New member, a Fabia 1.2 110 and some questions

[nta16]

I'll have to have a look as I previously thought front but was persuaded rear.  Like many facts they can change over time, Galileo, Newton, eggs, smoking, ect..

 

I wasn't suggesting BasilHume move the rear tyres rather that they are replaced as a set, if the Landsail are good tyres then another set of those to make four.  The Nexen and Autogrip might be good tyres in themselves and in good condition but mixing tyres on the same axle has never been thought of as a good idea AFAIK, plus you have to take into consideration the model of each tyre, its wear and use and abuse by previous owner(s).

 

All the electronics and computer programs are fine but they have no control of the two actual surfaces of the tyre and what it's running on, or not.

 

20 years back a mate had a go at driving my wife's smart, a City Passion LHD (ruined by MercbenzDaimler at the time, I pitied their customers with the expensive models) as he got his size 13 on the go-pedal we rushed to catch up with others not realising were where going in the opposite direction, then at one point he asks "what was that light on the dash?".  I explained the Traction Control light as we had all four wheels off the ground.

 

You may remember the A-Class failing the 'elk test' so the smart got loads of safety features and other features that were on the top of the range Mercs at the time.

 

Showing how things change Mercs were just taxis when I was younger, and all over Europe too but I'd not know that, the 60s ones might have been cool but 70s ones were mainly taxis.  Late 90s and early 2000s Mercs weren't the best quality, I had mates with them, among other things the paint finish was often a problem that would sometimes show under warranty and then again a few years out of warranty. Things change, and come around again, apparently they're not so great again.

 

[Ootohere]

When we get to be older drivers we usually have lived through driving all sort, pushers, pullers, all wheel drivers and some with part time all wheel driving.

We will likely have had Cross Ply's at some point and Town & Countries and Remoulds and take off's / part worns.

 

I like to know that even if there is no ABS, ESP, ASR / TC, XDS / XDS+ or cutting of power when there is wheel spin that i can get into corners and get out of them again.

[nta16]

Wow, you must be ancient!  

 

I can't remember if I've even driven on cross ply but I do remember in about 1978 or 9 as an 18 year-old doing a quick turn off a 30mph road into a street that was very uphill and a remould tyre going instantly flat.  From then on I had good tyres and never remoulds or retreads  and never part worn, no matter what certification they might have.

 

My car now is a 1973 rwd so I like to have good tyres but you can't get really good tyres in the size I want so I'm used to compromises  and for decades now modern cars have made up for my inadequacies as a driver.

 

Good and really good tyres make a big and very noticeable difference to a live rear axle drive and the same for other types and modern cars but the difference is less noticeable with the chassis design and/or the electronics flattering the driver's errors, and even though I'm an old male I am not a good driver, though I am rare in actually stating such.

 

[TerFar]

I don't consider myself as ancient: just a juvenile 75 yo. My first cars had crossplys, no brake servo, no power steering, trafficators, NO HEATER and ghastly vacuum ww wipers. It did have electric starter, but also a starting handle for when the battery was inadequate on a cold winter morning! No motorways and, of course, you had to read a map to navigate! 

Cars have moved on a bit. 

[Ootohere]

@nta16I am much younger than @TerFar but still started driving in older cars built about the same time as i was born, so when thinking about it they were only about 15 or 16 years old at that time.

[rum4mo]

Ah vacuum windscreen wipers, not the best idea - and the space the vacuum tank took up!

 

I had an Anglia van once maybe a 123E, it had town and counties on the rear, then I bought a new town and country complete with studs, not a good idea, but quite cheap, it was okay after I removed the studs though. That tyre had been a Royal Highland Show demo tyre.

[nta16]

Blimey, I'm a youngster!

 

I've never heard of Town & Country tyres but I've a mate in his mid-70s that probably has, I've heard of vacuum wipers but never experienced them.

 

My car has power steering, push the pedal on the right, no servo required or needed, which is why I like good tyres, and as you can see from photo below it has full onboard navigation systems (updated since photo).

 

But in wet weather I'd sooner be in a modern car.

 

Edited 8 August, 2021 by nta16

[rum4mo]

I have TomTom to keep me right, even although wife will be armed with a recent AA or similar road map that must have a spiral binder and NOT have most important road junctions in the spine area! 

We also have with us, when off on holidays, maybe the original AA Book of the Road as it has much local content and small roads that still exist.

