Hi,

I'm looking at a Fabia 1.9 Classic SDi on an 03 plate. It's got 79k on it.

Anything in particular to look out for? Should it have A/C? The ad is a bit ambiguous...:wonder:

What's a reasonable price for this from a garage?

Cheers

Martin

It may have A/C-optional. Check the front disks for major wear. If it hasn't got decent service history leave it alone. The engine will last many miles but abusing the service intervals will not help. Does everything electrical work? The SDI is no ball of fire but it does 60 mpg and is generally bombproof. Price no idea I'm afraid-all on condition.

Well, an object lesson in how to upset a customer. I rang up today, asked a few details such as aircon, wet rear footwells etc. It was only when I said it would take me three hours to get to see the car that the guy mentions it's a Cat C damaged/repaired car! So otherwise he'd have let me come to see it before telling me? There's no way I'm dealing with someone who doesn't put that up front in the advert.

Now going to look at another hopefully. It's only got a radio/cassette and SWMBO really wants CD. I would prefer it to look as original as possible. The car that turned out to be Cat C had a Skoda CD player - are these both called "Symphony" or is there a different model name for the Fabia range?

Id prefer to get an OEM Skoda stereo than a Halford special.

Thanks

Martin

Make sure you test drive to fully understand just how slow this non-turbo diesel is.

Edited 10 November, 201114 yr by davekmoore

The symphony single cd unit is what's in our SDI.

You will need to buy a special lead if you want to connect an ipod

or similar.

I had one in the vRS but replaced it with a Sony unit quite early on.

The Sony is in mine because I wanted a usb port for music on a memory

stick.

The best feature in the OE headunit imo is the TIM function where it

monitors and stores traffic bulletins on the station it's tuned to

even if you are listening to CD, you just push a button and it plays

back the most recent. Ours has been very reliable and the cd player

never skips. Don't know what the multi changer is like haven't got

one on either Fabia.

Oh and for the record, the SDI is a great overall value buy

we've had ours for 3 years and have done 48k in it.

Changed the original clutch at 100k, and done the console bushes twice

and that's about it. It will be with us until it dies which assuming

neither of us crash it, will almost certainly be for a long time.

A very steady and reliable car.

Thanks for the info, that's really useful.

Don't suppose you still have your Symphony CD player from the vRS do you? Or is that what went in the sdi?

I seem to recall some discussion of the fact that an Octavia Symphony unit is not the same as a Fabia Symphony unit - is that correct? If I could get an Octavia Symphony to fit in the dash, might be able to do a custom changer install under one of the seats.

Don't suppose you still have your Symphony CD player from the vRS do you? Or is that what went in the sdi?

I do but I'll be refitting it when I eventually get rid, my sony

is currently fitted to its 4th different car I won't replace it

with anything newer until it dies.

You're better off making sure the car has one of its own as they

are usually coded to work with the specific car they are from.

I'm sure something could probably be done with vagcom

to code one to a car that doesn't already have one in it but

it's something else to s0d about with then.

If you're lucky you may find a SDI with a changer fitted already

best bet is likely to be elegance spec cars.

It'll be installed under the passenger seat if it has one.

It's possible to pick up symphonys on Ebay with the code. You have to keep a good watch out though.

I bought my 2002 SDi from an Autotrader dealer for 1200 quid and it had some history, very clean inside. It had 160,000 on it and I bought it straight away but after a service we realised and afew days of ownership it needed:

1: Auxiliary belt tensioner and belt (cheap and easy to fit)

2: One of the headlights had a broken bracket and was angled abit odly, cheap ebay used headlight sorted this

3: Also realised that the aftermarket central locking kit didnt operate the rear doors (well it did every now and then, so I disconnected the rear lock motors when i did the door seal fix).

4: Rear windscreen washer pipe was disconnected (still is as I cant be bothered risking cracking the panel).

5: It sometimes takes about 4 seconds to start and white smoke comes out if its been standing overnight or many hours, after this initial start it will be fine for the rest of the day. When Ive tried the offical VW starting procedure (turn key on so glow plug light comes on, wait for glow plug light to go off, then turn fully to start), it often doesnt like starting like that and also puts out the white smoke. If I just start it like I would a petrol its fine 90% of the time. When Ive used google to research this problem (there have been other SDi owners on this very site with the same problem) Ive read that it can be air getting in through a perished pipe or something, and ive also seen other model of diesel vehicles with the same problem online. It always starts anyway and isnt really a major issue, just annoying. Yes ive changed the glow plugs.

