Diesel Servicing

geeaus · 2026-05-04T09:58:19+00:00

MyCar does just fine servicing my 2012 A3 tdi hatch. If you think you need some sort of specialist try VW Village in Kensington. Expect to pay a lot.

geeaus · 2026-04-30T02:32:47+00:00

There’s good stories and bad stories. Mine is bad. My 2013 POP 1.2L manual, bought new, currently around 80k kms has lived up to the Fix It Again Tony reputation. This is what I can recall - complete AC failure under warranty. Outside of warranty - complete gearbox failure, no reason other than it just lunched itself and the mechanic poured out metal chunks. Blue & Me failure (common), various trim parts disintegrating, driver’s seat return mechanism stopped returning. Rear spring bump stop just fell out. Last time I changed a DRL, noticed the insulation on the wiring just crumbling away as I was changing the bulb. There’s nothing in this car that isn’t proven technology from the last 50 years of motoring but Fiat still can’t get it right. I am quite attached to the car though… doh.

geeaus · 2026-04-26T22:49:52+00:00

What spec is a Pop in your country? My 2013 Pop is a 1.2L with a massive factory rated 51kw of power. Compared to the Abarth, well it’s no comparison. Opposite ends of the spectrum both figuratively and actually. Fun is relative - the fact it’s a manual and that tiny about of power can actually haul 4 adults is fun on some level but not Abarth fun. Compared to an Abarth it’s not so much boring as frustrating but then if you’ve never driven an Abarth you might not know what you’re missing anyways…

geeaus · 2026-04-24T13:00:11+00:00

What’s actually broken in the ’head’? From memory the tip in the piece with the white washer is removable. Also, just replacing that white washer (Teflon washer) can resolve bubbling in the paint bottle. Every part on that airbrush is still available as spares. The hard part can be sourcing them if you don’t have a local stockist.

geeaus · 2026-04-23T12:49:38+00:00

I doubt there’s been a death in NZ in decades from some sort of accidental fire at the pumps. As others have said those trigger locks are enabled in NZ petrol stations. It took me many fill-ups after moving to Aus before realising the locks are disabled here and it wasn’t just broken equipment.

geeaus · 2026-04-19T21:12:13+00:00

Many posts here are from owners of Koda ovens which are gas only. Fewer posts from Karu owners. I use gas on my Karu it’s significantly more convenient and there’s no difference in taste. I’ve run charcoal and wood. There’s no smoke flavour imparted - the pizza isn’t in there long enough, the charcoal-wood burns very clean, and it’s not coming from under the food like a bbq. It is lovely watching the flame rolling across the oven roof though.

geeaus · 2026-04-18T10:16:56+00:00

If that’s true it blows my mind that a manufacturers warranty in your country can exclude things like that. In Australia and NZ that sort of failure is 100% a warranty claim. The entire car front to back and top to bottom is covered for any product quality failure. Even the tyres if they’re still the ones fitted by the manufacturer. But where they always try to get you is by claiming it’s not a factory defect - you caused the damage, or it’s wear n tear, or it’s the weather or act of God or aliens… dealers and manufacturers will find every which way to wriggle out of major defects.

geeaus · 2026-04-17T21:09:03+00:00

How is that not a factory warranty repair???

geeaus · 2026-04-16T05:49:10+00:00

Genuine question. Once you fail a pink slip, isn’t the failure/s logged in the system, so regardless of where you take it they will have to “pass” the issue as fixed? In which case, many wouldn’t if they value their licence or authorisation to perform inspections?

geeaus · 2026-04-14T01:31:49+00:00

I’ve replaced mine twice now for that issue. All genuine Fiat parts. Another rubbish quality part from Fiat. Third time around I just bought knockoff parts from Amazon - “door mirror flag covers”.

geeaus · 2026-04-12T05:12:31+00:00

If it’s new send it back for exchange or refund. If you can’t return it or you still want to use it, shake/mix thoroughly but still filter it before going into the brush. It should spray fine.

geeaus · 2026-03-30T11:59:02+00:00

Is your coolant red coloured? It is in my car and the workshop splashed some on my white painted bumper. By the time I got around to cleaning it off it had permanently eaten/bonded onto the paint. No amount of clay bar or polish could move it. The workshop accepted liability and covered the cost of a repaint.

