Hi all,

 

Its been a while since I've posted as my trusty 2003 Fabia 16v 1.4 estate has been trouble free for the last few years.

The car is due an MOT in January and has a long list of small issues that need fixing so its about time for it to go. I purchased the car nearly 3 years ago for £600 and have put almost 60,000 miles on her. Mileage now is 121,000.

 

I have my eye on a couple of newer Fabia II estates, both are 2010 SE models and have almost identical trim levels.

One is a 1.6 tdi CR 90 for a touch over £5k with 50k miles and one is a 1.2 htp 70 for around £3k with 82k miles.

I travel 30 miles each way to and from work 5 days a week. Most of this is urban driving with a short 10 mile stretch of dual carriageway / motorway. I never go above 75mph and average around 45mph on the whole journey.

My 1.4 16v returns around 42mpg for the trip.

2 or 3 times a year I have to haul my family and light luggage on a 200 mile trip but hat is about the maximum I will have to do in a single day. Maximum mileage will now be around 16k for the year.

I plan to keep the car for 3-5 years if it is as reliable as my current fabia.

 

Any thoughts on which one to go for?

I've driven both and like the diesel punch but also like the character of the 1.2 petrol.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike.

 

I have a 1.6tdi, I get 50 to 53mpg mixed use not the claimed 67mpg. If you want the tdi I would want to thrash it down a motorway for 10 to 15 minutes to see if the orange glow plug starts to flash. That could mean a sensor or egr valve replacement (£600 to £800 for the egr). If any warranty it might be a good idea to get it in writing that the egr valve and associated sensors and DPF are covered.

 

How long to the next cambelt change? has it just had one? Cambelt and water pump £399 at skoda dealer fixed price.

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/simply-fixed/pages/default.aspx?gclid=CIu668fX3ckCFQeNGwodLa8JVw

 

Does the 1.2 have a cambelt or timeing chain. another member might tell you that one. You can now look at MOT history on any car here.

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

 

It is usefull to see if milage tallies.

Edited 15 December, 201510 yr by m8t

M8t,

The tdi had the cambelt and water pump done at the service before last at 42k so only has a year and 12k on it. I'll get a longer test drive on Saturday and run it hard as suggested.

The htp is chain driven so not an issue. Don't really know much about this engine apart from very conflicting views from owners, some love it and some hate it. It was very spritely about town but boomy on fast roads. It felt much lighter too.

Mike

M8t

The MOT checking service is brilliant.

Mileage seems to tally on those but on another I was looking at it looks like it had the whole front end rebuilt (badly) probably after a smash. Failed twice before they got it right!

Mike

HTP all day long .

wouldnt touch a diesel unless youre doing quite high mileage, which is doesnt souns like you are (:

Fabiamk2SE,

 

What do you drive? have you got experience of the HTP engine and if so what sort of mpg doyou get?

 

My first Skoda was a mk1 fabia 1.4 MPi which was solid but a bit dull but ultimately 100% reliable and only died (105k on the clock) after being written off by an idiot driver not watching where he was going.

 

Is the 1.2 HTP a developed version of the old MPi engine?

 

Cheers,

 

Mike.

The 1.2HTP is a 3 cylinder petrol engine.  Had one in my previous Fabia.  It is a simple design and it never let me down.  It has a good reputation on this forum and whilst it is not the fastest in the world, it will cruise at 70mph without problems.  It is reasonably nippy as well and is fine around town.  Unless you do a high mileage, the diesel is probably not your best option as it comes with various sensors and a dpf which, for me, could be troublesome so I would avoid. 

HTP all day long .

wouldnt touch a diesel unless youre doing quite high mileage, which is doesnt souns like you are (:

I think 30 miles each way is a decent journey for a diesel. Its tickover and crawling along that seems to clog up the egr valve on modern diesels. I have to admit though with my 12 mile each way journey I have had an egr valve replaced and a 2 sensors. No dpf problems though.

Edited 15 December, 201510 yr by m8t

I think 30 miles each way is a decent journey for a diesel. Its tickover and crawling along that seems to clog up the egr valve on modern diesels. I have to admit though with my 12 mile each way journey I have had an egr valve replaced and a 2 sensors. No dpf problems though.

 

It still wouldnt be enough for me to get a diesel. The extra complications of a modern diesel just doesn't warrant itself unless you're doing big mileage, for me. 

