15 hours ago, nta16 said:

 . . .  but as I have seen even good quality professional have a rare problem with getting the VW computer programs to accept the new parts I wasn't risking it as if there was a rare event and much more expensive parts and work were required it would be on VWŠkoda to resolve, I have limited faith in computer programs, particularly from car manufacturers, bad enough in other products. 

relates to much later car and computer programs but shows there can be issues even with factory systems.

 

A fellow Skodian told me to make another patent, to install an engine start button, turn the key in the 1st scale and then press the button.

I know that Aston Martin had this in older models

 

 

but i am not so excited with this idea.

Been in a few cars, was in the Honda S2000., I think it's to give a sort of racing car feel can't think what real benefit it would bring, bow of course you have "keyless" start, KESSY for VWŠkoda (and VW?) which have issues and possibly facilitate easier theft of the vehicle.

 

11 hours ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

Bad news.

One locksmith said ''No", the other said that they key must had on it the lock-unlock buttons to create a copy (which means ''No'') and the third said that it's a ''not guaranteed" task.

 I must go with the car to his shop and then will make a try and the possibilities are 50-50.

I am very disappointed.

I had to go to 3 different locksmiths myself, the locksmith that would do it was a local one man independent locksmith. The big chain locksmiths wouldn't even entertain the idea (Timpsons to name drop weren't slightly interested)

That's Part of the reason I sourced parts like the blade and chip myself.

 

Just to prove it can be done here is mine, that has the good quality blade in it as well(you can tell by the colour of the metal.

 

I would show the chip inside, but it's a faf to open the key up.

 

On 03/09/2024 at 08:45, D.FYLAKTOS said:

On 02/09/2024 at 19:22, R_U_AFA said:

and there is a motor to actuate the trunk release mechanism

 

Bought it new or it's a

It a modified octavia 3 rear wiper motor, I also had to make a custom mounting bracket, and wire in an extra release relay wiring system.

4 minutes ago, R_U_AFA said:

but it's a faf to open the key up

Folding or non-folding?

 

6 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Folding or non-folding?

 

Folding, because the spring for the flip blade flip tends to fly out, and is awkward to put back in place.

 

Although the non folding one can be a bit awkward because it has the battery for the little light in it.

I must have had a very rare day when Sod/s Law didn't apply when I opened the folding key fob and kept all the pieces together but I do have to thank VWŠkoda for the privilege of trying this when the remote packed up and I had to walk down to my wife's place of work on THE coldest day of the year and for the privilege of contributing £180+ to the Dealership/VwŠkoda and UK taxes on a VWŠkoda part that should have lasted many more years. If that was the only very premature failing part it'd not been so bad but it wan't, isn't.  Stick with your older VW cars and don't be tempted to the newer VWs, well much into this century/millennium anyway (or any German marque).

 

For those that haven't heard there might be interest in this. - BBC World Service, World Business Report, Why's Europe's car industry stuck in neutral? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct607g

"We start in Germany, where perhaps the biggest warnings yet about the pressure on Europe's car industry have come from one of the continent's biggest firms. Volkswagen - VW - has warned it could close factories for the first time in its history as it comes under increasing financial pressure.

Also today the boss of one of the world's biggest delivery firms warns of disruption to global trade,

And, fancy an AI dating - wingman?" 

11 hours ago, nta16 said:

VW has warned it could close factories for the first time in its history as it comes under increasing financial pressure.

 

Their maximum margin before the "Boom" this is 2 years.

 

11 hours ago, R_U_AFA said:

the locksmith that would do it was a local one man independent locksmith.

 

That my concern, i had to find someone reliable so if a problem occur after few years then i will have a guy that i can turn to.

Otherwise you know the rest: ''i don't know anything, go to the guy that he made it" etc.

1 minute ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

Their maximum margin before the "Boom" this is 2 years.

IIRC there was planned lay-off in 2029(?) anyway.

 

3 minutes ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

That my concern, i had to find someone reliable so if a problem occur after few years then i will have a guy that i can turn to.

My concern may not apply in your case but I've seen a poster put that he went to a good reputable company to sort a new key and they had a rare event where they could not sort the new key and a new computer part and manufacturing level programming to sort the new key and get it working.  Mixing different systems can sometimes cause issues, with my car luck I would definitely have problem but for you and your car if might be entirely different.

