FabiaGreenline

thank you, sorted:-)

Hi I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I haven't come across a yes/no answer in my search so advance apologies if this is a duplication. My Greenline's bottle of "jollop" is now out of date for puncture repair. I am possibly going to the Outer Hebrides later in the year, and the likelyhood of a Twit-Fit being open on a Sunday afternoon is probably nil. I think it's time for a spare wheel, I have seen some used wheels for sale from a VW Polo with a 5 stud pattern and exactly the same wheel and tyre size as my allows, 165/70R14 - but on a steel wheel. Does anybody know if my existing bolts from the alloys are fine for the steel wheels? thanks. edit - duh..... I mean wheel bolts!

Just an update, popped it in to Meadens Skoda, Sway my local dealer who fitted them during the service. They changed the fluid and took out the pads and checked everything (without additional charges), and tested the car. Peddle restored and bites and all is well again, so just goes to show fluid does age.

I treated my Fabia Greenline 1.4TDi to new discs and pads, opting to upgrade to EBC Turbogroove and EBC Greenstuff pads after being disapointed with the life span of the original VAG products which were ridged and worn out after 30k. My Skoda Dealer, Meaden of Sway, had no issues with me suppling these which came direct from EBC, and they fitted them during the 4th service. I gave the brake 400 miles of normal driving with no hard use to make use everything was ok with a considerable difference felt straight away. Following EBC's reconmendations (along with a road which used to be a runway) a bed in from 60mph to 10mph repeatedly 6 times. Slight burning smell from the pads but the instructions said to expect this, and so would I ! The car stopped rapidly and in a straight line which was very reasuring. I then carried on with an enthusastic drive home, making full use of my new brakes! However, a week on and my brake peddle is spongy. They work but need a good shove to get serious bite, so I'm wondering why? Checked fluid level its ok, but is coming up towards its 2nd change so I'm wondering if it got boiled. If I pump the peddle it gets hard but starts to sink. If I hold the car on the brake peddle in traffic it remains firm. Suggestions please before I book it back in £££££££ thanks

Had my 3rd service done here on the Fabia last week. Mixed feeling over the service, car came back as dirty as it went in which is my first frown. Service reception guy didn't know what spec oil had been used just replied Castrol (dpf car needing 507) so went off came back with a 1 litre bottle and read the back of it. Reported by front brake discs are corroded and lipped but no explanation give why at 25k and 2 1/2 yr this should be the case. In comparing the previous year service at Westover and this one at Meadens my opinion is Westover was better on this occasion.

Mine were fine, until a lazy moment and I went through the car wash.......

I had a lift in a Ford Focus S Max diesel semi auto tonight....with the pending question what do you think in wrong with it.... The noise I can only describe is like taking the tyre inflator of the airline and squeezing the valve to release air. This happens when the car starts to gain revs from stand still. When he dropped me off I watched him 3 point turn and drive off, from the pavement it was quite loud! I thought it might be something to do with the connection between the turbo and the inlet maniford. I don't really know much about the Ford TDCI engines...... suggestions?????? If you were a boy racer I'd say you have a blow of valve?

I don't see why you won't get 100mpg out of a Greenline II. My Greenline I has had 98.4 before and on Wednesday I drove up to London keeping a steady 60-65 from Bournemouth via the M25 and A2 over 140 miles I got 90mpg from cold start and urban driving through to Clapton E3. I'm still aiming for the 100mpg and now with the Michelin Energy on and the warmer weather coming I think this summer I will get there. You can get over 100mpg if you plan the right journey, i.e. all down hill but I just set myself normal everyday routes I use.

My badge on the rear hatch has gone funny under the top layer of plastic too, the outer silver ring. I also feel the quality of the paint on my Skoda isn't as thick and durable than any of my previous cars. Stone chips are all over the front, thank goodness its white and doesn't show too much. I've just put it down to the ecological paints used these days.

This was 'snoweconomy' run in December..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns9HqlXs1NE

My Fabia is Candy white on a 58 plate. It's just white in my opinion. I've had more white cars than any other colour, and they all have been great in hiding marks, scratches, and actually looks 'cleaner' when dirty compared to say silver, if that makes sense? Cooler in the summer, which is all good for reducing the air con.

A good link to some classic motorshow and factory shots of Skoda. http://www.flickr.com/photos/retromotoring/sets/72157600288510858/with/521981511/

Well to report, since I started this thread mine still plays up. Not as bad as it used to be, but still annoying. I find moving forward slightly before attempting reverse in the mornings seems to be the best way of unsticking the blighters. I would be interested to know how many people have had this work done free of charge under warranty at which dealers so I can be armed to pin mine down on it, as my last enquiry I was told it would be at my expense.

My Greenline 1.4TDi got the full treatment out on the Autobahn in September on a London -> Berlin run and the high ratio gearbox really came in to its own on the Autobahn across Germany, I think the speedo does over read, but kind of a feel good seeing it easily rise to 120mph and maintain speeds of 100+ . The GPS recorded 185kph, which is 115mph so it really performed well for a 1.4 diesel. What was interesting the rpm, at maximum speed it was turning at 3400rpm, well away from the red line. The overall London->Berlin->London run returned 57mpg with a heavy foot and loaded with luggage. Acceleration was brisk all the way up the 120mph indicated then the electronics basically say, thats your lot. The small wheels didn't feel like they were going to give any less grip at those speeds, and despite the hype you hear the road surfaces on the Autobahn are no better than those of the British motorways. I have noticed a distinct difference though now the car is on Michelins rather than the stock Dunlops in the overall smoothness and grip and handling in normal everyday driving.

so at 21500 miles, a full set of Michelin Energy have been put on the Greenline, so I'll be posting later in the week on how the car is performing with them.

