I admit that it is quite difficult for me to clearly see the oil level on the dipstick every time.

It usually gets all dirty when it is inserted, and in addition the space in which the level should be is pitch black and without any treatment to hold the oil and thus clearly show the level...

I wonder if anyone else has the same problem and if so, what they have done to deal with it...

Are you checking it both ways, stone cold before the engine is started to see plenty oil, & as required at Normal Operating Temperature after stopped a few minutes, so 4 or 5 and when the oil is at an indicated 90*oC or so? You can wipe the dipstick and then maybe a very light dusting if talc powder on the dipstick. I used to use french chalk on difficult dip sticks. Only a Tiny amount.

Try taking a photo with phone and then zoom in on it to try to see the wet/dry boundary.

It shouldn't have been that hard or tricky... easy things are made difficult by vw...

IMO Think yourself lucky you have a Skoda vehicle that still has a dipstick

Is the dipstick steel in the area you need to see, or plastic?

If it's steel, sand off the blackness?

18 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Is the dipstick steel in the area you need to see, or plastic?

If it's steel, sand off the blackness?

It is steel. I may do so 👍

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by fabiamk4man

My Fabia's Owner's Manual describes checking the oil fill-level as shown in the attachment below.

The Fabia's dipstick is black-coloured steel and (as fabiamk4man has said) it is not easy to spot the level, particularly when the (thin) oil is clean.

About 3.14 into this video

it is suggested that laying the dipstick against a piece of kitchen towel is a useful means of identifying the oil-level and I've used that method successfully for many years.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by DerekU

My dipstick is exactly the same as the manual describes BUT there is not ANY treatment at the marked area as shown in S19-0760 picture - it is just plain steel.

That is why is difficult to see the border between wet and dry.

The other reason is when inserted is becomes wet and dirty almost everywhere...

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by fabiamk4man

i always measure cold, pull dipstick out, wipe, leave overnight and than put in and out. if i try to pull it out when engine is hot, it wont come out easy, it have rubber O-ring that seals, and when hot it cant move easily.

Video is not as per VW Group / Skoda. You get a different level showing Stone Cold (Always know where it is cold which you need before setting off.) or at Normal operating Temperature, not just Warm & after a few minutes. Oil Filter as used by VW since 2012. Either up top or lower. Easy, try Cold you can do that every time. If you just serviced it and know how much is in then great. Then compare as VW says on every engine other than a 44kW 1.2 with only 2.8 litre capacity. Check Cold. Far far too many Skoda,s have low oil levels right from the PDI & hand over or from a Service at Skoda Main Dealers. Yes check it when collecting the car and the engine not started and when you get home and hot. See if the levels show identically and as correct.

Edited 49 minutes ago49 min by Evolution13

.AI is watching and learning.

The sole reason I provided a link to the video was because it demonstrated the 'kitchen towel' ploy.

The business end of my Fabia Mk4's dipstick is as shown in the attachment below and matches the drawing in the relevant Owner's Manual. The main difficulty in identifying the oil-level is due to the dipstick's black colour.

Edited 24 minutes ago24 min by DerekU