72vintage

Well I got my answer! I gave it another good hard yank back horizontally after posting that with a slipper sock wrapped around my hand to avoid further damage! And it came out. Clean car coming up! Thank goodness for this forum! Thanks all. 💚 Now just got to get the bugger back in again!! 🤗

i’m wondering the same! Lady owner currently stuck outside car wash trying to get the aerial off 2009 Fabia estate! I’m pulling as hard as I can and suspect I’m going to hurt myself before I get it removed. Already hurt my left hand in the process. and didn’t pack my claw hammer in the car today! 😱. Can anyone confirm if you need to pull with aerial in a Horizontal position or vertical? Thanks all.

Hello all. I’ve just bought an 09 Fabia 1.4 estate. There’s no switch in the glove box in mine either so I assume that means mine is ON as there is no light on the passenger airbag switch. I assume if it was off the light would be on constantly? I’m only querying it as I just saw the light flash on and then go off again. Maybe when I switched the car on. I’d like it on so hopefully all is well. Minor concern something was wrong as it lit up briefly. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

Thank you! Have now had the car all checked over, new brakes & discs fitted, and we changed the cam belt and water pump as we weren’t quite sure if / when this was done last. Mechanic found no signs of any leaking so fingers crossed we’re in good shape. Thank you all for taking the time to post here.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!! 😱🤣

Thank you, that’s really kind to send me the info and photos. I’ll pass them to my mechanic. 👍🏻

Ah thanks ☺️ that’s nice. Yes I think it certainly looks really smart. It’s clearly been well looked after from a cosmetic point of view so let’s hope that’s an indicator of owners who’ve treated it well overall. 🤞🏻

Thanks all.

Thanks all for your suggestions and advice, I had a mechanic (ex VW now private) give the car a good look over yesterday and he drove it too, my Dad has also looked over it all as well, he's not an expert but knows his way around a car. Between the three of us and the paperwork and records we have decided that we think it's OK, as much as we can know with a used car. Mechanic could see no signs of a leak anywhere and there certainly wasn't anything dripping or anything like that. It's a £1,900 car and at this end of the market I appreciate that you can't ever be sure of anything, and you aren't getting a Rolls Royce!! I've got the dealer to throw in a 6 month mechanical warranty for the price we agreed and I am considering having my mechanic put a new cam belt on so I know that's done, and new discs and brakes. Here's a picture of it! 🙂 Keep all your bits crossed for me! Thanks again for your support.

Thanks, yes the brakes isn't the reason i came on here, it's def the coolant leak I am keen to understand more about. I am hoping to take a mechanic friend with me to take a look later on. Fingers crossed we can have a sensible conversation about it then.

thank you, and yes good advice re the discs

Thank you that’s useful. Servicing looks good and cam belt has been changed at least once per the service book. There’s a handwritten note on one page in the service book saying “water pump changed at 75,000 miles” which is a bit questionable so this all warrants a bit more of my time. I’m hoping to take my mechanic friend to give it a look over tomorrow 🤞🏻 And boringly reliable is my dream at the moment 😬

Good idea, thank you!

Thanks all, yes I will of course talk to him further about all of the above, and I appreciate this is all a matter of opinion, and as you say JR - how risk averse one is! I am just trying to avoid buying a car that could end up needing a new radiator within a matter of months, for instance! (My very limited knowledge at this level is making me wary!) I am also aware that some of these MOT testers can be really picky. The brakes I am less concerned about as they are a known cost either way - was really just a comment from me on the overall experience yesterday and explaining I was a little thrown by this which perhaps left me less vigilant over looking at the paperwork while viewing. The dealer is well established locally and has been in the same site for 20+ years. My gut says he's a decent dealer and I must buy something within 5 weeks (for sub £2k as is my current budget) as have a car on loan till then but as we all know with older cars you can get surprises! It's on for £1,990 with 90k miles on it and it's very cosmetically tidy. Autotrader is telling me it's a fair price :-)

Thanks. Good point about checking the buying chain. I’m assuming the coolant leak hasn’t been dealt with as it was only an advisory. It’s obviously not a fail, just on there for info. Hence me looking for general advice on how to proceed, or walk away. And as I understand it with older cars the sale of goods act etc can be a bit ambiguous? As a 2009 car will no doubt be deemed “fit for purpose” if it drives ok and has a new valid MOT. 🤔