To change, or not to change?

[TMB]

A friend had a Mk2 Golf, it was mint apart from it started to rust around the windscreen apeture. I suspect that the paint might have been damaged due to careless installation of a new windscreen though.

[GeneralDogsbody]

Small gloss black wheels for the win! Definitely looks better than the silver to me and ties the rest of the car into the wheels, colour-scheme wise.......I'm having mid-life crises, aren't I? 

 

[sepulchrave]

You're not very well, can I suggest a dose of UV to perk you up a bit?

[GeneralDogsbody]

It's the snow, Sep - I've gone mad! I've got one mate telling me to go gold with the wheels, one to stay as I am and one is telling me to go gunmetal, whereas in my heart all I want is to go BLACK! Just like the Citigo Black Edition, or the Fabia Monte Carlo Estate (Sort of like a poor-mans homage to them)   

Edited 3 March, 2018 by GeneralDogsbody

[kevberlin]

Black. Silver. Gunmetal. Gold.

Thats 4 “colours”

A car has 4 wheels.

Be brave. Have one of each. Problem sorted!

[Ootohere]

Lets not rush to a decision,  2 months on now from the OP.

[GeneralDogsbody]

8 hours ago, AwaoffSki said:

Lets not rush to a decision,  2 months on now from the OP.

 

Ah, come on buddy, don't be like that. It's all the lovely people on here, that keeps me coming back. To be fair, I'd have to say that the wonderful weather hasn't really helped things (and the lack of a garage) I'll need the temperature to rise a bit, before I go at a wheel with some venom - I've never tried spraying something in minus conditions........  

 

@Kevberlin; Well, I have been looking at these wheels on ebay for a fair while.......

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-alloys-5x100-golf-III-IV-GTI-bora-polo-9N-6R-skoda-octavia-fabia-audi-a3-a2/323073175705?hash=item4b38a97099:g:3vwAAOSwjR5ZbwBn

 

 

Edited 4 March, 2018 by GeneralDogsbody

[Ootohere]

I am jesting, you are obviously not someone that just jumps in and does something.

Well i hope not when someone suggest Gold Wheels.

At the start of the thread i thought the people at work were in a wind up.

[GeneralDogsbody]

5 minutes ago, AwaoffSki said:

I am jesting, you are obviously not someone that just jumps in and does something.

Well i hope not when someone suggest Gold Wheels.

At the start of the thread i thought the people at work were in a wind up.

 

To be fair, I've 'jumped in' quite a lot with this car, and I've made about £800 worth of mistakes! (stiffed by three different garages, no luck with 2nd-hand parts etc)  Just trying to take a step back at the moment. My best mate's the one who's trying to get me to go gold.......I was so desperate for a set of VRS alloys, but when I found a set, my Wife gave me the old guilt trip, and so I ended up having to buy tyres for the standard set - I'm just trying to make the boring set more interesting.   

Edited 4 March, 2018 by GeneralDogsbody

[kevberlin]

5 minutes ago, GeneralDogsbody said:

 

To be fair, I've 'jumped in' quite a lot with this car, and I've made about £800 worth of mistakes! Just trying to take a step back at the moment. My best mate's the one who's trying to get me to go gold.......

He’s not your best mate if he wants you to have gold.

 

This is a great thread. I am a fan of the original silver alloys but, I have to admit, the red might be an outrageously good colour combo for your Fabia.

[GeneralDogsbody]

Thanks for the feedback, Kev. Red you say? Is that the red of ebay set of wheels? Or the red/orange that I posted earlier in the thread? Would it look too  much? Please bear in mind that I'm nearly forty! 

 

Edit: I've just come to the realization that the car will never be anything but a very mundane and everyday runaround, that has cost me a fortune, and been the single most worst purchase I have ever made, so what's the point of trying to make it something its not, whilst pumping even more money into it.... 

Edited 4 March, 2018 by GeneralDogsbody

[kevberlin]

Re your 2nd paragraph:

 

I think that’s a sensible view especially if the Fabia has disappointed you.

Us owners of older Fabia models need to keep a perspective on value, regardless of how good or bad the car is.

I still like the original alloys on your car.

 

[GeneralDogsbody]

49 minutes ago, kevberlin said:

Re your 2nd paragraph:

 

I think that’s a sensible view especially if the Fabia has disappointed you.

Us owners of older Fabia models need to keep a perspective on value, regardless of how good or bad the car is.

