Kirkynut's Mrs' 2006 vRS Estate - Race Blue

[kirkynut]

After my Mrs' 2000 BMW E46 325i saloon passed its MOT last year but with advisories about rusty sills and my MOT man telling me not to bring it back this year we had to look for a new car. Neither of us wanted a slow car, a diesel or an automatic. It seems for the last 10 years, all people have bought new are diesels and automatics, some of which were both.

 

We have a 3 year old and have struggled on occasions with the boot capacity of the saloon and I'm not a fan of roof boxes. I therefore suggested that we use this opportunity to buy an estate.

 

So the hunt began for a fast, manual, petrol estate car. The budget was up to £5k.

 

I like the idea of cam chains as it is one less big servicing expense or job for me if I can be bothered. I am capable of all mechanical jobs but time and botheration are often in short supply these days. The Mrs wanted to move away from BMW's though, which are all cam chain driven but few are petrol and manual. I considered VOLVO's, Mondeo ST200's, newer Mondeo 2.5T's and she liked Audi A4 Avants.

 

The A4 Avants seem to hold their money and don't seem to have the handy things, such as decent cup holders.

 

Then the Octavia vRS came up on my Autotrader searches. We went to look at a grey 2009 Limited Edition on 89k miles. It was lovely and went like stink. The interior was really nice with the full leather. It had the standard lacquer peel on the rear spoiler, a bent alloy but had just had the cam chain, tensioner and followers replaced after the EML came up with a code suggesting it was out of timing. A close shave it seems!

 

This was obviously a hatchback, but they have huge boots still, so we may have settled on that. I was not happy with the cam chain issue they suffer with though and said we should get a pre-facelift car with the cam belt instead. I said we should use this opportunity to get an estate, whilst we had it.

 

We went on a 2 hour trip to see a black 2006 estate. It ran roughly and the garage said it had an MOT 7 days previously, despite every inch of the brake discs having more than surface rust on them. We took it for a test drive, just to see what the cam belt engine was like and it was gutless. A massive disappointment. I plugged in a code reader but it had no codes for me to guess what the engine issue was and maybe barter.

 

We then went on a 3 hour trip with a night in a Travelodge to see the one we have bought. It was worth it. It's a 2006, 56 plate petrol Octavia vRS estate in what I understand is Race Blue on 79k miles. It was in a Skoda Specialist Car Sales garage - https://www.avenuecarsales.net/ . They replaced the water pump, cam belt, the small timing chain, fuel pump drive, oil/filter and coolant as part of their sales prep with genuine parts from TPS. It's generally in good nick. The only drawbacks are it does not have cruise control, steering wheel controls or parking sensor. It has new discs and pads on the back and new pads on the front too. I'm quite impressed with the car and thus far.

 

I have looked up the cruise control retro fit with the new stalk, possible body control module and coding. I might get a local VAG independent to do that as I don't have VAGCOM or whatever it's called yet.

 

I'll get parking sensors or if the Mrs will let me an Erisin head unit and a reversing camera, or parking sensors and an Erisin.

 

The Mrs is happy with the Stream, non MP3 head unit but I want her to have hands free phone and the ability to listen to my music. Some persuading needs doing!

 

Anyway, here it is:

 

It's first wash by me -

 

The garage had machine polished it. So it has very few swirl marks. I have had to clean some cutting compound out of the nooks and crannies from this today.

 

Then a coat of Autoglym HD Wax

 

 

I love the way the black powder coated wheels hide brake dust! The black grill works well too.

 

It will stay standard. It's fast enough and handles ok if you drive it smoothly and properly. If it were mine it would have a set of Eibachs and 18" BBS CH reps on it, but it's not!

 

The 17's probably make for a nicer drive to be fair. It has aging General branded tyres on it, which I can tell are hardening. They're ok but they're not a performance tyre and are on a performance car, so whilst they are coping admirably, the difference better tyres will make I expect to be noticeable. I'm an Avon tyres fan.

 

I changed the wiper blades today too. That was a novelty with the service mode to fit them! So easy compared to traditional wiper blades though! Naturally I got Bosch ones.

 

I had to get a puncture repair done yesterday but it was a screw in the centre, so an easy repair. I got both front wheels balanced too as the Mrs reported a little steering wheel vibration over 70 mph. I'm not sure which private road that was on mind! If that doesn't solve it I'll get the tracking checked but tyre wear is even.

 

I'll update with servicing and any mods that do get done and heaven forbid - problems!

