Philips DiamondVision

Since I can't get original xenon for Fabia (not exists, as far as I know) but I wanted white light, my findings  came to Philips DiamondVision as best for what I need.

I saw lamps on few site and best choice was at PowerBulbs. Delivery took 5 days from UK.
http://www.powerbulbs.com/us/product/diamond-vision-h7-twin-pack

Lamps cost (with free shipping) 194 NIS.


Installation was pretty easy until moment when you need to unplug old bulbs. I took me 5 minutes just for doing this. And another 10 minutes for plugin and turning inside.

And final result was impressive! Totally worth it. (sorry for bad environment setup :-)

Replacing H7 bulb for main beam (except model Monte Carlo), PDF, ENG

36 100 km | 1Y 11M

Air Conditioning Disinfectant

Recently (month or so) I felt bad smell when I turning A/C on.
The problem is known: germs and bacterias on evaporator make their job.

It happened that I saw Wurth products at Alon Halafim when buying oil, but on that moment he haven't A/C cleaner. When I came back to change oil, he brought Wurth QuickFresh (part no. 893 764 51) - don't buy this for cleaning, it's just add some fresh smell inside a car and cleans nothing. Cost around 50 NIS.

You need Wurth Air Conditioning Disinfectant Spray (0893 764 10) with spray hose (0891 764 12). I ordered directly at Wurth Israel, cost 116 NIS (delivery is 30 NIS to your house). One bottle enough for 2 applications.

You can check full working instructions at the bottom, but in few words:
1. Switch off A/C and ventilation.
2. Insert spray probe into filter housing and get to the evaporator.
3. Spray for about 30 sec.
4. Allow to take effect for 10 min.
5. Turn on ventilation and let it work for 5-10 min.

This is how I did this

Some tips for the future:
1. Do this once a year with filter change.
2. Dry evaporator surface as described in Luqui Moly doc before and after.
3. Better to use some air mask I guess.
4. When driving with A/C on, turn it off 1-2 minutes before you came to destination. This will dry evaporator and delay smell coming.

Working instructions from cleaner makes
Wurth - Air Conditioning Disinfectant Spray (PDF)
Liqui Moly - Air Condition Cleaning - Work instructions (PDF) - also can be useful

Another video from Liqui Moly

With this order I also wanted to buy Wurth High-concentrate windshield washer fluid (0892 333) - 3 little bottles that you can mix with tap water. But instead I got same 2 liters cans as I bought before.
Interesting, that at Alon Halafim it looks different. Cost around 10 NIS, great peach smell ;-)

Left - from Alon Halafim, right - Wurth Israel

22.5 oil change with Husam

First of all, who is Husam.

Husam got a garage in Baqa al-Gharbiyye. He worked for Champion Motors at Netanya overall 10 years in VW/Audi. Great person and professional. I got a lot of compliments about his work from a lot of people and I can tell that all of them true.
The price of the service was great and I even added extra bonus for him because I was really impressed.

Regarding the oil. I bought already Valvoline SynPower XL-III 5W-30 with VW 504 approval but after that I was able to ask some professional advice (in Russian) about oil I use.
The summary:
- 504 can be used in place of 502 but it's LowSAPS oil. 502 is better in terms of wear and protection. 504 is more for ecology sake and not for your engine.
- maximum replacement interval is 10-15 kkm. With more city traffic - 10 is maximum. I can't imagine what happens at 30! :-)
- if in doubt - follow manufacture instructions.
- better oil for mine engine is Mobil 1 0W-40 that is also approved by VW 502.

So I drove to Alon Halafim (that now have internet site) and changed 4 liters of 504 to 5 liters of 502.

Valvoline SynPower 5W-40, VW 502 - 5 liters: 200 NIS (Alon Halafim, oil date - Jan 2012)
03C 115 561 D - oil filter: 60 NIS (Exist)
N 908 132 02 - oil drain plug: 8 NIS (Exist)
Work: *** NIS (less than in Skoda garage)

This oil I used (VW 502 approval)

Manufactured at 20th Jan 2012

And this is oil that I returned with VW 504 approval. I already made pictures...

Manufactured at 1st Feb 2012

23 300 km | 1Y 4M

Skoda bulbs and door sill covers

Another delivery from Exist.

KDA 700 001 - 1 set scuff plates-sill panel.
Cost $46 or ₪181.

