Little help, considering buying.

[snownrock]

Im selling my GPS for something bigger and my head is telling me to get a 1.9PD Fabia or Octy estate, but my heart wants a 1.8t vrs estate.

I was just wondering if you guys could list the most common problems with this car and this engine. I have searched, but searching 'problem' is like opening pandoras box. Along with problems, what are the servicing intervals/costs, when do belts need doing etc? What are average running costs?

Im sure you get plenty of these threads but a minute of your time would be appreciated, my knowlegde (albeit limited) is of the Fabia, and dont have much of a clue about the Mk1's, my dad has a Mk2 tdi vrs but thats about it.

Cheers guys.

[chicken_eyebrow]

Coil packs, leaking hoses, water leaks from door seals, water leaks from rear wash-wipe, small electrical faults, suspension component problems seem to be a popular one recently.

Saying that I haven't had any of those problems yet, fingers crossed.

Cambelt should be done every 60,000 miles and the water pump should be done at the same time as it involves removing and reassembling the same parts which takes a long time.

This will give you an idea of Cambelt costs:

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/rolling-thread-cam-belt-quotes/99042/

If its on fixed length servicing it will need servicing every 10k miles which costs anything from £170-£250 depending on where you go and what you need doing (£250 is main dealer price). I've no idea of the variable length servicing price but it'll be serviced less often, although the oil is dearer for variable servicing.

For best performance it will need Super Unleaded. Depending on the condition of the engine, you could get as good as 35-38mpg or as bad as 30ish mpg.

[snownrock]

So similar problems that afflict the Fabia then it seems, cheers for the help. Doing a bit of geekery and making a spreadsheet to compare yearly running costs (bored at work )

[David 8]

For best performance it will need Super Unleaded. Depending on the condition of the engine, you could get as good as 35-38mpg or as bad as 30ish mpg.

Or if your me......as low as 20MPG. But I do a lot of stop starting round the city centre. But generally the car seems to be holding up well a few niggly problems but nothing that should leave you stranded on the M4 at 3 a.m.

That said it is a car and as such anything can happen so don't all this as gospel truth.

HTH

[auroan]

I got a vRS estate espcially for my two labs. Great car and a perfect all rounder really. Only got rid due to a divorce and my dogs being taken away from me.

Didn't have a problems with it at all during my ownership.

[chicken_eyebrow]

So similar problems that afflict the Fabia then it seems, cheers for the help. Doing a bit of geekery and making a spreadsheet to compare yearly running costs (bored at work )

Yeah some of the problems are similar. The turbo engine in the vRS has more bits to go wrong (read posts on 17705/17545 fault codes etc.) than your Fabia's MPI engine had but generally speaking its a great engine, it even won a number of awards in its time:

List of Volkswagen Group petrol engines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Blanchie]

I got a vRS estate espcially for my two labs. Great car and a perfect all rounder really. Only got rid due to a divorce and my dogs being taken away from me.

Didn't have a problems with it at all during my ownership.

Sorry slight post Highjack....can relate to that exacly:thumbdwn even to the selling of my VRS estate:...sorry to here mate

[Babs]

My car's perfect

[EMDrox]

Got a vRS estate and it's fantastic. Had the wierd feeling of speaking to the previous owner today, a year after I bought it, and he wishes he hadn't sold it!

Mine was on variable service (60,000miles in 2.5yrs and had 3 services in that time at I think about 20,000, 37,000 and 54,000) but I've put to standard interval. Got a suspected air leak on hose somewhere around intercooler but only identified through a rolling road run, causes no problems in normal use. Engine is good for plenty high mileage as long as looked after.

It's just brilliant. I'm not biased am I??!!

[Clarey]

I've had to fix the secondary air pump a few months ago on mine(it gets really noisey). Followed the diy guide from ukmkivs site.

Other than that nothing has needed doing.

[PSM]

I had a Mk1 vrs although it was a hatchback and had very few problems with it mechanically. I had a few niggling electronic issues with the central locking (water in the control unit in the door) and also the cooling level light coming on in cold weather when first starting the car (believed to be dirty connections in the expansion tank). I never had any issues that meant I was stuck on the side of the road. If you go the VRS route then make sure (as with any car really) it has a full service history and check for accident damage (just in case it has seen the wrong side of a hedge). You may also want to add a bit into the budget to install a better stereo as the factory fit unit is a little rubbish.

Even though I sold it about 1.5 years ago I still look back on it with found memories.

If you do get one I will look out for you and see how it compares to my Mk2 TDI Vrs!!!!!!!