Advice on buying a better model fabia

[Jonnyy]

Hey,

After some advice please, I have a fabia comfort 1.4 16v 100bhp and love it!

Recently had the chance to experience an octavia 11 plate vrs (170bhp), very fun (friends hire car for a day)

Now I am seriously considering buying a fabia vrs, just wondered If anyone can let me know whether it be a bad idea or not

Got 52k miles on my 03 plate fabia with full service history

Cheers for any help in advance

Jonnyy

Edited 20 September, 2011 by Jonnyy

[Big Mikey]

Nice as your car surely is mate, swapping it for a vRS will never be a bad idea!

[vindaloo]

Hey,

After some advice please, I have a fabia comfort 1.4 16v 100bhp and love it!

Recently had the chance to experience an octavia 11 plate vrs (170bhp), very fun (friends hire car for a day)

Now I am seriously considering buying a fabia vrs, just wondered If anyone can let me know whether it be a bad idea or not

Got 52k miles on my 03 plate fabia with full service history

Cheers for any help in advance

Jonnyy

Go test drive one first or maybe a local member can give you a ride. The 1.9 8v PD in the Fabia VRS isn't going to be as "nice" as the 2.0 16V CR in the Octavia. Neither does the Fabia ride as nicely IMO.

Having borrowed more basic Fabias when mine's being serviced, I can say the VRS interior is reasonable step up. The seats can be a pain and get dirty easily and the dash is the same across the range but all the little leather and chrome bits give it enough of a lift.

J.

[Sonner]

Well the value of your car trade in will be sub 2k so be sure your happy to let your current car go for not alot first.

then consider the newer vRS if you can afford it.

[Jonnyy]

Thanks for the replies

Well i didnt pay far off that figure when i first bought my comfort

Thing is, only had it three months, i mean, money really isnt a big issue at all.

I just keep finding myself wanting improve my current car visually and had a few ideas to put vrs parts on it but then i thought f*** it, why not just buy a vrs :p

Sonner, not too keen on the mkII fabia. Visually it puts me off, too boxy although i will consider if i decide to go through with this

[Fabia_19]

Like a previous poster wrote- get to a skoda dealership and see what your car is worth against one and then get a test drive. You can easily get them remapped for even more performance!

[Jonnyy]

One thing that is putting me off is the fact that it's goingto be exactly the same car with a better engine an few extras.

[devonutopia]

Maybe if you don't want the expense of a vRS, find a TDI (same 100hp) and look into mapping it to 135/140bhp?

[hussarman]

Go for the Octavia, traded my one in for a fabia, that was a bad day's work.

[Jonnyy]

Only thing stopping me from getting an octavia is ridiculus insurance quotes. 20 with 1 years no claims, just from a quick look it will be double what i pay at the moment. Whereas the fabia vrs would only be £90 more

[fabdavrav]

One thing that is putting me off is the fact that it's goingto be exactly the same car with a better engine an few extras.

Errrrrr.....NO......VRS has a diesel engine which you have to drive differently to the higher reving (red line starts around 6250..limiter cuts in around 7800) 1.4 16v (100bhp) petrol!!!

[Jonnyy]

Fair enough. Only ever had petrol cars.

Going on the words of wisdom "you only live once" and looking into buying one

Thanks for all your help!

[Fabia_19]

I have recently gone from a 1.3 petrol engine to my Fabia 1.9tdi Elegance with all the kit. Once you learn to drive differently the economy you get is unbelievable. The performance is great and I'm looking at getting mine remapped which should put it at slightly better than a standard vrs.

[Jonnyy]

I have recently gone from a 1.3 petrol engine to my Fabia 1.9tdi Elegance with all the kit. Once you learn to drive differently the economy you get is unbelievable. The performance is great and I'm looking at getting mine remapped which should put it at slightly better than a standard vrs.

Cool, how much did you get that for?

[Rob.]

I went from a 1.4 16V Fabia to a vRS so I can tell you from 1st hand experience that all the small changes add up to a completely different feeling car... It's really small things like the black head lining that give the vRS the feel of being a different car, and not just a faster version of what you've been driving..

The different steering wheel & metal pedals, the wider wheels with lower, stiffer springs make the whole experience seem a like a step up.

The biggest difference I found though, was motorway ride quality... The vRS sits like a much bigger / better car, totally planted, where as my lil 1.4 16V would be bouncing around all over the place.