 

On 03/09/2024 at 14:21, J.R. said:

I would take offence if you called me a Brit

JayEmm, also known as James Martin, (London England) is a well-regarded YouTuber who has carved out a niche in the automotive content world. His channel, “JayEmm on Cars”...

At 1:24-1:29 says

On 02/09/2024 at 13:56, R_U_AFA said:

Yes, I've done this aswell, but unlock with just the trunk button.

 

If you look at the truck release mechanism it has 2 locations for the release cable to fit (it depends on if it's LHD or RHD which one is used, and it's just a case of using the non used location for your chosen release method)

I must admit there was quite a bit of extra work involved in getting this feature working for not much in return, because I've stopped locking the trunk with the key now anyhow.

System in action, I meant to post this ages ago but I forgot.

Ahhh, let the car be as SKODA wanted it to be. Love her as is, they are a dying breed. Let's not mess with them. Let's just service and restore them. Let's not modify them.

No matter what life brings, I am and will remain a purist, I had said I will do whatever it takes and spend as much money as needed to keep the felly in factory condition.

The vehicles I own have been a major source of friction within our family. They have become 4x more expensive to maintain each than a brand-new car. I quite frankly was ready to scrap her a few months ago, as I couldn't get my heart around selling her.

In the last 4 years of exclusive ownership, I have spent more than 4000 euros on the Felicia, and driven it only around 7000km and more than 8000 euros on the Brera and driven her around 12.000km.

I am almost ready to part ways with vehicles in general and forever. I can't deal with the emotional strain and distress anymore. I have reached my breaking point as a human...

On 11/11/2025 at 21:12, R_U_AFA said:

System in action, I meant to post this ages ago but I forgot.

A video with the 5th door lifting-up would be excellent.

A ''luxury'' touch for our car. 😋

16 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

I am almost ready to part ways with vehicles in general and forever. I can't deal with the emotional strain and distress anymore. I have reached my breaking point as a human...

If that is the case then get shot of them as soon as possible be realistic and in your mind write-off all value that way what ever you get for them will be a bonus. The longer you hold on to them the more you are throwing good money, and emotions, after bad, the sooner they go the more you will save of money and emotions and the more of the rest of your life will be free from the burdens.

I had well over 30 years of running "classics" and the reward to expense demised rapidly and sped up the longer it went on.

I wish I had only spent €3k in per year, on one car let alone 2. 😄

You have had the experience, sometimes pleasure, but that has passed so you need to move on sooner than later otherwise your two cars will get like many others that just sit in some sort of storage and unused but the owners refuse to pass them on to others that might enjoy them more and the cars just rust and deteriorate away to a state where no one wants them or beyond economic repair or restoration.

21 minutes ago, nta16 said:

If that is the case then get shot of them as soon as possible be realistic and in your mind write-off all value that way what ever you get for them will be a bonus. The longer you hold on to them the more you are throwing good money, and emotions, after bad, the sooner they go the more you will save of money and emotions and the more of the rest of your life will be free from the burdens.

I had well over 30 years of running "classics" and the reward to expense demised rapidly and sped up the longer it went on.

I wish I had only spent €3k in per year, on one car let alone 2. 😄

You have had the experience, sometimes pleasure, but that has passed so you need to move on sooner than later otherwise your two cars will get like many others that just sit in some sort of storage and unused but the owners refuse to pass them on to others that might enjoy them more and the cars just rust and deteriorate away to a state where no one wants them or beyond economic repair or restoration.

Yeah in three words, I am cooked.

Well, what can I do, after the very dangerous near-fatal accident I had, I have lost all my will to ever drive vehicles again.

Those 5 seconds were peak thefeliciahacker in terms of driving capability, but it completely altered my risk perception.

Now I only find burden in driving cars, let alone maintaining them. In fact, if I weren't driving the Brera that day, I would have been on the news, and this comment here wouldn't have been posted.

This constant state of emotions has taken it's toll in my overall mental wellbeing...

Spoiler

For those that care to hear how I made it.