I still like the original alloys on your car.

 

 

It's nice to get some perspective. I think I've been trying to 'tart up' the car, to try and detract from and hide the fact the car owes me as much as a new Dacia and I've been screwed by everyone involved with it.  I've always wanted a fabia mk1, but they say don't meet your heroes! I really like to take it somewhere and torch it!  Thanks for all your help on here everyone, I think I need a break from the car (until next week when I have to spend another £500 on it to keep it going) 

 

I wish I could sell it and buy something else, but it owes me £5k (I know, shoot me) and what could I realistically get for it? 3k at a push? Then what could I buy? More trouble, knowing me! 

Edited 4 March, 2018 by GeneralDogsbody

[JWvrs25]

I would just stick with it and get some enjoyment now its fixed. Should give you many happy miles I would have thought. 

Unfortunately I think you'd struggle to find anyone who would want to spend £3000 on a 11 year old skoda fabia, hence why you'd be sensible to just keep running it & spending a little where needed

[GeneralDogsbody]

23 minutes ago, JWvrs25 said:

I would just stick with it and get some enjoyment now its fixed. Should give you many happy miles I would have thought. 

Unfortunately I think you'd struggle to find anyone who would want to spend £3000 on a 11 year old skoda fabia, hence why you'd be sensible to just keep running it & spending a little where needed

 

Your are right. Sadly the fear of it breaking again is too great for me to enjoy it. All I do is drive around worrying its going to pack up. Factor in that it's  awful to drive, and sounds like its rattling itself to pieces, I'm not enjoying it, but needs must. It needs a service, but at £175, I'm against putting more money into it (and I'm unsure of if it needs a full service or not) 

[kevberlin]

30 minutes ago, GeneralDogsbody said:

 

It's nice to get some perspective. I think I've been trying to 'tart up' the car, to try and detract from and hide the fact the car owes me as much as a new Dacia and I've been screwed by everyone involved with it.  I've always wanted a fabia mk1, but they say don't meet your heroes! I really like to take it somewhere and torch it!  Thanks for all your help on here everyone, I think I need a break from the car (until next week when I have to spend another £500 on it to keep it going) 

 

I wish I could sell it and buy something else, but it owes me £5k (I know, shoot me) and what could I realistically get for it? 3k at a push? Then what could I buy? More trouble, knowing me! 

The Mk1 Fabia is a good car. In general terms it is cheap to maintain and run especially if you have some mechanical know how or a good independent garage. Spare parts are readily available.

Rushing off to buy something else in this price bracket carries risk. Sometimes, better the devil you know than the one you don’t.

Good luck to you though.

 

[JWvrs25]

2 minutes ago, GeneralDogsbody said:

 

Your are right. Sadly the fear of it breaking again is too great for me to enjoy it. All I do is drive around worrying its going to pack up. Factor in that it's  awful to drive, and sounds like its rattling itself to pieces, I'm not enjoying it, but needs must. It needs a service, but at £175, I'm against putting more money into it (and I'm unsure of if it needs a full service or not) 

Could you not service it yourself? Oil change and filters cant be more than £60 to buy and wouldn't take too long providing you have a few basic tools

These pd engines are generally very reliable, especially the pd100 so i wouldn't be too worried about it breaking down. And you've sorted all the suspension so that shouldn't cause any issues. What mileage are you on??

[GeneralDogsbody]

8 minutes ago, JWvrs25 said:

Could you not service it yourself? Oil change and filters cant be more than £60 to buy and wouldn't take too long providing you have a few basic tools

These pd engines are generally very reliable, especially the pd100 so i wouldn't be too worried about it breaking down. And you've sorted all the suspension so that shouldn't cause any issues. What mileage are you on??

 

I've not got the tools, nor the time 18 month old Son) to service it myself. I was trying to keep the service record up, as I paid a mint for it due to the car being only 2 owners from new, with FSH and low mileage (only 54k when I bought it - now at 67k) Unfortunately, how wrong I was!

 

The suspension still squeaks like mad from the rear over speed humps  - I stripped everything out of the car (as it sounds 'internal') today at work, to try and get to the bottom of it, but no luck.  

[kevberlin]

PD diesel with 67k on the clock and a full service history. That car should go on for years and years as long as the basic oil change and filter servicing is carried out each 10k miles. A good independent will charge circa £70, maybe even less.

