Skoda Fabia 2017
Discussion
I wouldn't normally have thought of doing a Readers' Cars thread for a humdrum model like this, but then again boring cars seem to sometimes garner even more interest than the exotics. 
We've had our family van Bus Blue for over 5 years, initially as our main vehicle. A variety of hatchbacks have been run alongside it, increasing in size over time and most recently becoming an Audi S3. However, between our needs changing again, the van ageing and an upcoming low emissions zone, I decided to semi-retire the van and get us an urban runabout.
Why a Fabia?
Keeping three not-new vehicles in the same VAG grouping does have benefits when it comes to familiarity of controls, knowledge and maintenance - so I initially looked at the VW Up and Skoda Citigo, before deciding that the next size up offered a better balance for our needs. Not least because the VAG supermini options gave the possibility of a decent 1.0 & 1.2 turbo petrol powertrain and auto options (DSG), which despite some drawbacks do offer a lot of functionality for reasonable outlay.
The Fabia was a fairly popular private buy when new and garnered positive reviews and "best buy" accolades at the time for its fundamental sensibilities. I found that equivalent Polos were nicely spec'd as standard and a bit plusher on the inside, but typically 2 years older at the same price spec-for-spec and / or more expensive by about 20% for those of the same age.
Buying
Buying a second car in 2021 hasn't been great market timing, but as with the S3 it appears that there is a mix of pre- and post-Lockdown pricing. Despite some early misgivings and a mixed experience eventually put right, I'd happily recommend the Cazoo route I took. At the time of buying in July this year, the price I paid was already being matched as a trade-in value by the usual suspects and it's maintained since. I have no intention of selling for many years, but it's good to know.
The Fabia I bought is a 2017 last-of-the-line / pre-facelift 1.2 TSI with the higher 110hp & 129lf/ft output, with DSG and optional cruise control in very reasonable SE spec. It has 19.5k miles on the clock and despite honest pictures and online buying, I was under no illusions that this was a risk-free purchase. I saw a few other, newer, Fabias at a similar price without DSG and with the newer 1.0 TSI engine. The forum chatter is that the 1.2 TSI is the one to have for various reasons, essentially being a downsized version of the larger 1.4 4-cylinder rather than the newer but cheaper-to-make 3-pot.
Positives
There were several hiccups in the buying process, but all put right by Cazoo. I ended-up with a small refund for missing the keyless function it was listed with (didn't care about this, but it was listed!) and the offer of a free service & MoT (delivery cancellation and then surprise delivery at random time). More likely I will service it next time at my local VAG indy - who incidentally serviced it earlier this year in previous ownership.
It's had some cosmetic scrapes repaired to decent standard on the rear bumper and at least two refurbished wheels. These aren't especially important on a runabout, but it's good to have them sorted. Overall, the exterior of the car is nearly unmarked.
Negatives
Inside was another story, though. Despite being thoroughly cleaned before delivery, you can see from inside all the trim gaps that the previous owner probably ate a lot in the car by the look of things... which may also explain the marked wear to the driver's seat bolster and door sill. They were almost certainly of the more stout and / or senior variety of owner!
The car also wore two new Landsail tyres up front and one each of OEM Nexen and Autogrip to the rear. It wasn't clear until I replaced the tyres just how bad even brand new budget tyres can be. All but two of the wheel bolt covers were also missing.
Done by me so far
- 4x new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance tyres in original 185/60/15 size
- 2-wheel alignment done
- OEM accessory boot liner and mats fitted
- OEM accessory door sill trims fitted (to cover distinct door sill wear)
- OEM bolt covers fitted
- £30 eBay plate from 1980 (completely unnecessary but it was cheap and effectively makes the car dateless)
Driving & Ownership
The Fabia has been bought as an urban runabout, mainly for use by my wife and kids. Nonetheless, I like to keep things to a high standard as you can see from the above list.
