Hello boys and girls.

 

Thought I might as-well make a bit of a journal thread for my very recently acquired Fabia VRS...

 

As some of you will know this is my second Fabia VRS as I owned one back in 2008 which I sold to Damo, I have owned many cars over the years from a string of performance Vauxhalls in my early days, 300BHP Jap turbo cars, Integra Type R's, Swedish performance cars and most recently a Saab 9-3 Viggen, A show condition Volvo 850 T5-R Saloon in Gul Yellow and a VW Golf GTI Edition 30.

 

I am very lucky to have been in the motor trade as a manager for the past 8 years and had access to ramps at any time so have carried out quite a bit of light restoration work and detailing work over the last few years google bonelorry volvo or Saab to see, I have many project threads on Edition38 also.

 

Which brings me onto my latest purchase, For reasons I wont go into I decided to leave my job as a manager in the motor trade about 7 weeks ago and pursue a career that I have wanted to do for many years. Fast forward to today and after a fairly tough recruitment process I was offered a position and start my new job next week, With the new job I will be doing a fair bit of commuting so decided to be sensible and sell my rare Lightening Blue Saab 9-3 Viggen to a private collector who has purchased from me in the past and buy something sensible in Diesel form.

 

Initially I looked at Golf GTD's, Octavia VRS TDI 170's but decided that my best option would be to go for something compact and not too expensive so buying a Fabia VRS was the obvious choice for me

 

After trawling to for sale adverts on here, Autotrader and ebay etc I soon realised that finding a good, Low mileage and standard example was going to be harder than I first imagined. Most said FSH in the adverts but where infact overdue the Cambelt by over a year, Many where high milers, Many modified examples etc but last Friday I got lucky and spotted what looked like a good one at a car dealer in Ripon on Autotrader.

 

So yesterday I went to view the car, Went through everything with a toothcomb, Had a test drive, Made an offer and I am now the owner of another Fabia VRS.

 

So the car...

 

: 2005/55 Skoda Fabia VRS

: Diamond Silver

: One owner from new

: 70K miles

: HPI Clear

: Full Service History, All Skoda except one which is an indy. Loads of invoices for all repairs/servicing, He even took it to Skoda for a genuine battery!

: Had lube/Inspection service last month at main dealer 500 miles ago and in 2013 had Major service, Brake Fluid change, Timing belt, Water pump, Aux belt so all good in that dept.

: Full set of matching Yoko S-drive tyres all like new

: 12 months MOT

 

Condition wise its all original and good for its year, It has the usual age related stone chips but has had no paint anywhere. The wheels could do with a refurb as the paint is starting to bubble around the spokes but to be fair its all good. I am used to show condition cars and have a bit of an OCD so finding a car can be a PITA but this time I just wanted a sound car that I can rely on.

 

 

So I got up this morning and decided that the first job I wanted to do purely as a precautionary measure was check the rear door seals, So I drove down to my local TPS and bought 14 new door clips just in case part numbers 5J0867276 and cracked on. I removed both rear door cards and I am very happy to report both where bone dry with no signs of leakage which surprises me as the car has lived in Scotland all its life! So I fitted the new door trim clips and decided to use some Plumbers Gold sealant and do both seals just incase.

 

I then fitted a new pair of Bosch wipers with curved passenger blade 19AS/21 as the old ones were smearing a little.

 

The sun was shining and I had about 8 hours to kill so gave the car a Detail....

 

 

: Rinsed the car, Wheel arches and Wheels thoroughly.

: Cleaned the fuel filler flap. All door, Bonnet and boot-lid shuts, Front Scuttle and Rubber door drains using detailing brush and APC to high concentrate.

: Rinsed car again.

: Washed the car using 2 bucket method one panel at a time with a Lambswool mitt and Meguires ultimate shampoo.

: Washed the wheels, Tyres and wheel arches using a Meguires Microfibre Mitt, Soft wheel brush and bottle container with foaming head containing Megs soap to a high concentrate.

: Rinsed the car again.

