I am looking for a Fabia for up to £2.5k for my daughter and I am really confused as to which would be the best model for her. I had decided upon a 1.2 because of its superior fuel economy and then I heard from a local Skoda dealer that on models made between 2003 and 2006 there is a known problem of sticking valves, which requires a new cylinder head as a fix, and if it has got a cat, a new one of those too!

I would really appreciate any feed back from members, both on the engine problem and on fuel consumption experienced for each model - typically used for shortish journeys.

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by Sahara

If your daughter only does short journeys and then presumably low miles then why is fuel consumption a consideration much less a deciding factor? She's clearly not going to save much even if she had a car that did 50mpg vs one that did 25mpg unless she does enough miles to notice.

The dealers right, the 1.2's have issues with valves sticking and I believe prefer premium fuels which sort of mitigates any mpg savings, you also don't know what the previous owner(s) have put in. The 1.4 16v also has issues, oil passes the seals and then you're looking at a rebuild with new valves, injectors have known issues and again they're not cheap, it also has a load of ECU updates in an attempt to mask emissions issues (a quick search will throw up a few threads discussing them). Then you have the old Skoda 1.4 8v or MPI, it's less powerful than the 16v, has a lumpy idle, costs more to tax but it's simple and easy to work on, a full service inc plugs and filters will set you back £25-35 every 10k/12 months (DIY), it's also chain driven (120k interval) so no belt to change. You tend to find it in the basic trim levels though so things like A/C and central locking were options. I also average just under 42mpg over the last 6k Early ones did suffer HGF but this was resolved with a change in torque spec for the bolts and a revised HG. I'm not saying buy one but they're usually cheaper than the 16v version and has less known issues while in essence being the same car.

Whatever you buy in the Fabia range budget on a new set of console bushes (visual check when laid on the ground should be sufficient to see if they're split) and possibly an angle sensor, thermostat and temp sensor, drop links, leaking rear door seals, rusted springs, drive shaft seals, ball joints and possibly a set of ARB bushes. they are all items i've either had to do on my car recently or would expect to do on a similar age of car. With your budget then private or in dependant garages are your best bet, buy on condition, not age or miles. A FSH is nice but a stack of bills for parts/work carried out on an older car is equally reassuring and personally I find it preferable to a stamp from a garage i've never heard of who don't answer the phone or in my case told me they'd basically changed the oil for the last 6 years and that was all (elderly owner did 2k a year and paid them £150 + MOT each year for the privilege!).

Short journeys and low annual mileage - she would be happy with 1.2 as cheap insurance. Try and get up-spec Elegance model with lots of 'toys'.

My 29 year old son has 2001 Elegance 1.4 and ( apart from high oil consumption) is delighted with it, he had Peugeot 306 with 1800 engine before!

This car does around 42 MPG.

Short journeys and low annual mileage - she would be happy with 1.2 as cheap insurance. Try and get up-spec Elegance model with lots of 'toys'.

My 29 year old son has 2001 Elegance 1.4 and ( apart from high oil consumption) is delighted with it, he had Peugeot 306 with 1800 engine before!

This car does around 42 MPG.

With respect did you read Sahara's post? He's been told by the dealer that the 1.2 has issues, that has to tell you something as they're the last people who tell you not to buy a Skoda. You reply ignoring this and telling him to buy a 1.2 as it's cheap to insure but ignoring the fact that the three engine choices he's considering are group 4 and group 5 or in other words the difference in insurance cost will be minimal.

What confuses me most is you then endorse your son's 1.4 16v but even point out it's got high oil consumption, that oil consumption is most likely the oil passing the seals and will result in a new set of valves and a rebuild sooner or later as the engine is known for it. Were you trying to help or put him off?

Hi, pretty much with Avalon really. We've had the 8v 1.4 mpi for approaching 3 years and apart from some of the faults identified have been pretty pleased with it. Not the most refined but a sound little engine that basically does the job. Having never owned a 1.2 I can't really comment in detail but I'm sure a chap I know seemed to suggest his was a bit harsh for his liking.

I have the 3 cylinder 1.2 but not sure i'd go for it again if I had the choice. Lumpy idle, i had to have the cylinder head rebuilt due to worn seats and find the fuel economy not that great around the city. Don't get me wrong its great on a run but disappointingly low for short journeys.

The 1.4MPI is based on some very old technology. Some say its obsolete, which frankly, I agree with. On the flip side however, if you maintain it well, it'll still run when the car falls apart around it.

It has its quirks and issues, but nothing major. If you need a Fabia to get you from A to B, the MPI is a good choice. I'm very fond of mine. As a daily driver, its great. For other things, lets just say I'm glad I haven't sold the Merc. Because it's wholly lacking in the power department.

Thanks for the replies - some interesting comments! Avalon; I take your point about the fuel consumption, but until I spoke to the dealer, all the press reviews seemed to suggest the 1.2 was the engine to go for and the fact the fuel economy appeared to be better was the clincher. Not so sure now...

I certainly haven't got a problem with the MPI engine and I reckon that's what I will probably end up looking for; I mean, how the hell can you tell if the 1.2 is not going to give problems because it seems to be a potentially expensive gamble if it does?

I like to think I'm reasonably clued up mechanically, having worked on most of my cars and motorcycles over the years, but you've got me beat with your reference to angle sensor, console bushes, drop links and ARB bushes! I managed to work out HGF and HG

If you're at least halfway skilled with a box of tools you'll do finewith the MPI. Its ridiculously easy to work with. To be blunt, its every DIYer's wet dream.