Sorry I have to say that is untrue, as a driver in a Greenline doing the 5 mile cold start commute or less each day depending on the route. Since Nov 09 I've only had the DPF light 5 times during , which is easily fixed with a run along the dual carriageway for 8 miles just to warm it up more. I do longer journeys about once every two months which avoids the light in most circumstances as its doing its work then. Pottering around town gives around 60mpg, and longer journeys as documents here up to 98mpg. Diesel is not rendered useless for short trips. When I stay in London for extended trips, my driving around the city at some point normally involves a dual carriageway allowing 40mph 4 gear running which is enough to should it be necessary regen. The "Streetcar" company in London doesn't think it an issue either having a number of Polo Blumotion on their fleet all with the same 1.4TDi DPF. Also, consider what creates particulates in a diesel in good order.......a heavy right foot for one, so drive sensibly save some cash on fuel and DPF build up. With fuel here at least 130.9ppl the diesel economy over the most basic fuel efficient 1.2 petrol engine is superior and saving me loads of cash.

When I say speed were talking 30mph max, and very gently bringing up the handle just so you can feel it apply, then let it off. Repeated a few times. I had no intention of creating a rear wheel lock up! just enough to bed the linings against the drum. Tonight again its all back to normal still. Might add it wasn't on enough to even illuminate the dash warning light.

I would be challenging it, after all other manufacturers like Peugeot give 20,000 mile warranty on clutches. It seems the more I read this site, Skoda warranty isn't all its cracked up to be.

Well the update is my problem has gone. The exercising of the brakes using the handbrake when moving at speed, and giving the ABS a good work out have cured the problem. They day after a tiny little bit of sticking, and I drove 130 miles, parked up for two days, and no sticking at all. Drove 130 home, and was fine this morning and still fine this evening. I think like a lot of rear drums they don't get used nearly enough, and I don't drive like a pillock to be jamming on the brakes to often. Perhaps they were designed with the 'bmw' driver in mind, enough said. lol.

My fog lights on the Greenline mist up after sitting in wet weather, and its a battle I've given up on with the dealer to get them changed. They want photos emailled then it has to go to some regional warranty person - to be honest I find the complete Skoda dealer service poor so far.

I've booked it in for the 13th, the first time I can get across to Meadens in the New Forest and they have a slot on one of my days off. Seeing as thats nearly two weeks away, I've given the rear brakes a little exercise with the handbrake whilst the car is moving, and also exercised the ABS. Got a little more travel on the handbrake than before, and this morning no sticking. I just wonder if like a lot of rear brakes the lack of use just gums things up. Its going to be parked now for a couple of days so we'll see if that has sorted it out. If it has fixed it I'll just cancel the booking. When I asked the question is it covered by warranty I was told no.

My 2009 Fabia Greenline with 20,500 miles has started to have a problem with the rear drum brakes. My commute each morning is just under 5 miles, and sometimes first thing, but more so evening time - when I reverse out of my space the rear drums stick. The car rides on the suspension until clunk, they release. Question - Is this covered under warranty, I can't say I've ever had to replace shoes at such low miles, especially when the front pads are fine and still the originals. Could there be a minor fluid seepage do you think causing the binding when parked? The brakes work fine in use, when I had the car serviced at 17,500 they adjusted the handbrake.

Oh yeah, weird. I can only think as I reversed in to spot to park the diesel is slopping around in the tank from the inertia and during the clips settled back down. Would be nice though to have a magic one which fills up by itself from thin air! lol

I popped last night to Devizes to see my folks and stay over until today. No snow on route but it was cold out! Woke this morning to light snow coming down, mid morning it dawned on me I'd be heading back across Salisbury Plain so knowing how open and windy it was thought I'd better get cracking back to Bournemouth. Had my digital camera so thought I'd make a little video of my journey seeing what the MPG would be driving in winter conditions. The talk on the forum around the CR engine delivering very poor MPG in winter weather made me wonder what I would get with the PD engine. I'm cover the same route as previously used, abet in the opposite direction, when I was able to get 98.4mpg. Take a look : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns9HqlXs1NE

I was just wondering reading through this thread, why the UK has such a poor standard choice in fuel stocked. A recent trip to Koln, and I was amazed to see Aral having 7 different grades of fuel available, 4 petrol, 2 diesel and LPG. I'm wondering if the home market knows something about the home products and how they drive and what people demand, especially using the performance of the vehicle on the Autobahn etc. I regularly recall seeing at least 5 grades of fuel in the 80s at a lot of UK stations, 2*, 3* 4* 5* selected by pushing in the buttons and diesel around the back by the truck stop! Perhaps we forget we have anti-knock sensors and electronics doing all the work of our own ears, remember pinking? and choosing the right fuel and model of car, low compression versions for lower fuel grades were available in a lot of models to run on cheaper fuel. I don't see anything too wrong with having 'best performance' on 98 and if your happy running 95 then so be. OK before I'm told to move on for driving diesel, I'll have to be remembering its 98 in my Matra or its not so powerful and it will pink, but will run ok on 95.