: Clayed the whole car using Megs mild clay and Megs Detailer spray as lubricant.

: Rinsed the car again.

: Dryed the whole car with Elite XL drying towel, Dried the wheels, Door shuts and engine bay with Microfibre towel.

: Cleaned the glass inside and out with Autoglym fast glass then Autoglym Glass Polish.

: Tar removal using Autoglym Intensive Tar remover.

: Polished the whole car using Autoglym Super Resin Polish using a sponge applicator to apply and microfibre towel to remove.

: Waxed the car using Collinites No:845 liquid insulator wax using soft applicator and Elite buffing towel to remove

: Dressed the door strips, Black plastic trim, Front scuttle and Wiper arms with Autoglym Bumper and trim care using a sponge applicator and then buffed excess with a Microfibre cloth.

: Dressed the tyres using Megs endurance tyre gel.

: Dressed the wheel arch liners with Autoglym Vinyl and Rubber care.

: Polished the tailpipe with Autosol.

: Dressed the engine bay with Autoglym Vinyl and Rubber care and wiped with microfibre.

 

The interior/seats/carpets where wet vacuumed by the dealer I bought the car from so the interior has been left for today, The car came up well and I am happy with the outcome, Probably spent around 7 hours on the car today and as said I think I will get the wheels refurbished at some point soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not really much of an update but when I detailed the car yesterday particularly the engine bay I noticed quite a bit of oil around the filler cap area so I cleaned the cap/Seal and filler neck. I was looking just for interests sake at the service paperwork last night and the oil filler cap seal was advised so thought for the sake of £7 I would buy a new one.

 

Another little job sorted.

 

Nice and clean example

Nice and clean example

Thanks buddy, Its not bad.

Looks very tidy, what's the plans for this or is just maintain it and use it. I use mine for travelling all over the country and would highly recommend a remap from faboka, makes the car so much nicer to drive in general

Looks very tidy, what's the plans for this or is just maintain it and use it. I use mine for travelling all over the country and would highly recommend a remap from faboka, makes the car so much nicer to drive in general

Plans are to keep it clean, Get the wheels refurbed and yes as you mentioned possibly a reserved stage one map thats still mechanically sympathetic to the stock clutch etc.

Not really fussed about going down the tuning route as it was not the main reason I bought this ca but to be fair I dont really feel that the Fabia is lacking in performance, Its suprised me especially considering my last car was more than double the power and had 300LB/FT from 1900RPM.

Thanks Simon

Well i am now a few weeks into ownership and so far so good, Averaging 55mpg commuting which I cant fault as I was lucky to get half that in my last car!

Noticed a bit of free play at the bottom of the handbrake so investigated and found the cables to be free and working but the NSR caliper is not returning fully so it needs a new rear caliper, Also the rear discs are quite lipped so this Wednesday I wil be doing the following....

2 x New TRW rear calipers in VRS Green

New Pagid front discs and pads

New pagid rear discs and pads

Brake fluid change

Well all the Brake work has been carried out today, The OSR caliper was totally goosed, The piston was siezed and the seal was badly torn also with quite a lot of corrosion around the piston. Also the rear pads although not too worn were fitted dry with no brake grease/copper slip probably by the main dealer and were stuck in the housings.

Just need to let them bed in for a few miles but instantly the pedal feels much more positive as it should do now the rear brakes are now actually doing something!

Next job is to get the wheels refurbished by Metal magic in Barnsley probably in High Power Silver Powdercoat and give the front calipers and rear carriers a lick of Signal Green caliper paint as the new rear calipers look out of place now.

Other than that just enjoy the car and keep it clean.

Well just over 3 months of ownership and have covered just shy of 2000 miles in the car, Other than brake work I have done in August the car has been totally faultless and has done its job very well. Averaged 54.4 MPG since buying the car and on a run from Sheffield to Grantham a last month saw 64 MPG.

 

I have now completed my training in Leeds so I am based in Sheffield full time which means my mileage has decreased considerably but I have decided to keep the car until Feb/March next year when my insurance is due for renewal.

