james

And I own a simple and slow silverline, although I don't feel too inadequate because it's fully loaded with body kit and chrome, and in my own puny mind it's not that slow, i mean compared to walking it's a doddle. Be proud, be loud, use your name - i have

I have seen at least 3 vrs estate police cars in west yorkshire, and definitely one hatch. AT the end of the day it makes commercial sense for them to buy a

I read in Automotive News recently that VW/SKoda may do an about turn on the Superb, sales have picked up considerably since launch and this is helping to keep it in production. As for the current head of VW, Pitschreider ( I think is how it's spelt) let's not forget he is the ONE and the SAME man who on the day of the Rover 75 launch publicly raised concerns about Rover and build quality, he did the same thing with the Superb? The Fabia is due for a facelift I read somewhere in 2004/2005, including a revised front end and comprehensive revisions to the interior, in particular the dash, which has been criticised more recently as being rather lacklustre against new rivals. Other than that I think the revisions will be kept to a minimum. The Octavia is due for complete replacement in 2004, and will share the brand new Golf/A3 platform. Being all new the changes are anyone's guess. Personally I think they should ditch it, and produce more Superb variants, to include a hatch and estate, and a cheaper price tag.

Point taken, and I agree, but in fairness, and I speak for myself here, the rattles to which I am referring are not what you would consider acceptable, perhaps rattles is too subtle a word to use but when those noises actually convince you your car is going to fall apart on, say, a motorway journey, then they become unacceptable. I notice you have an Octavia, I used to have one and it had no such ailments, nor did my 2000 Fabia, which actually was a car with absolutely no rattles or squeeks whatsoever, as praised at the time in Autoexpress and Whatcar, it does appear however, that later produced cars, and especially 2002 models are suffering quality issues, it is evident from this forum that a number of people are experiencing identicle problems. It is worth remembering that as it stands today, the Fabia is considerably more expensive than a lot of it's newer rivals, poorly equipped and suffering quality issues, I went for the Fabia again, because my past experience of owning everything from the estelle, favorit, felicia and octavia and fabia were all good, I expected my Favorit and felicia to rattle and shake and bang, and indeed they did, but at a no frills budget price i couldnt really complain. The Fabia is not a budget car, it's a very good car, not cheap and Skoda have no excuse, we want people to believe skoda are great, we buy them at the end of the day, if we don't pull them up on such issues so they can sort them out, then the jokes will continue. IMO :cheers:

In Leeds there around 1 million Skoda Taxi's which admittedly has seen my street cred as a private owner go down the pan, try driving in the city on a friday night, and there are hands clawing at my doors thinking i'm a taxi!!!! As for the rattles, I have just booked mine in again at the dealer for the front end noise, I too am convinced it's an engine mount, at the end of the day they are the only things that hold it in place, so when it knocks and bangs there must be a weakness somethwere in there. The rattle in the Dash I am having looked at again, I mentioned the infamous creak and they immediately said is the centre of the dash, I said no because that one has been fixed, the one to the left of the dash seems much more perplexing, and now the weather is hotting up, even more excrutiatingly annoying than ever before! the terms blackboard and teeth spring to mind! I love the Fabia, and I loved my first like no other, but these build quality issues, which is what they are when they cannot construct it not to rattle and creak, are seriously questionning my faith in the brand, there is only so long my sanity can put up with all these grating noises, as suggested by someone, I would turn up the CD player, but then the doors rattle! it's a no win situation. I'll keep you posted on developmenets/cures.

The noise from the front, does it make it too when you turn your engine off, mine has a knocking when starting and switching off, like the engine is moving more than intended. I shook the engine when switched off, which must have looked strange to passers by I know, but I got a knocking from the engine mount, I don't think any knocking should come from the engine mounting, which must get a lot more punishment thatn my feeble attempts to rock it? I know the 8v is a rather crude unit, but it doesnt sound like it's the engine itself, rather the relationship between the engine and the bodywork. I mentioned this noise to the dealer when it was serviced, they cannot have checked it out because they told me they had replaced the "drop links"? they said Fabias are having problemns with rods and joints in the suspension, but this has had no effect on the noise, so I can summise it was not connected at all.

