My Octavia II 2010 1.6 tdi CR has a notchy, sticky gearchange. Especially after a long run it is quite hard to locate the correct gear and sometimes hard to engage it. The car has done 160,000 miles. Would this be a gearbox oil issue (it has never been changed) or something else?

Thanks

Could be a gearbox linkage problem but definitely worth changing out the oil either way.

Start at the gearbox with the linkage. I did a thread on this when I had issues on my 2005 octy. Cleaned the part where the gear stick cables connect. Removed the device whose name I still forget from the gearbox, clean lubricate the shaft. Reinstall see how it goes. Never did an oil change in over 260k on my gearbox. My issue was selecting 5th and maybe one other gear. The give away was the gear stick would never centre quickly. Just slowly or not at all. Something similar in fabia selecting first sometimes. Same procedure helped

May need the cable lengths adjusting to compensate for stretch. It is very easy to do as the method automatically sets the right length.

Basically you lock the gear leaver in the cabin using a 5mm drill. Then pull and turn the locking pin near the selector mech under the bonnet.

Last step is pull back the spring on the each of the two gear cable ends and then put them back again. This last action will put the cable end on at the right part of the cable.

Before doing this easy adjustment, first look for slop and wear on all moving parts and replace as necessary.

Many videos on youtube

It might be clutch fluid thats poor when warm or if the clutch is original at 160k maybe getting past it or perhaps slave/master not disengaging clutch fully when warm. As pointed out start with gear linkages and make sure selector parts on top of Gbox arent stiff or have too much play. Check the cast metal weight is secure on its spindle. Son in laws vw caddy haad worn out and was loose causing dodgy gear changes.

Alasdair