The CAMRA guide, well as we tend to always use my S4 when on holiday, and my wife has yet to want to try to drive it 8 years on, I insist that where we stay either has a good draught ale selection, or a good pub within walking distance!

[macsmurf]

3 hours ago, rum4mo said:

We also have with us, when off on holidays, maybe the original AA Book of the Road as it has much local content and small roads that still exist.

Oh God, I used to love that book! I remember my father bought it when it first came out (he was an AA member at the time), and I would spend ages poring over the fold-out maps looking for the wildlife symbols, and looking at the gorgeous illustrations and photos. Whenever I saw that book, I was instantly on holiday in my mind. I must see if we still have a copy somewhere, you've whetted my appetite!

[johnh510]

 _The Way Things Were_ is an interesting topic.

 

I used to quite like cross plies, driving was (almost) one long skid.

What isn't generally mentioned is that the skid with cross plies was "progressive": it started gently enough - gave you lots of warning - and with rear wheel drive you could back off, or put your foot down a bit, add a bit of opposite lock, and continue steering with the throttle. Back end too far out - just lift the right foot a little.

 

My earliest memories of radial ply tyres was that they "let go" quite abruptly, and a unscheduled departure from the road was likely.

 

It's not that long ago (pre-"ESC") that I had the back try to overtake the front in a radial ply shod front wheel drive car - once caught with much steering wheel twirling, and once not (different car) which resulted in a wrecked tyre and a bent wheel, and that's why I prefer best grip on the back.

Each to their own, I suppose.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

john H

[Ootohere]

Best grip on the back certainly helps when there is drive to the rear, but then you still need grip at the front.

Rear grip when doing a Scandinavian Flick with a FWD car / automatic FWD car really can just be the difference between Oooo & Ahhhhh.

I can do something with good grip at the front if the back end comes around but can do next to nout if i have just a front end sliding along the road.

[nta16]

@BasilHumefound this that relates more to your tyre situation, I've put the conclusion first but there are important factors to read that came before and you can read the whole page here - https://www.oponeo.co.uk/blog/better-tyres-in-the-front-or-back-test-results

 

"CONCLUSION:

There is no ideal solution for tyres that differ significantly in performance either, but just like for combinations 1 and 2, it is advisable to fit better tyres on the rear axle.  Front-mounted tyres in better condition significantly reduce the stability and handling in emergency situations and in wet weather.  To reduce the risk of skidding when maneuvering suddenly, it is recommended that the better tyres should be fitted to the rear axle despite the deterioration in braking distance."

 

What came just before -

 

"Combination 3 – Much better tyres on the rear axle

In this case, imagine that you have two completely different pairs of tyres (model, production time, tread depth). If you mount the better ones on the rear axle, braking on wet roads with an ABS system will deteriorate significantly. Taking corners on wet roads without an ESP will worsen to a medium degree. The following will deteriorate less:

• sideways aquaplaning,
• wet handling with ESP,
• ABS braking on dry road surfaces.

Combination 4 –  Best tyres in the front

If you mount your tyres that are in better condition at the front and your tyres that are in worse condition on the rear axle, three of the following results will worsen significantly:

• wet handling without ESP,
• wet handling with ESP,
• changing lanes on wet roads without ESP.

Such a solution also makes cornering worse on wet surfaces.

On the other hand, braking on dry and wet surfaces as well as aquaplaning resistance don't worsen."

 

Edited 9 August, 2021 by nta16
quotation marks

[TerFar]

My conclusion from all this that the best practise is:

 

1. Invest in good tyres and

2. Balance the front / back wear by swapping front / back approximately half way through estimated tyre life

 

Of course, if you have a tyre fail during an early part of its estimated life, it does present a dilemma! But that is an unusual occurrence. 

[nta16]

As with many things in life the answer isn't totally black and white but the general conclusion, on the following three pages at least is better tyres to the rear even though this has pros and cons.

 

Always best to have a full set of good tyres in good condition and plenty of tread in the wet, the 1.6mm is a legal requirement but often not a best option, many consider tyres on performance cars should be changed at 3mm.  Even all the computers on the car can not always compensate for poor tyres or tyre maintenance and/or poor or bad driving in the circumstances or just generally.

