Ok, so I finally took the spare out today, more out of curiosity than anything else.

It's a full-size one........and it's an alloy. Is this normal?

I did find water in the bottom of the recess too, but it's clear and tasteless (so not from the screen wash, plus that's working happily) and the carpets are dry. Oddly when I took the spindle out from the centre, it was wet in there too!

Any ideas?

Am going to clean it all up proper at the weekend as there seems to be a lot of dirt in there too. Have toyed with the idea of filling it with water to look for leaks, and putting strategic kitchen towel in places.

Cheers

I did find water in the bottom of the recess too, but it's clear and tasteless . .

Does screenwash have a particular taste?

It won't taste good, that much I'll tell you - given what's in it

An alloy spare is not usual, should be a 16" 'full-size' steel, with a 205/55/16.

As for leaks, check along the boot seal too. You could start keeping the carpet lifted up and the spare wheel out, and then pouring water along the boot drainage channels. Could be that water's getting across the seal and down that way. I've added a few more holes to the boot seal along the bottom past the lock mech, as in heavy rain it was holding water.

Water does collect at the bottom most part of the boot seal as Wardy says.If seal is no good then it will leak through straight into spare wheel well.

I also have full size alloy spare in mine too which has never been used since i,ve had the car from new (2006) luckily no water.

Does the spare wheel get fitted at PDI I wonder, rather than be fitted at the factory?

So some dealers may substitute an alloy in there instead? Especially as you've had yours from new Stormchaser and I presume you didn't choose to pay and 'upgrade' to a 5th alloy?

Does screenwash have a particular taste?

It won't taste good, that much I'll tell you - given what's in it

Yeah, it is quite, er, "distinctive".....just smell it when you next open a bottle. I just dabbed my finger and tasted......defo not screenwash.

An alloy spare is not usual, should be a 16" 'full-size' steel, with a 205/55/16.

It is full-size and definately alloy, as it matches the other 4. Looks like it's been on at some point as the inside it quite dirty, although the tyre (Bridgestone) looks fairly new, but doesn't match the other 4.

Thanks for the advice on the leaks guys, I'll have a deeper look at the weekend, weather permitting. Would seem rather daft looking for leaks in the rain.

Both mine (08 plate Elegance) and Kim's (54 plate Elegance) have full size vega alloy spares.

Wonder why some get them and some don't then - hence why I was wondering about PDI's role in all of this.

Both my current Elegance and old Mk2 vRS had the same steel 16" with 205/55/16.

Wonder why some get them and some don't then - hence why I was wondering about PDI's role in all of this.

Both my current Elegance and old Mk2 vRS had the same steel 16" with 205/55/16.

Those with a 16" vega, used to get a full size alloy.

Those with 17" and above get a steel.

I think these days everyone gets a steel wheel spare.

Yeah, it is quite, er, "distinctive".....just smell it when you next open a bottle. I just dabbed my finger and tasted......defo not screenwash.

Ooh, ave jusht tried shome shcreen wasshh, tasted shumfin like beee, beeeeeeee, beeegly beeegly beeegly whatsh up Buck.

Ooh, er mishush, shomebody........

I didnt pay extra for the 5th alloy wheel it was already there from factory.

I think Skoda started cheaping out on alloy spares in late 2008. However, dealers frequently "mix and match" spares from new cars to freshen up used cars for sale. They have been doing this for decades.

When I bought mine at 16 months old the spare had been used and the tyre damaged. I pointed this out and when I picked it up the week later the spare was brand new with a date code of a six month old car! Same deal in 1980 when I bought a used Volvo. The dealer changed the worn tyres for new tyres from another car on the lot.

Edited 12 April, 201214 yr by FriendlyFire

I had exactly the same issue with my Estate - water in the boot. It was not coming from the washer pipe as the water was odourless. I found that it was the boot seal. It had moved a little on the left side. I just had to reposition it and push it home. Lots of rain this week and no leaks :-) !!!

Both mine (08 plate Elegance) and Kim's (54 plate Elegance) have full size vega alloy spares.

Mike

Both mine (08 plate Elegance) and Kim's (54 plate Elegance) have full size vega alloy spares.

Mike

And so does mine :-)