On 05/04/2018 at 22:55, Parmenion said:

Ah good to know I'm 6'4" so maybe the sportline seats are not ideal for me although I'll try them on Sunday. I've got some Alcantara cleaner by Raceglaze so I'm going to try and see if that helps revive the XF seats a bit but I'm not hopeful. 

I had the same issue when I bought my L & K. After trying a 220 and a 280 I knew I had to stump up for the more powerful engine. Absolutely no regrets.

Then I looked at the sportline and the L & K. SWMBO is very important to me so she wasn't bothered so much about the powerplant but more on comfort and what she liked.

I liked both specs and tried them both for an hour. I am also 6ft 4 and I can honestly say both were great. Seats that is.

It came down to looks which Sportline looks more VRS in my opinion and L & K more luxury.

I fancied the Sportline but there were so many things I wanted that were standard on the L & K I just went with L & K in the end. That is not to say I compromised my choice, there were 2 other factors in the end.

I wanted leather seats this time around and I prefer the sleeper looks of the L & K now. 

Both great, do you want the extra toys as standard. 

55 minutes ago, RGKTSi said:

I had the same issue when I bought my L & K. After trying a 220 and a 280 I knew I had to stump up for the more powerful engine. Absolutely no regrets.

Then I looked at the sportline and the L & K. SWMBO is very important to me so she wasn't bothered so much about the powerplant but more on comfort and what she liked.

I liked both specs and tried them both for an hour. I am also 6ft 4 and I can honestly say both were great. Seats that is.

It came down to looks which Sportline looks more VRS in my opinion and L & K more luxury.

I fancied the Sportline but there were so many things I wanted that were standard on the L & K I just went with L & K in the end. That is not to say I compromised my choice, there were 2 other factors in the end.

I wanted leather seats this time around and I prefer the sleeper looks of the L & K now. 

Both great, do you want the extra toys as standard. 

Thanks thats helpful.  I do want the extra toys as there are a couple of things I want as extras beyond L&K such as the rear camera and an actual spare tyre! I'm just greedy I guess. Its also important that SWMBO is happy as we will both be driving it. She's a speed demon anyway so easy sell on the 280 but she won't be happy if the cabin isnt up to specc too. I suspect I'll go for the L&K but I do want some of the exterior sportline trim so I'll see want I can get. As other posters have pointed out the 280 is already relatively unknown so I dont think it will jeopardise its sleeper status!

Washed and treated to a coat of Collinite 915 - need a rest now as there was a bit more surface area than most of my previous motors.   Car was filthy before but Business Grey tends to hide it well  

On 07/04/2018 at 08:25, RGKTSi said:

I had the same issue when I bought my L & K. After trying a 220 and a 280 I knew I had to stump up for the more powerful engine. Absolutely no regrets.

Then I looked at the sportline and the L & K. SWMBO is very important to me so she wasn't bothered so much about the powerplant but more on comfort and what she liked.

I liked both specs and tried them both for an hour. I am also 6ft 4 and I can honestly say both were great. Seats that is.

It came down to looks which Sportline looks more VRS in my opinion and L & K more luxury.

I fancied the Sportline but there were so many things I wanted that were standard on the L & K I just went with L & K in the end. That is not to say I compromised my choice, there were 2 other factors in the end.

I wanted leather seats this time around and I prefer the sleeper looks of the L & K now. 

Both great, do you want the extra toys as standard. 

Thanks thats helpful.  I do want the extra toys as there are a couple of things I want as extras beyond L&K such as the rear camera and an actual spare tyre! I'm just greedy I guess. Its also important that SWMBO is happy as we will both be driving it. She's a speed demon anyway so easy sell on the 280 but she won't be happy if the cabin isnt up to specc too. I suspect I'll go for the L&K but I do want some of the exterior sportline trim so I'll see want I can get. As other posters have pointed out the 280 is already relatively unknown so I dont think it will jeopardise its sleeper status!

Looks great!

19 hours ago, Boxerdog1 said:

Washed and treated to a coat of Collinite 915 - need a rest now as there was a bit more surface area than most of my previous motors.   Car was filthy before but Business Grey tends to hide it well  

Give those tyre sidewalls some TLC: 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meguiars-Endurance-High-Gloss-Protection/dp/B0009IQXJ0

Edited 9 April, 20188 yr by penguin17

Hang on, they've just added a Sportline Plus.

 

Car choosing just got harder

50 minutes ago, Gyp said:

Hang on, they've just added a Sportline Plus.

 

Car choosing just got harder

 

What exactly is the difference between the Sportline and the Sportline Plus?  It's not obvious on the website...

 

 

20 minutes ago, TGR said:

 

What exactly is the difference between the Sportline and the Sportline Plus?  It's not obvious on the website...

 

 

Columbus rather than Amundsen, different steering system, electric boot

23 minutes ago, TGR said:

 

What exactly is the difference between the Sportline and the Sportline Plus?  It's not obvious on the website...