I was on the highway coming back home from a professional trip in Athens.

I was on cruise control, going 110 with a very light drizzle. As I crested over a hill I saw a lorry pulling over to the shoulder.

I still had around 1km of distance. Coming closer and more specifically, at around 300 meters I spotted some black fragments on the tarmac, but that tarmac had been repaved and it was particularly dark. There was not enough contrast. I was been overtaken by some vehicles on the left lane, I was on the right lane. Around 200meters, l understood what I was looking at. Big ass debris from a tyre blowout that happened moments ago.

The debris file stretched for approximately 150 meters and the lorry was parked on the hard shoulder at the end of it. Left lane was occupied and had debris, albeit smaller, the right lane where I was had no one behind. The shoulder was clear from debris but now the guy was walking back to his tractor to see what had happened. All those were split-second decisions. Maybe I needed a whole second to decide what to do and execute it. I swerved to the hard shoulder, with cruise control still on. Managed to stabilise the car and tried to see a way out to cross over to the left-most lane, this this costed time, which equates to meters, watching mirrors the lorry closing up to it and the debris field to my left. Maybe I wasted around 100meters in making a decision. Stop on the hard shoulder and the next vehicle that does the same maneuver rear ends me, cross over the debris. Finally, 50meters or so before the lorry and having slowed down I don't know to 80 or something I found a clearing (with very small debris as I guess the tyre had completely disintegrated by that time) and jittered to the left most lane. Avoiding any damage to the vehicle, avoiding an accident.

If I were in the Felicia the first evasive action would have been impossible, i would have spun out and either rolled or skidded to the back of the lorry with the side, if I were going a little bit faster I wouldn't have been able to have enough time to spot the clearing or take evasive action. If I had stopped on the hard shoulder who know what would have happened in the seconds I would need to merge again. In retrospect, I think I did everything perfectly, car did everything perfectly, but honest to God I am not sure if I would ever be able to replicate this sequence of actions if it were to happen again. The stars aligned and it was not my time to go. Next time, I.... don't want to know...

Edited 13 November, 202513 Nov by Thefeliciahacker

Entirely up to you of course but I think it would help you for you to honestly address what happened, and did not, happen and this will help you going forward and with any decisions you make. You was there and we were not but, as previously in a video, what you have written might suggest an economy with full acceptance.

You are concentrating on a possible scenario that did not happen, the best outcome is that you learn from this experience.

For a matter of your confidence too I suggest looking at getting further driver training and I say this as a driver that was never that good at driving, even after further training, but got a little better to previously.

I wish you luck with whatever you decide.

6 hours ago, nta16 said:

Entirely up to you of course but I think it would help you for you to honestly address what happened, and did not, happen and this will help you going forward and with any decisions you make. You was there and we were not but, as previously in a video, what you have written might suggest an economy with full acceptance.

You are concentrating on a possible scenario that did not happen, the best outcome is that you learn from this experience.

This is where I disagree. I understand enough to know what I did was a statistical phenomenon. In terms of a bell curve all of my actions complemented each other in a way that happened to work. It was not 1 action that made it possible; it was a combination of actions. This sadly has to do with the very way the human brain behaves. That is why I am not sure if these results are replicable again if need be.

So I don't focus on this event but rather on a similar event that requires a multiple of decisions and actions to be executed in a statistically correct way as a whole. And I know, this is not that probable.

So sadly given the statistical nature of this exact event, there is really NOTHING I can learn from IT!!! Because it cannot and SHOULD NOT, be broken down in segments that you can examine in isolation. It was a random selection of actions and decisions that happened to produce a cohesive outcome. So judging from that the only thing I can really learn, or more so validate my belief is the highly unpredictable nature of driving, which steers me further away from wanting to drive. I am a determinist and not a stoic.

7 hours ago, nta16 said:

For a matter of your confidence too I suggest looking at getting further driver training and I say this as a driver that was never that good at driving, even after further training, but got a little better to previously.

My actual vehicle control may be adequate, and in isolation, it has proved itself on numerous occasions. But and here comes the BUT.

I can control a vehicle in stochastic events adequately. The problem lies, that in a multifactor event such as the one I described, vehicle control was of high importance and did affect the outcome. What I fail to grasp is what kind of vehicle control would work to minimise my risk in a holistic view of the circumstances.

