roadster

Its about 7 years since I bought a new Fabia and in my present circumstances I find a new Kodiaq an attractive proposition. I like to plan replacement cars on a timetable that's convenient for me and about every three years if possible. Accordingly I dropped in to the local dealership to enquire about lead times etc. I was told that to be on the safe side I would need to allow 22 to 26 weeks from placing the order and I find this hard to understand. Even allowing for 4 weeks delivery from the country of manufacture. Why does a company which plans its production on a JIT basis and demands delivery of components from its suppliers practically hourly give such a poor service to its customers? I suspect the answer might just be a matter of gaining financial advantage, can there be any other explanation? This is very likely to colour my choice of new vehicle and it won't be in Skoda's favour.

Sorry to all its gone already.

As I'm preparing to move house I am trying to clear my garage and I have a used Whiteline BWR19Z - REAR SWAYBAR - SEAT/SKODA/VW Its a bit rusty so needs some paint but is otherwise complete and ready to fit. This is free for collection ONLY. Please don't ask me to post it or pack it. From my recollection it doesn't make the back end of the Fabia II too stiff but does just control cornering roll to give a more comfortable ride if you like to take bends that little bit faster. Location is South Oxfordshire near Didcot. Please PM me if you want it.

I have decided to part with my TSI 1.2 105 PS and unfortunately I can't get what I want from another Fabia. I'm after the 1.4 TSI ACT 140 PS engine and this means a SEAT. The Skoda had been faultless but I can't afford to run a VRS so it has to be the Ibiza. From underneath it looks like the same car but I'm looking forward to getting more performance for less petrol. Its a shame that Skoda haven't got round to using the ACT engine yet. Its the one in the Polo Blue Motion GT which runs on 2 cylinders when power demands are low. Only a matter of time I expect. So for now its farewell to Fabia fans. regards Roadster

Just to follow up on the last 2 posts. There is an extensive thread on the wastegate shim issue which doesn't seem to be treated as a recall in the UK although it is in other countries. I have had no problems but some report that it cures poor throttle response after a period of slow down(turbo lag?). It is possible that the change also makes the throttle less sensitive and reduces low rpm torque. Can't help wondering if VAG are worried about drive train problems caused by excessive low speed torque but I don't know of any. I am happy with my fuel consumption at 41 mpg because this is using twisty minor roads. I don't commute and I tend to avoid motorways and major roads wherever possible. I went for the 105 engine because I enjoy using the performance when its safe to do so. I have seen a best figure of 48 mpg when travelling in unavoidable continuous traffic at the 'convoy' norm of 40-50 mph. Driving style is the key to fuel consumption and I don't deny that I could choose to accelerate and brake much less when on traffic free roads. Regards Roadster

I'm running a K&N cone filter in place of the standard air box and using the original pipework - fresh air intake still in situ. It makes an interesting noise when accelerating ( very throttle responsive) but nothing out of the ordinary when cruising at constant speed. I don't think there is any great difference in performance or fuel consumption but its definitely no worse and it is fun to drive! The K&N is a generic part which I already had on the shelf so I can't be precise about which one it is. It does have a tapping point for the small hose that goes to the widget on the cam cover ( what is that?). Regards Roadster

I'm very happy with my 105hp TSI. I see 45 mpg on journeys where traffic restricts speed but more often get 41 mpg when I drive the way I prefer to. On motorways if I cruise at 80 mph it still returns 42mpg but it drops if I go over that. ( Always using premium grade fuel mostly Shell) Power delivery is all bottom end and mid-range and this can catch you out a bit if you expect more when overtaking by dropping a couple of gears. I have been told that there is a service recall to shim the turbo waste gate control and update the ECU but Skoda haven't contacted me so I haven't followed it up yet. Regards Roadster

Thinking back over more decades than I care to remember I have had similar mystery problems on 3 occasions. They were solved by going back to basics and remembering that an engine is really just an air pump and a fuel pump combined. Two of these cases were caused by blocked air intakes - one being incorrectly assembled and the other having a broken piece of plastic which sucked itself into a position blocking off the airflow. The other was a blocked exhaust pipe. All of these resulted in choked off power output. Of course with a petrol engine the mixture goes bad and thats fairly easy to spot as black smoke and rough running. Not so with a diesel. Not strictly relevant but I have also heard tales of BMW engines leaving the factory with their very fancy intake manifold castings having casting flash blocking off some of the cylinders! From your performance figures I doubt that the sick engine is producing half of its rated power, I hope your luck changes soon. Regards Roadster

Sounds like you're talking about the gearchange and clutch mechanisms. Regards Roadster

I'm still running in my TSI 105 but I've got to the point where I am using full throttle from time to time. Seem to be getting 42 m.p.g. But it is hard to drive with any kind of restraint because its too much fun to let the engine wind up on the turbo. Fitting a cone type air filter has made it quite a bit more responsive and the aural feedback helps the throttle control. Regards Roadster

Sorry wrong thread!

Thanks. It wasn't my imagination then. Regards Roadster

I have a few miles on the clock of my new TSI (105) and its hard to restrain my right foot but I am trying to ease in for the first 100 miles. It does seem that the throttle reponse in second gear is much better than in first. I strongly suspect that this is programmed in to reduce torque and prevent wheelspin. ( No fancy ESP options on mine ). I know I said I was taking it easy but when (say) pulling out of difficult junctions safety sometimes comes before mechanical sympathy! Fellow bikers will know that modern bikes all have different fuelling in different gears ( and aftermarket devices to overcome them), is that what this is? Regards Roadster

Isn't direct injection the answer to poor fuel consumption though? If you only blow fresh air out of the closing exhaust valve no fuel is wasted and the extra air cleans up the exhaust. Regards Roadster

Has it occurred to anyone that a direct injection blown petrol engine could be ideal for running as a two stroke? You would need a different camshaft and some sort of low rpm blower ( maybe electric ?) Then a different electronics package. Perhaps a tuning company would like to take this on? Not with my car though. Is that what the TS stand for?