Just before I bought my Fabia vRS, I went for a test drive of another one I'd found on Autotrader. I have no affiliation with the person or car in this ad, but I do want to try and find out a bit of history of the car. 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201612200739473?model=FABIA&make=SKODA&keywords=vrs&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=55&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&postcode=ct188be&page=1

 

When I opened the engine bay I saw a forge stamp to the lower left and a larger intake. Upon driving it, I couldn't get it to keep traction in gears 1,2,3, and 4. It also had a turbo chatter too. It was savage. I was trying to work out what had been done to it, so if anyone knows the history and could put me out of my misery, that would be great.

 

I didn't by this car as it was too much for me to use on a day to day basis (and insurance would be crippling). 

 

DC

Seems quite a high price for the age of it. Is the low mileage factor an important one to you? If so, it shouldn't be!
Can't help on the history of it however. Go and have a look, check the usual places for the usual problems. Ask about the clutch, any turbo replacement, and more importantly; the cambelt change.

Be thorough and check everything over twice, take a mechanic friend if you have one. As I'm sure you are already aware of; the second hand car market is a minefield.

JRJG

Hi JRJG

It was a car I did go to see as the mileage was low and it was good money for the miles, but it turned out to be too savage. I was merely interested in whether anyone knew of the car's history as I wanted to work out why it was so savage to drive. It had definitely had work done - just didnt know what

 

The one I ended up getting was a 56 plate 118k mile vRS. Perfect Car.

 

DC

Did the Private Seller not know the spec / mods of the car they were selling.?

No MOT Advisories after the Fail & Retest it looks like

 

PS Doh sorry,

Need to go to spec savers,

there was an advisory, and quite an important one.

Edited 27 January, 20179 yr by Offski

Offski - apparently not! He said he "Thought that all Fabia vRS's drove like that". I politely advised that a family car would not attempt to put you in a ditch every time you touched the accelerator! It was missing quite a bit of service history too, sadly. It would have been a good project car for someone to finish off.

Sounds like how mine drives

I'm actually curious as to what the reg was on the one you looked at was as it's not showing now.  Though mine is pretty high at 183k.  It does match the rest of the description you gave though!

 

Just found it on piston heads http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/skoda/fabia/skoda-fabia-mk2-vrs-tdi-2004/6735055#/description 

 

It now has info on the remap but not the cupra intake or whatever is stamped with forge in the front left of engine bay 

Crazy price even with a lot of work done to it in my opinion.

Mine has just under 210bhp with forge intercooler and a lot of other parts and shark remapped @208.9 bhp if i remember correctly.  Fair enough it has 183k on the clock but picked it up for less than a grand with full service history and 5k oil changes since birth.  Bargain in my opinion

 

It is utterly crazy. I paid 500 quid less for my untouched immaculate 118k vrs. The ad says FSH too but I couldn't find the last 2 years when I looked. 1500 would be a good offer for it. Then service the hell out of it and add some decent handling and stopping power so it doesn't try and murder you at every turn 

Mine has anti roll + strut brace + coilovers.  Not sure which or if a combination of the 3 or something - But it hugs the road beautifully.  Traction issue is just wheels like to spin in first second and third easily.  Though that's probably jut my inexperience driving something with a bit more power (previously had a renault scenic haha)

Brutal?!?! Only in the wrong hands  

 

These are not 10-second cars, you'd be luck to crack 7/8 seconds in the traffic light Grand Prix to 60! 

 

Take out the lucky dip of having no service history, this is a cheaper option for someone who wants to get where this car is rather than buying a standard one and doing it yourself. 

 

£800 turbo, £450 FMIC, £400 coilovers.......

 

Just my 2p worth. 

I quite liked the prospect of buying a standard one and leaving it alone