Meaning I could have executed an emergency brake successfully, the evasive maneuver that I did successfully, an evasive maneuver paired with emergency braking on the shoulder. Yes for these I dont doubt my vehicle control skills would fail me (although there is a non-negligible possibility they would, at least them or the car or a combination of both). But even their successful execution could have easily led to an unsuccessful outcome. This is not the same as catching a slide, where just by achieving it you are good to go and fine, this is something much broader. I dont know if you understand what I mean.

Point being I may have skills ranging from 0-100% (a subjective scale), alas, using a percentage of them each second. I want to consider my self that I lack any skills and will (pro)actively try to drive within the 0-10% range. The rest I don't want to ever use them. This is my approach to driving. Till that date I had never exceeded more than 20% of the car's capabilities and 15% of my capabilities on a public road. But even my proactive approach failed this time. I needed more. THIS IS something I cannot foresee myself wanting to utilise ever again. So to me having to use these skills was a lack of skills, and for this because its impossible to fix, I cannot forgive myself. That's why the only way is to alter my mindset on driving. I simply DON'T want to drive on public roads anymore.

I hope what I wrote makes some sense at least.

To sum it up in a couple of words. I was just plain "lucky"... Nothing more I can add. A ****ty driver, that happened to do some random things, randomly, in such a way that it provided a positive outcome. I wish that no one experiences something like this ever.

Edited 13 November, 202513 Nov by Thefeliciahacker

20 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

If I were in the Felicia the first evasive action would have been impossible

There are cars on the road ''worst'' than Felicia.

Every day and especially every weekend we have fatal crashes-accidents with modern cars (with airbags-ABS,ESP etc).

46 minutes ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

There are cars on the road ''worst'' than Felicia.

I don't disagree, the point is that Felicia is quite compliant in the front end it would dive to the right I don't doubt that. But I am not sure at the strengthening part would be able to remain stable. I think it would overrotate. Catching it with the throttle in 5th gear is impossible on the felly, there is not enough torque to pull it around. I would have to countersteer aggressively, and then when it catches, it will pendulum to the other side and flip over. Don't ever forget it does not have a front ARB and has a twist beam rear axle with an arb. The car is not oversteery, as long as progressively loaded, if you have aggressive weight transfer without adequate torque, it will oversteer and then its just luck what will happen when you catch it with oppo.

The only time I have deliberately made it oversteer I was in a low gear (2nd) so I have a lot of torque to pull it out of the slide. In 5th at 110km/h you dont have any torque, only momentum working against you...

27 minutes ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

In 5th at 110km/h you dont have any torque, only momentum working against you...

Every time you come down to the National Highway no matter the car you know that there is a risk.

Even guys with Maserati,Porsche,Mercedes,BMW,Audi,ferrari have been in huge problems (even envolved in death accidents) here in GR with speed like yours.

Still i would love to have a flip key and have my trunk raise as @R_U_AFA had done (still waiting for the video), would give me ''joy'' in my Auto Life.

@Thefeliciahacker I wasn't there so don't know what happened and am only going on what you report but you set yourself as being lucky which you was but you don't recognise that all your decisions and actions perhaps contribute to some extent to the near miss arising. Until you mature your attitude more you will not accept these things to yourself let alone others, perhaps it's your personality and you never will. I have sympathy for you being upset by this near miss but not your lack of wanting to learn from it and accept your part in it other than downplaying your inflated high opinion of your driving skills by saying you were lucky. Reread your post and see if you can see any signs whatsoever from it, I wasn't there and only going on what you have put. Now hiding behind engineering/statistical speak as distraction or camouflage doesn't work given you have already made your previous post.

We are very unlikely to fully agree on this and as we will never meet in real life and extremely unlikely to be on the same parts of roads at the same time we can leave this as agreeing to disagree.

You seem like a decent person generally so I always wish you good luck.

