So after going through all the insurance nonsense and getting a payout, we've decided to start looking for another 5e octavia. 

 

Hopefully we'll be able to find something with at least the same spec our old now deceased octavia had. 

I've seen a few on the bay and auto trader so this weekend I'll be up and down the North West checking them out. 

Edited 18 February, 20206 yr by caprixpack

So the potentials that I will be viewing this weekend, all around the same price with similar 70k milage. 

 

At the top of the list, an almost identical car minus the amundsen stereo. 

 

Followed by this, higher spec and bigger 2.0 tdi engine. 

 

And finally this one, again similar spec minus the amundsen stereo. 

 

 

I've always thought the estate looks better, but FH13 sounds tempting.  Does the top one have headlamp washers? (looks like the estate might not).

 

Gaz

Only fh13 has the headlight washers, it's also the closest of the 3, elegance spec with half leather/alcantare seats , colour maxi dot and various other bits. 

12 hours ago, caprixpack said:

Only fh13 has the headlight washers, it's also the closest of the 3, elegance spec with half leather/alcantare seats , colour maxi dot and various other bits. 

Errr sorry what was your previous spec

 

If it was vRS, your gonna hate the standard rear suspension 

Nothing special 1.6tdi se, but had some extra options on it that a lot of the other se spec cars don't have. 

Edited 20 February, 20206 yr by caprixpack

38 minutes ago, caprixpack said:

Nothing special 1.6tdi se, but had some extra options on it that a lot of the other se spec cars have. 

The 2.0 Elegance will feel very nice, just check if the water pump was replaced when the cambelt was done

The Elegance looks nice, I also spot the glass roof which is not as large as the estate glass roof, but a nice extra. The spec of the Elegance is a good step up from an SE, half leather/alcantara, cruise control, navigation, colour Maxidot, power folding mirrors, auto lights and wipers, 17 inch wheels to name but a few and that car appears to have a few more extras fitted and the larger engine which will be paired with the superior 6 speed gearbox’s, either the manual or DSG, both of which are preferable to the 5 speed manual (gear ratios are too far apart and needs a 6th) or the 7 speed DSG (DQ200 which has known early failure issues) that the 1.6 has.

Well after a busy (and expensive thanks to the drink problem the st has) day driving around the North West yesterday, we've decided on the silver elegance. 

So, here we go again. 

The first of the service stuff arrived this morning. 

 

A few of the car, which we should be picking up this weekend. 

 

 

 

Hopefully Border City Auto's are replacing all four discs and pads before you collect it.

 

Looks like someone has instructed the MOT test centre to replace the pads without replacing the discs, a false economy and a bit of a botch...

 

 

I had seen the mot history before I went to view it and It has had discs and pads fitted on the front and pads on the rear but the rear discs haven't been changed, although there is plenty of life left in them. A blast with the angle grinder and wire wheel attachment will clean them right up. 

Edited 25 February, 20206 yr by caprixpack

Looks good, enjoy. 

Did you rescue the upgrade bulbs from the previous car or did you think  with the level of impact best leave them in the damaged car?

On 23/02/2020 at 13:39, caprixpack said:

Well after a busy (and expensive thanks to the drink problem the st has) day driving around the North West yesterday, we've decided on the silver elegance. 

 

The ST may have a drink issue, but the sound of the engine makes it all worth it!!!

2 minutes ago, Kental said:

Looks good, enjoy. 

Did you rescue the upgrade bulbs from the previous car or did you think  with the level of impact best leave them in the damaged car?

Naa I left them In, couldn't be bothered faffing about trying to swap over the bulbs. The only thing we took out were the brand new £60 set of rubber car mats. 

Got to love the sound of a 5 cylinder engine. 

We picked the octavia up today, second one in as many months due to the unpleasantness with the first. 

 

Anyway as it was in Carlisle we went shopping as well before the awful weather set in. 

 

I picked these up on the way back to go with the air filter and oil I already have.

 

Anyway, this was how vag dpf looked when we set off home.

 

Doesn't look to bad, I'll take it out for a good long run tomorrow to give us a clean slate after a regen. 

 

Anyway, the first job when we got back was to fit a new battery to each of the keys as one of them was flagging up as low. 

 

 

A nice, easy and painless job for a change. 

 

Next I plugged in the carista and had a play and got it set how the last one was. 

 

 

I also set the fog lights as turn signals on and a few other bits and bobs, for some reason the puddle lights had been disabled? I'm assuming a previous owner wasn't a fan, anyway they've been turned back on and work fine. 

Now I'm just updating the maps as it still has the 2012/2013 maps on. It's only the 2019/2020 version as I've not had time to download the latest version, but it's still better than the old ones. 

 

Today I took the octavia out for a decent spirited run. 

This is where we started from. 

 

The regen kicked in at 87%

 

And finished at 23%

 

I also finished updating the maps for the amundsen. 

 

And swapped over the mats. It came with some nice genuine carpet mats, but they just aren't practical for where we live. 

 

 

The full set of mats are in good condition and look great once I  hoovered them. If any one wants them you can have them for the cost of postage. 

 

I was hoping to do the oil and filters but the wind was ridiculous, hopefully I'll get chance one evening this week. 

 

On 01/03/2020 at 17:49, caprixpack said:

Today I took the octavia out for a decent spirited run. 

This is where we started from. 

 

The regen kicked in at 87%

 

And finished at 23%

 

I also finished updating the maps for the amundsen. 

 

And swapped over the mats. It came with some nice genuine carpet mats, but they just aren't practical for where we live. 

 

 

The full set of mats are in good condition and look great once I  hoovered them. If any one wants them you can have them for the cost of postage. 

 

I was hoping to do the oil and filters but the wind was ridiculous, hopefully I'll get chance one evening this week. 

 

 

I run split mats, rubber in Autumn & Winter and carpet in Spring Summer.  Even if its just for a few months a year is it not worth keeping the carpet ones just to reduce the squeaking from feet moving on the mats on those rare occasions its dry enough!!!!! 

If it were a case of just the Cumbrian weather I'd keep them, the main reason for putting rubber mats in is due to living on a farm that's always wet and muddy. To me getting into the car with muddy feet is like walking into the house and wiping my feet on the living room carpet.  Sure it has its plus sides but the cars being in this state drives me round the bend. 

 

Edited 2 March, 20206 yr by caprixpack

Fair enough, I didn’t realise you had a farm on top of the famously wet Cumbrian weather to deal with!!!

The fact the front wheels are relatively free of brake dust proves it’s not neglect that allows the car to be that dirty.

Edited 3 March, 20206 yr by Kental

Nothing much to report on with the octavia, still haven't found the time to do the service yet. 

 

One thing I will say is I thought the brakes were sticking the other day, I was on a hill then lifted my foot off the brake pedal to allow the car in front to reverse and let someone out and for a second or two the car didn't roll back. Anyway it what I thought freed up and rolled back, it was only after I'd read up on the spec that it has hill hold? I think it's called. I'm not sure if I like it. 

Yes they all have hill hold, pretty much all newer cars do and it’s brill, no need to bother with the handbrake for hill starts and if you have a DSG it won’t ride the clutch doing a hill start

Just read this. If the mats are still going I would like them please? Was looking at getting some new ones as mine have a great dirty wear hold in the drivers side.

Finally got around to getting the mini service done today, with the weather being great and being isolated I thought it was the perfect opportunity. 

 

 

I thought I'd try some osram bulbs this time, while the Philips racing vision 150 % were good in the shirt lived black octavia I went for some night breaker laser 150%.

 

 

Also while waiting for the oil to drain, I fished another one of these bloody things out.