My first car was a 1.6 TDI Ibiza estate (same as mk2.5 Fabia estate) and Ive since had many different cars, but I keep coming back to Fabias/Ibizas as the right combination of size, running costs, etc.

Just one thing - theyre all so slow and/or boring.

So, the options that I've considered;

- Manual converting the mk2 Fabia VRS estate. Apparently this is very very difficult, or impossible.

- Tuning the 1.9L PD engine in an early mk2 Fabia. Apparently the PD105 (the only 1.9 sold in the mk2 Fabia) is rubbish, and cant handle much power.

- Tuning the 1.6L CR engine, as was found in my first car. I've seen one user here manage over 240hp from this engine (without water/meth injection) and Id love to know how much this cost. 

I should mention a power target I guess -  I'm not particularly sure, as much as the front tyres can handle, as much as I can without having to spend twice the value of the car on mods, as much as I can without sacrificing reliability, etc etc.

Or would I be better off buying something sporty to start with, like say a BMW 330d, or a V6 Audi A4? They seem quite big and heavy, given that they've got smaller boots than the Fabia!

Thanks!

Are you doing the work?

Not difficult converting a Mk2 Fabia estate and putting in a 2.0 litre engine for the likes of @thomasaspin

 

Yes you will be better off just going and buying an already quicker car / estate that handles well and remap that if you must.

You  do not need to go big and lardy if all you are wanting is 200 bhp ot so.

(Just buy a bit bigger / heavier 2.0TDI SEAT, Skoda, Audi or VW Estate maybe and then remap that. )

Or a Volvo / Ford etc FOCUS ST / estate/ diesel.

*MINI Clubman John Cooper Works AWD.*

 

But if you are doing a Mk2 Fabia, 

Look in the Fabia Project Section. There are fast Mk2 Fabia TDI,s there.   Also in the Yeti Section for tuned TDI,s or the Ultimate Yeti, TTRS powered.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/386765-16cr-tdi-175-bhp-345-nm-big-smiles

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/276524-big-turbo-mk2-tdi-vrs-rep-070117-update

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/437057-amds-2-litre-304bhp-162mph-fabia-monte-carlo-tdi-6-speed-conversion

 

 

 

Edited 2 March, 20242 yr by Rooted

@Reeky

Just read your update. 

 So bettering what you have been driving is going to cost you if modding a Mk2 Fabia.

2 hours ago, Reeky said:

I should mention a power target I guess -  I'm not particularly sure, as much as the front tyres can handle, as much as I can without having to spend twice the value of the car on mods, as much as I can without sacrificing reliability, etc etc.

Well, it's like this. Power costs; how fast can you afford to go?

 

Alternatively, have a look at some of the driving tuition on YouTube, such as Ashley Neal's channel, Chris Martin EMS...

5 hours ago, Rooted said:

Are you doing the work?

Probably - otherwise it tgets REALLY expensive.

5 hours ago, Rooted said:

You  do not need to go big and lardy if all you are wanting is 200 bhp ot so.

(Just buy a bit bigger / heavier 2.0TDI SEAT, Skoda, Audi or VW Estate maybe and then remap that. )

Or a Volvo / Ford etc FOCUS ST / estate/ diesel.

Those are all quite big and lardy compared to a Fabia/Ibiza. The only other small estate I can think of is the Subaru Impreza, and the quick versions of those drink as much fuel as my Legacy, and they need 99, and they need timing belt services etc.

5 hours ago, Rooted said:

*MINI Clubman John Cooper Works AWD.*

I did look at one of these, and other clubmans. I was shocked at how little space there is inside them, and how big they are on the outside. As you might have guessed, I don't buy my cars based on fashion trends, so the mini isnt a car that I find particularly appealing. Also, the AWD is just a haldex system, so I might not bother with that, unless the newer systems are MUCH better than the old ones.

5 hours ago, Rooted said:

But if you are doing a Mk2 Fabia, 

Look in the Fabia Project Section. There are fast Mk2 Fabia TDI,s there.   Also in the Yeti Section for tuned TDI,s or the Ultimate Yeti, TTRS powered.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/386765-16cr-tdi-175-bhp-345-nm-big-smiles

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/276524-big-turbo-mk2-tdi-vrs-rep-070117-update

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/437057-amds-2-litre-304bhp-162mph-fabia-monte-carlo-tdi-6-speed-conversion

Looks like the 1.6tdi is the best place to start then?

