RobL

Doesn't even seem limited to 1.4tsi's. Might be a more extreme case due to the performance/size of the engine, but if you search for 2.0tsfi oil consumption problems you find quite a few empty dipsticks.

Yup, chain driven. It's mentioned on Honest John's site as a problem area if you don't change your oil and filter frequently enough. Can stretch and give a tinkling noise.

I've recently noticed my wife always has slightly higher oil temperatures when driving our VRS. The highest I think i've had our temperature at the end of a run is around 89 degrees with my wife around 91. I'd say i'd expect about 86 on a normal run, is this similar to everyone elses? This car seems to take quite a while to build heat, but once it's hot it really cooks. I'd be interested to hear everyone else's experiences?

PROBLEM FREE: 1) Sharkrider. fabia vRS. 24,500 miles 2) Newbie 69. fabia vRS. 14,000 kms 3) Brin. fabia vRS 11,000 miles 4) MartynVRS Fabia vRS Estate 4800 miles 5) Pansom. vRS 4000 km minor stuff. 6) Mrs Goldfinger Vrs (DSG) 60 plate 4000 miles. ( hesitation but now ok ) 7) MOBB vRS 18,000 miles 8) pipsyp minor stuff 9) Brian 69 vRS - 60 plate - 11,150 miles - no problems (probably kiss of death posting this ) mods - only me! 10) the mad monk fab vrs 4400 miles (DRL's road rage aside, all minor issues) 11) Robl Fabia vRS 8,400 miles

Fabia vRS estate 8400 miles July 2011 No serious problems so far - a few niggles which I havent brought to dealers attention yet (creaky rear suspension when wet/cold, key fob central locking not worked twice (believe it's an ECU flash)). Used 1 litre of oil so far for top ups; not overly worried at the moment, last car used about 5 litres in same distance. Mods: none

Not sure what is possible as far as monitoring goes. It's just the part of our car that worries me most about keeping it past warrenty. The throttle modification is very interesting though. Throttle response and kickdown are two things I really would change.

Very nice. See your torque is still pretty high, 100nm over stock. Is it possible to perform any diagnostics on that? Is it holding up ok?

Should be. Not sure if it was in a folder called Music or just in the root directory now, have to check if you need.

Ok i'm extremely confused. So i'm the only one who can do this with an Amundsen (none plus)? I was so shocked by this I even went out to the car and tested it even though we've been using it for six months now. I have the UK maps installed on my SD card and a folder of music. You can't install UK and European maps on same SD but afaik that was the only limitation. I just started the radio, switched to Media and Katy Perry Starstrukk came on (no flames please! ) hit the Sat Nav button, Stored Dest ASDA Falmouth (from our Cornwall holiday), Katy Perry happily playing in the background and "The route is now calculating..".. Sat Nav up and running can switch to media and back with no effect on Sav Nav. I also know from experience they work in combination on the road, as it's sometimes a bugger if you turn the volume down at the wrong time, and mute your Sat Nav instead of the Media.. You have to play the "guess when the woman will next speak to tweak the volume" game. Just to be 100% I have no + on the writing of my Sat Nav, have no on board hard drive and installed my maps from CD in the car to the SD card. Oh and my CD's are in their case inside my house and the only time i've had them near the car was for installation. So i'm utterly confused and if you can get the SD working for Sat Nav and Music I really recommend it. No risk of leaving your valuable hardware on show in a car park and it is lightning fast to access.

We have a 16 month little un and have done trips to Center Parks Nottingham, an Anglesey Bungalow and a Cornwall Cottage for self catering holidays in our Fabia vRS estate so far. We have a massive Mommas and Papas all terrain pram and don't tend to pack light (2x20k+ bags, travel cot from hell (seriously it would be smaller to flat pack our standard Ikea one), timberland hold all and 2x(full)rucksacks, shopping and baby stuff+pram), but we haven't required a roof box yet. So the 400l space with retractable parcel self is an extremely useful and boxy shape, but luggage doesn't run about or chew prams. With 2 large dogs i'd be thinking Octavia or if you could stretch a used Suberb estate. With a roof box anything is possible but i'm sure it'd be a push if you wanted to holiday at home or go away for the weekend with the dogs in even a Fabia estate, wouldn't like to think about coping in a hatch.

Couldn't agree more and if you get a black Kingston one it fits virtually flat to the unit and is barely noticable even in the car.

