Ash's Oem+ vRS, an expensive adventure

[AshPearson]

You'll have to forgive me in starting this thread late and writing most of this thread (to date) almost a year and a quarter after purchasing my Mk1 vRS TDI. Its been a journey... 

 

Without further adieu, welcome to the thread in which I'll be keeping updates and build progress on my own 2006 mk1 fabia vRS. 

 

As a bit of an explanation for some of the silly financial decisions, this project is born from nostalgia and as my affordable dream car. Not a wholly impressive one to most, it's what I wanted though, probably stemming from my first car. That was an X reg mk1 fabia 1.4 16v in cayenne orange and what a first car it was... Until it threw a rod that is... 

 

So, after trawling the depths of Facebook Marketplace I came across a fairly well presented vRS. It was advertised as completely standard (we'll get to that) and the only thing detracting from the car was n/s quarter panel damage in the ad. 

 

I'm not going to lie, it was a shed. It was a prime breaker. Although it hadn't had any parts of significant value added, so would have been harvested for what straight panels it had, and crushed. The battery was flat, door cards fell away when doors shut, central locking and windows didn't work, it shook like mad no matter whether it was idling or not, the passenger headlight was not attached to any part of the car, and it was as clean as your local public toilet. One eyebrow raising ridealong later i was sold, I'm a good boy and don't drive cars without insurance, nor did I want to drive it after learning it was re-mapped. But, I fell in love with the car and the surprising lack of rust on it...

 

(Ps, it was also the first fabia vRS I'd gone to see in person as well. I can hear the eye rolls from here)

 

So once I got my hands on it, I had to apply for the logbook (as the previous 4 owners, or so I'm told, never bothered applying for a new one... speeding tickets aplenty I presume) and I gave it a thorough wash. 

 

 

 

In the interest of readability I'll list the issues I found:

 

 

Windscreen cracked O/S zone A

 

Snapped O/S engine mount (not the bushing... Engine was listing a solid 40 degrees)

 

Airbox screws all missing, aftermarket panel filter loose in housing. Probably doing about as much as using a sieve to catch water

 

Loose engine cover rubbing on boost pipe

 

Obligatory plastic boost pipe leaks

 

Dent (almost a crater, had done a check before purchase and is cat D, wasn't advertised as such 🚩)

 

Tyres, had Michelin pilot sport 3's on the front but one had a nasty sidewall cut, rears mismatched and cracking

 

Alloys all curbed, heavily corroded and no centre caps 

 

Rear bumper cracked/ scuffed 

 

Front bumper damaged n/s entire front corner scuffed 

 

Drivers door dented from previous owner reversing close to a wall with the door open

 

O/S fog light blown (what a PITA that was)

 

Usual rips in seat bolsters and the seat foam was that far gone on the passenger side, the seat frame was visibly protruding

 

No parcel shelf 

 

More fag ash behind the door cards than in a wetherspoons ashtray 

 

Drivers door loom broken, door lock microswitch toast

 

Passenger window regulator and leaking rear door regs

 

No brake fluid cap

 

Various creaks and knocks

 

Poorly ran sub wiring and no sub to be seen

 

 

 

 

As a note, that list isn't exhaustive and I was fully aware of most of those issues or as to what I could expect to find further down the road... Or so I thought 

Edited 16 March, 2023 by AshPearson
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[AnnoyingPentium]

Just seen this thread. Glad to see you're beginning to document things.