Having had it for a month, it's fitting into life with us very well and is popular with the wife. First acquaintance in the driver's seat gives an impression of a very roomy cabin (probably the roof height) and great visibility. Parking is a cinch and the basic practicalities - entry, exit, boot space - are very good. I do miss Auto Hold compared to other automatics, though - and an electronic handbrake works better with this sort of transmission.
I was completely bowled over when I changed those tyres - it really drives like a different car. Smoother, softer and grippier by a long shot. Really, if anyone ever doubts the value of new high quality tyres then I don't think driving cars is for you.
I've given it a good old Italian tune-up on a favourite quiet loop, along with a DSG "re-set" procedure, and think this has helped. The 1.2 110hp lump seems quite potent especially in Sport mode via the DSG, which itself is working pretty smoothly through all the gears. I'll keep an eye on some slow speed light judder in 2nd and Reverse (I've had the DQ200 DSG on two other cars, as well as the wet clutch variants on higher power cars), though I'm satisfied that the DSG is working as it should on the whole.
I tend to remap most of my cars, but I hadn't planned to with the Fabia as it's not going to be used much outside town. This is something I might consider again as a good remap tends to unlock some of the easy performance I like for limited cost, and the Fabia drives better than expected. For now though, I'm happy with its peppy performance and c.9 second 0-60 performance yardstick.
Ironically, the Fabia's traction is a lot better than my S3's on the same tune-up route - confirming my suspicions that the S3's Haldex must be borked (wheelspin in situations where the Fabia would grip and go).
I'll keep this thread updates as ownership progresses.
We've had our family van Bus Blue for over 5 years, initially as our main vehicle. A variety of hatchbacks have been run alongside it, increasing in size over time and most recently becoming an Audi S3. However, between our needs changing again, the van ageing and an upcoming low emissions zone, I decided to semi-retire the van and get us an urban runabout.
Why a Fabia?
Keeping three not-new vehicles in the same VAG grouping does have benefits when it comes to familiarity of controls, knowledge and maintenance - so I initially looked at the VW Up and Skoda Citigo, before deciding that the next size up offered a better balance for our needs. Not least because the VAG supermini options gave the possibility of a decent 1.0 & 1.2 turbo petrol powertrain and auto options (DSG), which despite some drawbacks do offer a lot of functionality for reasonable outlay.
The Fabia was a fairly popular private buy when new and garnered positive reviews and "best buy" accolades at the time for its fundamental sensibilities. I found that equivalent Polos were nicely spec'd as standard and a bit plusher on the inside, but typically 2 years older at the same price spec-for-spec and / or more expensive by about 20% for those of the same age.
Buying
Buying a second car in 2021 hasn't been great market timing, but as with the S3 it appears that there is a mix of pre- and post-Lockdown pricing. Despite some early misgivings and a mixed experience eventually put right, I'd happily recommend the Cazoo route I took. At the time of buying in July this year, the price I paid was already being matched as a trade-in value by the usual suspects and it's maintained since. I have no intention of selling for many years, but it's good to know.
The Fabia I bought is a 2017 last-of-the-line / pre-facelift 1.2 TSI with the higher 110hp & 129lf/ft output, with DSG and optional cruise control in very reasonable SE spec. It has 19.5k miles on the clock and despite honest pictures and online buying, I was under no illusions that this was a risk-free purchase. I saw a few other, newer, Fabias at a similar price without DSG and with the newer 1.0 TSI engine. The forum chatter is that the 1.2 TSI is the one to have for various reasons, essentially being a downsized version of the larger 1.4 4-cylinder rather than the newer but cheaper-to-make 3-pot.
Positives
There were several hiccups in the buying process, but all put right by Cazoo. I ended-up with a small refund for missing the keyless function it was listed with (didn't care about this, but it was listed!) and the offer of a free service & MoT (delivery cancellation and then surprise delivery at random time). More likely I will service it next time at my local VAG indy - who incidentally serviced it earlier this year in previous ownership.
It's had some cosmetic scrapes repaired to decent standard on the rear bumper and at least two refurbished wheels. These aren't especially important on a runabout, but it's good to have them sorted. Overall, the exterior of the car is nearly unmarked.
