Hi All,

 

We currently have a Yeti on lease that has to go back in October, alongside a 2 year old Fabia on PCP.  We have taken the financial decision to send the Yeti back and keep the Fabia for now.

 

The wife uses the Yeti for work and will use the Fabia instead.  That leaves me without a car, but I only need a little runaround at weekend to ferry the kids about.

 

So was thinking of picking up a petrol mk1 Fabia, maybe spending up to a grand on a 1.2 or 1.4 (its hilly in Sheffield, not sure the 1.0 would cope, lol).

Go for a comfort or ambient model?  Air con, electric windows etc.

 

But i'm mechanically clueless and would have no idea what i'm looking at.

If it was a computer or some piece of tech i'd be fine.

And really, I don't know anyone that is mechanically gifted to give the car a once over.  I'd be buying on trust from the seller (which scares the pants out of me really!)

 

So i'm after advice on the best course of action to try and get a good one.

Obviously at the age, i'm not looking for or expecting perfection.

 

Full service history?  No advisories on the MOT?  Pay for an AA style report?

Good dealer history?  I've been looking round on Auto Trader! :(

Maybe put a wanted thread on here, see what people have got perhaps?

 

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

Cheers.

 

I don't think we got the 1.0 litre Mk1 Fabia in the UK (thank god because they are dire slow!).

 

 

General Mk1 Fabia issues...

 

Console bush failure, but a lot have probably been fitted with improved bushes by now.

Leaking rear washer pipe (has joints along its length which can pop apart).

Water can leak into car from front and rear doors - can be cured by sealing with a suitable sealant.

Rust appearing as the cars are getting old now.

Driver's door microswitch failure.

Window regulators can fail.

Faded plastic headlight lenses.

Rear bump stops rot away.

Blocked plenum drains causing water to leak into front footwells.

General electrical gremlins.

Broken alternator load signal wires.

Broken starter motor solenoid wire.

Anti-roll bar bushes.

Drop links.

Snapped road springs.

1.4 MPI is torquey, cheap and fairly reliable, 1.4 16V is a bit buzzy for hill work but more fun, 1.2 12V is probably the best of both worlds, 1.2 6V should be avoided.

Look for a car coming up for sale in the BRISKODA cars for sale ads.  & maybe post a 'Wanted ad'. 

If your hoping to get one for under a grand expect for it to need some work on the common wear and tear parts. Id say the 1.2 is a decent engine and better on fuel than the early mpi engines, but it is slow despite having reasonable mid range torque

id go for at least comfort/ambience spec as you get electric windows and air con which is a bonus in this weather. also central locking is a useful feature.

Youd probably struggle to find one with FSH as people don't tend to bother on cheap old cars but there are some exceptions (older people etc who do low miles)

Personally id go for an sdi diesel if i wanted a cheap runabout as they are fairly bulletproof and return good fuel economy, not that bothered about shorter journeys either as no turbo to worry about.

 

 

18 hours ago, JWvrs25 said:

If your hoping to get one for under a grand expect for it to need some work on the common wear and tear parts. Id say the 1.2 is a decent engine and better on fuel than the early mpi engines, but it is slow despite having reasonable mid range torque

id go for at least comfort/ambience spec as you get electric windows and air con which is a bonus in this weather. also central locking is a useful feature.

Youd probably struggle to find one with FSH as people don't tend to bother on cheap old cars but there are some exceptions (older people etc who do low miles)

Personally id go for an sdi diesel if i wanted a cheap runabout as they are fairly bulletproof and return good fuel economy, not that bothered about shorter journeys either as no turbo to worry about.

 

 

 

Thanks for that.  So on the sdi there is no particulate filter lights to worry about?  We had a mk2 Fabia TDi and it was always coming on.

 

Totally appreciate that there will be some replace common wear and tear parts ripe for maintenance.  Comes with the old car

 

18 hours ago, Offski said:

Look for a car coming up for sale in the BRISKODA cars for sale ads.  & maybe post a 'Wanted ad'. 

