New Car suggestions

[9fingers]

Nice .. I like estates

as useful as vans, but better looking !

what about your USB adapter thingy ? will you be able to port it over ! lol

Yes and it already has one USB socket which is a start.

Bob

 

[Pinch]

Good on you Bob! Lovely motor indeed!

You'll be looking for excuses to pop out down the road now.

Mr M: "Oh dam it, I forgot to pick up the thingy! I'll just pop out and get it - won't be long dear!"

Mrs M: "What thingy?"

Mr M: "You know... the thingy thing... you know..."

Mrs M: "Oh yes, that thingy! Okay, but don't be too long."

Mr M: "Okay dear, I'll be 10 mins."

One hour later - you return home...

Mr M: "Alright dear?"

Mrs M: "Yes Bob, I'm fine thank you. Did you get the thingy?"

Mr M: "What thingy?"

:lol:

 

[AndyP]

This little know fact might appeal to you Bob.
On a visit to Skoda's factory in Plzen I was told that Skoda made the cranshaft(s)? for the Queen Mary.

 

[9fingers]

This little know fact might appeal to you Bob.
On a visit to Skoda's factory in Plzen I was told that Skoda made the crankshaft(s)? for the Queen Mary.

I presume this would have been in the days when Skoda cars had a laughable reputation for reliability?
Since they became part of the VW Audi group, their reputation has been transformed.

Bob

 

[AndyP]

Skoda only went down hill when the soviets got hold of it. Early part of the 20th century they had a reputation for quality far removed from the Skoda jokes of the 70s and 80s.

 

[Rod]

You'll probably have more built-in gizmos with this one Bob and not need as many USBs?

X-type to a Yeti that's a big change!

Rod

 

[9fingers]

You'll probably have more built-in gizmos with this one Bob and not need as many USBs?

Rod

That is possible Rod but I have a lot of custom programming invested in my tomtom so I might still use that instead of the inbuilt sat nav until I can find a way of customising it.
I'll still need to charge my phone so we shall see.
It only has one 12v outlet in the cab compared with two in the cmax. Both cars have one in the loadspace.

Lots of digging to do yet!

Bob

 

[Robert]

My Octavia was cappuccino beige and my Superb is the same colour again

Chosen because I don't like cleaning cars and the colour doesn't show the dirt

Manual or DSG? I've had DSG both times (automatic with manual selection if you want it)

I thought I'd still need the TomTom despite the built in sat nav but I don't. All my custom POI and camera database etc were not too hard to add to the Skoda 'infotainment' system. Speed cameras still bong reminders when not using the sat nav so that is better too.

Check out the Briskoda forum if you haven't already. Loads of help on there. They list free upgrades obtainable by tweaking the VCDS (VAG -Com something or other) settings. You can enable software only extras if you know the codes and have the hardware - like lane assist if you have the traffic signs camera.

And of course if there is anything I can help with I will.

enjoy.

Oh and by the way.. If you have the heated windscreen option it seriously degrades GPS reception so TomTom may struggle to keep a lock on the satellites.

 

[Malc2098]

You'll probably have more built-in gizmos with this one Bob and not need as many USBs?

X-type to a Yeti that's a big change!

Rod

Yes, I know. But not too much of a change if you think about it. The x type was the only car I've ever bought new. That was 8 and a half years ago when I was then in a position to buy one new. I managed to get the last Jaguar Racing Green one left in the country just before an update with a hefty discount from a main dealer. It was my first diesel and I've enjoyed 150k mileage with only two EGR valves going on it, apparently due to my gentle driving! I'm pleased with diesel, with the MPG and the reliability. The only thing that's now an issue is the comfort. What with dodgy hips and back, getting in and out can be uncomfortable as well as the driving position as my own body has started to wear out.

So, a reliable car with a decent consumption was what we are looking for. Mrs Malc also finds it now uncomfortable getting in and out. So we looked around and Skoda were scoring points with family, friends and colleagues. The Yeti has the highest driving position, and they're about to bring out a new one later in 2017, so there will probably be some deals on the current models, just like the Jag.

 

[9fingers]

My Octavia was cappuccino beige and my Superb is the same colour again

Chosen because I don't like cleaning cars and the colour doesn't show the dirt

Manual or DSG? I've had DSG both times (automatic with manual selection if you want it)

I thought I'd still need the TomTom despite the built in sat nav but I don't. All my custom POI and camera database etc were not too hard to add to the Skoda 'infotainment' system. Speed cameras still bong reminders when not using the sat nav so that is better too.

