I have the 1.4 16v Comfort fabia, and I'm getting a bit fed up with

the number faults occuring in the last 12 months.

The car has only done 32,000 miles, and in the last few months has had an EGR valve a coilpack and a Lambda sensor.

It has just failed the MOT test and requires new front suspension bushes.

Is this common on a car of this mileage.

John.

Depends on the age and where its been driven.

With older vehicles, components will deteriorate over time and if most journeys are over rough roads or badly designed speed humps, this could accelerate wear.

front suspension bushes is a fairly common fault on the fabia

How old is the car? If it does mostly short trips, I'd think that wasn't an unusual range of faults.

How old is the car? If it does mostly short trips, I'd think that wasn't an unusual range of faults.

It's 6 years old and trips tend to about 10 to 20 miles on ordinary roads, (No rough road driving).

We do have a few speed bumps around here though, I try to be careful over them.

It's 6 years old and trips tend to about 10 to 20 miles on ordinary roads, (No rough road driving).

We do have a few speed bumps around here though, I try to be careful over them.

I'd actually say that was fair wear and tear then. Rubber bushes, like tyres, degrade with time as well as use, and 6 years isn't that bad a life for the other bits that have gone.

Sounds like normal wear and tear to me. People hear about certain makes of car being bullet proof, but truth be told, any make of car can have component failures. Skodas are very well built, and parts are reasonably priced for the most part. Friends Mazda 6 is 4 years old, and the rear wheel arches are rusting. That's typical of reliable Japanese cars, they are still pretty much rot boxes when it comes to tin worm.

Rubber bushes will perish over time, Coil packs are notorious for failing on just about every make of car I have worked on. Lambda sensor lives in exhaust gas flow, so 6 years is about right for that part.

If you want real problems buy a Merc.

I'd actually say that was fair wear and tear then. Rubber bushes, like tyres, degrade with time as well as use, and 6 years isn't that bad a life for the other bits that have gone.

Cheers Ken, I've had other makes of car in the past, that have done a lot more miles with far less problems.

As you say, it's probably down to age, and greater complexity of modern cars.

John.

Not using a car can be worse than doing normal milage. I have a few classics and they dont like sitting there over winter.

Not using a car can be worse than doing normal milage. I have a few classics and they dont like sitting there over winter.

Very valid point. My Moggy was off the road this winter (Through choice) and there are more bits needing fixed than when I used it all year round

Bushes and COIL packs are more an age thing then the amount of miles you do. Most people i hear change the coil packs at 4 years and bushes normaly have to be done at 2-3 years. I would say your little skoda has held up quite well.

You can't expect a 6 year old car to have no problems what so ever.

Well Im still bloody annoyed about the console bushes on our VRs, see previous thread,

http://briskoda.net/fabia-i/console-bush-wear/139489/

I agree that rubber deteriates but it should not "go off" after 4/5 years.

I also have a 4 year old Octavia 2.0TDi Estate which has done 116k without any problems, just sailed through the MOT again. This is obviously used on the same roads as the VRs so the dealer saying that its down to speed bumps, bad roads etc just doesnt wash. Its obvious that the Fabia bushes are crap and not up to the job.

Nice little earner for Skoda in my opinion. If I wasnt so lazy Id take it up with them on a not fit for purpose tack.

Its a shame that such stupid small things can easily put people off what are really good cars.