Longyear

Welcome...... Is your car a Fabia VRS or an Octavia VRS then?

Welcome!

Welcome Dav!

Regret Hiding Investment Notes Overseas? B U N N G

Unless I've missed it, what we really need to know from the OP, is whether the car has been remapped..... [EDIT: Ok, now we know it is remapped, so a definite candidate for PRBSD ('post-remap boost surge disease')] If so, everything I am hearing sounds identical to the boost surging that "destroyed my June 2012" If there's def nothing showing on VAG-COM, the first thing I'd change personally is the N75 valve. This fixes the issue for some (it didn't for me, and neither did the other 6 things I tried, but a replacement ECU completely resolved absolutely all surging). You could also potentially look at the MAF, and also if you have any eratic or strange behaviour from your temp gauge, change your Coolant Temp Sensor as a faulty one of those can also cause similar symptoms.

It's widely stated across a number of forums that the coil packs on remapped cars can lift, and there's nothing there to link it to other faults. My car was on VAG-COM yesterday and literally had nothing logged at all. .....and I do appreciate your view rk969 but there's no way I'm cutting the rubber on 1 month old VAG coil packs! ...... As I see it, I had 1 coil pack lift off (Cyl 4; the only one that didn't have a hold-down on) once, and no other problems. I now have all 4 held down, so if there are no further issue, then I'll recommend these to anyone and everyone with a remapped AUQ. As Jase said, the retainer screws are plastic, and obviously need to be set with care, to prevent damage to the top casing of the coils. The rest of the ECS Hold-Downs are very well engineered IMO, and the main hex screws secure firmly into the existing holes on the head. Happy days

Looks really nice! .... personally don't like the "Team Diesel" sticker, and also it's a tad too low for my tastes but I like the individualism you've gone for, and it's a nice understated look.

So how is the sound quality on these now...........? Because I bought one about 3 years ago and it was just awful. Be good to hear that they've improved.

For me, these just don't look right in white, without the proper WRC Decals. And I have to agree, we all tend to attach more value to our own cars, when we know they're faultless and well-loved, but I do think £4k is way overpriced for today's market. But you do get what you pay for, and it only takes one person who wants one and to whom the pennies aren't the biggest issue... not many of those buyers around at the moment though!

Nah, a friend of mine has just registered a 6 year old (06 plate) VW Passatt as a private hire for the first time. It's a funny business with each local authority able to implement their own rules, but I don't think many insist on a 3yr old car on registration.

I cleaned my old MAF with Electrical Contact Cleaner (Halfords, £3.99). It certainly improved things for a while, but in my experience (on 3rd MAF with my VRS), once they start going, cleaning only delays the inevitable spend on a new MAF. If you do need another MAF, don't for 1 second consider getting a £20-£40 MAF from eBay ....... I did, and it lasted 4 days. They are made with cheap patterned Chinese sensors and cannot read the air flow as accurately as the real ones. Get a proper VAG one. £120 inc VAT on exhange. Not cheap but completely solves MAF issues.

Hey all, Just brought this thread back from the dead, because of the following; this is just my experience, your mileage may vary, but with regards to whether these ECS Coil Hold-Downs are just snake oil or genuinely useful, here's my story of the last couple of days. I have the ECS Coil Pack Hold Downs on my VRS but only on Coils 1-3 because as we know the Vaccum Box sits astride Coil Pack 4, blocking access to that coil. At the time, I couldn't be bothered to relocate my Vacuum Box, so I just fitted 3 of the coil pack hold-downs. Two days ago, I started noticing an ignition-based stutter/cough when pulling away when the car was cold. At first I assumed it was probably SAI related, although the car has never done it before, not even in cold weather. I plugged the diagnostics reader in and I had a "Cyl 4 Intermittant Misfire"...... now, my coil packs are brand new VAG less than a month old, so I was certainly hoping it wasn't another failed coil! I took the engine cover off, and removed the three Coil Hold-Downs; when leaning down to look across the coils it was very, very clear to see that Coil No. 4 was sitting 6-7mm above the other three I switched coils 3 & 4 (just to eliminate a coil failure as the cause) then re-secured all of the coils up, re-fitted the original three Coil Pack Hold-Downs, but also spent the afternoon relocating my Vacuum Box and then putting the 4th Coil Pack Hold-Down on. Everything back in place, and took the car for a good long drive. No issues, running lovely. Plugged diagnostics back in; no more code for Cyl 4 (or any other cyl). The next day (yesterday) I started the car from fully cold and drove straight off; no cough or stutter at all. Checked diagnostics twice yesterday and once this morning, no more codes at all. So for me, these Coil Pack Hold-Downs absolutely 100% work and prevent coil packs from 'popping off' as was definitely happening on Cyl 4 in my (Stage 1 remapped) car.

