Hello folks. I've just bought this car off eBay (I know). Could I get some pointers as to what to look out for servicing/problems etc with these cars, sort of a newbie guide if you like. Plus is there stuff I could do to it when replacing worn/broken parts that would better/be more reliable than the original parts? I am looking at having it mapped too.

Steve

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-octavia-4x4-turbo-/131136552316?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1e8858fd7c

Looks a good buy there bud. Welcome to the forum. Someone will be along sbortly to answer your questions better then me

A good wash,clay,polish and wax will be a good place to begin....

That will make the car look much better and expose any areas that may need attention.

Take the wheel arch liners out (front and rear!) and give the area behind the wheels at the bottom of the wings a good clean to get rid of all the mud! Updated bushes will help the handling baring in mind the age of the car. Clean out the intercooler and boost pipes and check them for leaks by smoke testing them. Check the breather pipes on the cam cover for splits.

Have a look at the for sale section for performance parts,maybe a few bargains around!

Forge DV to start with.

Induction wise go for a 70mm tip from R-Tech or there full ind kit.

R-Tech for the mapping also,best in the biz!

Go for a brake upgrade if/when yours are shot. Not sure which one will bolt on but R32 brakes will fit but you'll need bigger wheels though!

Lower it,because dayum! It looks like a SUV! ;-)

Dog bone mount.

Piper exhaust (STAY AWAY FROM MILLTEK!)

Decat downpipe.

Welly cooler fmic.

That should keep you busy for a while ;-)

It's a 4x4 they don't make an off the shelf exhaust

Stay away from r32 brakes as they weigh as much as your car! I'm in soham just down the road and can do you a Shark performance remap if interested. I have a highly modded 4x4 and as soon as my new engine's in i'll show you what CAN be done (wallet depending).

I was wondering who would buy this as its local'ish to me. Looked in good nick. Not sure what car you've come to the Octavia from but most (all?) people who've owned one really rate them.

 

I prefer the sleeper / Q-car route - keep it standard looking but gradually replace the wearing out parts with OEM or OEM+ / upgrades.

 

The first one I had was remapped to a safe 220bhp and was totally reliable in the 3 years I had it. There's loads on here about the various re-mapping companies. Mine was with Jabbasport (on recommendation and reputation) and the only other change was a Bailey dump valve as the standard one is at risk eventually if you don't.

 

The current one (9 years later) is a family second / third car with 150k on it. Still running super-smooth and gradually replacing the brakes and suspension as they wear out. Will get the cambelt & water pump done at the end of the year when I'll have 'no qualms' about getting this one remapped as well.

Edited 20 March, 201412 yr by Fabpreza

You can get a blue haldex controller. It does all manner of magic things to the 4wd system

Welcome to the 4x4 club! I've had mine for 5 and a half years now and still loving it

Also a 4x4 owner had it 4 years stage one and it still goes like a rocket

It's a 4x4 they don't make an off the shelf exhaust

Saaaay whaaaat?

Someone's gotta make one! Lol

Nothing specifically for the Octy 4x4

 

You're looking at a customised-off-the-shelf type system ideally (ie like powerflow etc)

 

Relentless do several downpipes and de-cats, there's also a company called supersprint who do a few A3 Quattro bits and pieces

 

A performance exhaust for an A3 Quattro might be made to fit - suspect the rear pipe to the backbox would be the min needed to make it fit

 

-don't recall anyone ever trying though - probably no cheaper than a COTS jobby

ps OP

 

Your car looks familar - seem to recall maybe belonged to someone on here fews yrs back

Saaaay whaaaat?

Someone's gotta make one! Lol

 

It's true..... I had to get a custom one made. Can give you details if interested.....

Cheers for the comments folks.

So I drove it home from Milton Keynes to Barrow in Furness (where I live now) and it was fine apart from at stand still it idles a bit funny. Hunts a little bit between 800rpm and 1500rpm. Other than that seems straight enough. Has a bit of go. Going to give a service, change the sparks etc and check hoses. Anyone local to barrow have a ecu checker thingy??