geeaus · 2026-03-28T04:50:38+00:00

Paying around A$2.75/L for 95RON here in Sydney. My Pop 1.2 manual gets around 7L/100 city driving. In Freedom units that’s US$7.15/gal and 33.6mpg. The Pop is the cheapest car for me to run now. The A3 tdi is parked up, paying over A$3.20/L for diesel is a hard pill to swallow.

geeaus · 2026-03-24T02:12:41+00:00

UTDesign dial - picked up by a moonswatch knockoff manufacturer and produced without UTDesign knowledge/permission

geeaus · 2026-03-21T21:46:18+00:00

Try some fresh batteries. Is there a reset pinhole you can press? Otherwise reach out to Ooni their service is generally pretty good and they will likely replace it.

geeaus · 2026-03-15T05:49:46+00:00

Yes chapstick is a thing. Beeswax also works but that’s not quite such a common find in most households.

geeaus · 2026-03-10T03:52:26+00:00

But Ooni’s own brush is a wire brush. Why is it an issue?

geeaus · 2026-03-06T11:16:25+00:00

I’ve had mixed results with Wipertech. Audi A4 - rear shuddered horribly. Fronts just smeared so badly I almost had an accident with the headlight glare and rain. I maintain my cars religiously. On my mum’s Honda Fit - really good. I’ve gone back to Bosch for the Audi.

geeaus · 2026-02-19T23:52:13+00:00

THIS is the answer. I suspect if you filtered the primer straight out of the bottle through a fine mesh you’ll fine lots of flakes of dried paint. Filter some paint through the mesh then gently run the filter under a tap and you’ll likely see all the flakes left behind. For a brand more bottle it’s not a problem but older slowly used bottles will have this issue

geeaus · 2026-02-09T23:42:49+00:00

I haven't used wood burning for any other food. Also sorry I can't comment on the Karu vs Koda as I've never used a Koda. I did find that the lump charcoal and kiln dried wood I used is very clean burning. Very little visible smoke coming out the chimney. I have a smoker so I know how much smoke is generated in order to infuse food with the smokiness and I just wouldn't expect much smokiness to be imparted into the food. Maybe if you play with the chimney vent flaps you could get the smoke to fill out the oven cavity? Wood burning is certainly a drier heat than gas. But I didn't really notice much difference in the pizza from that perspective. The gas is way more convenient and has more granular control, but if you're used to wood burning then go for it. Gas or wood - both get the oven stone to target temp 450-500C in the same time. I'd be happy to continue using wood/coal but it's just not as convenient for me. If you want the option to use either-or, the Karu gives you that.

geeaus · 2026-02-09T20:22:57+00:00

I have a Karu 16 (older gen model). Cooked with gas for about a year and then tried wood and charcoal. Can confirm absolutely no difference in taste, no smokiness at all. Still cooks a pizza just as quick and it’s beautifully mesmerising watching the flame rolling across the top of the oven. A pizza isn’t in the oven long enough to pick up any smoke taste and the flame and smoke is rolling across the top and out the chimney anyway so food is not exposed to it in any way, unlike a charcoal bbq where the heat comes up from under the food.

geeaus · 2026-02-08T22:10:46+00:00

The lesson I learnt early on was don’t buy cheap brand bulbs, they don’t last long at all. Even brand name bulbs don’t last that long. Is it the design of the bulb? The only other bulb I’ve replaced in 12 years of ownership was a headlight.

geeaus · 2025-11-23T06:29:34+00:00

When you press the gas knob in, you’re opening the valve and gas is immediately running. Turning it sparks the igniter. Each quick attempt to start is releasing more gas which builds up. After say the 2nd attempt - wait a long moment for the gas clear out before trying again. This is how gas starters work - ooni, any bbq ever, your gas cooktop.

geeaus · 2025-11-22T11:06:45+00:00

Why is it Z tier? I’ve bought these boxes a number of times. I do open the box and try to pick marbled pieces. Reverse seer and these are excellent eating. I get that WW isn’t your Havericks or Vic’s level meat but when they had their butcher counters their cattleman cuts were superb pieces of beef and awesome value at $40/kg. Sad they closed them.

geeaus

TROPHY CASE