[ajmat]

Originally Posted by GForceEnjoyer

Update:
The last thing I want is the cabin ending up sounding like a hurricane at highway speeds due to an improper fitting, or worse, water leaking into the cabin! Fingers crossed.
Attachment 2361016

The crack extends all the way to the base of the windshield (even below the windshield wipers), but that part didn't show up on camera, especially in the dark. Goes to show that bad luck will sometimes find you, regardless of how careful you may be. To add insult to injury, we had just recently been considering getting a protective coating for the windshield done from Autopia!

I will update the thread once the replacement is carried out. I don't know about the cost at the moment, so please bear with me until the update. And drive safe!

Good luck with that! Before you take the car back, check

1: Wipers function properly, i.e they sweep the required area and park properly

2: The rain sensor works properly, ensure you spray the water on sensor and check else you are stuck with only slow and high speed and no interval wipes.

This happened when my Jetta windscreen was replaced.The first item involved a reset, the second item drove my mechanic mad but we later found that the gel pack between the windscreen and the sensor needs to be replaced!

After that, all was well.

3: Finally, check all surrounding trim especially under the bonnet. Take pics before and compare with after!

[GForceEnjoyer]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Good luck with that! Before you take the car back, check

Thank you so much for this, I'll be keeping it in mind. Would I be right in assuming that the operation of the automatic headlights should also be checked, as the light sensor is located next to the rain sensor? If true, then I'll also make a note to check the operation of the auto-dimming IRVM and ORVM, as they run off the same sensor. Thanks again.

[GForceEnjoyer]

Update:

Here's a better picture taken in daylight. Note how the crack extends below the windshield wiper blade, all the way to the bottom edge of the windshield.


I tagged along for the visit to the service centre. Unfortunately, they did not have the part in stock, so we have to wait around a week (earliest estimate) for the replacement to arrive, after which it will take a day to carry out the replacement. The cost is estimated to be a little over 30000 rupees. I have fully followed moderator ajmat's tips above and taken pictures of all the fittings around the windshield in their current condition to compare with afterward, something my dad also talked about. The insurance claim formalities will be carried out later.

I suppose the real issue now would be deciding what to do about a road trip to Goa which we had planned, for which we are scheduled to leave in exactly a week, assuming the replacement isn't done until then. Take the Fiesta instead? Fly? Who knows!

I will update the thread once again after any significant events and/or the replacement has been carried out. Until next time.

[ajmat]

One more thing, when the replacement is done, park it in the hot sun for a day or two to cure the adhesive bond

[GForceEnjoyer]

Update:

It was a very pleasant surprise to hear that PPS Škoda was able to source the windshield much before the estimated time of 7-10 days! We got the car back today. The replacement was carried out yesterday and then the car was left to sit for a day to let the adhesive cure. We arrived at the service centre in the late afternoon today and the car was brought for inspection.

Originally Posted by ajmat

Before you take the car back, check

1: Wipers function properly, i.e they sweep the required area and park properly

3: Finally, check all surrounding trim especially under the bonnet. Take pics before and compare with after!

The fitting of the windshield was good (I compared it to the pictures I had taken earlier). There was an issue with the wipers not parking properly, exactly as you warned warned me about above. This was fixed on the spot within 5 minutes. Otherwise, all was in order apart from a little fit and finish issue under the hood (revealed by the pictures); also promptly fixed. Thanks a ton, ajmat sir.

The wipers swept correctly, the rain sensor was working perfectly and so were the automatic headlamps and auto-dimming IRVM and ORVM. As usual, during billing, the machine had to be taken outside to generate the bill due to a lack of a signal inside the service centre. The payable amount consisted of a 2000 rupee deductible and 591 rupees for a thorough foam wash of the exterior (the job was very well done). The cost of the windshield was 35172 rupees (covered by insurance).

We took the car on a highway run at 100 km/h to check if wind noise was abnormal; thankfully it wasn't. There were no unwanted noises over bumps either. Overall, a fantastic job done by PPS Škoda!

We will be taking the Superb on a road trip from Hyderabad to Goa and also visiting Sajjangarh and Satara (Maharashtra) en route (Hyderabad-Kolhapur and then onward to Goa via Amboli Ghat). Since we leave this Saturday, we really got the car back in the nick of time. Until next time. Cheers!

