Hi there,

Seen a Fabia VRS that i quite like and wondered if i could get some opinions.

Its a 2005 VRS TDI with a touch under 60k

Full main dealer service history (8 Stamps), with cambelt done last year.

It has a couple of wear and tear marks and lightly scuffed wheels but nothing major.

The only real niggly problem is that the drivers seat has some fore/aft movement, Apparantly something to do with the bushes need replacing?

Can anyone give me an insight into what the seat is likely to cost to get fixed?

And any opinions on what a car of this age / mileage is worth buying for?

Cheers

Andy

There are bushes in the seats?

I've removed mine many a time and not seen them.

Its likely to be somethnig small and cheap though.

Or worst case you could always swap the front seats over?

I wouldn't be paying more than 4k for that car

Yeah i did do a bit of research and couldnt find anything about any bushes under the seats but did find a little about the movement being casued by loose rivets holding the height adjustment on?

Some say you have to get another seat base?

Probably be a seat swap job i think.... Easy enough?

Its up for less than 4k so assuming it wouldnt be a bad deal provided the rest all checks out.

Cheers

yeah I've only seen the height adjustment issue nothing to do with bushes.

There is a thread with a fix in it but you do loose the height adjustment by all accounts.

A swap would be 4 bolts on each side to remove the seats, swap sides, 4 bolts each to put them into the car

The only issue may be the seat belt clip.

I know it's only one big bolt to remove/attached but i'm not sure if there are threads on both sides to recevie it.

I'll can check my spare seats when i get home and let you know if you awnt

60,000 miles is a bad stage in a cars life. Some stuff has been done but loads are about to fail. Well, thats the experience that I had and a few months of nothing but hate for my car. Its worth anything from 4-5k. Check Autotrader and Glasses Guide for comparison.

Out of interest what went wrong with your car to make you say that?

Is there anything I should be looking out for around this mileage then as I'm going to view it tomorrow.

Cheers

Andy

It wasn't anything in particular. The cam belt and water pump had been done but many other components are at an age where you would expect to start replacing them. You sort of think, "oh, 60,000k ish, lowish mileage" which it is but it doesn't mean you will get a car that is reliable and trouble free. I sometimes think that I could have saved £1500 odd and bought something with higher mileage that had other stuff replaced already. I think I would have had a fresher feeling car for less money in some ways. Just make sure that it has had reputable service work carried out.

60k on mine was a new set of disks and pads. May have been done already but I wonder how much more life there is if they're original. From memory as it was a few years back 60ki sh was also the suspension bushes.

Worth more then 4k with that mileage but check the service book to see what has actually been replaced in the last few services, it's all good having 8 stamps with the usual filters replaced but check the cambelt, etc

apart from that, if it drives well, no issues with clutch, gear box, brakes, funny noises from the suspension when going over bumps, then you have a good deal

you don't want to buy a car and then have to spend £700 on the next service

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Edited 8 May, 201313 yr by Harry1212

So basically don't buy it for more than £8.99.

Well I went down today to view it and have just arrived home from the 150 mile drive home in it.

It seems absolutely perfect, only had 56k on the clock, has full service history including cam belt and water pump at the end of last year.

Also had a new turbo at around 20k under warranty also had front wishbone bushes done 2 years back. All work and servicing was done at the same skoda main dealer that it was bought from. Everything has been receipted and I couldn't find any faults with it in any way apart from a crack on the o/s wing mirror casing but this was as advertised. The posh elderly gentleman I bought it from let me go on a long test drive answered anything I wanted to know and even took me to the skoda dealer he used in case I wanted to ask them any other questions.

The price I paid was £3500 and even bargained a full tank of diesel into the deal..

Also is HPI clear and mileage verified!

All in all I'm one happy Fabia owner!

Oh and not forgetting the "wobbly seat" which I think was massively exaggerated as there's literally 1mm of movement and only moves when your out the car and physically rock the seat.

Sounds a bargain.

Sounds like you got a good 'un fella, hope the fun continues, enjoy!

Cheers guys, I feel I did well and the previous owner was happy with the deal so it's all good. Fingers crossed it turns out as good in time!

It wasn't anything in particular. The cam belt and water pump had been done but many other components are at an age where you would expect to start replacing them. You sort of think, "oh, 60,000k ish, lowish mileage" which it is but it doesn't mean you will get a car that is reliable and trouble free. I sometimes think that I could have saved £1500 odd and bought something with higher mileage that had other stuff replaced already. I think I would have had a fresher feeling car for less money in some ways. Just make sure that it has had reputable service work carried out.

Seriously stop and think, just because your specific car cost you a few quid at 60k (and you're conveniently vague about what needed doing) it has nothing to do with every other car produced unless it's one of the known issues (alternator sense cable, console bushes, door seals etc). Buying a higher mileage car on the basis it's better is just as silly, buy on the cars condition, not the age/mileage. The latter can easily be altered.

Good luck Wannabe, they're genuinely quite reliable and economical if you do a lot of miles.

Edited 11 May, 201313 yr by Avalon