Image from some Internet page

I will take picture when installed on my car but later.
KDA 700 001 - Door Sill Covers (PDF)


5J0 054 980 A - 1 set of bulbs for headlamps H7 halogen fog lamp with fuses.
Cost $34 or ₪134.

5J0 054 980 A - 1 set of bulbs and fuses

Small tip: there are several bulb sets, for H7 or H4 lamps, RS and SCOUT version - be careful when order.
Lamps make is Osram. Fuses originals not some cheap China, but I'm not sure if there a huge difference.


1K0 201 051 K - fuel filter with pressure regulator, 6.6 bar
Cost $26 or ₪104. Made in China.

1K0 201 051 K - fuel filter

This is replacement for wrong 1K0 201 051 C that came with previous order.

Order experiment from Russian Exist.Ru

As you probably may know (or not) that Israeli auto-market is too expensive for normal people.

Let's take for example my try to get original dust and pollen filter. In Skoda Netanya when I asked about replacement part at 15K service they said from 2 types of filter, they import in Israel only the simple one and it costs 133 NIS. Now, i was told that in central Champion's storage it could be cheaper. This is the call log:

Me - I'm looking for dust and pollen filter for my Skoda Fabia

Sk - What is the licence number?

Me - 12-345-67 

Sk - For your car it will cost you 160 NIS without VAT (186 NIS total).

Me - What is exactly the type of it? I know there are two types. 

Sk - We have only this, I can't tell you part number - company policy. Come here to see it.

Me - WTF? I can't come from Netanya just to check it

Sk - I can't help you...

Me- Can you look at least is it black or white?

Sk - I don't know if I have it here... Wait... It's white...

What is a difference between "white" and "black" filter?

As we see, in Petah Tikva, central Champion's storage the same filter 6Q0 820 367 dust and pollen filter costs 186 NIS, but in Netanya Skoda's garage it's 133 NIS. Funny right? And also recall that more advanced version of this filter 6R0 819 653 pollen filter with odor and harmful substances filtration can be ordered for about 300+ NIS.

So I knew about this parts store in Russia - Exist.Ru. This store is a part of Temot International the aftermarket value network. The problem was I have no idea how to manage it from Israel. And I decide to try it.

I placed the following order via internet site.

Part #	Make	Description	Price*, NIS
03C 115 561 D	VAG	oil filter	60
N 908 132 02	VAG	plug with seal	8
1K0 201 051 K	VAG	fuel filter with pressure regulator	147
6R0 819 653	VAG	pollen filter with odor and harmful substances filtration	130
DMA 710 002	VAG	1 set of luggage nets for luggage compartment	150
HFA 381 038	VAG	aerosil spray candy white	40
HFB 380 083	VAG	paint touch-up stick shadow grey	35

* - this is final price including all money conversions and delivery costs

Now that's how it worked:
1. Nov 15th I send money via Western Union to my sister.
2. Nov 19th I submitted the order.
3. Nov 21st my sister in Moscow went to their office and paid money for whole order.
4. Dec 2nd all items were ready. Most of them were ready at Nov 24th.
5. Dec 5th I meet a man in Ben Gurion airport that took the package for me.
Not bad, right? Next time, if I will not find someone to bring me package, I gonna test shitty Russian post service.

This way prices at least 2 times cheaper. I also checked in few local stores (not Champion's) for several parts and they don't have it at all.

If you have someone flying at least one time in month from Moscow to Ben Gurion - contact me, we can arrange our paid delivery with black jack and... you know ;-)

Should be 1K0 201 051 K - fuel filter with pressure regulator (remark: 6.6 BAR)
I got 1K0 201 051 C filter with 6.4 bar pressure instead of 1K0 201 051 K with 6.6 bar as shown in ETKA. But I will send it back for replacement soon.
UPDATE: filter already sent, the right one on the way to me.

03C 115 561 D - oil filter and N 908 132 02 - plug with seal (remark: M14X1,5X22)

6R0 819 653 - pollen filter with odor and harmful substances filtration (model: PR-2V5)

DMA 710 002 - 1 set of luggage nets for luggage compartment (model: square back)

HFA 381 038 - aerosil spray candy white (remark: 1026/F9E/9P9P)
Also, i don't know whey the put green square sticker when it's white color...

HFB 380 083 - paint touch-up stick shadow grey (remark: 9154/F5X/5T5T)

Bulbs and Autolamps Online

Autolamps-Online is recommended online store to buy lamps. One week delivery time, placed in UK.

