Hello everyone!

I recently signed up to the site as we are looking to buy a Skoda Fabia, and have been looking for a while and have managed to find one that the wife likes!

We have found a a 2000 W 1.4 16V Elegance for £1500.

Its only got 23,000 miles on but has a couple of faults, but has full service history and I wondered if these are big issues and whether I should be worrying about them.

The car itself is in very nice condition but there are some things that are preventing me from saying "yes" straight away.

1. The electric windows can be weird, the passenger switch puts the drivers side down and the drivers switch does both front windows??????

2. The remote locking does not work at all, from both keys. Apparantly they have had new batteries but it makes no difference.

Apart from this, it drives very well and goes nicely, but its ready for service and cambelt as well as two tyres, so I will need to spend some on it already without the faults being looked at.

Would I be better looking elsewhere?

Cheers

Sounds like it could be a problem with the wiring loom where it goes from the car into the door on the drivers side. Would be worth un-plugging, spraying the contacts with some kind of contact cleaner and then putting back on.

If they problems can be sorted cheaply then it sounds like a resonable buy.

As regards the electrics, I'd see if disconnecting the battery for a few minutes does the trick. Sometimes the controllers can develop a bug which disappears when they're reset by killing the power. Bit like with Windows - if a problem occurs, first port of call is a reboot!

Thanks for that.

Whats the likelyhood of it working, I don't have access to the car and need to make a decision, and, if it doesn't fix the fault whats the likely fault and how much would it cost to fix?

That will have the AUB code engine, so beware of possible piston ring problems.

Second those piston ring problems. I had a W reg 1.4 16v (AUB) and a 2004 1.4 16v (BBZ) - both had piston ring problems, and one had a sticky valve. Just avoid the 1.4 16v.

Pete

I have a W reg 1.4 AUB with 85k on the clock, runs great, uses about a pint of oil every 5k miles, so they're not all bad. I do change oil every 5k miles which helps.

I think that higher mileage ones seem to fare better. Most of the ones with problems seem to be lower mileage for their age. Mine had 58k on when I sold it and as long as the breather was kept clean it hardly used any oil at all.

Well thanks for the replies guys,

Upon another inspection, I found that I could not get the keys to work and the windows would not stop playing up. Then on another run in the car it managed to lock all the doors with the windows up and I couldnt get out!!

With the comments about the piston rings at an unusually low mileage, and the strange electrical gremlins, I have decided to stay away from and search for something else.

Well thanks for the replies guys,

Upon another inspection, I found that I could not get the keys to work and the windows would not stop playing up. Then on another run in the car it managed to lock all the doors with the windows up and I couldnt get out!!

With the comments about the piston rings at an unusually low mileage, and the strange electrical gremlins, I have decided to stay away from and search for something else.

Stupot1397,

Sorry for laughing but BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

It's not funny really.

Good job you avoided buying it, that could be so dangerous in an accident! That is something that should be fixed before it was put up for sale!!!

Hope you find another one that your misses likes, one that's not a death trap There are good ones out there i'm sure, just gotta run over em with a fine tooth comb.