Negatives
Inside was another story, though. Despite being thoroughly cleaned before delivery, you can see from inside all the trim gaps that the previous owner probably ate a lot in the car by the look of things... which may also explain the marked wear to the driver's seat bolster and door sill. They were almost certainly of the more stout and / or senior variety of owner!
The car also wore two new Landsail tyres up front and one each of OEM Nexen and Autogrip to the rear. It wasn't clear until I replaced the tyres just how bad even brand new budget tyres can be. All but two of the wheel bolt covers were also missing.
Done by me so far
- 4x new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance tyres in original 185/60/15 size
- 2-wheel alignment done
- OEM accessory boot liner and mats fitted
- OEM accessory door sill trims fitted (to cover distinct door sill wear)
- OEM bolt covers fitted
- £30 eBay plate from 1980 (completely unnecessary but it was cheap and effectively makes the car dateless)
Driving & Ownership
The Fabia has been bought as an urban runabout, mainly for use by my wife and kids. Nonetheless, I like to keep things to a high standard as you can see from the above list.
Having had it for a month, it's fitting into life with us very well and is popular with the wife. First acquaintance in the driver's seat gives an impression of a very roomy cabin (probably the roof height) and great visibility. Parking is a cinch and the basic practicalities - entry, exit, boot space - are very good. I do miss Auto Hold compared to other automatics, though - and an electronic handbrake works better with this sort of transmission.
I was completely bowled over when I changed those tyres - it really drives like a different car. Smoother, softer and grippier by a long shot. Really, if anyone ever doubts the value of new high quality tyres then I don't think driving cars is for you.
I've given it a good old Italian tune-up on a favourite quiet loop, along with a DSG "re-set" procedure, and think this has helped. The 1.2 110hp lump seems quite potent especially in Sport mode via the DSG, which itself is working pretty smoothly through all the gears. I'll keep an eye on some slow speed light judder in 2nd and Reverse (I've had the DQ200 DSG on two other cars, as well as the wet clutch variants on higher power cars), though I'm satisfied that the DSG is working as it should on the whole.
I tend to remap most of my cars, but I hadn't planned to with the Fabia as it's not going to be used much outside town. This is something I might consider again as a good remap tends to unlock some of the easy performance I like for limited cost, and the Fabia drives better than expected. For now though, I'm happy with its peppy performance and c.9 second 0-60 performance yardstick.
Ironically, the Fabia's traction is a lot better than my S3's on the same tune-up route - confirming my suspicions that the S3's Haldex must be borked (wheelspin in situations where the Fabia would grip and go).
I'll keep this thread updates as ownership progresses.
We have a 13 plate Fabia from new. Absolutely no issues since then and 65k miles. We have the 90ps version of the 1.2TSi, which is fine for town and rural, OK on motorway. Ours came with 195/55-15”. We have put Vredestein Quatrac 5 on it. Not really had a bad winter yet to test them, but great in summer. I am interested in the new Fabia due out soon.
I've driven a manual version of the same car and really enjoyed it. The newer Skoda's are very nice inside and don't look bad on the outside either.
I had the DQ200 in my 1.2 petrol Yeti a few years ago now and I really, really hated it (personal opinion of course) I found it would always be in a gear too high, so the car was obviously labouring as I tried to accelerate until it'd suddenly realise it needs more and kicks down 2 gears and you shot off like an idiot.
I could have lived with it, but at 29k miles, the clutches started slipping when accelerating in lower gears, so I jumped ship PDQ!
I hope you have better luck with yours, I'm sure you will! It is a lighter, less stressed car.
I had the DQ200 in my 1.2 petrol Yeti a few years ago now and I really, really hated it (personal opinion of course) I found it would always be in a gear too high, so the car was obviously labouring as I tried to accelerate until it'd suddenly realise it needs more and kicks down 2 gears and you shot off like an idiot.
