[netchef]

Originally Posted by Mysticeyes

Dear Invinsible, it was a great writeup and so helpful, though I couldn't make out some terms Can you please describe more on the auto locking mechanism in the key?

As for fabiosi cooling their heels now, i think they're snug as a bug in a rug since te winter set in at some parts. But the tranquility is much better than some tincan vehicles roaming around with a capital 'T'. the number of views and posts is a testomony to the popularity of this thread.

to the front, General Netchef, we would show them their place in dungeon

zur Vorderseite, General Netchef, würden wir ihnen ihren Platz im Kerker zeigen

Mysticeyes: "Dear Invinsible, it was a great writeup...". I agree. Every intricacy covered, all details detailed, 'I' did a supreme job of putting the Fabiosi wise to how dealers deal, and tyres and some (arcane) technology, but we all need to learn, right? Thanks, Invinsible.

"tincan vehicles roaming around with a capital 'T'..." LOL
Yeah, let's show them.

Sir, at this rate I'm going to have to sign up for German classes!

[netchef]

...she's back to sipping a wee dram of Cetane-vintage like the true lady she is! A couple of posts ago I'd penned the 'Thirst' story with heavy heart (and lighter wallet). I'd calculated across the standard 30 litres of diesel I've taken to filling her with and she turned in a miserable 13.5 kmpl. It sounded wrong, all wrong, because so many of the Fabiosi cited much better figures and also because I know for a fact my driving style is relaxed enough not to cause excessive consumption of the stuff Governments go red in the face over.

Well, I put it down to under-inflated tyres. So, when I topped up the tank, I promptly got the tyres gassed to regulation before going about my Fabiosi business. Guess what, that difference of 10-12% under-inflation all round (4 tyres) DID make a huge impact. The latest figures for the period was a decent -and in-sync-with-other-Fabia-drivers- 15.2 kmpl. Boy was I relieved. Thought there was something fishy with her innards (like MI and SQL and DRDO and WART and other jazzy-sounding jargon). Thought I'd have to take her to a Gynaecologist. Followed by a Nephrologist. And then a Tae Kwon Do expert. Heaved a sigh of relief when I found the Feng Shui was ok.

Carry on, Doc.

[Invinsible]

Hey guys thanks for all the praises am honoured
Well netchef i got the matador elite 2 tyre which i originally got with the car.
Regarding the auto lock and regeneration of rediness code. Here's the info i got
AUTO LOCK : It is function found on the key setting which is activated through the ECU. What it does is well locks all the four doors once you cross the speed of 15km. Something which can be found on octavia and laura. Once you read the manual regarding central locking/key function you would know what am talking about. Its activated with the help of ECU examiner. Also it has a function where if the ignition is switched off it would unlock all 4 doors or can be done manually by the door also.

Readiness code : It is a function present in your ECU. What it does is calibrates your air fuel ratio and other parameters. Normally this is done by the company before it is delivers the new car. I felt getting it reseted again would help since i have a remap also, since driven 13000 + kms felt that the engine would have opened by from the time it was new. So in a way to accurate reading thought of getting the readiness code regenerated. It has helped me in getting lesser smoke when revved, helps in bit better fuel economy, smoother pick up which i noticed. Well mostly if you ask ur service advisor to regenerate it he would say its not required but in my case i asked them casually if it was activated or not. So, they tried to show me on the exmainer that it was but it couldnt detect it, so they assumed it was not and regenerqated it. Now normally they would charge some 600 odd Rs. But here i wasnt.

MILight: this is basically engine check light. You will notice it when you u put on the ignition and few seconds only battery light and the light below that stays on. If incase the MI light stays on even after starting the engine it means there could be some error detected by the sensor or some sensor not functioning properly or problem related to the engine. Never drive much if you find this light stays on after starting the car (as a precaution). Incase it comes on try getting it checked same day or the next day. More info can be found in the manual.

Hope this helps buddy.

[netchef]

Originally Posted by Invinsible

Well netchef i got the matador elite 2 tyre
AUTO LOCK : It is function found on the key setting which is activated through the ECU. What it does is well locks all the four doors once you cross the speed of 15km.

Readiness code : It is a function present in your ECU. What it does is calibrates your air fuel ratio and other parameters.

MILight: this is basically engine check light. You will notice it when you u put on the ignition and few seconds only battery light and the light below that stays on.

Invinsible: Kind of you to educate us. Thanks a tonne. Keep writing - you write well and have a nose for the granular.

[Mysticeyes]

Thanks for the info Invinsible. You really make technicalities look simple for us lesser mortals

By the way, i've created a new travelogue in the travel experience section. Please feel free to go through it. Here is the link http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post1042849

[netchef]

Originally Posted by Mysticeyes

Thanks for the info Invinsible. You really make technicalities look simple for us lesser mortals

By the way, i've created a new travelogue in the travel experience section. Please feel free to go through it. Here is the link http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post1042849

Mysticeyes: Ah, finally, word from the Mystic. Good to hear from you, Sir. I shall read your travelogue anon, and know- just know- it will enthrall.

[AdvaithC]

Gentlemen Fabiaso,

Any recommendations for keeping the shine on the dear Fabia? the ever idiotic Mahavir Skoda @ Hyderabad claimed there is no such thing as a car wax! Skoda posts something at Skoda Genuine Accessories but Mahavir Skoda has no clue. For the 1-2 items they have, the prices are more than double of what is shown on the site. So much for a great Skoda + Benz dealer.

After that the only alternative is to turn to the Fabiaso: if any good car cleaning solution + wax is working good for your or recommended for Fabia, please let me know.

[uneet]

Dear All,

Its been a week that i started to go through this long thread and now finally Iam through with all 54 pages.
I must say its been a both interesting as well as knowledgeable experiance for me to see people sharing every bit of their loved car.
To add to this ever increasing list i would also like to share some of my experiances.

I booked the Fabia diesel classic Red colour after going through few other cars in this price range like Dzire, Fiesta and Verna.

Got the delivery within 3-4 days of booking as the car was ready with the dealer.
I took the delivery on 27th July'08 and got the following deal:

1. Cash Discount of Rs. 12000/-
2. No FIle charges for my loan worth Rs. 2500/-
2. Tefloan coating for both exterior and under body
4. Mud Flaps, Mats, Body Cover, Perfume and a Divinity.

My buying experiance was pretty decent but after three days of buying my car it broke right in the middle of the road and it failed to start!
After repeated trying i finally called up the dealer who sent their service vehical which took around 1 hr.
The problem was in the wiring of the battery due to which the current was not passing.
I must confess that that was a horrifying moment for me and was surely asking questions to myself regarding the decision i took.
To start with my first fill with tank full to tank full gave me a milaege of 11.5 km/l against the company's claim of 16 - 18 km/l

Now i have crossed 2000 kms in my car and the milaege has increased to around 15 km/l by carefully handling my baby to under 2000 RPM only.
Iam using normal fuel as recommended and the tyre psi of 31 in all four tyres. (would surely like to try nitrogen air as disccused in this thread)

Last week the Left rear view mirror's adjustment failed and i took the car to the dealer who responded immdly without even looking at the car that the assembly needs to be changed. He opened the job card and took around 45 minutes to change its assembly. Thankfully it was under warranty but otherwise costing Rs. 2943/-

All in all iam pretty satisfiesd with my car but the only hitch i feel is the maintenence cost for Skoda.

Hope this review is informative enough for all the members.

[raj_5004]

@ uneet: loose wiring and failed RVM are not good signs in a brand new car. BTW, congtars on your new car.

[uneet]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

@ uneet: loose wiring and failed RVM are not good signs in a brand new car. BTW, congtars on your new car.

Hi Raj,
I think the reason for loose wiring was that the car was parked inside the showroom earlier when i booked and the wires of the battery were taken off. May be they forgot to fix it properly!

Assembly problem in RVM is certainly not a good sign for a 75 days old car kept with great care.. but i guess that there is nothing much i can do about it, though i was certainly shocked to see the attitude of the engineer when he told me that the assembly would be changed without actually seeing the RVM. May be they are used to this problem!

