks on them the difficulty is often not getting into all the little cracks and differences in the surface. Generally, a damp cloth is great way to clean a lot of surface grime off - get a couple of light coloured flannels and you’ll see how the dirt comes off on them (choose cotton flannels so you can give them a hot wash as MF cloths shouldn’t be washed above 40degrees). However to get right into all the nooks and crannies then get a dedicated interior cleaner and a medium soft detailing brush - small circles moving around, so that the bristles get into every gap from different directions. Gentle pressure, let the tips of the bristles and the product do the work rather than pressure and elbow grease. For steering wheels, get a brush like a shoe brush (long and flat) rather than paintbrush long-handle. Same thing, spray product on the brush so you avoid overspray and gentle circles all around. Let us know how you get on @vblanche

Is this the Skoda tablet-holders? I have one and the head restraints didn’t need removing, just pushes between the two poles. Get your viewer some headphones; downside of it is the sound is right behind the driver’s head.

Given the problem last year seemed towards the end of summer, its now summer again and the link refers to problems when warm - have you looked at that?

I used to audit a Glass company years ago - they made lots of different types of laminate glass and it wasn’t much mucking around to do different ranges; laminate, coloured, then they started doing the stuff that goes opaque when an electrical current is put through. Last I know they were looking at putting interactive film or LED lattices in to make the glass light up or looking at bullet-proofing etc. My guess is once the setup is there, it’s not much to include a different product etc

Asking as I have no idea myself so just curious...is there anything in those screenshots that looks out of expectation? Regen time, exhaust gas temp, EGR closing? Google suggest 600 degrees is needed so if the highest temp on your screenshots (and the graph in the photo looks like its coming down at that point) is 519, maybe the car thinks there is something wrong as it can't reach temp? And an EGR not closing could be a cause of that.

Pretty sure its those sorts of speeds that the exhaust temps will be hottest rather than slow/town driving so if there is something that's leaking as a result of heat expansion then that would ring true. If its a gap in a join it would likely close as everything heats up (I've got a bit of a deep bellow exhaust noise when the car's really cold for the first 10 seconds or so, then it goes never to return) but something in the flex might act differently and open up.

Yeah get rid of them trees! 🤭

Meaning really odd that the area behind the grille is closed off and needs cutting open

This is basically part of the R600 housing replicated to fit with the standard airbox I think? As @JR RS described, really odd why it’s done like that. Equally confusing is how it can’t be done on the car. I found it noticeable but at the same time as the intercooler and charge pipes - so more volume shifted from the front bumper all the way through to the intake. Means I couldn’t see an isolated effect. But it’s obvious how it opens up the channel to the airbox.

So the options are: Cat. You can have fast cat or decat. GPF. For countries where it’s not a legal requirement, the option won’t have threaded holes for sensors to plug in as I guess they won’t be in the loom? Where it is legal, you’ll have the locations for sensors to be plugged in, but either way there won’t be a GPF. You’ll get an error unless you map it out which usually comes with Stage 2 remaps as downpipe is a requirement. Additional Silencer option - where customers want to remove the GPF but retain a stock sound, an additional silencer box can be added. Doesn’t seem to impact flow, as that’s more about the bore of the pipe, freer-flowing cat and GPF removal, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did have a minor effect. So for me, I’d have to go with all of that - all the go, none of the show. Keeps in line with the Q-car nature of it all.

Cheers Mario. Old man to the rescue. Debadged and I'm thinking actually of removing the SKODA on the back... Its currently Stage 1+, which is RL speak for intake and intercooler but no downpipe. They introduced it when the GPFs came in so people could...ahem...stay legal. DNF engines (EA888.4) have a bigger Continental turbo so remap-only supposedly goes to 390-400bhp; that's 70bhp for an S3 but 120bhp for the Superb (and a Passat has the same 280 version). I have the seen the Sleeper - kudos but they should have thought about offering it as a package like ABT on the Leon Cupra STR. I think they essentially did what APR are offering (but RL not yet on the EA888.4) which is a Stage 3 bigger turbo, but sacrificing top-end by keeping the standard downpipe with GPF. You can get comfortably over 500 by upgrading the turbo (Powermax 2 is the most common option) but the downpipe will end up being the weak link restricting flow despite the greater boost pressure. As for gearbox, I don't think 500NM is going to be the limit. TVS Stage 2 ECU remap states 560NM and if they don't advise doing anything about the gearbox then I think there's wiggle room. I've had the Racingline TCU though. Interesting point on the Dongle, might be worth a look - the Phirm also don't RR it but create custom maps out on the road as it is more indicative of the real-world car.

RL says 430bhp and 550NM; it could be better as we cut out the front plastic trim for better induction airflow behind the grille - or it could be worse as it’s an average quote and it’s below average. Engine-wise; R600 and inlet pipe, Wagner intercooler and charge pipes (turbo to intercooler - intercooler to throttle body), upgraded plugs and coil packs just to make sure it’s a decent spark. RL ‘Stage 1+’. Stage 2 will be downpipe and then should be 450bhp and 588NM. Then Powermax2….🤪 Can’t go for loud as family car and will get it in the neck. Hence Trackslag downpipe with no GPF but with their additional silencer to keep noises subtle. At the point of getting the turbo in and finish playing with it physically it might be worth going to Kalam

My bad - only just listened to this. Sounds right on the money. Agree 100% telling you what he's done is brilliant for those that want to know and are interested. The RL stuff is great but I've got no idea how they've achieved what they have - and I haven't RR'd it so no idea what its actually producing.

Seem to drive very little in the dark in this part of the year but will keep an eye out and report back.

As an executive summary - this is where essentially, instead of lighting up the left side of the road and keeping it low on the right (to stop the other side being dazzled), the car does the opposite and keeps the light low on the left and lights up the right-hand side of the road?

Its not just the different tuning versions within each stage; You pay for one stage and they're all free with the PDM. I bought ran Stage 1 initially, then remapped to Stage 1+ when the intercooler/charge pipes went in. Now I'm eye-ing up a downpipe, I'll be able to Remap to Stage 2 as soon as I get the car home again. If I leave the car for a while I can remap to 0 (ie no map so the car cant be started as an anti-theft measure). Its a really good setup.