[Fabia_19]

The biggest difference I found though, was motorway ride quality... The vRS sits like a much bigger / better car, totally planted, where as my lil 1.4 16V would be bouncing around all over the place.

This is the main difference that I noticed. Motorway driving in my elegance Tdi is brilliant. Mine has the 205,45,16 optional alloys as well. And the power you get at 70mph when you want to overtake something on the motorway is epic

[fabdavrav]

The different steering wheel & metal pedals, the wider wheels with lower, stiffer springs make the whole experience seem a like a step up.

The biggest difference I found though, was motorway ride quality... The vRS sits like a much bigger / better car, totally planted, where as my lil 1.4 16V would be bouncing around all over the place.

That's why I ordered my Elegance with the leather steering wheel and have fitted Koni FSD Dampers, fully polybushed the car, better brakes, bigger summer alloys......just read my signature.

Just because it's "only" a 1.4 16v dosen't mean that it can't be "tunned" to make it handle/brake/etc better.....remember with all that heavy diesel engine up front compared to the lighter 1.4 it will understeer more unless the you sort the suspension out!

P.S. if you really want "bells and whistles" then an early Elegance spec (like mine) had the lot, inc elec rear windows and heated seats! :yes:

If you're going to do more than 10,000miles a year in it then a diesel makes more sense......if not just tune your current car to how you want....you know it fairly well!

[phantomlurker]

I went from a 1.4 16V Fabia to a vRS so I can tell you from 1st hand experience that all the small changes add up to a completely different feeling car... It's really small things like the black head lining that give the vRS the feel of being a different car, and not just a faster version of what you've been driving..

The different steering wheel & metal pedals, the wider wheels with lower, stiffer springs make the whole experience seem a like a step up.

The biggest difference I found though, was motorway ride quality... The vRS sits like a much bigger / better car, totally planted, where as my lil 1.4 16V would be bouncing around all over the place.

All of the above! I went from the 1.4 100bhp to my fabia vRS, and I haven't looked back. A far more pleasant car to own, more fuel efficient, cheaper road tax, and TORQUE!

hth

PL

[Mattcooper79]

May be i can help, I used to have a fabia Vrs for 5 years and have recently been driving an Octavia Vrs TSI, in many ways i really miss the Fabia, it seemed to have more appeal, character and a sense of theatre compared to the Octavia. Havig said that the Octavia is a better car in every way, much faster, handles better and is built far better, drinks more though too.......

I would have another fabia Vrs in a heartbeat if the right one came up and i was in the market for one.....

[Jonnyy]

I went from a 1.4 16V Fabia to a vRS so I can tell you from 1st hand experience that all the small changes add up to a completely different feeling car... It's really small things like the black head lining that give the vRS the feel of being a different car, and not just a faster version of what you've been driving..

The different steering wheel & metal pedals, the wider wheels with lower, stiffer springs make the whole experience seem a like a step up.

The biggest difference I found though, was motorway ride quality... The vRS sits like a much bigger / better car, totally planted, where as my lil 1.4 16V would be bouncing around all over the place.

Thanks man, that's helped my decision alot. Now just to find one!

Appreciate all your answers cheers for all your time and advice

[Jonnyy]

May be i can help, I used to have a fabia Vrs for 5 years and have recently been driving an Octavia Vrs TSI, in many ways i really miss the Fabia, it seemed to have more appeal, character and a sense of theatre compared to the Octavia. Havig said that the Octavia is a better car in every way, much faster, handles better and is built far better, drinks more though too.......

I would have another fabia Vrs in a heartbeat if the right one came up and i was in the market for one.....

Interesting, I do really like the octy vrs just can't get the right insurance quote. Going to go for the fabia and I'm on the hunt!

Thanks man

Edited 22 September, 2011 by Jonnyy

[CRASH67]

im also looking for a Fabia VRS after considering a new monte carlo etc decided id rather get used VRS.

All i will say from the figures is dont see its a little more power, as from a previous poster said you current fabia is 100hp where as the VRS is 130 just look the torque numbers, the VRS has 310Nm to the 1.4's 120Nm. plenty of pulling power. which suits my driving.

looking forward to finding one.

[Jonnyy]

Bought one, getting it thursday this week, driving back from Leeds to Scarborough

Fell in love with it on test drive :p

[Fabia_19]

Any more details- colour, milage, pics etc. Glad you've decided

[Jonnyy]

Silver, 51k. Immaculate

No pictures at the moment. Will most definitly have some when she's in my hands