I've already introduced myself as a present Octy VRS owner,but ready for a change in the next six months or so and thinking I don't need as much space, the Fabia VRS is the obvious move.

I've read quite a bit but it's no substitute to seeking advice from where it matters,existing owners...so here goes..

1/Is the service schedule 2yrs/20k and is there any cam belt change to think about?

2/I would be looking at getting one a year old or so...is it possible to extend the Skoda warranty to 5 years on a used car?

3/I would expect real world mpg to be 30 generally but 40 on longer runs driven quickly but sensibly...is this realistic?

4/Thinking of refinement,what are the engine revs cruising at 70...(can't find any reference to this)...also,in one road test it mentioned wind noise...is this an issue?

Thanks for any responses you can give...there may be more questions

Regards,John.

Service schedule is 10k 1 year

No cam belt as its a timing chain on the 1.4 twin charge

revs are circa 3-3.5k at 70mph

The wind noise is due to the wing mirrors, its not that bad but noticeable if your coming from a more insulated car

Pretty sure that the revs are a touch under 3k at 80mph in 7th gear so 2600ish at 70mph. Wind noise isn't too bad, compared to similar cars, eg vw polo, it's slightly louder. You can't extend the warranty on used Skodas, you can buy a 'Skoda approved' extended warranty but you would probably be better off going to warranty direct or something similar. I average 36mpg most of the time and 40mpg is fairly easy on motorway/dual carriageway, I always use shell v-power though.

That was my motorway mpg

As an ex-VRS2 owner who bought one of the first batch i would say your real world expectations of mpg are about right.

I would say the refinement was one of the most dissappointing aspects, especially in comparison with an Octy (which i now have). I had a fantastic extensive tour of Scotland in mine but I got very bored indeed of the road noise getting there and getting back. However tyre noise is the big factor here, and some tyres are worse than others.

Thanks for the replies so far.

It seems the gearing is high enough for motorway engine quietness,as for wind and road noise I suppose I'll have to judge for myself on the road test,i'll have to try for an extended one if I can find a friendly dealer.

It's good to know it's a cam chain so no belt to change,slightly disappointing to know it's an annual service,I thought the VAG spec long life oil was good for 2 years /20k .

With 10,000 miles on a 23 month old vRS i get 44 mpg for the first 15 miles of a run untill the oil is up to temp and at around 60 mph.

then its up to 50-55 mpg by the time i am on the motorway and the oil is 90 degrees celcius.

(25 MPG for a 10minute drive around town from cold in winter and 35 mpg after 5 minutes now if no stopping)

I can trundle along a coast road at 60mph and get 60mpg easily.

then a bit of a hurry up and still be getting 44mpg

37-42 mpg is the average of mixed driving not hanging about and 22-25mpg booting it hard on back roads for even just a few minutes.

Revs on a motorway dont even bother me, *'I glance at the gear display'not the Revs*

its in 7th gear by 60mph & sitting happy at 70mph,

if you boot it you can be at 120-130 almost instantly if you are in 'D' (Drive)

If you are sitting in 'D' & 7th at 70 mph and drop it to 'S', it will go to 5th gear & then only go up to 6th.

I just leave it in 'D', 140 + mph is just a push of the toe down if you want.

*i doubt you will be looking at the Rev counter!*

Road noise is highish depending on tyres fitted,

then there is just the usual roar thats really loud with the windows open a bit.

I just enjoy it, and if the noise is noticable or abnnoying, instead of turning up the radio, i boot it a bit harder and listen for the Super charger, then the Turbo, and then maybe i am not even thinking about the noise, you just drive.

Love the vRS,

every trip or journey is a stress free joy and you just have no trouble from tailgaters if you want to just boot it and set a little distance, they soon get the idea to pass and get a move on if they do intend going faster up the road, or not to even bother trying.

Have fun,

and get a good road test, not just a poodle round a few side roads, you need to get a chance to put the foot down.

george

Edited 8 June, 201214 yr by sk4gw

I believe that the facelift MK2 Fabias can be set to variable servicing if you like, just like the Octavia.

I'm about to have my 30,000 mile service , not one has been more than £150 , (the first was £85!) .. (Cam is right about the chain... auto adjusters too, so as it wears it should stay perfect)

real wordl mpg on "normal" drives is 35-40... taking it easy the "average" quoted 45mpg is easily acheivable once run in (10k +) I can get 50+ mpg if trying hard on my way to work (Use super unleaded!)

as others have said refinement isnt the highest, but my music always drownds out any noise so I dont notice, If I turn it off, its to hear the AMAZING noise the engine makes! nothing like a supercharger whine, and a scream approaching 7k

I regularly hit 40mpg on the same journey I've done a few times a week since I've had the car when originally it was doing 34-36mpg on the same trip. Not especially looking to get the most out of a tank. Even driving in slow traffic into Swansea it's up to almost 34mpg which is up from 26-30mpg originally. Done 8000 miles.