I'd go with the 1.2 over a 1.4mpi. Fuel economy should be better - this is reflected in the road tax cost. Also, the 1.2 is a Skoda designed engine intended to replace the 1.4mpi. My understanding is this is the same 1.2 petrol also used by VW and Seat. Should tell you something that VW's and Seats are running around with a Skoda engine. ISTR some issue with chain tensioners on early models. 2.5k should get you a newish one.

Or how about a 1.9 SDI?

Everyone is praising the 1.9SDI like its the best thing that's happened to mankind since Jesus Christ. I had it today and I decided to track down one.

That engine is so weak, that compared to the SDI, my 1.4MPI is a bloody rocket. I mean, there-is-a-fire-under-its-arse rocket. The bloke who owned it actually laughed at me because I kept checking if the handbrake was on every other minute. It was tragic. Its barely quicker than the 1.0 in the Junior, and that's probably the most horrible engine/car combo in history. And from someone who's driven a Vaz-2101, that's saying a lot.

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by DaKKs_152

That engine is so weak, that compared to the SDI, my 1.4MPI is a bloody rocket.

Hence the 1.9tdi. There was, I believe, a 1 litre version of the 1.4mpi in Europe. That must have been worse It's not all about speed anyway. I'd rather drive slowly and have my fuel cost slashed by 30%, than have a 30% faster car.

Hence the 1.9tdi. There was, I believe, a 1 litre version of the 1.4mpi in Europe. That must have been worse It's not all about speed anyway. I'd rather drive slowly and have my fuel cost slashed by 30%, than have a 30% faster car.

Mate, I'm all for fuel efficiency. But when an empty car (aside from the driver) can't drive up a bloody hill, that's where I draw the line.

And yes, the 1.0 in the Fabia Junior is the 1.0 liter version of the 1.4MPI. They're quite popular in eastern Europe. God only knows why...

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by DaKKs_152

Thanks for the replies - some interesting comments! Avalon; I take your point about the fuel consumption, but until I spoke to the dealer, all the press reviews seemed to suggest the 1.2 was the engine to go for and the fact the fuel economy appeared to be better was the clincher. Not so sure now...

I certainly haven't got a problem with the MPI engine and I reckon that's what I will probably end up looking for; I mean, how the hell can you tell if the 1.2 is not going to give problems because it seems to be a potentially expensive gamble if it does?

I like to think I'm reasonably clued up mechanically, having worked on most of my cars and motorcycles over the years, but you've got me beat with your reference to angle sensor, console bushes, drop links and ARB bushes! I managed to work out HGF and HG

I know where you're coming from on the press, to this day What Car still push the 1.2 as the best choice and says avoid the SDI, thing is they tend not to follow cars that much after launch which is why I usually check Honest John as they have a list of recalls and known issues that tends to be spot on. The fact a dealer warns you about the issue should give you some idea of how many they've seen with the issue as the general policy in most car dealerships is to deny everything.

As for the descriptions I should have been a little more detailed, the issues I described affect the whole range and seem to be the common things that come up on here. The angle sensor is the steering angle sensor, it's what tells the power steering pump what's going on with the steering wheel so it knows when to activate, when the angle sensor fails you tend to find the steering weight varies, headlights flicker, the dash flickers and you get the power assisted steering (PAS) light on the dash (low speed manoeuvring is more prone to stalling and you get the PAS light on the dash as the rev's drop so low the pump can't get the current it needs, it's £98 for the part but it's been redesigned so you shouldn't have the same issue again, you're looking at a scuffed set of knuckles and 30-45 mins or so to swap one out if you've got ramps. Console bushes are the rear bush on the front wishbone, you can see them if you put the steering on full lock and follow the wishbone back to the alloy 'console', the bush is the rubber part in the middle that may look torn top and bottom and probably isn't sitting true vertical by this stage, budget £50 on a set of Powerflex replacements, and it's a simple job, you're looking at an hour or so to do both sides. It's something like £140-170 at dealer/independent rates. Drop links are the bar from the anti Roll bar (ARB) to the suspension strut, if you get a knocking sound going over bumps it's the first thing i'd check, they're cheap, budget £20 a pair for non Skoda items, it's only nuts to undo so less than 20-30 mins depending if you take the front wheels off or not (it's easier to work with it off). The ARB bushes are a bigger job but quite inexpensive, a revised ARB may have been fitted depending on when the car was produced, in my case the car had already had it done. The thermostat is £15 from Jorily and the temp sensor is £18, both are known weak spots but they're 5 minute jobs and quite inexpensive.

To give you a little perspective due to a 'perfect storm' of circumstances I found myself in need of a cheap and reliable car to do 70 miles a day in. I purchased a Y reg (2001) mpi with 21k on the clock, 2 months tax and MOT for £1.5k, it's averaged 41.5 (ish) mpg over the last 6k and i've done most things on that list and a few more besides. My plan was to get past our wedding/house move and sale of another property and get a vrs or a PD100. After spending the time working on the mpi and looking at the real costs involved i've more or less decided to keep it. I won't lie I do miss the looks, comfort, toys, acceleration, cornering and mpg of my old car, but tyres are for next to nothing for premium brands, service costs are tiny and I don't need to take off the rear end of the car to change the plugs, oil drains from the sump as opposed to needing to be sucked out and a set of brake disc's last a hell of a lot longer than 20k. Much as it pains me to say it, in terms of fulfilling the function of getting me reliably and safely from A to B economically I can't fault it at all, much as i'd like to.

Wow! Impressive reply Avalon - many thanks. If those are the only real issues with the car, then it's really not too bad and certainly a hell of a lot better than potential faults on others that my daughter has mentioned. The work involved and the costs seem reasonable so I reckon you've helped to make my mind up :sun: Watch this space in the future and I'll let you know how we got on. Thanks again to all posters.