[GForceEnjoyer]

12000 km + road trip update:

We returned from a road trip to Goa last Sunday and somewhere on NH-65 in Karnataka, the car crossed 12000 km! The return trip was a direct Goa to Hyderabad drive. After some quick thinking, I realised that well over half the kilometres on the odometer come from such road trips!

On the other hand, I am starting to suspect the door seal on the front left door. I noticed some strange squeaking sounds over bumps. I will keep a watch on this in the future; it is very infrequent for now. Such sounds from the door seals are apparently a common phenomenon with these cars after a while in Indian conditions. Would spraying some WD-40 on the location where the seals on the door panel and frame touch silence the noise?

Anyways, I might post a travelogue in the coming weeks, but here are some pictures from the trip for your viewing pleasure.

During some rain in Maharashtra.


Look at aerodynamics at play! I sometimes just watch the water flow around cars in the rain; really lets you know how the air around the car has been shaped.


We found a few lovely mountain roads near Satara to really let the Superb loose. It may not “dart” into the curves; rather, it “flows” through them in a beautifully graceful yet fun manner! Sports mode enhanced the fun factor of the drive significantly.


Some hazy yet stunning views atop Sajjangad Fort.



Before a beautiful sunset on the last day in Goa.


Raindrops in the headlights!


Resting in the shade at a spot with a breathtaking view at Amboli Ghat.


There was a torrential downpour shortly after entering Telangana. No, the picture isn’t shaky or out of focus, it’s due to the intensity of the rain! There were frequent bright bolts of blue-white lightning accompanied by tumultuous thunder too. The car received a much-needed wash.


755 km covered on the last day over nearly 15 hours! The car was driven 1966.7 km across a total of 4 states during this trip.


Do NOT attempt driving such long distances solo; the resultant fatigue would be a perfect recipe for disaster. Have someone else who you can switch positions with and rest in the meantime. Case in point: my parents both drive and took turns during the trip. Remember to stay hydrated and to take enough breaks in between. Switching off recirculated air (at least once every half an hour) helps keep air in the cabin fresh too.

Take care of the above and driving massive distances is no sweat in this car. The sound system also kept us fantastic company throughout! While I made sure everyone got a healthy dose of metal, I also got to listen to a wide variety of music; all the way from Santana and The Beatles to revisiting numbers such as Mast Kalandar.

Until next time. Cheers!

[akg7091]

Don't worry too much about leaks when changing the windshield. Have changed it twice in the past 10 years, once at a roadside fng and the second time at windshield experts. Faced no issues in both cars for the 10 odd years we owned them post replacement before selling them off.

[nishithrao95]

Hey Bud,
Absolutely loved reading your review. Being 16, with astute observations and great knowledge about your car and being able to pen it is fantastic.
Congratulations to you and your family , for the Superb and on 1 year of ownership with some great memories. I see myself when I look at the pictures you have taken of your car. Half of my Gallery is filled with pictures of the car wherever we go.
I drive a 2021 Superb L&K too, White with brown Interior. I Specifically went for this as a consolation for the delayed gratification (Pushed the BMW Mocha Brown/Tan Purchase for a little longer )and secondly I was tired of the beige in my 2017 Octavia TDI, Beige in Skoda is Definitely hard to maintain. I must mention it took me good three weeks to drop the beautiful shade of Lava Blue.

On a side note, I think I have seen your car at PPS Financial District while it must have been getting a new windshield and I'm also assuming we stay in the same side of town. It'd be great to catch up . Sending you a PM with the details.

[GForceEnjoyer]

A very happy 2023 . The Superb's year definitely got off to a good start, since we got full body paint protection film for it after lots of deliberation (and a non-insignificant amount of influence from me)! It's over a year old, but better late than never.

We got it done from Autopia, located in Kavuri Hills, Madhapur. We saw an example of their work on a red Jeep Meridian which seriously impressed us with its application, which is when we approached them.

After some research, we decided to go with the Llumar Platinum film (with a rate of 850 rupees per square foot) which comes with a 10 year warranty. There's one higher end option available, the Llumar Valour which has a 12-year warranty but is significantly more expensive (1100 rupees per square foot, which adds up quickly for a car the size of the Superb, approximately 260 square feet of area to be covered). The Platinum had everything we needed, the most important being a good glossy finish and self-healing properties.

Before applying the film, the paint was polished and corrected to bring an excellent shine.


Here it is after application. We have been advised not to wash the car for a week and then take it back to the shop to correct any imperfections which may possibly occur. This procedure will be repeated after a month too.


