Gaz

This was supposed to be a photo of a Small Blue butterfly up on Beachy Head an hour ago, but I guess he/she wasn't feeling it. Still came out okay though: Gaz

Hello Ben Could also go here: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/7-audio-electronics-and-security/ as it's audio related Gaz

I really like this car and your fettling of it 😎 Miss the blue screen wash cap though (might forgive you if you dye the coolant black and paint the dipstick ) Gaz

Read the t&c's very closely, as I believe they're often not worth the paper they're written on. New car protection detailing is absolutely not to be trusted to a main dealership 👎 You need to find a professional car detailer. Chap I use was recently commissioned to detail a car before it left the dealership, which he did. The car cleaners (contracted) at the dealership had completed one car before he'd got everything out of his van and he was taken aback at what they thought was a good job. I don't think the stuff used by dealerships to protect paint and fabrics are worth it. A good detailer will know what to use. The vRS's NCP was done in a day, but with the GTI I went the whole hog and it was three days overall (wheels off, top to toe). Gaz

I've been offered, and declined, the same on the last two cars that I've bought new. You're far better off, in my opinion, having a new car protection detail undertaken. I've been very happy with the results on my current GTI and previous vRS 👍 Gaz

Turning mine down to 30% cured the resonance I was getting. Gaz

That's a really interesting point (for me at least). I had a 40 mile round trip yesterday. Outbound 20 was an easy run and 58.8mpg, but homebound (same roads) was in traffic and once I couldn't maintain a dead steady, light throttle, pace I watched the mpg bomb, ending up at 39mpg overall for the return journey. An EV presumably wouldn't be so adversely affected by stop/start slow moving traffic. G

A different engine, but no cabin heating was the first symptom of my TSI's coolant check valve failing: It wasn't a great experience 🙄 Gaz

St Pancras Priory, otherwise known as Lewes Priory, East Sussex: I worked in Lewes for about 16 years all told. Today's the first time I've ever visited it. Quite an interesting place to meander around. Gaz

Hello and welcome Pamaro Gaz

Welcome back moley! Gaz

It is indeed a D3. Geartronic though, so won't be as economical as a manual. I've never had a car with such range before, and as the car is quite new to me, I was a bit exuberant in my earlier post replying to Lady E, bearing in mind this thread's about EV's. I have a drive and a garage that I can park right up against. I've had an e-bike for eight years, and mobility scooters, so I'm clearly not adverse to electrified transport. I've driven only a handful of EV's and have liked every one, despite going in with the assumption that I won't like them. I enjoy reading your posts (and others) as you bring some positive context and are a bit of an antidote to a lot of EV negativity. But when it comes to the next step, I've still not made it past the 'Not just yet' stage. I could've traded in the GTI and got a larger EV (needed to be able to house a mobility scooter and folding bike in the boot), but I was happier to buy a 14 year old diesel estate, and there'll be a reason for that. Maybe I'm just a risk averse conservative old dinosaur. So while not a default, it was a consideration, albeit I remain in the 'Not just yet' fold. Gaz

Not my photo, but one taken last night, of the Milky Way over Cuckmere (on the coast between Eastbourne & Seaford): Thought it was quite stunning. Gaz

I brimmed my 2.0 Diesel V70 yesterday and took my neighbours to Gatwick at dawn this morning. A relatively good (for down here) 94 mile round trip. When I got home my range left was 765 miles: So in ideal conditions I appear to have potentially over 800 miles of range. Diesel's currently cheaper than Momentum too 👍 Gaz

I've given it best, and fitted a new Yuasa 5000 series today. I'd charged it five times in total, with one 'repair' procedure, but within a couple of days it was back to 'low battery' warnings, which I don't want. Managed to kill the plastic retaining screw on the battery box lid, which felt like it was made of cheese 🙄 (It had suffered some mullering before my time). Gaz

Means you can get another similar sized dog! 🐶👍

I remember @SashaGrace fitting one to her Octavia in 2018, so would presume it's similarly viable. Starts here: Gaz

Hello and welcome VRS Gaz

I can empathise over backache in cars, and hope you find something more comfortable. All the best. Gaz

Looks like it might be new battery time. I was told the V70 had a new battery. It did, in February 2020 🙄 I took the seller at his word about it being 'new'. On the Norfolk trip the low battery warnings stopped, so I presumed it'd been revitalised. Turned out to not be the case as they started again three days after we got back. It still starts fine. My battery charger (old school - probably 40 years old) is at my Daughter's, who is in Thailand at present. So I got myself a NOCO Genius5 charger/maintainer, and left the battery on charge overnight. It was at two bars: But by this morning was charged: So I went for a c.30 mile drive. Got home and the low battery warning came straight on again 🙄 And it's back down to the two bars. I've set the NOCO to 'repair' mode now, so we'll see how we go. I suspect I know where we're going. The car's only done 2,000 miles between Feb 2020 and me picking it up, so I think the battery's probably slowly died of boredom/neglect. No reason to think the car's not charging, although I've not yet checked to be certain. I would think that it is, given it improved on the 580 Norfolk round trip, and was okay for a short while. A quick look suggests a Varta or Bosch battery is around the £130 mark (direct from Tayna), so not too bad in the grand scheme of things. I'm glad it hasn't got stop/start. Gaz

Happy roadtrip/hollibobs! 😁 I wouldn't bother heading south too much - looks like you've got all the good weather up there. G

I think if it were me, I'd swap the seat for one you know you'll feel comfortable in - the standard Octavia seat you refer to should be a relatively straightforward swap, and available from a scrapper. VW Golf ones may possibly fit too? Then, when you come to move it on, you'll have a pretty pristine driver's seat to go back in it. You have my empathy though. I had the same, donkey's years ago, with a Vauxhall Cavalier. And like you, it was the only car it ever happened in. Everything was fine on the 20 minute test drive, but after I got the car I found chronic back pain arriving at the 30 minute mark of every drive. I very nearly got a Recaro interior from a scrapyard, but when I went to get it, it had been vandalised with a knife. Nothing I tried worked and I got so disillusioned in the end that I moved the car on. Good luck with getting more comfortable. Gaz

I thought that too, but then I'd imagine (i.e. don't know) it'll probably have residual muck, and surface scum, for some time. Gaz

Another bag rupture victim 🙄 Perhaps the colour of your coolant has been affected by flushing agents? At least you haven't got the headache of having to deal with the disaster when it happened - something to be thankful for. And if done by a main dealer, then it should be warranted for two years, I think. I think if it were me, I'd leave it as is and maybe request a coolant change be included in the next service if the colouration bothers you. G12E050A3 is G12 Evo 👍 so it's got the good stuff in it. Gaz

I’ve got an identical tank on my GTI - one with ‘mit Silikat’ on. If there is a bag in yours, it’s very easy to find. You should be able to both see it with a good torch, and also feel it with your fingers. I oiked mine out as soon as the car was out of warranty. It was very easy to do and took moments. Having said that, I suspect you don’t have a bag in there. But it does look time for a coolant change IMO. Gaz