£4.5k - Fabia VRS vs Golf TDI 130/150 for the m’way?

[da_murphster]

The missis has decreed that the Clio 172 is officially rubbish on the m’way for her 20k a year commute so I am looking to sell it and buy a quieter replacement with better mpg but still not 100% dull (she is also an enthusiastic driver)

Reckon I will get somewhere around £4k for the Clio so I have about this to spend, possible £500+ish more.

Size wise we need a bit of space – the Clio is great with its flat folding seats – I suspect the VRS is about the same and the golf is a bit larger – so OK.

For my money I can scrape a newer VRS with bigish miles or run to a similarly miled but older 130 or 150 tdi golf.

So, my qu’s:

- Golf or VRS? Anyone experience of both? Which is better to drive?

- Is the 150bhp golf worth paying a premium over the 130bhp version?

- any other options for the dough? Considered Seats (none in price bracket), Bora (not as nice looking and I like load space of hatchbacks), A3 (only afford 110 bhp),

I would be looking at getting the car chipped.

Importantly it must be an easy drive on the m’way, nice to be in, quiet, decent on fuel, easy/cheap to run, and fun when off the m’way – I also would take depreciation into account – golf prolly at bottom of the ‘curve’ VRS has some way to go etc

As a last attempt to salvage the 172 I’m off to test drive one with a totally standard exhaust to see if its quieter than my stainless standard looking exhaust…….wish me luck

BTW I have done the mpg cost maths……20k a year is approx £2847 in the Clio (38mpg) and approx £2163 in the Golf (50mpg) so looking at ‘saving’ £683 a year….obviously things are odd at the moment with petrol and diesel being the same price and I’m aware of higher costs of running newer diesel cars etc etc

TIA!

[Sir HC]

Been really impressed with my VRS so far, commute 40 miles a day with an average mpg of 53. Good fun to drive, cheap to run. Looking at a remap in the summer, AMD most likely at the moment.

Few thinks to look out for are leaky rear doors (easy to fix though). Make sure the cambelt has been done, usually its around 300quid to have replaced (4 years/40,000miles from memory)

Edited by Sir HC on Thursday 1st April 12:39

[nottyash]

I bought a VRS new, fantastic economy, and performance. Mine had an Angeltuning re map, which made a massive difference to performance. Economy went up 2mpg on motorways too.
The thing is the dash is pretty low rent compared to the Golf, and the standard seats are a bit easy to dirty. I used Seat surgeons in York for a full leather interior.. that cured that.
Size wise, the VRS is Polo based, but if you can live with the size you will get a newer VRS.

Look for extras on the VRS like, ESP, cruise control, electric sunroof, Xenons and leather.

[da_murphster]

No one to compare golf and fabia??

Bit of test driving next week needed.

[Fox-]

The Fabia is a little town car not a Motorway car. You'd be better off with something bigger like an Octavia or a Superb.

[Motorrad]

Fabia will do motorway miles, it has a long range and comfy-ish seats, decent ergonomics as well as a typical long legged feel having 6 gears and a reasonably powerful motor. The tyres aren't stupidly low profile either. NVH are pretty good by the standards of it's day.

What it won't do is carry passengers in comfort or be as good as a Superb or Passat at eating up really long journeys. It's by no means an unsuitable vehicle however.

The MKIV Golfs you're talking about aren't great to drive but do have better passenger provision/luggage capacity, I'm not sure the 150 is worth any premium over the 130 for the application you want. Where it may score is that some 150 models were higher spec than the typical 130 ie climate control, xenons, heated seats etc.

I'd base my buying decision on the spec/condition/price of the vehicles and also consider Leons and Octavias in the same price range, particularly the L&K Octavia which is highly specified as standard.

[Balmoral Green]

The Fabia is a very good motorway car, it rides well and has a big car feel. It's performance is also at its best on a motorway or dual carriageway, where the mid range pull is most noticeable, rather than it's so called hot hatch pretensions, which given the chassis and the brakes is quite laughable. They don't really do 0-60 or twisties, but 60-120 on the open road is bloody rapid, a re-mapped version with 310lb/ft is a bit of a hooligan on a motorway. Of course, it isn't very roomy, it's not too good for rear seat passengers or luggage.

I had a 150TDI Golf for a few months, and I've had two Fabia vRS's, the Fabia is miles better, even better built IMO.

Edited by Balmoral Green on Friday 2nd April 22:32

[da_murphster]

I don't really ever take more than a single passenger so rear seats are not priority.

I do need some 'stuff' space for load lugging - boxes to tip etc.

Basically Clio size is adequate for my needs.

I would rather stay as small a car as I can get away with for parking, mpg, etc - certainly do not need somethinf skoda superb size (although was very impressed with a recent taxi drive in one)

A mate of mine has a VRS fabia - think I need to go and have a serious look - might tick the boxes.

Sounds like I'm going to miss the 'twistys' ability of the 172 though

[nottyash]

Fox- said:

The Fabia is a little town car not a Motorway car. You'd be better off with something bigger like an Octavia or a Superb.

bks!!

[nottyash]

da_murphster said:

I don't really ever take more than a single passenger so rear seats are not priority.

I do need some 'stuff' space for load lugging - boxes to tip etc.

Basically Clio size is adequate for my needs.

I would rather stay as small a car as I can get away with for parking, mpg, etc - certainly do not need somethinf skoda superb size (although was very impressed with a recent taxi drive in one)

A mate of mine has a VRS fabia - think I need to go and have a serious look - might tick the boxes.

Sounds like I'm going to miss the 'twistys' ability of the 172 though

It a straight line my remapped VRS was faster than 2 of my mates standard cars. A Clio 172 and a Mini cooper S. Of course it doesnt handle like any of them, but on a straight length of road the VRS is faster, by quite a margin, and niether of the other cars would ever get past once in front.
You will be very surprised!

[iamrcb]

nottyash said:

Fox- said:

The Fabia is a little town car not a Motorway car. You'd be better off with something bigger like an Octavia or a Superb.

bks!!

I do 30k+ miles in my Fabia VRS per year and its very good on the motorway. In fact its very suited to it. The narrow power band and perfect overtaking speed shove suits it very well, despite those things not being ideal for other types of driving.

It also doesn't show up the iffy handling!

I like it because its not a golf, although the interior is way below that of the golf. Love the seats though (only because mine are holding up quite well!)

how do the prices, mileage compare between the two? I know I'd get another VRS in front of a golf.

Edited by iamrcb on Saturday 3rd April 21:08

[Fox-]

nottyash said:

Fox- said:

The Fabia is a little town car not a Motorway car. You'd be better off with something bigger like an Octavia or a Superb.

bks!!

So you are saying an Octavia or Superb is no better on the Motorway than a Fabia?

[nottyash]

Fox- said:

nottyash said:

Fox- said:

The Fabia is a little town car not a Motorway car. You'd be better off with something bigger like an Octavia or a Superb.

bks!!

So you are saying an Octavia or Superb is no better on the Motorway than a Fabia?

No, I am saying a Fabia VRS is perfectly suited to motorways as thats what I used mine for, and I dont rate it as just a "town car" like you suggested it was.