vrs or monte carlo

[kaa]

Ive got an Impreza WRX that I am having to change for an other car and I am really interested in fabia but cant make my mind up whether to get a 2yr old VRS or a brand new monte.

Is there any tuning potential in the monte carlo, like an exhaust and remap or am I just better off getting the vrs?

Are the MPG fairly similar or vastly different?

thanks for any help

[stu_mcl]

Be better of with a vrs, a remapped monte wont even come close to even a standerd vrs, fuel wise i doubt theres to much in it if the vrs is driven sensibly

[terakris]

I recently did the same move so know what its like.

Not driven a monte but the vRS is down on grunt from the wrx, and you will have to get used to annoying things like wheel spin and torque steer which is prob the most annoying thing for me. Miss not being able to use all the power on tap rather than have most of it spin away or have to be gentle with the throttle

So far im getting around 35mpg on averge per talk, so a lot better than the wrx so while it might not seem a lot for some, to me thats saving me a fortune!

So if the monte is down on power, i think you would find the move too annoying if you are still after some speed.

[kaa]

Im not one for driving around as fast as poss but I would miss the go on the odd occasion, sounds like the vrs is the one for me really.

Its just really tempting the new car part

[terakris]

Thats the thing with the vRS, even when youre not driving like you stole it, you still spin the wheels and get torque steer with it having so much poke low down it just shoots off!

Its great for driving slowly though, the dsg is a good box and isnt like your run of the mill auto doing stupid things like holding onto gears for too long and not changing down when you need to etc.

Get what you mean about a new car, but how much are you talking? Not sure what a new monty costs but you can get a nearly (12 or 62 plate) vRS for around 12k i would think pretty easy.

[kaa]

bickertons have got a green vrs for £11000 but in the showroom they were showing a white monte for £11500

[PDIBK]

Isn't the top whack Monte the 105bhp TSI or 105bhp CR TDI?

So way down on what the VRS pumps out (even if the torque is the same in the diesel... ;-))

Might you be better off with an Octy VRS? 170bhp TDI or 200bhp TSI?

[John Eva]

Yeah even with some work on the monte 1.2 tsi such as exhaust, air induction kit and remap your still only going to be looking at about 130bhp, same as old VRS.

The new VRS is going to be much more bareable for you comming from a WRX, even thats going to be a big change over really due to the type of car.

So unless your prepared to take a major drop in speed I would say the VRS, not much difference in MPG between the Monte 1.2 TSI and the VRS 1.4TSI, but huge power difference and lots of tunning options open on the 1.4TSI if you wanted a little more out of it, though think handling mods would be a better route on the VRS to start with.

[Wilko251088]

I was thinking of changing from vrs to monte, but my new commute would see a 45mpg average, so kind of bearable. At this moment in time I'm not over desperate to change to save, but if I did unfortunately would be looking at a ford fiesta zetec s tdci

[kaa]

thanks guys you've all helped loads

[littleade]

I think a few test drives would be a good idea- maybe the vRS and Monty fabia and even an Octy if only to say thanks but no thanks as what's right for one won't necessarily be right for soemone else. You'll probably be better buying something that doesn't need any mods IMO, rather than something that does as that layout will be more or less dead money when you come to sell, plus you could end up with potential reliability/warrenty issues?

Stating the obvious I know but the Furby is a smaller car than the WRX, so will that pose any practical issues for you

Just my thoughts, not intending to influence you in any way

[VickysVrs]

Sorry but this might be a long one. I used to own the old VRS (2003) and loved it, never had a thing go wrong with it, then I purchased the new VRS (2011) and have had nothing but trouble with it. It drinks oil like George Best drank alcohol and as a result I've had a new engine, breather mods etc. MPG is 30 for town driving and 40mpg for motorway driving. I am in the process of rejecting my VRS and getting a Monte Carlo as a replacement. I have driven one as my dad owns one and although its slower and not DSG its a lovely car and looks just as good as the VRS. Having said that I am going to shed a few tears parting with my VRS as its an absolutely fantastic car to drive. I did toy with the idea of getting the Octavia VRS but this was stupidly juicy on petrol and an additional £250 on tax and insurance a year. Arrange a couple of test drives and see which one you like better.

[XK140]

Sorry but this might be a long one. I used to own the old VRS (2003) and loved it, never had a thing go wrong with it, then I purchased the new VRS (2011) and have had nothing but trouble with it. It drinks oil like George Best drank alcohol and as a result I've had a new engine, breather mods etc. MPG is 30 for town driving and 40mpg for motorway driving. I am in the process of rejecting my VRS and getting a Monte Carlo as a replacement. I have driven one as my dad owns one and although its slower and not DSG its a lovely car and looks just as good as the VRS. Having said that I am going to shed a few tears parting with my VRS as its an absolutely fantastic car to drive. I did toy with the idea of getting the Octavia VRS but this was stupidly juicy on petrol and an additional £250 on tax and insurance a year. Arrange a couple of test drives and see which one you like better.

Never acceptable when you have lots of trouble with a new car,so I can understand your attitude.My vRs has the latest edition engine which has run faultlessly so far with a very moderate oil thirst,so I feel lucky to have bought when I have.

