Am likely to buy a Fabia next week as Ibiza is nearly 11 years old and been written off following a bump.

Fabia is similar, seems better and has a bigger boot.

Need to look at low insurance cars e.g. Silverline or 1.2/1.4 variants of classic . . . so . . .

are there any specific Fabia things/problem areas I should check before buying please?

Budget is up to £2,500 and so I am mainly looking at 2001/2002 vintage.

With that age of vehicle, suspect wear on all the suspension units, especially dampers and bushes. The front anti-roll bar has a known problem with degraded bushes and wear to the Steel ARB itself (usually replaced under warranty, as it goes within 3 years from new). Similarly wear on the drop-link attachments to the ARB.

Chipped or re-mapped engines and dodgy clutches on the turbo'd diesels e,g. VRS

Worn engine mounts, particularly on the heavier diesels engines.

Severe piston ring and ocassional valve wear on all Mk1 petrol engines and associated high oil usuage - 1 litre per 600 miles usuage is the bottom end of manufacturers allowable usuage.

Strangely, also blocked or pinched engine crankcase breather leading to crankcase over-pressure, lubrication oil blow by and increased oil consumption.

Faulty Exhaust Gas Re-circulation valve - seems to give out earlier on the diesels. Causes unpredictable sudden loss of engine power and engine stutter - particularly at low engine revs, high gear, inclines where vacuum advance comes into play. (EGR only operates below 2000 RPM) - not to be confused with the Euro IV throttle damping which produces a delay in the throttle response - takes some getting used to.

The last three problems may also be associated with lambda sensor problems foward of the catalytic converter - for obvious reasons.

Slippy handbrake on vehicles with disks all round.

Electrical continuity problems with the dashboard mounted fuseboxes.

Aircon problems, particularly the evaporation sensor and the sensors/motors controlling the air mixing flaps located in the central dash.

Also occasional failure of the resistor packs on the speed switch for the cabin air cicrculation motor.

Some EMU and Coil packs giving out - though more prevalent on earlier Octavias.

As with most modern car EMUs, a proliferation of EMU generated false error messages i.e. no associated fault can be found on vehicle examination.

Some ABS and power steering units going faulty.

Cam belt wear diesels and twin cam petrols - revised skoda advice on replacement interval down to 50,000 miles or 4 years. Also cam belt plastic tensioner can shatter causing belt to become loose - belt rarely comes off drive pulleys though. So if service history shows cam belt replacement, make sure tensioner was replaced as well - standard kit (e.g. Continental's) includes a tensioner wheel as standard. Some people also recommend replacing the water pump at the same time as the plastic impeller on the original part can shatter - replacement part has metal impeller.

Problems with glass in early hatchback tailgate windows - shattering.

On the lightweight alumininium head HTP petrol (1.2) cam chains can break.

Broken securing stud on some diesel fuel pumps - recall item.

Very commonly, water ingress into the cabin through faulty door panels - causes damp floors and misty windows. Easy fix, removing door cards and using mastik/proprietry kit.

Leaf fouled air/pollen filters on the cabin air intakes causing mouldy smell. Similarly blockages in the engine compartment front scuttle drain holes due to leaf debris accumulation

see this forum and the HJ link below

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/skoda/fabia-2000/?section=bad

Nick

Edited 25 December, 201015 yr by Clunkclick

What nick said....

But include leaky doors (easily fixed with sealant & elbow grease). edit: oops missed that.

Also some have dodgy electrics, check connections to aternator, PAS pump & battery.

Fabia's aren't all that bad, that was the longest list of faults for a fabia I have ever seen, you'll be unlucky if you experiance more than 3 of these problems within 10k if the car has been serviced properly.

Also cambelt is 60k.

Edited 25 December, 201015 yr by pieman[vrs]

My 2003 1.4 16v 100HP saloon, which I've owned from new and which you would think has more attention paid to it in design/production (Because its aimed at fleet buyers), has had the following faults occurring in this order:-

1. ARB and ARB bushes replaced under warranty after 2.5 years from new.

2. Rear doors treated for water ingress causing damp cabin carpets, after 5 years (Outside warranty)

3. Precautionary replacement of Cam belt and cam belt tensioner, outside warranty, after 6 years (<45,000) under generally issued advice of SKoda GB - this advice at odds with advice on the same subject issued by VAG group and belt manufacturers (Continental) - the latter say belt on petrol model is good for 120,000. I don't think mileage is necessarily the important factor here, but the effect of the number of engine heat-up/cool down cycles on the plastic cam belt tensioner wheel before it shatters - I think Skoda is saying that 5 years is the limit.