Bulbs table from manual

See also
2009 Autoexpress H7 headlight bulb review

Valvoline SynPower XL-III from Alon Halafim

Valvoline SynPower XL-III front

These week I was looking for Valvoline SynPower XL-III 5W-30.
I called several places, was in some stores - nothing.

Usually, in a store dialog looks like this:

Me: I'm looking for Valvoline SynPower XL-III
Seller: What?
M: Valvoline SynPower XL-III
S: We have 5W-40 и 5W-30
M: SynPower XL-III?
S: Valvoline!
M: What is VW approval on it?
S: What is approval? No approval. What car is for?
M: Skoda Fabia 2011
S: Wait, I'm calling to garage. Allo, Michael, what oil you use for Skoda 2001? 10W-40? Here is a best oil for your Skoda, take it.
M: Any stores around here?..

So I asked help on forum. There is a good store Alon Halafim in Rishon Lezion, 2 Tulipman St. Before I went there, I called to check they have oil I need in stock.

Both SynPower and SynPower XL-III were around 220 NIS, sold for 200 NIS. They also gave me to choose most fresh by manufacture date - 2010-10-05. But one thing that amaze me was when I came in and asked for Valvoline oils, the owner said: "I will show all types I have and you will choose what you need, because you understand in it more than I". This is the best car store I know so far! Love it. I'm not mention that they have several section for sitting like in the bank. And a small present - dust cleaning brush.

Valvoline SynPower XL-III side

Valvoline SynPower XL-III back

Btw, windshield washing fluid cost 10 NIS, same thing in Skoda garage is 12 NIS.

Important observation from visiting such stores. Visit them 1 hour before closing, because at morning them too busy with work and other buyers to listen to you, and at the evening - you are the only customer.

Parts store suggestions

Heard about two more good parts stores.
One in Tel Aviv at Hamasger 8 - General Brakes.
Second in Hertzliya at Maskit 5 - branch of Masika from Hadera.

Need to check some day.

Valvoline SynPower MST 5W-40 oil

When I was near Hadera two days ago, I drove to Masika parts store on Friedlander 12 - the recommendation from Valvoline warehouse - I was need 1L of SynPower anyway.

4 liters cost 220 NIS and production date was 2010-12-21.
1 liter was old design bottle SynPower MST (note small letters) with production date Jan 2010 for only 40 NIS. (Last week I was in Herzliya and saw same bottle for 70 NIS).

Valvoline SynPower MST 5W-40

Math lesson: old production line oil 4 x 40 NIS is only 160 NIS, when 4L of new is 220 NIS.
With lubricant advisor MST is not listed, but I think it can be used for topping as their specs are almost the same and it has 502/504 approvals.

Valvoline SynPower MST 5W-40 sticker

I liked the store, nice people.
They said in Herzliya on Maskit 5 they have a branch. At Maskit 15 there is another store, not related to this one where I was and kinda not liked - they didn't even knew what is VW 502/504 approval after all.

Valvoline SynPower 5W-40 VW 502

Valvoline SynPower 5W-40 full synthetic motor oil

I've ordered an oil replacement for next monday.
My odometer says about 7 000 kilometers. Normally, you need to change oil every 15 000 km or year (which comes first). Noone will stop you from that, it's only about money. It can't do any worse.

Valvoline SynPower 5W-40, back view

When buying an oil, first of all, you need to be sure it has VW 502 (petrol) or VW 505 (diesel) approvals.
Second, production date. You need as fresh as you can get. Typically, oil expires after 5 years in case of proper storage conditions. Opened oil don't likes any air contacts, temperature changes and other factors.

Important text on a back

Mine I bought from Valvoline warehouse in Industrial park of Emek Hefer.

First, I wanted to go in oil store at Hertzliya, but before I ran out at morning, I made a call to warehouse office - because this is the source of all Valvoline products in Israel so I can get freshest oil. Lucky me, they can sell also a single can for cash. 

The warehouse street is new and not exists on Google maps and iGO GPS, but now we have a map.

Valvoline warehouse on map.

Money I paid for 4 liters of SynPower is 210 NIS. At stores I saw that for 220 NIS and 70 NIS per 1 liter.

Valvoline links
Lubricant advisor (multilingual)
Valvoline product catalog Israel (hebrew)
Valvoline SynPower 5W-40 specs
Valvoline SynPower MST 5W-30 specs
Valvoline SynPower XL-III 5W-30 specs

See also
How to read oil date codes
google: how to read valvoline date codes