4 hours ago, Rooted said:

 So bettering what you have been driving is going to cost you if modding a Mk2 Fabia.

I imagine it would soon pay for its self in fuel saving! I once managed over 70mpg from my Ibiza, Ive yet to get 30mpg from my Legacy. Although that does remind me, Id definately need an  LSD, I suspect? Thants the main reason I havnt bought a diesel BMW.

3 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

Well, it's like this. Power costs; how fast can you afford to go?

 

Alternatively, have a look at some of the driving tuition on YouTube, such as Ashley Neal's channel, Chris Martin EMS...

This is a really good point. Especially in my Legacy, the thing that dictates how fast I can drive is how much of the road I can or cannot see, most of the time. So it seems a bit silly driving a 3.0, 250hp+, 1600kg car that drinks 20-25mpg when all I need is enough grunt to get past a bus or a lorry or whatever.

^^^ Are you going to the 1/4 mile strip or doing Grand ***** starts often?

Lots seem to live in parallel universes where great driving roads and corners can be taken at high speeds and no sheep, cyclists, walkers or others around the bend or coming the same way doing the same. 

3 minutes ago, Rooted said:

^^^ Are you going to the 1/4 mile strip or doing Grand ***** starts often?

Lots seem to live in parallel universes where great driving roads and corners can be taken at high speeds and no sheep, cyclists, walkers or others around the bend or coming the same way doing the same. 

Well, on roads that you know, you can "push the envelope" a bit sometimes. In the octavia scout, that was so rubbish it understeered if you tried to swerve to avoid said sheep, but in the subaru, you can drive like a propper looney on a B-road if you know nothing is coming the other way.

The biggest "problem" Ive had with 2wd cars, particualrly FWD diesels, is that on low speed corners, or junctions, particualrly in the wet, they just spin the inside wheel and dont really go anywhere.

Best get better tyres then, or better cars or maybe just drive to the conditions.

9 minutes ago, Rooted said:

Best get better tyres then, or better cars or maybe just drive to the conditions.

From memory, that was with bridgestones. And "driving to the conditions" is obviously what I did, I didnt crash, but because of its turbocharged nature, it would wheelspin or bog down, I could never launch it well in the wet (Ive never had such problems with NA petrol cars)

Crap tyres might have been your problem with the Octavia Scout too... 

11 minutes ago, skomaz said:

Crap tyres might have been your problem with the Octavia Scout too... 

Cant remember what that had on it, winter tyres of some sort, iirc. The problem wasnt the tyres, because I took it into a field (the great equaliser) and as soon as the haldex had engaged and was sending power to all 4 wheels, it was great, but it was just so slow to respond that on the road, by the time it had finally kicked in, it was too late. Its a shame, because the steering feel wasnt bad for what it was, it was just let down by the dimwitted AWD system. If I wanted a bigger car, an Octavia VRS would cartainly be on my shortlist, but what Im after is a small car with a big boot.

Sound like the haldex needed servicing and the filter replaced.  Ours would transfer power quickly albeit it did need a few degrees of wheel rotation first as the early haldex weren't predictive or pre-engaged.

 

As I said in the other thread we had no such problems but hey ho...

5 hours ago, skomaz said:

Sound like the haldex needed servicing and the filter replaced.  Ours would transfer power quickly albeit it did need a few degrees of wheel rotation first as the early haldex weren't predictive or pre-engaged.

 

As I said in the other thread we had no such problems but hey ho...

Yeah, I mean it wasnt too bad for say pulling out of a wet/greasy junction, but lets say it takes half a second to kick in (I've no idea how long it took, I never timed it) well thats pretty instant when youre almost stationary, but at 60mph, thats 3 car lengths.

Its always been instantaneous in the Yeti, also pre-emptive which can be a bit of a pain on the occasions that it causes transmission wind up, it always seems to happen when reversing very slowly (I dont have good vision) out of a supermarket parking place on lock to turn 90° in the narrow lane between the opposing spaces.