 

Kirkynut

 

 

Edited 13 February, 2019 by kirkynut

[Niyx]

Kirky, it looks mint (especially after a clean!).

 

From your welcome post to this, I'm glad you've found a VRS to your liking, despite the hurdles getting to this point.

 

I look forward to updates.

[kirkynut]

9 hours ago, Niyx said:

Kirky, it looks mint (especially after a clean!).

 

From your welcome post to this, I'm glad you've found a VRS to your liking, despite the hurdles getting to this point.

 

I look forward to updates.

Thank you.

 

It's just going to be a case of looking after this one and making it more usable.  

 

I got the Beemer to over 150k miles and intended to get it to 200k but the rust got it as I overlooked it. I regret that but with a toddler you get no time for checking every inch of a car and just do servicing and repairs. 

 

I dealt with a small area in the off side sill of the Octavia yesterday, where the stone chip had holed and water was building up under it. I saw this when we looked at it but luckily the metal was fine and just had surface rust. I've peeled back the stone chip as far as the water had got, rubbed the metal clean and painted black Hamerite on it as it's out of sight. I'll treat it properly in the summer with the rest of the underneath to avoid losing another car to rust! I just wanted to stop this getting worse.

 

Kirkynut 

[JLawson90]

looks lovely .. disappointed to see the words 'it will stay standard' though haha

[pee81]

Looks well for its age

[kirkynut]

Cheers peeps. 

 

The Marshal tyres are showing their weaknesses on the front on greasy roads. They're old, going hard and I anticipate they were not very good in the first place! We had a bit of excessive wheelspin and torque steer going on tonight. Whilst I might have been able to not be so aggressive on the throttle,  they were shocking!

 

Maybe when the fronts are worn out a bit more I'll replace all 4 with decent Avons.

 

It's been a few years since I've had to balance the throttle as much as we've both had Beemers in which you can just plant it by and large.

 

A limited slip diff would work wonders on one of these. This reminds me of my old Fiesta ST150, just bigger!

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

I've had the opportunity to drive this a bit more today. It's the Mrs' car so I drive my Beemer most of the time. 

 

The front tyres are worse than I thought. I got wheelspin when I was being careful in the dry today. The traction control light even came on in 3rd when I thought I could mash the loud pedal. 

 

It has to be the age of these just slightly better than budget tyres. They've hardened I believe and have subsequently lost their grip.

 

I'm unsure as to whether I ought to go a bit better than the Avons I've known and trusted for so long. 200 bhp through the front wheels takes a bit more care than through the rear wheels!

 

I looked at 18's but standard tyre width is the same, so no gain there. All they'll do is bugger up the ride but look good, but only if lowered.

 

So 17's with their comfort and cheaper prices are the way forward!

 

Kirkynut 

 

 

 

 

[kirkynut]

I've been on the M25 and M20 into Kent driving the family to Diggerland today and enjoyed driving this even more. 6th gear is useful.

 

I've avoided forced induction until this car but now I'm smitten. The power is awesome and when the turbo comes on boost it's not too harsh, but you know it's happening alright! If you're not silly with the loud pedal mid corner you've nought to worry about. Either don't get the boost to cut in mid corner or have it on already. Perhaps a little more to think of but I do this in diesels at work already, albeit they're slow!

 

I'd like to get it to a nice country road and get on it but the opportunity hasn't arisen in the short time we've had it. You can't just book a weekend away to do the Evo Triangle when you have a toddler! I can't wait until he can drive and then I'll teach him how to really drive! A family project car perhaps!

 

Despite it's ride height, I do look back at it and think it's a good looking car when I park it up.

 

God it needs new tyres though! 

 

Kirkynut 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kirkynut]

The other point worth mentioning is that the fuel consumption on this is so much better than either of our E46's are, yet it's so much quicker!

 

Kirkynut 

[skinnyman]

On 25/02/2019 at 19:19, kirkynut said:

The other point worth mentioning is that the fuel consumption on this is so much better than either of our E46's are, yet it's so much quicker!

 

I've only just seen this thread today.  You've made a good choice of family car there, but I'm a tad biased for obvious reasons.  

If there's anything you need to know about subtle changes that can be done, give me a shout as I've been fettling mine for nearly three years now and it's been a brilliant family wagon.  

As for fuel, we managed 41mpg on a steady run yesterday with all five of us in.

 

 

edit : I couldn't resist putting a pic up.....

