I'm looking for some advice. I'm hoping to buy my first Fabia, and and tempted by the 20% discount on a new 1.6 Diesel Fabia. However the dealer phoned me up offering the Fabia 1.4 MPI Petrol 85 BHP (11 plate) for a very good price. I am just struggling to find any reviews of this car, and wondered if any existing owners can give me some honest opinions? Thanks!

Well, my dad has a 2009 Seat Ibiza with a 1.4 85bhp petrol engine so I'm assuming it's the same engine? Didn't know they did it in the Fabia so can't be that common!

The engine itself is ok, seems a bit gutless for a 1.4 but if your not going to be hoping for blistering speed i'm sure it will do fine lol

I didn't have a good experience with the fabia myself so I'm probably not the best person to ask on that side of things!

That's the same as the engine in my dads (no that is not a video of his car).

Looks like it is the same engine as found this advert on ebay for one car with a 1.4 MPI engine (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Fabia-1-4-MPI-SE-5dr-2011-/320766046760?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4aaf257228) and it has the same BHP as my dads Ibiza

Good enough engine, dad gets mid to high 30's on his daily commute and early 40's on a motorway run. Don't think it was a popular engine in the fabia though?

Edited 14 December, 201114 yr by adamc260

As said its a bit gutless and fairly high emissions (might be worth checking the VED). The engine itself is ancient. I had fundamentally the same engine in my 1997 Mk3 Golf (75BHP i think).

The engine is pretty bullet proof and simple to work on so i don't envisage any issues with it long term tbh.

*edit - Tax is £115 so not too bad...must have done something to make it Euro V compliant

Edited 14 December, 201114 yr by jrw

must be a late registered model (built a long time ago sitting unregistered for some time) because the 1.4 86ps petrols were only in the pre face lift models.

must be a late registered model (built a long time ago sitting unregistered for some time) because the 1.4 86ps petrols were only in the pre face lift models.

Really? http://www.skoda.co.uk/gbr/newcars/fabia/performance/Pages/default.aspx

But strangely not listed on the build your own part of the website.

Perhaps its another run out model like the Octy was.... :wonder:

Edited 14 December, 201114 yr by jrw

Really? http://www.skoda.co.uk/gbr/newcars/fabia/performance/Pages/default.aspx

But strangely not listed on the build your own part of the website.

Perhaps its another run out model like the Octy was.... :wonder:

that's the 1.2 60hp model in that link.

it's not in the latest fabia brochure

edit: the 1.4 86ps is listed on that website..have to click on the drop down menu. they must have brought it back then... it says its only available in the se spec for £12k a bit too much. £9k may be worth considering

edit 2: it's the same price as the 1.2tsi 86ps....unless it's really cheap i'd go for the tsi if its the same price

Edited 14 December, 201114 yr by fabia55

How much does the dealer want for it?

Marlborough Skoda in Isleworth have three 1.4 mpi SE models all Sept 2011 (61 plates) with 50 miles on the clock for £8999 a piece.

Definitely looks like a run out model. Go for it if it is cheap enough (ie less than £9k if marlborough have new ones for £9k)

I can't comment on this engine but it has not been in the UK Fabia brochures for over 18 months.

Hence what the dealer is offering you is either a model built to the specification before the facelift in May 2010 but for some reason not registered until later than March 2011, which you can tell as front bumper, headlights and grille are subtly different plus it will be a level 1, 2 or 3 specification rather than S, SE or Elegance, or a special edition produced to use up residual stock of this engine and other parts.

some of the specs don't look right on the website. like for instance the kerb weight of the 1.2 htp 70bhp (1095kg) and 1.2tsi 86bhp (1116kg) is heavier than the 1.4 86bhp (1029kg), quite a big difference.

I lol'd at this

SE Hatchback £11,970 - 1.2 TSI 86ps

SE Hatchback £11,995 - 1.4 MPI 86ps

I know which i'd pick!

I would probably be more inclined to go for the 1.2 TSi TBH.

Although as said the 1.4 MPi is bullet proof and not a bad engine as such it's not the best in terms of economy, emissions and driveability and is trumped by the 1.2 TSi really.

That Tax costs is the same as I pay on my car btw.

Phil

A bit of friendly advice.

As with the Octavia earlier this year (1.6 MPi), Skoda have produced (not many) throughout the year the 1.4 16v engines and had put them in to the SE and SE Plus models.

We had a couple of pre reg and they were a good saving against the TSI (if a little less fuel economy doesn't worry you too much).

For under £9,000 it is in fairness quite a lot of car and brand new (I assume).

Hope this helps a bit.

Lee

As long as you know its a run out model and the engine is not the latest tech but the price comes in right, do the deal if your happy.

However as others have said the TSI is a lot better engine.

