Hello all

I just cleared off the balance of what I owed on my 62 plate Rallye green hatch this morning after 4 months of ownership, 2 1/2 years warranty left and only 9k miles on the clock, a new engine which doesn't seem to like the taste of oil too much right now, I want to start enjoying the car properly now the summer has arrived and now I am without any finance hanging over my head. Just fitted my private plates yesterday too which make a real difference to appearance IMO.

A few questions:

- has anyone found mudflaps which fit and suit the vRS?

- I would like to get DAB and phone capabilities on the head unit. Is it easier to just get a new stereo? If so, what one? The dealers want £995 for the all singing and dancing Kenwood - way too pricey. Any recommendations? There don't seem to be too many specialists around nowadays and I don't really want to get one from a clueless teenager in halfords.

- has anyone found a decent centre arm rest? Doing a few long journeys this summer

Thanks

Well I can answer the first question. The standard Fabia mudflaps fit the vRS no problem, I have them on mine. Very straight forward to fit.

Oh right thanks. Does the vRS sit any lower than the standard Fabia? I always assumed after the dealer told me they didn't fit the vRS that it was due to lowering? Do they fit directly the the wheel arch liners? How do they look?

If you look at the top of this Section in the vRS Picture & Reviews  you will see diferent Mud Flaps,

the Ones the Dealers sell & even fit to vRS, & that 'they' say do not fit and various sold on Ebay etc.

I also have mud flaps on mine.  Several VRS owners seem too.  Dealer told me they would only fit the front ones as they said the back ones won't fit.  I told them they would and strangely enough they were on when I picked the car up!  I think it was the Mark 1 VRS that was the problem.  I had to cut my rear bumper to get mine on that.

 

I also have the optional extra arm rest which I believe can be retro fitted.  It's quite high but then the seats are too so it's comfy.

 

I'll be monitoring the thread for feedback on head units!  Some guys are going for Columbus units which seem to fit.  You can pick them up on ebay.

Are the Columbus units DAB?

I had a Monte Carlo courtesy car with the Amundsen unit I think the other day, much better but a little dated and small screen.

Picked up some mudflaps on my way home this evening. Got the fronts on fine and look great. Any idea how to get the back ones on without removing the wheels? Tried a small ratchet from a socket set but by the time I put the bit on the end it is too big to fit in the tiny gap between the tyre and arch.

If it comes the removing the wheel, is there an easy way to get the bolt covers off with potentially knocking the wheels with a tool?

Edited 31 March, 201412 yr by austenw90

Also , do you guys mind the rear flaps being quite obvious? Are you happy with their appearance and do they do a good job at preventing so much spray etc up the back of the car?

No idea, never use them, they are a PITA IMO.

But maybe they do keep the rear cleaner, I wash my cars dirty or not anyway.

 

They might well keep the gravel rash from the paint work behind the wheels.

I bwlieve jacking the car up will give the extra room at the back. Im sticking mine on tomorrow but ive got ones of ebay.- not oem ones. A lot thicker. Dont think theyll look right tbh but I shall let you know.

I have oem armrest, I have to fight my passengers for it as it is perfectly placed 

Thanks for all replies. One thing I hate and hope to prevent with the flaps is the little black tar spots.

Any idea where to get an OEM armrest at a reasonable price. Cheapest I've found is about £130.

Also , do you guys mind the rear flaps being quite obvious? Are you happy with their appearance and do they do a good job at preventing so much spray etc up the back of the car?

 

Not at all, infact i think it makes the back look miles better- more low and wide. Yes, they do a fantastic job of keeping the mud off!

Not at all, infact i think it makes the back look miles better- more low and wide. Yes, they do a fantastic job of keeping the mud off!

Cheers Gumby. Did you manage to fit the rear ones without taking the wheels off? Does jacking the car up free up any space to get a tool in? I used a small ratchet to do the fronts but they are easy as you can turn the wheels out of the way...

Also , do you guys mind the rear flaps being quite obvious? Are you happy with their appearance and do they do a good job at preventing so much spray etc up the back of the car?

 

Down to personal taste I guess. I only find them silly in every non-rally car that I see, the vRS not being an exception obviously. It also loses some of that sleeper look I absolutely love. As for keeping it clean, If you're into detailing you won't rely on those to keep your car in a mint condition I guess, nor will they make a great difference if you clean it once a month like I do.

