Hi everyone,

I just bought my Skoda fabia 1.4tdi estate (05 plate) classic and am REALLY enjoying driving it. Picked it up 2 days ago and took it for a 70 mile spin and loved every second of it (even the traffic jams in the town!).

It cost me £4,200 and had 23k on the clock, service history, 12 months MOT, 6 months tax, a service (oil etc) and 4 new tires on. On my run (70 miles) I got 60mpg with a full tank of fuel, 3 passengers (the wife and 2 kids) and a full boot with a mix (half and half) or town and country driving! This makes me VERY happy as my last car (a P reg Toyota Carina E petrol 1.8) would have taken a quarter tank of petrol on the same run and the fuel gauge didn't even move!

I was never really into cars and have never added anything too them, but this car makes me want to add bits and bob's (such as arm rest's and other extra's etc) and was wondering where the best place to get the parts from without paying a bomb for them? Any help from you guys would be very welcome.

Also, the car has not had the cam belt replaced and after reading some of the threads here I believe that you should replace every 4 years or 40k miles which ever comes first. When I mentioned this to a friend (who's really into cars) he said yeah do it as soon as the warranty (3 months) runs out and get the water pump and a couple of other things too (as they are in the same place) but someone else I know said just do the cam belt as all the bits have hardly been used (as the cars done only 23k). Again, advice welcome!

Thanks in advance, I look forward to hearing for the experts (you guys!).

Welcome to this forum

Also, the car has not had the cam belt replaced and after reading some of the threads here I believe that you should replace every 4 years or 40k miles which ever comes first. When I mentioned this to a friend (who's really into cars) he said yeah do it as soon as the warranty (3 months) runs out and get the water pump and a couple of other things too (as they are in the same place) but someone else I know said just do the cam belt as all the bits have hardly been used (as the cars done only 23k). Again, advice welcome!

Not sure about your engine but the guidance is I believe 4 years or 60k miles. Ddi you not try and get it done as part of the deal?

Edited 17 October, 201015 yr by DRJ

Cambelts on the 1.9 TDI are definitely 4 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), and I'm pretty sure it's the same for the 1.4 TDI - give a dealer a call and they'll confirm it for you. If it is overdue then get it done ASAP. You may well have a three month warranty on the car, but if the belt was overdue and it snaps it's very unlikely that you'll be covered (and that will leave you with a bill for a couple of grand to put it all right)

Welcome to this forum

Not sure about your engine but the guidance is I believe 4 years or 60k miles. Ddi you not try and get it done as part of the deal?

I didn't realise that it was 4 years, thought it was 6 or 60k whichever came first, how much is the cam belt change roughly? I have managed to get £240 for the old car (which was going to be scrapped) so I don't mind putting that (plus a bit more) towards the cam belt.

Thanks for the welcome btw!

... how much is the cam belt change roughly?

Say around £250-£350+

Time can affect the cam belt as much as mileage

Welcome to the site.

Used to go to College Yale at Wrexham. Only about 40 mins from me.

Glad your enjoying the car mate.. I got my 1st Fabia and never looked back, it's such a grown up feeling car for a super mini.

As for bits to add, you'll find you can pick up many parts from the Elegance spec model from the dealers at not to bad prices. TPS are another place to try as they tend to be slightly cheaper.

As for original Skoda parts you could fit,

I highly recommend the Elegance drawer that fits below the radio, There's also a pop out and twist cup holder that replaces one of the long thin trim parts from beside the radio, these fold and hide away all neat and flush when not in use.

Skoda did once do an optional arm rest.. but as far as can tell there only 3 in the country (hehe).. so your options there are a 3rd part product I'm afraid, but you can get some very nice ones, albeit for a price.

There's also another hide away cup holder for the rear seats available, where the odds n sods tray type cubby is just behind the cup holder that's in all Fabias.

I'm not sure, but I think the light unit with 2 integrated map lights may be plug and play as well.

If you hunt around, you can still pick up door pillar trim kits for the "shadow" line single piece of glass effect. You may also find a set of bump strips at a dealer to run down the doors..

Mud guards also look nice as they're "moulded" and fitted rather than just flappy.

If you keep an eye on eBay the small leather parts (handbrake & gear stick gaitor / kn0b) come up every so often, as well as rarer kits like the dealer fit electric windows, remote locking and rear parking sensors.

Hi

I just got my Fabia Rs belt done at West End Garage, west of Edinburgh, they have an offer at the moment of belt replacement for £199 inc vat, the best price I was quoted, if you want the pump and coolant they will do it for an additional £50, absolute bargain, did it while I waited too.

Glad your enjoying the car mate.. I got my 1st Fabia and never looked back, it's such a grown up feeling car for a super mini.

As for bits to add, you'll find you can pick up many parts from the Elegance spec model from the dealers at not to bad prices. TPS are another place to try as they tend to be slightly cheaper.

As for original Skoda parts you could fit,

I highly recommend the Elegance drawer that fits below the radio, There's also a pop out and twist cup holder that replaces one of the long thin trim parts from beside the radio, these fold and hide away all neat and flush when not in use.

Skoda did once do an optional arm rest.. but as far as can tell there only 3 in the country (hehe).. so your options there are a 3rd part product I'm afraid, but you can get some very nice ones, albeit for a price.

There's also another hide away cup holder for the rear seats available, where the odds n sods tray type cubby is just behind the cup holder that's in all Fabias.

I'm not sure, but I think the light unit with 2 integrated map lights may be plug and play as well.

If you hunt around, you can still pick up door pillar trim kits for the "shadow" line single piece of glass effect. You may also find a set of bump strips at a dealer to run down the doors..

Mud guards also look nice as they're "moulded" and fitted rather than just flappy.

If you keep an eye on eBay the small leather parts (handbrake & gear stick gaitor / kn0b) come up every so often, as well as rarer kits like the dealer fit electric windows, remote locking and rear parking sensors.

Wow there's some food for thought there! Will have a good shop around! Cheers for the advice

Hi

I just got my Fabia Rs belt done at West End Garage, west of Edinburgh, they have an offer at the moment of belt replacement for £199 inc vat, the best price I was quoted, if you want the pump and coolant they will do it for an additional £50, absolute bargain, did it while I waited too.

If I got it at that price I would be VERY VERY happy! My mates got a 4 year old fabia VRS that needs the cam changing too so he's on the look out for a good deal!