Hello, try again. I put a hello in the general chat section last night after registering. I'm an odd one. I hate driving, but my Octavia is the best car I ever driven. Its a 1.6TDi CR  SE plus. Perlescent Black Magic colour. I had Fog / DRL's fitted after buying it at Hazzy Days who did a great job in half a day. That was a move well justified given the amount of fog and misty drizzle my part of the world sees so frequently. Bought it from the regional VW / Skoda / Audi / Seat franchise. However I use my very nearest local branch for service rather than the large mid county branch I bought it from. I bought it as an approved used car. The attitude and service between the two could not be more different. Having stated I hate driving I am shocked at how I've managed to cover the annual average mileage of of about 12000 miles per year for the last four years. I was hoping I would be keeping my distances covered right down given that my preferred mode of transport is my Honda ST 1300 Pan European. I recently had to have a new EGR valve installed at a cost of £800. BUT, I am not complaining. The car running costs have been incredibly small. I regularly get 60mpg, £30 tax a year and a dealer who really looks after me, I mean where else would you get a cam belt replacement at half the factory workshop cost and schedule as part of  the yearly service. I have worked in the trade in the past so I can source genuine service parts at knock down prices which keeps the running costs low. I have only just replaced the what must have been the original from new brake pads and discs. Its had two sets of tyres in the four years so far. Why are BMW and Audi drivers such a*s****ls. Yes, its not a generalisation, its a fact from observation from driving in what may surprise nearly all of you is a war zone, ie southwest Cornwall. We don't have a Mobile Policing Unit anymore down here, oh man don't they just take advantage of it!  Watch out for the drivers who as soon as they're on the road seem to only have 5 minutes left to live.  This is why I prefer my motorcycle to driving and you can hurl as much abuse at me as you want when I'm on it. I soon get away from the suicide antics of the boxed in morons without breaking any driving laws. My Octavia is like a cave with wheels on. I never saw a boot as big as this, I could go camping in it. The car has all the fixtures and accessories my last car had but the difference is that they all work, don't rattle, and break to bits, not like the dustbin of a Mercedes A class I had. What a pile of junk that was. If I lived anywhere else it would be a much bigger pleasure to be driving around in it, and we do plan on moving out of this overcrowded corner of far flung England to the other side of the Tamar in the next two years. I will probably get another Skoda then. I will make that a Superb next time round. Well make of that what you will. Oh one last thing. How many drivers have names for their cars? Er,..... how many drivers have called their car Yoda?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello and welcome to the Skoda forum one set of brake pads ? how many pair's  of shoes did you get through sticking your foot out the door to stop.

Well, being an advanced motorcyclist I apply the same system to my driving, ie sensibly within the  law at legal speeds keeping a proper gap for any given speed and not charging up behind vehicles in front or up to junctions and hauling down to an abrupt halt. In fact when I changed the pads the car had just come out from a service with the workshop telling me I didn't need them changing, but being the fussy bugger I am and with the MOT due in a couple of months I changed the lot anyway. I won't wait for the scraping sound or a dash light coming on with a wear warning. For info its a 2012 model year car and still looks immaculate. i can not afford to neglect anything. The local weather and climate ie salt ridden southwesterly winds and a routinely damp atmosphere rots cars like they're dissolving while you watch. I have taken my last two cars to the scrapper due to corrosion. Over zealous , yes probably. On my other cars I wore out several pairs of shoes even with their so called good brakes. To me this a car really worth making the xtra effort to look after.

 

 

 

 

A warm welcome Starwars!  The trouble is I find public transport usually pretty unreliable especially out in the sticks but I have always enjoyed driving or biking.  Not much of the latter nowadays.

Hello Oldmansomerset,

I wonder which part of the hallowed westcountry you are in!? North Somerset, ah yes, I remember fighting to keep control of my Vauxhall Nova going down into Porlock. The brakes did get fried. We limped on into Minehead ok though. It s far more rural there I would think driving would be much more relaxed, is it? I've never taken my bike around Somerset much either. I think you have given me a mission to go on. Public transport is ok if you have a week to spare to get 15 miles down the road.

Yes.  I am in South Somerset, Wiltshire Dorset are close by.  I have done Porlock a few times, the first time in an Austin 20 1937 vintage but back in the 60s.  It handled it very well albeit I was down to bottom gear.  Some of the chaps with old cars, find reversing up easier?  Coming down called for a bit more care, selecting bottom or second to hold it!