The door handles and badges at the rear were removed in order to be able to properly apply the film. The badges will be re-applied after a week. Looked strange at first sight for sure!


The film will not be cut yet from the headlight washers and parking sensors; it will also be done after a week, allowing the film to cure.



The L&K badge on the side was not removed, since it could have been risky to reinstall. The film was cut around it instead. Upon very close inspection, you can tell, but only just.


The installation has been done well with the excess film being folded into the edges of the doors. The same has been done for the film on the quarter panels; it has been tucked into the doorframes, so has that around the boot lid. On the ORVMs, the film has been folded onto itself to avoid it peeling off. Even the fuel filler cap was done! I was pleased to see this. The interior was cleaned very well and even the engine bay was detailed. I unfortunately missed out on taking pictures of the same.

I will update this thread after the next visit and also try to get some better pictures. Drive safe, cheers!

[Sen_auto_sation]

Hello GForceEnjoyer,

Loved the elaborate thread (your writing) and the splendid photos of your experiences with the Škoda Superb, since the time you began this thread. Wonderful of you to post regular updates, and must say your blue beauty looks regal and fresh as new, after the detailing work you/your parents undertook.

I do wonder how invaluable this’d be to fellow Superb owners like me, and encourage you keep posting few of the technical updates to the TBhp community and should you be a member of the Superb-owners WhatsApp group in India.

Which also brings me to ask you on the latter if you could steer me on how to become part of the Škoda Superb Owners’ India group on W’App?
Help out a brother, kindly?

[GForceEnjoyer]

15000 km + road trip update:

As my 11th grade board exams finished recently, it was time to hit the road once again! This time, it was Aurangabad, Shirdi and Pench National Park while also covering the entirety of the Samruddhi Mahamarg from Shirdi to Nagpur. Somewhere on the way to Pench, the car crossed 15000 km. Even today, not many kilometres on the odometer come from daily driving; a majority of them come from such trips. For example, this one was around 2200 km long! I might post a travelogue on this trip in the coming weeks.

The car has been doing great. However, of late, a "replace key battery" warning has started to come up in the MID. We've brought out one of the spare keys just in case. Also, the sunroof rattle that we got fixed last year surfaced a couple of times during the trip. It also went away on its own, though, and can be drowned out by turning up the music (or by putting the car in sports mode ), so not a cause for concern currently.

About the PPF, we're yet to get it fully finished (cutting it off the parking sensors and headlight washers), since road works around the detailing shop have recently made it inaccessible. No choice but to wait.

As for the expressway, here's a quick summary. The Aurangabad to Shirdi stretch was very disappointing, with a surface that barely inspired the confidence to reach the speed limit of 120 km/h. However, on the journey from Shirdi to Nagpur, the surface became much better a few kilometres after Aurangabad (still can't hold a candle to asphalt though). I was then able to fully marvel at the world-class infrastructure, and we munched miles in no time.





Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.





On the trip, we found that screws found their way into 2 tyres, when a "loss of tyre pressure" warning popped up on the MID on the way to Ellora. We got that fixed by a shop on the side of the road immediately, so no harm done. On the next day, we were left with some time to kill, so also got wheel alignment and balancing done in Aurangabad. And it might have been the most eventful alignment and balancing session ever! The owner of the shop noticed me watching closely, invited me into the pit and personally showed me how it's done; camber, caster and toe. It was brilliant.

Took a picture of the underbody. It was in a cramped space, so it was difficult to get everything in the picture.


If anyone's wondering what it looks like with the wheels removed.

Rear:


Front:


15111 km on the odometer!


Brilliant highway fuel efficiency from the 2.0 TSI as usual.


Until next time. Cheers!

Originally Posted by Sen_auto_sation

Wonderful of you to post regular updates, and must say your blue beauty looks regal and fresh as new, after the detailing work you/your parents undertook.

I do wonder how invaluable this’d be to fellow Superb owners like me, and encourage you keep posting few of the technical updates to the TBhp community

Brilliant timing of your post! I saw it just as I came here to write this update. Thanks a lot for your kind words. I will certainly continue posting updates, since other members doing this for their own cars has helped me out a ton; have to return the favour.

[Mad Max]

Thank you for sharing this update. The fuel efficiency stumped me because all I have heard is that it gives terrible mileage when driven hard. But your photo and update show things differently. Is this with gentle driving? Because that 2.0 begs to be driven fast and hard.

