Hi,

Just joined.

 

My 11 yr old Ford Focus TDCI is forlorn and dead in the driveway after 190K very cheap miles.

 

I have been  sizing up Fabia Estate as replacement, from about 2008 onwards. Must be a diesel. Economy, long term costs and reliability are absolute top priority, to the extent that speed, acceleration, or other superficial issues are really irrelevant.

 

It seems that the 1.6 TDI is more economical than the 1.4, (the 1.4 Greenline is in there though). Likewise, though reports say it's a little rough, (which wouldn't bother me),, the 1.2 Greenline is right on top there.

 

So if I narrow my search for these.

Are there any top Gotchas in this forum which you could point me to when I go to look at the vehicles?

- generally cost of belts, dpf, big services etc. (Not oil and filters which I always do myself).  I'm probably in the market for a vehicle between 60k and 110k miles.

 

Rgds

 

Welcome

I will move this to the fabia section

You will get a better reply there..

Welcome to Briskoda

I've got a 1.6TDi (2011) estate.  Easy to self service (although I can never seem to reset the service light).  As far as I can fathom the book say the cambelt is due after 130,000 miles (not sure if I'll wait that long though).  Am getting around 55mpg combined.

 

The DPF should be fine as long as you're driving enough to get it nice and hot to keep itself clog-free, if you're not doing long journeys then a petrol may be better for you.

Hi jme808.

 

130K thanks that's interesting. Elsewhere on the forum someone was saying 40K (seemed very short), and another 60K then 70K..

From what I understand, the PD engines were 40k and Skoda took a while to make up their minds about the CR engines (current 1.6).

 

You might find this useful:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/236448-cr105-cambelt-intervals-and-clutch-question/

Not and estate, but a diesel:

 

1.6 CR, 18000 miles, 21 months from new.  A few miniscule faults/issues:

 

1.  Fault light came on, disappeared after a switch on and off.  So not an EMC failure and I didn't need to get it checked.

2.  DRL failed.  I changed the fuse, checked bulb, which blew a fuse again, which I changed.  Dealer changed the fuse, no problem since.

3.  One severe regen, at three days old, with my wife driving in urban carnage.  Juddered and hesitated away from the lights, no power etc.  After a few seconds, it cleared.  That is the only "forced" regen I believe I've had, the rest occur in normal driving.

 

I was doing 200+ miles a week, now lucky to do that in a month.  I get 50+ mpg in normal driving (I don't hang about) and 60 ish on a long trip (not too many of those).  I predict if I was doing what my wife does in her Golf 1.6 CR Bluemotion (500 miles a week) I'd get her economy (almost - no stop/start on the Monte).

 

I would welcome the slightly bigger boot of the estate.

 

Depending on your anticipated trips, I believe some on here question the Greenline's (1.2 CR) get up and go.  Some questi9on the 1.6's ability to deliver 60+ mpg.  I don't know about the 1.4, but is that not the older small diesel?  The 1.9 PD unit may be in range - maybe a last run model??

 

Good luck

Thanks Pdibk.

 

I think the 1.4 is the older engine yes.

I have no problems with lack of "get up and go" as you say.

Many years ago before speed limits and cameras, yes it would definitely have bothered me. But these days I accept the banality of driving, and instead I just go round like a slug on ice, watching the numbers and guarding my wallet.

In my case it's Mrs J who always gets about 8MPG less than me

 

But I think the Greenline 1.2 is a bit out of my price range sadly, so the 1.6 it probably will be (or maybe 1.4 Greenline if i find one). Not sure which of those two would win the economy slug race. 

 

 

 

Rgds

Now had my Fabia for nearly 40000 miles and never given me any problems with exception of boot mechanism replaced under warranty just before it expired.

 

Never had any problems with DPF. Get around 55mpg on normal driving and between 480-500 miles on a tank. The headlights could be better. Happy with the performance from the 1.6TDi CR 105. Very quiet at speed on the motorway.

Your focus diesel (TDCI) was bombproof, and has proven to be a good economical good performer.

 

I would point out from my own experience (+40 years in the motor trade) that the present CR90/105 engines (in fact anything with a DPF system) are no longer a 'town car'. Although many will say 'I have had no problems' - the DPF system is still not truly reliable in the longer term. Many will find this as they come to the three year period on.

 

At present, all manufacturers of diesel cars have 'DPF Problems' - take a look at Ford - Vauxhall - sites for a start.

