Thinking of getting a VRS should I be worried ?

[Race Blue]

As the title suggests thinking of changing to a VRS estate. It's a june 13 reg so has the CTHE engine. Has low mileage. 

Am I right to be apprehensive ? I know about the many issues with this model, but am wondering if its not as bad 

As I think. I have heard people say it can be a lottery, which doesn't fill me  with confidence. 

Any advice from past and present owners.  Thanks.

[Mr j]

Hi having owned one for 7 years from new and being a fan of the motor I have a biased opinion but it’s only my opinion. If I were to buy again I’d do the homework and check the MOT history and the service history of the vehicle your looking at. There’s plenty of good ones still going and and hopefully plenty of owners like me that use the correct oil, fuel and spark plugs for a twin charger. 

[Race Blue]

Thanks for that. When you got a new engine was it a new CAVE or the newer CTHE. 

Haven't seen car yet as it's a 3 hour drive away. But I know that for the first owner it was a mobility car, so should have been serviced correctly.  It had only done 4444 miles at the first mot. 2nd owner was a briskoda member and it's now done 27000.

[Mickmartin]

Being twin charged you have to expect more maintenance than a single charged car as you would expect, So simple things like changing spark plugs every 5-7k and keeping to service intervals whilst using the correct service parts as said above.Be wary of any gearbox/clutch issues as  we all know how expensive DSG parts are to fix, Also water pumps are one to look out for.

 

The moment you drive one for the first time you'll instantly know you made the correct decision.

 

 

 

[Ootohere]

There was a member on Briskoda that had a Mk2 vRS Fabia from Motability.   

So the 1st Registered keeper.  Motability put then in the name of the person leasing the car.

 

A Mk2 vRS Fabia from Motability is something that was not very common because of the cost that had to be paid as the advance payment.

All that will have been done at Main Dealer Servicing is the same as on any Mk2 Fabia.

Oil & Filters, and maybe the brake fluid before the car was handed back at 3 years old, but that is unlikely. 

The MOT will have been done 1 month before it was 3 years old or so.   So what does the MOT history show @ the first MOT,  any advisories?

 

What is the Service & Warranty History of the car.

http://skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us 

Was any Software Updates done, was there ever a Official Oil Consumption Test done?

Some CTHE still had issues, but Summer 2013 should be less of a lottery than an early 2013 where Skoda still had software issues.

Edited 16 August, 2018 by Offski

[Ootohere]

This is similar but different thread higher mile car, and the owner was told an Ex Motability car.

Always check that one out, was it really owned by Motability Finance for 3 years then went to BCA for sale.

Or was it returned or rejected early before 3 years?

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/330366-vrs-oil-consumption-55k 

[Ootohere]

?

Who was the BRISKODA member that was the 2nd Keeper, and can the vouch for the car as A-OK ?

[Mr j]

11 hours ago, Race Blue said:

Thanks for that. When you got a new engine was it a new CAVE or the newer CTHE. 

Haven't seen car yet as it's a 3 hour drive away. But I know that for the first owner it was a mobility car, so should have been serviced correctly.  It had only done 4444 miles at the first mot. 2nd owner was a briskoda member and it's now done 27000.

 

Refurbed Cave with a new water pump, it’s been in 2 years now not used a single drop of oil. 

[edbostan]

After making cars for over 100 years I cannot believe that Skoda have so much fundamental engine design problems. I cannot believe the clatter and knocking my 1.2tsi makes on start up. I have had the car from new so I am the car's history. About time we went back to the bomb proof Austin/Morris A-series engines.

[Lee]

41 minutes ago, edbostan said:

After making cars for over 100 years I cannot believe that Skoda have so much fundamental engine design problems. I cannot believe the clatter and knocking my 1.2tsi makes on start up. I have had the car from new so I am the car's history. About time we went back to the bomb proof Austin/Morris A-series engines.

 

Skoda begin to experience engine issues sometime after VW take over? Go figure.