Check out the Briskoda forum if you haven't already. Loads of help on there. They list free upgrades obtainable by tweaking the VCDS (VAG -Com something or other) settings. You can enable software only extras if you know the codes and have the hardware - like lane assist if you have the traffic signs camera.

And of course if there is anything I can help with I will.

enjoy.

Oh and by the way.. If you have the heated windscreen option it seriously degrades GPS reception so TomTom may struggle to keep a lock on the satellites.

Thanks Robert.
I've already found Briskoda and have downloaded the workshop manuals!

This car does not have the heated front screen but my Cmax did and it made no difference to the tomtom

I have an elm327 OBDII interface and trying to find out if it will work with VCDS. The Ross hardware is pretty expensive.

I have all my tomtom files as both OV2 and CSV formats so will have to find how to get them into the inbuilt sat nav format.

On holiday we make great use of taking the tomtom out of the car and setting up routes - such as in the hotel for planning the following day in conjunction with laptop wifi so not sure how we will get on with the new system yet.

Bob

 

[Rod]

I much prefer the Garmin Sat Nav on my phone to the cars system which I find to be very clunky and slow fixing new destinations if they are not in my contact list. A touch screen is much faster than dialling up letters and numbers.
It also tries to send me via some strange routes so I don't always trust it. The phone one has speed limits, traffic problems, lane photos at junctions, speed cameras, trip planning, google search etc etc. And it updates for free. It links by Bluetooth to the cars speakers.

Malcolm I know the feeling - my wife had a Ford Kuga for a while, which we both liked, so when we downsized to one car ( I had a BMW 5 series Touring) we bought an X3. Not for driving off road but for the "raised" driving experience.

Rod

 

[Phil]

Skoda Octavia 2.0TDI SE L Estate 65 plate 15k miles.

Bob

Nice one Bob. :eusa-clap:
Wish you lots af happy, safe and trouble free motoring.

Just love an estate. My first company sposored car was a 1978 Peugeot 504 Estate (yellow, was only colour available on short notice)

 

[AndyP]

I can't imagine the car manufacturers make it easy to plug a portable satnav into the in-car one?

 

[RogerS]

I can't imagine the car manufacturers make it easy to plug a portable satnav into the in-car one?

Well, if they did, I can imagine the following scenario...

Out of the lefthand speaker "In a quarter of a mile turn left''

The out of the righthand speaker "No, go straight on"

"No, left, I tell you"....... :lol:

 

[Rod]

Well Roger that does happen (at times) when I run my phone one and the car one at the same time!! Though they take it in turns to speak [emoji3]

Rod

 

[tracerman]

Coming in a bit late on this thread , but , when I was working on Skoda cars in the early nineties , a Skoda engineer told me that Skoda was always associated with Very heavy engineering in the early 1900s and that during WW2 , the Nazis were more than keen to get hold of the Skoda factories as part of their strategy . Crankshafts for the Queen Mary sounds very plausible .

Steve
PS , Bob I have a Kia Rio 1.5 diesel turbo , goes like excrement off a scraping device , love to feel the turbo come in , love it every time I go out , a couple of years ago had 9 points on my licence , however I too have been tempted to look at a Skoda because I cannot get a Haynes manual for the Kia , I think its a Kia policy so I have to go to a dealer for servicing . I would be interested to hear your comments about how accessible things are on the Octavia .
Steve

 

[9fingers]

PS , Bob I have a Kia Rio 1.5 diesel turbo , goes like excrement off a scraping device , love to feel the turbo come in , love it every time I go out , a couple of years ago had 9 points on my licence , however I too have been tempted to look at a Skoda because I cannot get a Haynes manual for the Kia , I think its a Kia policy so I have to go to a dealer for servicing . I would be interested to hear your comments about how accessible things are on the Octavia .
Steve

I looked recently at the Haynes website and was quite shocked how few modern manuals they are producing now of any makes so I don't think Kia will be any less available than a modern Ford.