I do like diesels despite the foregoing comments BUT only earlier TDCI (ford) or the PD series (from VAG).

Sorry to be somewhat negative - but do not rule out a petrol at this stage.

My 1.6 crtdi dpf has just last week had a service, and it's cambelt done (and water pump). It's 60,000 miles or 4 years, which ever the sooner, mines 4 years old and done about 30,000.

Rightly or wrongly, I have always considered the buying of a car to be dead money.  What matters to me is the actual day to day running costs, so paying £20 a year for car tax and getting the best part of 600 miles to a tank of juice is all fine by me.  My watchword regarding driving my DPF eqiupped Furby, is never, ever drive the car at less than 1500 rpm, and I choose the correct gear to acheive this.  Regarding regeneration, to get the light off, get the revs over 2000 and keep it there 'til the light goes out.  Mine takes about 7 or 8  miles to sort itself out. 

Using the 1500rpm rule, I didn't have a single regen in 2013, and I'm guessing that this years single regen was caused by being stuck in the same roadworks traffic jam 4 days in a row.

Cost of a cambelt with a dealers atm is £299, and water pump is another £100

I agree with Threadbear about the headlights. I put philips extreme vision bulbs in the dips only, made a world of difference

The only thing that concerns me is I was informed the the discs will need doing soon due to corrosion, this got me thinking skoda must be using sub standard metal if they can't last 30000miles or 4 years from new. 

Other than that, it's been a great little car and very reliable, I'm very happy with it and can't see me changing it unless I have a lottery win, then maybe a fully loaded 4 x 4 Yeti is on the cards.

Funnily enough Ive been told that my discs are nearly worn out and will need replacing at 45k plus the car is 4 years old in September so will be requiring a new cambelt as well.

 

Good job the finance will be finished then.

Maybe it's me, but 30000+ from a set of discs seems pretty good.

 

Next you'll be saying you're surprised you had to change the tyres!

i would expect, and have routinely got, 50 or 60,000 miles from a set of front brake discs.

I do not generally brake much or heavy.

just a thought

m

Edited 5 March, 201412 yr by dieseldogg

Maybe they're lower grade steel these days.

 

Maybe not using them causes them to corrode (someone commented on a thread recently that their discs were corroded - MOT fail/advisory).

 

I got through my "20k/2 year" (Real Life: 17500/21 month) service with notifiers for front tyres being damaged.

 

Long may the reliable Fabia continue to chug!

Yes, that's what I thought.  Coincidently, my son's Civic Typre R has just this week had it's discs done, seven years old and 49000 miles on the clock, a bit better than my furby.  Although he paid £270 for the job, whereas mine would have been £199.  Maybe skoda are building them down to a price, who knows?

Have you considered the 1.9 TDi PD? As far as I know, this is considered to be one of the most reliable engines ever and always gives good mpg irrespective of driving style; it does not have a DPF so is not averse to town/short drives. There are 10 1.9 PD Fabias on the Skoda website from 2007 to 2009 with 22,000 to 67000 miles at 5-9k (this is not the cheapest place to buy one but you can have a look at the pics).

http://www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/results.aspx

Had a 03 1.9tdi Fabia est no major problems for 5-6 yrs 90k +, traded it in for a mk2 Fabia est 09 1.9tdi again can't fault them tbh

the PD had a shorter cambelt life due to more stress, as the injectors where driven by a lobe on the cam

 

the CRDi engines you have a high pressure pump and electrically operated injectors

 

the GLII 1.2tdi only came in in 2011 so you will start to see them at 3 year old shortly

 

if long runs at motorway speed the DPF should not be a problem, main problems I have seen are the two exhaust sensors for the dpf failing which are an unscrew job, nothing major as the skoda assist do them at the roadside and carry them as standard spares

 

had my GLII for nearly 2 years now, 26000 miles, not missed a beat, run on supermarket diesel all the time (not Tesco I might add)

 

if you want economy and not speed try a GLII, not the fastest but still fast enough for day to day and the estate has loads of room

 

the other one to consider is a roomster, looks are a bit like marmite (love or hate) but very versatile in the load space and more room in the back than the fabia

Erm,

Relevant or not but when I asked about the 105BHP TDI cambelt change schedule for wor Sept 2010 Octavia.

Ah wuz toltd, by the lassie on the service desk at Mulhollands

4 years or 130,000 miles.

marcus