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Sorry for spamming - To be fair, if the power steering hasn't kicked the bucket, I may have been able to eke out a few more years out of my Combi.

I eventually had to part-exchange mine to great disappointment as it failed the M.O.T. due to the power steering dying - The mechanic said that Volkswagen AG has discontinued it and he would have to spend time to hunt one down and even then it is not guaranteed that it will work for long... Mine had 121,000mi when it failed the M.O.T., so I guess that yours should last for at least that long. It was a sad day for me when we parted ways - I am sure that you will be able to get plenty of use out of the Combi. It spent most of its life taking disabled apparatus, house moves for myself and helping others as well along with covering most of Europe without missing a beat! My new car is nowhere near as big, but I was (and still am) not in a position to wait around for a car that would have been more preferable (definitely Skoda and other VAG).

I can count on my fingers how many times I have seen the Combi version in Britain. Even less so the sedan. The hatchback is quite common though.

I am thinking to sell it to a more knowledgeable enthusiast who may be able to give it a new lease of life... I do not want to scrap it as the engine is still good at the moment and the interior is in great condition for its age. There is a little bit of rust by the wheel arches which is the usual spot for it to start. And, a couple of days ago, an inconsiderate person has scraped me at the back. But, pretty minor stuff. I will take the Fabia logo as a memento though!

Hi Alasdair, I am aware of the clutch and the timing chain. The mechanic even told me not to bother with it as even if I was to repair it, the timing chain could go at any time and that would be an additional cost. So far, I have not had any clutch issues but at 120,000, I am aware that it is probably something that is on its way out. The mechanic is an independent one in a small village, not a chain. They are the only ones that provide hire cars, which I need. However, today, I have to give it back as they have a backlog of people so I will have no car... I do not want to scrap the car as it is quite rare in the U.K. and I believe that it still has a potential if someone knows what they are doing?

I have a 2003 Volvo V40 1.6 on my bookmarks. It is not far from me. It is a sedan, so just right for family. 70,000mi with full service history.

Thank you for your contributions! I did not expect this post to be so popular! Time is of the essence as I have disabled family to look after with no car and we are currently in between houses due to a situation that has occurred recently. I do not have a driveway, so cannot even attempt some D.I.Y. patches. (nor do I have time)

Indeed it is. The mechanic said that if he was me, he would not bother with this car and would buy a new one. I am hesitant to do so as I know this car and worry about another car having issues. This is my pride-and-joy. On the other hand, I paid £1250 two years ago and it now has 121,000mi. I do not want to spend a lot of money on it as the car is probably on borrowed time to be honest. If worst comes to worst, I do have a budget of under £3,000 for a car - but I am only interested in Skoda/VAG. Japanese considered as well.

This is what it has failed on: @Liger1956

It is really sad as this car is not common in Britain. The Sedan and the Combi estate are very rare and I have only seen one or two here. The hatchbacks are pretty common, which tends to be the trend in Britain (until SUVs came along). They are pretty common in Central Europe though, seen several in Germany and Poland.

This is what my car failed its MOT on: I have been quoted over a grand to get it to be MOT-worthy. The mechanic said that Volkswagen AG no longer make the Power Steering parts compatible for this car. Repair immediately (major defects): Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a)) Nearside Power steering pipe/hose excessively damaged leaking (2.1.5 (g) (i)) Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii)) Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a)) Nearside Headlamp lens seriously defective (4.1.1 (b) (ii)) Offside Headlamp lens seriously defective (4.1.1 (b) (ii)) Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b)) Offside Front Inner Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn Front (5.3.4 (a) (i)) Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c)) Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i)) Emissions unable to be completed exhaust leak (8.2.1.2 (d)) Repair as soon as possible (minor defects): Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i)) Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories): Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i)) Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Hi everyone! I am new to this website, so I do apologise if this is posted in the wrong place/in the wrong format. Today is a very sad day for myself as my pride-and-joy MK1 FabiaCombi from March 2007 (1.2HTP engine, Ambienté) has failed its MOT and I have been quoted over a grand to get it to pass (paid £1,250 two years ago with 100,000miles. Now has 121,000mi). It is a great shame as this car has never broken down on me and I have been all over Europe in it - I was even five miles away from Russia and never missed a beat! I really do not want to get rid of it but at the same time, it does not make financial sense to pay more than the car is worth to get it to pass its MOT. It is such a nice and comfortable car and to be honest, I am scared to buy a new car in case I have less luck than I did with the FabiaCombi and this car has been trustworthy. My budget is up to around £2000. This may sound silly, but the Combi is pretty much part of the family and it would be a genuine loss for myself. I look after my disabled family and I am the only person in my family who can drive which means that the Skoda was/is a life-line and a great quality of life improvement for us. What would you do if you were in my shoes? *Sorry for the long-winded message - but I am passionate about this car.