Hi all,

I have decided to write a quick review on my recent purchase of a MKII Fabia vRS. I found it very useful reading others reviews before making a decision to buy so thought I should contribute.

As I have only had the car a week now I'm not going to get into fuel or oil consumption as I don't really have any long term 'results' yet, all I can say on it is it has been fine so far.

First idea was to buy new, I then decided to buy second hand, 61 plate with less than 2K on the clock. This was a financial decision made easier by finding a great one in a colour scheme and equipment list I wanted.

Engine - Awesome. 10/10

This car really has some grunt. So hard to believe they can get this power from a 1.4! I don't drive flat out all the time, but it is great to have the power there for safe overtaking. It also pulls well at any revs so you don't have to thrash it to make progress.

Gearbox - Great. 10/10

I leave it in Drive for the vast majority of the time and it copes very well with the Shropshire hills. The paddle shifts are nice to have, I tend to use them to downshift before a hill to stay a step ahead of the auto box (or on a B road blast). Sport mode I use as a 'push to pass', if I am anticipating an overtake I drop it into Sport for a quicker response.

Steering - Good. 8/10

If I was to have any criticism of this car it would be the feel of the steering. It is not bad it just doesn't completely translate what the car is doing. My last car was a Ford Focus, the steering in that car is really hard to beat (but that was the only good thing about it! In fact I only kept it for 3 months).

Handling - Good. 8/10

From what I have experienced the handling is very good, can push it a bit around the bends and it will grip well, but as above because the steering doesn't feel completely direct I don't get the confidence to really push in the bends. This kind of suits me though as I like to drive only ever to around 80%, don't feel you should be exploring the true limits of a car on the road.

So that's my two cents on a weeks ownership of the MKII Fabia vRS. I can safely say I haven't enjoyed driving a car this much before. Never thought I would own an automatic but I am sold! I love it!

Now please stop raining so I can enjoy it even more!

From a very happy driver - Andy

One more thing, I have never seen another one on the road so it has a nice feel of exclusivity as well.

Just realized I probably should have posted that in the review thread! Apologies.

Nice post & a very nice looking car.

This might interest you,

http://www.briskoda....ring-adjustment

but can i suggest you hold off a few weeks doing anything and see how you get used to things,

maybe play a little with tyre pressures and warmed up tyres & when you get the feel of the Diff when you start using it hard on tight turns and climbs.

(The Diff can also be re-set, but thats for the future and you will find the thread a few pages back)

I had my 'steering re-set' and tried it for a week and went back to Factory setting.

Tyres make a lot of difference, i have a set of wider but now like my 205/40/17 again now the weather is warm and also some rain about.

I like my car for playing and it is at standard height to suit the roads i drive, but on Coil-overs.

I would suggest you,

Have fun and try a few roads and routes before changing anything major.

What Tyres is your car running on now, & at what pressure?

george

Edited 15 June, 201213 yr by sk4gw

George,

Did you actually tried different power steering settings and If yes which one did you try and how did you find it? I haven't changed mine yet although I am thinking about it quite often...

And coming back on topic, I'd generally agree with most points but I personally find the most irritating thing is the significant bodyroll even on slow turns... Why couldn't they drop it another 20mm and save us from all the springs and coilovers discussions, I think a small cat could probably fit between the wheel and arch!

Edited 15 June, 201213 yr by newbie69

Sorry no real help to you.

A bit like when i mess with my TV remote and set Sound and Vision then wish i had left well alone.

I have no Laptop or computer knowledge,

(I never even watched & will ask what setting i have now, and get him to show me.)

I left the car, my mate went into the system & changed it for a more 'stiff'/heavier to steer setting,

and it took me 5 miles to get to the hills to try it and it did not feel good, but i could not get a good trial that day, but the next day it felt OK.

After a few days of noticing it feeling a little more heavy but no real difference in it wondering a bit i had a sore shoulder & thought this feels crap,

but i changed over to the 215 tyres and it felt really crap,

so he went and put it back and lighter or so he said, then i put back on the 205's and it felt really light.

To be perfectly honest i have no idea where is is set at but it should be where it was before i asked him to mess with it.

The car Runs straight and smooth at speed,

light steering in town and firm and sure at speed on twisty bits

and turns in quick and climbs tight loose steep climbs just great.

(i am only going to use the 215's for 1/4 miles)

I am no use as test driver, i just like having fun and its most fun when you drive something else and go back into the Fabia.

My Autotest Picanto now feels like it has cr4p steering, but i have loved it in the hills for 6 years,

felt light but direct and immediate, (narrow tyres) now feels wooly compared to the vRS.

george

Edited 15 June, 201213 yr by sk4gw

Sure it's not bad, but at some cases I'd love if it was that more heavier/stiffer. No worries, I'll probably go out with the laptop and test a few settings now that weather gets better here, as the wheel's optimal weight is something largely subjective...

Nice post & a very nice looking car.

This might interest you,

http://www.briskoda....ring-adjustment

but can i suggest you hold off a few weeks doing anything and see how you get used to things,

maybe play a little with tyre pressures and warmed up tyres & when you get the feel of the Diff when you start using it hard on tight turns and climbs.