Have any other Fabia owners been unhappy with their interior. My 8 month old Fabia is suffering from numerous interior trim rattles, vibrations and squeaks. to date I will list the problems. 1 Behind Dash Creak, still unresolved and getting worse as the weather warms up 2 Drivers door handle (with window switches) vibrates continuously 3 Passenger and Driver door panels vibrate when speakers used at almost any volume. 4 Trim around headlight switch vibrates at any speed 5 Rear Head rests, rattle and knock whatever I do with them 6 Clutch peddle rattles 7 Drivers seat creaks when going around bends ( am a light 130lb's so not sure why?) 8 Externally - knocking coming from front, thought wa suspension, but now am convinced it's the engine mount. The problems especially with the interior ar so that I feel akward going to the dealer because it just sounds like i am really fussy, but having had a fabia prior to this, was was virtually silent on the move, i get the feeling that Fabia production is rushed more than it was, and the strikes at Skoda probably havent helped. Anyone else having similar problems with 2002 + model year cars? Thanks

Hi, My wheels are standar fit 14 alloys, but they are 185/60 After all I said in my post, I went travelling the other week and ended up with two irreperable punctrures, si finally decided to replace the whol lot and fit Michelin XT1's. The car is noticeably better and holds better and is quieter, the only problem with now having quieter tyres is I can hear all the interior plastic trim vibrations and rattles even more, something i am determined Skoda will fix, it is beyond acceptable for an 8 month old car, and didnt happen in my last Fabia??? Thanks

I had this problem (amongst others) when I had the 16v unit, the dealer replaced the throttle control unit and it seemed ok since, but I have to say it still had a mind of it's own, such as revving itself at traffic lights, which got some nasty looks from the old ladies scooting across the road!

My front fabia speakers vibrate too! I havent really blasted them out so I just wonder if they are basically a load of crap! Should I go back to the dealer and get them sorted? How would you remover the door panel anyway, my drivers door handle rattles and vibrates now and I havent a clue how to get at it, how the helldo skoda assemble things with no visible fixings or screws? Please someone help me before the vibrations send me insane.

Sound fantastic! Where did you get them from and what was the financial damage, sound just what i'm looking for! :drive1:

Someone mentioned that the 1.4 8valve can be 'sorted' too, is this the case, and if it is, what gains can be expected out the old lump if it pushes 100bhp? At the moment my car is all skirt and no knickers, and the engine doesnt do the bodywork any justice at all.

I have had a body kit fitted to my car (skoda original one) and chromed everything up, but I still have standar 14" alloys. I would really like soem like yours, but am not sure what effect it has on the car, my dealer was reluctant to even suggest something saying it affects gear ratios ????

Coil recalls me thinks?

I think it's something to with the air ducting expanding and contracting, which would explain the differences between cold and hot, but I am not sure how to get at them. As for the Glovebox, it has been replaced, and to settle my own curiosity, I even took the entire glovebox out and drove it for a day, the creaking was still there. I did think maybe the heater itself, which is located on the bulkhead behind the glovebox might be the cause but I can't get at that. I'll keep trying. Are the vent covers easy to take out, especially the small one on the left, I don't want to damage them or not be able to put them back.

Is there anything that can be done for the above engine. All the stuff ive seen so far is for already fairly powerful engines, can anything be done to make this one a little chirpier. Let's face it for a 1.4 it sure is sluggish? Anyone :?:

My creaky dashboard has returned with a vengeance. When the car/heater is cold, the central area creaks and cracks intermittently. However, when hot the left hand side creaks continuously and the central one stops. Having seen the dealer a number of times when I first got the car to not much avail, I would rather try tackle this myself, but these modern dashes are like bank safes to get into. Has anyone had the same problem i describe and if so what is the best way to tackle it. (the left hand side creak does stop if you apply enough force to the lower dash) Please help before I go insane. Was looking at selling this car, but couldnt possibly while it does this! :cry:

Has anyone witha 1.4 mpi Fabia noticed any grip problems. I have previously owned an elegance and presently have the silverline, which has the same alloys. HOwever, I have a hell of a lot of wheelspin nearly everytime I set off and it does not feel anywhwre near as grippy on bends, I don't have confidence throwing this car round corners as I did the elegance. It has the standar 14 inch alloys with firestone tyres. From what I recall my first car had pirelli. Any ideas anyone. Thanks

Crikey! I had exactly the same problem. I didn't have this on my first Fabia, what have they done in production to cause all these creaks on so many Fabia's?

Skoda owners do sometimes acknowledge each other. When I got my very first, which was a fabia at the month of Launch, every other fabia I passed flashed their lights, which was quite charming really. To this day, 3 years later my new fabia still get's people coming up to me to talk about it. Now you wouldnt get that with a Polo or Fiesta would you!

I have driven the saloon, and it is a bit different to the two hatches I have had. I have to be honest though and say that the proportions and styling really let it down, when you look at the Seat saloon, it is a much more attractive package, but the fabia does look like it's been glued on the back. And the access is quite small too, so you have more room but it cannot be used. I would say they have shifted far less than the already nominal numbers they expected to.