Called into the Skoda dealership close to my work last Friday to enquire about the waiting time for a new Elegance.

Was told they had a few in stock but as I want the new stop start feature, I wasn't interested. Had a look at a couple on the complex though and noticed no rear parking sensors were fitted (already covered on this forum) but the interior seat fabric had been changed. The ones I saw still had a dark fabric but with a kind of pinstripe wavy line through it. Quite nice but the brochure is still showing rear parking sensors and the check fabric as standard.

When is the stop/start going to be released for the TSI engines? Seat Ibiza has it already and I know in skoda its called 'Greentec' but even Skoda UK dont know much about it! I want it so it lowers the tax (and the commute I do is a lot of sitting at lights and it defo helps on the pocket)

The wife has stop/start as standard fit on her 500, and it works beautifully. I don't understand why it isn't standard fit on more cars. Isn't it just more or less a software thing?

The wife has stop/start as standard fit on her 500, and it works beautifully. I don't understand why it isn't standard fit on more cars. Isn't it just more or less a software thing?

No, usuallly (if not always) it involves a heavier duty starter motor and battery to allow for the repetitive use in traffic over a standard vehicle.

Aaaah, but even so you'd think it'd be more common. On the 500, it can get very choosy about when it will activate - if there's more economy to be had by NOT stopping the engine due to the 'cost' of stop/starting, then it won't do it.

I find the system on my GL2 very effective. It hardly ever doesn't switch the engine off when you stop.

Even when the headlights and air-con is going it still works every time I stop.

Plus it works with a cold engine when you've only driven about 200 metres too.

Aaaah, but even so you'd think it'd be more common. On the 500, it can get very choosy about when it will activate - if there's more economy to be had by NOT stopping the engine due to the 'cost' of stop/starting, then it won't do it.

How does it know when you are going to pull away again almost immediately, as that should be the only time it doesn't switch off ?

It only activates when in neutral and handbrake on. Depressing the clutch and its already restarted itself.

It doesn't switch off though when the ECU decides that stop starting isn't environmentally effective, such as when engine is cold etc.

To answer your question, of course it doesn't know how long you're going to be standing still for, but will make educated guesses. Ultimately, I suppose that in brief stop/start traffic conditions such as queues, I won't use the handbrake so it won't activate anyway.

It only activates when in neutral and handbrake on. Depressing the clutch and its already restarted itself.

It doesn't switch off though when the ECU decides that stop starting isn't environmentally effective, such as when engine is cold etc.

To answer your question, of course it doesn't know how long you're going to be standing still for, but will make educated guesses. Ultimately, I suppose that in brief stop/start traffic conditions such as queues, I won't use the handbrake so it won't activate anyway.

You need to pull the handbrake up!? In my toyota as long as the car is in neutral its fine

Actually not sure, i've just never had a car in neutral without engaging the hand brake.