(The Diff can also be re-set, but thats for the future and you will find the thread a few pages back)

I had my 'steering re-set' and tried it for a week and went back to Factory setting.

Tyres make a lot of difference, i have a set of wider but now like my 205/40/17 again now the weather is warm and also some rain about.

I like my car for playing and it is at standard height to suit the roads i drive, but on Coil-overs.

I would suggest you,

Have fun and try a few roads and routes before changing anything major.

What Tyres is your car running on now, & at what pressure?

george

Hi George. It is on Dunlop Sport Maxx. I haven't checked the pressures yet, this is something I would usually do weekly. I was just going to go by the book on pressures I'm guessing around 32psi. What tyres do you run? Something I have just noticed is arrows on the sidewall which are pointing forward on the fronts and backwards on the rears! I didn't think they were one directional tyres. It had a service before I picked it up from the dealer so surely this is something they would have noticed if they were fitted the wrong way, I think I better give them a call.

No problem with the arrows/direction if you have 2 wheels/tyres with arrows going the wrong way,

the mechanic has put the wheels on the wrong side of the car.

take the left passenger side rear to the drivers side, etc

(Workshop Manager needs to know so that he can check his staff for muppets)

I Am back on the Original Wheels and Dunlop tyres that had been on the car for nearly 5000 miles before i got it,

i took them off because i first drove the car in the winter and did not like them one little bit.

I put them back on just to get the use out of them,

turned out I actually like them just fine even tho many do not rate them.

They have been changed front to back on the same side and are wearing good with about 7000 miles of use now.

I used Pirelli Snowcontrol 2 16" tyres/wheels in the winter but never really required to have them on and i have slightly wider Bridgestone that i will be using for dry weather traction when really needed,

& they are also pretty good in the wet compared to the Dunlops which are interesting...

george

Edited 15 June, 201213 yr by sk4gw

Something I have just noticed is arrows on the sidewall which are pointing forward on the fronts and backwards on the rears! I didn't think they were one directional tyres. It had a service before I picked it up from the dealer so surely this is something they would have noticed if they were fitted the wrong way, I think I better give them a call.

I'd be giving them more than a call..it would be a device normally reserved for playing baseball or holding fencing up round the back of the head as its plain dangerous (and would, in the event of a crash, possibly invalidate your insurance).

If there had been an incident requiring an Insurance claim it would not have mattered about his Insurance being invalidated, he would have been having any claim settled by the Garages Insurance for negligence,

and death or serious injury could have resulted in Corporate Manslaughter convictions on them.

Garages and Tyre Fitting centres senior staff need to train trainees better and if there are being mistakes check others work more closely.

Customers really need to check as well, & that is Tyre Direction, Wheel Nut Tightness and Tyre Pressures.

*& re-set your TPMS where fitted, (tyre Pressure monitoring systems)

to suit the pressure you are choosing to use, do not leave it to Mechanics, Technicians and Fitters to choose what you drive with!!

So a gesture from the Dealership for the inconvenience will be in order.

Discount off your Service or maybe a Free Service!!

I have put Directional tyres on vehicles'the wrong way around' to help in Hand Brake turns and J Turns etc in practice for 'Autotests' and it made not much difference, but that is low speed stuff, not road speeds.

We use Directional Tyres backwards on the front of Off roaders to assist in safe decents on steep loose ground.

(not that much worse when climbing the same)

MOT stations will fail directional tyres fitted the wrong way, but tend not to when it is on agicultural use and true Off Road vehicles getting a test.

Some give an Advisory and some do not.

Directional tyres are a PITA for carry a spare wheel/tyre,

because the one you carry has a 50% chance of being for the correct side if you need to fit it for on the vehicle.

Thats why many 4x4s with Directional tyres carry 2 spares,

not just to look 'Lets Off Road!'

If you need to fit it the wrong way when you have a puncture, then obviously you need to put the original tyre that has the arrow going the correct way after getting the puncture fixed, that is after driving safely and carefully with one directional tyre fitted the wrong way.

george

Edited 16 June, 201213 yr by sk4gw

To quote the AA's website - "If a directional tyre is fitted the wrong way round, the tyre won't be dangerous, but you won't gain any of the benefits of it's design."

I have had a few angry calls with the garage and they have assured me that it will not invalidate my insurance. The salesman has been very apologetic about it and has agreed to cover any costs incurred. I'm am getting Kwik-Fit to swap the wheels for me in the morning.

Why this was not picked up on when it was serviced is beyond me. I guess it's just down to some idiot in their service dept not doing their job.

I was not worried about your safety,

but now i know you are going to the Fast flick flitters i am now worried.

Even changing a wheel from one side to the other will be a bit demanding of them.

Make sure you watch like a hawk that that is all they do.

two wheels taken off and put on the opposite side of the vehicle, wheel nuts back on and tightened and then checked on the ground.

Check the nuts your self before proceeding to go much further once you leave the place.

Or best still go to ATS Euromaster, Mcconnochie or anyone.

have fun.

george

I actually just swapped them myself. For some reason it didn't occur to me to use the spare to swap them. Duh!