 

 

Yeah, I think this is a good plan.... although they all seem to be vRS, LOL.

 

19 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

1.4 MPI is torquey, cheap and fairly reliable, 1.4 16V is a bit buzzy for hill work but more fun, 1.2 12V is probably the best of both worlds, 1.2 6V should be avoided.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

On 07/08/2018 at 11:37, TMB said:

I don't think we got the 1.0 litre Mk1 Fabia in the UK (thank god because they are dire slow!).

 

 

General Mk1 Fabia issues...

 

Console bush failure, but a lot have probably been fitted with improved bushes by now.

Leaking rear washer pipe (has joints along its length which can pop apart).

Water can leak into car from front and rear doors - can be cured by sealing with a suitable sealant.

Rust appearing as the cars are getting old now.

Driver's door microswitch failure.

Window regulators can fail.

Faded plastic headlight lenses.

Rear bump stops rot away.

Blocked plenum drains causing water to leak into front footwells.

General electrical gremlins.

Broken alternator load signal wires.

Broken starter motor solenoid wire.

Anti-roll bar bushes.

Drop links.

Snapped road springs.

 

Oh dear, that sounds like a disaster list.  

 

Would a lot of these issues show up as MOT advisories?

id say thats a typical list of faults that you would expect on an old car. if it was a bmw its would be 10x longer than that

SDI diesel has no dpf to worry about

mk i TDI has no DPF either as far as i'm aware

46 minutes ago, corndog said:

mk i TDI has no DPF either as far as i'm aware

not that great for low mileage though as the turbos need decent run to stop sticking vanes, also got extra complications with turbo engine if it doesnt regularly get up to full temperature its not best for turbos regarding oil

6 hours ago, Zarch said:

 

Oh dear, that sounds like a disaster list.  

 

Would a lot of these issues show up as MOT advisories?

 

The MOT only covers a few of the things I listed but it's not that bad really, all old cars have their share of issues. You obviously wouldn't end up with all of those problems, so I wouldn't let it put you off.

 

1 hour ago, JWvrs25 said:

not that great for low mileage though as the turbos need decent run to stop sticking vanes, also got extra complications with turbo engine if it doesnt regularly get up to full temperature its not best for turbos regarding oil

 

This is my worry with a diesel as this will literally by a few thousand mile a year ferrying the kids about at weekends in urban traffic.

 

My 16 plate 1.2 90 Fabia has only done 5,900 in 2 years. :(

Thanks for all the advice so far, especially on engines to look for and avoid, it has been really useful.

 

As i'll be only doing about 3,000 miles a year, i've struck diesel off the list too, so i'm narrowing it down to:

 

(from Wikipedia)

• 1.2 HTP 12v (2003-2007), 63bhp - £155 tax
• 1.4 MPI (1999-2003), 67bhp - £230 tax
• 1.4 16v (2000-2007), 74bhp  - £195 tax

 

Trim wise (as ideally i'd like electric windows, air con and central locking)

• Elegance (might be a bit thin on the ground)
• Ambiente (likely my best shot)
• Comfort (maybe not as missing AC and central locking as standard)
• Classic (avoid as has no trim extras)

Hope that is a reasonable summary of the options open to me.

 

The leased Yeti doesn't go back for 10 weeks, so got a while to keep an eye out for something. 

 

 

 

The 75BHP 1.4 16V is only available with an automatic gearbox, most of them are actually the 100BHP variant with a manual 5-speed.

 

Comfort and Ambiente are the same trim spec. they just changed the name, AFAIK they all have Aircon as standard except the Classics.

 

With such a low mileage I would get the 1.2 12V Ambiente, it will be reliable and much more economical than the 1.4 MPI, the 1.4 16V is too buzzy and will hate the low mileage use.

