Hi

Am looking at maybe getting a 2005 Fabia 1.2 or 1.4 16v Sport for the Mrs when she passes her test and was after a bit of advice.

How often is the servicing and at what milage intervals is it a full service and at what milage intermidiate?

When is the cam belt due on each of the engines? (age / milage)

What kind of mpg can you expect on short trips in town for the 1.2 and 1.4?

What tyres size are they ie 205 45 16s?

How much is 12mth tax?

Any common faults to look out for?

on higher milage cars ie 85k+ anything to look out for? (seen a few around 50k so likely to go lower milage)

What is the wing span of an unladen swallow in flight?

What is it with all these questions? :wonder:

Cheers!

If it is a first car after passing one's test, I'd have thought that the 1.2 would have been a better bet. Cheaper running costs and insurance and generally a more modern and less troublesome engine.

Shes no spring chicken 34 so insurance isnt too bad. What kind of troubles do the 1.4s suffer from?

As much as I love Fabia's, anything with a petrol engine in it is poo. Any of the diesels (well, maybe not the 68bhp one) makes more sense. They are faster, MUCH more economical and just generally don't feel utterly gutless. Get a diesel if at all possible. She will love you more!

If went down the diesel route would then be too tempting to get a VRS and then a remap. Just had my Audi A6 3.0tdi quattro remapped by angel tuning last week and it goes like stink. The bloke was saying they can get the VRS up to around 180+bhp with a remap.

Liked the styling of the sport spec and low insurance, but few and far between.

tax for the 1.4 is about 60 odd for six months.. as for mpg, i used to get upto 60 on the motorway (on factory steelies) but after switching to 16" vrs alloys, it took the mpg down to about 45-50 i think.. city limits i guess you're looking at anywhere between 20 and 30 +/-5 , depending on how you drive. . 205 45s are low profile.. personally i think the car handles much better on 16" alloys than the factory steelies.. :yes:

If it's a sport, I believe it to be an 80bhp unit, rather than the 100bhp one's found in the earlier Fabias. Not sure about performance/mpg, but they shouldn't suffer the same issue with the piston rings that the older ones have.

If you opt for a desial, you may find insurance a bit higher (was for me as a 17y/o new driver) despite the same top speed/0-60 times. But I guess the fuel costs will offset the insurance costs.

I used to have a 1.2 12v Sport and it was a good little car. was great for running around town in, just got a bit thirsty on the motorway.

Any common faults to look out for?

The most obvious one that springs to my mind is that Mark 1Fabias

aren't what you call entirely watertight.

Check ALL the carpets for dampness particularly the rear.

Give them a good press down and if you see/feel water you've got a leaker,

Not the end of the world and a fairly easy fix.... !0 billion threads on here about

leaking door ancillary carriers and how to fix them. Both of our Fabias leak.

Mine is worse than Mrs Grrs. If you're going for a second hand one you may find one

that has already been fixed. So don't panic if you get a dry one.

Edited 5 May, 201016 yr by grr666

Ditto the idea of swinging towards a diesel, bit more forgiving and reliable!

If she can handle the noise and different drive then buy a diesel in either 1.4 75bhp or 1.9 100bhp

Edited 5 May, 201016 yr by Ad Lav

doesnt the 1.4 suffer piston ring failure?

or am i talking nonsense??

the original sport had the 75 before it was changed to the 1.2 12v...umm think the early 1.4 16v's had a few bugs etc my 1st 1.4 lasted til 100k til everything was knackered! lots to fix so traded it in....

but from 04 - on I think they resolved most glitches and stuff so i've read here and there... I could be wrong, and it depends how its been looked after to how the engine will perform and not break!

Edited 6 May, 201016 yr by Leon-y-k

Hi,

I'll just add a couple of answers, as they haven't been answered yet (guess cos they're common ) ...

How often is the servicing and at what milage intervals is it a full service and at what milage intermidiate?

Inspection service is fixed at 10k miles. Bigger services seem to be every other service, if that makes sense.

When is the cam belt due on each of the engines? (age / milage)

60k miles/4 years (whichever happens first)

What tyres size are they ie 205 45 16s?

Think the standard Fabia's were 185/60R14 for steels. Not sure about the alloy wheels, which were typically 15".

She might like to look at a diesel, too. I got the 1.9TDi (non-VRS) as my first car, and found it easier/more pleasant to drive than my instructor's 1.4CDTi Fiesta.

Hi,

I'll just add a couple of answers, as they haven't been answered yet (guess cos they're common ) ...

Inspection service is fixed at 10k miles. Bigger services seem to be every other service, if that makes sense.

60k miles/4 years (whichever happens first)

Think the standard Fabia's were 185/60R14 for steels. Not sure about the alloy wheels, which were typically 15".

She might like to look at a diesel, too. I got the 1.9TDi (non-VRS) as my first car, and found it easier/more pleasant to drive than my instructor's 1.4CDTi Fiesta.

cheers for all the replies gives me plenty to think about

the 1.4 16v is the 75 bhp version found other vag cars, it's an old engine, 1.2 makes more sense if she does a lot of town driving

Looks like will be getting a 2006 facelift model Seat Ibiza 1.4 16v sport 8bhp FSH, 36k, 6 mth tax, 12mth mot, a service and months warranty for £4800.

Only draw back is I will probably have to get the train upto Edinburgh to collect it and I dont do public transport :no: Do they still eat the English up in bonny Scotland? :p

Looks like will be getting a 2006 facelift model Seat Ibiza 1.4 16v sport 8bhp FSH, 36k, 6 mth tax, 12mth mot, a service and months warranty for £4800.

Only draw back is I will probably have to get the train upto Edinburgh to collect it and I dont do public transport :no: Do they still eat the English up in bonny Scotland? :p

It'll be a long drive back with only 8bhp :giggle:

good mpg though

: Do they still eat the English up in bonny Scotland? :p

Heh, steady on there Kendal folk are not seen as English but most Scots, they are from the Lakes - unless of course you are a white settler!!

Heh, steady on there Kendal folk are not seen as English but most Scots, they are from the Lakes - unless of course you are a white settler!!

Only pulling leg. Born in Nottingham but moved up here whilst still in nappies.

Only pulling leg. Born in Nottingham but moved up here whilst still in nappies.

My only problem with the Lake district is that is always VERY busy - and it rains more than it does in South East Scotland, its still always worth a visit though!