Your fleet running reports

[mik]

@Swervin_Mervin re windscreen - does it have aircon? Great for drying the air when you are driving, but I have found on several cars that the compressors release a load of moist air back into the cabin - often onto the screen. The VXR8 was particularly bad for this - in winter I would always try and switch it off a couple of miles before I got home to reduce/avoid the effect.

[mik]

@Rich B I was only pulling your shorts dude. Audi has black plastic caps, Loltus has grey plastic caps. The future.

That Alpina system looks hateful.

[scotta]

@Rich B I was only pulling your shorts dude. Audi has black plastic caps, Loltus has grey plastic caps. The future.

That Alpina system looks hateful.

Of course the proper lightweight solution is to bin off the valve cap altogether - unsprung weight innit.

[Swervin_Mervin]

@Swervin_Mervin re windscreen - does it have aircon? Great for drying the air when you are driving, but I have found on several cars that the compressors release a load of moist air back into the cabin - often onto the screen. The VXR8 was particularly bad for this - in winter I would always try and switch it off a couple of miles before I got home to reduce/avoid the effect.

It does aye - but neither has moved any distance for a very long time. We've had lots of snow days over the past month in particular, and lots of clear days with freezing temps, so it's probably just down to the effects of the weather more than anything.

I was just particularly surprised that the Superb is as bad on the inside of the windscreen as it is. I wonder if internal fabrics make much of a difference, as natural ones must have some absorption properties? e.g. leather in the 330 vs alcantara in the Superb.

[jamcg]

Had a weird one yesterday. Had "recharged" my dehumidifer bag so was putting it back in the car. The display in the instrument cluster came on when I unlocked it. I was sure that didn't normally happen. Anyway, thought nothing of it, locked car and took the boy for a walk. Noticed yesterday evening that the display was still lit up, so I got in, put the key in and no change. Started the car, and no change. The display was frozen, and wouldn't respond to talk inputs or anything.

I figured it may be a battery issue again - I still haven't had it on for a full condition, but took it out last weekend and all seemed well. I swapped them round last night and gave it 3hrs of charge before bed, and will leave it on all day today (I'm not keen leaving it plugged in overnight as I'm using an extension cable to hook it up. Anyway, the display had gone off by this morning.

On a side note, I'm not convinced the dehumidifier bag is doing much at the moment. Probably just overwhelmed by the temps and total lack of use of the car. I've order a couple more - one for the rear of the car and one for the Superb. I noticed last night that the Superb was frosted up on the INSIDE of the windscreen. Seems a bit schit for a 2yo car - I don't recall ever having had that issue before on any of the young-ish cars we've had.

I think @mik might be onto something, I’ve got a scala and it’s the worst car I’ve ever had for steaming up, so wonder if it’s something to do with the Skoda system

[Swervin_Mervin]

Interesting. Of course it's a VAG so it should be a universal VAG issue.

Does anyone else have a moist VAG?

[Mito Man]

Hmm, any chance you can chuck a dehumidifier in there on an extension cable?
Sounds like your vag is too wet for a silica tampon to soak it all up.

[Jobbo]

My Elise used to get quite wet on the inside of the windscreen, and sometimes froze on the inside too. That had alcantara. I'm sure it must be the alcantara that caused it. Yes.

[McSwede]

What's wrong with black plastic caps?

I agree. Have you ever tried to check the pressure on Alpina alloys? Fucking ridiculous concealed valves under the locking centre caps, whose stem is too short to get a normal inflator onto.

Every day's a school day.

[duncs500]

Interesting. Of course it's a VAG so it should be a universal VAG issue.

Does anyone else have a moist VAG?

My old SEAT was bad for it, although I feel like most of my cars have had this problem. I've tried the dehumidifier bags as well with pretty minimal benefits.

[Swervin_Mervin]

My Elise used to get quite wet on the inside of the windscreen, and sometimes froze on the inside too. That had alcantara. I'm sure it must be the alcantara that caused it. Yes.

Incontrovertible proof right there. Out of our reference sample size 100% of cars with a moistness problem had alcantara.

[mik]

VXR8 seats were leather and...... ALCANTARA

[PaulJ]

There's some things that you just don't want to make a feature out of, valves should be as unobtrusive looking as possible, so black plastic is perfect imo.

Correct. Upgraded tyre valve caps = lack of confidence.

[JonMad]

Interesting. Of course it's a VAG so it should be a universal VAG issue.

Does anyone else have a moist VAG?

Fabia - terrible for it.
Yeti - no issue whatsoever.

I put it down to the Fabia being 6 years older.
Tried the dehumidifier bags but they didn't do much ime.

[V8Granite]

Never had this problem in any of our cars. Not even the Defender which isn’t exactly water tight.

I predict the issue is not Alcantara but you are all infact sweaty mouth breathers.

Dave!

[Rich B]

My CTR used to fog up really easily - you had to keep the AC running all the time....

...it had the Alcantara Recaro seats....

[Explosive Newt]

Interesting. Of course it's a VAG so it should be a universal VAG issue.

Does anyone else have a moist VAG?

Not a VAG but the Porsche has heavy, bushy carpet, maybe that is the issue?

I've put some dehumidifier bags in and there is definitely a marginal improvement but it is a long way short of dry in there. I suspect the bags probably need a bit of warmth to work and that just isn't there at the moment.

[Jimmy Choo]

I’ve got a scala and it’s the worst car I’ve ever had...

Strategic quoting amuses me.

I just had to google what a Scala is.

[Shlergen]

No major issues on the front screen of my Superb but rear was wet on the inside last week. I haven't massively used air-con though.

Again it's sat on the drive for past few weeks doing very little. I had to take it for a run as low battery warning came up..

[Explosive Newt]

That's probably the underlying issue. The Porsche is hardly getting driven at all these days (few runs around to keep the battery happy) whereas the Jag is getting regular drives over to Cambridge and stays dry.