What's seeing off all the Fabias?

[Tailhappy]

Well built, not too complex electronics, rust resistant (and easy to weld if needed), tough engines and resilient interiors...the Mk.1 Fabia is a high point for Skoda and deservedly won Car Of The Year in 2000. But they are getting to be a rare site now, maybe only one every fortnight. 

 

Why us this? What is seeing them off?

 

I'd think they would still be a common car but this is definitely not the case (in the South East anyway). Shame really. 

[Breezy_Pete]

Maybe just that the youngest are 16 years old this year?

Youngsters today like new and shiny, not solid and reliable,  for some reason.

[Ootohere]

Plenty Mk1 vRS and other Mk1's in Scotland.

Local to me there are at least 5 vRS going about daily. 

[Infectiousvrs]

I'm south Wales and have one two or three around the area aswell 

[TMB]

A lot of people don't have the skills, interest or time to keep old cars going. And of course, they have to keep up with the Joneses who have a shiny new white-goods pile of pap on the drive.

[StevesTruck]

Going by the ones I've seen getting scrapped lately, inner sill rust and adding more boost than the owner has talent for. 

[Tailhappy]

Cheers for the input. Good to see some areas still got a few out and about. The ones I do see look like they are not waxed or tended too sadly. Dull paint and hazy headlights. 

[Infectiousvrs]

5 hours ago, Tailhappy said:

Cheers for the input. Good to see some areas still got a few out and about. The ones I do see look like they are not waxed or tended too sadly. Dull paint and hazy headlights. 

Well unfortunately the guy I bought mine off was one of those people. My aim is to bring it back and make it nice. Mechanically sound but body work needs some love. 

[StevesTruck]

6 hours ago, Tailhappy said:

Cheers for the input. Good to see some areas still got a few out and about. The ones I do see look like they are not waxed or tended too sadly. Dull paint and hazy headlights. 

Sounds like dad's SDI, the paint's that flat and swirly that you could probably put another coat straight on without scotching it. 

[Lofty]

I probably speak for a fair few on here but the image of Mk1 Fabia's especially the vRS's isn't great at the moment. Almost a default cheap chav wagon round here.

 

I'm looking forward to when they've got through this stage and there's only the nice ones left - look at the Citroen Saxo VTR/VTS - everywhere then gone over night.

 

The only ones I see round here are either owned from new (old man spec and mint) or ragged to death covered in soot.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Your average joe public can't weld, so when these begin to rust it's curtains.

I can't weld either (yet), but my newest bout of idiocy will be a wonderful learning curve...

 

Plus, the vRS ones are getting thrown in/through hedges or their engines blown up by your chavs and neds of the world. They're no spring chickens anymore, but still common compared to even some younger cars that have rusted etc.

[Infectiousvrs]

9 hours ago, Lofty said:

I probably speak for a fair few on here but the image of Mk1 Fabia's especially the vRS's isn't great at the moment. Almost a default cheap chav wagon round here.

 

I'm looking forward to when they've got through this stage and there's only the nice ones left - look at the Citroen Saxo VTR/VTS - everywhere then gone over night.

 

The only ones I see round here are either owned from new (old man spec and mint) or ragged to death covered in soot.

After seeing some videos on skoda vrs forums on Facebook the chav wagon definitely springs to mind. Seeing some of the content makes me feel embarrassed to drive one. 

[DieselMonte]

22 hours ago, Tailhappy said:

Cheers for the input. Good to see some areas still got a few out and about. The ones I do see look like they are not waxed or tended too sadly. Dull paint and hazy headlights. 

A life of being washed with pure tfr and a brush, because that's what 99% of people think taking care of their car is.

Skodas in general have harder wearing paint than (generally speaking) most other brands.

Seen a 2018 isuzu today with now matte metallic red paint from brush washing.

Same can be said for literally every mazda I've seen even newer ones.

[DieselMonte]

3 hours ago, Infectiousvrs said:

After seeing some videos on skoda vrs forums on Facebook the chav wagon definitely springs to mind. Seeing some of the content makes me feel embarrassed to drive one. 

I'm sure you've seen the gob****e who wrote off his yellow vrs into a lamp post just after having a load of work done to it. Killed it.

 

I've noticed a load of people breaking cars with any sort of spec because it's worth more than selling it whole.

 

I realise I'm the pot calling the kettle black since I'm stripping my vrs at the minute but that's because that cars rotten and I'm repurposing the drive train into my sdi.

[Lofty]

10 hours ago, DieselMonte said:

I'm sure you've seen the gob****e who wrote off his yellow vrs into a lamp post just after having a load of work done to it. Killed it.

 

I've noticed a load of people breaking cars with any sort of spec because it's worth more than selling it whole.

 

I realise I'm the pot calling the kettle black since I'm stripping my vrs at the minute but that's because that cars rotten and I'm repurposing the drive train into my sdi.

Exactly the kind of internet videos that reaffirm the current vRS image. The yellow car that was crashed was a lovely, lovely thing but in the wrong hands they're an expensive wrecking ball.

 

Hence i'm hopefully keeping mine long enough for that image to fade away and they'll probably then become rarities out there.