 

Three examples where it's got put good tyres to the rear. - 

 

"Regardless of the drive type, we recommend not fitting the better tyres at the front, but always fitting them at the back. The reason is simple: The rear axle ensures the tracking stability of a vehicle." - https://www.uniroyal-tyres.com/car/tyre-guide/tyre-knowledge/good-tyres-on-front-or-rear

 

"To give the best possibilities of a vehicle handling safely when fitting new tyres to a vehicle in pairs, it is advisable to fit the new tyres to the rear axle." - https://kumhotyre.co.uk/kumho-news/should-you-fit-new-tyres-to-the-front-or-rear/

 

A more compressive article and answer - https://www.oponeo.co.uk/blog/better-tyres-in-the-front-or-back-test-results

 

As always yer pays yer money and makes yer choice.

 

HTH (but I doubt it will fully). 

 

[nta16]

6 minutes ago, TerFar said:

Of course, if you have a tyre fail during an early part of its estimated life, it does present a dilemma! But that is an unusual occurrence. 

Not for me, see earlier, I swapped both tyres when one got an irreparable puncture.  I never understand the reluctance to spend on important items when so much is spent on trivial items on a vehicle - but as always each to their own.

 

[Ootohere]

The way i have done things for decades now is carry a pair of matching spares & a trolley jack in Winter and longer trips, especially at festive holiday time in Scotland.

 

So if the Winters or now all Seasons are fitted because the weather is crap the Winters can go on the front.

I certainly do not put them on the rear of a FWD if the roads go bad, but the rears are good anyway.

 

If i have a puncture the pair of wheels / tyres go on and i carry on as planned at the normal speed for the conditions.

 

A pair was always carried when i dove Fabia because Wider fronts were fitted for going to the 1.4 Miles, or going to play.

 

Edited 9 August, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[nta16]

@e-RoottootI'd go along with that, winter tyres on front of FWD.  Of course it would help particularly for snow if the fashion wasn't for such oversized wheels and such low-profile and wide tyres.

 

We had friends that lived above the snow-line at Castle Bolton in as my mate called it "real Yorkshire" North Yorkshire he had a Scooby and other vehicles at the time, less than 10 years ago, and even the local Landies couldn't get up the hill one snowy day - an old Vauxhall Nova was the only vehicle to make it up to the road.

 

I avoid going out in the snow with my Midget as the over-shod RWD Mercs and BMWs either get stuck and block my way or as the Midget is so much narrower one side of the car's wheels gets in the twisting furrow left by all the weaving of modern drivers and vehicles and the other side has tyres on often higher up on unbroken snow making progress awkward and frustrating and waiting for the car in front to slide across or even back towards me.  Lighter snowfall and many continue to drive at summer speeds with the widows completely covered in snow other than perhaps ****holes the drivers no doubt expecting the car to sort everything out for them or worst still heavy 4X4s thinking their oversized road wheels and tyres are totally suitable and probably that the weight is an advantage.

 

I can remember helping a RWD BMW driver on snow as he got his boot very close to a stone wall to get moving again by telling him just to take it steady whilst I pushed, course he had the rear wheels spinning and  I just pushed the corner of his boot with one hand (I wasn't taking any chances of getting crushed) to get the car straighter then a small two hand push and he was on his way, he was blocking our way to the pub car park!

 

[BasilHume]

Thanks for all the tips everyone.

 

The new Fabia is getting more use than expected at the moment - not big miles, but 4-5 trips per week on errands with the kids seems good going.  Probably because it's the summer holidays.  I must say that it's been great so far.  

 

It's booked-in for four new Goodyear EfficientGrip tyres in the standard 185/60/15 size, plus tracking.   I've fitted the aforementioned door sill covers (to cover-up some scratches), replaced the front wiper blades and added a £30 1980 / W-reg plate to hide its age.  It's all non-essential stuff but this should be a keeper and already looks like it'll be the vehicle we use most often.  

 

Mainly because of its transmission, I can't help but compare it to my S3.  I'm still yet to master smooth take-offs in the Fabia and I really miss Hold Assist.  I find the shift from 1st to 2nd seems to be quite jerky, plus there's a little judder in 2nd and reverse at minimal throttle that disappears once more throttle is applied (I'll need to keep an eye on this).  The Fabia rides more comfortably than the S3 at first, but hitting potholes reveals a lesser capacity for absorption.  I'm finding the materials inside solid and very well lain-out, though they are scratchy and the previous owner seems never to have cleaned inside the car, judging by the amount of debris built up in the small crevices between trim.  