I could have lived with it, but at 29k miles, the clutches started slipping when accelerating in lower gears, so I jumped ship PDQ!
I hope you have better luck with yours, I'm sure you will! It is a lighter, less stressed car.
I don't mind the tune on the DSG - it certainly hunts for higher gears, but this seems ok with my driving style. What I do miss from other DSG-equipped cars is paddle shifters and Auto Hold (i.e. holding indefinitely after you come to a standstill).
I agree that the Fabia is a strong package, though it's without doubt lower-rent on the inside than VW and Audi equivalents. The inner door panels, for example, are made of fewer pieces and scratch easily. It has wind-up windows in the rear, no one-touch function for the front electric switches etc. Because the hardware is lower-order, there are fewer retrofitting options. This is all fine on a supermini, but I would urge readers not to be fooled into believing that a product like this is a secret cheaper way into a generic VAG product!
That said, it's a great package that gives a very good powertrain option in this 1.2 TSI DSG form.
I agree that the Fabia is a strong package, though it's without doubt lower-rent on the inside than VW and Audi equivalents. The inner door panels, for example, are made of fewer pieces and scratch easily. It has wind-up windows in the rear, no one-touch function for the front electric switches etc. Because the hardware is lower-order, there are fewer retrofitting options. This is all fine on a supermini, but I would urge readers not to be fooled into believing that a product like this is a secret cheaper way into a generic VAG product!
That said, it's a great package that gives a very good powertrain option in this 1.2 TSI DSG form.
The Cardinal said:
I don't mind the tune on the DSG - it certainly hunts for higher gears, but this seems ok with my driving style. What I do miss from other DSG-equipped cars is paddle shifters and Auto Hold (i.e. holding indefinitely after you come to a standstill).
I agree that the Fabia is a strong package, though it's without doubt lower-rent on the inside than VW and Audi equivalents. The inner door panels, for example, are made of fewer pieces and scratch easily. It has wind-up windows in the rear, no one-touch function for the front electric switches etc. Because the hardware is lower-order, there are fewer retrofitting options. This is all fine on a supermini, but I would urge readers not to be fooled into believing that a product like this is a secret cheaper way into a generic VAG product!
That said, it's a great package that gives a very good powertrain option in this 1.2 TSI DSG form.
I find ours very scratch resistant. I actually don’t mind the rear manual wipers, it means that, when driving, I am sure I have got the front switch (unlike my F30 BMW!). Ours is one-touch up or down, I am surprised yours is not. I think the interior seems certainly more capacious than a Polo, thats why we got the Fabia - we tried the Polo and rejected that. I agree that the Fabia is a strong package, though it's without doubt lower-rent on the inside than VW and Audi equivalents. The inner door panels, for example, are made of fewer pieces and scratch easily. It has wind-up windows in the rear, no one-touch function for the front electric switches etc. Because the hardware is lower-order, there are fewer retrofitting options. This is all fine on a supermini, but I would urge readers not to be fooled into believing that a product like this is a secret cheaper way into a generic VAG product!
That said, it's a great package that gives a very good powertrain option in this 1.2 TSI DSG form.
9 month report
Overall, this Fabia is proving to be a resounding hit. I'd predicted that our needs would change as my wife and kids' local activities burgeoned and that has proven to be an underestimate if anything. New duties include muddy rugby club runs, local errands and walks, plus pick-ups from school and post-work sport for my wife.
It's only doing around 200 miles per month - more illustrative is the 3-4 times per week it's used. Given where we live, it doesn't bear thinking about how this sort of use would have worn-down something like my old S3. But of course the inevitable urban battle scars don't matter on a 5-year-old Fabia and it's so competent that I did briefly think how it could in fact become our only car... before more happily using it to make the case for my new RS3.
This now lives in a local lock-up garage, while the Fabia remains accessible on the street. City use and a dowdy colourscheme mean that it doesn't get very dirty on the outside, although I do keep it clean. I do use some products like quick detailer to keep it looking nice but haven't given it proper detail on the outside:
There's not much point going beyond this on the outside because it's already picked-up some marks like this, which won't polish out:
The inside is quite pleasant...