Looking under the bonnet of the Octavia, at least you could see all round the engine and 100% of it is under the bonnet unlike my Cmax.
Service information has been uploaded to the interweb and links exist on the Briskoda forum. I've yet to see how comprehensive it is. The forum seems quit active with technical stuff as well as the usual "pimp my Skoda" threads.

There appears to be some very capable software for diagnostics but the hardware interface costs nearly £300 and buying that gives a license and free updates to the software which runs on a windows platform. It is apparently virtually as capable as the diagnostics available to VAG dealers.
This contrasts to a modest price interface for Ford at £20-£30 and open source software Forscan that I'm used to.
Bob

 

[RogerS]

"Diagnostics to Bob"....'the retro-weebler techno-turbo is stuffed'.

"Bob to Diagnostics"...."Can I fix it ?"

" Diagnostics to Bob"...."No".

Life is too short IMO. The car is broke. Take it to a garage !

 

[9fingers]

I guess we will never agree on this subject Roger.
I like to monitor, understand, even track a fault progressing before ultimate failure.
I then want the choice of DIY repair or local mechanic or main dealer based on severity of the problem.

Yes life is short but I find this sort of analysis stimulating and it increases my knowledge and therefore it is something I want to fit into my life.

I believe that in some areas you too like the analysis and finding solutions to problems when I read about your building work, your making items from minimal supplies of a particular timber and your design of jigs for the spindle.
I *think* we are similar in this sense but our interest in cars is different.

Bob

 

[Rod]

I opened the bonnet of my car to top up the washer system and noticed how clean it was - so clean I had to take a photo of it [emoji3]
But it brought home to me why I don't really want to service my cars anymore - I don't recognise half the bits in it!

Rod

 

[Tusses]

is that where the engine is supposed to be ? :lol:

 

[chataigner]

I opened the bonnet of my car to top up the washer system and noticed how clean it was - so clean I had to take a photo of it [emoji3]
But it brought home to me why I don't really want to service my cars anymore - I don't recognise half the bits in it!

Rod

I can really relate to that, time was I could fix most things with a few spanners, a screwdriver and a hammer. Still applies to my tractor, but my car is from another world.

 

[chataigner]

PS , Bob I have a Kia Rio 1.5 diesel turbo , goes like excrement off a scraping device , love to feel the turbo come in , love it every time I go out , a couple of years ago had 9 points on my licence , however I too have been tempted to look at a Skoda because I cannot get a Haynes manual for the Kia , I think its a Kia policy so I have to go to a dealer for servicing . I would be interested to hear your comments about how accessible things are on the Octavia .
Steve

I looked recently at the Haynes website and was quite shocked how few modern manuals they are producing now of any makes so I don't think Kia will be any less available than a modern Ford.

Looking under the bonnet of the Octavia, at least you could see all round the engine and 100% of it is under the bonnet unlike my Cmax.
Service information has been uploaded to the interweb and links exist on the Briskoda forum. I've yet to see how comprehensive it is. The forum seems quit active with technical stuff as well as the usual "pimp my Skoda" threads.

There appears to be some very capable software for diagnostics but the hardware interface costs nearly £300 and buying that gives a license and free updates to the software which runs on a windows platform. It is apparently virtually as capable as the diagnostics available to VAG dealers.
This contrasts to a modest price interface for Ford at £20-£30 and open source software Forscan that I'm used to.
Bob

This sounds really interesting Bob, can you send me any links to find the required hardware interface and appropriate software for my Kuga (2011) ? I had no idea that this sort of stuff was available at prices that would interest a user.

 

[9fingers]

David, you need three functional blocks.

1) An OBDII interface
2) A means to connect it to
3) A host computer running diagnosis software.

I far prefer a simple cable connection to a laptop PC for 2 and 3 although wifi and bluetooth are available to tablets and phones. There is generally far less support of apple products.

My interface is an elmscan 5 https://www.scantool.net/elmscan5-compact/ which is no longer available but they have a link on that page to a successor. It comes with a USB cable. I assume it will work also.
ELM did the original work on the interface (ELM327) and left the early versions of their code unprotected and it has been copied in various cloned interfaces which are reputed to have different (aka inferior) performance.
caveat emptor
3) in my case is an old XP laptop running code from here http://forscan.org/download.html

hth

Bob

 

[chataigner]

David, you need three functional blocks.

1) An OBDII interface
2) A means to connect it to
3) A host computer running diagnosis software.