Edited 27 February, 2019 by skinnyman

[kirkynut]

On 27/02/2019 at 09:16, skinnyman said:

 

I've only just seen this thread today.  You've made a good choice of family car there, but I'm a tad biased for obvious reasons.  

If there's anything you need to know about subtle changes that can be done, give me a shout as I've been fettling mine for nearly three years now and it's been a brilliant family wagon.  

As for fuel, we managed 41mpg on a steady run yesterday with all five of us in.

 

 

edit : I couldn't resist putting a pic up.....

Cheers. Tell me what you have done to yours.

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

I got the aircon regassed last week as it seems not to have worked since we bought the car and we bought it in the freezing cold. 

 

It stopped working in a few days. 

 

The garage that regassed it couldn't find a leak and suggested it might be an electrical issue on the system or a leak so small that the dye cannot get out, only the gas.

 

They wanted £45 to plug it into his diagnostic machine. They weren't filling me with confidence so I went to my mate with diagnostic equipment. It showed a low pressure code.

 

So either the pressure sensor is kaput or there's a lack of pressure due to a leak. 

 

£30 for a new pressure sensor from GSF didn't seem too bad for a punt but it didn't fix it. 

 

My mate has suggested a garage that his car was in for big work that he trusts as although he's a mechanic by trade, some things are too much on your drive and he's in my job now.

 

So I'll book it in with them and cross my fingers it's not the evaporator. 

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

Boom! I took it to the new garage today and they found a leaky seal on the condenser. They've tried to get the seal but can't, so it's getting a new condenser. 

 

That's not too terrible as the fins on it are bent to hell and back anyway. 

 

I think he said £346 all in on the phone, which consists of the nitrogen put in under pressure with dye and the time to find the leak today, the Condenser, which I can see you can get for about £100 at Euro Car Parts for a Hella/Denso part, aircon gas (£75) and labour. 

 

So if this fixes it for good, which I see no reason why it won't, I'm happy with that. I'd prefer not to have to have it fixed but hey! 

 

One other point to note is that when I removed the old pressure sensor it had no O ring seal. That keeps crap out rather than gas in but it suggests someone has been there before to try to fix it. So buying a new one and seal and fitting it myself, which has been leak tested today doesn't seem to be a waste.

 

Let's hope it's fixed long term tomorrow!

 

Kirkynut 

 

[kirkynut]

The aircon repair was a bit more expensive than we thought at £615 but it was my fault. 

 

When I fitted the pressure sensor I stripped the thread of the aluminium pipe and a new one is £186 on it's own from Skoda, ironically with a new pressure sensor already fitted!

 

So the garage found the original leak and my created leak, which added the cost of the pipe and more labour. That'll teach me to be so heavy handed!

 

We've just taken our son on a Butlins break and the aircon is lovely and staying ice cold. I didn't miss cruise control as it's pointless on the M25 except for the 50 mph roadworks, but then people seem not to be able to do a set speed. 

 

Parking sensors, a Bluetooth stereo, tyres and mats are purchases to come. 

 

I don't get to drive it very often, so I'm loving 200 bhp. I find the ride and handling great still. If only it didn't sit so high!

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

So after the car getting covered in Bognor Butlins bird ****, it needed a proper wash!

 

 

Kirkynut 

Edited 25 May, 2019 by kirkynut

[kirkynut]

It's been all go with the vRS this last week. 

 

The driver's seat height adjuster mechanism broke a month or so ago so it would not go up, which has led to it not being in the best position for my Mrs and it's her car!

 

We've got a new Skoda dealership in Southend called Beadles. I might not have bought a Skoda if there was no dealership for miles as I do most repairs and servicing myself. They got me a new mechanism in for £104.76. Part no. K1K0881054A if you suffer the same.  I think it's a generic part across all Mk2 Octavias, not just the vRS. Beadles only get parts delivered on Saturdays and Tuesdays though. Then they forget to call you when it's in. I'm used to BMW dealers with stock or next day supplying, a text or a phone call to tell you the moment they un pack it!

 

It seems to be a popular VAG part to fail too when you read up on it. Golf Mk5's upwards suffer it seems.

 

So I fitted that tonight after I put our 3  year old to bed.

 

I did have to relent and put it into a garage yesterday to be collected at the end of play today for a rear nearside wheel bearing though. It pained me to pay £105 labour for what is not a tricky job. The reason is that it needed doing, I've taken 3 days leave to look after our son whilst the childminder is on holiday and being 3, our son isn't quite at the age where I can show him how to do jobs on cars. Also, VAG seem to have made best efforts to stop home mechanics like myself from working on their cars by using XZN 12 point torx headed bolts, which I don't own any of at this moment! This will soon be remedied!

