Hi all,

 

Due to my focus being hideously unreliable (it's gone wrong 8 times since I bought it under two years ago!) I'm in the market for a new car. Being a musician with lots of music equipment, something a similar size or bigger is essential. So I'm looking at the Fabia/Ibiza estate, probably the 1.2TSi DSG SE as stated above. I'd obviously consider a Roomster or Octavia etc but they're generally more expensive. I'm looking at no more than £10k, which should get me a low milage 11 or 12 plate SE.

 

Firstly, anything in particular I should be aware of on this particular car? I've already had a test drive and absolutely loved the DSG.

 

Secondly, are the flappy paddles available on this car? I thought they were, but none of them seem to have it. Not a big deal as it's still got the manual mode (which I wouldn't get the car without) but would have preferred the paddles. Is this something that could be retrofitted?

 

Thirdly, what models have auto lights/wipers and cruise control as an option/standard? Cruise control is a must for me, auto wipers are fairly important, but auto lights are nice but not necessary (I override them quite a lot on my focus, nowhere near sensitive enough). I've mainly looked at SE's, but some of them mention all three, some of them mention none. Are dealers just not mentioning it?

Also, are the SEAT Ibiza ranges the same as the fabia?

 

 

Thanks in advance!

Minnis

Hi,

 

The Fabia II doesn't offer paddles (except vRS), auto lights, or wipers but cruise is standard on the top spec Elegance model and I believe can be dealer fitted to lower levels of trim. The TSI engine is great but the newer the car the better, as the engine underwent some updates in late 2011 to the timing chain and turbo.

 

Oh don't know where you are in the country but had a quick look at the approved used and this rare SE Plus might be of interest;

 

http://www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=604039905#

 

 

TP

The Ibiza ST will probably have better spec especially the FR.

I looked at these new about a year ago and I'm sure they came with Cruise and Auto lights/wipers as standard.

I prefer the interior of the Fabia compared to the Ibiza but the Ibiza is the better looking car and better specced.

SE Fabias don't come with much in the way of convenience toys but may have been specced when new.

The Elegance would be the spec to go for in the Fabia if you want all the toys though.

Thanks for the replies. 

 

The Plumber: Thanks for that, I like the look of that but I'm near Heathrow airport. It'd be worth a look and the distance won't put me off, but I've found a nice Ibiza ST very local to me that I had a test drive of earlier today. It's a bit older (an 11 plate) but had the auto wipers and cruise control (I'm not that fussed about the lights), along with a few other bits and bobs that I'd enjoy. It's also a lot cheaper and I got a brilliant deal not only on the car but also on my old Focus too.

 

Gazbull17: TBH, I didn't have much of a preference either way between the SEAT and the Skoda, and the Ibiza does look pretty good outside. I looked at Elegence's but they were quite a bit more, and I don't think I could justify the extra expense to the other half, especially with a wedding and a house deposit to save for!

I did prefer the look of the Ibiza to the Fabia but I couldn't get them nailed to a deal like I could with Skoda.

Is it an FR you looked at, that's the spec I wanted but the only thing I didn't like was the interior, the seats and steering wheel were fine but the dash and the radio etc I just couldn't get away with.

You should enjoy the Ibiza if you get it, I think they have the edge drive wise over the Fabia but the all round package I got on my Monte was just too good to pass on.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Monte but I would've been driving an Ibiza if they had been a bit more flexible.

Is the Seat Ibiza available in Estate configuration? I have to say that the Fabia Estates are spacious for so small a car - latest Octavias are HUGE!

The dash on the ibiza is something that put me off too.

They seem to have the basic stereos and the dash as a whole just wasnt to my taste.

I quite like it in the fabia mind.

Both the same cars underneath arent they. I guess it all comes down to the deal

And yeah im pretty sure you can get an ibiza estate

Yeah, the Ibiza estate I'd called the ST, that's what I was after, a 1.2 TSI Sport Tourer FR.