I far prefer a simple cable connection to a laptop PC for 2 and 3 although wifi and bluetooth are available to tablets and phones. There is generally far less support of apple products.

My interface is an elmscan 5 https://www.scantool.net/elmscan5-compact/ which is no longer available but they have a link on that page to a successor. It comes with a USB cable. I assume it will work also.
ELM did the original work on the interface (ELM327) and left the early versions of their code unprotected and it has been copied in various cloned interfaces which are reputed to have different (aka inferior) performance.
caveat emptor
3) in my case is an old XP laptop running code from here http://forscan.org/download.html

hth

Bob

Thanks Bob, I shall equip myself for 2017.

 

[9fingers]

David, I suggest that you might like to join and lurk here http://forscan.org/forum/index.php

There is a section devoted to interfaces with references to bad clones of the ELM327.

My approach is not to try and be too innovative in these things and follow a well trodden path when it comes to buying hardware.
When you find an interface at an acceptable price, it would be worth asking there for the experience of others.

Good Luck

Bob

PS we still have a Ford Focus in the family otherwise I could let you have my interface to evaluate.

 

[Commander]

Bob, I'm glad you found a car that ticks all the boxes and I wish you miles of smiles! I rarely comment on threads such as this because buying a car is such a personal decision it usually tends to degrade into one big argument on who's is best. I'm currently in a 2010 Audi A4 1.8t and love it too bits, only draw back to Audi is the manual gearboxes seem to be getting scarcer and scarcer, but this may be a RSA only problem. Enjoy the new wheels!

 

[9fingers]

Thanks Erich.

I'm not one to get too excited by a new vehicle. For me its just a means to get from A to B safely and in comfort.
I slowly build confidence and appreciation of the thing when I get to understand what does what, why and how.
What emotions I do have over a car tend to be negative ones brought on by things becoming unreliable towards the end of my ownership as happened to the Ford. I could not rely on it to start and it was reporting false faults via the engine management system so it had to go. It was only 12 years old whereas my Peugeot 405 will be 24 years old next month and is still going strong with a few niggles that I can't be ar$ed to fix like a loose heat shield that rattles until it warms up!

Basically the Skoda power train is very similar to equivalent VW and Audi cars and under the bonnet components carry the Audi or VW logos. The dash board and interior functional parts are also similar with arguably a slightly lower level of trim refinement but that is of no importance to me.

Bob

 

[DaveL]

Bob,

I think you did well with your Cmax, I had one on a 55 plate, worse company car I ever had. I had it for 2years, after 18 months it was hopeless for warm starting, turned out the seal on the fuel line was going. It went into 3 different Ford main dealers, they could not find the fault, an AA man took one look at the car and knew exactly what the problem was, he claimed to of reported to Ford's some months earlier when he found it.
It also used to pop up engine management faults that the dealers could not find anything coursing them.

 

[Pinch]

I think all the modern electrical stuff with new cars these days is very cool, but it's when these things get old - 10+ years maybe. Only yesterday, we've had to replace the key card for Mrs P's Megane and this was apparently a deal at £180 programmed. Renault wanted around £500 :shock: :x

I tried to break down the cost: I don't know the cost of the actual key card, but the labour was 10 minutes. :|

 

[Commander]

It just goes to show you Bob, even though we ended up with similar cars we bought them for very different reasons! I would get a new car every year if it was up to me, the list of cars I still need to own is so very long and the time and money is so very limited! :lol: :lol:

Paul, the French cars tend to make me nervous, my mom had a Megane, wonderful car when it drove, but boy did it go wrong often and in costly ways... On the other hand I owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 for about 4 years with more electrics than you can shake a stick at and it just kept on going, I eventually got a spot of trouble with the engine (one exhaust valve seal dropped out) but in all fairness it didn't cost a lot too fix, eventually I had to let it go as the fuel consumption was just eye watering.

Dave I can't comment about Ford in the UK, but in RSA the dealers are just horrendous, I have owned 2 Focus diesels and both were very nice cars, but the service was so shockingly bad that I just can't justify owning another Ford (maybe one out of service plan and then I look after it myself), in contrast my Audi ownership experience has been excellent, it is hard to imagine what they could do more to improve service levels, so I'm very happy with them.