 

I put 4 new Avon tyres on it a few weeks ago too, so it's now gripping like poo to a blanket! The difference new performance tyres makes us unreal! You may scoff at Avons being called Performance Tyres but I've used them for years and they really are good.

 

I've also put new number plates on it too as the dealer plates from the garage we bought it from have faded on the rear and I'm not a fan of plates advertising a garage. I bought some German number plate holders for them and fitted them, albeit they're really Czech number plate holders! Pictures to follow.  I think they're smart but the BMW crowd on the forums I'm on for my own car slate anyone who dares to buy them!

 

Going back to the driver's seat height adjuster mechanism I changed this evening - everything I've read on them says you have to take the seat out. Well you don't as I've done it tonight with it getting dark and being bitten by gnats! 

 

I had a bash without removing the seat and by being dexterous and using a bit of ingenuity it can be done!

 

They didn't think I'd try a job like that so only used 6 point torx headed screws, which I've got sockets and bits for!

 

Once you've got the recliner knob off, the plastic pocket on the side and the then obvious T30 torx screw out from the outside of the adjuster mechanism you have to undo the 2 T30 torx bolts under the seat and a 16mm nut. The bolts under the seat are the reason most people say that the seat has to come out. 

 

If the seat comes out the battery should be disconnected due to the seat airbags. Then you need a radio code. I looked for this in the owner's manual, just to find it's a secret but your local dealer will tell you it, if you ask nicely!

 

Cobblers to that when I need to get it done, so pushing a T30 bit into the heads over the 2 bolts underneath (which takes about 20 minutes each to do) and using a 6mm spanner on them as there's no room for a socket and ratchet, gets those undone and tightened back up. If just needs dexterity and patience! 

 

Then there's a hidden 16mm nut inside, hidden by the seat leather side bolster on the base. Then out comes the old mechanism. 

 

Fitting is reverse of removal as the Haynes books of lies say! Just getting those two bolts underneath back in is a test of dexterity and patience!

 

I suppose I'd better think about an oil and filter change soon as its approaching 6k miles from when we boughtit, which is when its last oil change was by the dealer. I'm a 6k oil change man and with the car having a turbo I will stick to this. 

 

Kirkynut 

Edited 7 August, 2019 by kirkynut

[kirkynut]

XZN triple squared sockets ordered to allow me to work on this car now. 

 

I've worked out it's cost me £640 this month on tyres, seat height adjuster and the wheel bearing!

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

Oil change done at 86300 miles today.  I plan to change the oil every 6000 miles but other stuff got in the way, such as repairing my BMW E46 320i saloon, which has needed new front wishbones and bushes, along with me solving a braking issue that turned out to be warped rear discs.

 

Nonetheless, 7300 miles on longlife oil is good. 

 

It sounds quieter with the fresh Castrol in it.

 

I'll pop a new air filter in it soon.  I got soaked today changing the oil, so it will have to wait until I've 15 minutes one dry day.

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

The day before yesterday I changed the gearbox oil (another new VAG specialist tool bought) and air filter.

 

The old air filter was a Mann filter, so good quality and seemed to be clean but the garage we bought it from did not tick the box for air filter changed, so I cannot say how many miles it's been in for. I popped a new Mann filter in for reassurance that it's all nice and good. It's a bit of a palava mind! What happened to a few clips?

 

Then I set to the underside around the boot and sills with a wire brush, followed by a paintbrush and some Hammerite to deal with some surface rust where the under seal has cracked with age and let the moisture in. I'm not having this car rust out like her old 325i!

 

I've dealt with a few stone chips that have started to rust with some Race Blue spray paint and lacquer recently too. Just little spots on the bottom of the driver's door and the sills but you have to catch them when they're chips rather than wait until the rust has got hold!

 

Kirkynut 

 

 

 

 

[kirkynut]

A few days ago I was laying in bed on Bookface, chilling with our son watching kids YouTube on a tablet next to me, something we like to do to chill out when time allows us a lazy morning. He didn't have to be at the childminder until 09.30 and I was working lates. 

 

Now the plan for the day was to chill out for a bit with him and have a couple of cups of tea in bed, get ready,  take him to the childminder in the next village and go to the hospital for a blood test. Then chill out at home for a bit in front of the telly, have lunch and go to work. 

