Fabia body work protectors

[Entertwainer]

Hi folks, i recently purchased a 2010 Fabia Hatchback.

i've got myself some rubber floor mats for the purposes of protecting the interior carpet - handy for catching water too, but, i was wondering what else i could invest in to help keep the cars interior and exterior form prematurely ageing from general use.

so far on my list are the following:

- door handle scratch protectors (like helicopter tape)

- door sil protectors (going for Fabias own spec)

- bumper protector (boot is used a lot for buggys/kids bikes)

- boot liner - again, rubber for durability and any liquid spills

what do people use for the door edge protection? (from pranging walls/pillars/other cars) getting children out the car means this is not always avoidable (despite the grumbles i've seen on this forum already about little dings from people being careless).

i've seen the black or chrome strips you can get, however, i prefer the understaded/stealthy approach, to stop the car looking like the proverbial 'orthopeadic shoe' :p

so, what other tips or kits do people use that prove handy in kitting the car up to deal with family life and general wear and tear...???

[OzFabia]

Seat covers come to mind.

[Guest]

If the car has the seat side air bags then you cannot fit most types of seat covers as these prevent the bags deploying in an accident. I think all Fabia's have those now as standard. Side door rubbing strips are good but don't specifically give door edge protection. Just buy some proprietory door edge protectors from Halfords or somewhere like that.

[SlowBloke]

I got a boot liner from the dealer which works quite well. It catches dirt and small spils keeping the spare wheel tray clean. I got some fitted mats off ebay for about £20. Halfords sell slim plastic protectors which stick onto the door edges. They were about £8 for 2. Clean the paintwork with meths before sticking them on.

I tried to get some headlight lens protectors but the Skoda ones only fit early Fabia 2 cars and there are none for the current model as far as I am aware.

On a slightly different topic, I also got some boxes to fit under the front seat from the dealer. I found I had to unscrew the seats and lif the front in order to fit the screws holding these boxes but the job only took an hour or so. I use them for things like spare bulbs and small tools.

[OzFabia]

If the car has the seat side air bags then you cannot fit most types of seat covers as these prevent the bags deploying in an accident. I think all Fabia's have those now as standard. Side door rubbing strips are good but don't specifically give door edge protection. Just buy some proprietory door edge protectors from Halfords or somewhere like that.

You can buy some that are side airbag compatible - they just have "weak" seams, apparently. I had a set on my old car.

[Jonnobris]

Hi,

I've just undergone the same task of child/scuff proofing our Roomster.

I have gone for Skoda OEM door sill protectors from Skodaparts,com , as our 3 year old insists on getting in and out of her seat herself! And I have just ordered a rear bumper protector from rearguards.co.uk, in Brushed Aluminum, as the rear bumper has already taken a battering from buggies etc!

Not gone for door edge protectors as in my experience these can sometimes trap dirt and actually cause scratches when removed.

Cheers,

Jonno

[Entertwainer]

Hi,

I've just undergone the same task of child/scuff proofing our Roomster.

I have gone for Skoda OEM door sill protectors from Skodaparts,com , as our 3 year old insists on getting in and out of her seat herself! And I have just ordered a rear bumper protector from rearguards.co.uk, in Brushed Aluminum, as the rear bumper has already taken a battering from buggies etc!

Not gone for door edge protectors as in my experience these can sometimes trap dirt and actually cause scratches when removed.

Cheers,

Jonno

thanks for the advice/recommendations - i know what you mean about the door edge protectors - i've seen bonnet protectors produce a similar effect (and they also look stupid too).

definitley getting sill protectors for that very same reason! our last car wore through to the factory's primer coat eventually! :/ but that was due in part to the door striking the door frame..... :p

boot protector is also a must as our buggy is damn heavy and the mrs isnt the most patient when shoving it in the back....makes me slightly regret not getting the fabia estate...... the parcel shelf has already broken at one of the fixings on the trim panel, so the parcel shelf doesnt actually rest properly. meh.

[MarginWalker]

Mine has some natty headlight covers that came with the car (ex demo). I haven't seen them on any other Fabia come to think of it. They're an official Skoda accessory (made in Australia!) and have a brushed metal-effect 'eyebrow' at the top. They look really smart IMO and might be worth seeking out if you want to protect your front lights.