My lack lustre repair as I was in a rush, burnt through the loom and fried it all. No fault of the car :(

 

C'mon that was a blatant set up for a one word response: 'Fire'

 

In the same situation I went for the non-turbo diesel for my son as it has good torque from very low revs yet no more horesepower than the petrol 1.2 which helps with insurance. Torque is good for inexperienced drivers.

 

On the other hand I would not personally buy a VW gp car with chain-driven balancer shafts (most 3 cyl) as the chains can fail, taking the engine with them. Don't know how frequently this happens but you do see them coming up on ebay occasionally - "just needs a new engine."

 

The 3-pots in the 1.2 HTP engines have direct gear-gear drive for the balancer shaft?

 

 

Did you mean the oil pump drive? That is a chain, separate to the main timing chain.

Thanks for that Wino - the problem with the manufacturer not admitting a design fault is that it is more difficult for them to say - Hey we've fixed it now !

 

The early (all ?) 3 cyl 1.4 TDIs had chain driven balancer/oil pump drives as had early balancer-shaft 2.0 TDIs - these were the ones I was aware could cause trouble.

 

While on the subject of avoiding higher risk engines, which of the 3 cyl petrol engines have the valve seat issues ?

I'm 17 and have been driving for 3 months now. Cannot fault my little 1.2. Is by no means quick but it is adequate. It is very easy insured. My cover from Bell insurance for 10 months after which I get my full years no claims, with a blackbox for the first 3 months of my policy is just over £1000. That is third party but the policy is in my name.

 

 

I think you've got a nice looking motor there Jimbob. you've done a great job. I hope I can find one as good as yours for my daughter.

Valve seat issues poiuytre 11 !!!!, is this something I need to be aware of before I part with my reddies ? I don't want to be buying a dud.

Thanks for that Wino - the problem with the manufacturer not admitting a design fault is that it is more difficult for them to say - Hey we've fixed it now !

 

The early (all ?) 3 cyl 1.4 TDIs had chain driven balancer/oil pump drives as had early balancer-shaft 2.0 TDIs - these were the ones I was aware could cause trouble.

 

While on the subject of avoiding higher risk engines, which of the 3 cyl petrol engines have the valve seat issues ?

 

Based on the limited evidence of problems reported on here, I've formed the impression that the 6-valve engines are more vulnerable to this.  I suppose there's more heat-load per exhaust valve/seat than in the 12-valve variant.

Why? I absolutely hammered my Fabia 1.2 6v and loved it

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Because a yaris will more likely be a more reliable as well specd car and doesn't weigh as much.

Valve seat issues poiuytre 11 !!!!, is this something I need to be aware of before I part with my reddies ? I don't want to be buying a dud.

You are asking the right questions but I am more familiar with the issues on some of the diesel engines - of which I would recommend SDI or 100bhp TDI versions. I had read that some 3 cyl petrol engines had valve /valve seat issues which Wino suggest relate to 6 valve versions. If you have a specific car/engine in mind - do some googling.

This is getting way offtopic ... Silverline Fabia MK1 has never been built with a 6v petrol engine, all of them had 1.2 DOHC 12v or the old 1.4 mpi engine.

1.2 12v has valve guide issues though

Wasn't the chain tensioner their main problem ?  I guess that has been fixed over the years though.

The original topic was "Which Fabia for a 17 year old" and the original poster was asking sensible questions about the inherent problems with some of the cars he might choose.

Wasn't the chain tensioner their main problem ?  I guess that has been fixed over the years though.

 

I thought it was the guide rails that fail rather than the tensioner.

 

soon as i bought mine i put a full timing chain kit on it and done a compression check, simple as that really.

I think you've got a nice looking motor there Jimbob. you've done a great job. I hope I can find one as good as yours for my daughter.

 

 

Cheers mate! I hope you find a clean one for her. Definitely a great little car in my opinion!

My lack lustre repair as I was in a rush, burnt through the loom and fried it all. No fault of the car :(

A car is only as good as its owner Imo lol

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My lack lustre repair as I was in a rush, burnt through the loom and fried it all. No fault of the car :(

A car is only as good as its owner Imo lol

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Was stuck 6 hours from home, no AA, all I had was pliers and tape, I should've stopped and done a proper job but had no time. Miss that car

Was stuck 6 hours from home, no AA, all I had was pliers and tape, I should've stopped and done a proper job but had no time. Miss that car

Lol I'm only laughing because I've been there and done it ( well I haven't set a car on fire but I've done plenty of other stupid things) Great fun.

This is why I always keep in my glovebox tape, pliers, a multimeter, a test lamp, a set of fuses and spare bulbs in the trunk.   I don't have a toolbox yet, there's just not enough space, lol. A small subwoofer, a jacket, a bottle of distilled water, oil and one of washer liquid and there it goes, a full boot.

This is why I always keep in my glovebox tape, pliers, a multimeter, a test lamp, a set of fuses and spare bulbs in the trunk. I don't have a toolbox yet, there's just not enough space, lol. A small subwoofer, a jacket, a bottle of distilled water, oil and one of washer liquid and there it goes, a full boot.

Had sod all space as I was on holiday as well as collecting some car parts