4. Replacement of evapouration sensor on air conditioning due to poor temperature regulation after 6 years - problem still not remedied.Suspect that temperature flap motor will require replacement at next service.

5. Exhaust gas Re-circulation valve started sticking at 38,000 leading to sudden and momentary ( 1-3 seconds) loss of power and engine restarts while in motion. Increasing frequency and severity means that, even after a thorough clean of the valve at last service. service mechanics are now recommending a change of valve at the next service. Common fault across VAG group.

6. Engine oil consumption increased progressively from 30,000 miles, so that at 50,000 it now stands at 1 litre per 600 miles. Yet no smoke at exhaust and exhaust sensor warning lamps are not showing in the instrunment binnacle. Oil consumption improved a little after a kink in the sharp preformed bend in the crankcase breather was relieved. Piston rings may need re-doing as well EGR valve.

7. After new set of tyres (Same as originals -Conitental Ecos) was installed at 50,000, suspension (Back and front) has started squeeking when vehicle goes over bumps. Suspect worn rubber suspension bushes and at least one leaking suspension damper. Attention at next service.

Saying that, the car is garaged outside and has never failed to start first time in 7 years of ownership and I've never had a breakdown at home or away from home and so have never had to rely on AA to get me home.

Nick

Edited 26 December, 201015 yr by Clunkclick

Thanks for info so far folks . . . got a better idea of what to check now, in addition to the usual.... Cam-belt doesn't seem to last long does it?

The 1.2- 3cyl and the 1.4- 8 valve mpi engines are chain drive to the cam, the 1.4 -16 valve has a cam belt.

Personally I would go for the 1.2 engine.

The 1.2- 3cyl and the 1.4- 8 valve mpi engines are chain drive to the cam, the 1.4 -16 valve has a cam belt.

Personally I would go for the 1.2 engine.

Yeah I'd second the 1.2, its good for normal stuff and gives when good performance when you treat the right way.

Also as mentioned, electrics. Air recirulation was broken on mine and I only noticed a few months after buying (only came on for a few seconds then switched off). Leaky door seals also, bushes, rear tyres not getting replaced during it's life with previous owner, only fronts.

'Part from that, its a cracking little car :p

Edited 26 December, 201015 yr by Gumby

I assume that the 1.2 is a little nosier but o.k. around town. What's it like on the motorway? Is it just a case of dropping down a gear at odd times to overtake?

1.2 has nearly as much BHP as the 1.4mpi and is more fuel efficient. If I was buying again I'd go for the 1.2htp or 1.9SDI, or if putting the boat out 1.9 TDI/VRS. I assume the gearing on the 1.2 will be something like the 1.4mpi, for me overtaking on the motorway is often just a case of anticipating whether you can overtake and sticking your foot down before you go for it, I have rarely dropped a gear to overtake, though I think the gearbox could do with a 6th gear with the existing 5 remaining at their normal ratio, for fuel efficiency at 70 - 75 mph if nothing else.

I read something somewhere that 1.2's after a certain year had an improved cam chain tensioner, but cannot remember the year (could be 2004).

I assume that the 1.2 is a little nosier but o.k. around town. What's it like on the motorway? Is it just a case of dropping down a gear at odd times to overtake?

Yeah it's more than fine around town. Never taken mine out on motorways though as I drive my dads 1.9TDi Octy for those occasions becuase the acceleration is much better (and safer) with the help of a turbo.

It needs a 6th gear as anewman pointed out. The peak tourqe only seems to get delivered at around 3500 so at 70 your already on that mark and don't have much puff when you go over, so you need a turbo and bigger engine.

Also MPG was good in the summer (50ish) now down to max of 38 now its winter.

Edited 26 December, 201015 yr by Gumby