Hi guys, I've currently got a standard 56 plate Fabia VRS in black thats done 28,000 miles and exits its warranty in November. I'm the sort of person who likes to change his car often and have recently been looking at Audi S3's (225bhp).

My options are:

Sell my car and get an S3 or similar.

Keep my car &/or modify...thus avoiding £200 increased insurance and worse economy.

I shouldn't be covering more than 10,000 miles a year now so my Fabia won't suddenly rocket up in miles but then I think that if I keep it for much longer then I might get financially tied into keeping it for a long time because its age/mileage will make it unattractive to buyers.

If I was to get an S3 then from initial searching there doesn't seem to be any with less than 80,000 miles or so, anybody have any opinions on how reliable such a car would be? Or how much that mileage would be a problem.

Any help or opinions would be greatly received.

Cheers guys Boots.

IMO keep the Fabia, save yourself some money

Definetely keep the Fabia vRS. don't mod it, just maintain it, drive it and enjoy it

Keep the Fabia, Audi can be very unreliable.

Sell me the vRS :P

Just kidding, won't be in the market for one for a few months. Better off keeping it and enjoying, good luck.

bin the diesel, get an S3 and mod that

The S3 will be a massively more capable car!

Part-ex the vRS while they're still holding their value

It's essentially a Golf platform, so not really unreliable

Expensive if you get a dealer to fix it, but an indy should cost no more than for a Golf!

It's essentially a Golf platform, so not really unreliable

Depends on luck, I guess. A friend had an A3 one for a while, and no problems other than the glovebox would open when going over bumps. A neighbour's relative had a 2-3 year-old one, which has engine problems - has been through 3 turbos, and completely conked out going to France ... twice. Of course, they may be driving it like an idiot, but ...

My A4 1.8T was driven hard all it's life, driven hard, stopped, then turned off straight away. No hint of turbo problems!

I just sold my VRS and bought an R32, miss the Fabia's economy but that's about it!!

I spent a fortune on my Fabia and really enjoyed driving it, but I'm also loving the R32, it's sweeeet!!

It has cost me more to insure, run etc... but oh well:rofl:

Try an S3 first and see what you think!

Try an S3 first and see what you think!

Sound advice

Hello Boots,

Put Fabia VRS in moth balls for 25 years keeping it garaged, give it a run occasionally on dry days, be proud your a Fabia VRS owner.

For now buy an Octavia VRS petrol, and forget about AUDI, LOL.

Ian. 15/10/2009. :thumbup:

What's wrong with Audi?

If you can afford to buy and run an S3, buy one. It'll be such a massive improvement over your fabia.

OTH if you've owned your fabia from new, it seems a waste to part with a known car for one with two / three times the mileage. Better the devil you know...

Personally (unless things change significantly) I'm gonna run the fabia into the ground, or near enough and then sell it to young'un to write it off going round a corner

The Audi will be a better drive, but obviously not as econmical.

As an alternative, how about keeping the vRS as a daily driver, and getting a second cheap 'toy'? I have just put a deposit down on a mint Mark 1 MX5 - cheap as chips to buy and run, and (as voted for by EVO) number 9 in the top 100 drivers cars!

There are loads of cheap alternatives too - First gen MR2, Pug 205 Gti / 106 and 306 Rallye etc etc etc

I'd love to be able to have that luxury but I'm only 20 and only work part time because I'm still at university haha. Thanks for all your comments, I guess a main concern is the mileage of an S3, for example I've found a V reg with 120,000 miles, very cheap but to what extent is that sort of mileage in a petrol a problem?

Anyone have any experience of such a thing?

Cheers guys.

...but I'm only 20...

Cheers guys.

Love to see your insurance quote for an Audi S3 - if you can afford to pay that then servicing and repairs should be no problem at all for you!!!! :rofl:

On a more constructive note, at that mileage the cambelt is probably due again. With the age and mileage you'll also need to bear in mind wear and tear items such as the suspension may need attention. Provided the car has been looked after properly there's no reason it shouldn't go on for many more miles.

I'd love to be able to have that luxury but I'm only 20 and only work part time because I'm still at university haha. Thanks for all your comments, I guess a main concern is the mileage of an S3, for example I've found a V reg with 120,000 miles, very cheap but to what extent is that sort of mileage in a petrol a problem?

Anyone have any experience of such a thing?

Cheers guys.

Will need a cambelt/waterpump, and it's a pre-facelift, so only 210bhp and the old lights/front end.

Keep the fabia nd mod the girl! Although the s3 maybe nice etc nd initially is faster etc, youd be amazed at the difference some mods to the fabia will make to the fabia, may not necasarily be faster 0-60 but cmon who does 0-60 on the roads these days? all you need is rolling start performance? and theres not much out there that does it better than a modded fabia, even handling wise, get yourself a Rear anti-roll bar nd some sorted suspension nd you will be flying the corners, Lets not forget the economy you get from the fabia? you could get yourself running the same amount of BHP as the S3 and a hek of load more torque! and still be getting much better MPG form the fabia? nd then at the end of the day you get to see that "I have changed and customised that car to how i want it! yet its still cheaper to run and cost me cheaper in the long run than it would have to get a petrol powered equally fast car" Plus the fabia is an awesome sleeper car! noone expects a diesel skoda to be that fast!, especially when re-mapped + more etc etc :-P

keep the fabia tbh

all you need is rolling start performance? and theres not much out there that does it better than a modded fabia, even handling wise, get yourself a Rear anti-roll bar nd some sorted suspension nd you will be flying the corners,

The S3 would still win all of those areas....

you could get yourself running the same amount of BHP as the S3 and a hek of load more torque!

But then you could also argue that you could just give the S3 a remap and get that around 270bhp fairly easily...

I like my vRS but if I could afford to insure a fast petrol, I'd make the move! As nice as torque is, it does get dull after a while, and I'd rather be chasing a high redline whilst enjoying a sonorous noise!

I just sold my VRS and bought an R32, miss the Fabia's economy but that's about it!!

I spent a fortune on my Fabia and really enjoyed driving it, but I'm also loving the R32, it's sweeeet!!

It has cost me more to insure, run etc... but oh well:rofl:

Try an S3 first and see what you think!

right jealous! Mk4 or 5? I want both!

As for the what you should do, buy an S3. Cracking motor, petrols are far better to drive than a diesel.