LupoEnvy

You'll have to take off the front bumper, I'm afraid - its behind there - standing in front of the car, it should be behind a retaining piece of metal / plastic on the right hand side of where the underneath mesh grill thing is. I think you then unclip it from the retaining piece and replace.

Seeing as you've done all the other stuff to do with the electrics, I can only think of replacing the air filter and cleaning any gunk in the air filter holder. Or replacing the fuel filter. I have this weird cut out problem very occasionally - if I'm on a hill and braking sharply, sometimes it just cuts out on me - it seems to happen when I'm lower on fuel (when the fuel warning light comes on). So I'm starting to think that its posibly the sediment rushing through the filter in these situations, blocking up the filter (which might already be blocked) and cutting fuel out. Got a fuel filter (£15) and gonna get someone to replace it for me. The only other thing I can think of is the sensors (lambda/maf) - but don't really know much about these. Hope this helps.

GSF (German, Scandinavian, French) car parts are pretty good and have warehouses dotted about the country (as well as online/delivery): http://www.gsfcarparts.com/

I think when someone changed my driver's side headlamp bulb (or adjusted it), they had to take off some of the black plastic bits that go from the cold air intake 'funnel pipe' (next to the wing) to the air filter/throttle/recirculation pipes. So I found that the 'junction pipe' bit was not bolted to the body as the bolt is difficult to get back in, cos of the power steering pipe. I sorted the bolt (just!) - but then I noticed that where the junction pipe fits into the air intake pipe there's a small hole that looks like a screw should go in it. Is this right? Any old screw will do (ahem) or a particular one? Cheers

I got my 1.4E just a month ago (W reg, 2000) for £2995 (minus £250 for part-ex) from a dealer - only got 31,000 on the clock and is almost new in parts. 1.4 is pretty nippy with 75bhp.

Only just bought my Lupo - service history is VW Dealer and o.k. but no details, so I'm guessing my fuel filter hasn't been changed at all. Its got 31k on the clock (not bad for a 7year old car - think it was an underused second car) - so assuming only one 20k full service (though I'm not 100% that the fuel filter is officially part of a 20k service). I've got a replacement and will get someone at a local garage I know to change it shortly, cos I don't wanna mess it up myself!

Yes - don't panic if its only a little on the oil cap. If all of your oil was off-white, then it'd be reason to panic. It'll mainly be cos of your low mileage - because your engine doesn't get warm or not warm for long enough, it won't burn off the condensation. I saw something on an old motorbike forum about 'emulsifying' oil - it said: 1) Change the oil more often (which you should do anyway if you use the car for short journeys) 2) Use the thinnest oil that is recommended for your car (I think this means the W number - but don't go beyond the recommendation!) 3) Keep the oil level at a 'lower' level than maximum (but not below the minimum!!!) - this means the oil will work harder and heat up quickly, so getting rid of condensation more efficiently. Hope this helps.

Mine sometimes feels like this - don't know whether its just me. Mine also cuts out sometimes - very rarely - I think its when I'm on a hill, braking and don't have much petrol - I'm guessing it might be the fuel filter needing replacing. So you might want to check whther the fuel filter has ever been replaced (as well as all the usual HT leads/spark plugs/air filter/throttle body/sensors etc) - fuel fllters are about £12-£18 or so?

Mines a standard 1.4E (not a sport) - 75bhp and 16 valve.

Not a clutch expert but as nobody else has replied... Could be a number of things - always do the basics first, to save time and money... However, you might be able to just take it to a decent garage for an opinion (most smaller garages won't charge just to listen to it for a couple of minutes and make a suggestion - doesn't mean you have to part with any money). It might be that the gearbox oil is low - any leaks on the road/drive where you normally park the car? Also, have a look under the engine area generally, and where the gearbox is fitted to the engine - any leaks? If its difficult to tell, wipe some normal writing paper around that area and see if its more than just dirty gunk but actually oil (you might be able to smell the oil too - gearbox oil is often very strong in smell and is quite nasty stuff as it has to be very robust oil). The gearbox holds the oil in a sealed system, so if there's no evidence of a leak, its possible that the oil level is fine. Checking the oil level - you can't check the oil level on the gearbox like you can with engine oil - there's no dipstick for this one! So you have to take off the top plug (I think there is a top one to add oil and check the level and a bottom one to drain the oil). Its totally separate from your engine oil system, so don't worry about that. Now - don't quote me on this, cos I ain't no gearbox expert, but if you can get the top plug off the gearbox, you can dip a bit of thin wood in it (or you might be able to see it) and if the oil easily touches your dipper, then that means the oil level is ok. If its lower than that and you don't get any on your dipper, it might be a bit low. You'll need to check what gearbox oil is appropriate for your model - make sure this is right. If you do fill it up, once it comes out of the plughole, that means its enough. Other more expensive possibilities is that the whirring is not just due to low oil, but that the clutch bearings are worn. This isn't horrendously costly, but not a simple job. Garages can do this quite easily though. Don't know how much for. Or, the clutch itself could be wearing out. Your probably looking at £200-300 if this is the case. Garages can do it easily, but its the labour that costs mostly - a time-consuming job. If anyone else knows more - please reply - my advice is a bit thin! Hope this helps anyway.

