Thinking of buying a 2000-2003 Fabia. I like the looks and am looking for an alternative to a Golf.

Out of all the petrol engine variations which would be the ones to go for and which ones are best to avoid. I have been looking out for a 100bhp 16valve but most seem to be 75 bhp which I heard was meant for automatic gearboxs.

Is the 100bhp 16valve the one to go for? How can I spot if it is a 75bhp or 100 bhp?

Black 16V = 75bhp Ususally in the automatics, early sport trim, the salloon, and classic.

Red 16V = 100bhp comfort and elegance:)

there all pretty good engines though the 16v's are less robust than say the 2.0 or 1.2's and tdis, I think.

Avoid the MPI unless your not in a rush. the sdi can go forever on one tank!

Any engine will do.

The 1.48v is Skodas old unit, modified slightly from the Felicia.

But personally I'd go for the higher powered 1.2 12v (theres one for sale at £3500 check the cars for sale section)

or the 1.4 16v. my cousin just bought one (the 100bhp comfort.

The autos were 75BHP but they did make a Sport version with a 75BHP manual.

Each engine has its good points and flaws.

The engine cover and the rear badge will say 1.4 16V

Thanks - Looks like I will be going for a 1.4l 16 Valve Comfort if I find one at a good price .

As a guide

My cousin bought an 03 plate Comfort (with AC) 42k miles long MOT and a FSH for £4000 and the car was marked up at £4500 (he had to get it taxed himself)

And get a RAC check done for £5 and check the MOT history online.

Alternatively drop to a Felicia

Another thing is make sure you do your research and get help if need be.

My cousins Fabia dream almost was a nightmare.

He saw one Fabia 16v down in London, think it was a X/Y plate marked up at £3500. First impressions were good and it had done a fairly low mileage (60k). But after he put a deposit down and went back to collect and pay the rest the car wasn't the bargain it appeared.

The engine sounded rougher, one of the alloys was scratched/buckled and the underbody was rusty

When he came up North, got back to hunting and found a choice of 2. We picked one and went to see it. Now that was the car he bought.

Roadtested in town and a dual carriageway, tested everything worked and even examined the underbody.

Very lovely car. And he got it at a good price.

Only things that have gone wrong

1 - cig lighter socket didnt work when he drove the car home which we got a fuse for

2 - Engine management light came on just a month after. Had the throttle valve cleaned but actual fault was temperature sensor. Changed and the car is running better than ever and geting over 40mpg. £145 to tax (120 if registered before Mar 2001)

Out of curiosity sisko - why do you call the 1.2 12v more powerful than the 1.4 8v, afaik they are pretty similar but on the BHP side of things the 1.4 has a little more.

I meant the higher powered of the 1.2 units as they do a 6v unit too.

Sure on paper the 1.4 8v is pretty dire, however give it some stick and it'll keep up with and even embarrass many newer larger engined cars.

The downside of all that lead footedness is a relatively poor MPG.

If your feeling less energetic though it'll get you briskly to 60mph and purr along all day long.

I have driven the 1.4 8v unit and its pretty smooth and quiet in the Fabia.

And if you want your Skoda to be a proper Skoda then get this unit

I didnt know anything about Skoda so I bought my Felicia with the VW 1.6.

Lead footnedness will give you poor mpg in any car.

Now you've decided a Fabia the engine choice will have you thinking!!

And then theres the popular Hatch and Estates which command higher prices than the rarer saloons.

Besides the age is there any difference between 1.4L 16v 02 and 03 models engine wise? Or are they pretty much all the same since '00

I think that there might be a difference in engine codes.....

But I think they should be same design and things.

Avoid the 75bhp 1.4 - it's no faster than the 12v 1.2 and you need to thrash it to death to make decent progress , killing your fuel economy

So how does £3600 sound for an 02 16v 1.4L Fabia with 64,000 on the clock. Bargain?

I paid £4000 from an ex-Skoda dealer for my 45,000 mile, 02 16v Comfort with A/C last April. So that seems a bit on the high side.

If they are worth that much, perhaps I should sell mine!

If you're looking for an alternative to a golf as your post says'shouldn't you be looking at an Octavia?

The Fabia whilst a superb car is the alternative to its sibling the Polo, whilst the Octavia is the Golf based car.

Maybe he wants to downsize

i just brought a 02 comfort for £3200 with 44000 on the clock but it does not have a/c:thumbdwn:

Yes but my Felly doesnt have AC and that means I dont have to worry about regassing, smelly air con etc......

That said I was looking at the pssibility of retro fitting it to my Felicia (as some models did have air-con.

But decided against it.

You prob could have it retro fitted although you'll prob need a new centre console.

Just picked up a 2000 (W) Fabia. It's a 1.4 16v Elegance with AC and 70k on the clock and in pristine condition. Paid a smidge over 2k. Good value?

One thing to bear in mind when buying at this age is the road tax. Pre March 31st 2001 tax is determined by engine size. After that date it is by CO2 emissions.

As a result a 1.4 Fabia registered on 31st March 2001 will pay £120 pa but the same car registered on 1st April 2001 will pay £150 pa.

Found this out totally by accident when my daughter bought an X reg 1.4 Fabia just the right side of the change!