I'm considering a 17, 18 or 19 plate Tsi DSG Fabia estate/hatch with a mileage of around 30000. I notice that some appear to have the 1.2 engine, others 1.0 engine. I welcome any advice regarding the choice of engines and the reliability of the DSG transmission at this age.

Thank you.

Go drive them and see if you like the 1.2 TSI more than your 1.0TSI Kamiq. 

Get a car with the power output you want or need.

 

The reliability of a DQ200 DSG will be better the newer the car. 

Buy an extended warranty that covers the DSG if there is not a warranty of 1 or 2 years with the car you are buying. 

The 1.0 TSI followed the 1.2 TSI and went from 4 cylinders to 3 cylinders and got a GPF.

 

Best buy as new as youi xan if keeping the car. Get one with a service history of work done not just saying  FMDSH yet not much more than oil and fiter services done.

The timing belt is due replacing at 5 years old. 

Slightly different query:  apart from some fancy colour combinations, is there anything fundamentally better in a Mk3 Colour Edition, compared with an SE edition?

 

I have been looking at some Fabias, 2018 to 2020, on sale in my part of the world. I am thinking of one of the SE versions with 1.0 l TSI engine (preferably 95 PS). The Colour Edition models seem to command a higher price than an SE. I might be prepared to pay a bit more for better equipment or performance but not just for some unusual colours.

 

Thanks,

 

Martin.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

I've no idea about equipment level and options/extras on 2018-20, I've a 2016 catalogue and that's it but if you can source the catalogue on the net all the various tables are there, or others might be along with the information.

 

Personally I'd not buy a car made during the Covid and chip shortages period - others which such cars may know better and disagree as it's only my personal view - and I'd look at earlier models with 4-cylinders to avoid the later regulations.  I'm not against 3-cylinders and have owned a few from and in 90s and start of this century but apart from one unusual one they were Japanese with (real) good built quality engines.

 

toot does VW's history with 3-cylinders go back beyond very recent years?

 

Edited 16 December, 20223 yr by nta16
ETA: Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

Hello KAH, if you are still looking, keep an eye out for the 110PS version - if you are open to manual transmission, this one has the 6-speed. 

Depending on the year, you should expect a Colour Edition to have cruise control, 16in black wheels and roof contrast over the SE spec. 

 

VW have made the current base 1.0 3-cylinder petrol engine for over a decade, though turbocharged models were introduced later from 2016ish elsewhere in the VAG empire.    

Introduced by the VW group 2015 for Euro 6 emissions but then needed the GPF 2018 for the WLTP / RDE being introduced.

4 years now with GPF's. 

Thanks to all for your comments.  I found a useful summary of the different specs for Fabia trim in a review of the Fabia 2019 in:

 

https://www.motors.co.uk/search/car/

 

There is a lot of detail of the different specs in:

 

https://www.ultimatespecs.com/car-specs/Skoda-models/Skoda-Fabia

 

From these I decided that I did not want to pay a premium for a Colour Edition Fabia. Partly because I did not want 16" wheels, with (presumably) low-profile tyres. At my age I prefer a more comfortable ride than sports-handling. Thanks again.

 

Martin

The cars with 17" rims had 'Low profile' tyres, and anyone with 18" even lower profile.

Others can comment on 16's but really they are not Low Profile or make the car crashy. 

19 minutes ago, toot said:

The cars with 17" rims had 'Low profile' tyres, and anyone with 18" even lower profile.

 

Our local car dealer used to refer to these low profile tyres as "rubber bands" 😀

 

I have now narrowed my choice down to two or three bog-standard SE model, about 3 years old, and not too many miles away.

Many do the same, but then the tyres on a fabia mk3 with 16" rims are not like 'Rubber Bands'.

205/40 R 17's on a Mk2 Fabia vRS are.

215 45 16 on a Fabia III but only 185 60 15 on the smaller size.

 

Thanks. AG Falco

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

I would prefer 14" wheels on the Fabia, it's not a heavy car (for a VW at least), I still think of 70 as low profile. 😄

 

185/60r15 on my wife's car, set to Eco tyre pressure was good to lower rolling resistance but you could notice it in the driving and as passenger, standard 30 psi seems better to us.  Ride obviously also depends on the particular tyres, age, wear, etc..  But I'm sure a VW would have made improvements over a 2015 car as German engineering quality has it, IIRC 'S' was poverty spec for 2015.

 

I had a 1999 MX-5 1.6, only one the Dealership had even seen leave on steel wheels, they rusted the first winter, but as the chap there said don't change until towards the end of the three year warranty as the replacement rusted just as quick, the only fault, I expect the steel wheels were British made. 😄 

 

14 hours ago, nta16 said:

I would prefer 14" wheels on the Fabia,

 

175 70 14 is an option, as shown on the tyre pressure sticker plate behind the fuel filler cap. 

 

Thanks. AG Falco

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

39 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

 

175 70 14 is an option, as shown on the tyre pressure sticker plate behind the fuel filler cap. 

 

Thanks. AG Falco

Yes thanks, behind the green scrapper but it's not my car so it doesn't matter what I'd prefer.  😄

 

19 hours ago, toot said:

The cars with 17" rims had 'Low profile' tyres, and anyone with 18" even lower profile.

Others can comment on 16's but really they are not Low Profile or make the car crashy. 

SWMBOs Fabia has the 1.0 110PS TSI engine, with 16 inch wheels. Ride is very good. Engine not quite as velvet-smooth as my 1.4, and a little less torque, but very enjoyable to drive.