 

the HTP is as simple as it gets. just a little naturally aspirated 3 cylinder with a camchain. its just a simple little motor that gets on with the job. The later models are doing 3k rpm at 70mph and will return 50mpg at that (mine does). 

 

Ive done 25k in my 2013 HTP 70 so far, doesnt use a drop of oil.. returns an overall consumption of 47.7mpg and hasnt missed a beat. 

 

Had a 2005 polo before this, with the 65bhp HTP engine (although VW dont call it that) and that did 95k faultless miles. it would still be going too, but i think the throttle sensor went dicky (could happen to anything tbf) and it just got replaced rather than bothering to look into anything to any major extent. 

 

Cant complain tbf. Ive always found them great engines. Of course they arent fast.. but nor is any other Fabia really. 

Thanks for the info, I'm leaning towards the 1.2 htp at the mo as I'm a bit concerned about the egr valve and dpf problems with the tdi that I'm reading about. A good 70% of my commute is in stop start traffic and if it's bad, like tonight, I can spend an hour sitting in traffic hardly moving. It took me 2hrs 40 to do 30 miles tonight.

My only concern with the 1.2 htp I'm looking at is the mileage at 82k. What sort of mileage should this engine reach without any major problems? It appears to be well looked after with full main dealer history and mots without advisories except for a tyre here and there.

My current 1.4 16v 100hp engine is running sweet as a nut with 121k on the clock and the only mechanicals I've had are a couple of coil packs and a coolant sensor in 60k of driving.

I hope to keep the new car for at least 3 years and hopefully 5 so I'll be adding another 45-75k to it.

Any thoughts on this sort of mileage on this small engine?

Just to throw a spanner in the works, does anyone have any thoughts on the 1.4 tdi PD 80 engine? I am looking at mpg and reliability given that this is a non dpf engine.

I have found a pre face lift fabia 3, nice spec, in budget with 70k on the clock, FSH Inc cambelt at a local dealer.

Thanks for the info, I'm leaning towards the 1.2 htp at the mo as I'm a bit concerned about the egr valve and dpf problems with the tdi that I'm reading about. A good 70% of my commute is in stop start traffic and if it's bad, like tonight, I can spend an hour sitting in traffic hardly moving. It took me 2hrs 40 to do 30 miles tonight.

My only concern with the 1.2 htp I'm looking at is the mileage at 82k. What sort of mileage should this engine reach without any major problems? It appears to be well looked after with full main dealer history and mots without advisories except for a tyre here and there.

My current 1.4 16v 100hp engine is running sweet as a nut with 121k on the clock and the only mechanicals I've had are a couple of coil packs and a coolant sensor in 60k of driving.

I hope to keep the new car for at least 3 years and hopefully 5 so I'll be adding another 45-75k to it.

Any thoughts on this sort of mileage on this small engine?

How long it will last is how long is a piece of string really. Theres a few on here with 130k or more on the clock with (fingers crossed for them) no faults yet.

Just to throw a spanner in the works, does anyone have any thoughts on the 1.4 tdi PD 80 engine? I am looking at mpg and reliability given that this is a non dpf engine.

I have found a pre face lift fabia 3, nice spec, in budget with 70k on the clock, FSH Inc cambelt at a local dealer.

Good engines.

Abit loud and tractorish, but good engines. Take a test drive (:

Just to throw a spanner in the works, does anyone have any thoughts on the 1.4 tdi PD 80 engine? I am looking at mpg and reliability given that this is a non dpf engine.

I have found a pre face lift fabia 3, nice spec, in budget with 70k on the clock, FSH Inc cambelt at a local dealer.

 

I have the 1.4TDi coming up for 80,000 miles. I do 29 miles each way to work and get between 63-72mpg depending on traffic according to the reading on the car computer. I've never had any bother with it and like that it doesn't have dpf. I agree with fabiamk2SE that it is a bit tractorish and a bit slow off the mark but the engine  seems to improve with age. It cannot compete with the 1.6 tdi for speed or acceleration but I can definately recommend the 1.4tdi

I have the 1.4TDi coming up for 80,000 miles. I do 29 miles each way to work and get between 63-72mpg depending on traffic according to the reading on the car computer. I've never had any bother with it and like that it doesn't have dpf. I agree with fabiamk2SE that it is a bit tractorish and a bit slow off the mark but the engine  seems to improve with age. It cannot compete with the 1.6 tdi for speed or acceleration but I can definately recommend the 1.4tdi

 

id have the 1.4 PD over the 1.6CR any day of the week though... 