[GeneralPurpose]

Mrj, the Vrs is a fabulous car, IF you get a good one. I've carried out work on three Vrs Fabias concerning both the transmissions and engine units. And, apart from the clutch being worn out quite early on one of them, none of the issues that I worked on should have occurred so early. In my opinion it is a lottery when you buy one as to whether you get a good one. However, it's important to say many owners who have had problems have brought on some or all of the issues themselves, of that you can be quite sure. For example, one of the cars I worked on had be fitted with a tuning box which has totally upset the way the car should run yet the owner thought it was great! What that box did was to cause lots of issues with the engine mixture control and fuel pressure at the injectors. This in turn caused the pistons and rings to wear rapidly. When I got the car in the workshop I could see that it was likely some sort of box had been fitted and then removed before it came in. The connectors were somewhat mangled by someone who didn't actually know what they were doing. Upon asking the owner if this was the case he admitted that a box had been used. He needed a new engine! And this happens a lot with the Vrs as owners seek more performance. It's a shame because ecu remaps rarely enhance reliability and tuning boxes are in general bad news. Ask those that has used them. So what I'm saying is to be very wary of used Vrs's. Often what you might be looking at has been abused and it's difficult to tell. That's my, and my nephews experience with the Vrs (nephew has his own specialist garage). In fact, my nephew now won't touch used Vrs Fabia's if someone comes in for major work as they are so much trouble. 

[Ootohere]

Over 25% of CAVE engines had failures, starting 2009 in the SEAT Ibiza, then in the Fabia Mk2 vRS, VW Polo GTI & then the Audi A1 185ps.

 

Engines rebuilt, then they went to Short Units, then replacement Base Engines,  Breather Mods and Software updates, 

then Discontinued the engines and introduced the CTHE later 2012, still had issues, delayed the CTHE going in the SEAT Ibiza Cupra, then updated Software, 

discovered that new Oil Spray jets were not just maybe a solution for CAVE but also early CTHE engines.

 

?

How is any of that a driver / owners problem caused by themselves?  Standard cars straight from the factory.

People bought brand new cars or ex demonstrators & needed engines rebuilt within months 2009/2010.  then replaced. 

and modified, then VW changed spark plug types, did software updates, breather mods and still never got it right, 

then discontinued engines.

 

Upgrade Spark Plugs, Tuning Boxes or Remaps actually resolved issues, other than the REVO remaps, they were engine killers.

 

VW Engineers and Workshop Technicians ignorance was and still is the issue, and those making excuses for VW Groups behaviour.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/421365-links-to-lucifers-ultimate-guide-to-14-tsi-twincharger-engines 

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/294051-cave-cthe-14tsi-just-reply-please-if-you-have-had-an-engine-replaced 

 

http://onlyrevo.com/support/sales/14tsi-twincharger-engine-issues 

Edited 16 August, 2018 by Offski

[Race Blue]

5 hours ago, Offski said:

?

Who was the BRISKODA member that was the 2nd Keeper, and can the vouch for the car as A-OK ?

A9XSJ car

[Ootohere]

I remember the car.

Nice.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/393146-skoda-fabia-vrs-mk2-5j-wagon-optional-extras 

Edited 16 August, 2018 by Offski

[GeneralPurpose]

Offski, I didn't say everyone had caused their own problems, but quite a few did with silly remaps and use of tuning boxes. I and many other technicians have witnessed this. The engine itself did suffer from many issues of which I'm aware, as are VW techs. I don't make excuses for VW neither do VW technicians. But you cannot ignore the fact many VRs have been ragged to bits by owners with tuning boxes attached and dodgy remaps. That's pretty much the worst thing you can do to a Vrs. Those that treated there cars with respect did also have issues, I realise that, but not as many with the early engines. I'm just saying to the OP that getting a good one can be tricky. I know for a fact there is a Vrs on a forecourt not far from me that has a beautiful look Vrs on it. It's had a tuning box on it all it's life (it's been removed now!) and has had loads of trouble. Yet it will go for a lot of money and give it's new owner loads of trouble, guaranteed!

