A question about car engine management?

Question

Hi I have just test drove a Skoda Fabia, it was fine but not very responsive when pulling away, it seemed to lack power, i had my foot down to the floor and it took quite a while to pick up speed. I drive a fabia at the moment which is exactly the same spec as the one i tested but mine is a lot nippier. the salesman told me its due to the way the previous owner drove and his style of driving being stored in the engine management. He said it would be fine after driving more aggressively and it will adjust to my style of driving. Is this true? you never know with salesmen, thanks in advance, Garry. ..... and there is no plastic engine cover, i was told that's normal but is it?

Answer 1

That may be true on some cars, so have him disconnect the battery for a few hours and see if the computer forgets the knowledge that he says it has learned. I would also call a service manager at a Skoda Dealer and ask him it this can be true. Remember, when a saleman is talking two things are sure. 1. He can't hear you talking. 1. When his mouth is moving, he is lying. Other than that they are swell people...

Answer 2

a lot of cars do have something called "adaptive strategies" so ask the salesman if he can disconnect the battery for at least an hour, then reconnect it, then you will have to "reteach" it when the shift points are. I live over in the united states and i currently have a 1998 Subaru Outback, and it had the same problem, but after disconnecting the battery for an hour, then reconnecting it, then i drove it how i wanted it to respond and it has been that way ever since. if i do drive moderately around town and stuff for a few days in a row, the car will start to learn those driving habits and those specific shift points. Hope this helped you

Answer 3

he is talking bo*****cks dont buy it engine managment is relevent to the car and not the way you drive it  

Answer 4

As above, you don't state your exact existing model & the exact new one, petrol or diesel, and how old your old car is & whether the new one is brand new or used.

If it's a brand new one, five out of the seven engines in the model range are new, so it would be unlikely to be exactly the same as yours.

More detail would be useful, but I would have thought they'd all have an engine cover - check with another dealer if you're unsure.

Answer 5

You do not state which model. I am fairly sure you should have a cover, you need to raise this with the garage. Many cars feel different to earlier models purely because they are "tighter" have done less miles, so are smoother, and obviously benefit from improvements upon the older model. The best thing to do is go and try a similar model at another garage. If that one feels better then go for it, the car situation, price aside, has always been a "buyers market" AND, yes, you are right to mistrust salesmen !!!!

Answer 6

Bollocks it has fixed map ECU walk away

Answer 7

I don't think what the salesman told is true. You need to tune up your engine. Go to a Skoda dealer and get it done.