 

Then the Mrs rings me from the VRS on her way to work. "My car is running rough, it has no power and the engine management light is flashing on and off".

 

My early guess was a coilpack.  She was picking up a colleague from the same village as the childminder,  so I formulated a plan! She dumped it outside his house and they went to work in his car.

 

I got a Click and Collect order ready to press "Reserve" on my phone for a Bosch coilpack at my local Eurocarparts and dropped our son off at the childminder. Stopped at her car, read the code P0304 for misfire on cylinder 4 (I'm not just a pretty face) and pressed "Reserve" for that coilpack. 

 

Off to hospital to get drained of blood and on to Eurocarparts! 

 

With the coilpack on board I went back to the car and changed no.4 coilpack and a test drive showed that the world was a happy place once again. 

 

A rush home for my ablusions, a quick McDonald's drive through and I got to work just in time to realise it was Friday 13th! 

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

MOT passed yesterday with no advisories!

 

It had to have a new windscreen before I could take it though due to a chip that grew a crack.

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

I've just put a new Bosch battery on it as it almost didn't want to turn over the other day and twice now the clock has reset to midnight after the first start of the day and the one touch disappeared on the windows up. The ABS etc lights also came on until driven a short distance. 

 

These are all signs of a low voltage and a battery on its last legs. A Scangauge told me that the alternator was pumping out 14.7v.

 

After a quick read on here I learnt how to reset the one touch by dropping each window and holding up the button for a few seconds after it has shut.

 

Hopefully that's sorted for the 5 years of the warranty on the battery. 

 

Kirkynut 

[skinnyman]

On 01/03/2019 at 07:11, kirkynut said:

Cheers. Tell me what you have done to yours.

 

Kirkynut 

 

Blimey, how late is this reply?  Sorry for not seeing this as I normally get straight back to people.  I was looking through the threads and noticed I'd totally blanked you a year ago.  Apologies.

 

I no longer have the car, it was sold to fund a van. 🤨 I really miss it and do regret selling but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

From memory, I'll let you know what I did to the car.

 

Turbo back exhaust with 200cel sport cat

RS Tuning remap - somewhere between 250 and 260bhp

Audi R8 red coil packs

Retrofitted cruise control

Eibach lowering springs specific to the estate

Whiteline RARB

Seat Leon FR interior

18" Fox Motorsport wheels

Race Blue coded front grille surround

 

I think that's most things covered.

 

On 30/03/2020 at 15:43, kirkynut said:

Hopefully that's sorted for the 5 years of the warranty on the battery.

 

It's amazing how a new battery can give a var a new lease of life.  I did the same thing when I bought mine and it cured a few niggles that you mentioned.👍

 

 

[kirkynut]

On 02/04/2020 at 22:07, skinnyman said:

 

Blimey, how late is this reply?  Sorry for not seeing this as I normally get straight back to people.  I was looking through the threads and noticed I'd totally blanked you a year ago.  Apologies.

 

I no longer have the car, it was sold to fund a van. 🤨 I really miss it and do regret selling but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

From memory, I'll let you know what I did to the car.

 

Turbo back exhaust with 200cel sport cat

RS Tuning remap - somewhere between 250 and 260bhp

Audi R8 red coil packs

Retrofitted cruise control

Eibach lowering springs specific to the estate

Whiteline RARB

Seat Leon FR interior

18" Fox Motorsport wheels

Race Blue coded front grille surround

 

I think that's most things covered.

 

 

It's amazing how a new battery can give a var a new lease of life.  I did the same thing when I bought mine and it cured a few niggles that you mentioned.👍

 

 

Hi, you did get back to me but via PM, so no need to feel so bad!

 

I did see it for sale actually and fancied it for myself but couldn't justify the expenditure. I kind of wish I'd bought it now as my Beemer needed lots to keep it on the road.

 

Yes it turns over faster than it ever has in our ownership now.

 

Kirkynut 

[kirkynut]

Oil change done yesterday at 92674 miles. I aim to change it every 6k miles to keep it in tip top condition inside and have been using Castrol Edge 5w30. So 6464 miles since the last change isn't bad, especially as this is long life oil and is meant for many more miles than this.

 

I still preferred working on my old E46 as BMW made things easier, such as having a removal panel on the under tray for draining the oil and the oil filter was up top.

 

The only thing was I was always repairing the Beemer and the Skoda just needs servicing. He says reaching for some wood to touch (don't be smutty at the back).

 

Kirkynut