Washing the Monster after getting covered in mud yesterday, which involved washing down parts of the engine bay.

After putting the bonnet down but not locking it, I went to put the wipers into the parked position and found they didn't work :wonder: Turns out if the bonnets not down and locked the wipers are deactivated. Now who would have thought they would have gone that far to protect both wipers and bonnet.

TP

If you have not closed the boot properly, the rear wiper don't work either.

I think that when you have the input anyway - from the myriad of sensors - you might as well let the silicon do summat wif' it.

Edited 28 February, 201016 yr by Agerbundsen

That foxed me for a while last weekend, I'm glad I'm not alone!

***blushes deep red*** I have not yet opened the bonnet.

The car surges forward, is using diesel and makes a discreet engine noise so I guess there is something under the bonnet !

When I looked under the bonnet of the Superb there was nothing exciting to see - just a big enclosing cover with V6 written on it

That is one disappointment, how easily under the bonnet gets dirty. Water splashes everywhere.

tom

That is one disappointment, how easily under the bonnet gets dirty. Water splashes everywhere.

tom

Hi Tom,

this is only the second time in over 4000 miles I have had to resort to cleaning the engine bay and to be honest it wasn't to bad. Most of the cleaning of mud was undertaken by washing down the front and rear nearside suspension components which were covered in mud. also had to touch in a small cluster of four stone chips on the front nearside door, possibly from stones kicked up while extracting her from the verge.

Regards,

TP

***blushes deep red*** I have not yet opened the bonnet.

The car surges forward, is using diesel and makes a discreet engine noise so I guess there is something under the bonnet !

When I looked under the bonnet of the Superb there was nothing exciting to see - just a big enclosing cover with V6 written on it

It's probably using a little oil as well, and unlike my XF, it is necessary to open the bonnet to find out! Ours needed a small top-up at around 2000 miles, not added any more since and we are now up to over 5000. And at the moment, toppping up the washer fluid is a weekly affair.

Mark

That is one disappointment, how easily under the bonnet gets dirty. Water splashes everywhere.

tom

I have been pleasantly surprised how clean the engine compartment has stayed considering the large amount of salt and gunge there has been on the roads. Cleaning the screens and topping up the washer bottle has been almost a daily occurence. The salt does leave white splashes over the black engine covers and bits so it is easy to clean off. I guess it is a function of how well the bonnet fits, maybe the gap under your bonnet lip is wider than most.

My 140 TDI has done 4000 miles now and has used a little oil, 3/4 of a litre bottle refilled it OK. I would expect any new engine to use some oil as it beds in.

It's probably using a little oil as well, and unlike my XF, it is necessary to open the bonnet to find out! Ours needed a small top-up at around 2000 miles, not added any more since and we are now up to over 5000. And at the moment, toppping up the washer fluid is a weekly affair.

Mark

Open bonnet is a twice a week affair. At least the washer fulid seems to disappear faster than the Diesel fuel. Light rain really covers the rear fast. Engine oil use was ½ liter the first 3000 km, and since not enough to bother with. I had expected that a 3000 km high speed dash and the mountain roads with 2000 rpm in 2nd and 3rd for several hours would have used some, but no. Snehvide now has 10,000 km on the odometer. Surprizingly, the oil is not yet the usual diesel soot black, but barely light brown. I must surmize that VAG have gone to some considerable length to minimize oil consumption to save the DPF - and it seems to have worked.

There is no outward signs as such, but the engine must have like the very different conditions over the last two weeks, as indicated fuel consumption keeps creeping down. It is difficult to give precise numbers, as the conditions vary a lot, but urban mixed with some slow mountain paths and a mad motorway dash returns around 6-6.5 l/100 km or well over 40 mpg (UK). Toodling around looking at the sights in suburban settings with not too many elevation changes returns around 50 mpg, which I would consider excellent for the 170 hp at the bottom end of it's range. Rpm also does not seem to be too important, so even if it is possible, it is not necessary to keep the engine rpm low. Around 2000 does not seem to be any more economical than around 1600.

The catalyst function is a little interesting. There are clearly different smells from the tailpipes under different conditions. Never "diesel" smell, but clearly distinct smells when cold and after a longer drive. Not noticeable, except when sniffing for them when standing still and engine running.

The hill hold has really worked out to be very useful. Stop in an up-hairpin at 20° to let a down vehicle creep inside, andt hen justt drive on.

Edited 1 March, 201016 yr by Agerbundsen

Thanks Agerbundsen,

another interesting report which ties in nicely with how my 140 is behaving, the only thing I would add is that the engine appears more noisy (boomey) in fifth at 1800rpm than it does past 2000.

Regards,

TP