Gaz

I recently changed to the AA on my Volvo V70. My insurance went down £130 (to £223) by doing so. I did use the comparison sites, but also went direct to those not linked to them. No-one got anywhere close to the AA, so I presume they wanted my business. 2010 car, driving 46 years, full no claims. Gaz

We've got a red Poppy in a pot on the patio. Nice surprise to see it bloom a pink Poppy today: It's ever so delicate, so I'm not expecting it to last the day. Gaz PS: While I'm at it, I went to Manor Gardens in Bexhill yesterday. It's only a small place, an acre perhaps, but it's a bit of an oasis with some lovely bird song and plants. Doesn't come out so well on camera, but these roses were a stunning lilac, almost glowing: Whole bed of 'em! G

Quite old for a hire car I didn't stand a chance 😁 G

Hello Jay , welcome aboard. Gaz

Every Gaz has its day

i30 😁🤷‍♂️

They fitted a set of four new tyres for me last week. Three were at 41psi and one was at 42psi 🙄 (Cold, the following morning). Should be 36psi. It’s even got a label on the B Pillar that’s easy to read. Gaz

I think you're right. Looking back a page, I had the CC2's fitted in September 2021, two of which were still on the car. So 0921 is the latest possible date code any of them could have 🙄 Could explain why I got a health check I didn't ask for. I don't like the Dallas wheels at all. Those on my car are Milton Keynes. Gaz

I did indeed: Asked them to look after my alloys due to the recent-ish refurb, which they did 👍 But because they were paying attention, they reminded me that one wheel has a buckle 😢 That'll be from the pothole I clumped back in 2023 😡 Gaz PS: Interestingly, I got a subsequent email from them with a 'Vehicle Health Check' attached. I specifically unchecked the VHC box at the time of ordering, as I didn't want one. A couple of odd points on it though: Firstly, the NSR tyre has an 0524 date code. The last new tyre it had was in November 2023! Fickle thing this ol' space-time continuum 🙄 And it's the same for the Spare. It's a 2018 GTI, which I've had since new. The spare's never been out of the car, but it's apparently 3 years and 4 months old. Maybe it's getting younger..... maybe it's a girl, not a boy..... maybe I should call her Christine! 🤷‍♂️ G

Yours will be a Mk2 Octavia, not a Mk3. I'll ask a Moderator to move the thread to the Mk2 Area. Gaz

+1 And that’s without seeing the rest of the MOT history. Gaz

If you're driving for a few hours at a time, certainly consider the 2.0TDI (There's a nice looking (IMO) Black Edition in Sheffield). Rarer, but 1.4 TSI's (Petrol) and 1.6TDI's do come up. Gaz

Brake discs look tired. Matching, but budget tyres: reviews are quite mixed. No photo's of the seat bases (always a good reminder to look closely!). See if you can get the Reg. No. so you can look at its MOT history. Check its service history. I've always fancied a Yeti (though I'd want a 4x4). When looking I was surprised how small the boot is. A mate had a 1.2 Fabia from the same year, that I looked after from time to time - had a good little engine. If you're not mechanically minded, have it inspected. Don't buy it without seeing it, and driving it yourself, would be my advice. Gaz

That’s a good point. Totally different engine (EA888 G3), but the most likely cause of my turbo’s demise back in 2018 was the coolant check valve reporting itself open, when it was actually closed. Painful experience that. Gaz

If you’re losing coolant via a failed heater matrix, your car will be wet inside. Best lift the carpets and check the front footwells for coolant. There might be an associated sweet smell (of the coolant) as well. I’m struggling to see a link between a sealed liquid circuit and switching a blower fan on. Others will know better than me. If it’s getting blown out through your expansion tank getting pressurised, it might be time for a sniff test and other investigations to confirm the integrity of your head gasket. Gaz