Hi,

I'm new to the site and i'm pretty sure I want a fabia vrs. I'm going to test drive one on saturday and I can't wait.

Has anyone got any advice on what to look out for? Or just want to tell me how fantastic their vrs is just to convince me a little more!

Pixi :banana:

Hello and Welcome Pixi,

make sure you have a longer than 20-30 mins test drive and just enjoy,don't let the sales person talk to much either.

and i'm sure from having driven a couple of Fabia vRS you'll be sold on it within 10 mins driving.

have fun.

Don't appear too keen on the car, no matter how much you like it.

Don't appear too keen on the car, no matter how much you like it.

make sure you have a longer than 20-30 mins test drive and just enjoy,don't let the sales person talk to much either.

The above sounds like good advice to me! I had never test driven or bought from a dealership before so it was a first time experience for me. I was pretty much hooked on the car within 120secs!! I couldn't get a long test drive cos it had already been sold to someone else (don't know if there allowed to do that) and because of the waiting list their not allowed to hold any in stock. Anyway - for me 15 mins and a good 10 min look around the car was enough to convince me its what I wanted. I'm glad to say I think I made a good choice, but I had been reading reviews etc for over a year and was pretty much set on it after reading the pre-release review in Diesel Car mag back in Sept 2003.

If your buying new, chance your arm to get anything extra 'thrown in'. I got a cargo net for the boot - although I was actually willing to pay for it and they gave me a good price on the trade in car.

Also, would definately recommend heated seats and cruise control as optional extras. They really make the car an EXTRA pleasure to drive

Have fun with the test drive, let us know how you get on!

Take the time to get the driving position exactly as you want it - there's a lot of up/down, fore/aft movement, and it makes a big difference to how 'in command' you feel.

If you've never driven a VAG TDI engine before, and especially if you're used to petrol-engined cars, it's worth getting used to the power delivery.

When you hit about 1700rpm, gently put on more gas. If you "feed" it rather than "floor" it, you'll get a much more progressive kick in the ar5e if you see what I mean.

And I'd deffo follow bryand's advice. Take time to be confortable with the seat.

The big lever on the RHS adjusts height. Then there's the usual lever at front of seat to adjust front/back and rotating thingy by the lhs pivot point for the inclination of the back bit.

Don't forget the steering wheel too - lower lever under it (it's quite stiff). Gives you up/down and a little in/out (oooerr) adjustment.

When you're set, go off gently for the first mile or so, give the engine a chance to warm up if it's cold. Then ENJOY

You'll love it.

I challenge you not to like it...go on I dare ya.

I managed to get a 24hr test in a Fabia vRS, to see if it was big enough for the family etc.

I didn't want to give it back!

I took two different cars out at two different dealerships and both allowed me to go out on my own. You then feel a bit less guilty giving it some welly after the first couple of miles and lets you (IMO) get a better feeling for the car when the sales guy isn't there.

Good service that from both dealers I must say, not been given those opportunities with any other manufacturer. And I ordered with one of them, so works well for them too

Steve

If the dealer lets you take an unacompanied test drive, don't go mad with the demo car as damp / salt roads and std tyres can be a bit of a slippery mixture. You don't want to be buying a damaged demo vehicle.

Find a quiet country road that you know well and see how much you can scare the salesman.

If the dealer lets you take an unacompanied test drive, don't go mad with the demo car as damp / salt roads and std tyres can be a bit of a slippery mixture. You don't want to be buying a damaged demo vehicle.

That goes without saying, and I wasn't endorsing trying to drive the wheels off it

I just found it more natural, you can get comfortable with the car, see if it suits you far more easily without a relative stranger sitting there with you, no doubt trying to be helpful

Steve

Sounds good to me.

For a start I need a 24 hour drive realistically as otherwise the dealer will have to wait till I return after 6pm.. Not gonna work really I think.

I also think the only way to find out how well a car drives is to take it through a normal day's worth for me, which would be cold morning start, followed by annoying trip to work which has some through-town, some motorway without traffic, some heavy traffic so lots of changing lanes at varying speeds, braking, and some of those blasted traffic jams.

Driven a whole bunch of different cars from pretty rubbish ones to pretty high performance ones, but only a few (older) diesels, usually vans, so I would want to adjust to that first.

Let's face it - I'm gonna split with 10k+ of my heard-earned cash. If you have up to 3 months to wait, you at least want to be sure it is a) worth the wait and worth it at all

Value for money and performance wise it's a good car on paper. But having driven a load of hire cars for my previous job, no car is perfect. What matters is how YOU feel - plus SWMBO if involved

In my case, SWMBO doesn't like the seat colours in the vRS. Hopefully heated seats will bring her round, hehe :P Considering I left to go to the US for 3 months only 1.5 weeks after our honeymoon I think I'd better take her opinion into account (and ensure it's matching mine somehow )

I couldn't get a long test drive cos it had already been sold to someone else (don't know if there allowed to do that) and because of the waiting list their not allowed to hold any in stock.

Dont think I'd be too impressed if that was my new car!!

But I went out in a demo and had it all to myself for about an hour (only dealership that I have ever been to that has let me do that) Took it no a good m/way run and around town. Tested out the tracton control to make sure it worked ok. Played with all the bottons alot. After about 5 mins I knew I had to have one!

I did try the ibiza and even though it felt faster than the fabia I didn't like the ride or lack of space. Even test drove the leon (which is a very nice car) but I still chose the furby!!

Oh and dont smash the demo coz the dealership wont like that much! (and it happens more often than you might think)

My advice is don't take an Octavia vRS out after!!