But those minor problems aside its a superb car, when weve had it up on the ramp at the garage the underneath of the car looked almost new as there was no rust anywhere. No black smoke on motorway, doesn't drink any oil after the 5000 ive done since last change, nice and solid on the motorway and once you know how to get the best out of the engine you will find it a nice car for long distances (I drove from Manchester to Glasgow to Edinburgh, and Manchester to Newcastle, both times I never felt I needed anything bigger). Its extremely economical, plenty fast enough unless you want overtaking power (remaps of 80+ HP are available which improve things even more apparently, Im considering it), great in traffic and will roll in first and second with no foot on accelerator and clutch engaged (great for snowy roads).

£90 a year to tax, probably the cheapest car to insure a young male on (was for me apart from the citroen c1), looks smart with VRS wheels on, seats arent bad, boot is big.

But why would you want an OEM stereo? You need something that either had a USB, an AUX input or at the very least can play MP3, WMA files from a CD. I cant belive people still listen to shop bought CD's and are happy with that lack of choice. You can get smart looking fully featured SONY, JVC, Pioneer HU for £50+ these days.

The search has broadened to a 1.4 tdi PD - looks a nice car but I don't know anything about the 1.4 TDI PD engine. Is it ok? As reliable as the 1.9TDI?

Thanks,

Martin

Running a 56 plate 1.4TDI classic with 123K miles on the clock. Over 7426 miles it has averaged 55.2mpg, which I do not consider bad as everyday I have to climb over the Pennines from Oldham to Penistone. Bought it at the right price (£2.7K) and even though it is the Classic it has the better options such as air con and cruise, even though it has manual windows and key operated central locking. It performs quite good, even considering it is only the 70BHP model and will hold quite good high speeds on the steep climb out of Greenfield.

I suggest that you try to get a test drive in one if you are unsure, I was very dubious of the power but once it gets on its torque curve it's just fine.

Edited 14 November, 201114 yr by KeithCheetham

1.4tdi is a 3 pot

and has turbo and dmf which can, like on the vRS go

expensively wrong. We were looking at them too when we bought

our SDI.

Went for the SDI largely due to it's simplicity and the

fact that it was a 4 cylinder. Also worked out a little cheaper

to insure for Mrs Grr.

Anyway, 3 pots sound funny LOL

Any more opinions on the 1.4 PD TDI engine? Reliable or not? What's people's experiences?

I run a 1.4TDi on an 06 in Ambiente spec, it is no ball of fire but once wound up trundles along quite happily. I'm not sure but I thought it was 80bhp in Ambiente spec, I get low to mid 60's driving from Brum to Telford and back, and recently got an average of 68mpg going from Essex to Telford, all with sitting at 70 mph.

Be advised though, start to push it beyond 70 mph and the fuel consumption does start to drop rapidly, also, as it's only a 3 pot, low down engine torque isn't great until the turbo starts to do its thing.

ok, the Verso is now sold, just waiting for the buyer to pay up and collect!

Going to go and have a look at this 1.4 pd tdi I've seen. Any other things I need to know which are specific to the 1.4 pd diesel engine? I hear it uses a bit of oil? Reliability?

Thanks

Martin

Oh, and this one has done just over 100 000 miles. Is that a problem on this engine or is it just as bulletproof as the 1.9?

Oh, and this one has done just over 100 000 miles. Is that a problem on this engine or is it just as bulletproof as the 1.9?

I use to own 2001 1.4TDI VW Polo (the same engine, sold it with 167K. I bought it with 61K, for this 100K never a single problem. The normal service, drop links, bushes etc, the rest was spot on. Used about half a liter of oil between changes..thats all. One more thing, replaced original clutch at 127K

I've kept an eye on the oil levels between service but not had a problem. Mine tipped over 90K this week, so in 2 years I've done about 30K miles, mostly motorway. One thing I would suggest you look at though on the one you're going to see is when the timing belt was last changed.