Monday, 21 July 2025

Golf GTI Edition 35 UK MOT 2024 - 2025 : 68k miles total : 4326 miles between MOT's

 very similar post to the last service related one 
https://johnoldfield.blogspot.com/2025/07/golf-gti-edition-35-service-2024-2025.html

but this time its the mandatory UK yearly MOT test.

Heres the output from Vehicle Smart app I use to track these things.

So last year between MOT's the car has done 4326 miles




car passed with usual advisories for rear brake disc condition, and this time front discs as well.
and they also picked up on a nail in the rear tyre, which Ive just had a repair attempted on, both year tyres are getting on a bit, so maybe need replacing soon.
(rear tyres on golfs tend to never wear out , they just get old/cracked/sawtooth pattern)

rear tyres were new in 2020 at 48k miles , so tyres have done 5yrs and 20,000 miles so far see https://johnoldfield.blogspot.com/2020/08/golf-gti-edition-35-mot-48232-miles-and.html


Monday, 7 July 2025

Golf GTI Edition 35 Service 2024-2025 : oil and filter service 4895 miles for 2024 to 2025

 
last service was performed by me

see previous post
https://johnoldfield.blogspot.com/2024/08/vw-golf-gti-edition-35-cdlg-5372-miles.html

this year, same story with a service kit from Fergusons of Stirling


  • Bosch oil filter x 1
  • Oil sump drain plug with seal x 1
  • Millers Oils Trident Professional C3 5w40 engine oil x 5 litres (4.6L capacity listed by Millers for this vehicle)
  • Millers Oils Engine Flush 250ml

£63 all in

As per previous years I perform my own oil services

Oil Change Service 16/06/2024 ME 63573 miles
Oil Change Service 05/07/2024 ME 68468 miles


4895 miles for the last year

and complete the job, use VCDS to reset the service indicator for the year ahead.
( i have a hex can cable) 



Monday, 23 June 2025

2017 VW TIGUAN Rear Passengers door damage, full replacement with a second hand door (2021 model)

picture the scene, parked up in a multistory carpark for a basketball game, taken ages to park, reversed into a space next to a wall to make sure theres loads of space and only a car parked on one side....

spend the day watching basketball...

leave and attempt to pull out quickly from the parking space, forgetting theres a concrete bollard on an acute angle!

Needless to say there was a large scraping noise, at which point I knew it was bad, but then continued to drive home without looking!!

and so this was the damage....



 nicely pushed in the entire door, including the chrome trim and lower painted section.

Luckily the sill was untouched.


At this point we are looking at options


1. Leave it
2. Get the door repaired inc paint (we pay ourselves)
3. Get the door replaced inc paint (we pay ourselves
4. Options 2 or 3 using Insurance claim (our excess is £500)


I consulted a local damage repair company who said is was marginal on dent fixing the original door and probably need a new skin

as well as the chrome trim and lower plastic part also supplied/painted.


At this point I considered whether I could find a full replacement door and swap it (by myself or by the damage repair company)

In the end I found a complete later (2021) rear door in white from a breakers.
It was £300

Actually removing the door is very simple. 
unclip cable connector in door frame
2 bolts top and bottom and you just lift off the pins (you dont need to touch the actual hinges)

what I hadnt bargained on was that the interior electrics (and loom) on the later tiguan door were completely different from 2017 (our car) to 2021 (the donor door).    Our had a door control module that doesnt seem present on later cars....
and the window motor plugs are different

So I had to swap over the door looms and the window electric motor.
relatively easy just take your time.

I drilled some holes in the replacement door which I could use to attach the door module to.  the door has template patterns so its easy to see where there needs to be holes

The door aligned perfect first time
The paint match was perfect
Everything worked once Id swapped the loom and motor

Cant believe it went as well as it did, although I one point I thought Id wasted money on a door.


the replacement door 2021 , note theres no seperate door module.


heres the damaged door (2017), ready to come off, note the door module top left
and a different window motor



no door at all





replacement door fitted, note colour match and alignment




BMW S1000R new front and rear wheel bearings at 21444 miles.

 

Some odd noises on Day 2 of the Scotland trip.....

We lifted the bike and sure enough it all sounded pretty rough...

I rode for Day 3 and brought the bike home...

Convinced they were a wheel bearing problem, I stopped riding the bike and booked in AGMotorcycles to replace both front and rear bearings.

It wasnt 100% definite that was the problem, but on the day Adam certainly proved it was!.....


Front on one side was very much toast....with some of the ball bearings actually gone awol into the hub


making them a right pain to remove


new front fitted




Rear one replaced too (more preventative maintenance, this one appeared ok)

Had both wheel bearings replaced, as it was cost effective while Adam visited my house, and good preventative maintenance.

All in £120 for front and rear wheel bearings supplied and fitted at my house.

Outstanding service as usual, and the bike is back to normal.

The difference in how easy it is to wheel the bike around is surprising.


I can only assume they are the original bearings so have done 21000 miles
I dont perform wheelies, but maybe it theres a lot of wear due to the fact it was a demonstrator or the previous owner, who knows.


BMW 2017 Gen 2 S1000R new battery , swapping the OE BMW for a Yuasa YTX9

On the Scotland trip, my battery went flat on Day 3 .
Its been poor for a while now, and Ive been band-aiding the issue by always having it plugged into a trickle charger

Ive always theorised that the issue was the tracker but the tracker company is confident the sleep settings are correct and the device should not cause drain.

Anyway I decided it was time to replace the battery anyway (I still think its the original one supplied from new 2017!) so 8 yrs old.


The original was a BMW branded Absorbant Glass Mat (AGM)  12V 8Ah 12A 
(Note its not a lithium)

replaced with a Yuasa equivalent



Yuasa Motorcycle Battery - YTX9
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/549051

£40 delivered from SBS


Many people fit Lithium replacements as they are much lighter, but my existing charger is NOT Lithium compatible, and I'm not entirely sure the Gen 2 charging circuit is ok with a Lithium style battery (it may be as it appears many have swapped to Lithium ok)

AND

it would appear that later models S1000R moved to a Lithium battery from factory.




Fitting was very simple

Seat off
remove terminals
replace battery
replace terminals
check bike starts
seat back on.


My bike now starts much quicker, but I still have it connected to the trickle charger while not in use.



Tuesday, 13 May 2025

May 2025 Day 3 North West Scotland 430 miles / 12hrs

 Mon 5th May 

Day 3 430 miles / 12 hrs



08:15 AM leave lodge

EML lights at lodge / poor starting

battery flat at fuel stop, buy jump leads!  jump start

0950 Dalwhinnie Distillery



11am Townhouse Aberfeldy breakfast



13:50 Town & Country Designs coffee shop Killearn

17:50 M6 Southwaite

19:30 Home (Warrington