 

I have also driven (empty industrial estate at weekend night) with VCDS showing the Haldex engagement, there is partial engagement most of the time, many instances of pre-emptive engagement and when fully engaged accelerating hard up a greasy slope it has micro-releases to avoid transmission wind up.

 

Maybe the earlier controllers were lacking but it sounds like there was a hydraulic problem with yours, perhaps a partially blocked filter screen.

 

Overall it is pretty seamless and unless you are really in touch with and at one with your vehicle most would not even notice it operating until it doesn't.

On 03/03/2024 at 01:53, J.R. said:

Its always been instantaneous in the Yeti, also pre-emptive which can be a bit of a pain on the occasions that it causes transmission wind up, it always seems to happen when reversing very slowly (I dont have good vision) out of a supermarket parking place on lock to turn 90° in the narrow lane between the opposing spaces.

 

I have also driven (empty industrial estate at weekend night) with VCDS showing the Haldex engagement, there is partial engagement most of the time, many instances of pre-emptive engagement and when fully engaged accelerating hard up a greasy slope it has micro-releases to avoid transmission wind up.

 

Maybe the earlier controllers were lacking but it sounds like there was a hydraulic problem with yours, perhaps a partially blocked filter screen.

 

Overall it is pretty seamless and unless you are really in touch with and at one with your vehicle most would not even notice it operating until it doesn't.

Yeah, the Yeti has a newer system (Haldex 4) than mine did (Haldex 2), I could definatelly notice mine when it kicked in, it worked excellently at low speeds, and to be fair, it wasnt bad offroad once it was moving, but if you stopped on soft ground, that was it. It also didnt have a "locking" button like a Yeti, so that didnt help it either.

Anyway, enough about Octavias and Yetis, lets get back to Fabias, 1.9 PD105 or 1.6 CR105? I with the 2.0TDI CR140 from the 3 door Ibiza was available in the estate, but it wasnt.

I have no locking button.

12 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I have no locking button.

I think it might be called "offroad mode" or something?

Not fitted to poverty spec models like mine. Its always done the business when needed and I haven't found myself wanting to pre-empt it, my plot is a swamp and I tow trailers up to 3 tonne around it, I have also done a small amount of technical offroading, cross axling etc, it has always coped but the tyres are close to slick now.

Im back...

Why? Well Ive now got 3 points on my license (for speeding) and insuring a 250ish hp subaru at 21 with points is, as you may guess, not cheap. I also did some quick maths, and doing 8000ish miles a year is costing me 4-5k a year (fuel, tyres, MoT, tax, insurance, etc)

So now Im looking at something cheaper again. I love my subaru, and Im very tempted to just fork out the extra, but these days I feel like I shouldnt really be burning money.

Also, its quite low-slung and occasionally scrapes on speedbumps, and there are some carparks I just cant drive into.

 

So what Skodas am I considering now? Well the 2.0TDI mk3 octavia VRS estate is tempting, but theyre holding their values annoyingly well. Then theres the Yeti 2.0 TDI 170, which again, isnt too cheap. Ive also got reserves about the nature of the AWD system. And one other thing about both of these cars, I remember when I had my Octavia Scout with the 2.0 PD140, I was rather disappointed with the fuel consumption, I averaged low-mid 30s most of the time, unless I drove very carefully, and then it was excellent and Id sometimes manage over 60mpg. Given the Yeti is even more boxy, I imagine its slightly worse on fuel?

I know that the Yeti is going to be the best at towing, but I dont really tow regularly enough to use that as a significant justification.

 

The Fabia estate (or its SEAT sibling) is also tempting, because its so substantially lighter than the bigger golf-derived Skodas. From memory, the Octavia/Yeti are about 20-25% heavier, and rear legroom is definately not a priority (but boot space is)

 

Just as a thought experiment, lets compare a Fabia/Ibiza estate to an E91 330d Touring. The BMW is 400kg heavier, or about a third, (making the Fabia a 25% lighter than the 330d) and the 330d remaps to about 300hp according to superchips. So the equivelant power:weight in a Fabia would be 225hp. So, roughly how much would it cost me to get that much power?

 

And a quick note, because I know this always comes up, tyres. Ive got uniroyal rainsport 5s on my Subaru, and Ill be using the same tyres on anything else I buy. They dont last very long, but theyre so excellent in the rain that theres no way Id go back to anything else.