Hi everyone, just hoping someone can help us out!!

My boyfriend has the above car which we bought a few months ago for him to learn to drive in. It was fine, made some weird noise, but overall ok!! In the last few weeks, havent been able to start the car at all, but there was still the interior lights coming on etc. Car would charge off another car, but never held the charge for more than a few hours, Succumbed to buying a reconditioned battery at the weekend, and the car seemed fine when that was in, but now wont start again. Have had someone mention the alternator could be gone...would this make sense? IF so, is replacing the alternator definately a garage job or would we be able to do it ourselves and where would we get the parts? Not got a lot of cash to spare so we want to get it going cheap as possible!!

Hello and welcome to Briskoda.

From what I have read in some other posts here, it *may* just need a voltage regulator replaced on the alternator - but hopefully someone can confirm this or give pointers on how to determine whether it is.

The whole alternator itself isn't particularly challenging to change DIY. A Haynes manual will give an outline of what needs to be done.

Here is one place to get a voltage regulator.

Skoda Favorit/Felicia Voltage Regulator-BRAND NEW!!! on eBay, also, Skoda, Car Parts, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 26-May-08 22:41:56 BST)

does the car not start at all??

or does it start when it's jump started from another car???

Sounds like alternator or regulator; actually more like the alternator, since it's not cooked the rest of the electrickery.

Is there such a thing as a mobile auto electrician near you? If so, he'll can diagnose and fix if possible. The alternator itself is 2 or 3 bolts to change, so easily DIY, but also only about 15mins labour in an honest garage.

Sounds like alternator or regulator; actually more like the alternator, since it's not cooked the rest of the electrickery.

Is there such a thing as a mobile auto electrician near you? If so, he'll can diagnose and fix if possible. The alternator itself is 2 or 3 bolts to change, so easily DIY, but also only about 15mins labour in an honest garage.

:)Might take a bit longer if it has power steering.

Thanx for all the comments, I think there is meant to power steering but it has never worked!!

Car will start when its jumped off another car, but every time we've jumped it, we've left it connected to the other car for about 15 mins and then left the Skoda running for about 30 mins, taken it for a drive etc and no matter what we have done it stil doesnt start the next day!!

Not sure if there is a mobile auto electrician near us...will check it out!

If it has PAS, that might complicate things a little; it really depends on how the PAS pump is driven. The only reason for suggesting a mobile electrician was that I was under the impression you couldn't start the car. If you can get it running, there's no barrier to taking it to one that works out of a premises, or a proper mechanic.

I've no problem taking it to a proper mechanic if we had the cash but things are a teensy bit tight at the moment, I have noooo idea about the PAS, either does my boyfriend but wil see if I can get someone to look at it cheaply

I wonder if something is causing a power drain. I would get the car started with another car and check the alternator charge level with a multimeter with negative lead on engine block and positive on battery positive terminal to check it's around 14v.

I've no problem taking it to a proper mechanic if we had the cash but things are a teensy bit tight at the moment, I have noooo idea about the PAS, either does my boyfriend but wil see if I can get someone to look at it cheaply

That was the other reason for suggesting an auto electrician. They can check the alternator in about 2 mins, and would do it for free as long as they got the (quick) job of changing the alternator if faulty.

Might be a stupid question, but not completely...

You probably have something that drain your battery, so can you check if the boot light (the one inside), is still ON when you close it..?

It happened the same thing on a friend's car, and cost her a new battery, alternator and the labour time to have the same result... It's only when we noticed the light staying ON one night during a small trip that it rang my bell!!!

If it's not the light, try to check if something else could stay ON!