 

It pretty much does everything you could ever want but I have an itch for another Golf Edition 30 or possibly an S3 next year so the little Fabia will have to go.

 

The car has been getting its usual weekly wash but today I had 6 hours to kill so got up early and detailed the car.

 

I have kept on top of the car since I fully detailed it 3 months ago but I pretty much repeated the same cleaning routine as in my first post, Managed to get another layer of Collinites on the car also...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice to see you back Simon

 

Shame you'll be selling it so soon

Nice to see you back Simon

 

Shame you'll be selling it so soon

 

Thank you Damo, Likewise

 

If I could have 2 x cars then I would keep the Fabia forever and have a toy but for now I have no driveway or garage for a second car, For commuting and everyday use it is an awesome little car. I am enjoying owning and driving it.

 

I never usually keep anything longterm, Over the last few years I have been buying cars, Renovating/Detailing them and have been lucky to already have buyers lined up so sold them on within 6 months. The Fabia was bought to do a job and it has done that job very well but it still gets looked after as with all my cars.

Long time since my last update so I thought it was time for another one!

 

Well in the end I opted to keep the car, Myself and my partner are in the process of buying our 2nd house and the Fabia has been that good since buying it that I thought I might aswell keep it. The good thing is that our new home has a rather large drive with a car port and a detached garage which means I can buy a second car as a toy and keep the Fabia as a daily

 

So 6000 miles in the car is currently on 76k miles and the car has been faultless, I still enjoy driving it everyday, It still ticks all the right boxes albeit I do miss having something a bit lairy for when in the mood but overall its still a great little car and so cheap to run, Insure, Road Tax etc

 

Decided to give the car its Major service a few months early, Its not due until 80k or June but I always over-service my cars. I am also going to replace a few minor cosmetic parts which I feel let it down currently but its these little details that will finish the car off, So after a chat with Jonathan at Rainworth Skoda I have ordered some Genuine parts and next week the car will be having the following...

 

: Full Major service using Genuine parts, Oil filter, Air Filter, Pollen Filter, Fuel Filter and Quantum PD engine oil

: New rear wiper

: New front grille and rear tailgate badges

: 20 x new wheel nut covers in Satin Black

: 4 x new wheel centre caps

 

Also yesterday I purchased a good spare set of alloys with thanks to Briskoda forum member dodger21, I literally collected them and drove straight to the wheel refurbers in Barnsley and dropped them off for powdercoating. I was tempted to go Anthracite but in the end opted to go for Silver powdercoat which looks pretty much the same finish as the standard wheels albeit with a bit more of a metallic.

 

Whilst on the topic of wheels my current alloys have a full set of matching Yokohama S-Drives fitted but are the wrong size 195/45R16 opposed to the correct OE fitment 205/45R16, I have known about this since I bought the car but as they where a matched set of virtually new tyres I decided to leave them fitted and get some use out of them. I swapped them round in December and even though 2 are on 5mm and 2 on 3mm I reckon I will bite the bullet and go for a set of brand new tyres in the correct size and fit them to my refurbed wheels then sell my current wheels and tyres.

 

So on Thursday next week the car will also be having....

 

: 4 x Freshly refurbished wheels fitting

: 4 x new tyres in 205/45R16 fitment....Still undecided on what to go for yet? Any suggestions?

 

 

Also thinking about fitting some Genuine mudflaps front and rear and a Leon Cupra front splitter to finish the exterior off, I know the rear mudflaps require a bit of fiddling/trimming to make fit but they do look rather nice IMO when fitted.

 

Think that's about it for now!

Just had the call to say my wheels are finished and are ready to collect  :clap: Popping over tomorrow morning to pick them up, Looking forward to it!

 

Went to collect all my Service items, New badges etc this morning from Rainworth Skoda this morning near Mansfield. Had a top drive down there and managed 67mpg according to MFD.

 

Nearly got home realised I forgot to ask them about the mudflaps so I made a quick detour to Bickertons in Sheffield and have ordered some which will arrive tomorrow.