Although (not pictured) it is worn on the driver's bolster and in places like between the seats - I actually went over this with a fabric de-bobbler but I guess it was caused by carrying something between the rear seats a lot?
The back seats get a battering from our kids' in-car eating, where it's not exactly luxurious with scratchy plastics and wind-down windows...
Things under the bonnet look good and the car drives very nicely once you get used to its DSG gearbox. It also seems to have had a new battery before it reached me at 4 years' age!
As mentioned in my first post, I added some original mats, door sill protectors and boot liner. I added a boot net from my old S3 as well.
More typically the boot looks like this, though - also being our family's welly boot store!
Doing around 2,500 miles a year but with frequent short journeys means that it will need an annual oil change around June - when I'll also get the brake fluid for the first time. Cazoo offered a free service and MoT for the sub-par buying experience and given that this car is nothing special I'm inclined to go with that and save a few pennies for the two other vehicles in the household.
Overall, this Fabia is proving to be a resounding hit. I'd predicted that our needs would change as my wife and kids' local activities burgeoned and that has proven to be an underestimate if anything. New duties include muddy rugby club runs, local errands and walks, plus pick-ups from school and post-work sport for my wife.
It's only doing around 200 miles per month - more illustrative is the 3-4 times per week it's used. Given where we live, it doesn't bear thinking about how this sort of use would have worn-down something like my old S3. But of course the inevitable urban battle scars don't matter on a 5-year-old Fabia and it's so competent that I did briefly think how it could in fact become our only car... before more happily using it to make the case for my new RS3.
This now lives in a local lock-up garage, while the Fabia remains accessible on the street. City use and a dowdy colourscheme mean that it doesn't get very dirty on the outside, although I do keep it clean. I do use some products like quick detailer to keep it looking nice but haven't given it proper detail on the outside:
There's not much point going beyond this on the outside because it's already picked-up some marks like this, which won't polish out:
The inside is quite pleasant...
Although (not pictured) it is worn on the driver's bolster and in places like between the seats - I actually went over this with a fabric de-bobbler but I guess it was caused by carrying something between the rear seats a lot?
The back seats get a battering from our kids' in-car eating, where it's not exactly luxurious with scratchy plastics and wind-down windows...
Things under the bonnet look good and the car drives very nicely once you get used to its DSG gearbox. It also seems to have had a new battery before it reached me at 4 years' age!
As mentioned in my first post, I added some original mats, door sill protectors and boot liner. I added a boot net from my old S3 as well.
More typically the boot looks like this, though - also being our family's welly boot store!
Doing around 2,500 miles a year but with frequent short journeys means that it will need an annual oil change around June - when I'll also get the brake fluid for the first time. Cazoo offered a free service and MoT for the sub-par buying experience and given that this car is nothing special I'm inclined to go with that and save a few pennies for the two other vehicles in the household.
Edited by The Cardinal on Sunday 6th March 13:20
1.5 year report
The Fabia is continuing to do great service as our local urban runabout, being comfortable and practical in equal measure. I am still impressed by its 1.2 110hp engine and DSG drivetrain combination, which can make pretty rapid progress when needed.
I won't pretend it gives the same spine-tingling feeling I get from my RS3, but I'm sure mature Pistonheaders will appreciate the simple pleasures of a car so well-suited to its intended uses as this Fabia.
I took a few snaps today away from the packed urban street it lives on. I think it's a smart-looking little thing, albeit free from fussy design details and low on aggression.
This is the mid-range SE model, which comes with a reasonably-finished cabin (certainly when looking ahead) and an intuitive head unit that includes smartphone mirroring. The combination of compact proportions and well-sized rear accommodation have proven absolutely essential as this car gets used 3-4 times per week for sports and out-of-school activities.
