Czech out my FIRST CAR!
Discussion
Coaster94 said:
Being an owner of a Fiat Punto as my first car I can confirm it stands for 'Fix it again tonight, tomorrow and the day after that' appallingly built car, and mines only on 48k! It's a hoot to drive though.
Anyway, love the fabia, please do keep the thread updated as there very good value at the moment it appears!
What have you had to replace on yours ? Mine has needed the odd bit of work doing but nothing too major. Excluding Tax and Tyres (the latter which i changed due to personal preference) i think mine has been ok. Bought it on 48k miles, now at 61k miles.Anyway, love the fabia, please do keep the thread updated as there very good value at the moment it appears!
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...
melvster!!
melvster said:
What have you had to replace on yours ? Mine has needed the odd bit of work doing but nothing too major. Excluding Tax and Tyres (the latter which i changed due to personal preference) i think mine has been ok. Bought it on 48k miles, now at 61k miles.
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...
Sorry just seen this now, it's had..http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...
- Full Exhaust, including cat
- Exhaust Manifold
- CV Joints
- Front Springs
- New Bumper (had a fight with a railing)
- New Alternator + Battery
- New Wiper Linkage + Motor (Wiper's decided to have a fight on the A1, not fun.)
Think that's about it, it's a base model MIA too!
Anyway, sorry for the thread derail. As you were gents.
What to do on Valentines Day? Update your Readers Rides thread….of course.
Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on your point of view), there isn’t a great deal to report.
Two weeks ago I got a puncture as I drove into the car park at work. The council had employed some contractors to resurface the road outside our offices and I managed to drive over a nail that they had left lying in the road.
Once I found the nail I cautiously drove to the nearest reputable tyre garage (less than three miles away) and they managed to repair the puncture. Here is a quick iPhone snap of the car during the repair.
If I can remember, I try to take a photo of every job or modification I do .
Apart from that, I have had to change the rear brake light bulb and….erm…nothing. I did buy a Skoda tax disk holder off eBay and the PH sticker that you see in my previous post.
The tax and MOT are due before the month ends so it shall be an expensive end to the month. Annoyingly, it is more expensive to tax than the Honda Civic 1.7 VTEC Coupe that my sister owns. Stupid Co2 ratings, eh!
My only other plan is to do a basic service in the near future with good quality (OEM if possible) filters and oil as I am aware I have done nigh on 5,000 miles now and it has been just gas ‘n’ go.
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...Just to expand on this topic;
My Fiat Punto was a bargain basement (sub £1,000) so with hindsight, it probably wasn't the best example to start with. The bodywork was in great condition, had just 49,000 miles on and the short test drive didn't throw up any strange noises. Just three hours into my ownership, I was at the side of the road, hazards flashing while I lived up to the Fiat stereotype.
Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on your point of view), there isn’t a great deal to report.
Two weeks ago I got a puncture as I drove into the car park at work. The council had employed some contractors to resurface the road outside our offices and I managed to drive over a nail that they had left lying in the road.
Once I found the nail I cautiously drove to the nearest reputable tyre garage (less than three miles away) and they managed to repair the puncture. Here is a quick iPhone snap of the car during the repair.
If I can remember, I try to take a photo of every job or modification I do .
Apart from that, I have had to change the rear brake light bulb and….erm…nothing. I did buy a Skoda tax disk holder off eBay and the PH sticker that you see in my previous post.
The tax and MOT are due before the month ends so it shall be an expensive end to the month. Annoyingly, it is more expensive to tax than the Honda Civic 1.7 VTEC Coupe that my sister owns. Stupid Co2 ratings, eh!
My only other plan is to do a basic service in the near future with good quality (OEM if possible) filters and oil as I am aware I have done nigh on 5,000 miles now and it has been just gas ‘n’ go.
melvster said:
Coaster94 said:
Being an owner of a Fiat Punto as my first car I can confirm it stands for 'Fix it again tonight, tomorrow and the day after that' appallingly built car, and mines only on 48k! It's a hoot to drive though.
Anyway, love the fabia, please do keep the thread updated as there very good value at the moment it appears!
