hello people! let me give you a run down of my dilemma!

basically i currently own a mk1 1.9sdi fabia! i cannot fault the car at all its been super cheaper to run and reliable. and the mpg returns are outrageous! i think people look at my like im lying when i claim on a (granted very) careful short run i averaged 90mpg!

in real life i travel a lot up and down the country not for work reasons but personal which is usually a 550mile round trip every couple of weeks say! on which im averaging about 62mpg at a spirited 70mph!

now lately ive just been missing owning a nice car, one you can take pride in and want to actually clean! i nearly dived into buying a octavia vrs tdi the other day but sense got the better of me. as ive only just recently purchased a first house so it would be unwise for me to use all savings and borrow on top!

i like the looks of the fabia vrs! and have a keen idea of how id like it to look (i like subtle modifying!)

on paper it seems getting bits like alloys, bumpers, suspension, exhaust and spoiler plus a trip to the bodyshop could work out well as i keep the reliabilty, mpg and low running costs plus peace of mind knowing the car is faultless and just had its cambelt done!

otherwise upgrade to a vrs which will cost more, id be worried on more problems down to the turbo set up and big bills, higher insurance etc and lower overall mpg in the real world id guess

but then itll have authenticity and extras such as the better headlamps and electric windows, central locking and leather!

so im abit in two minds what to do! id never want to badge it up vrs but just the look. the colour of the car is the burnt orange which probably wouldnt have been my first choice but sometimes does look nice clean! which would make it a little different

what do you skoda pro's think!

(sorry for the long read)

danny

Depends on what all the bodywork mods do to the insurance. I knew a guy who went from a polo with a silly body kit to a standard impreza and his insurance premium went down!

Also by the time you have bought and fitted all the bits you could have probably just got a VRS for less.

moneywise its looking like about 2 grand on top of the current car to get to your basic fabia vrs! i think half that amount should be enough to get it how id want it, minus the fact of the other extras named above you would get in a vrs! its a toughie!

but then add the cost of wheels and coilovers to the vrs price!

To be honest I think you'd be much better spending your money on a vRS.

If driven carefully they can be very economical

How about these bits off eBay;

secondhand vRS roof spoiler

or a new unused one

New genuine rear bumper spoiler skirt

New genuine front bumper spoiler skirt

or maybe the full kit with arch trims and exhaust trim?

The back bumper skirt is virtually the same as a vRS bumper. The front one obviously isn't, but saves having to get new foglamps. Put a nice set of 16" wheels on it (maybe even just some nice 15"s) and it'll look great. Then all you need is a secondhand vRS or Sport/Bohemia interior.

A guy on here (Stuart Hatch) did an SDI with the full vRS kit, custom leather interior and air-ride suspension. It looked fabulous! Leodhassach (I think I spelt that right!) has a grey 1.9TDI that's got all the vRS bits on it and it looks superb too.

Im 22 and alot of the time I drive like a granny 55mpg I tend to see, and then when I act like im a school boy about 45!! The vRS can be very econimcal case in point my old 1.4TDI Mk2 sport used to average 40 - 45 all the time....

One of the prettiest Fabias I have ever seen

on here was a modified SDI.

I say go for it. I have both btw and I am totally with you

when it comes to being amazed at the MPG you can get in an SDI if it's driven frugally.

Quite often I brim the tank (jedi filler neck trick) and drive from Bristol to London and back.

I'm usually still showing over 3/4 of a tank after the 300 mile journey if I've taken it steady.

I'd rather a modded non vrs /vas lookalike than a vrs. I prefer non vas colours too. If I could re choose my car I'd get a Fabia estate 1.9tdi and vrs it up like tech1e's

hmmm food for thought there!

the back bumper does look decent on that kit but i wouldnt be so keen on the others i feel, id like the car to look factory fitted and not aftermarket where as i feel the arches would sway it more that way!

i could do without the fogs and black mesh the gaps, tbh just looked out the window and mine dosent even have fogs lol!

i do know how exactly id like to have it having seen this photo and amateurly edited it to try recreate my colour

i love the styling on that car! its not too in your face but goes together well!

i could handle the vrs ecnomy i feel but its nice not having the worry of the turbo blowing or various sensors, plus i dont have the choice of economy or speed which my bank appreciates lol

I say why not Im pretty sure your insurance would still be a fair bit lower than a VRS even with the mods declared. The only thing I'd avoid are the VRS badges!

Marc

I say why not Im pretty sure your insurance would still be a fair bit lower than a VRS even with the mods declared. The only thing I'd avoid are the VRS badges!

Marc

Exactly what I would say. Yeah go for the kit but don't put the VRS badges on it

I say why not Im pretty sure your insurance would still be a fair bit lower than a VRS even with the mods declared. The only thing I'd avoid are the VRS badges!

Marc

+1

Same front skirt on my MPI

Rear is standard as I prefer no exhaust pipe, smoother and cleaner.

Same front bumper smoooooothed

I would opt for these personally

FRONT:- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-OEM-Skoda-Fabia-vRS-Mk1-Front-Bumper-Red-/280710978457?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item415bad9b99#ht_500wt_1156

(but you will need the round foglights too from somewhere) - Oh, and the fabia vRS bumper mounts that go on the wing (been there done that))

REAR - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-FABIA-VRS-REAR-BUMPER-GENUINE-RED-/120743400381?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c1cde13bd

Red probably paints to that dark orangey colour without too much difference.

Go for the spoiler as you already linked to.

Then this to top off the back bumper with correct tail - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fabia-VRS-cat-back-exhaust-/290589047567?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43a874fb0f#ht_500wt_1156

Then a set of wheels to finish it off.

Then depends how far you want to go? Personally I wouldn't rebadge the bootlid. Just remove all badges except the Skoda one.

Then find out how much the insurance wants for all these cosmetic changes,

cheers for the help people! that front bumper dosent actually look too bad on them pictures but i think id probably stick with the vrs one!

id never badge it up to be a vrs, just debadge it!

devonutopia will the vrs bumper not be a straight fit? and also that picture is missing the part around the fog lights? whilst the black plastics look removable the circled area and line around fogs look as if there part of it??