ALL IMO

Today/tomorrow i've got my hands on a red 1.2 HTP 8v with 5,000 miles as a curtosy car whilst mine is in for some bodywork respraying.

The other 1.2 HTP's i've driven (12v & 8v) have both been nippy, handle well and have very good economy.

This one though is a pig, it's slow, unrefined, smells awful and in the classic trim it looks drab. It's the facelift model though which is probably the only + point. Whilst the others I drove felt smooth, relaxing and comfortable this one feels rattley, jerky and bone braking over speed bumps and the like.

How can one car differ so much from the rest? I believe some of it could be down to the trim level, no electric windows, very basic interior, just about everything is stripped to the bare minimum giving the impression of something very basic and tatty.

Is it a Monday morning car or could it be that I enjoy my vRS so much this one just feels tatt in comparison. On the motorway on the way home it struggled to overtake at 80 mph and had no steering feel whatsoever. It even felt like it was going to roll over on my test corner my vRS can take at 50 mph, this can barely do 25. Other 1.2 HTP's i've driven normally manage 40 before letting go a little.

It's a complete let down, as I normally enjoy my days in the 1.2 8v and 12v as they are nippy, economical, well kitted and fun as the turn in is razor sharp in comparison to my heavy front end diesel lump, but this one in all honesty is rubbish :(

You sure it's an 8v? Thought they were 6v or 12v :confused:

Chris

You sure it's an 8v? Thought they were 6v or 12v :confused:

Chris

That could be the problem - four of the valves were missing

That could be the problem - four of the valves were missing

Lets be perfectly honest though, It is a cheap car. I must say though I had a Fabia Sport as a courtesy car and the quality of the build was not nearly half as good as my W reg, and they are supossed to have all the problems. If you look around on the forums the general opinion on the 1.2's are rather high, They were designed for the Fabia and offer far superior performance to the 1.4 8v they replaced despite being a bit smaller. I must agree though, all of the recent Fabias I have been in have rattled alot more than mine, but still nothing too bad. I know youve driven the 1.2's before but no two Fabias seem to be the same, some are total duffers. Mine is perfect though:thumbup:

Sure its a 1.2 and not a 1.4?

Will be 12 or 6

Either two or four valves per cylinder, three cylinders.

Sure its a 1.2 and not a 1.4?

It cant have been a 1.4, its a facelift model. 8v was dropped in 2003. I see people calling the 1.2's 8v and 16v all the time, I don't think many people realise it's a 3 pot engine, as is the 1.4TDI.

apologies, it's a 1.2 6v. I have previously driven both 1.2 6v and 1.2 12v that have both been a lot nicer than this.

anyone still got any cassettes :confused:

That's odd - I had one (the most basic around) loaned to me for a day after my NEW Vrs's horn got stuck on (after going around a rather tight corner) and I was extremely impressed with the little car. I t had a very characterful engine note, I seem to remember.

It left me wondering why people still buy French crap when they can get one of these for less money!

Might just be a lemon of a car, it happens everywhere.Plus it's most likely been ragged everywhere.

As for the comment about why people buy french cars........................look at the offers/deals they do (peugeot/citroen) and then you can understand why people buy them.

Though they are without a doubt always at the bottom of the JD power (or alike) Table........................some people never pay attention to such things!