 

[RogerS]

I think all the modern electrical stuff with new cars these days is very cool, but it's when these things get old - 10+ years maybe. Only yesterday, we've had to replace the key card for Mrs P's Megane and this was apparently a deal at £180 programmed. Renault wanted around £500 :shock: :x

I tried to break down the cost: I don't know the cost of the actual key card, but the labour was 10 minutes. :|

I think our views are different on this one, Pinch.

ABS - very good. But making a handbrake and electronic one - like on the Range Rover - bad.

Touch screens or any sort of graphical display - very, very, very bad.

Car manufacturers stuff way too much electronics into cars. It's just more stuff to go wrong.

 

[Robert]

I like the electronic toys on my car and I'm not expecting them to go wrong based on experience so far.

I have an automatic handbrake with a switch for manual operation that I rarely use - love it. So used to it now it is an effort to remember to pull the handle in other cars. Hill starts you name it - perfect.

Touch screen display - again great. Radio/navigation/phone operation/TV (when stationary)/voice control/ other stuff like preference settings, traffic reports etc all so easy.

Cruise control that spaces you from the car in front and works right down to stationary for traffic jams where it brakes for you too then start/stops the engine as required.

lane assist that steers the car for you over 40 mph and keeps you mid lane (it complains if you let go of the wheel though and would stop the car if you don't hold it after the warning)

Self parking I've never used to park but have used to get out of a tight space easy.

I could go on

I do like a nice gadget.

 

[Tusses]

I have an automatic handbrake with a switch for manual operation that I rarely use - love it. .

I've always wondered what would happen if your brakes failed and you have no handle to pull ?

Is the electrickery one a proper independent brake , or does it just apply normal brakes automatically ?

 

[9fingers]

I have an automatic handbrake with a switch for manual operation that I rarely use - love it. .

I've always wondered what would happen if your brakes failed and you have no handle to pull ?

Is the electrickery one a proper independent brake , or does it just apply normal brakes automatically ?

No the EPB is not independent in the same way as a standard handbrake and foot brake are not independent. They share pads and discs.

My previous car had EPB which was essential when we bought it for my wife to drive as due to severe arthritis she could not press the button on a lever type brake to release the ratchet. It behaved faultlessly in the 11 years we had the car and I got to like it. New car has a conventional PB which has taken a bit of getting used to.

Bob

 

[Tusses]

No the EPB is not independent in the same way as a standard handbrake and foot brake are not independent. They share pads and discs.

Bob

Well, most are the same pads/disks . Our porka has a small drum as well as the disks, on the rear.

What I really meant was, the actual mechanical link you get direct from your hand to the brake mechanism . in case of a fluid leak.

Do the electric ones pump fluid ?
or have some kind of mechanical actuator ?
And unlikely, but say after a service, the mechanic didn't tighten the battery terminals, and a lead came off ?
yes, unlikely, but surely the car manufacturer will have had to have considered everything ?

I think some of the brake pedals are electronic too ? Scary :shock: :lol:


BTW, I drive old aircooled VW's .. so I have to consider these things ! :lol: :lol:

 

[9fingers]

On the ford it was an electromechanical box of tricks that pulled the cables to each rear wheel. the control system measured the tension in the cables and when I had the PC plugged in I could read the tension figures.

It was very effective. there was no way I could drive off with the EPB on. It would always stall the engine. Not something you can say about most manual hand brakes on cars.

Bob

 

[Tusses]

bscene-drinkingcheers:

 

[RogerS]

On the ford it was an electromechanical box of tricks that pulled the cables to each rear wheel. the control system measured the tension in the cables .....
Bob

But why ? Why go to all that over-engineering ? Hand pulled cable brakes are perfectly OK (NB I accept that in your personal circumstances that there IS a point).

 

[9fingers]

On the ford it was an electromechanical box of tricks that pulled the cables to each rear wheel. the control system measured the tension in the cables .....
Bob

But why ? Why go to all that over-engineering ? Hand pulled cable brakes are perfectly OK (NB I accept that in your personal circumstances that there IS a point).

I tend to agree Roger. At the time of purchase - 2005 there were very few vehicles with EPB to choose from for our circumstances and we might otherwise had to have a car adapted for SWMBO to use.

Now several mid market vehicles are offering "hill assist" for those who have forgotten how to get clutch control and EPB will be a key part of that however unnecessary the feature seems to be.

Bob