MikeTheThinker

Have a word with @Breezy_Pete , one of our forum members who also fixes window mechanisms. His work is good and affordable.

Couple of points: 1) does your commute involve any pollution control zones? If it does you'll need a compliant vehicle (at least Euro 5 IIRC). 2) Facelift for Octy 2 was 2008-onwards, with a little blurring depending on which parts bin was closest to the production line :)

After tracking down an intermittent traction alert on my MY07 Scout we found the problem is a faulty pump on the Haldex unit. I did a lot of web trawling and eventually found one on aliexpress.com for just over 50 squid - a far better result than Mr VAG's several hundred pounds and a long wait! The question; other than not being able to use 4WD is there any harm in holding off replacing the pump? It's a messy job involving a ramp and raising the rear axle so ideally I'd like to wait until the car is booked in for a cambelt/pump next year. Answers on a postcard :)

Was the hum at road speed or engine speed? If road speed suspect a (probably) rear wheel bearing.

I had literally just finished typing a similar note and was going to post it - but someone beat me to it! :)

An info dump that may help: From Mr Google's AI but makes sense on read through. Note use of chassis number for insurance. "Yes, you are permitted to drive an unregistered vehicle to and from a pre-booked Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test, provided the vehicle is insured for the journey and you carry proof of the appointment. You don't need a MOT for this journey, but the vehicle must only be used for this purpose and for any necessary trips to a garage for remedial work following a failed test. What you need to do: Get insurance: Ensure you have specific insurance cover for the journey to and from the IVA test centre, which can often be arranged using the vehicle's chassis number. Book the IVA test: You must have a pre-booked IVA test appointment. Keep proof of the appointment: Carry a copy of your test appointment with you in case you are stopped by the police. Travel directly to and from the test: The legal permission to drive the unregistered vehicle only extends to the journey to the test center and back to your home, or directly to a garage for repairs after a failure. No MOT required for the journey: You do not need a valid MOT certificate for this specific journey to the IVA test. Also might be worth a butcher's at kit car fora as builders will have to deal with similar circumstances.

From Fleet News: "Chinese car brands registered more than 43,500 units in August – a 121% year-on-year increase and more than the individual volumes recorded by several major European brands. Sales data from Jato Dynamics show that combined registrations of Chinese car brands last month were higher than those of Audi (41,300 units) and Renault (37,800 units). Although registrations by Chinese car brands comprise 40 different brands, the top five players – MG, BYD, Jaecoo, Omoda, Leapmotor – account for 84% of the total. By brand, MG registered more new cars than both Tesla and Fiat last month, BYD was ahead of Suzuki and Jeep, and Jaecoo and Omoda outsold brands including Alfa Romeo and Mitsubishi." Chinese car brands outsell Audi...Chinese car brands outsell Audi and Renault in EuropeChinese car brands registered more than 43,500 units in August – a 121% year-on-year increase.

What might the "dangly" bits be?

Just noticed how appropriate the sun band is for this shot; excellent :)

Have a close look at the cover plate for a part number. That will make it much easier to find a replacement part.

Depending on the depth of the impact you will be looking at either outer skin damage (headlamp, bumper, possibly wing) or - if deeper - the assortment of bracketry that links the chassis to the skin. You haven't given the model year of your car so I've attached parts diagrams from LLLParts for the bumper and wing for a 2010 facelift mk2 Octy to give you an idea. It won't be possible to make an accurate assessment of damage until the damaged outer skin elements are removed. BTW there are plenty of facelift mk2 Octys on offer from breakers.

And then you run the risk of the rest of the car looking faded and drab. Spray with caution ...

There is a known weakness in the door harness that passes through the A pillar -it gets bent and straightened a lot as the door is used and individual wires can break, especially in older cars when the insulation hardens and can crack. To inspect this you need to pull back the rubber protective sleeve where the harness goes into the A pillar and gently pick apart the bundled cables, checking each one for cracks and possibly breaks. I thought I had a relevant wiring diagram to offer but unfortunately it seems I do not. I suggest a forum search for more information, as this is a well-known issue.

I'd start looking for a common earth for the pax side. I don't know which earth point you will need but I suspect it will be your equivalent of E3 or E11. The diagram (from Mr Haynes) shows all the earth points for a right hand drive mk2 Octy.

The time for a funeral pyre is if it FAILS the MoT, not after it PASSES :)

Comes with its own cemetery, too! Neat :)

Been used in Europe, maybe?

'Dim bulb' is often an indicator of an earthing problem somewhere.

Our insurers will arrange to have those filled FOC as long as they are 'minor' and don't impinge on the driver's eyelines. I'm assuming such a service is generally available - but I haven't asked. P.S. It's getting difficult to cross my fingers for long these days so will crossed eyes do it for you? :)

There were two hits on fleabay just now for £11.99 - https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=6Q0711051&_sacat=0 Or take a look at skoda-parts.com in Czech; great stock and excellent service - https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-parts/6Q0711051.html

^ aka "Italian Tune-Up" :)

Added to which my old magic black mk1 Octy estate went to the breakers a few weeks back. Motor as strong as ever but far too much tin worm in the chassis. At least our SIL stayed brand loyal and bought a Fabia estate from here :) BTW I have a mk1 estate rear door ("lid" according to the parts catalogue) in purple if anyone's interested. I'll get some piccies and list it on the marketplace shortly.

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A hot air gun, patience and a probe of some sort will do it.