Bye Bye Vrs

[tonystop]

Well after 9 months ownership I decided to part company with the Fabia. I would have loved to report that the 9 months was without incident but I think I have made the right decision. It was starting to use oil the steering was pulling to the left, it was knocking from the rear door (loose door catch but Skoda said it was fine!) and the ride around town was poor and the handling was just ok. I could of have obviously got the faults rectified but I think that once you have decided you want a change there is no going back. I still think the Fabia Vrs is a great car but could of been so much better if Skoda had sorted the ride and handling out, just my view though.

 

In the Fabia's defence it was bargain to run and the performance and DSG box were awesome and in metallic blue it looked lovely.

 

i have gone back to a Ford Fiesta Zetec S 125bhp 1 litre engine. Performance wise it's obviously a lot slower and real world economy may be only marginally better (never believe those manufacturer figures), but i love the styling, the ride and handling are top notch and the quality of the interior with the blue dials are a step up in my opinion.  Factory order with climate, keyless ignition with power start, DAB radio and folding mirrors. Would of liked the ST but in the real world I never used all the performance of the Fabia and I think the 125 bhp is a good compromise. 

 

Will still hang around here, because this is one of the best forums out there, hope I am still welcome!

 

Tony

[MartynVRS]

Everyone's priorities and wants from a car can change quite often. Going over speed bumps and cobbled roads in mine is starting to annoy me.

[sharkrider]

yeah, do hang around

[vRSgone]

I am seriously considering ditching my Fabia vRS, after only 5 months. I too am disappointed with the handling, oil consumption & most of all the headlamps. I think there are too many issues with long term reliability, to merit keeping it long term. Trouble is I, ve only been offered £10, 500 in px for a 12 months old Cooper JCW. 3 grand is a lot to lose for less than 6 months. But what do you do? Cut your losses or hang in there. Webuyanycar.com only offered me £9300. Doesn't appear to be a great deal of confidence out there.

Story of my life - when I wanted a vRS, they were rarer than hen's teeth. Now I want to sell it seems they are ten a penny. Ah! Well such is life.

[sharkrider]

just to counteract the points made (all valid, and true, but there are very many good ones ) just incase any noobs are looking to buy a vRS..

 

I had a 2010 one, I ran it with just one mod, TMC box 200 bhp, for 50,000 miles, It used 1 litre in the first 10k, and NOTHING for the next 40k , CAVE engine, and after being serviced at the local dealership was bought by a sales guy on the reccomendation of the service dept. only warrenty work in 50k was a new track rod end (that I dont think it needed)

 

I was SO impressed I bought another.... black vRS estate, I am up to 10k (service next week) and have had NO problems, CTHE engine, it had used 1 litre in the first 10k, just like my old one did, (its done 3 track days in that 10k) so hopefully nothing after

 

addressing some of the issue raised in this thread, replacement H7 bulbs, easy, cheap, fixes the headlights, lowering springs by eibach fitted on delivery, and an H&R RARB, and decent tyres, saw me (with an instructor) passing many of the clios, and pulling away over 3 laps from an ipreza at oulton park ... so handling SORTED, its awsome, and cost only about £500, so way cheaper still than a "sorted out of the box" cat like a fiesta ST, (I paid £15k new with LOADS of options) , i also passed the only ST many times that day... the brakes were a weak point , EBC yellowstuff pads going on at the service, and I have a car that reliable, uses little oil, handles VERY well, and can be used for a 50 mpg commute, OR a track day , both with ease

 

I'm a happy bunny. (I'm not knocking the bad experiances, I know many people have had them, BUT there are FAR many good cars (we have done polls in the past ) ....

 

good luck with your new ones peeps, and again, do stick around

[pee81]

My vrs has been fine as well no oil issues here,might even do the same as sharkrider and get the estate version next but in yellow just to be different lol

[sharkrider]

Yellow is cool think there are only a few hundred estates out there! Mine will be a keeper if no mark iii replacement !

[bobnaldo]

Just like to echo sharkrider's comments, had mine 7 months and done 6,000 miles.

