Am currently tempted by the 1.6 crdi 105 and with the no VAT offer at the moment it's seems an attractive proposition. However the present model has been about since 2007 and I presume that a new generation is on the near horizon.

As I have a couple of personal reservations about the 1.6 - firstly the long gearing in 5th which means that you can't really use is at anything less than 50 mph, and then the DPF issue - then I am thinking (??) that it maybe better to wait for the next generation given that technology has moved on considerably in the past 5/6 years.

Any comments welcomed.

I think it's due soon (next year?) as the platform is out and is about to be launched on new Polo.

You're right about the 5th gear, but that is the 'box as a whole - tallish gearing, as it's only 5 gears. 5th is like overdrive of old - into it when you need it. My ecopnomy doesn't suffer for remaining in 4th up to 50, even being in 5th around 50, you just lose responsiveness, due to the engine being at low revs (1500 I think).

As for DPF, I have personally never had issue with it and it's been fitted to 3 of my cars - current Monte 105 CR, previous Superb Greenline 1.9 TDI, Octv 2.0 140 PD TDI.

Now, I may have been lucky, or just driven the "right" way - I don't consider my journeys that long, but equally I certainly dislike only doing short journeys (2 miles each way for example) and make sure I take the car for a blast if it has done a few of those.

I guess my take on DPF is that it's there for a purpose - to meet emissions, like cats before them, serves that purpose and wont break if you do as instructed. It may dissuade me if I HAD to use my car ONLY for short journeys, as then it might worry me more.

As a lot of my driving is on A/B roads where traffic is usually in the 40-50 mph region I will have to rethink -am so used to lazy driving in my Mazda3 1.6 tdi where I can drop it into 5th at anything above 40 mph - don't know that I would be able to come to terms with what is effectively a 4 speed box. Not sure what, if any, are my options as tall gearing and inflexible engines at low revs seems the norm these days.

Maybe buy used, get the remap lifting power and see if that makes it more drivable at lower speeds in 5th - anyone done this yet and know if it works?

Power gain is reckoned to be 20 odd horses. That should nudge the mph per 1000rpm to the right slightly, giving you a lower change point from 4th to 5th.

Or, if new is your thing, I was just comparing the Citigo 75PS to my Monte Carlo:

Monte - 67mpg (govt comb), 315 l boot, 105 bhp, 0-60 10 secs. £15k

Citigo - 67 mpg (govt comb), 251 l boot, 75 bhp, 0-60 13 secs. £10k

Hmmmm - now, if the VW Up! GT forces a Skoda vRS variant...I'm on it like a tramp on chips!

Just been to the skoda factory in Czech (today) seen where the production line will be! It's out next year

If it's coming out next year perhaps that, in part, explains the current 'no VAT' offers.

For better or for worse I have abandoned the 'long geared' Fabia idea, and settled for a new Golf .16 tdi

- not what I wanted in some ways - as I wanted something more compact (and quieter) than my Mada3, which is why I was seriously looking at the Fabia with its very competitive price (also the Polo - with its relatively very uncompetitive price).

However having just had an extremely good offer on a new golf I have settled for that - now just a 'minor' question of finding the cash, whilst beating my brain to death about whether its the right decision for me. Must remember not to change my car again - the agonising isn't worth it.

Are the gear boxes the same on vw skoda seat and the like as made in the same skoda factory in Bratislarva and Mlada Boleslav

New Fabia - good idea ,BUT only if it don't look anything like MK2 or that HOS =Roomster. Had a loan one from a dealer ( 1.4 petrol ,I think) and it was the vehicle I'd like to spend less time in. By comparison, my seven year old MK1 Furby felt/handled like a car of twice the value.

Suggest Skoda might look at the Audi A1for inspiration .

Are the gear boxes the same on vw skoda seat and the like as made in the same skoda factory in Bratislarva and Mlada Boleslav

Yes. They make the 1.2 engines, and the gearboxes mq100, mq200and sq100 (auto) for the citygo mii and up, and export them to Spain, Germany ect to go in the mii, up ect.... And the2.0 diesels .... All exported. They actually make the whole Toledo ....

Other stuff they import, the DSG ( fir now, they will be making it soon!) and the 1.4 tsi and 1.6 Tdi from Germany....

Was very interesting. Watched them make a whole fabia, from scratch, including engines ect!

Sounds great. I'd love to have seen that

Was very interesting. Watched them make a whole fabia, from scratch, including engines ect!

Just out of interest, how long did it take to build? Hope you weren't there for the length of time it takes to order one!

so does the golf have a long geared box then :think:

New Fabia - good idea ,BUT only if it don't look anything like MK2 or that HOS =Roomster. Had a loan one from a dealer ( 1.4 petrol ,I think) and it was the vehicle I'd like to spend less time in. By comparison, my seven year old MK1 Furby felt/handled like a car of twice the value.

Suggest Skoda might look at the Audi A1for inspiration .

In terms of what? Its looks awful :/

I believe most of the skoda range is moving on a generation/facelifts as per the recent update to the brands logo.

As i understood when i was with skoda for the launch of the new logo, that all models buy the end of 2013 should carry the new badge/styling ques.

Wether this will happen we will see

It takes them a day to build one from scratch

I do like the new model.

so does the golf have a long geared box then :think:

The golf 1.6 gearing is (slightly) lower than that of the Fabia (and Polo).

New Fabia - good idea ,BUT only if it don't look anything like MK2 or that HOS =Roomster. Had a loan one from a dealer ( 1.4 petrol ,I think) and it was the vehicle I'd like to spend less time in. By comparison, my seven year old MK1 Furby felt/handled like a car of twice the value.

Suggest Skoda might look at the Audi A1for inspiration .

By HOS I assume you mean "Height Of Sophistication" ?

I do like the new model.

I think id go for that

I like but the rear looks like a fiat stelo

The next Fabia was spied, heavily disguised, testing on the Nürburgring within the last few days:

 

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/paris-motor-show/new-skoda-fabia-spotted-testing-ahead-2015-launch

YUK!

Yes, at the moment, it looks rather boxy; not really an improvement, if at all, over the outgoing model.

 

However, a lot of people had reservations about the new Octavia while that was undergoing late development testing before its unveiling.

& look what a Fat uninspiring Lump it has turned out to be.

 

Non Rapid Rapids,  

Non Sporty Citigo Sport and Monte Carlos,

Decals, wheels, seats and no extra poke.

 

Then Sporty Looking Fabia Monte Carlos with 105 ps to celebrate Skodas Motor Sport Heritage.

 

Skoda really have lost their way it appears.

 

They are looking at a VRS-R Octavia for the Anniversary of the RS 130,

which was a light rear engined rally car.

 

Somehow something gets lost in translation with Skoda.

"Emotional" & "Squat", now seems to just mean Boring and Fatter.

 

I'm sure that whenever it's scheduled for we can expect the following:

 

-something that looks depressingly uninspiring

 

-handles like a drunk, one-legged pig

 

-the unknown excitement of something mechanically expensive likely to go wrong