I'm about to start an 80 mile round trip commute. Just got back to the UK after 7 years overseas and am in need of a car. Currently borrowing an A Class 140 auto, ~35mpg and the fact that it's not mine means it needs to go back.

I eyed up a few Fabias basic 1.9 and 1.4, but the 1.4 felt underpowered for a largish car and most of the 1.9's I saw had high mileage.

Then I came across the vRS. Most of the cars had lower mileage for the age. A little bit more expensive, but a lot more car for the money.

I've so far missed 4 at the dealers, all being sold the day before or as I'm arriving. There are a few more around the country and within a couple of hours drive that I need to see.

There is also one down the street from me at a local independent.

05 plate 55 thousand miles. Service indicator is on, presume it's due a service. Full service history, from the same garage. It's in metallic black. Priced at 5999.

I've taken it out for a spin and it drives ok. I did get a fairly large cloud of black smoke out the back one when I first booted it on the dual carriage way, other than that no more - Is that something to worry about?

I know that the TDI engine is now meant to have it's timing belts done at 60k so I would inisist on that in the deal.

Anything else I should be looking for fault wise?

vrs with blt engine code have like a flatspot on a petrol something to do with the egr gasket is too small i think. the blt engine codes are on like 05plate cars onwards. look on autotrader or ebay for one quite a few on.

vrs with blt engine code have like a flatspot on a petrol something to do with the egr gasket is too small i think. the blt engine codes are on like 05plate cars onwards. look on autotrader or ebay for one quite a few on.

Thanks just to check. Does that mean?

'05 plate onwards there is a problem with the egr gasket (?) being too small which causes a flat spot (on petrols or diesels or a flat spot like a petrol).

Is there an easy tell to see if the gasket has been done or not? Baring in mind I have been driving a 1.4 A class automatic that is only one big flatspot and the brief excitement from driving the vRS meant I never noticed a flat spot.

I should look on autotrader and fleabay as there are quite a few on.

Is it worth paying a few hundred quid premium and buying one at a Skoda dealer or not? the garage offers a warranty, but I'm not in desperate need of any expensive bog roll just now.

due to emissions etc the gasket in the egr was larger than the earlier ones...it caused a slight flat spot at around 1500-2000rpm...only way to check for sure is remove it and see..

Hello and welcome to this site.

This flat spot problem is also known on here as a stutter and is a commom problem with newer Fabias. Have a look on the log or service book to find your engine code. The stutter is common for the BLT engine codes. I have an older 2004 Furby with a ASZ engine that I don't think suffers from it. Do a search or check one of the sticky threads about this stutter.

Another common problem is rear door leaks. Check the rear carpets to see if they are damp or a smell of "cat pee" in the car. Another problem with Fabias, is wear in suspention bushes, but I'm not sure how you tell this.

I would get the Cambelt and water pump changed at 55K miles. I managed to get a large 40K mile service when I bought my car at 37K miles.

I hope you enjoy your car, you've made the right choice.

The black smoke is normal if the car has been drifting along and then you boot it. It's worse in warm weather and the worst offenders of all are some of the remapped cars.

Most BLT engined cars have now been modified to try and help the stutter, but Skoda dealers won't do the job properly as to do so would alter the car's emissions and make it illegal. If you search on 'stutter' you'll find out all about what it means and how to cure it completely. The part costs less than £10 and it usually takes 15-30 minutes to fit it depending on how much the garage wants to charge you.

Another problem with Fabias, is wear in suspention bushes, but I'm not sure how you tell this.[/Quote]

Listen out for a clonking noise from the front over speed humps and potholes.

I would get the Cambelt and water pump changed at 55K miles. I managed to get a large 40K mile service when I bought my car at 37K miles.[/Quote]

Yes, the 60K service is the most expensive of the lot as it includes the cambelt. Most people now also suggest changing the water pump impeller at the same time as they have been known to fail and it only costs an extra £30 or so to do while they have the engine apart. If you are buying from a Skoda dealer I would try and get this cost included or at least heavily discounted. The cambelt is due at 4 years or 60K miles, so it could have already been done as the car is an '05 reg.

I hope you enjoy your car, you've made the right choice.

Indeed.

Time to get my negotiating boots on then.

Is 5999 a fair price on a 05 with 55k and service history. I thought closer to 5500. I buy the belts and impeller and he carries out the major service.

