High mileage 1.6 TDI - My experiencez

[Asketi]

Hi All

 

My Fabia 1.6 TDI has now done 235,000 miles
 

Been a great car which is running perfectly.  Most of the driving has been long long motorway runs and the fuel economy is still great. 
 

I have serviced every 15k miles since 100,000 miles and have had the following done

 

Cambelt and Waterpump changed at 120,000 and 220,000

 

Disks at 120,000

 

Cracked rear light cluster

 

Various sets of Tyres

 

Thats it...

 

Anyone else got higher milage?

 

Cheers

[Breezy_Pete]

Nice to hear a good news story for a change. Has it been 'fixed' w.r.t. dieselgate, or left alone?

[Asketi]

No fix applied - definitely don’t want it “fixed” given some of the feedback I have heard.  
 

My fabia is maintained but a very good local independent garage who are not VAG specialists but do an excellent job.  
 

cheers

 

[Asketi]

And just to add - the cam belts were both in really good shape when I had them replaced

[Hudson1]

WOW...... My 2010 1.6TDI is a baby in comparison, its done just under 80k, no major issues, i too have already had the cambelt done, no '' fix '' thank god, i rate the car and given its book value is low there is no point in changing it,  it is running great, low tax, low insurance, good mpg. I am looking at getting it mapped as mine is the 75bhp version and i think i can double that, so that will make a huge difference to how it drives.  I know they have had a lot of bad reports but i can honestly say it is one of the best cars i have owned.

[Asketi]

I came from owning expensive new luxury cars and was so fed up with Range Rover I gave up and bought a Fabia after driving in Europe as a hire car.  
 

Couldn’t be happier with it and when it dies I am getting another.  

[Bertie90]

So far I have replaced

 

- thermostat housing

- Wather pump plus belts (maintanace I guess but water pum started gashing water at 56k)

- injector

- front whisbone bushings

- EGR

- engine mounts x 2

- clutch + fly

- rear brake shoes

- ignition switch x 2

- sunglasses holder

- Emission fix - fix...new map

- MAP sensor

- turbo housing dampner

- high pressure fuel sensor

- rear main cranshaft seal

- horn

 

I  didn't include any maintanance work

 

98000 miles with 99% motorway only.

 

I service it myself every 8000 miles.

 

pot luck?

[Asketi]

That is so starkly different to my experience.  Maybe because my miles were done over a short time and my miles were mostly on 200plus mike trips with not so much time for the engine to cool.  
 

 

[Bertie90]

same here....3 times a week used with journeys of 350miles. Trust me pot luck. I know people who don't care about cars and never had any issues and do short journeys and use cheap fuels.

Edited 24 July, 2020 by Bertie90

[Asketi]

You may well be right.....

[Hudson1]

Yes it could be simple pot luck, i do short journeys...... use the cheap fuel, it has never been near a main dealer for services etc, and it has been great, it is difficult to say why some cars cost a fortune and others do not.

[TheGeek]

My Fabia 1.6 TDI has 205k miles on the clock. Owned from New and also have had no issues apart from a failed exhust sensor at 60K and air intake sensor at 180k. Cam belt at 140k and dealer service every 10k miles..  Lovely Car, I too would also buy another when mine eventually pops..

 

[spartacus68]

Not my experience. I sold my 10 plate Fabia at 100k miles last May.

 

Break in flexi pipe before catalytic converter was final straw. All cars cost, trust, me my wife's BMW i3 is currently at main dealers and bills are rediculous.

 

I used to service Fabia every 10k miles, Castrol Edge, Mann filters, etc.

- timing belt and water pump every 60k miles

- EGR valve issue and wiring loom

- new tailgate sprayed under anti perforation warranty before I sold it

- new wishbones

- replaced both rear wheel bearings

- shocking rear drums (lost count of times I adjusted brake shoes), really needed new drums

- replaced rear wheel cylinders (leaking)

- new handbrake cable

- upgraded headlight bulbs, projector lights are awful

- replaced suspension drop links

- front discs and rear shoes

 

I have full VCDS, as run an Audi and VW too. Great tools if you want to maintain your cars and avoid main dealer diagnostics at £100 a pop.

 

 

[Bertie90]

as some of you helped, I have finished the rear brakes just the other day. Sticky + a very rusty cylinder.

 

Since covid, we haven't used this car at all now. Life changed so much with working from home and I'm going to say it.... I don't think I need a diesel anymore. Honestly I filled this car up twice since end of march.

[Asketi]

Just an update - my Fabia clocked up a total of 268k miles, really trouble free.   
 

The 1.6 TDI is a superb engine in my opinion - still not using oil and sweet to drive.  I kept to servicing at my trusted local independent garage every 15k miles with no problem at all.  
 

The centre arm rest needs replacing - fabric worn out and the central locking button stopped working after a coffee spill.  
 

I don’t drive as much now because of Covid, but my brother does so I give it to keep racking up the miles.  He has a big Merc but loves the economy of the Fabia.  
 

We have my wife’s Fabia Mk2 that I am now using - 102k on the clock and I am going to keep putting on the miles until it becomes uneconomical to run.

 

For me the mk2 Fabia has been the ultimate “workhorse” car that I have owned.  