 

 

Basically you pay £1500 premium to get the same level of kit that would cost you £50 less in the outgoing ‘regular’ Sportline  hatch but you’re £5 better off if you get the estate as that includes the retracting luggage cover, in Sportline Plus trim

 

Half the options that Škoda list as included with the Plus are only there because it comes with Columbus whereas they’ve downgraded the standard headunit to Amundsen. 

 

Can’t see the point of it myself. None at all! 

2 minutes ago, penguin17 said:

Basically you pay £1500 premium to get the same level of kit that would cost you £50 less in the outgoing ‘regular’ Sportline  hatch but you’re £5 better off if you get the estate as that includes the retracting luggage cover, in Sportline Plus trim

 

Half the options that Škoda list as included with the Plus are only there because it comes with Columbus whereas they’ve downgraded the standard headunit to Amundsen. 

 

Can’t see the point of it myself. None at all! 

 

As I'm fairly new to specing a Superb, did the Sportline originally come with Columbus?

Just now, Gyp said:

 

As I'm fairly new to specing a Superb, did the Sportline originally come with Columbus?

Yes it did. 

 

Oddly Škoda are doing the opppsite to what usually happens when a car gets close to the end of its lifecycle, taking away standard kit and charging a premium to get what used to be free. 

 

 

 

New issue of Evo = New long-term report.

-

 

I decided to have some “fun” earlier today.

Since I had departed for work on the early side, I wanted to see what mileage I could get out of my 280 when really trying. My journey to work is split in about 90-95% motorway, and the rest city driving.

The best I could manage was 43 mpg average on the trip computer.

I’m not sure whether I’ll be repeating that little experiment anytime soon, though. It must have been the most boring drive I’ve done in the car since we own it.

3 hours ago, kriva said:

I decided to have some “fun” earlier today.

Since I had departed for work on the early side, I wanted to see what mileage I could get out of my 280 when really trying. My journey to work is split in about 90-95% motorway, and the rest city driving.

The best I could manage was 43 mpg average on the trip computer.

I’m not sure whether I’ll be repeating that little experiment anytime soon, though. It must have been the most boring drive I’ve done in the car since we own it.

 

That's about what i get from my Sportline 1.4 ACT in "normal" driving and, as mentioned in another thread, normal is quite sedate these days (I drive the Superb like I was ferrying the Queen about in an unhurried manner, whereas I used to drive my Yeti like I'd just finished a bank job) 

I have periods when I try to milk a tank.... Trouble is the power is too addictive. I find myself sticking the car in manual and accelerating hard in first and second gear just because it makes me smile ....

I've read a lot of this thread and haven't noticed if anyone has an estate SEL Exec 280. I have ordered one which is due to be built in week 37. 

Does anyone else have one here? 

 

2 hours ago, boydeee said:

I've read a lot of this thread and haven't noticed if anyone has an estate SEL Exec 280. I have ordered one which is due to be built in week 37. 

Does anyone else have one here? 

 

 

Try looking at the post above lol !

5 minutes ago, Nick_H said:

 

Try looking at the post above lol !

Haha! Sorry! I usually come on here using my phone so can't see what people drive in their signature. Apologies! 

Have any of you kept an eye on the oil temperature?

I’ve been monitoring mine lately, and even with rather sedate driving, in as far as that’s possible with this engine, it seems to run rather hot. 107-109C is absolutely no exception.

this seems quite hot to me,no?

11 minutes ago, kriva said:

Have any of you kept an eye on the oil temperature?

I’ve been monitoring mine lately, and even with rather sedate driving, in as far as that’s possible with this engine, it seems to run rather hot. 107-109C is absolutely no exception.

this seems quite hot to me,no?

 

That's normal with current temperatures

I figured as much, but even when it was slightly colder, temps seemed to

peak at about 107C. (10-13C ambient at the time)

1 minute ago, kriva said:

I figured as much, but even when it was slightly colder, temps seemed to

peak at about 107C. (10-13C ambient at the time)

 

That's ok. I peak 108-109 this time with 500+ hp but a better intercooler. 

Got it, thanks for the info!

So, looking not very far ahead when the car is out of warranty (next March), what to do?

1) I trade for something else.

or

2) I keep longer term (and avoid the savage depreciation & continue to enjoy the Superb’s other strengths like SPACE).

If the latter, some fresh spice in the form of modification will be called for. I wouldn’t be looking for the above 500+hp, but something that would still be in keeping with my high-mileage travel / good engine life.

What sort of performance from the EA888 would fit the bill? – I mean actual performance, not the claims of add-on chip makers. I presume somewhere in the mid-300s hp range? What other (reasonably practical) modifications would people suggest to go with such engine performance? How much added power would also require brake modifications etc?

To my knowledge, the currently most powerful stock variant of the EA888 puts out a claimed 310ps. I guess even that 10% (if true) would be nice; if only to know you’re getting what others are getting from the same engine – that bit really bugs me now (call it xxxxx envy if you like ).

There’s a VW tuning specialist not far from me, so I’ll drop in there for a chat in due course.