What have you done to your Superb III today?

[MartiniB]

@JR RS

please add details to

-> What bulbs are fitted to the S3 & upgraded bulb recommendations

 

[JR RS]

9 hours ago, MartiniB said:

@JR RS

please add details to

-> What bulbs are fitted to the S3 & upgraded bulb recommendations

 

 

These r not standard or upgrade for Superb, let alone any other Skoda models, hence it's not right to put the details on that post.

 

It's something that I made up myself.

 

I bought slim 2.7mm LED strips from AliExpress, cut them into 12mm length, soldered the wiring & plugs, then stuck them to a grove inside the door pocket, along the top edge.

 

I spliced into the door warning lights for power.

It involves removing the door cards, so u can drill a tiny 3mm hole in the corner of the door pocket.

 

 

 

[Bap33]

Just kerbed my RR black Trinity rim...

Turned too tight (though I didn't have the impression of doing so) while driving out of a parking lot. 😬

 

Will have to wait for switching for winter wheels to restore it. 🙄

Edited 19 September, 2023 by Bap33

[cnc]

Had a new windscreen fitted this morning as a stone hit it a couple of weeks ago and broke it. 

 

This month the car has had a variable service, four new tyres plus the windscreen - hope that lot keeps it going for a while, it's still only 11 months old.

[Colin170CR]

2 hours ago, cnc said:

Had a new windscreen fitted this morning as a stone hit it a couple of weeks ago and broke it. 

 

This month the car has had a variable service, four new tyres plus the windscreen - hope that lot keeps it going for a while, it's still only 11 months old.

11 months old & 4 new tyres? How many miles?

[Colin170CR]

Fitted a "Plug & Play" reversing camera. 

 

What a PITA that was 

Either it's my ham fists or just bad luck but it did not quite go to plan or, at least the plan I had envisioned. 

 

I was alerted to this kit by 35north who posted earlier on this thread that he had fitted a one from Ali Express £33.22 + Tax = £42.26.

Seemed a bit of a bargain at that price so why not.

 

It didn't start well because I ordered the wrong kit (C model instead of A model) so I had to re-order the correct one (I will be putting the unused C model kit up for grabs for the price of the postage if anyone wants it - problem is I don't know what VAG car the camera fits!). 

 

Removed all the tailgate internal panels with trim tools but still managed to break two of the clips - new ones on order via Amazon & yet to arrive.

Removed the tailgate latch which was a PITA to get access to & landed up breaking 3 of the tabs in the process. Online videos of this procedure make it look like a breeze using just your fingers. I can assure you it's not & I needed flat blade angled trim tools. 

 

Installed new camera latch which I have to say was a bit or a loose fit. Found some pipe foam insulation & cut a piece to wedge between the latch & inside of the tailgate to take up the slack. Worked OK & no one will ever see it. 

Plugged in the camera cable & ran it loose to the front of the car to test it before removing any more trim . 

 

 

Removed the Head unit from glove box & installed interface cable & plugged in the camera cable. Turned on ignition, started car & selected reverse - nothing showing on infotainment screen other than normal Park Pilot screen. Damn. Check all connections & unplugged & re-connected camera cable at both ends - success. I somehow managed to break the locking tab on the multi pin latching mechanism so a cable tie was added to make sure it didn't come loose once back in the dash. I'm thinking that 2016 plastic parts are starting to degrade a bit. Well that's my story anyway. 😏

 

Disconnected camera from Head units & started feeding the cable from the boot forward. 

 

 

At this point I broke out my cable fishing rods, coathangers & other cable drawing devices.

 

The LH tailgate cable gater (passenger side) is fairly full of wiring already. RH gater has more space but not sure if the camera cable has enough length to run down the drivers side & then across the dashboard to the glove box. LH / passenger side it is then.

 

WD40 in the L/H cable gater made it fairly easy to get the cable through & fished  down the rear C pillar. Then attached cable to my long fibreglass cable rods. Went inside the roof lining at the C pillar & much to my surprise found the end of it first time above the passenger door headlining. Fished the cable down the A pillar trim & into the removable panel to the left of the glove box. 