Keep us posted.

Thanks for all your responses. The dealer wants £8995 for it. On the phone, he said it is a 'brand new SE model' but they only have 20 in stock, all non-metallic red/white/blue. I have booked in for a test drive next week.. Just feel a bit unsure about an MPI engine... And couldn't really find any reviews to help me make my mind up... I had a test drive in a 1.6 diesel Fabia, and liked the feel of it.. But the 1.4 petrol will work out about 1.5k cheaper...

Thanks for all your responses. The dealer wants £8995 for it. On the phone, he said it is a 'brand new SE model' but they only have 20 in stock, all non-metallic red/white/blue. I have booked in for a test drive next week.. Just feel a bit unsure about an MPI engine... And couldn't really find any reviews to help me make my mind up... I had a test drive in a 1.6 diesel Fabia, and liked the feel of it.. But the 1.4 petrol will work out about 1.5k cheaper...

I would push for more than that off if they have over 20 and they are on an 11 plate.....

If it is only £1.5k more for a 1.6 diesel and you warrant one with the mileage you do, i would go for one of them to be honest as it will be more sellable when the time comes.

Thanks for all your responses. The dealer wants £8995 for it. On the phone, he said it is a 'brand new SE model' but they only have 20 in stock, all non-metallic red/white/blue. I have booked in for a test drive next week.. Just feel a bit unsure about an MPI engine... And couldn't really find any reviews to help me make my mind up... I had a test drive in a 1.6 diesel Fabia, and liked the feel of it.. But the 1.4 petrol will work out about 1.5k cheaper...

Go for the 1.6crtdi you will love it, better still try both and compare the 1.4 mpi will feel slow

Thanks for all your responses. The dealer wants £8995 for it. On the phone, he said it is a 'brand new SE model' but they only have 20 in stock, all non-metallic red/white/blue. I have booked in for a test drive next week.. Just feel a bit unsure about an MPI engine... And couldn't really find any reviews to help me make my mind up... I had a test drive in a 1.6 diesel Fabia, and liked the feel of it.. But the 1.4 petrol will work out about 1.5k cheaper...

OK,the MPI is 1.5k cheaper than the 1.6 cr, but you will also get less for it when you trade it in a few years time. If you are doing a lot of miles then go for the diesel. If your doing normal miles on short journeys go for a petrol and as others have said the TSI is the engine to go for.

We have a 2002 1.4 MPI. Its now at 109,000 miles. Doesnt burn any oil and sweet as a nut. The engine is smooth. The power wont set the world alight but its comparable to the 1.2 HTP I had before my Greenline. My other halfs 50 mile round trip commute on mixture of roads gives 44mpg average.

Is this the same engine? Due to C2O emissions the tax band is quite high so maybe they made a few changes ?

I would push for more than that off if they have over 20 and they are on an 11 plate.....

If it is only £1.5k more for a 1.6 diesel and you warrant one with the mileage you do, i would go for one of them to be honest as it will be more sellable when the time comes.

If it's the same cars that the dude from Preston Motors was refering to they should be new unregistered cars

Edited 17 December, 201114 yr by Kablam

As said above, this engine has been around in various forms for years in the VW group.

Slightly strangely, it's still used in the Polo and Ibiza, while Skoda 'replaced' it with a 85 bhp version of the 1.2 tsi over a year ago. Not sure why VW and Seat haven't, but for what it's worth, What Car's favourite version of the Polo is the 1.4.

Edited 17 December, 201114 yr by helix

We have a 2002 1.4 MPI. Its now at 109,000 miles. Doesnt burn any oil and sweet as a nut. The engine is smooth. The power wont set the world alight but its comparable to the 1.2 HTP I had before my Greenline. My other halfs 50 mile round trip commute on mixture of roads gives 44mpg average.Is this the same engine? Due to C2O emissions the tax band is quite high so maybe they made a few changes ?

Your 1.4 mpi is the 'old' Skoda 1.3 pushrod engine increased to 1.4.

I'm currently doing about 10k miles per year, so its pretty border line between petrol or diesel I guess..

I'm currently doing about 10k miles per year, so its pretty border line between petrol or diesel I guess..

Try which petrol v diesel for a comparison on fuel costs.

My feeling is that over three years it will be the petrol that will win easy, if you keep your cars for 6+ then it will be the diesel just.

But for me it is not just about fuel economy you have to think about how the car will be used. In my experience in hilly areas a diesel is more likely to give good mpg and the same if it runs loaded a lot.

Can you test drive one? you tested the 1.6 diesel and liked it. If you buy the car and it seems gutless or something else can you live with that?

The other way to think of it is, do I want to keep £3000+ in your pocket and live with adequate performance or go for the 1.2 tsi 86bhp or a 1.6 diesel.