 

After changing my mind various times over the weekend regarding what tyres to go for I narrowed it down to 3....

 

Uniroyal Rainsport 3's

Michelin Pilot Sport 3's

Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 2's 

 

I have heard a lot of good things about the Uniroyals apart from the wear rate, I know quite a few fellow Brisky members run these but to be honest am not a huge fan of the pattern or sidewall design on the Uniroyals and although they can be had for reasonable money I decided against them.

 

In the end it came down to the Michelins and the Goodyears, I know the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 is a very good tyre I had a set on my Golf Edition 30 but in the end I went for the Goodyears. I got a really good deal on a set of four 205/45R16 83Y for £266 delivered!

 

The Michelins are around £100 more and this week I will have spent about £700 on the Fabia with the Major service, Wheel refurb, New tyres and cosmetic parts so decided to be sensible LOL.

 

I know the Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 2's are good tyres as I have also had these on my previous car so I am happy they will do the job.

 

So I go home and looked through my bag of new parts to see what I could fit, Sadly not much as the majority will be getting done on Thursday when the car is getting serviced and the new Tyres/Refurbed wheels will be fitted.

 

Anyway stuck my new rear wiper on and replaced the tired old Front Grille and Rear Tailgate Skoda badges....

 

Off with the old, Faded badges...

 

 

Nice new Tailgate badge...

 

 

 

 

 

Well I picked my wheels up this morning, Am I happy? YES! They have turned out a little darker than I first imagined them to look more of a Titanium Grey with Metallic finish but it is light dependant when you look at them. The finish is fantastic, Cant wait to get them fitted on Thursday 

 

Also I am having 500ml of High Temp enamel paint made in Pantone 348 for the calipers which should be delivered tomorrow so I will be giving them a lick of paint tomorrow afternoon while the wheels are off and then it can stay on the ramp overnight for them to dry and then it will be having its Major Service on Thursday.

 

A few snaps of the wheels, Excuse the picture quality they where taken on my Iphone...

 

Look nice and light from the side, Ignore the centre caps these are coming off as I have a brand new set of genuine ones...

 

 

Love the Metallic, Loads of detail...

 

 

Look a little darker from this angle...

 

 

And lighter from this angle...

 

They look great Simon.

 

You did right going for the Goodyears too. I did like the RS3's but soft sidewalls and no shoulder protection led to me kerbing an alloy.

 

Had a couple of sets of wheels done at metal magic, top quality refurbers IMO.

 

Glad your sticking with the Fabia, looks a great example.

 

Where's the new house? Still Stocksbridge way?

 

Hope your well mate

 

Regards

 

Damo

They look great Simon.

 

You did right going for the Goodyears too. I did like the RS3's but soft sidewalls and no shoulder protection led to me kerbing an alloy.

 

Had a couple of sets of wheels done at metal magic, top quality refurbers IMO.

 

Glad your sticking with the Fabia, looks a great example.

 

Where's the new house? Still Stocksbridge way?

 

Hope your well mate

 

Regards

 

Damo

 

Thanks Damo, Hope you and the family are all doing OK!

 

Yes I am doing OK mate, Left the motor trade after nearly 8 years last June to pursue a new career and have not looked back!

 

The new house is still in the Stocksbridge area, Just up near the Golf course. My other half wanted something detatched and I wanted a Drive and or a Garage....Needless to say we both got what we wanted LOL, Just in the final stages so hopefully we will get a moving date very soon.

 

Very happy with how the wheels have turned out, The ones currently fitted are not in horrendous condition they are merely suffering the usual age related corrosion but I have wanted to get them or a spare set sorted for a while.

 

The Fabia is great, I made the right choice going for another one. Condition wise it is coming on but to be fair I had a decent base to start with which is one of the reasons I bought the car in the first place...that and the fact it had only one owner who had clearly looked after the car both cosmetically and mechanically throughout its life, Its probably 7/8 out of 10 for me condition wise but compared to the majority I viewed its very good indeed and hopefully later this week it will certainly be at a level I am happy with especially considering its a daily driver and is a 10 year old car at the end of the day. I have been spoiled with some proper show quality cars over the last few years but without access to a workshop and ramps on a daily basis it is hard to keep a car in top condition all the time, That said it has been nice to just get into a car and drive it without having it on the ramp every weekend.