Don't know much about locking mechanism, but as nobody else has replied, I'll give you what I know... It sounds like you might need new key barrels?? I bought my Lupo (1.4E) recently and I noticed the key barrel was damaged before I bought it, so I asked the dealer to sort it before delivery - which they did. They jsut put in a new key barrel but annoyingly this meant having a new key (so I have to carry two keys about). Anyway, its fine and the dealer said it cost them £60 (barrel and two VW keys). So not cheap if it is the barrels that are bust. You can probably order the correct key with the key ID number etc etc but this probably takes a while and is probably even more expensive). But I don't think fitting a new key barrel is a difficult job - don't think the dealer had any problems doing it. About the microsender - all I know is that when I open my car door first thing in the morning, this makes the fuel pump switch on as you can hear it (on the drivers side, at the rear) send an initial pump of petrol in preparation for starting. So somewhere in the door mechanism (perhaps the lock mechanism) there must be a sensor or something that registers the door opening. Where that is, I don't know, but I think its only when you open the door (rather than just unlock it) that this happens, so it might not be connected to the lock mechanism itself. Other than that, its a case of pulling off the interior trim card(s) and having a look at whats what (I've never done this). Hope this helps (a bit!)

Yeah - I've heard other people say its best to use the premium petrol types, at least for the sporty versions. Don't know if my wallet can cope with that though, on my mileage!

I suppose its pays your money takes your choice - I think the Sport is 100bhp and the GTI 125bhp, so you'll usually pay the difference in power (and a few toys). Mind you, my 1.4E has 75bhp, which is quite nippy - used to have a Micra Mk2 1.0 - quite nippy itself for a 1.0, but the Lupo is a major step up in power for me - can only imagine the 'G' forces with the GTI!!!

Glad we can be of help. Never seen the emissions light on mine (and hopfeully never will!) Good luck!

This could be a range of things (apologies in advance if I'm being too simplistic). If you've just bought it and don't know much about the service history, it might simply need a service (including a bit of a 'clean' on some of the electrical or mechanical parts). Always best to start with the simplest things first: 1) Check that the (HT) leads going to the spark plugs are fitted properly (at the main block end and where they go the the side of the engine). Do they look loose or damaged or dirty? They might need cleaning and a bit of WD40 around the connections. If they're really damaged or old, consider replacing (though it'll be about £45). 2) Is the battery fully charged and do the connections look clean? It might need charging (or perhaps buy a new one if that doesn't work). 3) If the car hasn't been serviced for a long time, the air filter might need replacing (£12 for a new one from Halfords - cheaper elsewhere). On my 1.4 Lupo, to get to the air filter you have to remove the plastic engine cover (4 allan key nuts) and then the air filter cover (7 philips/crosshead srews). The air filter box will probably need a clean too as there can be some oily gunk that builds up in there). 4) Underneath the air filter box you might want to check the throttle body - this is the metal lump that allows the air/petrol in. Does it look really dirty? It might need a clean so that the springs/cables are not gunked up and work freely. 5) The spark plugs might need cleaning and checking that the gaps are correct - taking the spark plugs out is a bit of a pain as you need the right socket, but there are threads on this website that talk about this. 6) There are other things like MAF / LAMBDA sensors etc, but do the simple stuff first and see if that sorts it. By the way - what is the exhaust light - can't think what you mean - what does it look like? Hope all this helps

Agreed - tracking isn't something that can always be 'felt' by driving/braking. Got my tracking done the other week when I put 4 new tyres on mine (just bought iy) - only £20, so worth it in less tyre wear. Tyre bloke said the tracking was out a bit and showed me with the laser tracking machine. I hadn't noticed any 'pull' when driving or when braking, so tracking is not always something that can be felt. The tyre wear described sounds very much like a tracking issue, if other issues have been looked at.

If the washer jets aren't working either, its very likely to be a fuse - they're two separate systems, so the wipers can't affect the washers and vice versa - must be the fuse I think.

Can I just check that the black piece of trim under the storage well and over the pedals has only two torx screws holding it on? It seems to flap about a bit cos its only held on by the two screws where next to the storage well. Once in a while the top of the clutch pedal catches on the trim a bit - not ideal! Any ideas / comments?

Just found this on check straps (in case anyone else sees this for same reason): http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?sho...mp;#entry352743 Sounds like its just the speaker that gets in the way of access - mines a 1.4E - assume the placement of the speaker in mine is the same as the GTi though.

Thanks guys - want to check it out before I buy a part - so I have to take off the trim to access it I assume? (sorry for being a bit fick!).

When I open my drivers side door, I get an annoying and very loud 'click' as the door reaches its natural sitting points when open (one at narrowly open, one at quite wide open etc). Assume I've got to take the interior trim off and perhaps grease the rod that goes off from the holding bracket into the inside of the car door? Or is there a simpler method?

(Apologies if this is repeating things). If you have paid on credit, your protected further by the Credit Agreement Act of (1974) with regard to problems. Check out these websites on buying a car and your rights: http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you...ur-rights/cars/ Regarding rights and buying on credit: http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publ...-BuyingOnCredit

This is part of the 'How To:' forum, specifically on tightening the bonnet release: http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11862

Mine feels very similar - keep thinking its going to break as the plastic feels fragile, but actually its quite normal. Just in case though - read the last part of this text to tighten up the cable from the pull handle: http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8163 Hope it helps

£1000 sounds pretty darn steep for someone who's 29. I pay about 450 for mine (1.4E Lupo - standard), a little older than you and 2 years NCB in reasonable area. It could be the modifications that pushes it up. Here's a good website for working out your car insurance group (at least for standard specs anyway): http://www.parkers.co.uk/insurance/ Best thing is to do a www.confused.com quote search - takes a while to do but once its done you can just update it when things change. It'll give you a good list of quotes. Then its best to take the top few cheapest and contact them directly because confused sometimes has limitations on the info you are asked to provide, so the companies will get a bit more info from you (which sometimes means a little more on top of what you were quoted on confused). Try Flexibell or Swiftcover??? Hope this helps