My Classic has factory electric windows and central locking. It all depends if extra options were added when the car was new.

13 hours ago, TMB said:

My Classic has factory electric windows and central locking. It all depends if extra options were added when the car was new.

 

Yeah, will keep an eye out for optional extras.

 

13 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

The 75BHP 1.4 16V is only available with an automatic gearbox, most of them are actually the 100BHP variant with a manual 5-speed.

 

Comfort and Ambiente are the same trim spec. they just changed the name, AFAIK they all have Aircon as standard except the Classics.

 

With such a low mileage I would get the 1.2 12V Ambiente, it will be reliable and much more economical than the 1.4 MPI, the 1.4 16V is too buzzy and will hate the low mileage use.

 

Good point, thanks.  The list is narrowing.

 

Just need to find something with FSH, or least with all the right things done at the right time.

Is there a servicing list somewhere that shows what I need to look for in terms of the right work undertaken at the right time?  

 

Thanks again everyone.

3 hours ago, Zarch said:

Just need to find something with FSH, or least with all the right things done at the right time.

Is there a servicing list somewhere that shows what I need to look for in terms of the right work undertaken at the right time?  

 

Thanks again everyone.

 

Not so critical on the 1.2 12V since it has a timing chain rather than a belt, oil changes are really the only thing needed, another bonus for you which makes it a safer choice.

33 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

 

Not so critical on the 1.2 12V since it has a timing chain rather than a belt, oil changes are really the only thing needed, another bonus for you which makes it a safer choice.

Excellent, thank you.  Yes, that does make things sound easier.  Great stuff.

The list is narrowing as I can't seem to see any Elegance models in 1.2 engine size.

 

1.2 12v Ambiente is looking like the best bet.

Is there an echo in here? 

8 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Is there an echo in here? 

LOL.  Doh Just realised that...  note to self, don't skim read replies from people more knowledgeable than I.  

 

Edited 13 August, 20187 yr by Zarch

Quick question about mileage....... what is the upper limit you'd put on buying a 1.2 12v?

 

Or does it not really matter if it has service history and has had the oil changed regularly etc?

 

Thanks.

I'd look for a later one rather than an earlier one, as opposed to looking only at the mileage number. So 2005 on maybe? Earlier ones reportedly had more problems with chain tensioner troubles and suchlike.

To some extent, a higher mileage one has proved itself to have been well looked after, as long as it sounds OK.

Use the reg number to look up previous MOT info.

1 hour ago, Zarch said:

Quick question about mileage....... what is the upper limit you'd put on buying a 1.2 12v?

 

Or does it not really matter if it has service history and has had the oil changed regularly etc?

 

Thanks.

 

Buy on condition and history, high mileage is usually an indication that the car has spent most of its life in top gear on a motorway, low mileage is the opposite, guess which one wears the car out faster?

Am I right in thinking that the 1.2 12v Fabia engine is the same that is in VW Polo of similar age (05/06/07) etc?

I'm wondering if the Polo might be an alternative if I can't source a Fabia?

 

Another option is to spend a little more and look for early mk2 Fabia hatch models. (07/08 etc)

I may post this up in the mk2 forum, but aside from the cosmetic improvements are you buying something more reliable that a mk1 in those mk2 1.2 engines/cars?  And is the 6v engine an avoid in the same way the mk1 is?

 

My final train of thought thanks to the wife is maybe think about a Fabia Estate, be that mk1 or mk2.

But would I be better looking for a 1.4 engine to pull the extra weight rather than a 1.2?

I'll still only be doing 3k or 4k urban miles per year at weekends, but gives us the flexibility of throwing the kids bikes in the back and would help with the odd camping trip.

 

My counter would be get the hatch with a bike rack and use our roofbox...... but you can't always win the argument can you.

 

Long term I think we'd looking at swapping our 2 year old Fabia for an EV car and have this older car as the fallback.

 

Thanks as always.