Ken- I'm just used to Philips. The Torx bits I have are the ones that are more hexagonal than star-shaped, and can be a right nightmare with worn Torx bolts.

Now then...

1) Radio is in.

2) The signal is utterly dreadful- now my car is definitely showing its true colours- it only picks up Radio 2 and Classical FM. A signal booster has been ordered... *rolls eyes*

3) The Xenon on the driver's side isn't working again. Time to get the headlight off? Do I need to change the ballast AND the bulb? Should I just call the dealer? Means another trip up unfortunately...

Apart from that, all is well.

2) The signal is utterly dreadful- now my car is definitely showing its true colours- it only picks up Radio 2 and Classical FM. A

Told ya! They are only a few quid on ebay. I bought one that broke after fitting (track lifted off the PCB), so I had to take it apart and solder it back together :'(

Yes, I'm on a 53 plate... Must have been as a result of feedback to those tan/beige seats and horrid wood!

I had one too - until this happened to it.

Was a great car. Black leather, sunroof, the works

I had one too - until this happened to it.

Was a great car. Black leather, sunroof, the works

How on earth did you manage that!!

mbames (you have a real name?!)- I know... learnt the hard way there! I've already ordered one this afternoon.

The headlight is intermittent. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For example... it wasn't working tonight. Drove to Halfords to pick up a new rear wiper blade, and it started working about 3 miles down the road... then it didn't work once I got to Southampton and picked up the wench... then when I switched the lights off and on again quickly, they both worked.

From this, I would assume it's not a problem with the bulb, but a problem with the ballast unit..? Or do Xenon bulbs lose their ability to light the way a little bit at a time? I found a Polish store that does 2x D2S bulbs for £60 delivered... which seems bally good value compared to some of the prices I've seen!

ExHondaMan- just saw your post- nice call on the Prelude!! My 'weekend' car will probably be an Integra Type R, once the job starts making proper sense...

ExHondaMan- just saw your post- nice call on the Prelude!! My 'weekend' car will probably be an Integra Type R, once the job starts making proper sense...

Nice one! My weekend machine is a mountain bike. No Turbo, VTEC or LSD on that though

K

How on earth did you manage that!!

I was driving along, approaching a set of lights, and the next thing I knew the world turned green, there was a loud bang and the windscreen was covered in leaves.

As you can see from the driver's side view, it was lucky there was no one in the passenger seat. That's the A pillar just above the door level

I wrote to Skoda and complimented them on building such strong cars as my side was untouched!

I had one too - until this happened to it.

Ouch. Still it looks like she stood up to the tree climbing trip quite well.

mbames (you have a real name?!)- I know... learnt the hard way there! I've already ordered one this afternoon.

Yep, it is Matt

From this, I would assume it's not a problem with the bulb, but a problem with the ballast unit..? Or do Xenon bulbs lose their ability to light the way a little bit at a time? I found a Polish store that does 2x D2S bulbs for £60 delivered... which seems bally good value compared to some of the prices I've seen!

I'll pass, as I have zero practical knowledge here. Do consider there may be a reason why cheap bulbs are cheap though..... www.powerbulbs.com have always done Brisky members a sterling job (no idea if they deal with Xenons though)

I was driving along, approaching a set of lights, and the next thing I knew the world turned green, there was a loud bang and the windscreen was covered in leaves.

As you can see from the driver's side view, it was lucky there was no one in the passenger seat. That's the A pillar just above the door level

I wrote to Skoda and complimented them on building such strong cars as my side was untouched!

That's absolutely bizarre. Just lost traction and went exploring? You need the 4x4 1.8T for that kind of thing...

In all seriousness, glad you lived to tell the tale! Not cool though!

Matt- thanks for your input. The Polish place is definitely genuine, found out about them through our murky family connections (I'm technically half a dirty Polski), and they've been vouched for.

In other news, the headlight actually worked today. I tried starting the engine first, then popping the lights on. Seemed to do the trick morning and night. Loving slipping into the interior after what is admittedly a sodding long, hard day of work. So cosseting, comfortable and cosy. I could've just gone to sleep outside the office!

K

I absolutely agree.

Made the front page of the local evening paper and blocked the (4 lane) road for around 5 hours. Very impressed I got out in one piece

That's absolutely bizarre. Just lost traction and went exploring? You need the 4x4 1.8T for that kind of thing...

I think you'll find he was driving along minding his own business and the tree landed on him as he passed it.

I think you'll find he was driving along minding his own business and the tree landed on him as he passed it.

What made it worse was when the householder whose tree had hit me came out and his daughter in law said "that's terrible but at least you're OK and its just a skoda, and I mean it would be worse if you had something decent like a bmw"

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound

What made it worse was when the householder whose tree had hit me came out and his daughter in law said "that's terrible but at least you're OK and its just a skoda, and I mean it would be worse if you had something decent like a bmw"

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound

What a massive ****! You should have lamped her one!

Did she deliberately chop the tree down to land on you? Bloody Scots, so vindictive and prejudiced...