 

[threadbear]

Good to read all these positive Fabia posts! I had a Fabia SE estate with the 105 1.6CR TDi which I traded in for a crappy Polo. According to the MOT checker, my old Fabia is still going strong at 130k. Wish I’d kept it. 

 

Now going to keep my Octavia with similar engine. 

[Asketi]

Hi @threadbear I agree about keeping Skodas.  I looked up my old Golf Mk3 and it is still going 20 years after I sold it!

 

Definitely keeping the two Fabias that we have in the family.  For me they are super cheap and reliable motoring.  
 

Both of ours are are a little scratched and the upholstery worn somewhat but they drive perfectly.  Both are absolute workhorses!
 

Here is to keeping the 1.6 Diesels going until they are truly worn out!  
 

cheers

[Asketi]

Just a little update.  I “borrowed” back my high mileage Fabia from my brother who has been using it as I needed to do a trip from Cambridge to Edinburgh to Bournemouth.  
 

My wife is using her Fabia which we share.

 

I have to say what a joy it was to be back behind the wheel of my Fabia.  A full tank and off to Edinburgh - she just cruises superbly and effortlessly.  My apologies overall economy for the trip was 63mpg - all motorway.  

 

I notice no real driving differences between my wife’s much lower mileage Fabia and mine.  
 

I had the misfortune to drive a Vauxhall Astra a few weeks ago and even though my Fabia is “old”, I would choose her any day over the Astra.  
 

No oil used at all, the only thing I noticed that needs attention is the rear washer connection - no fluid making it to the nozzle.  
 

Cheers

[mrgf]

I am at around 160,000 miles on my 2009 Greenline  but a lot of that is stop-start learner drivers who are a little clumsy until I've ironed out their faults... 

Had issues in warranty, but of late, apart from a clutch, routine servicing seems to keep the thing happy. I eevn managed to sort the ABS light, fault I seemed to have. 

I am now planning on replacing it for something ULEZ friendly, despite knowing the replacement will most likely NOT be less maintenance or even cleaner, really. 

 

Cheers Mr Kahn. you bent over for Boris!

Edited 2 August, 2021 by mrgf

[Cozza89]

This is great 😁

 

I have bought at 84k. 130k now and most faults are my own doing from bad weather. 

 

MAP sensor, Cambelt + Water Pump, MAF meter which turned out to be the MAP sensor (Halfrauds). 

 

Along with Rear Bumper, Crashbar, Tailgate & 2 rear light clusters (🙄). 

[Asketi]

Just a little update.  Now at 290k miles.  
 

The good

- Engine is just awesome.  Not using oil at all.

- MPG - Don’t obsess over it but I average 65mpg but do a lot of motorway driving

- Servicing…. Cheap, and has remained so with a brilliant local garage

- Still (and this is remarkable) very tight to drive and the shocks still ride as they did on day 1

 

The not so good

- Cruise control works but can’t be switched off on the left stalk (not a big issue)

- Aircon has developed a wheezy on / off routine.  Never been degassed and still gets v cold though! 

- Lots of dings from supermarket trolleys and folk on owning doors onto her

- The second arm rest is worn (replaced the first one some time ago)

- No flux going to the rear washer

 

I am not joking to say this is the best car I have ever owned, but such a long way.  Never broken down, never let me down and just is soooo efficient to run.

 

Having owned Range Rovers and Mercs that were horrifically unreliable and expensive I will never go back.  

[Checky]

I know this is an old post, and probably not the usual post a newbie would post on, however I have really appreciated seeing some of the numbers on this post...

 

Bought a 2010 1.6TDi Fabia Estate yesterday and took delivery today, just about to hit 150k miles... It's looks to have been well looked after, 2 cam belts done on it, just had a clutch done on it and decent service history on the car... 

 

Seeing the numbers people are getting has relieved the feeling I had that I'd make a mistake in buying it, the positivity on here has helped to relieve that..

 

Thank you 

[Bertie90]

funny reading my rant issue list from a while back. My latest cranckshaft bolt snapped a while back. Currently running it into the ground, not even fixing issues anymore.

[Asketi]

My super high mile Fabia 1.6TDI is back again with my brother.  Still going strong.  
 

On another Fabia 1.6TDI (64 plate) with nearly 120k on the clock now.  Great car and drives exceptionally well, and is still tight with no knocking or complaints as I go over bumps.  
 

The Aircon is a bit wheezy at times and I have replaced the drivers side electric window switch which got wet in rain and stopped working.  I also replaced the centre arm rest lid which was worn - cheap mock leather one from eBay for 12 quid.

Done two long runs up to Edinburgh which it probably needed, and am getting 65mpg on motorway driving, 56mpg in mixed driving.

 

Before me, it had been used by a sales rep who retired and bought it from his firm.  I may be wrong but I would prefer a car with high miles that were put on from long journeys on motorways rather than loads of short journeys.

 

Servicing history is great - every 10k miles while it was going big miles then every year since.  On its original clutch, second cam belt and water pump.  
 

Am doing a monster run upto the north of Scotland then down to the South coast  for work in Aug will be good to see how it goes!

 

[Bertie90]

I do motorways only in my 1.6tdi. But I never look at the MPG dash as it keeps telling me I do these incredible figures. I use mpg calculator online to see what I've actually been doing.