Hello all

Due to a change of role, I'm going to start doing some business mileage and need to switch to a sporty diesel, I'll be coming out of a Golf VR6 Highline with a schrick but I find that I drive it on the torque all the time anyway so it really isn't that much of a leap. I rarely go over 4k rpm for instance.

So, I want to stay with VAG cars but I'm looking for bang for buck so that means Skoda and Seat really, VW and Audi don't fit within the mileage vs cost budget I have.

Not a problem though as I've always liked the looks of the Fabia vRS. I drove one a couple of days ago and was quite happy with ride and power (same for the Ibiza FR) but I'm not sure about the interior, I think it's down to 2 things - the seat fabric just doesn't (to me) have a nice look and feel to it, it seems like it would snag and not wear well (this might not be the case). The other is the squareness of the dash, it's a bit of a shock really as it's a completely different style I guess to most other cars which are a bit more curvy.

The dash is probably a matter of getting used to it, did anybody else have the same thoughts initially?

The seats are perhaps the bigger put off for me at the moment, I realise I have a couple of options, hunt down an SE model (although I think red or black are my favourite colours) or get some leather/ half leather covers from a trimmer? I don't know the costs for that sort of thing? but I'm quite capable of fitting replacement covers myself. I'm talking about ones made for the vRS not standard universals. Obviously, spending a load on the seats (maybe just the fronts in an oem style?) bumps up the price and would that mean I could get a younger alternative etc instead...

My other route is perhaps the Ibiza FR or Cupra which I do like inside and on the outside, but I think I prefer the Fabia exterior styling still.

I'm totally confused at this point, I really wasn't expecting to be put off by the interior. :S

I have just had the same decision! But seen as this is my 3rd skoda, thought really hard about weather to change!

I have had mine for a week now, and the smile is still on my face, people don't like it when they see a skoda overtake them on a country road!

Make sure you look round, and if needs be, pay either a little over the odds from a dealer, cos some of the ones we viewed were dogs!

HTH

Chris

I have an Octavia VRS and the seats in that are weaved pattern 3 and half years old still like new edit ,Also my mate had a Furby VRS and that is what turned me to Skoda in the 1st place ,The new Furby interior is inferior

Edited 31 May, 201016 yr by bluvrs2

I have just had the same decision! But seen as this is my 3rd skoda, thought really hard about weather to change!

I have had mine for a week now, and the smile is still on my face, people don't like it when they see a skoda overtake them on a country road!

Make sure you look round, and if needs be, pay either a little over the odds from a dealer, cos some of the ones we viewed were dogs!

HTH

Chris

Well yesterday I tried everything in the same sort of class from a 90 ps 1.6 tdci fiesta (drove nicely but just not enough guts), a couple of ibizas, the fabia and a focus.

All of which were pretty decent but the PD engines cars were clearly in a different class.

I prefer smaller cars (we have a scenic too if I need to lug anything) so I went back and tried the Fabia vRS and the Ibiza FR back to back.

Now I'm revisiting it, the dash isn't really an issue I think the styling of it just caught me by surprise more than anything. While it's not the prettiest thing in the world, it is perfectly acceptable.

The seats also are quite liveable with I think, not keen on the texture/type of fabric still but again on a second visit less of a problem.

Comparing the two then, the Fabia felt more solid on the road (even with 43k vs 23k), had a better ride whilst remaining quite nimble feeling, was quieter and had better interior plastics (soft vs hard). Brakes were better too actually.

The Fabia looks more "grown up" from the outside too imo, solid clean looking wheels and styling.

So, the Fabia wins after the re-visit, even though it cost more and had done almost double the miles. (Still got lots to go of course!)

The car itself is red and in very decent nick - a couple of stonechips here and there but I can do those no problem. Looks pretty straight overall.

Can't actually purchase it yet, just need confirmation from my boss that I will be getting that all important car allowance. Not expecting that to be an issue, my other colleagues actually get company cars doing the same job but that's a legacy thing and not one that interests me anyway.