Basically My 1.4 16V fabia had a few issues, but its getting quite bad now.

Initially i had just the EGR issue what i fixed but now a much larger lsit has stacked up:

- The Front Sub frame needs replacing (because the bolt holding the dog bone mount sheered, thus allowing it to destroy the subframe)

- The Front Driver side Coil has literally just sheered about an hour ago (see picture)

- The Starter motor grinds on ignition

- The car SOMETIMES has fluctuating revs at idle, im waiting for a coolant temp sensor to turn up.

- The Gearbox doesnt select properly when up at a high temperature

- The Tracking/steering is off from when i curbed it, (i have to hold the steering wheel at about 15 degrees to the right to drive forwards)

- The Rear passenger side door seal has gone causing the leak into the foot well, im also waiting for some sealant to turn up

I also think i may have an air leak around the throttle body from when i took it off to clean the egr system. (although i torqued it up using a colleagues torq wrench)

I have until the 16th of April (when i have to go back to work), and £200 (what also has to cover my food and other living expenses until the 24th april.) to sort these issues out so the car is atleast driveable and most of all safe to use.

Should i just scrap the car? or can someone help? I would try and do a majority of it myself, but i dont have the experience, or the tools (except for a socket set and a large ratchet)

Edited 4 April, 201214 yr by Taylor93

Basically My 1.4 16V fabia had a few issues, but its getting quite bad now.

Initially i had just the EGR issue what i fixed but now a much larger lsit has stacked up:

- The Front Sub frame needs replacing (because the bolt holding the dog bone mount sheered, thus allowing it to destroy the subframe)

- The Front Driver side Coil has literally just sheered about an hour ago (see picture) Mine did this - £55 for part (inc. top bearing thing).

- The Starter motor grinds on ignition Had this - fixed for free. Removed motor, cleaned cogs, refitted.

- The car SOMETIMES has fluctuating revs at idle, im waiting for a coolant temp sensor to turn up.

- The Gearbox doesnt select properly when up at a high temperature Had this, would spit out of gear too. Garage changed oil and aligned under warranty. Got the Polo gearbox re-alliged for less than £30.

- The Tracking/steering is off from when i curbed it, (i have to hold the steering wheel at about 15 degrees to the right to drive forwards) Wouldn't do anything till the sub-frame is done. Bent track rod?

- The Rear passenger side door seal has gone causing the leak into the foot well, im also waiting for some sealant to turn up Lots of how-to's on here.

I also think i may have an air leak around the throttle body from when i took it off to clean the egr system. (although i torqued it up using a colleagues torq wrench)

I have until the 16th of April (when i have to go back to work), and £200 (what also has to cover my food and other living expenses until the 24th april.) to sort these issues out so the car is atleast driveable and most of all safe to use.

Should i just scrap the car? or can someone help? I would try and do a majority of it myself, but i dont have the experience, or the tools (except for a socket set and a large ratchet)

I would't scrap it - you won't be able to get much for your money, and there's garuntee you'll get something any better!

hmm i know theres not much but i dont know where to start.

i know the gearbox oil was changed the same same time the clutch was replaced, but it was by a cowboy garage who also cross threaded all the bolts for the dog bone mount.

so im questioning the quality of work on all of the car.

(1) - The Front Sub frame needs replacing (because the bolt holding the dog bone mount sheered, thus allowing it to destroy the subframe)

(2) - The Front Driver side Coil has literally just sheered about an hour ago (see picture)

(3) - The Starter motor grinds on ignition

(4) - The car SOMETIMES has fluctuating revs at idle, im waiting for a coolant temp sensor to turn up.

(5) - The Gearbox doesnt select properly when up at a high temperature

(6) - The Tracking/steering is off from when i curbed it, (i have to hold the steering wheel at about 15 degrees to the right to drive forwards)

(7) - The Rear passenger side door seal has gone causing the leak into the foot well, im also waiting for some sealant to turn up

I also think i may have an air leak around the throttle body from when i took it off to clean the egr system. (although i torqued it up using a colleagues torq wrench)

I have until the 16th of April (when i have to go back to work), and £200 (what also has to cover my food and other living expenses until the 24th april.) to sort these issues out so the car is atleast driveable and most of all safe to use.

Should i just scrap the car? or can someone help? I would try and do a majority of it myself, but i dont have the experience, or the tools (except for a socket set and a large ratchet)

Non of the issues mentioned are serious enough to warrant scrapping the car, it's worth more than you're going to spend on repairs, the question is how much of your budget can you spare and how much work can you do?

1. Phone the local scrap yards and ask if they have a front subframe, most insist on them removing the parts and supply them to you (as opposed to being able to strip them yourself in the good old days). The technical Guides section for the Fabia covers this in the ARB replacement thread.

2. £26.83 inc discount from ECP. In general what you do to one side you do to the other when it comes to suspension though I can understand with your budget that that may be tricky, you will need to borrow/buy a set of spring compressors at circa £10.

3. Free: Strip/clean it, if not scrap yard or ebay.

4. Free: It's on order so fit it when it arrives, should be an easy one.

5. Do you know what fluid they used? it should be 2ltrs of G50 iirc - TPS is your best bet the dealers rarely carry it. Do you know if they actually put fluid in at all? It's a 17mm allen key to take out the fill port and check (it should be filled to the bottom of the fill port when cold, for reference the filler port is the top one, remove the bottom one and you'll be topping it back up again, the filler port overflowing is how you know it's full assuming you're sat on a flat surface). If selection is smooth when cold then I wouldn't have thought it would be just a case of adjustment but as mentioned above adjustment should be a quick/cheap job.

6. £15 from National Tyres if you use the 50% off voucher on the web site.

7. Free: Again you've got the stuff on order, it's just a case of doing the job.

Basically on your budget it'll be tight to do everything and live if you have to buy tools rather than borrow them but not impossible and I certainly wouldn't scrap the car. On my last car springs snapping were common and owners used to regularly drive about with them in a similar state unaware till it was either pointed out at a meet or at service/mot time. While i'd certainly not recommend you drive it if you can possibly avoid it you'd not be the first and won't be the last to drive with them in a similar state.

That spring hasn't just lost an inch or so at the top and MUST be replaced. It is not only badly broken, but the top of the spring is not resting on the turret.

Check the other engine mounts - they can be damaged when the dogbone fails completely

Check both wheels are pointing in the same direction - no joke.

Use genuine VAG gearbox oil £12 for 2l. Make sure you can remove the filler plug before removing the drain plug.