Before this I've had a T4 volvo v40, cavalier turbo, octavia vrs mk2 petrol amongst many. These are the 'Q' cars I've had!!

welcome aboard. you might want to change the seats :P Golf GT TDi from 02 plate onwards as they have the airbags and lumbar adjustment, Bora Leather ones of the same age are the holy grail..

 

first thing with lumpy running, Throttle Body Clean

then as stated loads of pipes that at that age will need investigating, the larger crank breather ones for sure but also lots of little vac lines that can leak vac and boost as the check valves may be shot.  worth while putting in extra metal fuel line check valves when you have it in bits.  

the large boost pipes are a pain especially around the "pancake pipe" search and you will find Wellycooler is a good opportunity to remove all this cr4p

if you want to keep the standard look and avoid the FMIC (wellycooler) or even go for the Taxi look like mine then the wheel arch mod and some plastic removal at the front vent can help air flow along with a good cleanup of the IC fins and drain all the oil out of it as well.

keep the standard airbox but you will need extra air into it so either holes in the bottom to allow a bit more warm air in or a larger snorkel like the R32 etc to the front for cold air.  Once remapped they are prone to TIP collapse at the higher revs (5.5k+) as they can not flow enough air and end up with a lot of vacuum due to the air box inlet diameter.

keep some money aside for a nice S3 gearbox (and everything it touches) for when the 4x4 one goes pop it is the weakest link once you start tuning them.. its not as bad as it sounds as once you have changed the box it will be more economical so it will pay for itself eventually

Aero wipers

Gtechniq G1 all the glass (a 30ml bottle will last a good long while but make sure you get the G2 residue remover as its a cow to try and buff out without it)

take the mudflaps off and cut them up to make front air dams like you see on the newer cars (the rears already have some)

get a tdi undertray unless you are going big power as it covers the underneath much better smoothing airflow.

if you dont want to lose the ride height then when the shocks are goosed (which they will be by 140K) then get the Bilstein B6's as the standard springs are already heavy duty and quite stiff

R32 ARB's or one of the Aftermarket kits like KW?

I had problems with the sub frame bushes and looked at the uprated ones but an easier upgrade was the whole Cupra R subframe and arms (cast arms, the uprated bushes and it had a lower brace as standard)

 

4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT!!!!!!  get it on a hunter or similar system as it makes a huge difference, on tyre wear and fuel economy

 

lots of the valve cr4p under the bonnet can be deleted and some of it should definitely go if you are remapping (cant remember valve numbers but someone will know)

SAI pump can get noisy as the rivets fail, there are fixes and it can also be deleted as well

 

I am bound to have missed some stuff but if you look after it, it will look after you when you need it too ( no damn snow this year though :-( )

OOH, spark plugs BKR7E's cheap as chips so you can change them WHEN it starts missfiring

I am running the MK6 2.0Tfsi coil packs and they DO make a difference despite what some people will say :P

Best mod though is LPG nuff said!

Cheers bud, I'll have a look. £1000 a fair price for the car you think?

I reckon your car might already be remapped...

Not its not my old one.

Already mapped?

What does it pull like? If it kicks you back in your seat then it's been mapped, as standard it won't pull the skin off a rice pudding

And £1000 is not a bad price if it's had some care, which the changed seats would suggest. Get the LPG done first and you will never sell!

Just been to halfords to buy service bits ( I have a trade card so cheaper for me) and my reg flags up that halfords have no bits for my car? My engine code is ARX. Which oils/filters can I use on this engine that is available at halfords? Can I use other engine code oils etc?

Thanks

Try AUM, v.common in vRS

Would this split hose cause my idle woes and engine management light to be on?

The split is worse than picture. Also what is this hose called so I can get it replaced!!