Coming back from Snowdon a few weeks ago it did almost 50mpg but on the way up with dead roads at 5am and a passenger who easily scares I had a play so it stayed around 30ish depending on he stretch of road at the time.

Can comment had mine from New and only at 4,500 miles after 15 months and MPG is staying around 33. Mixed driving with some booting. Wind noise is a little louder than other cars I have owned but nothing major in my book.

Mine hasnt used much oil (600 mil from new) and first service was reasonable at less than £ 120.

Hope you find a good car, I enjoy mine as its something different and I do like the DSG.

Good Hunting.

Got 3 years free servicing - it had its 1st service today and is on fixed intervals due to my mileage - done less than 6000 in a year.

MPG is good but you must realise it has 180bhp and is petrol so as soon as you boot it this will drop quite a bit

It will never be as comfortable as and Octavia - smaller chassis and less 'padding' makes it noisier.

Its not the best shape for aerodynamics anyway! Well, the hatch isn't, the estate is better apparently

I have had my MkII since new, and drive a good mix. I did Ashford Kent to Manchester Airport and back in last weekend managed 43.6mpg, which I think is great. And quick country driving easily upto 50mpg. As everyone else chain not belt. Wind noise, I came from a MkV golf, so I did notice it a lot. But after 5mins in the VRS who cares, the smile you'll have will be hard to wipe off. I have done 8456miles in mine and every time I drive her, she impresses me more and more.

Happy hunting and many enjoyable drives,

Ade????

Thanks for the further replies.I'm swaying towards the estate version because otherwise I think I might miss the OCTY boot space.

Say I did decide to go for a new one,what would you advise on the best options to add?

(Don't bother mentioning cosmetic things like colours and different wheels...that's just personal taste!!!)

'Glasses storage compartment' if it is not a standard fitment yet. (£25)

Serious lack of 'handy for driver' places to put things IMO.

Buying new is nice, if not a bit expensive sometimes,

but i would seriously look for a 'Slightly used vRS' that has been specced up,(no pun there!)

there are some real bargains to be had.

eg

Someone in the 'General Car Chat section' trading in an 8 month old vRS @ a non Skoda Dealership to lease a Diesel MINI !!

That could have been a bargain Private buy for someone.

george

If buying new the sat nav is great, more for the touch screen to access ipod etc. Also, the climate control is a must, if only to improve the appearance of the dash. Could go on, think I specced everything except sunroof and glasses holder. The option are pretty cheap especially compared to other manufacturers

Pretty sure that the revs are a touch under 3k at 80mph in 7th gear so 2600ish at 70mph. Wind noise isn't too bad, compared to similar cars, eg vw polo, it's slightly louder. You can't extend the warranty on used Skodas, you can buy a 'Skoda approved' extended warranty but you would probably be better off going to warranty direct or something similar. I average 36mpg most of the time and 40mpg is fairly easy on motorway/dual carriageway, I always use shell v-power though.

Pity about not being able to extend the factory warranty....but if the others you mention give FULL coverage of the engine and gearbox that's OK.

My concern is that I would keep the car for 5 years /50k miles and the engine and gearbox seem rather advanced/complex,i.e.potentially very expensive to repair,and I would want to be covered on these for all of my ownership of the car.

The way i looked at it was,

find a used one for £12,000, around a year to 18 month old,

If it was one that had been bought back in and had the warranty done and back for sale, so much the better.

Use it hardish for the rest of the warranty and if it fails then that would be before 3 years were up.

By the time it has lasted me for 5 years it should still get £1500 to £2000 back or it gets run till its death.

5 years at £2200 a year for a fun car is cheap IMO.

Every car you buy is a risk money wise in the future and many Extended Warranties are not worth the value of the paper they are written on.

Allow an extra couple of grand for any vehicles life for emergency repairs,

or drive like a nun and they still break.

Or run a Kia and it might or might not be trouble free, but its a Kia.

(i have one as a spare by the way!! Peter Picanto, if only everything in life was as reliable as a Picanto)

China is now giving a 125,000 warranty on the DSG i read someplace else.

Not checked if correct, but surely once Skoda/VAG knows the vehicle is sorted out properly the warranty on new ones will be increased to 5 years.

I grabbed a vRS while i could, i was worried that new ones would become tamer.

Luckily i think there will be enough Twin Chargers of the current type around and running reliably for enough years.