Our car suffers from this too and has since about 3k miles this summer. The weather hasn't seemed to change it at all for us, we're just waiting for 10k service to raise the issue.

Sorry didn't really want to sell it. For me it came under the catagory of a cheap upgrade that might add value to a resale, as I understand it's something that some people don't like to live without even if there are compromises. That said not sure I'd go to the trouble of retro fitting it. But living in hope someone has a technique that makes it more useable.

I have a vRS estate with the factory fitted armrest and I have to say it's the one option I could really do without. We never use it as it fouls the handbrake so badly. Do you move it up and down at junctions or just work round it?

First dealer I went to said white paint was a cost option and sunset glass at rear was a dealer accessory. Even quoted me the extra for the paint. He DID lose a sale after that.

Just to pretty much confirm everything already posted. I did email Castrol sometime ago to see if they could clarify and this was their reply;

Very smart, get those night pics up! I'm bookmarking.

Couldn't agree more. The low ratio 7th gear is going to be a real downside when the motorway speed limit goes to 80. Maybe we can set up a petition to get Skoda to provide an optional remap for the DSG?

Think you've missed my point a bit Lee. Pirelli Sottozero's would definitely be in my premium winter tyre list and one I would certainly purchase if available. As for performance I don't doubt the difference with a quality winter tyre and the change from 235 to 205. Auto Express note the winter tests they did with 205 summer tyres last year allowed the car to easily scale a snowy incline. The 225's this year didn't stand a chance so the wider tyre clearly suffers a great deal more.

Well, there is some debate there, which is my issue with buying lower priced winter tyres. Auto Express have a winter tyre guide in their Oct 12-18th issue which compares the leading winter tyres with ContiSportContact 3. Whereas it is clearly pathetic on snow and ice when it comes dry and wet conditions under 7 degrees there is some debate. On Straight Aquplanning it scored 111.4 and was ranked 1st above the 100 of the top Continental and 92 of the lowest Vredestein. On Curved Aquaplanning it scored 108.9 and was ranked 1st above the 100 of the top Pirelli and 69 of the lowest Nankang. (Both of these results I consider quite important doing mostly motorway miles each year) Wet Handling was 8th it scored 95.3, Michelin was 100 and it came just behind Vredestine 96.5; above Nangang and Kumho. Wet Breaking was 10th scored 80.0, Continental was 100 and it came just behind Kumho at 84.4. Dry Handling it scored 102.7 and was ranked 1st above the 100 of the top Vredestein and 98.7 of the lowest Pirelli. Dry Breaking it scored 110.3 and was ranked 1st above the 100 of the top Vredestein and 95.5 of the lowest Michelin. Rolling Resistance it was 8th (won't bother with the other details on that). Snow breaking, snow traction, snow handling, snow slalom all terrible as expected. Personally though living in the North West of England, and content with driving very slowly on snow and ice as a general rule anyway, I think I'd only change for a tyre that will be comparable for normal driving conditions aswell as the extremes.

Thanks for the replies. Quite interested in the Pirelli's, I'll give camskill a call. Conits aren't avail in OE size, I just wondered if anyone had found a decently priced set for another set of rims. I guess they aren't widely available.

Still living in hope someone will spot our chat and know of an affordable option for Continental WinterContact TS830 on the Fabia Mk2 vRS? Anyone? :(

Our OE tyre size is 205 40 R17 and the only options i've found for us are Sunny, Wanli, Nexen and Roadstone; the last two as mentioned above are the same and I was looking for a premium brand as I have done 7.2k miles in just under 3 months so do tend to rack up the miles. It's even more dissappointing when going through 15, 16 and 18 inch wheel conversion options I only found a single 15" option which included my chosen tyre at pretty insane cost (£149 to £189 per tyre+rim). So was just querying if anyone else has had any luck? My dissappointment was from my belief, as with yourself, that I'd have had no issues grabbing the tyres of my choice off the shelf.

Out of curiosity, has anyone managed to find a way to fit Continental WinterContact TS830 to their Fabia Mk2 vRS? To say i've been shocked with the lack of choice and difficulty of fitting winter tyres would be an understatement. First time I've looked for winter tyres as I'm now commuting 40 miles plus a day but I've never found it this hard to give money away before! I wonder if Auto Express realise it's not only consumers who are dragging their heels on winter tyres uptake in the UK.

I'd be interested to hear a VRS review on this too. The TMC guys do seem to offer good user feedback on the Audi forums. TMC Audi A1 - 185ps thread Seems settings 6-7 are the best options?