Which Fabia should I buy? 1.0tsi or 1.2tsi

[Jimbob111]

Hi all,

 

I've been a skoda fabia owner for the past 6 years. I originally bought a 04 plate 1.4tdi comfort model with 80,000 on the clock, it now has 170,000 on the clock and I have to say it's been the best car I've ever owned, apart from normal wear and tear repairs it hasn't missed a beat and never needed a big job doing on it.

 

Recently I've had some money off a share plan and in a position to get a new used car, because of the fabia reliability I am looking at buying another fabia.

 

My questions are, as someone who drives mostly just to work and occasionally on motorway will I really see any difference between the 1.2tsi 90 and 100 bhp? Also i don't understand how the 1.0tsi with one less cylinder performs better than the 1.2tsi? I really like the look of the monte Carlo range.

 

To summarise I want to know whether I really will see any difference between the 1.2tsi at both bhp and 1.0tsi at both bhp when just driving about in town and occasional motorway journey?

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

IMO best get the newer 3 cylinder 1.0 TSI with what ever power.

1.2 TSI was discontinued, simple as that, things move on. 

[SurreyJohn]

The 3 cylinder tsi is a very good engine.

 

However the higher output per litre means it is more thermally stressed, and personally I am not convinced that you would get it to 170k miles if you went for extended service intervals.  Put it on fixed service and I think it will be brilliant.

 

My recommendation is buy the new one, and buy the factory 5 year warranty (only available before first registration), take the cheap finance.  

 

Assume the Fabia will be replaced in 2 years.  So just accept it is not most up to date design, although it does have latest engine.

 

The mk1 Fabia was more basic, and with less to go wrong, was probably more reliable than latest incarnation.  But getting the longer warranty should cover this until 2024

 

Edited 17 February, 2019 by SurreyJohn

[ettlz]

On 17/02/2019 at 12:29, Jimbob111 said:

My questions are, as someone who drives mostly just to work and occasionally on motorway will I really see any difference between the 1.2tsi 90 and 100 bhp? Also i don't understand how the 1.0tsi with one less cylinder performs better than the 1.2tsi?

 

Depends how you define 'performs better'; the 1.2 is a fraction of a second quicker in the 0-62. The 1.2's output is limited by ECU software. It's peak torque is hard-capped at 175Nm (probably because the manual gearbox is rated to 200Nm) vs the 1.0's 200Nm, but it's over a wider rev-band. (See also the torque claims for the after-market remaps, the 1.2 goes 10-20Nm higher.)

 

I doubt you'd notice the difference on motorway work and ordinary commutes. The main difference between the two is at the lower revs (around the 1500-2000rpm mark) where the 1.0 grumbles and struggles, but the 1.2 picks up happily. So things like roundabouts that you'd take in 2nd gear in the 1.2 need 1st in the 1.0.

[Jimbob111]

Cheers for all the answers guys, I've been looking around and have an £8000 maximum. The new 1.0 tsi engine cars seem to be around £10000 used so going for 1.2tsi. Also I would like a car without much mileage. I've decided to not bother with monte Carlo range either as you seem to pay more for the outside look than whats on the inside and go for a 1.2 tsi with the SE trim. At approx 20,000 miles I am seeing cars in 7 grand range. So I just need to go and get shopping. Excited!

[Odie]

Some versions of the old 1.2 and 1.4tsi would shut down a cylinder while cruising, id imagine someone had the idea of adding a slightly larger /re speced turbo and trying an engine permanently on 3 cylinders, 

 

After then building a 3 cylinder block you'd have a further increase in performance, due to reduced engine friction.

 

For reference, the 1.0tsi produces a similar amount of power to the original MK1 golf gti

Edited 22 February, 2019 by Odie

[xman]

Active Cylinder Technology only exists on some 1.4 tsi and now 1.5tsi engines, neither of which are available on the Fabia 

[Odie]

1 hour ago, xman said:

Active Cylinder Technology only exists on some 1.4 tsi and now 1.5tsi engines, neither of which are available on the Fabia 

It was in the 1.4tsi seat that I saw it. I wasn't sure what other brands/vehicles/engines it was available on in other markets.

[Eccles]

Not at all sure about this 1.0 3 cylinder jobbie. My 1.2 90 continues to perform wonderfully (now 4 years old). I suppose they know what they are doing but will the new version still do 150+k mile? Probably because I am an oldie but have a funny feeling that it may not unless they have made it from some super dooper new alloys which I am unaware of.

