Probably going to be saying goodbye unless there's a cheap Scala or similar nearby.....

[vindaloo]

My Fabia was hit by someone pulling out from a T junction last Saturday around 12:15PM. I'm fine, had the good fortune to be hit  within 300-400 yards of a pub/restaurant that did nice pots of tea. And the misfortune to be nowhere near any place I knew anyone. RAC lorry arrived 17:20-17:30. Me and car home before 19:00.

 

Was always going to be a write-off. Front wing, both doors and rear wing dented. Front wheel tilted over at a nasty angle and the A pillar bent so the passenger door didn't sit true any more.

 

Car has gone to Synetiq at South Mims.

 

Currently on the prowl for a new motor. Have a 1.4TSI Golf for the next 4 days to aid me in that.

 

J.

[gav_is_con]

Sorry to hear about the accident. Good to hear you are okay. Do you not want to replace it with another?
 

Hard to find a decent vRS, depending on what you are looking for and willing to pay. There is a red one for sale on here if it floats your boat? 

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Sorry to hear about your accident. Glad to hear you're okay - that's always the most important thing.

 

Won't be too easy getting a decent Fabia vRS second hand like @gav_is_con said. Very dependent on budget and again, what you're after. Good (AKA non-chav spec) ones do pop up from time to time, may have to bide your time though.

[@Lee]

@vindaloo firstly sorry to hear about that and also to say glad you're OK. 

Secondly whereabouts are you and what's your ball park figure for a replacement?

Perhaps between us we could all have a bit of a search and see what's available. 

There's a MkI vRS SE available but that's silly money. MkII maybe? Polo/ Golf/ Leon Cupra/ Audi A3? 

As for the Scala, I'm eyeing one as my next car. Probably the 1.5 TSi six speed 150hp

Edited 15 December, 2023 by @Lee

[AnnoyingPentium]

6 minutes ago, @Lee said:

Perhaps between us we could all have a bit of a search and see what's available. 

 

To add to this, I'm happy to go and have a look at something if it's nearer me (and you'd be travelling to pick it up).

[dave594]

14 hours ago, @Lee said:

@vindaloo firstly sorry to hear about that and also to say glad you're OK. 

Secondly whereabouts are you and what's your ball park figure for a replacement?

Perhaps between us we could all have a bit of a search and see what's available. 

There's a MkI vRS SE available but that's silly money. MkII maybe? Polo/ Golf/ Leon Cupra/ Audi A3? 

As for the Scala, I'm eyeing one as my next car. Probably the 1.5 TSi six speed 150hp

I've got my eye on a Scala 1.5 manual as my next car. You will probably get one before me. Let us know how you get on with it when you get one. 

[vindaloo]

Thanks for the thoughts and comments, guys.

 

Realistically, I need a car I can take into London without paying pesky ULEZ. So that rules out pretty much all Fabia 6Ys. Not sure on some Petrol models but none of the diesels comply.

 

MPG of modern petrol turbos seem quite remarkable, though I'm greatly sceptical of the miniature engines.

Broadly focussing on 1.4-1.6 turbo petrol cars with decent practically that aren't huge. So Golf, Leon, Focus, Astra etc.

[gav_is_con]

3 minutes ago, vindaloo said:

Thanks for the thoughts and comments, guys.

 

Realistically, I need a car I can take into London without paying pesky ULEZ. So that rules out pretty much all Fabia 6Ys. Not sure on some Petrol models but none of the diesels comply.

 

MPG of modern petrol turbos seem quite remarkable, though I'm greatly sceptical of the miniature engines.

Broadly focussing on 1.4-1.6 turbo petrol cars with decent practically that aren't huge. So Golf, Leon, Focus, Astra etc.

I can vouch for a late 2013 1.2TSI 105BHP Leon 5 door hatch, we got the SE Tech. Has Nav. iPod/phone/USB connection. Think SD card too. LED front and rear lights. Nice looking motor. 6 Speed manual. Proper handbrake. Arm rest jumbo  box. Cruise control. Nice maxidot type computer and more on stereo.  MF Steering Wheel.
All important cam belt not chain engine, was a factor for me. On a run can do 50MPG or more, around town can vary say 35-40, but I can eeek 45-50 out of it. Being a petrol not much torque like the diesels, so you need to rev high to get decent poke. But it’s no slouch. 2 adults and 2 teens has started to feel a little underpowered sometimes. I would get the 1.4 125bhp FR next looks the part and some more horses.  It’s our only ULEZ car for Bham and London. All 3 of mine are still diesels. Good luck with your search. 

[gav_is_con]

£20-30 RFL sweetens the deal also for the Leon petrol TSI. The TDIs are into the early £200’s some of them, we are certainly paying the price keeping them going. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

5 hours ago, vindaloo said:

Thanks for the thoughts and comments, guys.

 

Realistically, I need a car I can take into London without paying pesky ULEZ. So that rules out pretty much all Fabia 6Ys. Not sure on some Petrol models but none of the diesels comply.

 

MPG of modern petrol turbos seem quite remarkable, though I'm greatly sceptical of the miniature engines.

Broadly focussing on 1.4-1.6 turbo petrol cars with decent practically that aren't huge. So Golf, Leon, Focus, Astra etc.

