Took a 2006 '56 plate VRS out for a test drive this week, and it really impressed me - seemed very well built, no squeaks or rattles. Pulled like a train in the powerband and ride quality was excellent... True, it did understeer a bit on roundabouts, but it wasn't too bad.

Came back and then checked up here and was horrified by the amount of problems and niggles with these cars. Given Skoda's good reputation on the JD Power surveys etc I thought it would be a good, reliable little car.

Just HOW common are the more "serious" problems (engine / turbo, suspension, water leaks etc) and are the Euro IV cars more likely to suffer than the Euro III cars? I do realise that looking at a forum eccentuates any problems with a particular make or model, but I didn't expect the catalogue of problems!

Didn't want to be put off but I'm a cautious chap! Can you re-assure me or should I steer clear if I want a bulletproof reliable car (like my current MX5!)...

I understand your worries, but just because some owners have had some problems it doesn't mean all the cars will be like that. I have an 06 vrs and I have never had any water leaks and check regularly because of what has been said on here. I have also never had any engine/turbo issues. I have had the slight stutter but it really is no big deal.

Use the information on the site for an insight into what to look out for to make you aware of what may crop up, not to send you into a frenzie about what sounds like a good car.

As above mate I knew about all the little niggles they have but it never put me off buying 1

I wouldnt worry about the issues the fabia has. Truth is you get issues with any car you buy. No matter what manufacture or how much you pay for one.

The Fabia is a brilliant car to own and I would recommend you get one.

Iv had mine for almost 18 months, and a little over 18k miles.

Had the leaky door syndrome, worn console bushes and a random power steering warning light (caused by a poor battery)

Which, IMO, is pretty good for a 5 year old car

got an 53 plate (early example) and i hammer it and to be honest ive had very little problems. If it fell to bits tomorrow id buy another

i have an octy and apart from a few niggles (from a poor pdi done on the car) i have solved most myself and the rest by the garage. No car is immune from problems, however looking at the threads on here you do see some cars do have problems, but you never see many posts saying the car has no problems. Like most things in life if things are running smooth then no one posts about it, however as soon as a problem occures we (as brits) like to let the whole world know!!

At the end of the day a skoda is basically a vw but for less and a lot of useless gadgets not included. Seat and Audi are also part of the same group so you know which every marquee you get out of the four that you gonna have a reliable car.

HTH's

Mines an 04 plate, 44k miles. Only problems I've had are very occasional leak round one of the rear doors (maybe 3 times all year) and a squeak in one of the front breaks. Nothing major; I've been mighty pleased with the car and I wouldn't let it put you off buying one.

Turbo problems affect ALL turbo diesels - if you dont look after it by changing the oil, and monitering oil level reguarly, or redline the car from cold, your asking for problems.

VAG cars, if looked after, will go on for 100's of thousands of miles.

SWMBO has an 06 vRS and its 2 1/2 years old, hers mist's up badly but this is down to the rear door leak and it also sufferers from the stutter and the bushes are worn and need replacing. Having said that she drives up a farm track to get to work and also spends quite a bit of time driving up and down badly surfaced roads to see her horse.

All in all she is very pleased with it.

I have a similar engine/turbo in my octavia (PD130 ASZ) and in 4 1/4 years it's done 109,000 miles. Yes it's had a couple of failures, clutch @ 88,000 miles and Aux Belt tensioner @ 108,000miles but then it is used quite heavily.

You will find if you go onto any car forum you will always hear about lots of problems as thats what forums are good at, sharing experiences and fixes etc.

If you feel the car is right for you then go for it and don't forget to get some pics up on here , there is lots of good advise and knowledge to be found on Briskoda, if you have any doubt then walk away, there will always be another car.

Edited 18 October, 200817 yr by matt@theforce

I have recently got a 53 plate one with 83k on it and yes i have found a few rattles around the cabin but nothing major.

I love it and to be honest i was a member of a one make bike club too and you should read some of the horror storys on there:)

It didn't put me off buying two of those bikes as mine were trouble free:thumbup:

......Can you re-assure me or should I steer clear if I want a bulletproof reliable car (like my current MX5!)...

Just to put things into perspective, my fabia 1.9TDi is 7 years old and covered 124,000. I've had it nearly three years and put 40,000 miles on it. When I got it it needed the rear doors resealed to cure a water leak and a new drop link. Since then I've had to change a broken spring, fit a new brakelight switch, replacement battery and change the rear wiper motor. None of those jobs cost more than £100. Nothing else needed except for routine servicing and tyres.

Now for the 'bullet proof reliable' MX5. Bought a 2004 car in May with 40,000 miles on it. It's needed a new alternator (£300 for the part alone), front wheel bearing and replacement airbag control sensor (£520 part). Good job the warratny covered all that. Also needed a new pair of tyres to replace an exisitng almost new set becuase MX5s are frankly dangerous if all four tyres don't match. Read the MX5 forums and you will read about failed six speed gearboxes, juddering clutches and dealers who can't manage to set up the geometry properly.

Much as I love the MX5 can you guess which car I think is more reliable???

