So anyway I took the plunge and bought a skoda fabia 1.4 8v on a 53 plate 99k on the clock, paid £1,000.

2 months tax 3 months M.O.T

No warranty.

Filled tank £50

Redex in petrol. £5.

Serviced as follows.

Pre M.O.T check included.

Gearbox oil £7

Drop links £10

Battery £30

Drive Belt £10

Coolant £8

Spark plugs £15

Engine Oil £6

Bulb 50p

Air fresher £0.89

Cam chain inspected.

Labour for everything £60

Hoping the car lasts me 12 months, as I stopped repairing my French 206 peugeot 52 plate 42k miles, too many problems.

I'm now converted to skoda. When/As/if problems arise, I'll post the problem and any other repairs/maintainance, and the costs, so I can keep track and work out the full costs of running the car for 1 year.

Great site, any problem I get I usually find the answer from here ????

Welcome.

Hello and welcome. Best move by far going from french to vag.

If you need any spares there is a skoda/seat breakers in Oldham. Not that far from you. I find them cheap.

Welcome 

Hello and welcome. Best move by far going from french to vag.

If you need any spares there is a skoda/seat breakers in Oldham. Not that far from you. I find them cheap.

Thanks MarkC I'll be sure to check them out, I work close to Oldham,

No probs. If there has been a choice of parts they have let me pick which I think is gd.

Hi, welcome to Briskoda

So, I sent my car for a M.O.T

With a thermostat housing cost £22 ( I bought)

He passed the mot (he was doing anyway regardless, as he is a family friend

Fixed all micro door switches

Curtesy front interior light

Boot light

Door open light.

Reverse light switch..

Dash door open warning bleep & door open light.

Fitted thermostat & housing.

Changed 1 front shocker.

Full Coolant flush, radiator check, water pump check, timing belt check, idle check.

Total cost I owe him is £155 + the £22 for thermostat housing.

I know people are thinking I could of done some of these niggling things myself, but i don't have time with work

I am just basically logging on my thread the total costs the car is going to keep my family on the road for 1 year.

Any comments questions etc post away.

So as my mechanic changes the coolant and fits the thermo housing, he discovers the head gasket has gone, and treated it with steel seal before i could even say yes or no.

and it drives perfect with no coolant loss---- lets see how long it lasts!!!

parts changed so far.

timing chain.

water pump.

fixed rear door seal leak.

drivers lock switch.

oil and filter.

drive belt.

thermostat housing.

battery.

Basically i went all out to buy this car, and there is no going back, i will need to replace any parts that need it, at any cost.

 

and looking on ebay and breakers yards, it is only around £200 for another engine. so if the head gasket does fail again, it could be cheaper buying another full skoda, just for the parts and engine.