Fished the cable through to the rear of the glovebox, plugged it into the new wiring loom insert (yellow end in above picture) & tested it - all OK. Then I taped up the camera cable joints at both end to prevent them coming loose.

 

Then came the most frustrating bit. After fitting the extra wiring loom insert supplied with the kit the glove box head unit did not want to go back into its housing. It kept getting stuck halfway in. Much swearing & contortion needed as I tried to pull the now longer bunch of main cable loom at the rear of the head unit to one side via a tiny opening above the pollen filter & the dropped glove box door. Nothing doing so there was only one thing for it & that was to remove the glove box.

 

Removed the glove box light & upgraded it with an LED while I had it out. Popped the passenger airbag switch out but for love nor money I couldn't get the wire plug out of  the back of it!!  5/6 screws later & more skinned knuckles the glovebox comes free which gives me the space to push the head unit all the way in & dress the jungle of wiring at the rear into the available space. 

Offer up the glove box & hold in place with a length of wood while & get some screws in - you need 4 pairs of hands for some of this stuff!!

 

After a bit of "to me, to you" & more swearing having dropped yet another screw in the congested passenger footwell it finally went into place. Reattached the now much brighter glove box light assembly & put all my junk back in the glove box. Done.

 

Test the camera again - all good except the picture is looking a bit dark. Ahha, remove the protective plastic film from the camera lens - much better.

 

This little lot took place over two half days dodging rain showers outside on my drive. I still have to put the lower tailgate trim back on but can't do that until the new clips arrive tomorrow. 

 

I'm not sure if my experience is the norm for this sort of thing but it did feel like a major mission & it took far longer than even I had envisioned. The upside is that the camera kit was only £84 which includes the cost of the wrong kit I ordered so, not too bad all things considered. I wonder what the option cost was to have one factory fitted back in 2016? 

I found the website below that wants to charge £650 for retrofitting one to a Superb😖 

https://www.avrmobiles.co.uk/product/skoda-superb-retrofit-factory-style-reversing-camera/ 

This makes my £84 look like a massive win & worth all the hassle & skinned knuckles.

 

My car now needs a damn good wash inside & out but at long last I now have a reversing camera that my L&K should have been fitted with as standard back in 2016. 

 

 

 

 

[JR RS]

@Colin170CR- geez.....wat an adventure!!!

 

Good u didn't give up and persisted.

 

I just hope u don't have curtain airbags as the wiring u've run through the roof liner will foul the airbag in the event of an accident.

 

[Colin170CR]

19 hours ago, JR RS said:

@Colin170CR- geez.....wat an adventure!!!

 

Good u didn't give up and persisted.

 

I just hope u don't have curtain airbags as the wiring u've run through the roof liner will foul the airbag in the event of an accident.

 

Thanks. I do have curtain airbags & to avoid them I ran the the camera cable above the head lining just left of centre & then sharp left to get to the L/H A pillar. It's not obvious from the photos but this route keeps it away from any curtain airbags. Looking at the uncovered C pillar there's a surprising amount of cabling going up into the headlining on both sides. 

New trim clips arrived late today so I'll get the last bit of the tailgate trim on tomorrow. Then a damn good wash & polish I think.

Next job is to clean & paint the rusty wheel hubs. 

[Legacy]

I replaced my 18" EcoContact 6 tyres with a set of Primacy 4.  The Primacys are rated slightly better for noise (70dB) and fuel economy (A) and have settled in nicely after 150km or so. The EcoContacts were always noisy and had become worse with wear but their most disappointing feature was a high wear rate as they only lasted 46,000 km even with regular rotation.  They started off with 6.5mm tread depth but became unpredictable in the wet once they reached 2mm.  I've never had tyres with such a short lifespan.  The Michelins feel plusher and are quieter.  They were cheaper than new EcoContacts too.  I'm hoping that they'll live up to their reputation for longevity.

[Bap33]

Quick cleaning this week-end !