25 minutes ago, nta16 said:

I have sympathy for you being upset by this near miss but not your lack of wanting to learn from it and accept your part in it other than downplaying your inflated high opinion of your driving skills by saying you were lucky. Reread your post and see if you can see any signs whatsoever from it,

This is where you are fundamentally flawed in your logic, my dear friend. I said I may or may not have any skills. This is even beyond the scope. Let's take it at face value and say I have none. That completely correlates with my first post when I said exactly this:

On 13/11/2025 at 13:43, Thefeliciahacker said:

The stars aligned and it was not my time to go. Next time, I.... don't want to know...

When I say I did everything perfectly, I am not talking about the execution of the actions (i.e. driving skills) but rather THE CORRECT CHOICE (luck) of actions that HAPPENED to work with one another, and I managed the situation perfectly, i.e. the perfect goes to the outcome not to my ability in executing those actions! If I made it seem that way, I have to apologize

And this I put it down to luck, I say it again, LUCK, NOT SKILL, I think you deliberately want to understand that I think highly of my skills so you can elaborate on that fact, but that couldn't be further away from the truth. My assumption always IS that I LACK any skills, and thus I put everything down to luck.

Edited 14 November, 202514 Nov by Thefeliciahacker

5 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

My assumption always IS that I LACK any skills, and thus I put everything down to luck.

If that's so you have changed your tune from previously (the video you put up).

You miss my point about your driving and attitude. In your post you put up a few red flags for me (and perhaps others) of your pre-incident driving, then perhaps just pre-incident but I don't know as I wasn't there, I was just going on your posts now and on all your previous posts, videos and attitude. Perhaps this near miss has woken you up a bit but not fully opened you up.

It's boring for others to see the arguing as has been stated before and as you know from the past if anyone wants to argue I can continue - if you really want to learn what I mean, to no doubt argue against, dismiss or deny to me and yourself you can send me a direct/private message through this site, I'm not as blunt and as off-hand as your former mate here but I will let you know without feeling inferior to you or allowing you to make me feel inferior to you because you study engineering and I certainly wouldn't have at your age, but my wit and repartee has diminished since then. PM me if you but let it go on here. Cheers (as you have been in England you know calling someone "my friend" can be often viewed as condescending but I realise this is not the case in other lands).

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

I will let you know without feeling inferior to you or allowing you to make me feel inferior to you

I have no intention of ever belittling people, nor have I ever done; I may criticize their actions (always in the technical realm), but never the person performing them. I don't know why you came up with that, to be honest, if I've ever done that, I apologise in retrospect.

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

as you have been in England you know calling someone "my friend" can be often viewed as condescending

No nono, no ill intent behind this phrase, it was written in a totally honest fashion.

To conclude, I don't want to argue with anyone, it's not a technical subject that I can support my opinion, it's a psychological subject that I am unfit to comment on. It's one of the cases where I have taken all the self-blame. In fact, I acknowledge that I can't really learn from it as I lack the capacity to break the incident down into such pieces that I can analyse in isolation.

2 hours ago, nta16 said:

If that's so you have changed your tune from previously (the video you put up).

You miss my point about your driving and attitude. In your post you put up a few red flags for me (and perhaps others) of your pre-incident driving, then perhaps just pre-incident but I don't know as I wasn't there, I was just going on your posts now and on all your previous posts, videos and attitude. Perhaps this near miss has woken you up a bit but not fully opened you up.

I think that it is possible my attitude has come across as different than what it is in real life,see, my short videos (or snippets?) on my channel EXPLICITLY never ever represented my actual overall driving attitude; they were just highlights of some things, some more "interesting" things. My actual driving attitude was perfectly depicted in the longer driving videos, the 30-minute ones. Filmed in both vehicles.

Now on the pre-incident driving, I have to defend my position and say I was honestly doing everything by the book (or at least I think so), lower that the posted speed limit, huge following distances with clear visibility. But of course, I totally accept that something in there could very well be wrong, and I just don't happen to see it.

Sooo, these posts are NOT made to cause arguments but rather, these posts are made to express my mental state/stance after what happened. And most importantly, to publicly announce that what I was feeling about the complex act of driving proved to be right in my case. To put it in statistical terminology, my hypothesis (on the nature of the "sport") was affirmed just in a way that did not lead to a catastrophic outcome, and I am glad for that. That's why I will fully accept any criticism!

😏