Headlight is still working quite nicely. First time I've seen the car properly in the light of day, apart from the look-over at the dealership- a lot of 'surface' scratches that a decent polish will get out. Love the combination of the shadow chrome wheels, Admiral Blue paint and black leather. It works well!

What a massive ****! You should have lamped her one!

Did she deliberately chop the tree down to land on you? Bloody Scots, so vindictive and prejudiced...

Headlight is still working quite nicely. First time I've seen the car properly in the light of day, apart from the look-over at the dealership- a lot of 'surface' scratches that a decent polish will get out. Love the combination of the shadow chrome wheels, Admiral Blue paint and black leather. It works well!

She was an Asian person so would have been done for racially aggravated assault. Her father in law was wailing on about Allah be praised and I was trying to get my kevlar helmet and webbing out of the boot without him noticing in case it all kicked off about crusaders etc - this was height of all the gulf war silliness :wonder:

Definitely think the black leather is the best though, none of the colours they did really seem to suit the tan all that well and as has been said, it gets filthy so quickly

Some people prefer a lighter interior. And lets be honest, it may just about be leather, but it isn't high quality luxurious stuff, just about as cheap as you get. I wouldn't have got black seats or Skoda's idea of leather by choice, it just happened to come with my car!

Some people prefer a lighter interior. And lets be honest, it may just about be leather, but it isn't high quality luxurious stuff, just about as cheap as you get. I wouldn't have got black seats or Skoda's idea of leather by choice, it just happened to come with my car!

Fair enough... it's nicer than Honda's idea of leather, trust me. At least it smells more like leather!

For the price of the car I'm more than happy.

Domnhall- agreed on the tan, but I do think it looks slightly less awful with a black or silver exterior. The gearstick in the tan leather cars does remind me of a penis though.

I think the smell comes from whatever it was last cleaned with, mine doesn't smell of anything. My Vauxhall Cavalier had much better quality seats. At the end of the day it's just personal preference, I just prefer cloth - less slip, less cold/hot extremes on my bum. If you buy second hand cars you can't be so picky. Still a surprisingly decent car though and superb value these days.

I think the smell comes from whatever it was last cleaned with, mine doesn't smell of anything. My Vauxhall Cavalier had much better quality seats. At the end of the day it's just personal preference, I just prefer cloth - less slip, less cold/hot extremes on my bum. If you buy second hand cars you can't be so picky. Still a surprisingly decent car though and superb value these days.

In an ideal world I would have had the alcantara & leather seats, but beggars can't be choosers. The heated seats take care of the cold part. I have to say it's a brilliant all-round car. Rapid (not gunna set the world on fire but quick enough), economical, spacious, comfortable and surprisingly good fun to punt down a country road, in an 'elephant doing the 100m hurdles' kind of way!

Pictures tomorrow, with a little luck!

In an ideal world I would have had the alcantara & leather seats, but beggars can't be choosers. The heated seats take care of the cold part. I have to say it's a brilliant all-round car. Rapid (not gunna set the world on fire but quick enough), economical, spacious, comfortable and surprisingly good fun to punt down a country road, in an 'elephant doing the 100m hurdles' kind of way!

Pictures tomorrow, with a little luck!

Alcantara wasn't an option until the mark 2, I got them on the l& k that replaced the crushed one

Alcantara wasn't an option until the mark 2, I got them on the l& k that replaced the crushed one

That's strange... in my 2003 brochure it says it was definitely an option. Hmmmm.

(I do sad things like that, buy the brochure when I have the car.)

Mine has alcantara inserts with normal leather bolsters and the top/ends of the back and base.

That's strange... in my 2003 brochure it says it was definitely an option. Hmmmm.

(I do sad things like that, buy the brochure when I have the car.)

Well I wasn't offered the option and I configured it on screen with the dealer. strange

Well I wasn't offered the option and I configured it on screen with the dealer. strange

'Deed it is, might just been an ordering problem. Iunno. yashi- if you ever want to swap...

So... here she is, Octimus Prime.

Spent this afternoon sorting a few things out whilst the memsahib was busy earning her living... my typical passenger has been added to the door pocket (he's a lucky charm), the boot is finally tidy, the dog guard has been removed (anyone want it??), the signal booster has been applied. Despite that, the radio service is still bloody shocking... can't pick up Wave 105, Jack FM or even Radio 1. iPod it is then..!

Headlight has stopped working again. I'm assuming ballast as the bulb is apparently fine. Dealer is being contacted shortly as I am very ****ed off...

was the radio reception ok with the oem head unit?

was the radio reception ok with the oem head unit?

Not really. It struggled to pick up the stations I liked... kept dropping out... then put in the Alpine and it got even worse, so added a booster, now it's almost at where it was before I took the original stereo out.

Here's a little list that dictates radio reception:

Atrocious: Alpine

Awful: Alpine w/booster

Poor: Standard Skoda stereo

Good: Civic

Exceptional: Civic w/Alpine