Get that gasket work done as well if it needs it. Have a feeling it's the older engine

Prices for vRS's seem to fluctuate wildly, even on the official Skoda used car search page. I keep missing the really low mileage ones. There was a 12k 2004 in Dumfries. bright yellow, but the missus likes that colour

Negotiate, buy and then enjoy

It truly is a good choice of car

The problem (as you have already spotted) is that it's a sellers market at the moment. Official dealers have been known to charge outrageous premiums for vRSs.

I personally don't understand the fetish people seem to have about low mileage cars. A 5 year old vRS with 12,000 miles on it is highly likely to be a bag of spanners waiting to happen. My 3-year old vRS has 85,000 miles on the clock, but they are all A-road or motorway miles and the number of starts from cold is fairly low (which is what kills engines).

OK, so the 12K mile one might have fewer stone chips, but since I love my car, all mine have been touched in (properly!).

I'd rather have a genuine 10-20K mile per year car than one that's been used to go a mile to the shops and back and may never have been properly warned through in it's life.But that's just my frustration:rotz:.

One other thing that did ring alarm bells in my head is that all vRSs are on fixed service intervals and I don't ever recall seeing a service indicator spanner come up on mine, but as mine were all done well inside the time scales they were supposed to have been, that's possibly peculiar to me rather than anything to worry about for you.

(Quote) One other thing that did ring alarm bells in my head is that all vRSs are on fixed service intervals and I don't ever recall seeing a service indicator spanner come up on mine, but as mine were all done well inside the time scales they were supposed to have been, that's possibly peculiar to me rather than anything to worry about for you.

Likewise, my services are done well before service spanner indicator shows.

Though, when we were a Skoda dealer, I did see Fabia vRS's come in for servicing

with this indicator showing.

Edited 8 August, 200916 yr by BulletRob
quote

One other thing that did ring alarm bells in my head is that all vRSs are on fixed service intervals and I don't ever recall seeing a service indicator spanner come up on mine, but as mine were all done well inside the time scales they were supposed to have been, that's possibly peculiar to me rather than anything to worry about for you.

I've had the service spanner come up twice on mine. It pops up after 10k or 1 year which ever is the sooner. As it happened on both occasions I was inside these criteria and it was a function of the dealer not resetting it properly!

Just check the service history to be sure.

Another common problem I have found is the rear door seals leaking water onto the rear foot wells. Have a good feel of the floor under vRS mats to make sure they are not wet and/or water damaged. I believe the problem is caused by rain entering the door from the window on the external side of the door and entering the water route inside. There is then a problem with the seal in the door which allows water into the car. Another way of telling if this is a problem is after it has rained open a rear door and check the seal at the bottom of the door space on the car itself. Mine has a problem and there is nearly allways a few ml of water sat there.

All in all I would still buy a Fabia vRS over and over again. Great car, low tax etc nice power and great for remapping and adding a bit extra.

Good Luck

Things were oh so simple and the my old dear thew a spanner in the works.

A Seat Cordoba Tdi 130 SE '06 29k 5 grandish, at Arnold Clark (biggest downside).

Not as sporting as a Fabia, but has the engine I want and will do what I need a car to do, which is get me 80 miles a day back and forth along the A68 or the A1 once they get rid of the roadworks at the Metrocenter.

Decisions. I hate making decisions.

No decision. Get the vRS.

I don't regard the so called "stutter" as a problem. You'll get used to where it is on the revs and drive accordingly.

Couldn't do it.

I got the Cordoba for cheap. FSH etc etc. I may have a less exciting car, but I'm 1700 quid better off at the moment

Couldn't do it.

I got the Cordoba for cheap. FSH etc etc. I may have a less exciting car, but I'm 1700 quid better off at the moment

You'll be sorry :rotz:

You'll be sorry :rotz:

Shhh. I'm still wondering about it now. Got to live with it though.

Well ********.

Sent the Cordoba back today. Only drove it 15 miles after getting it last Friday, parked it up and left it until Monday. Went to drive it and the power steering locked up on me.

A bit of a fight later and I'm now waiting for my some money to be returned to me and on the hunt for another car.

Back to eyeing up that Fabia down the road.

Bugger off with the 'I told you so's" :(

Have you looked at the forsale section?

One in there is £5k