This may be an illusion but i don't think so.

When idling at lights etc .. if i push on the brake pedal my revs drop, almost to stalling point ... ?!?. This will happen until the car is warmed, at least is less noticable.

I also get a rubbing/vibrating noise (not major) when this happens. Has anyone encountered this before ?

Still getting blooming battery light illuminating whilst driving but seems to be limited to after a damp night, so hopefully the belt etc is just damp, it does stop after a while and there is a whir noise which 'apparently' means it is the belt being loose rather than the alternator (phew).

Also daft question ... should the exhaust be rigid mounted to the underside or is there some "play" there ? ... new one fitted a few weeks ago but it seems looser than it was and a bit rattly. The other Skoda in our parking area has a firm exhaust (gave it a wobble ) but it's a spanking Octavia so not directly comparable.

Could bad roads and a lot of motorway driving recently made it loose or damaged the clips ? or could it just of 'warn in' now to it's final position ?

Last daft question for now .... T-Cut .... Original or the newer ColourFast (with chip stick ... Ooooo ) .... anyone used either and found one better ?

Thanks for any info and im away to perv at the posts i have missed while away ...

Hmm... maybe your friends at the F1 Auto has not really deserved their muffins

Exhaust: It should not be rigidly fitted, it is suspended in rubber mountings. But a decent garage should IMHO fit new mountings together with a new exhaust, and it should definitely not rattle. Sounds as if the garage has used the old ones and maybe one has broken.

Alternator belt - IIRC it was OK after you got the tension adjusted? It's a bit strange if it needs to be readjusted but of course it can happen. Is the belt new? Is the battery lamp on all the time, always when idling or only right after start? There's some kind of anti-slip/anti-squel spray for driving belts, but shouldn't really be needed if it's properly fitted/adjusted.

Braking/rev drop - not sure about that one, but maybe some fault with the vacuum system for the brake servo could cause this? Take a look at all rubber hoses connected to the brake servo vacuum clock, look for cracks.

Unsure about the exhaust but as long as it isnt blowing or feel too loose it should be OK.

It might have just come lose from the mounting, best get it checked out otherwise if it feels loose you may hear it drop from the car which won't be pleasant.

Not sure about the other issues.

My Felicia vibrates when idling at times but it doesn't appear to e to excessive, think i've grown used to or just enjoy it :rofl:

Your brake pedal doesn't move up ad down during braking does it?

Try hitting the brake pedal repeatedly with the engine off. The pedal should get tight and not sink with pressure kept on it. After pushing the brake pedal perhaps 10 times, keep your foot held down on it. When you start the engine, the pedal should sink as the vacuum brake assist works.

Belt tightness is relatively easy to adjust, the alternator simply pivots backwards and forwards (with I think it's 2 bolts loosened). The belt shouldn't be too tight though, there should be slight give when some pressure is applied.

I have used T-cut and in 2 places (like ridges on the bodywork) have gone near to the primer, so you need to be careful. Are you trying to get a matt finish car to one with a shine? If so, autoglym super resin polish might do the job and be less abrasive than T-cut. Edit: just noticed your car is red. If left neglected with little washing and waxing these tend to fade and oxidise quicker than any other colour apparently. Probably use T-cut with some care

I'd agree with pretty much all of the above except the "I'm not sure" bits.

I'm reluctant to make any suggestions regarding the paint sight unseen though, other than to not use T-cut unless as a last resort.