It's been quite liberating to feel no worries as very muddy post-rugby kids have clambered into the back or indeed been sick in the car. The whole rear bench comes out quite easily and the fabrics repeatedly clean-up well. Not pictured is some driver's side bolster wear, which came with the car but isn't getting better with our use - the only thing not consistent with the car's 22,500 miles.
I debadged the rear bootlid after one of the letters came loose during a cleaning session. I'm not 100% sure about the resulting look but I suppose it goes with the simple vibe.
I get a lot of satisfaction from maintaining my cars and so this one gets just as much love as its stablemates. Spend since the update the spring has included:
- wiper blade (£16.25)
- replacement wheel centre caps (£6.99)
- replacement interior LED blubs (£2.56)
- interim service & MoT (£232.02)
- lower front suspension arm bearings replaced (£226.80)
I'm keeping the car clean and well-pampered by the standards of almost any other Fabia, though it's continuing to attract minor urban damage including what looks to be a fair whack to the rear bumper:
The paint is cracked and so I'm pricing up a repair for this one, which leads me to consider sorting a few other things. It's left me in a bit of a quandry...
On the one hand, I recently placed an order for a brand new Polo to arrive sometime next spring as a replacement for the Fabia. The advantage being that this is the one car we need to always work, is used most often and will likely be driven by our kids as they grow up. The Fabia also continues to be worth around 10-15% more than I paid for it, which means net-zero cost motoring if sold at this price.
On the other hand, spending a little time in the Fabia today made me appreciate it some more. It's going to be 6 years old soon and smells a bit inside, but it's in good nick. Its 110hp and drivetrain and tech are still pretty modern. For not a lot of extra money I could fix the cosmetics and possibly add a cheeky remap.
Decisions, decisions.
The Fabia is continuing to do great service as our local urban runabout, being comfortable and practical in equal measure. I am still impressed by its 1.2 110hp engine and DSG drivetrain combination, which can make pretty rapid progress when needed.
I won't pretend it gives the same spine-tingling feeling I get from my RS3, but I'm sure mature Pistonheaders will appreciate the simple pleasures of a car so well-suited to its intended uses as this Fabia.
I took a few snaps today away from the packed urban street it lives on. I think it's a smart-looking little thing, albeit free from fussy design details and low on aggression.
This is the mid-range SE model, which comes with a reasonably-finished cabin (certainly when looking ahead) and an intuitive head unit that includes smartphone mirroring. The combination of compact proportions and well-sized rear accommodation have proven absolutely essential as this car gets used 3-4 times per week for sports and out-of-school activities.
It's been quite liberating to feel no worries as very muddy post-rugby kids have clambered into the back or indeed been sick in the car. The whole rear bench comes out quite easily and the fabrics repeatedly clean-up well. Not pictured is some driver's side bolster wear, which came with the car but isn't getting better with our use - the only thing not consistent with the car's 22,500 miles.
I debadged the rear bootlid after one of the letters came loose during a cleaning session. I'm not 100% sure about the resulting look but I suppose it goes with the simple vibe.
I get a lot of satisfaction from maintaining my cars and so this one gets just as much love as its stablemates. Spend since the update the spring has included:
- wiper blade (£16.25)
- replacement wheel centre caps (£6.99)
- replacement interior LED blubs (£2.56)
- interim service & MoT (£232.02)
- lower front suspension arm bearings replaced (£226.80)
I'm keeping the car clean and well-pampered by the standards of almost any other Fabia, though it's continuing to attract minor urban damage including what looks to be a fair whack to the rear bumper:
The paint is cracked and so I'm pricing up a repair for this one, which leads me to consider sorting a few other things. It's left me in a bit of a quandry...
On the one hand, I recently placed an order for a brand new Polo to arrive sometime next spring as a replacement for the Fabia. The advantage being that this is the one car we need to always work, is used most often and will likely be driven by our kids as they grow up. The Fabia also continues to be worth around 10-15% more than I paid for it, which means net-zero cost motoring if sold at this price.