What have you had to replace on yours ? Mine has needed the odd bit of work doing but nothing too major. Excluding Tax and Tyres (the latter which i changed due to personal preference) i think mine has been ok. Bought it on 48k miles, now at 61k miles.Anyway, love the fabia, please do keep the thread updated as there very good value at the moment it appears!
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...
My Fiat Punto was a bargain basement (sub £1,000) so with hindsight, it probably wasn't the best example to start with. The bodywork was in great condition, had just 49,000 miles on and the short test drive didn't throw up any strange noises. Just three hours into my ownership, I was at the side of the road, hazards flashing while I lived up to the Fiat stereotype.
K321 said:
amazing
I couldn't have described my car any better. Well done! Afternoon,
I have been meaning to update this thread for a few weeks but life unfortunately got in the way. I have kept the blog feature up to date though, even if nobody looks. As the blog suggests, I have spent some money on NX51 over the past month.
The spending started with paying the government £110.00 so that I could have the pleasure of driving on the majesties highway for a further six months. I was originally going to purchase the full year (at £200.00) but I tried to apply some man-maths and get two items for the price of one. As a result, I was able to get two new headlights and six months road tax for £200 - gotta love eBay!
To be honest, the original headlights would have looked 100x better after an afternoon with a headlight restoration kit but I opted for the lazy option. The new headlights are, as you would expect, a vast improvement and are better than I anticipated - now debating if I should get some better bulbs now. Hmm...
The odometer is now reading 66,210 miles which means that I have covered just over 6000 miles since September. It would have been more but my job has moved just down the road from me so I am no longer commuting across town. I did manage to attend the recent Sunday Service which was at Silverstone.
It didn’t bother me that I had the most mundane car at the meet either because I was with like minded people. It was great to drive down an empty motorway with an E30 BMW M3 Evo casually cruising past the sea of mundane, uninspiring motors that litter our roadway. Then as I approached the Sunday Service, I was greeted with a Lotus Evora, Honda S2000, Mercedes Benz C63 AMG Estate and a Ford Escort Cosworth all making a variety of noises, but all nice nonetheless. I even managed nigh-on 60mpg on that run too, which was a nice surprise.
I may be taking it to Wales to visit some friends and maybe drive to the coast when the weather improves but nothing too adventurous. Apart from driving it, I do not have many plans for NX51 for the near future – it starts everyday, asks for little and even has the potential to raise a smile on a spirited drive. What more could you want in a daily?
I have been meaning to update this thread for a few weeks but life unfortunately got in the way. I have kept the blog feature up to date though, even if nobody looks. As the blog suggests, I have spent some money on NX51 over the past month.
The spending started with paying the government £110.00 so that I could have the pleasure of driving on the majesties highway for a further six months. I was originally going to purchase the full year (at £200.00) but I tried to apply some man-maths and get two items for the price of one. As a result, I was able to get two new headlights and six months road tax for £200 - gotta love eBay!
To be honest, the original headlights would have looked 100x better after an afternoon with a headlight restoration kit but I opted for the lazy option. The new headlights are, as you would expect, a vast improvement and are better than I anticipated - now debating if I should get some better bulbs now. Hmm...
The odometer is now reading 66,210 miles which means that I have covered just over 6000 miles since September. It would have been more but my job has moved just down the road from me so I am no longer commuting across town. I did manage to attend the recent Sunday Service which was at Silverstone.
It didn’t bother me that I had the most mundane car at the meet either because I was with like minded people. It was great to drive down an empty motorway with an E30 BMW M3 Evo casually cruising past the sea of mundane, uninspiring motors that litter our roadway. Then as I approached the Sunday Service, I was greeted with a Lotus Evora, Honda S2000, Mercedes Benz C63 AMG Estate and a Ford Escort Cosworth all making a variety of noises, but all nice nonetheless. I even managed nigh-on 60mpg on that run too, which was a nice surprise.