Reliabilty issues & urban myths on things might hammer second hand prices, which is good if you want to buy one and becomes tough on people selling.

You pay your money and take your chances.

I thing current vRS's are too good a chance to miss.

If they get even better with new mode3ls then good, but i can not see them building faster ones at such a good price.

george

I would expect it to be worth more than £1500 - £2000 after 5 years, where do you pull your figures from?

Five year old mk1 Fabia vrs models are regularly in the classifieds for anything between 4-6k. £1,500 is way low.

I would be gutted if my vrs is worth that in 4 years time.

Gotta be worth 5k at least surely!?

Where does 5 year old come into it if something is 1 or 1 1/2 years old before the 5 years starts.

& we are not talking a Diesel.

Someones asking price on a 5 year old mk1 vRS would not be the price i would pay to buy one.

I might try asking that for one i was selling, there is always a buyer for everything.

(often people that can not do simple maths)

I pick my prices to suit myself and sometimes bargains get passed on to friends and family.

Never found a problem in expecting the lowest possible price & then you dont feel short changed,

Any one that can predict used car prices in 2017 will become a wealthy dude.

It probably will be worth more than £2000 in 2017 for my 2010 vRS because i keep them immaculate normally and keep lots of cars

and do not care how much they are worth if i like them.,

but then we do not have a crystal ball, do we?

Lots of Tesco Momentum to go through the engine between now and then.

& I might never give a damn and just treat this one mean.

For those with a Rattling or noisy DSG at 12 months old i dont hold much hope for a high trade in price once the Warranty is out or a few years past that stage!!

george

Edited 11 June, 201214 yr by sk4gw

[For those with a Rattling or noisy DSG at 12 months old i dont hold much hope for a high trade in price once the Warranty is out or a few years past that stage!!

I'm saying this knowing nothing much about DSG's,but if it was "rattling or noisy at 12 months old" would it not be repaired or replaced under warranty?...or are the dealers trying it on with "the're all like that ,sir."

There are some vRS owners or drivers that appear to believe that it is an acceptable 'feature' of 'all' DSG boxes fitted to the vRS!

They may be right, but i think they are wrong.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/239506-dsg-rattle

george

Thanks for the further replies.I'm swaying towards the estate version because otherwise I think I might miss the OCTY boot space.

Say I did decide to go for a new one,what would you advise on the best options to add?

(Don't bother mentioning cosmetic things like colours and different wheels...that's just personal taste!!!)

Bought mine 5 months old from main dealer £5000 cheaper than new price,

Options

Silver wheels ,although the Dark & Chrome look the best I believe they will be more prone to lacquer blistering,

Climate,which works brilliantly wether ,or not full Auto is selected

Parking sensors,as you'll always try and squeeze a small car into tight spaces

the car came with stoawges under the front seats, &

a sunglasses holder. . . .which won't hold any of my wrap around specs (unlike the twin holder in my previous Beetle.

Options I wish I had,

Cruise,as I'm on the motorway early for work,& a black roof. . . .Both can/will be done afterwards

Average mpg is 38.9 over 2000 miles of ownership. The commute often achieves 42.5mpg

The DSG is a revelation in modern gearboxs,often seamless,knows how eager your driving style is,as to when to change gear,

& takes some of the misery out of the evening M25 commute home.

As for any Built-in SatNavs,I'd rather spend £100 buying a new tom tom every year than pay the stealers the same or more to upgrade the maps

Bought mine 5 months old from main dealer £5000 cheaper than new price,

Options

Silver wheels ,although the Dark & Chrome look the best I believe they will be more prone to lacquer blistering,

Climate,which works brilliantly wether ,or not full Auto is selected

Parking sensors,as you'll always try and squeeze a small car into tight spaces

the car came with stoawges under the front seats, &

a sunglasses holder. . . .which won't hold any of my wrap around specs (unlike the twin holder in my previous Beetle.

Options I wish I had,

Cruise,as I'm on the motorway early for work,& a black roof. . . .Both can/will be done afterwards

Average mpg is 38.9 over 2000 miles of ownership. The commute often achieves 42.5mpg

The DSG is a revelation in modern gearboxs,often seamless,knows how eager your driving style is,as to when to change gear,

& takes some of the misery out of the evening M25 commute home.

As for any Built-in SatNavs,I'd rather spend £100 buying a new tom tom every year than pay the stealers the same or more to upgrade the maps

Interesting information,thanks.

I like to have cruise and,yes, it's easily retro-fitted,or it was on my Octavia.

So you paid about £13k?...a good price for a car only 5 months old.

Edited 11 June, 201214 yr by XK140