I hope you've gone for the 105 petrol monte,unless you do a very high annual mileage.

How does the "rejection" thing work?..I assume you end up better off than just trading in for whatever is the normal value of your vRS?

[VickysVrs]

I am totally jealous you are one of the lucky ones with a working VRS!! I love my car dearly but its been using over a litre of oil every 500 - 600 miles. I haven't had anything in writing about what car I am getting yet but I've asked for the 105bhp Monte. My annual mileage is very low and I do short journeys to work so it made sense to go for this. I had problems the first month with my car needing oil and I just persisted with taking it back to the garage and asking for answers. I gave them a year to sort it and eventually called citizens advice and asked if it was feasible to reject it under the sale of goods act and they said yes. You'll see on the other forums on briskoda that a lot of people have had problems with their VRS. I really wish mine wasn't one of them because it really is a fabulous car.

[pipsyp]

The vRS was a fun car in its own way but was frustrating as an all round drivers car. Engine and gearbox were sublime but in my opinon Skoda made a bit of a pigs ear of it in pretty much every other area. Handling v poor, brakes not up to scratch, steering overly light with no feel. It didnt ride too badly but that was only because the suspension was quite soft and had lots of travel. A real shame as if it stopped and steered as well as it actually went it would have been an absolute peach.

Im not one to modify cars (wouldnt have kept it longer than 3 years; traded it after 18 months having become my daily drive) but i thought it a real shame it didnt drive better out of the factory.

Also in terms of mechanical reliability with all the horror stories out there of oil use and new engines whilst mine was generally good as gold (did a litre of oil every 4.2k or so) I wouldnt buy another.

If I were to buy another Fabia it'd be a 1.2 TSi 105 Monte; had a TSi 105 SE Plus as a courtesy car; was amazed how well it went and it seemed to suit the character of the car v well indeed; a Monte with bigger wheels and sports suspension would have been ideal.

[sharkrider]

I am SO happy with my vRS that even though I generally change cars every 3 years (and mine is 3 years old in sept) I cannot find anything that offers so much performance with cheap running costs for such a small ammount of money...

so. I may well simply keep it, and buy an extended warrenty. 45,000 miles, no issues, no oil used.

(edit: I always like to post, just to show there are perfectly working cars out there)

[dazz600]

If you're coming from a wrx then its the vrs you want

Ive traded the Monte for a Vrs with no regrets,though both cars have had their niggles!

[Moist Von Lipwig]

I am SO happy with my vRS that even though I generally change cars every 3 years (and mine is 3 years old in sept) I cannot find anything that offers so much performance with cheap running costs for such a small ammount of money...

so. I may well simply keep it, and buy an extended warrenty. 45,000 miles, no issues, no oil used.

(edit: I always like to post, just to show there are perfectly working cars out there)

I am in the same boat. My car has used about a litre of oil in the first 7k miles (then it got serviced), none since. It continues to put a smile on my face as it is easy to just plod around in yet when you want a bit of fun it does go well. That said handling is not the greatest but a RARB and or a set of lowered springs sort that out nicely. Various options to get it mapped to add a bit extra bhp and torques.

[Furbytom]

Another vote here for the vRS. Coming from a wrx the Monte will seem unbelievably slow.

My vRS uses hardly any oil at all, only needed to top up 3 times in 2 years of ownership.

[kaa]

well I bought the green vrs from bickertons, great little car. Only 18month old, its the first car Ive ever bought with optional extras fitted, satnav, black and silver wheels, parking sensors, heated seats, black roof and grill and tinted windows and they're the bits I know of

[Ootohere]

Good buy then, enjoy.

Best set your own tyre pressures then press re-set on the TPMS.

I could do with heated seats,

first winter i have ever thought of them as being a necessity.

george

[kaa]

I saw a thread about checking the oil is there an unusual way of doing it?

[Ootohere]

Yes.

I would pop the bonnet when the engine is cold and not been started and see where it shows on the stick.

Then to check the oil properly.

From starting it will probably be 5 - 10 miles before the oil gets to 50 degree celsius.

I do at least 15 miles and it should be at around 80 degrees celsius.

If you stop & dip it after 5 minutes or so, that is a good indication of the oil level.

I would want it at the top of the cross hatched area.

If you know where it is from cold on the stick that lets you know what you have in.

You can then pop the bonnet before a trip when the oil is cold and have some idea, its a daft Dipstick IMO.

*On my car the oil is at the top orange marker/blob with 3.6 litres of stone cold oil,

& on the top of the hatched area when the oil is hot.*

Others read theirs different. (and say that cold oil is lower on the dipstick)

Mine uses no oil and does not need topped up.

*I still check after some hard driving tho.

See what the Owners Manual say, but i am trying to find the VW Polo one which is worded better.

'Check once up to normal Running temperature.'

george

[sharkrider]

as above, check when its warm, and although that pic isnt clear, it also says NOT to top it up if its in that top section marked by the orange lines!

[kaa]

so having read that page they tell you to get it to normal temperature and then turn off and wait a few minutes (as you said 5 should probably do it) then measure. I assume I've understood that right, have to say thats an 'interesting' way of having you check your oil.

Do you top it up then or wait until its cold?