Congrats

Freedom is just another way of saying 'having nothing left to lose'.

Best get that surging nailed as soon as poss ... it can cause a lot of tears (as I know!).... check out your N75 (wastegate control valve) and Diverter Valve. Also check Spark Plug condition / gapping. Oh and your MAF too. Lastly, the surging may be the map. (R-Tech have now resolved surging on their maps but if you have an early map that was done from a 'surgy' stock map, this may be the cause). I had a total nightmare with surging, changed everything, to no avail. Eventually changed my ECU and finally got to remapped VRS heaven. WELCOME!

It sounds like you were just unlucky last time......... these are very reliable cars generally. So your 5k will get you a nice TDi .... I wouldn't be put off a 2.0TDi as long as it's fully serviced and had all service bulletins done.

In my opinion, any cheap eBay OBDII scanner will serve it's purpose. I bought one for £22 and it's faultless, has been worth it's weight in gold. With regards to your power upgrade, (which will be best achieved via an ECU repamp), you should be looking at around £200-£350, depending on where you go. (Only go to a remap tuner who specializes in VAG cars... I had a bad experience with a 'general' tuner). Shark Performance (sponsors of this site and very well reputed) quote a power increase on the 105bhp unit, up to 145bhp, with their remap, which costs £299. http://www.sharkperformance.co.uk/brands/Skoda/Octavia%20(1Z)%202004%20onwards/Skoda%20Octavia%20(1Z)%202004-%3E%201.9TDi%20PD105/ Cheers, and WELCOME!

Sorry to hear about the knee, and WELCOME!

Marko, if that is your car, no offence intended. I took it from your post that it wasn't your car, and was just an extreme (eg. cut springs) example of lowering. But would not have been so blunt if I thought it was your car.

Yeah, there's definately something there about some VRS Mk I ECUs around with either dodgy base software, or dodgy stock maps. I'm 100% sure I had one. But now my new ECU and remap (which I don't actually know what brand it is, but it is documented at 205bhp) is as smooth in power delivery as Matt Lucas's heeeeed!

That looks naff! .... I love an appropriately lowered car but it never ceases to amaze me why people totally ruin there cars by ramming the wheels up into the wheel arches - they look like donuts getting swallowed in Johnny Vegas's mouth ........ just looks daft.

You can't argue with the numbers I guess.. wow, I am surprised the Mk II forum has more topics than the Mk I forum. Although it is a generalism to believe they're all because of problems. But I do generally see your point.

Agree..... if it was for private use I'd always go for the TDI 130, (or 110 at a push) but for taxi use, go 90bhp. Perfectly adequate, lower insurance, higher mpg, simple engine

Mmmm, Posts #3 and #4 believe the Mk II to have better build quality (which I agree with as my bro has one), and post #6 believes the Mk I had better build quality. Most posts believe the Mk 1 had a more sporty ride/drive (which I agree with but to be fair my bro has a non-VRS Mk II), but posts #5 and #6 (who both changed to Mk IIs ) believe the Mk II has better handling ...... So, when these questions are asked I think people just 'self-justify' in the main.... if you had a Mk I and spent £14k upgrading to a Mk II you're probably going to believe you done the right thing, and if you're still on a Mk 1 (for whatever reason, in my case financial!), you're probably going to believe you're still on the better car. I guess like most cars, where you're looking at 10+ years difference, you tend to see things 'softened' a bit in later cars (look at how the Golf GTI has 'evolved' from a hot hatch to a run of the mill Golf), but you're also more likely to see better build quality, more refinement and perhaps better fuel efficiency. If I had the money, I am sure I'd be on a Mk II VRS (but probably a CR 170 rather than 2.0TFSI to be honest), but I feel no hardship with my Mk 1 as it is a fantastic rewarding car with superb performance (now I have a good remap on!), and even though it's 10 years old, there's not a rattle and it's pretty much faultless inside and out. Happy days! :sun:

How many Policemen does it take to change a light bulb? ............ Three. One to change the bulb and two to chase the people filming it on their phones.