Hi all, I'm new to BRISKODA.NET so I'm looking for a bit of advice!

I'm considering either a 2004 facelift Fabia VRS (in black) or a Fabia Elegance TDI Estate (silver/black/grey) which I would then Superchip to VRS power levels. I'm on the chunky side so I reckon the normal seats in the Elegance would be better, but I think the VRS looks fantastic, especially in black.

Most of my 17k per year mileage is motorway, I used to have a 51 plate Fabia 1.4MPI Comfort which I really liked (apart from the engine - too slow and too thirsty). Currently running a ten year old Honda Accord 2.2 VTEC which is a wonderful car but all the power is at the top end, which is not ideal for the motorway, plus it does 27-31 mpg, which is costing me quite a bit in petrol every month. Will stick details/photos of it on the Freedom section when I get around to resizing pictures etc.

So, here are the questions:

• Has anyone had any experience of Superchipping the TDI PD engine? Will it reduce the engine's lifespan? Does it affect the fuel economy? Will the trip computer still work properly?
  
• I'm planning to run the car to about 170k, will these engines do that sort of mileage. I'm not daft, I'll not thrash it from cold, leave it ticking over for a minute before switching it off and will service it properly.
  
• Does the PD engine have one of those dreaded particulate filters that everyone dreads that newer cars have? I'm presuming (and hoping) not!
  
• I have a six year old stepdaughter, which is why I'm reluctant to buy a VRS with it's white interior. Does it clean up okay? Not going to allow food in it but the back of the front seats are bound to get mud on them :(
  
• Finally, does the facelift VRS with the later rear lights come with remote boot release from the key?
  

Many thanks!

PD engines are pretty much bullet proof, if you go for the estare, go to someone other than superchips you will get a much better map.

I have just bought an estate with 170K on it and it still drives like a new car, so no problem there either.

All vRS's come with remote boot release, not just the facelift ones.

Your decision in the end, but are you looking at an estate for the extra space??? This is why i am currently building a vRS estate as the hatch is just not quite big enough

Alex

Deleted by MODVRS

Edited 20 June, 200917 yr by MODVRS

Thanks for your reply. It's the estate for extra space, yes (plus I quite like the styling of it). Normally have big saloons with big boots, but bought a Fabia which I had for six months as a "put me on" car, which really impressed me, lovely ride quailty and never let me down. I found the boot just that bit too small - the estate has just that extra bit of space that will make all the difference, plus I like the cubbyholes either side of the boot on the estate. The Elegance has a fantastic specification for the money too, cruise and heated seats.

Any suggestions as to who to go to for it chipping?

No particulate filter is good - what is the BLT engine and how is it different? Cars I've been looking at have been facelift ones - £5.5k seems to get me an Elegance estate on a 54/05 plate with 70k on or less.

First thing I presume on purchase is to get the belts, tensioners and waterpump done!

BLT is one of the engine codes you'd find on a VRS - it's the later, Euro-4 compliant version, I believe.

There are also 2 possible PD100 engines in a 1.9 TDI estate - ATD and AXR.

I've had estates with both types of engine - the economy on the later, Euro 4-compliant engine (AXR engine code) seems to be a few mpg worse than the earlier, Euro 3 version (ATD code). I get 52-53mpg when the old one was nearer 55-56. On the other hand, because the newer one has slightly better emissions, you'd pay less tax next year.

The Euro 4 PD100 engine also seems to suffer from the same "stutter" problem as the BLT engine in a VRS.

Any good tdi tuning company on here, personally i would go for a custom remap. The PD100 clutch is good enough to hold a remap, i had a PD100 mapped to about 145bhp for 80k and had no problems at all. Fitting a PD130 inlet manifold made a big difference too along with the PD160 intake.

You can always fit the vRS front bumper to the estate for the looks

Alex

Funny you should say that, I'm looking at a black one at the moment and was thinking that it would look the business with the VRS front bumper, wheels, brakes etc. The flip side is that I quite like the idea of VRS power with no outward signs.

Decisions, decisions...

If it were me, id go for the estate and map it. Its funny as it is seeing peoples faces as you pull past, let alone in a estate lol

Think you're right! Being passed by a Skoda Diesel Estate with a babyseat in the back and the standard biscuit-tin lid 14" alloys could wipe the smile off the face of a few of the smug g1ts I see every morning driving like prats in company BMWs (and Audis, recently).

If it were me, id go for the estate and map it. Its funny as it is seeing peoples faces as you pull past, let alone in a estate lol

I have a 1.9 TDI Elegance Estate which is not mapped and the look on people's faces when I fly past them is great. How much would remap cost, I had a Vrs for a few months which loved but I miss the extra power.

The 1.9PD100 (which I drive) has done 240k+ now and still goes strong. The clutch is pretty much sh*fted but then it's had a few major, major overload moments with >220k on the clock to be fair, and that isnt something to be recommended..

I did consider a mild map for a bit but as mine will undergo a fairly big change soon anyway there is no point for me. I personally didnt think superchips was bad at all actually, I had my Fab vRS mapped by superchips at 201 bhp and decent torque, it could have taken a lot more but it worked smoothly and well.

Plenty of decent maps out there now, it all depends on how much you want to spend on extra hardware, a generic but smooth map may be all you need/want.

You can do lots more if you want but the PD100 turbo isnt *that* big plus internals wont go too much higher.

Jason/Devonutopia took his PD100 up to very nice levels, before he switched to the PD130 based gear, and tuned it a 'bit' more

I have a 1.9 TDI Elegance Estate which is not mapped and the look on people's faces when I fly past them is great. How much would remap cost, I had a Vrs for a few months which loved but I miss the extra power.

I don't know about the other tuning places, but Superchips charge £500 for an extra 32 bhp (if I remember rightly).

Do they wear a mask and a striped jumper? Many many places will do generic maps for half that and other places will do a custom map on a RR for cheaper than that. And youll get more horsepower from either.

So everyone says, but no-one tells me where they are or how to find them!

If you want to tow, don't get a VRS.

Do they wear a mask and a striped jumper? Many many places will do generic maps for half that and other places will do a custom map on a RR for cheaper than that. And youll get more horsepower from either.

You will also find your turbo ending in a million pieces and your clutch burned to a crisp.

Saw a Fabia vRS blow its Turbo up as it overtook me, £5,000 worth of damage

So everyone says, but no-one tells me where they are or how to find them!

rs tuning mate based quite handily in leeds

Revo did my pd100 last year.

excellent results. 150 hp and still v economical. look on their website to see if they have a franchise near you.

My engine is the later euro 4 emission car and had the dreaded stutter.

I did egr restriction mod with washer drilled to 11 mm. (search for previous threads) and completely cured it for about £2!!!

I believe the elegance and vrs seats are the same except for the cloth. They certainly felt the same last time I dropped SWMBO's vrs in for a service and they gave me an elegance estate as a courtesy car.