 

Dont throw the baby out with the bath water. Once sorted the car will do mega miles on a tight budget. It’s a good piece of kit.

[GeneralDogsbody]

25 minutes ago, kevberlin said:

PD diesel with 67k on the clock and a full service history. That car should go on for years and years as long as the basic oil change and filter servicing is carried out each 10k miles. A good independent will charge circa £70, maybe even less.

 

Dont throw the baby out with the bath water. Once sorted the car will do mega miles on a tight budget. It’s a good piece of kit.

Thanks Kev. I've been told that I need a full service (all filters, as well as the oil) as it only had an oil change last time by the dealers who I bought it from. I can't find out if this is true, as the car's service book is full, due to the last owner (old bloke) doing 2k a year! £70 for a service? Not in Cambridge, mate - best price for an oil and filter change I can get is £115.

 

It's odd that its due a service and in the last month or so, the fuel economy has dropped off a cliff. Could just be the cold weather I suppose - are the PD engines that sensitive to cold? Do you think all of the stop-start town driving I do is damaging it mechanically? 

Edited 4 March, 2018 by GeneralDogsbody

[JWvrs25]

8 minutes ago, GeneralDogsbody said:

It's odd that its due a service and in the last month or so, the fuel economy has dropped off a cliff. Could just be the cold weather I suppose - are the PD engines that sensitive to cold? 

yes, well mine is anyway

 

you could change the air filter in about 2 minutes with a phillips screwdriver. Fuel filter again takes a few minutes and a pair of pliers. Cabin filter is a pain to get to as it involves lying in the passenger footwell, but is very easy once you see how it has to come out.

Oil & filter change take the longest, but only because they require getting under the car to release the sump plug, and also a 36mm socket on the filter which you probably don't already have.

for £115 you could buy the oil & filter, the tools needed and a trolley jack & axle stands.

[kevberlin]

So a full service........

engine oil and filter

air filter

pollen filter

fuel filter possibly.....depending on what’s been done before.

 

As a guide my local independent did the oil change, filter and new fuel filter for 120 inclusive of VAT.

I bought and fitted Mann air and pollen filters for grand sum of £15 from Euro Car Parts

So total of 135.

 

Do you use an independent or are you using Skoda?

A quick look on internet and I found these: http://www.vwspecialistcambridge.co.uk/services/

I am sure someone on the forum will know of a good trustworthy independent otherwise.

 

Cold weather can adversely affect mpg but a filthy air filter may be a cause too.

 

 

 

[GeneralDogsbody]

1 hour ago, kevberlin said:

So a full service........

engine oil and filter

air filter

pollen filter

fuel filter possibly.....depending on what’s been done before.

 

As a guide my local independent did the oil change, filter and new fuel filter for 120 inclusive of VAT.

I bought and fitted Mann air and pollen filters for grand sum of £15 from Euro Car Parts

So total of 135.

 

Do you use an independent or are you using Skoda?

A quick look on internet and I found these: http://www.vwspecialistcambridge.co.uk/services/

I am sure someone on the forum will know of a good trustworthy independent otherwise.

 

Cold weather can adversely affect mpg but a filthy air filter may be a cause too.

 

 

 

 

Many thanks, Kev. I have e-mailed that garage for a quote - fingers crossed

[GeneralDogsbody]

I've have had a reply from that garage and they want £205 + Vat for a full service. Shame, as they're only up the road from me. Thanks for looking. I've finally sussed my service book out, and I will indeed need a fuel and air filter, as the car hasn't had them in two years! 

 

Also, if I do refurb my old alloys, I have found the right plasti-dip and finish; anthracite grey, with glossfier (already have a can of glossfier, as I was going to do my grille, but didn't bother....) picture included (you were all right - it is a nice colour) 

Edited 5 March, 2018 by GeneralDogsbody

[kevberlin]

Disappointing result from your garage.

 

I seem to recall the fuel filter is replaced at 40000 miles, but drained at at inspection service. 

 

Why not buy the air filter, cabin filter and fuel filter from Euro Car Parts, but wait until the regular  35% discount code is put up on their website. (Almost weekly over the last couple of months).

 

As JWvrs25 said.......the filters are easy to fit. 

There are plenty of videos on the internet that will show you what to do.

 

Then, if you are not confident, get a local Indy garage to do the engine oil and filter change.  National Tyres offer a really competitive oil and filter change if you can’t find a local trustworthy Indy.

 

All the best.