 

Hopefully I will make it to some of the local meets, The last one I attended was in 2008 and that was in a Volvo 850 T5! Be nice to actually turn up in a Skoda this time

 

I will post some more pics later this week when I have detailed the car if all goes to plan fitting the wheels, Tyres, Mudflaps etc

 

Regards

 

Simon

I have done more updates so far in the past week than in the 9 months of owning the car LOL!

 

Todays update, I got the car down to my friends who is an ex-VAG Technician and has now set up his own business. He kindly lent me a ramp this afternoon while he was doing some MOT work in his other unit so I cracked on with the mudflaps and painting the calipers.

 

A few mobile phone snaps from my efforts today...

 

One of the car on the ramp just cos...

 

 

OSF Caliper, All Calipers and carriers now painted with 2 x coats of Pantone 348 Green high temp enamel semi gloss paint, I am very happy with the colour match! All the Disc bells are painted in Hammerite Smooth Silver. New Genuine mudflaps fitted allround...

 

 

NSR Caliper...

 

 

NSF Caliper...

 

 

Close up of NSR Mudflap, Really happy with how these look and how well they have fitted! Looking forward to seeing the car actually on the ground with the refurbed wheels etc...

 

 

Rear of car...

 

 

Tomorrows jobs, I have left the car on the ramp overnight with the wheels off for the calipers to dry. Days gone by when I was Managing the workshop I worked at for nearly 8 years I would have carried out all my own mechanical work but nowadays I have become a bit slack LOL. So tomorrow my VAG Technician friend is carrying out the Major Service on the car and fingers crossed if the new Goodyears arrive they will also be getting fitted...

 

Let me know when you decide to sell it Simon

By the time you've done, it will be mint!

Lovely looking car

Tailpipe being so clean makes a big difference to the look of rear end!

Well sadly no updates today as I have been let down by the tyre supplier, They have promised me that the tyres will arrive tomorrow morning before 12pm! Thats the first and last time I will use Ctyres.co.uk.

 

Good news is the car has had its Major Service and everything has been gone through with a fine tooth-comb, My friend/ex-VAG Technician who has carried out the work is mega keen like myself and I trust him which is a massive thing for me having been in the motor trade. He has reported its all good and needs nothing doing which I am happy with, The MOT is due in July which I am not concerned about in any way. Not bad for a 10 year old car!

 

As said fingers crossed I get my tyres tomorrow and can go down and fit them onto my refurbed wheels and get the car back, Weather permitting I will get it detailed on Sunday and get some pics!

 

 

Let me know when you decide to sell it Simon

By the time you've done, it will be mint!

 

Haha, Will do Damo. You would not be the first person to buy more than one car from me!

 

Will be a while yet though

 

Lovely looking car

Tailpipe being so clean makes a big difference to the look of rear end!

 

Thanks mate, Know what you mean about the tailpipe I see so many that never get polished/cleaned and are Black with carbon.

Nice to see one being looked after properly!

They landed at lunchtime....  :clap: 

 

 

 

Got the tyres all fitted up on the refurbed wheels and on the car, The car looks pretty awesome IMO! More than happy with the outcome, All the little touches....New Badges, Painted Calipers, New centre caps, New Mudflaps, Refurbed wheels and even the Goodyear F1s have really finished the car off nicely.

 

No pictures of the end product but fingers crossed weather permitting I will get the car detailed on Sunday and get the Canon camera out.

 

Well worth all the effort this week.

Just read this thread . Very nice car , inspirational . Id like my vrs as clean as yours . Keep up the good work .

Just read this thread . Very nice car , inspirational . Id like my vrs as clean as yours . Keep up the good work .

 

Thank you for the kind words, Very much appreciated!

very clean and tidy example... hope i can find one half as clean as this !