hello guys,

been a member for long but this is my first post. cos i jus got a second hand skoda(with my own cash) so excited and everythin.. i hav some basic questions... hope u guys can give me the proper advice.

i picked up a Skoda Octavia Ambiente (sept 2003)! Am from India (Chennai)

Headlights: the stock ones are so dimm and am plannin on upgrading to Xenons. But many told me its not adviceable cos during rainy seasons due to the extreme heat generated by the lamps it becomes fogged! So can you guys advice me on this?

Front Right door: The center lock is not workin and the motor in the right mirror is not workin. this is jus for the front right door. i havt to lock it manually. What could be the issue?

I changed the clutch assembly, front disc brakes and the wheels. Went for after market approved parts. the ride is pretty good now. But when i touch 120kmph the steering starts to wobble. find it risky. chenged the tires cos the previous one was kinda worn out.

Please need some advice here guys. the company workshop is so not reliable here. so keeping them as my last option.

Thanks in advance..

Steering wobble sounds like your wheels need balancing esp if you have just fitted new tyres. sure someone else will be along to help with your other issues

Headlights: I would say try Osram silverstars or similar 50% brighter standard bulbs. They are H4 in the UK.

Front door: If the mirror and lock are both not working then I guess it could be a wiring fault.

Tyres: I agree with Pat, you may want to ask them to "finger plate balance" the tyres, where they bolt them to a flat surface before balancing them, to simulate the effect of your cars hubs.

IIRC India is Right Hand Drive is it not?

Given the age of the car (2003) then it must be a mk 1 octavia. As such the door lock/mirror problem is a common fault (search threads in octavia forum). It is a problem with water ingress into the convienence unit located in the door (in drivers door in UK- not sure if same in India). The same thing happened to my Mk 1 VRS (door not open with fob- only with key and drivers wing mirror would not move). The fix could be as simple as unplugging the unit, cleaning all the contacts and reconnecting but could involve the replacement of the unit and wiring loom (I think the cost of the replacement was around

Xenon's run cooler than normal bulbs don't they? Can't see it being an issue.

Thanks a lot for the info guys... got the tyres balanced.. its good now.. haven tried it above 150kmph.. but so far no issues.. got the michelin energy(silica based) its gr8.. am technically challenged.. so kinda scared to mess wit the electricals.. lookin out for some good mechanic! yup its right hand drive in India. PSM i wil remember your point before doin nythin wit the doors. VRSphil.. i jus heard that durin rainy seasons... the headlight doom becomes fogged cos of the heat generated by the xenons... not sure.. and here all i get is HID conversion kits wit all the wiring. is it worth goin for? and applyin some basic physics.... i think 6000k is better than 8000k... ur opinion guys!!

OMG.. the engine oil stopper stick is broken... the orange color stick... and am not gettin it anywhere too :(:(

Thanks everyone for ur points.

When you talk about "Xenons", do you mean "plasma discharge" headlights, or quartz-xenon bulbs? They're 2 different things, with different issues.

Plasma discharge units flow less power than bulbs (regardless of the gas filling), but produce more light because they are more efficient at converting electricity into light (rather than heat). The same applies to Xenon-filled bulbs relative to the older (and standard on the Octavia) Iodine-filled ones. This results in a "higher light temperature" from either of the newer (PD or QX) technologies than from the older QI bulbs. Light temperature is measured on the Kelvin scale, and 6000k or 8000k are reasonably normal values for light temperatures, which should not be confused with the temperature of the bulbs themselves!

As others, I'd suggest doing something like fitting new QX bulbs; you'll be surprised just how much of a difference that makes against 3.5 year old QI bulbs (I did this myself last October, when I was driving to and from work in full dark).

As for the point about the PD headlights misting up (presume inside) in Monsoon season; that seems plausible to me (remember the point about PD units using less power; this means that they're physically cooler, so condensation happens easier).

As for the top of the dipstick being broken; use the search facility for "dipstick part number"; I know it's been mentioned here before, but can't remember the thread.

had the same problem on our 05 vrs door lock window and mirror failed . replaced under warranty due to water ingress inti wiring loom connected to window motor. dealer was very good about it and done the whole lot:thumbup: