A few Qs from a new owner

[JB.]

Hi folks -

Just took delivery of my new Superb 2.0 170bhp TDI Elegance hatchback and am thrilled to bits. I got a cracking deal from an online broker (£4k off list), and I added £2k of options. My previous car was a VW Passat 115bhp TDI estate, bought new in 2000, and still going strong (giving this free to a friend). It's so nice to have a new car after such a long period, and so many very useful features too.

My two Qs for today are:

i) One of the options that I ordered was the heated windscreen washer option. However, how do I know that this has been fitted? There's no mention of it (that I can see) in the manual, and there's no switch. Do the washers looks any different with this option fitted? As I bought online through a dealer far away, I've not been shown round the car.

ii) I am considering buying an umbrella for the rear passenger door. I was going to buy the Skoda umbrella but may choose another, cheaper brand. Can I check what happens to water from a wet umbrella inserted into this compartment. Does it end up going inside the car, or is there some clever channel taking it outside the car?

Thanks for all your help.

All the best,

Andrew.

Edited 26 August, 2010 by JB.

[Richf]

I would never put the umbrella back in the pocket wet as it would go mouldy and rot

I personally find the umbrella a something or nothing item , sure it nice to have but for the driver its is the worse possible door , much better to buy a nice small brolly and stick it in the door pocket behind the driver seat you can easliy reach back and get it before getting out of the car and getting wet

dunno about the washers i went for the same option as i had it on my E Class but dont know whether its actually on there or not

[Departed]

There is a drainage channel specifically to carry the rainwater from the umbrella away (exiting into the door shut, outboard of the outer seal). The Skoda umbrella is made from rot-proof material which allows a wet umbrella to be stored, but I would still dry it off open once I got home.

The heated washer jets will work using the temperature sensor in the car (the one that warns of low outside temperatures). It's only the jets that are heated, not the reservoir, so I wouldn't expect to see any physical evidence, as the jet bodies are comparatively flush to the body. I'll have a look later to confirm.

Ray

[ukcruiser]

If you have heated windscreen, you can see the wires running through it, from top to bottom.

If you have heated washers, you can see a wire running to them next to the water hose under the bonnet. - and the units themselves are really big.

There is also a switch on the Climate Unit for the windscreen.

I have attached photo's.

Hope this helps!

Al.

[booski]

good questions................. and GREAT replies- especially supported with pictures

Edited 26 August, 2010 by booski

[ukcruiser]

good questions................. and GREAT replies- especially supported with pictures

Thanks

I see you have a 4x4 Estate on order - Excellent choice! :yes:

Let me know if you need photo's of my 4x4 Estate too!

Al.

[JB.]

Thanks folks - and thanks UK Cruiser for taking the time to post photos. I shall check for the additional wires under the bonnet this evening. What's the final photo of (I presume it's also under the bonnet)? Is it the washer unit you talk about in your post?

That's interesting about the Skoda umbrella being specifically designed so that it stays fresher when kept in the holder wet. I was surprised at the £35 cost, esp given Skoda's good value, but this may explain (some of) it.

I did consider getting the heated windscreen but decided against it - as I had experience of this from friend's Mondeos, and found the metal wires distracting. Although they assured me you get used to them (such that you no longer see them). Would certainly be gentler on the car than using a scraper, but not worth the visual risk (for me anyway).

Really enjoying the extra Ooomph of the 170bhp over my old 115bhp - maybe Common Rail helps too (compared to Pumpe Duse). Note quite as frugal though (if the onboard dash figures can be believed).

Anyway, thanks again folks. It's nice to know that this facility exists.

P.s. One last thing. The broker charged me for lockable alloy wheel nuts (as an option), then advised they were included as standard, but then changed his mind again (so the charge stood). Are the lockable wheel nuts standard or not? I won't chase him as it's only £20+vat, but it's been niggling me all the same.

[cookdn]

I did consider getting the heated windscreen but decided against it - as I had experience of this from friend's Mondeos, and found the metal wires distracting. Although they assured me you get used to them (such that you no longer see them). Would certainly be gentler on the car than using a scraper, but not worth the visual risk (for me anyway).

I opted for this as I find clearing an iced-up windscreen first thing in the morning very frustrating. On particularly cold mornings it just ices-up again as soon as I am on the move. While I have got in the habit of covering the windscreen with an old rug on nights that are going to be obviously frosty, I always seem to be getting caught out.

Some people warned me off the heated windscreen for exactly the reasons you state. However my wife had a Ford Focus with a heated windscreen, on the odd occasions I drove it I found I never really noticed the element unless I looked for it. Fingers crossed the Superb windscreen will be much the same.

Best regards

David

[ukcruiser]

Mine (2010, dealer supplied 4x4 estate) came with lockable wheel nuts, and there is NO mention of them as an option.

The bottom pic is off the washer jet, from under the bonnet. - as you can see, it's HUGE!

David - cookdn - the screen on the superb is Better than the focus; the wires are less noticeable.

Al.

[G.K.]

The heated screen annoyed me for less than a day... Never bothered me since. It only made its presence known when it cleared the screen of frost or condensation in minutes!!. I also have the heated washer jets and never suffered frozen washers all winter.I recommend all Superb buyers to dig deeper and spec them!!!

[booski]

Thanks

I see you have a 4x4 Estate on order - Excellent choice! :yes:

Let me know if you need photo's of my 4x4 Estate too!

Al.

thanks - lets see some pictures of your 4x4 matey

[RedDog]

.............. Are the lockable wheel nuts standard or not? I won't chase him as it's only £20+vat, but it's been niggling me all the same.

I certainly didn't pay extra for locking wheel nuts! They're standard. I suggest you DO chase him and get your dosh back!

[cookdn]

David - cookdn - the screen on the superb is Better than the focus; the wires are less noticeable.

Thanks for that, I didn't think it would be a problem.

[Sprightlybob]

I feel a little sorry for you guys with your ice and frost on the windows and the discussion of heated windscreens and washers. My car is parked in a garage but when driving on a cold (such as it is) winter morning, I rarely need to turn the aircon on to a warm setting and the heated seats which were standard, have not been (AND PROBABLY WILL NEVER BE) used.

[G.K.]

Ah... But I bet that Skoda still put Anti- Freeze in the engine!!! (for corrosion protection reasons I suppose).. But you never know with the world weather these days!! Have you considered which snow tyres you would choose??

[Sprightlybob]

Interesting concept - 'snow tyres' - where I live the only different tyre selection are sand or mud!!

[barts2]

Hi Lads i have 170Bhp elegance and my water washer bottle froze up to but also my headlight washers froze and stayed out , they finaly went back in but wont work now , it is still very cold and snowing maybe it will sort itself out when the weather improves otherwise back to the dealer , any 1 else have this problem with the headlight washers ???

[2slo]

Hi Lads i have 170Bhp elegance and my water washer bottle froze up to but also my headlight washers froze and stayed out , they finaly went back in but wont work now , it is still very cold and snowing maybe it will sort itself out when the weather improves otherwise back to the dealer , any 1 else have this problem with the headlight washers ???

Get into the habit of cleaning the ice and snow from the h/light washers as well as from the h/lights before setting off. Less chance of them sticking that way.

They have to be fitted as a legal requirement with Xenon lights (to do with preventing heat build up on the lenses caused by road film being baked on)

If you go into the menu you can access the frequency of h/light washes to windscreen washes (e.g. wash the lights every time you wash the screen or every other time etc) I set mine to every third time which is usually sufficient and gives less chance for them to get stuck.

***Please note I'm not suggesting anyone leaves their h/lights dirty, that would be dangerous and illegal, I'm just pointing out there is an option to adjust the setting.***

Another point here is that washers for Xenon lights use loads of screen wash. Skoda only recommends their own VAG branded fluid (which to be fair is way better than Halfrauds coloured water); it protects to much lower temps. The Superb does advise drivers when washer fluid is low but, if you wash the lights with every screen wash, you'll be filling up every day.

Mark.

[Tankdave]

Not had the headlight washer probs yet, but I will say they do keep the lights clean "If they not frozen up of course"

Locking wheel nuts, standard on my Elegance.

[dstev2000]

The pop out element of the headlight washer system is driven by water pressure so if frozen up it will not work at all, I would imagine it will work again once the whole system has defrosted.

I don't recall seeing a headlight washer frequency option in the maxidot menu, maybe UK cars don't have that capability - which is a shame.

[2slo]

The pop out element of the headlight washer system is driven by water pressure so if frozen up it will not work at all, I would imagine it will work again once the whole system has defrosted.

I don't recall seeing a headlight washer frequency option in the maxidot menu, maybe UK cars don't have that capability - which is a shame.

UK cars do have that capability. Mine did (08 Superb hatch).

Mark.

[dan123]

Hi Lads i have 170Bhp elegance and my water washer bottle froze up to but also my headlight washers froze and stayed out , they finaly went back in but wont work now , it is still very cold and snowing maybe it will sort itself out when the weather improves otherwise back to the dealer , any 1 else have this problem with the headlight washers ???

Yes, mine behaving in the same way....headlight washers stuck out, have now gone back in but not working even though windscreen washers are working.

Must say I've never noticed the capability to change the frequency of the headlight wash in the menus (2009 58), mine does every 5th wash.

Dan

Edited 2 December, 2010 by dan123

[dstev2000]

UK cars do have that capability. Mine did (08 Superb hatch).

Mark.

Mine is a 60 plate Estate and there is nothing in the menus. They seem to add and remove features at certain points, I used to be able to turn off the maxi dot screen on the move in my 06 Octavia but couldn't on my 07 L&K - go figure

It's probably possible via VCDS, I'll have a butchers at some point.

[2slo]

Must say I've never noticed the capability to change the frequency of the headlight wash in the menus (2009 58), mine does every 5th wash.

Dan

Just read the new handbook online. Looks like this can no longer be adjusted. H/lights get washed 1st and 5th time screen is washed now. I remember being able to adjust the setting on my last Superb (one of the first of the ncurrent shape). Still better than Volvo which washes each light seperately every other time you clean the screen.

Mark.

[Specman]

Hi folks -

Just took delivery of my new Superb 2.0 170bhp TDI Elegance hatchback and am thrilled to bits. I got a cracking deal from an online broker (£4k off list), and I added £2k of options. My previous car was a VW Passat 115bhp TDI estate, bought new in 2000, and still going strong (giving this free to a friend). It's so nice to have a new car after such a long period, and so many very useful features too.

My two Qs for today are:

i) One of the options that I ordered was the heated windscreen washer option. However, how do I know that this has been fitted? There's no mention of it (that I can see) in the manual, and there's no switch. Do the washers looks any different with this option fitted? As I bought online through a dealer far away, I've not been shown round the car.

ii) I am considering buying an umbrella for the rear passenger door. I was going to buy the Skoda umbrella but may choose another, cheaper brand. Can I check what happens to water from a wet umbrella inserted into this compartment. Does it end up going inside the car, or is there some clever channel taking it outside the car?

Thanks for all your help.

All the best,

Andrew.

I thought that the Elegance came with the umbrella as standard or am I wrong? I know that mine was delivered without it and when I mentioned it to my dealer they said they would find me one, which I pick up next week.