Hi Guys

I find myself here on the forum as a result of my driving school car, a Kia Picanto, being off-the-road again, and the nice people at Kia arranging a hire car for me.

I have to confess that when the girl at the hire company told me the loan car was a Skoda, my heart sank.

They delivered an 05-plate Fabia HTP and I've been using it since Monday morning. I'm a busy independant driving instructor, I have an average of 40 lessons a week which is 40 x 1 hour lessons or 40 pupils a week.

The typical reaction from my pupils has been this: They walk out, see the Fabia and moan about driving a Skoda. Fifteen minutes later they remark that it's not that bad! And at the end of the lesson they have ALL said that they would prefer to keep having lessons in the Fabia. So now I'm seriously thinking of buying one!

From what I have read, bearing in mind that I cover an average of 1000 miles a week, I would benefit from the chain-driven engine of the HTP, although a diesel would save fuel.

So...hello. I'm not a Skoda owner yet, but I will be by the end of the year.

Welcome to Briskoda... :wave:

Out of interest, what's up with the Picanto?

Rob.

Welcome to BRISKODA

Comes to something when they moan about driving a Skoda but were happy to drive a KIA!!!

Hello :wavey:

We have a few ADIs on here, Chris_GB, Sharkrider, Andy Ellis to name but a few. The first two drive Fabia RSs and Andy has a modified PD100.

As to what they are like as driving school cars, they have posted their thoughts in several threads this one for example

my driving instructor has a 1.2 skoda fabia. i love it! i was learning to drive in a corsa but moved to the person with the fabia-wouldnt want to go back.

Well come fellow instructor! There a few of us on here with a mix of cars but mostly the vRS or the PD100 TDi. There TDI's are great cars for learner as they are very easy to drive, no need for gas on manvoures and hill strts are a piece of ..... Is there anything to choice between the 1.4, 1.9 (pd100) or 1.9vRS TDi's? Personally the 1.4 would be no good for me as I do a lot of long distance and love the power of the 1.9 and the only reson I have stuck with the PD100 is a personally dont like 6 speed boxes or alloys on a driving school car. The power delivery is very smooth and even with "cough" the pupils dont ever find it a handful! If you in South London give us a pm and you can have a test drive! Oh and you will get 45-50mpg (35-40mpg if lots of boring stuff!"!

Welcome to Briskoda... :wave:

Out of interest' date=' what's up with the Picanto?

Rob.[/quote']

Bought brand new in September 2004, It's a 1.1LX manual / petrol.

So far:

Handbrake unit replaced due to snapped teeth on the ratchet.

Intermittent fault with throttle sensor which sometimes means that the engine management system stops sending fuel, even though you have the accelerator pressed down. You have to lift foot completely, then re-apply pressue. NOT fun with a learner on a busy roundabout.

Crankshaft oil seal failed causing massive oil leak, resulting in:

Complete new clutch as original contaminated with oil.

Two weeks later the clutch cable snapped.

Another two weeks and another clutch cable snapped but this time, guess what?

There are NONE left in the UK, so I am waiting for a consignment to arrive from Korea!!!, so that a cable can be fitted, then they can investigate the reason for the cables snapping.

Eats front sidelight bulbs.

Air-con needs re-gassing as it's not very cold.

But apart from that...it's O.K.:thumbdwn:

Thanks Andy. I'm up in Wisbech, North Cambridgeshire ( Tony Martin country ).

Nice to know other ADI's are using the Fabia.

Cheers

John

Bugger me thats an impressive list! The fabias take the punishment well but those vRS alloys dont look good after a few kerb mounts! Tracking tends to stay true no matter what. Clutches good for at least 40k imho if not more.

You are close to the mythical place that is jabba....

local driving instructor around here has a fabia vrs to teach in. which is is nice.

Another 'Fen' Person - Live down the road in Chatteris

Tom_vrs lives pretty close as well

Welcome

< turns PC speakers down to erradicate the banjo music >

Welcome to Briskoda from the A1 side of Cambridgeshire.

< turns PC speakers down to erradicate the banjo music >

Coming from someone who used to live not that far from the Forest of Dean, that is a bit rich! :nono:

Hi to all that have replied, thanks for the various snippets of information, and for that 'warm cuddly feeling'. To the 'local' owners, where's the nearest dealer for service work, is it still Mill Hill at March?

Cheers

John

You got a warm cuddly feeling? You must have paid extra

Welcome to Briskoda