 

Used 1l of oil between 2,000-4,000 miles but that's it, other than the engine is a peach 40mpg easy and it's pretty quick, although if it was a little older I'd be mapping it.

 

Handling isn't great, but the RARB makes a world of difference, can't wait to get the Eibach's on to complete it.

 

Agreed with the interior being a bit rattly, mine has an annoying sweet wrapper noise near the light switch, but then I remember its £250 a month on a 3 year PCP with 10% deposit and what other quick automatic could i get for that?  

[Auric Goldfinger]

The Wife's Vrs (MKII) got chopped in for a CitiGo 75 Elegance

 

No regrets, it's like a go Kart  Thinking my Octy FL Vrs might be going soon cos I fancy one as well

[rogerzilla]

I am seriously considering ditching my Fabia vRS, after only 5 months. I too am disappointed with the handling, oil consumption & most of all the headlamps. I think there are too many issues with long term reliability, to merit keeping it long term. Trouble is I, ve only been offered £10, 500 in px for a 12 months old Cooper JCW. 3 grand is a lot to lose for less than 6 months. But what do you do? Cut your losses or hang in there. Webuyanycar.com only offered me £9300. Doesn't appear to be a great deal of confidence out there.

Story of my life - when I wanted a vRS, they were rarer than hen's teeth. Now I want to sell it seems they are ten a penny. Ah! Well such is life.

 

Sell it privately.  I have NEVER traded in a car or sold one to the trade - you always get ripped off.  When the Mrs' last Octavia went, webuyanycar offered £1,000.  The dealer wasn't interested at all.  We sold it in Auto Trader for £2,500 and had people phoning day and night (one guy called at 10.30pm and asked if he could come from Birmingham right there and then!).

[sharkrider]

The Wife's Vrs (MKII) got chopped in for a CitiGo 75 Elegance

No regrets, it's like a go Kart Thinking my Octy FL Vrs might be going soon cos I fancy one as well

Ok, I'll let you, but at least put a turbo on it!!! Lol

[Brian69]

I received a pretty decent offer from webuyanycar (they actually increased it) but decided to take the Skoda-approved extended warranty and keep it another two years.

Given that it was cheap to buy in the first place (and run) not too concerned about what it will be worth in two years' time (couple of grand from webuyanycar and I wouldn't complain - although I think it'll be worth more than that).

The only time I've ever had a downer about the car is after visiting Briskoda !

[XK140]

Sharkrider sums up the bigger picture nicely.

Remember the old saying,if it seems too good to be true then there is always a catch.

It seems quite a few have see the bargain vat free prices,been seduced on a test drive by the sharp acceleration and bought...then in the fullness of time become unhappy because they find it doesn't have the interior build quality of an Audi,doesn't handle like a Lotus,and doesn't ride like a Jag....but you only get what you pay for.

As stated the handling is much improved with Eibach springs and a rear arb...without affecting the warrany.

Oil usage on mine is less than the Octy vRS I previously had,so not an issue.

Ride comfort is fine,but I've always had sporty cars,interior quality is,well,Skoda....durable but not luxury, but I knew that when I bought it.

At the new price paid it was a bargain,and comparison with used cars at the same price is missing the point.

[Neillvrs]

New to skoda in may. Fabia VRS 62 plate. Love the acceleration etc but oil consumption terrible. Has had new bottom end 6 weeks ago to cure but has failed miserably, 800 miles and low oil warning light. May also look to reject car after next visit to workshop in November if not sorted. Pity as like the car.

[sharkrider]

how did you run it in ? (just out of interest, correlating data with how run in to oil usage...)

[bobnaldo]

With two exceptions, I kept mine under the recommended RPM when running it in, then it used 1 litre of oil and none since.

[Damo]

You don't have to own a Skoda to be welcome on here fella

 

Stick around, you obviously like it here

 

And Auric, thats fantastic you regard the Citigo as highly as you do...

 

Testament indeed  

[Ootohere]

Neilvrs,

 Do you mean your car was fitted with a Skoda supplied New Engine Block, Crank, Bearings, Pistons, Rings etc (a Short Engine) ?

