I've found a Superb 3 locally that seems OK. It's been touch-parked at the back so there's quite a few small scratches on the bumper. Service history is OK; it did 90kkms in the first three years of its life, and the Haldex oil was changed in the last service. That's nearly two years ago, I'm fine with that - it's been off the road for a while, untouched at a dealer, and now it's on sale at another one. 

 

It's a 4x4 TSI ACT hatch. Any thoughts on specific things I should be checking? I figure the cambelt is probably due at 6 years old. I want to check smoke at startup, the engine bay looks OK. Mayonnaise I will also check, along with the error codes. Going to take it for a drive on some curvy roads and some higher-speed stuff.

 

Thanks!

 

 . Bret

oh yes, it's a MY 17 with a Webasto and a bunch of other stuff - I know how to test most of it and I know it exists as my first Octy was also an MY17. At least I think I do ... 

Is that service history showing the spark plugs as having been changed and the brake fluid?

Check the tyre pressures before driving it.

I'd check the brake fluid history, the air con; especially as the car has been sitting there for ages (it's over £100 for a regas of that system, even from an independent), if its the 6 speed dsg, then the oil of that, as that needs to be changed at a similar milage to the haldex.

It may have a timing chain instead of a cambelt, do you may br alright with that. Also ask for a petrol fill up as what's in the tank will be rotten( to the point of maybe a fuel filter change)

Haldex is 3 years / 30,000 miles - 48,000 km or sooner. 

 

The DSG is at 40,000 miles - 64,000 km or sooner.

Check for corroded brake discs, bad at the best of times, worse if parked up. 

Creaking suspension at low speeds.  Might seem like nothing at present but it's common for it to get a lot worse.

thanks, I drove it and was not impressed - ACT caused vibration and there was a strange occurrence with the servicing - the paperwork was there, but apparently the car thought its next service was in 200+ days, which doesn't match. It's been sold in the mean time.

I have another in my eyes now... 190 4x4, hatch, 2018 with just over 100kkms on the clock. A little more expensive, will try to get out this week to test it. Much nicer equipped with KESSY, alcantara / leather... it's also a DSG which I'm not that fussed over. 

 

@brettikivi It will be a very different DSG though. 

So it should have had an oil change @ 62,000 km, then due again within the next 42,000  and the Haldex should have been serviced at least once or even twice by now.

so I ended up with a 4x4 TDI combi. Pretty happy after an alignment and a new set of tyres (which the seller paid for). Consumption similar to the old Octy is also OK, especially since it's now a diesel - though a few km/h seems to make a big difference in those numbers over 110km/h - I'll be doing some testing in the near future.

First up, though, is more light as we're moving up north so there's a lot of driving in the darkness to be done. 

 

On 12/10/2021 at 18:24, brettikivi said:

so I ended up with a 4x4 TDI combi. Pretty happy after an alignment and a new set of tyres (which the seller paid for). Consumption similar to the old Octy is also OK, especially since it's now a diesel - though a few km/h seems to make a big difference in those numbers over 110km/h - I'll be doing some testing in the near future.

First up, though, is more light as we're moving up north so there's a lot of driving in the darkness to be done. 

 

What extra lights will you use, twin driving lights? The SE Simarud light as fitted to Norwegian Militaerpoliti look good?

I've found a good offer on what are essentially rebadged SAE Seekers at Lumise - these - they are close to the correct max reference, so 100% legal. Will need to do some wiring with the BCM to get it to work correctly as I've already got bi-xenon. I was trying to avoid mounting directly over the plate as they're a full 100mm deep. Need to play with the grill a little and test some ideas..... the seekers also seem to fare well at valovertailu. But not 100% decided, 

 

 . Bret

15 hours ago, brettikivi said:

I've found a good offer on what are essentially rebadged SAE Seekers at Lumise - these - they are close to the correct max reference, so 100% legal. Will need to do some wiring with the BCM to get it to work correctly as I've already got bi-xenon. I was trying to avoid mounting directly over the plate as they're a full 100mm deep. Need to play with the grill a little and test some ideas..... the seekers also seem to fare well at valovertailu. But not 100% decided, 

 

 . Bret

Hi Bret, I am only looking at extra lights as I want to make a road trip to the Northern lights and Nordkapp from the UK, please update me/us how you get on and also the BCM interface.

with regard to the BCM, I know @Petunet has done this before, though on an Octavia.

 

About coming up here... Nordkapp: The roads are apparently awesome, but it isn't normally open all winter, so you will have difficulties getting the lights and Nordkapp on the same trip.

I know some of my regular Icetrack guests have done Tromsö specifically for northern lights, but that's also not trivial, as the mountains from Muonio through can require convoys and it's not a fast trip at all, 5h in good weather and potentially 15 in bad. The lights are also most likely at the coldest part of the winter, so mid-Feb through, and you can expect -30C or colder. Tromsö is warmer than Finland for this. 

Assume travel speeds of 80km/h and no faster and you should be good. I would also consider taking the car train from Helsinki up to Rovaniemi. 

 

I will be running track again this winter, we will be back at Vesanto.

 

.Bret

18 hours ago, brettikivi said:

I will be running track again this winter, we will be back at Vesanto.

Sounds fun, I had many enjoyable seasons working at Arjeplog and Arvidsjaur