 

 

Edited 24 September, 2023 by Bap33

[brettikivi]

bah humbug. 850 for new pads, both front bearings and a lower control arm ball joint with alignment. Could have been worse, was hoping for better as it's going to need new tyres in the spring...

[petrolcan]

Not specifically today but over the past week.

 

Full service and enabled Traffic Sign Recognition via VCDS.

 

Oh, gave it a wash too.

 

Back in June I replaced all four tyres, Halfords told me I had excessive play in my track rod ends and that my track rods were seized, quoted me over £450 for replacement. I knew that they were upselling as I'd declined the 4 wheel tracking so naturally declined. Got my mechanic to have a look whilst servicing and lo and behold, track rods and ends are just dandy.

[Graham Butcher]

11 minutes ago, petrolcan said:

Not specifically today but over the past week.

 

Full service and enabled Traffic Sign Recognition via VCDS.

 

Oh, gave it a wash too.

 

Back in June I replaced all four tyres, Halfords told me I had excessive play in my track rod ends and that my track rods were seized, quoted me over £450 for replacement. I knew that they were upselling as I'd declined the 4 wheel tracking so naturally declined. Got my mechanic to have a look whilst servicing and lo and behold, track rods and ends are just dandy.

How did you get the Traffic sign Recognition working, I'd like to enable it on mine.

[petrolcan]

11 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

How did you get the Traffic sign Recognition working, I'd like to enable it on mine.

 

I used @JR RS's guide (I'd link it here but darned if I can find it so attached it instead)

Coding - Superb MK3 - v3.1.pdf

[numskull]

Washed all the bird poop off the 280 gained from parking under a tree for 3 hours yesterday. And then I had to wash it properly. And then add an LSP to the bonnet and roof. And coat the tyres. And Dyson the inside.
 

Even though I didn’t want to, I felt compelled too. Bloody annoying really…🙄

Edited 30 September, 2023 by numskull

[Graham Butcher]

15 minutes ago, numskull said:

Washed all the bird poop off the 280 gained from parking under a tree for 3 hours yesterday. And then I had to wash it properly. And then add an LSP to the bonnet and roof. And coat the tyres. And Dyson the inside.
 

Even though I didn’t want to, I felt compelled too. Bloody annoying really…🙄

Question, what is an LSP? 

[Stonekeeper]

21 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

Question, what is an LSP? 

 

I am guessing but i would imagine it's a Last Stage Protection product?

[numskull]

Correct - LSP = Last Stage Product, which in this case was TW Ceramic and Graphene wax.

[Bap33]

I unsuccessfully tried to wire the 2nd rear fog light.

I followed this 'how to' but it doesn't work for me.

 

I don't know what's wrong. Could it be related to my LHD estate version... 🤔 

[Lutz_91]

Vor 2 Stunden sagte Bap33:

Ich habe diese Anleitung befolgt, aber es funktioniert bei mir nicht.

 

It also depends on which lights you have. In the vFL there were also two variants at the back.

Edited 30 September, 2023 by Lutz_91

[Bap33]

7 hours ago, Lutz_91 said:

 

It also depends on which lights you have. In the vFL there were also two variants at the back.

It's the L&K version.

[ApertureS]

14 hours ago, Bap33 said:

I unsuccessfully tried to wire the 2nd rear fog light.

I followed this 'how to' but it doesn't work for me.

 

I don't know what's wrong. Could it be related to my LHD estate version... 🤔 

I believe the U.K. spec has a fog light in the offside rear, and rather than create a separate light they just fitted the euro spec nearside rear.

whereas Europe may have got their fog light nearside rear, but a specific non fog light offside

[Bap33]

Considering the original post of the ‘how to’ was made on a car from Romania, I assume LHD / RHD is not an issue. Only difference seems to be hatchback vs. Estate version. 🤔

[Lutz_91]

The wiring of the lights in the vFL is the same for the Limo and Combi. There are no differences. Otherwise there would have to be two different circuit diagrams.

If so, then the difference is in the light.

[cnc]

On 22/09/2023 at 15:28, Colin170CR said:

11 months old & 4 new tyres? How many miles?

Just under 37000 miles.