Or did they just fit new Piston Rings?

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/293041-excessive-oil-consumption.

Please reply in the Oil Consumption thread, rather than here.

 

george

[little_mike]

Tony, It would be interesting to hear how you get on with the Fiesta in  day to day use. I'm thinking of replacing my VRS with the 125bhp Fiesta EcoBoost. The car does seem to get very good reviews and ticks most of the right boxes. My only concern is that I'll miss the power delivery and convenience of the TSI/DSG engine and gearbox combo (even though I'm not a fast driver).

Edited 27 October, 2013 by little_mike

[Neillvrs]

Running in was gentle, kept mainly below 3000rpm in first 500 miles then gradually pushed it up the rpm range but only in the first 4 gears, too fast to be anywhere near legal in 5 6 and 7. Not sure about exact change but Skoda said it was the entire bottom end, not just the pistons. Got the car at 2500 miles, no oil on stick after 1200 more, put a litre in then ran again for a further few hundred. then new bottom end at 4700 and by 5500 miles nothing on dip stick again. First time round skoda adamant that engine had a problem, second time it is now apparently normal to use nearly 1 litre in under 800 miles. Get the feeling they are not keen to sort the car properly.

[MartynVRS]

My running in was quite hard. Let it get up to temp normally then drove harder. I was hitting the limiter in 2nd going down up the slip road home from the dealer. Mine used a few bottles for the first 10k then I noticed that after a service the level after they put 3.6 litres in was bang in the middle of the two marks. Done over 20k now and after keeping it to that level it hasn't used much at all. 

[Ootohere]

Neilvrs,

just ask Skoda UK in writing what the Warranty work carried out on your vehicle was & ask for a copy of the Invoices from the Workshop that did the work.

 

Ask what Skoda UK is going to do to get the Warranty Work properly carried out by competent technicians.

Get them to arrange the up lift of your car and a proper replacement until the vehicle is fit for purpose.

 

the figure in hand books is the possibility of oil usage at 0.5 litres per 1000 km,

, that is not an acceptable amount and not the officially accepted by them amount.

If the engine has 3.6 liter of oil in, and then needs 1 litre of a top up before 900 miles of driving normally,then they know the engine has faults.

Get them to do another Consumption test if they want,

but while they have the car and you have a courtesy car.

Or get a replacement vehicle, not some Short engine installed in yours.

(and no written proof of work or what work having been done. THe service book should have the details and it is all on the Skoda UK Data base or should be.)

 

RE Running in

and 5th 6th 7th being above legal speed limits,  then thats odd, a vRS in 'D' can be in 5th at around 35 mph, and 7th before 50 mph,

& can run fine at 70 mph at between 2000-2400 rpm.

3000 rpm and above under acceleration was never going to do harm to an engine. It would have helped things.

Manually holding gears with a Twincharger & a DSG  below 5th on a 7 speed box is an odd running in technique IMO.

 

All the best with it.

 

george

[Neillvrs]

Heading for the consumption test again next week. will see what happened this time. Last engine on the test was 0.7 of a litre in 250 miles according to their figures. Wonder if I can better it with this one. Will wait and see

[Neillvrs]

George

 

Forgot to say on running in , was in D and did up to 70/80 as it stayed below 3000rpm so used all the gears. Just meant unable to get higher in the rpm range in the high gears unlike in the lower ones that you can easily have fun with.

[Bullyboy]

Do hang around and let us know what the fiesta is like.

I want to change mine early next year and considering the Fiesta ST - although really need the 5 doors but will do a 'kids' test in the back.

No firm plans yet, looking at loads of things (mainly in my mind) and not stepped in a dealership yet.   Not sure if i want to keep the same size (mine is the 2nd car in the household) or go for a Octy type size car or something completly different - maybe the new Yeti ?   My experience with Skoda so far has been very good.  No issues with my vRS although only do about 4,000 miles per year in it.   Great value for the money and great performance too.

Look forward to the Fiesta review...