 

1.4 16v and the 1.2s are all ULEZ compliant as Euro 4, think the 1.4 8v and 2.slow were the same. Brochure is somewhere...

[@Lee]

3 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

 

1.4 16v and the 1.2s are all ULEZ compliant as Euro 4, think the 1.4 8v and 2.slow were the same. Brochure is somewhere...

 

Funny you mention brochures - I found this the other day. Lotsssssss of brochures

https://autocatalogarchive.com/skoda/

 

[vindaloo]

It's the latest lot of 1.0 litres I'm most sceptical about. "That can't be an engine, it's tiny.... Is it of Swiss manufacture? Only they do that small, Is it some kind of clock?"

[skomaz]

10 hours ago, vindaloo said:

It's the latest lot of 1.0 litres I'm most sceptical about. "That can't be an engine, it's tiny.... Is it of Swiss manufacture? Only they do that small, Is it some kind of clock?"

 

Do t be dismissive of them...   Get a decent one and they are excellent.

 

My 998cc Boosterjet Suzuki Swift hybrid is a cracking little thing, lots of tech, a comfy interior, good handling and drive, has been totally reliable and does about 50mpg round town.

Edited 17 December, 2023 by skomaz

[vindaloo]

35 minutes ago, skomaz said:

 

Do t be dismissive of them...   Get a decent one and they are excellent.

 

My 998cc Boosterjet Suzuki Swift hybrid is a cracking little thing, lots of tech, a comfy interior, good handling and drive, has been totally reliable and does about 50mpg round town.

Not so much dismissive of the concept. Just the idea that a powertrain suitable back in the day for a Daihatsu Charade GTti, is similar in size to an engine pulling around 1.2-1.5 tonnes of modern safety barge.

[skomaz]

2 hours ago, vindaloo said:

Not so much dismissive of the concept. Just the idea that a powertrain suitable back in the day for a Daihatsu Charade GTti, is similar in size to an engine pulling around 1.2-1.5 tonnes of modern safety barge.

 

Try one you'll be surprised.

 

110bhp 126lbft plus another 4bhp and 37lbft (114bhp 163lbft total) from the hybrid part all in 960kg with all modern safety features you can think of (lane keep, autonomous braking, radar active cruise etc).

 

Its light years ahead of the tweaked Fabia 1.9 TDI and Octavia 2.0TDIs we had 

Edited 17 December, 2023 by skomaz

[vindaloo]

On 16/12/2023 at 23:34, AnnoyingPentium said:

 

1.4 16v and the 1.2s are all ULEZ compliant as Euro 4, think the 1.4 8v and 2.slow were the same. Brochure is somewhere...

A mate pointed out "at present they are ULEZ compliant". Will the goal posts get moved? Depends on the political will, I suppose.

[vindaloo]

On 17/12/2023 at 14:01, skomaz said:

 

Try one you'll be surprised.

 

110bhp 126lbft plus another 4bhp and 37lbft (114bhp 163lbft total) from the hybrid part all in 960kg with all modern safety features you can think of (lane keep, autonomous braking, radar active cruise etc).

 

Its light years ahead of the tweaked Fabia 1.9 TDI and Octavia 2.0TDIs we had 

That seems a lot better than most. A lighter car and both a turbo and a hybrid.

 

I note that the current MHEV offerings appear to be non-turbo with a stratospheric compression ratio and a CVT transmission.

[Tailhappy]

Not to be dismissive but if you do want to maybe go for one of the newer 1 litre 3 cylinder vehicles do take a proper test drive. Two years ago I wanted to take the family to Cornwall for a funeral in something larger than my Mk.1 Fabia or Estelle. We ended up hiring a Peugeot 2008 however the vibration from the 3 cylinder engine over the long drive damaged the nerves in both hands and forearms. Took over 2 months to heal and I still get odd feelings now. 3 cylinders are all the rage but they are not for me.

[TMB]

45 minutes ago, Tailhappy said:

We ended up hiring a Peugeot 2008 however the vibration from the 3 cylinder engine over the long drive damaged the nerves in both hands and forearms. Took over 2 months to heal and I still get odd feelings now. 3 cylinders are all the rage but they are not for me.

 

Wow, I have a 3 cylinder Peugeot 107 and you can hardly tell it only has 3 pots, pretty smooth.

[skomaz]

15 minutes ago, TMB said:

 

Wow, I have a 3 cylinder Peugeot 107 and you can hardly tell it only has 3 pots, pretty smooth.

 

Was going to say the same re my Suzuki...   It's very smooth with a nice rasp when pushing on.  That Peugeot 2008. Must've had something seriously amiss...   Probably a knackered engine mount or a miss fire.

Edited 24 December, 2023 by skomaz

[Tailhappy]

It was almost new just over 700 miles. It may have been faulty but it never lit any lights. It had enough power too. Just the thrum of the 3 cylinder engine through the steering wheel caused me issues which I've never experienced in a 4 cylinder car.

[AnnoyingPentium]

On 21/12/2023 at 12:47, vindaloo said:

A mate pointed out "at present they are ULEZ compliant". Will the goal posts get moved? Depends on the political will, I suppose.

 

Nobody can say for certain really.