Edited 1 April, 201412 yr by newbie69

Down to personal taste I guess. I only find them silly in every non-rally car that I see, the vRS not being an exception obviously. It also loses some of that sleeper look I absolutely love. As for keeping it clean, If you're into detailing you won't rely on those to keep your car in a mint condition I guess, nor will they make a great difference if you clean it once a month like I do.

What do you mean by sleeper look?

I clean mine weekly (weather permitting) but it seems that rear window and boot spray could be avoided with rear flaps on?

I've got the front ones on fine and they look great, but fronts are never as obvious as the rears. Hoping I can't find a suitable tool to fix the rear ones without having to take the wheels off, might try a right angled screwdriver set from screwfix for the sake of 6.99.

At least they are easy to fit and remove if needbe. On my Fiat Bravo I had previously mudflaps were only available for the back. I had to get the side skirts resprayed as they were completely covered in chips, as were the bottom of the wings and the doors. Installing some cheap aftermarket ones did the trick, with Fiats paint quality being what it is it seems it would be wise for them to install them straight from the factory!

All I'm saying is If I didn't like them (as I happed to do), I wouldn't be fitting them just for saving a few minutes from the cleaning time. If you like their look that's even better for you. Sleeper look is pretty self explanatory, no? As for anything unusual that attracts the eye and makes you suspect it may be a faster car than you thought, hence spoiling the surprise to the other driver! The vRS can be easily mistaken for a slow Skoda and I like that.

Edited 1 April, 201412 yr by newbie69

Funny I never equated mud flaps and performance.  I always thought they were just flaps that ....................well keep the mud off.  Hardly sporty

 

and I am into detailing my car and think they are a god send, it's not just mud they protect against but I can well see that cars without them could end up with some serious gravel rash without them.  Plus it's something else I get to clean

Plus it's something else I get to clean

 

This ^^^

 

As for mud flaps and performance, I'm not directly relating them either, there is no apparent gain by installing mud flaps (maybe the contrary, lol). It just looks aftermarket, which means the owner likes to play with his car and possibly adding things here and there, so maybe take a second thought before you race him...? Or is it going too far you think?

Edited 1 April, 201412 yr by newbie69

This ^^^

 

As for mud flaps and performance, I'm not directly relating them either, there is no apparent gain by installing mud flaps (maybe the contrary, lol). It just looks aftermarket, which means the owner likes to play with his car and possibly adding things here and there, so maybe take a second thought before you race him...? Or is it going too far you think?

 

For me I just don't see it like that when these are factory fit options.

 

Also, I think racing should be saved for the track

It's not your usual "factory fit" option though, generally speaking not just Fabias, or they're not that popular around here I guess! I rarely see cars with those on.

 

"Racing" was probably an exaggeration given that the most exciting thing that happens is some %^&% sitting right at my back but doesn't overtake either, then when conditions allow it I touch the expensive pedal and he stays exactly where he was before I set off. I would hope this is about the most racing any driver would do in a public road anyway,

I like my mud flaps, there are some pics of it on here somewhere both with and without them...

 

The rears I fitted without removing the wheels or jacking it up (mine is a hatch too). I think i used a ratchet to do it or else I have an L-shaped screwdriver bit holder which I used for the job too.

Can the VRS mud flaps fit the Monte Carlo?

Can the VRS mud flaps fit the Monte Carlo?

Nope, this is where the dealers are getting confused, They actually wont fit the Monte, not the vrs because they has extra plastic around the arches. I believe you have to get custom ones for the Monte, although I maybe wrong?

 

Oh an they look anything but after market on a black Fabia, blends in really well hence improving the rear end looks.

Edited 1 April, 201412 yr by Gumby

It is quite alarming that these dealers knowledge of such basic things is flawed. I can't imagine what other horrors happen in their workshops!

I guess black is best for blending in. Black vRS's do look fantastic as well. Well all colours do really.

Popped into another nearby dealer today, Winchester Motor Company and their vRS demonstrator (in the fantastic blue colour) had standard Fabia mudflaps fitted... Seems like they know what they are doing here unlike others...