 

if the OP wants abit more power.. why not try to 1.9PD (although i think it would have to be a Pre-Facelift Fabia?). Theyre good too. I havent driven a Fabia with it in, but i do have a Transporter for work with the 105 1.9PD in and its good. Really torquey low down. Even with the van absolutely loaded up with tools and what not, you can still roll off the clutch and do a hillstart with no throttle input. Ours is just under 100k atm i think.. never had a problem with it.. other than the DMF has been on its way out for a little while now. It judders like buggery when the engines cold.. but seems to sort itself out when its warm. 

 

Id imagine its pretty good in the smaller, lighter, more aerodynamic little Fab. 

Edited 16 December, 201510 yr by fabiamk2SE

Why does everyone say you need to do BIG mileage to warrant a diesel (other than the initial buy new price), as long as it gets used on motorways/dual carriageways frequently its fine city and town driving constantly is bad irrelevant of mileage. I use mine on saturdays and sundays only so its low mileage but always used up or down a dual carriageway and onto a motorway at some point when i do use it

Why does everyone say you need to do BIG mileage to warrant a diesel (other than the initial buy new price), as long as it gets used on motorways/dual carriageways frequently its fine city and town driving constantly is bad irrelevant of mileage. I use mine on saturdays and sundays only so its low mileage but always used up or down a dual carriageway and onto a motorway at some point when i do use it

Reasons for me..

1 i just prefer petrol engines to drive, so if i was to have a diesel it would have to be because of the extra fuel economy.. So id have to do big miles to make that worth bothering with.

2 if its got a dpf it needs to get up to temp often.. It can take atleast 20 miles or so of decent driving before it starts to get hot enough

Reasons for me not to have one..

Theyre just getting abit too complicated. They arent the bulletproof reliable choice they used to be.

The goverment have turned against diesel (after telling everyone to buy them not long ago) so im not sure what will happen there. Are diesels going to have extra costs incurred to deter people away? (And make the government some cash of course)

Oh and the current emissions scandal.

But having said that, many do have fault free miles with modern diesels, many love em and many wouldnt buy anything else (:

Just to throw a spanner in the works, does anyone have any thoughts on the 1.4 tdi PD 80 engine? I am looking at mpg and reliability given that this is a non dpf engine.

I have found a pre face lift fabia 3, nice spec, in budget with 70k on the clock, FSH Inc cambelt at a local dealer.

Some 1.4 tdi`s had a dpf. Not sure which ones. Copied this

 

Skoda identify its DPF equipped models with an options code in the service book and a sticker in the spare wheel well. A code of ‘7GG’ indicates that a DPF is fitted, and ‘0GG’ indicates that the car does not have a DPF

 

from here

http://www.dpfproblems.net/cars-without-a-dpf/

I can highly recommend the 1.4 TDI engine. Yes it does sound like a tractor but its got surprisingly good torque for such a small engine. Everyone who's been in the car is always surprised when I tell them its a 1.4!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some 1.4 tdi`s had a dpf. Not sure which ones. Copied this

 

Skoda identify its DPF equipped models with an options code in the service book and a sticker in the spare wheel well. A code of ‘7GG’ indicates that a DPF is fitted, and ‘0GG’ indicates that the car does not have a DPF

 

from here

http://www.dpfproblems.net/cars-without-a-dpf/

 

didnt know that!

 

would that just be the Greenline versions then? before the 1.2 Greenline came along?

Ok deal is done and I am now the owner of a tidy 1.2 htp fabia 2 SE in brilliant white.

It also came with the leather pack and rear parking sensors with the display screen on the radio plus a set of roof bars for the rails.

First drive back home of 35 miles was a pleasure and it was reading 47mpg on the obc.

Not the quickest car but very smooth and very light compared to my old 1.4 16v.

Well chuffed and thanks for the info and advice.

Mike

Ok deal is done and I am now the owner of a tidy 1.2 htp fabia 2 SE in brilliant white.

It also came with the leather pack and rear parking sensors with the display screen on the radio plus a set of roof bars for the rails.

First drive back home of 35 miles was a pleasure and it was reading 47mpg on the obc.

Not the quickest car but very smooth and very light compared to my old 1.4 16v.

Well chuffed and thanks for the info and advice.

Mike

Glad to hear this. 

 

im sure its the best option . 

 

Enjoy