My daughter has asked me to find her a (really) cheap runabout that will not be required to do a huge mileage. I will look for a fabia because I have some experience here. 

 

I normally prefer diesels yet for this I think a petrol engine might make more sense - but which one ?  I know the 1.2 can have valve issues and that there are 8v and 16v 1.4 engines available but I don't know much about  vw petrol engines and would really appreciate some help weeding out any we should avoid ?

thanks

 

 

1.416V in Comfort or Elegance spec

^^What he said.

The 8 valve 1.4 engine is a modified version of the engines that were used in the old rear-engined Skodas. It's the only engine used in the Fabia that was Skoda's own engine. They are pretty slow and a bit thirsty as the general design is very old.

If your just wanting cheap I'd say 1.9 SDI, cheapest to run, tax and insure I'd think!

Thanks, I will look for a SDI or a 1.4 16v then

Give her yours, buy a VRS for yourself.

Give her yours, buy a VRS for yourself.

Sadly, it needs a gearbox and I'm not sure its worth the effort.

As a new driver (passed in august) my second car is a SDI 1.9 and i can honestly say they are a great beginner car! The SDI is cheap to run and tax isnt so bad around 13£ a month. Insurance is pretty hefty for me at 1800£ but thats due to first time driver etc and with 1 years NCD, I've had quotes at 600£. As for general driving the visibility is good and being a first time driver you don't really mind a couple of knocks hear and there as they're pretty well built IMO, not to mention the massive amounts of helpful people on here! My one warning though the SDI is slower than a cheetah with no legs -it really is that slow. (not a huge thing for new drivers but just note)

Edited 8 June, 201610 yr by MrSissons

 My one warning though the SDI is slower than a cheetah with no legs -it really is that slow.

 

OK - thanks for the feedback but I have to respond to this !

 

I currently have 3xSDI in my extended family so I know something about them. They are not slow. I once had a 1200 beetle in the early 70's and that was slow - top speed of 72 vs 98 for a SDI. I remember slipstreaming a big rover on the straights only to pull out to overtake on the downhill bits of the M4 heading west around Bristol !

 

The SDI is only slow if you are on A roads and feel the need to accelerate - at  steady speed on motorways it will be fine and I get the best part of 70mpg in the summer.

 

Currently wondering if a Fabia TDI gearbox will fit my SDI estate (as its more robust) - sort of an overdrive 5th gear ! Would always have 4th gear for the uphill bits.

Edited 9 June, 201610 yr by poiuytre111

OK - thanks for the feedback but I have to respond to this !

 

I currently have 3xSDI in my extended family so I know something about them. They are not slow. I once had a 1200 beetle in the early 70's and that was slow - top speed of 72 vs 98 for a SDI. I remember slipstreaming a big rover on the straights only to pull out to overtake on the downhill bits of the M4 heading west around Bristol !

 

The SDI is only slow if you are on A roads and feel the need to accelerate - at  steady speed on motorways it will be fine and I get the best part of 70mpg in the summer.

 

Currently wondering if a Fabia TDI gearbox will fit my SDI estate (as its more robust) - sort of an overdrive 5th gear ! Would always have 4th gear for the uphill bits.

 

They are BRUTALLY slow, this site is called briskoda which means a briskly driven Skoda, the SDI cannot be briskly driven. However the SDI is perfectly practical and very economical as long as you don't want to overtake anything.