[GForceEnjoyer]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

The fuel efficiency stumped me because all I have heard is that it gives terrible mileage when driven hard. But your photo and update show things differently. Is this with gentle driving? Because that 2.0 begs to be driven fast and hard.

This was despite the fact that the car was not put out of sports mode even once! The 2.0 TSI really shines when you're able to stay in the top few gears, so spirited driving on the highway like this doesn't really kill your efficiency unless you're constantly performing kickdown overtakes and whatnot.

When it does give terrible efficiency is on city drives where it's difficult to reach higher gears. For example, when we got the car home from the showroom, it was nearly during peak traffic and we got a very unpleasant surprise to see an average of 6 km/l. The very next day on a trip on the ORR though, we got something well over 16 km/l. So this engine is a slow sipper only on the highway, meaning that what you've heard is indeed partially true.

[GForceEnjoyer]

2-year update:

The Superb is now two years old! What a journey it has been so far, filled with road trips (planned and unplanned), leisurely city drives and the occasional spirited drive with no destination! The odometer currently stands at nearly 19000 kilometres.

I was unable to take a photo that truly does justice to the gorgeous Lava Blue colour; until now, that is. To start off, here it is in all its glory!


We got the car serviced recently and all is well and good mechanically. Of late, it felt as though minute imperfections in the road were being felt in the cabin more than they should be, hence we asked for an inspection of the suspension. The suspension expert at the workshop took the car on a test drive with my dad riding shotgun, and the car passed all the tests on their course with flying colours. So, I guess it might be the tyres showing signs of wear instead.

And following the incessant "replace key battery" warnings popping up on the MID, we finally ordered the replacement battery and carried out the replacement at home. This is what the battery looks like, in case anyone's wondering.


In other news, our time with the car has been just sublime. We recently went on a last-minute trip to Pandharpur and Tuljapur, having made the decision while having dinner before the morning on which we set out!

It's funny to see what monsoon drives can do. From this (clicked at a dhaba on NH-65 that we have stopped at thrice on three separate trips now):



To this (taken at our hotel for the night in Solapur and in the parking lot of a restaurant in Tuljapur respectively):



And one fine day, the Superb met its identical twin in a basement parking lot! Excuse the poor quality.


Meanwhile, monsoon drives combined with a sunroof also give rise to such spectacular views.



Here's to many more exciting future updates, which I will surely write about. Here's a parting shot, taken while watching the huge distances simply disappear into the horizon in the rear-view mirror.


Until next time, cheers!

[GForceEnjoyer]

25,000 km + road trip update:

Graduating high school is quite the cause for celebration, don't you think? Well we certainly did, hitting the road once again, soon after I finished 12th grade. In fact, we did two road trips within one month of each other! The first was Hyderabad-Nandi Hills-Bangalore-Coorg and back, while the second one was Hyderabad-Pune-Mahabaleshwar-Shirdi and back.

It was during the second trip, amidst a spirited backroad drive in sports mode, that the odometer reading crossed 25,000 km! Here's a picture taken a hundred kilometres later.



What a joy these 3.5+ years with the Superb have been. It's been performing flawlessly so far, and I hope it stays that way. We also got wheel alignment and balancing done immediately upon our return to Hyderabad, since we covered around 5,000 km in a single month! Apart from a slight drop in fuel efficiency, I have not been noticing any other impact of ethanol blending so far, and I hope it stays this way. Fingers crossed.

The Superb's right at home here on the open highway; a supremely comfortable and fun inter-city express.


Here it is, taking in the sunset at Coorg.


The enjoyable ghat roads to Mahabaleshwar offer stunning views...


...And the actual place is even better!


Here's the sunset at Nandi Hills, near Bangalore. We took a quick detour off NH-44 on the way to Bangalore for this.


Lots of ghat road excursions in the Superb during the past month for sure. A part of me thinks that stiffer springs can completely transform the car, since I've realised that there's tons of grip and the chassis doesn't complain at all even as you chuck the car into a corner. Potential is aplenty.

Unfortunately, the Superb also got its first battle scar some time ago, when a sizeable rock flew and hit the front left door while at 120 km/h on Hyderabad's ORR. This is where the PPF helped a ton: there's not a scratch on the paint even though the door itself suffered a small dent. These were taken minutes after the impact; now invisible unless you actively look for it. Such things are unfortunately pretty much inevitable, so no use loosing sleep over it.



Hence to lighten the mood, here's a parting shot of the Superb resting in the shade near Mahabaleshwar. She's anything but a garage queen!


Until next time. Cheers!