[abaxas]

Time produces the data on reliability.

With most engines the number of cold starts is by far the greatest predictor of lifespan.

 

[Ootohere]

@Eccles  There are Euro 5 & then Euro 6 1.2TSI getting no place near 150,000 miles before having issues. 

Averages take highs and lows in mileages to see how things are.

 

Now with factory filled VW508/509 0w 20 FS Long Life we will have to just wait a few years to see if VW Group got things wrong for the long term by getting WLTP Certification the way they have.

[Odie]

I'm not sure about Skoda's, but the brand new BMW's and fords we have at work are needing major engine work after 100k, these are cars that are having 100k put on them in 2-3 years.

 

I think an engine lasting is more about luck than design.

[Ootohere]

@Odie

They were developed at the same period in time as VW Group were still producing 1.2, 1.4, 1.8 & 2.0 TSI with Timing chain issues, and then 1.2 TSI with cam belts that they no longer produce.

Vorsprung Durch Technik.  VW produced 1.4 TSI / TFSI with ACT / COD and discontinued and now have 1.5 TSI's  TSI / EVO and some have 'issues'. 

 

Time will tell.  VW are behind the curve, and fail to sort snagging issues, then take 'Design & Manufacturing & Material faults on from Generation to Generation of engines.

While KIA, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and other are on 2nd generation Hybrids and have advanced with EV's VW Group still spin about ID and show retro camper vans 

and Audi EV's they can not sell you. 

[abaxas]

If you think other companies don't have issues, you've never been on other marque's forums :P

[Ootohere]

Been on the forums, owned the various marques and worked on them.

That is what being an enthusiast is all about, then working in the motor trade having started as an apprentice and served your time gives a little experience and knowledge of vehicles over the decades.

Its not rocket science just about transportation on the roads or off roads.

Lots around like me were into Skoda before VW bought them. First cars Hillman and Ford & BL, & Peugeot and on and on.

Edited 25 February, 2019 by Skoffski

[macamx]

I currently run a 1.2 Tsi 110 and agonised about changing it for a new 1.0 Tsi as my current car is three years old this year. Tried the 1.0 and concluded that the extra money to change was simply not worth it. More relevant to your question the 1,2 just felt "better" to me, just not as stressed as the 1.0. Now I fully appreciate that the 1.2 with 30,000 miles recorded is probably at its optimum but it was not just a case of it being looser it just felt more comfortable producing the goods. I know this is highly subjective but this is just how I found it.

 

Geoff.

[Jimbob111]

Cheers, I bought a 1.2tsi in racing blue this week, test drove it and it felt great. 16000 miles on clock and 3 years old for 8 grand. I'm very happy with it, been driving it a few days now and love it.....just hoping it's as reliable as my old 1.4tdi pd comfort I used to have.

[macamx]

I also hope the 1.2tsi is super reliable as after looking at many, many alternatives we have decided to run ours until it is no longer economically viable,

 

Geoff. 

[rum4mo]

I suppose it is very easy being an owner of a 2015 Polo 1.2TSI 110PS to think that the better plan is to buy the 1.2TSI 16V engined car, but the nuisance about owning one of them is that I'll be dreading changing that car to one with a 1.0TSI 3 cylinder engine when that day comes as overall that engine currently does not seem to give the "pleasure" that the 1.2TSI 16V one does - at the moment reliability does not seem to have been proved/disproved so it is down to "pleasure" or drivability.

 

For/from me all a bit hypothetical as I tend to keep cars for many years or when they turn nasty and bite me!

 

Although I do know that things move on and improvements are made which should always mean that we "lust" for the newer models - so far with a combined 46 "VW Group car years" of ownership, that has never been the case, which saddens and annoys me!  Only improvement I can see within what I buy/look after is with the late 2009 Ibiza, getting a new one of them in 1.5TSI guise would be win - win, with my wife's Polo it was only "time for a new one" and luckily the 1.2TSI 16V 110PS appeared, with my 2000 VW Passat 4Motion - in reality a rehashed old Audi A4 Quattro 2.8 V6 30V, there was no VW replacement that looked suitable, so I just grabbed a slightly used Audi S4, my next car when/if it happens will be something a bit boring I think!

[RickW]

In my opinion my MY19 1.0 110 dsg is better performing and more pleasing to drive than my last 1.2 110 dsg.

 

I can tell it's a more refined car.