[Ootohere]

TMC Tuning boxes and Bluespark were great on 1.4 TSI / TFSI Twinchargers 132-136kw, 

the TMC Tuning boxes for South America were a major problem.

 

Fitting them to a gubbed engine still meant you had a gubbed engine.   Gubbed engines should have been diagnosed by Skoda / VW, 

many they bought back needed new engines, not as they did, re-sold and back in trade UNFIXED.

 

Those enhancing the power of a flawed and faulty engine did no favours.  But VW were the ones that fitted the wrong pistons, rings, scrappers. plugs, coils, software  etc.

& Long Life oil.  Long Life VW 504/507 so 5w 30 FS LL,.  always an issue.  

That was always obvious, sadly there were many flawed engines from the off.

 

REVO maps were from a global company and they were crap on Twinchargers, hence their warning to REVO Dealerships.

 

Several of us here owned some of the first Mk2 vRS that arrived in the UK in 2010.

Some are still running with the same engines and were oil users at some point, and some never have been.

Some have had replacement engines and then the replacement engines replaced and a few are in the big scrap yard in the sky.

 

I had a media car that was a cracker.

This one was punted for spares or repairs i believe, a big loss to yet another BRISKODA member.

 

Edited 16 August, 2018 by Offski

[PFE1]

If you can find a one owner from new with a  cthe engine that has not been modified then you should be reducing the risk somewhat. I’ve had mine from new and have been very impressed with it. No oil issues, no water pump issues (now done 74,000 miles) and still on the original discs and pads all round!. I always feed it Tesco momentum and I think this helps to keep it going strong. My extended warranty runs out in December and I would normally have moved on to something else by now but i am struggling to part with it. I think I would struggle to get another make with the same performance and mpg for the money.

[dkl1971]

I'm assuming this is the one in Dunfermline Kia? Ours is identical (colour and spec) and we've had no issues, 2 owners, us and 1 other. We're on 50k miles and other than servcing and a new waterpump its been ok. OIl consumption seems fine. It seems these later cars are a better bet.

Sadly Mrs D has made noises about moving it on soon on as its 5 yrs old now.

Edited 16 August, 2018 by dkl1971

[Race Blue]

1 hour ago, dkl1971 said:

I'm assuming this is the one in Dunfermline Kia? Ours is identical (colour and spec) and we've had no issues, 2 owners, us and 1 other. We're on 50k miles and other than servcing and a new waterpump its been ok. OIl consumption seems fine. It seems these later cars are a better bet.

Sadly Mrs D has made noises about moving it on soon on as its 5 yrs old now.

Yes that car. Do you have grey wheels aswell?. Pump and belts have been done.

[Ootohere]

Just be aware that 2 members here had Mk2 vRS that were the last built and on 2015 registrations, and both had DSG issues & both got news DSG's,

and both the cars should have had Service Campaign '34H5' carried out.

 

Not an issue with the one you are looking at, but anyone with a 2013-2015 DQ200 DSG in any VW Group model should check if they have not already if '34H5' was needed and has been done.

[dkl1971]

2 hours ago, Race Blue said:

Yes that car. Do you have grey wheels aswell?. Pump and belts have been done.

I'd say ours are more silver than grey. The advertised ones could just be the pic but they do look darker.

[Ootohere]

SL13 EPX has wheels that have been painted or powder coated that colour.

[Mickmartin]

Its always good to ask for information however don't scare yourself off by reading horror story's online, After all.....People very early come on these forums to post their success story's.

 

2012 CAVE Engine here with 43k on the clock and for an 8 year old car the only major fixes its had is a new radiator and water pump. 

[Ootohere]

But many have been here and posted their experiences good and bad with twinchargers,   and good or bad with Skoda on warranties.    lots of us meet other twincharger owners that never come on here to complain,  and others that need to. There are less than 3,000 of the model in the UK and hundreds of these where owned by Briskoda members since 2010.

Edited 17 August, 2018 by Offski

[Race Blue]

Dam  looks like I have lost this one. Adverts have been withdrawn,  couldn't get to Scotland till sunday. Wasn't prepared to put down deposit till I had seen car.