Skoda Fabia

[ExPat2B]

I am starting to like the look of these for my shopping car.

2000 models with 90K miles are around £1000 at the moment, which seems almost comically good value.

Also looking at 1.25 Zetec Fiestas, Mitsubishi Colt, VW Lupo's etc. Are any of them clearly better ? I liked the Fiestas handling, but I am religously opposed to Fords, and the Lupo is only 3 doors.

I am off to see one this lunchtime, anyone got any advice for me ?

[james_tigerwoods]

Try to look for the 1.4 16v cars, they're the better ones to have - Try to get the Comfort one too as they've got A/C too.

Nice car, I'll be looking at one myself - This is close to me, but something seems wrong about it:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

[rehab71]

I sold Skodas for 3 years! Fantastic cars, and the Fabia is just a cheaper polo, with a bigger boot, 5 doors and is put together a little better.

The little 1.2s are a bit gutless but are ok. Try and get the 1.4 16V, it's 100 BHP and it's a VW engine. Try and avoid the MPI engine, it's Skoda's own.

[mosp]

funnily enough I recently (~4 months back) picked up a 2000 X plate 1.4 16v fab elegance for just a similar shopping/short commute role. I spent a little bit more than £1k (£2k from a local skoda specialist) but the car had only done 45k and had a really good history with it, and they serviced/mot/taxed it for us along with replacing the cambelt, brakes (discs and pads all round), the battery, both front tyres and a few other "bitty" jobs.

it has less squeeks and rattles, better performance and is more spacious than SWMBO's 2006 1.4 clio.

highly recommended from me.

[matt21]

My local cabby firm has a 1.4 diesel estate on a 03 plate with 280k on the clock.

The firms gives the new guy the oldest car on the fleet until it breaks beyond repair before moving them into the newest motors.

12mths ago I travelled in the Fabia with the guy complaining how horrid it is and hoping it would die. It is still soldiering on and he has now warmed to it and would hate to let it go!

For what they are I think they are very good.

[bob1179]

I've been running around in a selection of new Skoda Fabia hire cars for the last year, and I have to say that I am really suprised. They are such a great little car, even the 3 cylinder 1.2 (which is the one I've been driving). They have taken all I have thrown at them, never broken down and put up with some absolutely horrific conditions (I'm in Russia).

If the older one is anything like the new one, I say go for it.

[Justayellowbadge]

Pater has a VRS to keep the miles off his Elise in winter.

Fabulous little car.

[ian_c_uk]

I've driven many Fabia courtesy cars, as owned two octavias.

Avoid the 1.2, it really does struggle with motorway speeds. The 1.4 petrol is okay, the 1.4tdi is actually quite fun, reminded me of an old 8v petrol engine. The vrs was disappointing.

[Hub]

The only things to look out for are water leaks in through the rear doors which they all seem to do at some point, and the 1.4 I think can have head gasket issues (not any experience of the 1.4 myself though).

[Deva Link]

bob1179 said:

even the 3 cylinder 1.2 (which is the one I've been driving). They have taken all I have thrown at them, never broken down

You've been quite lucky - we have a 1.2 Ibiza in the family and it's broken down 4 times with coil pack failures. They don't drive too well on 2 cyls!

The early VAG 1.2's had terrible problems with timing chains jumping - they fixed it in 2003 and did further mods in 2005. Fuel consumption on the 1.2's is often way below what you would expect.

The 1.4 engines have problems with HGF on early models and severe early bore wear on later models.

All VAG cars on that platform have poor front suspension rubbers - you might have to change all 6 bushes.

Have a look at http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/skoda/fabia-2... it's a bit of a scary list, but then there are a lot of these cars about.

Interesting to read mosp's post - he really bought a thousand pound car and then spend a thousand pounds on it. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it would be a shock if you bought an un-repaired car and then it miserably failed its first MOT and you had to spend that kind of money on it.

Edited by Deva Link on Wednesday 23 June 12:31

[ExPat2B]

Well I just had a drive of the 8v 1.4 MPI engine. I need to have a look at a 16V I think.

Performance was pretty shockingly poor. 2nd gear is only to 40mph, but even given those relatively short gearing it and revs cleanly but so slowly. 4th gear is just useless, no actual accelleration to be had. It wouldnt keep speed in 5th at 40-50mph up quite gentle hills, I had to swap to 4th/3rd. I used to have a Rover 214 16v and that was like a bat out of hell in comparison.

It was loud and coarse on idle, it almost sounded like a diesel, and the oil dipstick was vibrating back and forwards about 1 inch. Since this is the first one I have looked at I don't know if this is normal.

Interesting you say about headgasket issues on early models........how early ? I am looking at 2000 models which are the earliest. I need to research that.

The good news is that the interior is low rent but clean and modern, the suspension is extremely good, it doesnt rattle too much and the engine is quiet once on the move. Gearbox is also a good precise tool.

[choading]

Best person to ask about anything vag (especially Seat ibiza) is antnee from corsasport.co.uk. He has a 1.6 Ibiza in bright yellow. He has never driven other brands of cars before but he has mates which together owns all the VAG range.

VAG diesels are the best engines to get he reckons, I don't know how he came to this conclusion as he has only driven a petrol. Must be reading a lot on google.

Edited by choading on Wednesday 23 June 18:18

[miniman]

We have a 1.2HTP Classic - base spec, windy windows, no C/L, but does have aircon. Aside of it being a bit gutless on the motorway, it's a great car.

[mcford]

They're not without their problems, door carriers leak, window regulators break, water ingress into the main ECU wiring loom, power steering sensors/pumps fail, steering racks leak internally, front anti roll bars & links, wearing console bushes are common to most models. The 16V AUA/AUB engines can drink oil, they had piston ring problems, the EGR system gets blocked leading to the engine light on and EGR related faults. I've known ABS modules give up £500 - £750 for the part.

Don't buy an early one, they weren't that reliable when they were new.

[va1o]

choading said:

Best person to ask about anything vag (especially Seat ibiza) is antnee from corsasport.co.uk. He has a 1.6 Ibiza in bright yellow. He has never driven other brands of cars before but he has mates which together owns all the VAG range.

VAG diesels are the best engines to get he reckons, I don't know how he came to this conclusion as he has only driven a petrol. Must be reading a lot on google.

Is this post a joke?