[CBlazer]

Originally Posted by uneet

though i was certainly shocked to see the attitude of the engineer when he told me that the assembly would be changed without actually seeing the RVM. May be they are used to this problem!

Did you mean that this was a display car in the showroom? Could be that they already knew of this problem. This is the first time I hear of dealers offering freebies on Fabia - especially during July-August.

[uneet]

Originally Posted by CBlazer

Did you mean that this was a display car in the showroom? Could be that they already knew of this problem. This is the first time I hear of dealers offering freebies on Fabia - especially during July-August.

Hi CBlazer,

Yes that was the display car in the showroom. Had done 8 kms on the ODO.

I was getting the cash discount of 5000 from the other dealer, but got this deal from him which was quite satisfying in that period.
Though one thing which i missed was the body colour door handles and side mirrors.

[Mysticeyes]

Dear Uneet, belated congrats for your 'new' car. hope you are having a pleasent drive after the initital minor glitches. take good care of your baby and it would be kind to you

Advaith - You needn't use the high cost shamppos shown in the skoda site. From my interaction with users of various cars and from my personal experience, 'Carnauba Wash & Wax' is the best shampoo/polish for any kind of car. It comes in a light yellow bottle and is available at major auto accessories shops. I've been using Carnauba for the past 7 years for my dad's and my car and it just keeps the car surcafe so polished and mirror like. You can also get 'Eagle Wet Polish', which you can spray over the wet body after washing the car and wipe it off with a soft cotton, leaving the body polished.

Extra tips to keep you car

1. Always keep the vehicle covered if you are not using the vehicle for a, long period
2. Try to dust off the vehicle using soft cotton cloth (available in petrol pumps) once or twice a day [i do it tiwce a day]
3. Try to wash the car atleast once or twice a week [2 for me]
4. Apply the shampoo/polish once every 2 weeks

As for interiors, you can clean the carpet under the floor mats every fortnight. The mats can be dusted off once every week and the dashboard and other panels could be wiped and cleaned with a bit moist cloth every week. Personally, i stick to this schedule dividing this activity into 1-2-3 days.

If you can stick to this, the car would be in 'showroom condition' , which i like my car to be in. The advantage?? a mix of jealous & admiring looks from other users

[AdvaithC]

Originally Posted by Mysticeyes

...if you can stick to this, the car would be in 'showroom condition' , which i like my car to be in. The advantage?? a mix of jealous & admiring looks from other users

Gracias Senyor I sure will.

One more question, about teflon coating. At the time of delivery, the sales guy had assured it was teflon coated. However recently someone remarked the car did not look like it had teflon. Some reasons he gave:

- teflon coat does not carry dust. My car (beige color) is like a dust magnet!
- water slips off teflon coat, whereas mine does not particularly reject water

Already I am pissed off with this Hyderabad Skoda dealer, and now with the above its got me thinking if he lied again.

so, my questions:
1. plus & minus of teflon coating
2. can you tell if a car has teflon on it or not?
3. any particular brand recommended

[Mysticeyes]

Teflon coating is a very tricky subject. You have to go by dealer's words when he say that he has done teflon coating for your car. I was given free teflon and underbody coating by the dealer. Underbody coating can be easily identified as they use a shiny black coating and if you pour water, it will crystalize into small drops. But teflon coating would be hard to identify, especially if its a brand new vehicle.

If teflon coating is done properly, water would turn into small drops. As for the dust, from my experience, it would be easy to wipe off dust from a teflon coated surface and scratches won't be there. On non-teflon surface, you've to brush hard to remove dust, resulting in scratches. Usually, dealers prefer 3M brand for teflon coating.

My previous car (Zen) was teflon coated ( i did watch the process, but not fully) back in december 2005 and the shining of the car remained intact even as i disposed it in august 2008 with no deep scratches. ofcourse, few scratches were there, but it was almost microscopic. So far, i'm sure that my fabia is coated it's showing the above mentioned positive features. Else, you can get the car teflon coated whenever you wish. I used to get my car nd dads car coated every 6 months (6 months is recommended by teflon coating agencies)