Turbo problems affect ALL turbo diesels - if you dont look after it by changing the oil, and monitering oil level reguarly, or redline the car from cold, your asking for problems.

VAG cars, if looked after, will go on for 100's of thousands of miles.

one would have to agree with this,my 04 car blew a turbo within a week of delivery,all my fault i hasten to add:O

I've had silly wee niggles but nothing major. Depending on how well you look after the car, there very solid and should last a while. Its a VAG at the end of the day lol

I've had silly wee niggles but nothing major. Depending on how well you look after the car, there very solid and should last a while. Its a VAG at the end of the day lol

I've had my vRS SE a week, and love it already - averaged 73.9MPG according to the computer, on my way home from the Bulldog Rally yesterday in Wales. Previously had a Seat Ibiza Cupra for 10 years from new - so I'd agree about VAG cars - you will get the odd niggle, but nothing really major, they do last.

Just go for it!!

Niggles?

You have come to a doctors waiting room expecting to find heathly happy people. People use this forum to explore issues/problems and you will find a lot of them here becauses thats what we do. The users of this forum represent a very small percentage of actual owners as well.

Dont be worried at all,

If we all went and read various forums about car niggles you wouldnt buy any car at all. You tend to read a lot about problems because owners will go looking for forums like ours when they have problems. There are many thousands of Fabia vRS's on the road and no dought many have no issues whatsoever.

^ Agreed.

I bet that most people with Fabia's drive around happily on worn console bushes and dodgy anti roll bar bushes without a care in the world, most people on here will fall into the "fussy" / "worry easily" category including myself

go on any forum, for any type of car. There will be pages and pages of problems. Look on some of the Vauxhall and ford forums for an example.

Or for an even more extreme experience, look on any french car forum, they seem to fall apart as they leave the forecourt!

I am a mechanic and ecu technician by trade, Skoda (or anything VAG or german tbh) are the best to work on and the least likley to have problems.

Have a look on some other owners club forums.

I actually thing the amount of problems mentioned on this one is pretty low

(Mind you my last car was an MG :( )

go on any forum, for any type of car. There will be pages and pages of problems. Look on some of the Vauxhall and ford forums for an example.

Or for an even more extreme experience, look on any french car forum, they seem to fall apart as they leave the forecourt!

I am a mechanic and ecu technician by trade, Skoda (or anything VAG or german tbh) are the best to work on and the least likley to have problems.

I have noticed that.

Whilst ringing about for a price on my cambelt change, chatting to the mechanics all of them sang the praises of the PD engines and how they were "so easy to work on"

I agree with the majority that the nature of this kind of forum is to report problems and get help and therefore most people without any problems have no need to visit this site. However, having come from running a 1995 Hyundai Accent (even more of a budget car than the Skoda brand), then I'm afraid I do have a lot of disappointment with the reliability of the Fabia. My Accent got to 12.5 years/101,000 miles before I changed to the Fabia and whilst the Accent had some general wear and tear items there was nothing you would consider a specific weakness or design flaw. The engine in particular never missed a beat apart from temperature sensor faults.

I've had my Fabia for less than a year and although I may be unlucky, I've had many of the "common" faults, which I would actually call design flaws which should have been universally fixed for free under recall notices. So far I've had console bushes, bump stops, front anti-roll bar and tickover faults (which seems an intrinsic flaw of the 1.4 16v engine). I just count myself lucky that at present I don't seem to have piston ring problems or an indoor swimming pool. Other faults I've had which seem more sporadic but which are disappointing on a car of this age and mileage are: starter motor, heater matrix, wing mirror switch gear and wheel bearing. So in total I've spent the better part of £3000 on repairs and servicing in a year (whilst only actually covering 3000 miles), nearly buying the car twice over in fact.

Apart from that it is a nice car and it feels very solid (e.g. the feel and sound of the doors closing compared to a Fiesta or Pug 206). The performance and handling seem perfectly adequate to me. If I was wanting to be critical, there is a lot more road noise than other comparable cars. Of its era, I think it is one of the best "main stream" super minis because as described above, I'm sure many of the other marques have the own issues - that it is the main reason I opted for the Fabia over the 206 because I thought it'd be more reliable! Good luck in whatever you decide.

Edited 19 October, 200817 yr by tag1_uk

Forums are a great place to find info on faults etc, but people only tend to post if they have a problem.

Nobody posts that their car ran faultless on their 3 mile trip to work or it went over a pothole and didn't cause anyones spine to snap etc or damage the suspension.

A minority of people are far too picky, regardless of make and model, and would say a car was unreliable because it needed a clutch after 80,000 miles etc, or a stonechip appeared after 50,000 miles.

Go for the Fabia, it's a great car.Believe me, there are more Fabias out there without problems than the small amount on here with.

Buy a Skoda. There a great car, and i think you only get most of the problems if you start tuning or upgrading things.

But then if your doing that, you should expect things to wear faster and break more!

Mines an early '53 plate with mods listed in sig, and done 62k miles, and the worst problems ive had where all fixed on warrenty (Replaced EGR, Replaced FARB + Bush's).

HTH. Dave

The wife's vRS has now covered nearly 70K (55 plate) and is still rattle free