 

I must add that I am quite sensitive to these things and that the Fabia is still mightily impressive overall, not least because it cost a third of what the S3 did.  Incidentally, the S3 has decided to become two-wheel-drive (just out of warranty ) and so it's likely I'll be driving the Fabia even more as I get this fixed.

 

[nta16]

For the DSG box I'd put up a new thread to ask others and perhaps check you're car has not missed any software updates on it (if there were any, I don't know).

 

As always I'll say if your battery is low for the computers they'll play up in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways with everything so interconnected.  Your S3 problem could be "just" be  something to do with its many computers.

 

My wife won a raffle prize to drive a Landie off-road but she took it at Rockingham as it was closer to us and she ended up in a BMW X5 instead and got told off for braking whilst going down the slope to later get an apology as they'd found a sensor had got mud on it and playing the computer up!  Mud on a supposedly off-road vehicle!

 

For the ride quality, new tyres might help, plus what pressure you run them at.

 

 

[Ootohere]

The DQ200 does have Hill Hold Assist (Hill Hold Control) that holds the car for a couple of seconds from brake pedal or parking brake to accelerator.  It is 'autohold' that it does not have.   Many notice a difference from a 7 speed dry twin clutch DSG compared to a 6 or 7 speed wet, even a difference with DQ200,s and different engines, 3 or 4 cylinder and petrol or diesel.     A DSG reset can be carried out if you feel the DQ 200 is not behaving as it should be.   PS, has the S3 had the Haldex serviced properly.  That is not just the oil changed but the filter / screen removed and cleaned, and all gunk removed.  Schedule is at 3 years 30,000 miles or sooner.  Not part of main dealer Services or service plans unless paid extra for.  Plenty threads on Briskoda concerning that. 

Edited 22 August, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[nta16]

Clean and lubricate is often the answer or prevention and what many repairs and much servicing and maintenance is about, it's boring and unsexy so not as appealing as high level 'diagnostics' and fiddling around and looking up obscure problems and resolves.

 

I think often the computers and programs that help but also plague all our lives just need a reboot, personally I'd want to reboot them with a drop-kick from steel toecaps.  

 

Earlier this year I changed the 'gearbox' (5-speed manual) oil on my wife's 2015 car (first time I'd ever really worked on the car) and she said she could notice the difference.  I know some think that as the oil has been in the ground millions of years that how long it should last in transmissions but if done properly the change can also be a bit of a clean too.

 

Edited 22 August, 2021 by nta16

[Ootohere]

Cleaning the Haldex is not part of the Main Dealer Servicing as they do it.

& Skoda was showing 4 years 40,000 miles for the oil change when VW were changed to 3 years, not even 30,000 miles. and who ever knows with Audi, they often do not know.

(Then you have the silly billy that drain the diff not the Haldex and there are exploding diffs. That includes VW Trained Techs)

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/483229-how-to-change-oil-in-a-haldex-5th-generation

 

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/447657-rear-diff-destroyed-help-please

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/485788-cracked-haldex-unit

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 August, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[nta16]

Good edit recovery.  I always have Sod's Law with the one's I don't check or missed, and I usually take more than one edit to get my posts half readable.

 

[BasilHume]

Indeed, the Fabia does have Hold Assist - so it's Auto Hold that I am missing!  

 

The S3 is on 24k miles and 3.5 years old.  I bought it earlier this year and immediately had the Haldex oil changed at a trusted VAG specialist, bang on schedule at 3 years.   I've always suspected that it's not giving the full AWD experience as on my old Golf R32, S3 and A3 quattro - and I'm now pretty convinced it's the Haldex pump that's at fault.  This seems like a common issue with these cars even at low miles.  Otherwise, the S3's a great running mate to our VW Transporter and Fabia.  

 

 

[nta16]

Wouldn't a scan with the VW special program scan tool show this S3 issue up especially if taken out on a road test with recorded live data.  Or am I over estimating what secrets VW would want to let out. 

 

All four tyres same make, model and tread depth I assume.

 

A mate has just bought a modern VW camper van so I sent him the following video, he's not one for getting vehicles serviced and when he does he sends it to a neighbour's tyre place, the neighbour is typical car trade which is probably why he retired younger before and lives in a street of at least millionaires (unless the taxman is looking and then they just poor tenants, to themselves overseas).

 

Quick and easy tips -  https://youtu.be/OkL9wYgWLlI