On the other hand, spending a little time in the Fabia today made me appreciate it some more. It's going to be 6 years old soon and smells a bit inside, but it's in good nick. Its 110hp and drivetrain and tech are still pretty modern. For not a lot of extra money I could fix the cosmetics and possibly add a cheeky remap.
Decisions, decisions.
A mechanical issue on my similarly-aged RS3 recently reminded me that cars are not always reliable, which makes me think again about replacing this car as we depend on it (even if I did cancel that Polo order). If I did replace it soon then perhaps I could get away without doing the following to restore things to 100%:
- Renew arguably overdue cambelt, spark plugs, air con re-gas etc - as part of annual service
- Paint to rear bumper, PDR-type repairs to 3 panels, refresh 2x alloys
- Replace driver's seat with eBay / scrappy substitute (worn side bolster)
- Properly renovate paintwork, paint brake calipers and brake bells
I should explain that I lost all my worldly possessions as a 12-year-old boy, which has had the lasting impact of making me really look after my stuff - even a humble car like this. Yet even despite that I think the most expensive bits (servicing and paint) either become necessary as time passes or are reflected in a sale price anyway.
I also love the feeling of bimbling around in an anonymous budget car - it's hard to explain! Our daughter has a part scholarship to a fancy school and I just love rolling-up in my secret millionaire-spec Skoda Fabia, surrounded by ultra-expensive big 4x4s (often on budget tyres
). I'll update with what happens next...
Edited by The Cardinal on Monday 2nd January 07:01
The Fabian serves its purpose and does it well, this is where the vehicle is a tool.
Must be great to hop from the 1.2tsi into the 2.5tsi rs3, makes it more of a special car when you get to use the RS.
Great to see you looking after the Fabia, given the lower price and the way it is sort of disposable daily driver.
Must be great to hop from the 1.2tsi into the 2.5tsi rs3, makes it more of a special car when you get to use the RS.
Great to see you looking after the Fabia, given the lower price and the way it is sort of disposable daily driver.
Good thread and nice to see the car getting looked after.
I'm considering one of these, albeit the 90ps manual version. They do seem reasonable value and should suit my needs, which is mainly longer distance rural driving. My only concern is lack of grip/ability in winter/snow, which is making me look at the Panda 4x4 as well, although with winter tyres I suspect it would be fine.
I'm considering one of these, albeit the 90ps manual version. They do seem reasonable value and should suit my needs, which is mainly longer distance rural driving. My only concern is lack of grip/ability in winter/snow, which is making me look at the Panda 4x4 as well, although with winter tyres I suspect it would be fine.
Thank you, and I agree that the mk3 Fabia is a good buy. The 90hp you mention is similar if not the same mechanically as a the 110hp version of the 1.2 (apart from rear discs I think) - both remap to 130hp in case that helps sway things. They're very comfortable and practical cars.
To conclude the thread... this Fabia is provisionally sold pending collection later this week. It's become our most-used vehicle and so I decided to replace it while the used market for a small auto is still so strong. It will have been a free car over its nearly 2 years, even accounting for running costs.
It's also been fault-free apart from the return of the suspension creak I resolved just 2,000 miles ago with new front lower suspension arm bushes. Sorting this again, the cosmetics I mentioned and a few other things like a cambelt meant it would have taken some years to fully benefit, plus the fact I have two other vehicles with maintenance needs of their own.
The replacement is a fully-loaded 2023 Mini Cooper, with which it shares dimensions and not a lot else.
To conclude the thread... this Fabia is provisionally sold pending collection later this week. It's become our most-used vehicle and so I decided to replace it while the used market for a small auto is still so strong. It will have been a free car over its nearly 2 years, even accounting for running costs.
It's also been fault-free apart from the return of the suspension creak I resolved just 2,000 miles ago with new front lower suspension arm bushes. Sorting this again, the cosmetics I mentioned and a few other things like a cambelt meant it would have taken some years to fully benefit, plus the fact I have two other vehicles with maintenance needs of their own.
The replacement is a fully-loaded 2023 Mini Cooper, with which it shares dimensions and not a lot else.
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