I may be taking it to Wales to visit some friends and maybe drive to the coast when the weather improves but nothing too adventurous. Apart from driving it, I do not have many plans for NX51 for the near future – it starts everyday, asks for little and even has the potential to raise a smile on a spirited drive. What more could you want in a daily?
ajprice said:
TorqueR said:
The new headlights are, as you would expect, a vast improvement and are better than I anticipated - now debating if I should get some better bulbs now. Hmm...
Nightbreakers and silver indicator bulbs?I am still undecided about the clear indicator bulbs though.
I found this review from when the Fabia was launched - quite rare to find a review that isn't a vRS. 
YouTube Link
It seems as though it was well regarded back in 2000 too.
YouTube Link
It seems as though it was well regarded back in 2000 too.
TorqueR said:
ajprice said:
TorqueR said:
The new headlights are, as you would expect, a vast improvement and are better than I anticipated - now debating if I should get some better bulbs now. Hmm...
Nightbreakers and silver indicator bulbs?I am still undecided about the clear indicator bulbs though.
Triumph Man said:
Won't clear indicator bulbs be an MOT failure as the indicator wont be orange? I.e. if you put in clear bulbs you would have to fit orange lenses? I'm not sure a Fabia would look good with gingercators...
It currently has clear indicators but with a small orange bulb in the middle. The suggestion is to replace them with chrome bulbs that you can't really see but they still emmitt an orange light.IMO it will look much better, I've done it to the last 2 cars I've had.
Twin2 said:
Triumph Man said:
Won't clear indicator bulbs be an MOT failure as the indicator wont be orange? I.e. if you put in clear bulbs you would have to fit orange lenses? I'm not sure a Fabia would look good with gingercators...
It currently has clear indicators but with a small orange bulb in the middle. The suggestion is to replace them with chrome bulbs that you can't really see but they still emmitt an orange light.IMO it will look much better, I've done it to the last 2 cars I've had.
Twin2 said:
Triumph Man said:
Won't clear indicator bulbs be an MOT failure as the indicator wont be orange? I.e. if you put in clear bulbs you would have to fit orange lenses? I'm not sure a Fabia would look good with gingercators...
It currently has clear indicators but with a small orange bulb in the middle. The suggestion is to replace them with chrome bulbs that you can't really see but they still emmitt an orange light.IMO it will look much better, I've done it to the last 2 cars I've had.
And yes I would agree that will look better
I thought it was time that I updated this thread but to be honest, there isn't a great deal to report. It passed the MOT without any issue so no unexpected expense and apart from some coolant, it hasn't asked for anything. If you want to keep an eye on any expense I bestow on this Czechoslovakian Whip please feel free to look at the blog feature in My Garage.
I found myself on some twisty single track lanes earlier (which would have been better suited to a Twingo RS or RenaultSport Clio) but NX51 was still able to raise a smile and provide an impromptu photo opportunity;
That last photo is the current look that I have adopted. I was driving home from the gym when my front passenger wheel-trim randomly fell off. I will not drive around with just three on so this is how it will look until my replacements are delivered. Cool or uncool? I quite like it.
I found myself on some twisty single track lanes earlier (which would have been better suited to a Twingo RS or RenaultSport Clio) but NX51 was still able to raise a smile and provide an impromptu photo opportunity;
That last photo is the current look that I have adopted. I was driving home from the gym when my front passenger wheel-trim randomly fell off. I will not drive around with just three on so this is how it will look until my replacements are delivered. Cool or uncool? I quite like it.
Thank you Adam.
NX51 is currently on steelies (as per the last picture) but as it is plastered in dirt/road grime, it does, in a strange way, suit that appearance - in my opinion. I think the novelty will soon wear off so I have already got some replacement trims from eBay - they should be on early next week and are being delivered from Italy of all places. My local dealer (Gordan Lamb Skoda) quoted £85.00 for them!
NX51 is currently on steelies (as per the last picture) but as it is plastered in dirt/road grime, it does, in a strange way, suit that appearance - in my opinion. I think the novelty will soon wear off so I have already got some replacement trims from eBay - they should be on early next week and are being delivered from Italy of all places. My local dealer (Gordan Lamb Skoda) quoted £85.00 for them!
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