Can anyone advise me on whether or not it would be cost effective to change the gearing on an 07 Fabia Vrs to the pre March 04 Fabia vRS gearing? I know there are several threads on the subject of the difference in the ratios but my problem is that as a driving instructor, it's near on impossible to get new drivers to change through the lower gears comfortably with the later box. The earlier box is "longer" in first and second, therefore making it easier and smoother for a first time driver. The problem is so acute that I am having to press back into service my Jan. 04 car and leave my beautiful looking 07 Special Edition sitting idle outside my house. Could the box in my SE be traded for a reconditioned earlier box or what?? Any ideas anybody???

i cant see a reason as to why you cant swap the new box for an older one, gotta be the same fitment really

Both six speed boxes are almost identical. Straight swap AFAIK.

Any ideas where would be the best place to source one??

scrappie?

From your original post it appears you have a 2004 car and a 2007 car - why not just swap the gearboxes over?

Uprate the clutch and get them to pull off in second with plenty of revs. Problem solved

Uprate the clutch and get them to pull off in second with plenty of revs. Problem solved

I don't think any driving instructor is going to teach those kind of driving habits to learners :rotz:

Good point. Couldn't get learners to pull away in second because they would fail their test for not using first gear to pull away. The problem with changing the boxes over between the two cars is that the 04 car has done 240,000 miles and i'm concerned that it may not have much life left in it. What's the average life and mileage of a six speed VAG gearbox...anybody????

Mine lasted 84k although I think I was unlucky:confused:

I fitted a gearbox from a 2006 (to a 2004) and was a straight swap (I believe they were different boxes but not absolutely convinced as gearing doesnt seem very different)

Is it *really* that bad? I never thought the gearing was at all extreme.

240k?! fooooook me

Can anyone advise me on whether or not it would be cost effective to change the gearing on an 07 Fabia Vrs to the pre March 04 Fabia vRS gearing? I know there are several threads on the subject of the difference in the ratios but my problem is that as a driving instructor, it's near on impossible to get new drivers to change through the lower gears comfortably with the later box. The earlier box is "longer" in first and second, therefore making it easier and smoother for a first time driver. The problem is so acute that I am having to press back into service my Jan. 04 car and leave my beautiful looking 07 Special Edition sitting idle outside my house. Could the box in my SE be traded for a reconditioned earlier box or what?? Any ideas anybody???

Hi Sajna

I don't know about the ratio's but I would have thought it would have afected the higher gear rather than the lower, as I assume the engine power outputs are simular.

But the main question, you as a driver (and a Instructor) how do find the driving of the 07 plate car?

Radiotwo

First and second gear in the 07 car are OK for an experienced driver because we can lower and raise the clutch at will in traffic queues, but a new driver can't do this so easily, so when they lift off the gas it gives a vicious kickback and the car lurches badly and gives them a fright, In the 04 car, because the first two gears are longer, when they lift off the gas, the car just loses speed very gently before they have to drop the clutch. When I bought the 07 car I never thought it would be an issue but was staggered by the difference in the gearing when I started to teach learners in it. I know a lot of instructors use Fabia 1.9 TDi's but hardly any use the vRS, so don't know if the gearing is different in those cars???

I'd guess the gearing would actually be lower in a TDI. A couple of people here have used the vRS as a driving school car, and there's one around here as well.

Looks like I'm going to have to sell the Special Edition and stick with the 04 car. Apparently my only alternative is to change the gearbox which is just too much hassle. Oh well, not for the want of trying!!! Cheers for all the comments.

Its no hassle mate

Go to a breakers and source a gearbox (I am rebuilding mine as we speak from an 04) labour to replace will be no more than £200

so should get the job done for £500, keep your LE box in case and worst case scenario another £200 to change back

A lot cheaper than losing the car

Or you can swap your LE for my 04 if you like

I need a gearbox with the code FSM. These were the pre March 04 ones. My vRS SE has got a gearbox with the code JNC. Need a new or nearly new one though as the car it's going into is an 07 reg. with 20,000 on the clock.