[faboka vrs]

Around the Liverpool area you’d be lucky to see 5 a year. Even when I bought mine 19 years ago you didn’t see many as they still had the old image. Remember getting laughed at by work mates for putting my order in. But back then fellow vRS owner use to flash and wave at you. They were the days. Remember my now wife but then girl friend thinking what the ****.

 

still plenty registered on the road though. Must depend on the part of the country your in.

 

They are the current nova/corsa though which is a shame. Really nice to see one that’s not “modded to stage 15++”.

 

I sold mine (probably regret doing it) the other week but just couldn’t justify keeping it.

[Infectiousvrs]

On 21/03/2023 at 23:20, DieselMonte said:

I'm sure you've seen the gob****e who wrote off his yellow vrs into a lamp post just after having a load of work done to it. Killed it.

 

I've noticed a load of people breaking cars with any sort of spec because it's worth more than selling it whole.

 

I realise I'm the pot calling the kettle black since I'm stripping my vrs at the minute but that's because that cars rotten and I'm repurposing the drive train into my sdi.

Haha yeah you can bet Ive seen that. Don't understand it myself, I enjoy driving my vrs but I'd never drive to the point where myself, others or my car is in danger. 

 

The amount of front ended fabias that I see on some of the pages just shows that they keep getting sold to the wrong people. I hate that when I drive about people probably assume that I'm like that because the previous owner put a straight through big exhaust so now I just sound obnoxious. 

[Damo152003]

I have a vrs and have done for over 12 years, when I bought it everyone took the **** out of me saying I was buying an old man’s car…. Because only old men drove Skodas now it seems in recent years they have become clapped out bangers for chavs as they’re relatively cheap to make them quick. 
 

I still own my fabia completely standard other than a remap and it’s in outstanding condition . Don’t see many decent ones about tbh 

[Infectiousvrs]

4 minutes ago, Damo152003 said:

I have a vrs and have done for over 12 years, when I bought it everyone took the **** out of me saying I was buying an old man’s car…. Because only old men drove Skodas now it seems in recent years they have become clapped out bangers for chavs as they’re relatively cheap to make them quick. 
 

I still own my fabia completely standard other than a remap and it’s in outstanding condition . Don’t see many decent ones about tbh 

I'm currently in the long process of returning mine as close to stock as possible, it's got a map which I'll keep, egr delete etc but the previous owner did so much stupid stuff to it that im redoing. 

 

Gonna probably take a year or two to get it exactly where I want it but suspension is being sorted soon, and the front end is being returned to stock! 

 

 

[faboka vrs]

18 minutes ago, Damo152003 said:

I have a vrs and have done for over 12 years, when I bought it everyone took the **** out of me saying I was buying an old man’s car…. Because only old men drove Skodas now it seems in recent years they have become clapped out bangers for chavs as they’re relatively cheap to make them quick. 
 

I still own my fabia completely standard other than a remap and it’s in outstanding condition . Don’t see many decent ones about tbh 

Think people don’t appreciate how good these are in standard form.

[Damo152003]

8 hours ago, faboka vrs said:

Think people don’t appreciate how good these are in standard form.

I spent ages looking for mine I did own one in black which I sold after putting 100 k on it and instantly regretted it,then I spent ages trying find a standard decent on , in the end found this guy owned from new garages all it life and did less than 3k a year in it . Not the best colour but still like it.

[Ryan90VRS]

I flogged my VRS to buy my 'dream car' which turned out to be a nightmare, I was given the opportunity to buy back my VRS but the guy I sold it to smoked in the car which was a real shame. 

 

I'm now knocking about in Trevors 1.8T fantasy green 'comfort spec' Fabia that he built and I can't fault it. I desperately need something more practical having just had our first child but I can't bring myself to sell it - it's the best car I've ever had! 

 

I've used it for trips to Cornwall, Scotland, Isle of Skye, I've had a Tentbox on the roof of it, it's been my daily driver for almost 2 years, it's brilliant, I absolutely love the thing! People at work think I'm crackers and ask if I've got another car "so is that green thing just your work car". I'll certainly be keeping mine on the road for as long as possible!

Edited 30 March, 2023 by Ryan90VRS

[AnnoyingPentium]

10 minutes ago, Ryan90VRS said:

I'm now knocking about in Trevors 1.8T fantasy green 'comfort spec' Fabia that he built and I can't fault it. I desperately need something more practical having just had our first child but I can't bring myself to sell it - it's the best car I've ever had! 

 

Build yourself a 1.8T estate... sorted.

[Ryan90VRS]

1 minute ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

 

Build yourself a 1.8T estate... sorted.

I'm too busy changing nappies 🙈

[vindaloo]

From my perspective and looking at the newer cars around the neighbourhood....

 

Shortly, I'll have to pay ULEZ to watch rugby in Richmond or visit friends near Wimbledon. So that's not too expensive but if visiting friends will cost £25 per overnight visit.

Utter lack of tech. No cameras, no parking aids, no heated front screen.

Bits that fail that you can't easily find..... Headlights becoming scarce. I have hazy and dimmer Xenons. Factory prices were always high to replace those. Recently had several £££s of turbo pipes replaced .... Which then caused the turbo to explode. So ££££s to fix it.

The now complete lack of any cushioning from the top mounts front and back. Driving a concrete road is like operating an old style hammer drill.

 

It's a one owner car. First car I bought new in 2005. Having previously owned second hand cars.