Hokay, first post (hi there) following much searching.

I am looking at 2 Fabia estates (both petrol). One is a 2002 Elegance (2L) with ~35k on the clock and the other a 2004 bog standard 1.2 12V with ~30k on the clock. I know that this is a bit like a chalk & cheese comparison but I'd appreciate advice on which to go for! We'll be replacing a much loved Pug 205 1.8 diesel - we kind of need a bit more interior space! - so I'm a little concerned that the 1.2 will be a little gutless in comparison. However, fuel economy is high on the list of priorities, along with reliability.

Looking forwards to hearing from y'all.

have a look here

Skoda Fabia Estate (01-08) - Facts & Figures - Parker's

I havent driven either but at 15.8s to 60mph for the 1.2 i couldnt deal with that, the 2.0l looks a bit better though

what about a 1.9 tdi?

Thanks mate :-) Those are the only 2 estates 2nd hand available ATM - unless I buy new (and with the old mortgage millstone around the neck that's not a viable option for us!)

Welcome

TBH For the money I would be looking at a second hand 1.9 TDI

Cheers If I could, I would! The old pug'll do ~50mpg (estimated) in the urban/extra urban cycle! However I doubt that there'll be a 1.9 TDI available within the next week...

I think both engines have reasonable reliability (for instance compared to the 1.4 8v or 16v petrols). The 1.2 is a much more modern design, I think the 2 l is an older 8v Golf GTI engine and is consequently a bit thirsty whilst on paper not having that much more bhp than the 1.4 16v petrol. The 1.2 is willing but obviously is down on power which I'd think would be exacerbated in an estate compared to the hatchback - especially if you have ambitions to carry large loads. From what you say the 2 l is a higher trim level as well which I'm sure you'd appreciate (fog lights, air con, electric heated wing mirrors, trip computer etc.) so I'd be leaning towards that - similar mileage but just a bit older. One assumes you've done your research and will know to check that the front anti-roll bar has already been replaced with a redesigned one and that the door seals are ok with no wet carpets etc? It wouldn't take much to pull up the figures for the combined cycle mpg for both cars of the net and then compare this against an estimated fuel cost and annual mileage to see what difference there would be in the bottom line. Finally see if you can take both for a drive to see if you can tolerate the lower power if the fuel economy is important. There have been a number of recent fora where people have discussed the common issues/faults with the Fabia (what Skoda/VW would could ''design features'') so it is worth searching for these. I think the 1.9 tdi would be the best option if you can find one.

Thanks tag, yeah been hammering the search engines...

TBH I can't see the 1.2 being that hot economy wise when loaded so published MPG aren't going to be that helpful in that case. Neither do the figs really give much indication of what efficiency is going to be in the real world - they'll be based on the best results! I guess being a 2004 registered model means possible cam chain tensioner issues (if it's an earlier engine) - bit of a cr*p shoot really!