The Fabia mk4 1.0 MPI is on my shortlist, because I do lots of really short errands (like <5miles). Besides the engine, I can imagine the loads of shifts may be taxing for the gearbox. In another thread I found the mk3's may suffer early gearbox wear. How is it with the mk4? Is the manual gearbox more robust than the earlier version? Can the issues be alleviated by more frequent gearbox oil change?

Absolutely no issues with either of our two Mk3 gearboxes (2015 & 2018 M6/MQ250?) - predominant use of both vehicles is relatively short trips.

Both still on original clutches.

Assuming this chap in this video is correct, and this refers to Mk3, Mk4 owns may be able to say if it still applies, if enough use and miles has been put on the Mk4 to tell, 'Skoda Fabia 1.0 MPI clutch problems' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vYzC6SYcEI [ETA: note, I am not a VW fan - personally I'd also not say it would be the only common Mk3 problem but that depends on how you quantify "common"]

'Skoda Fabia MK3 recommended gear nonsense for 1.0 MPI' [in my opinion, and others, this applies to all engines and gearbox combinations]. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ3Re6brBk4

HTH.

Edited 1 March1 Mar by nta16
ETA:

Thank you, sounds interesting. Quick AI search says the mk3 and mk4 manual gearboxes are not identical/interchangeable - ofc that carries no information about any issues inherited from the previous model. However, if I end up one that needs replacement, that'll present a challenge to find a reasonably priced part.

AFAIK, the MQ250 was in production until at least 2020 - so in use for at least some early Mk4s

2 hours ago, WildGoose said:

Quick AI search

If you trust a large language model without for investigation and checking and cross referencing then there are foreign Generals that can help you with investments.

Alphabet soup time, as VW love different letter and numbers codes on one component - cancelled AI misnomer and looked up MQ250, no idea if this is correct but here's the first, top of the list answer. - https://gearboxlist.com/volkswagen/mq250/

My wife has told me the two test driver's she going to on Wednesday at a Dealerships is a case of she drives the car by herself the salesman stays back at back at base, been a good number of years since I've experienced that. Unfortunately even if I go with her I'm not heavy enough to replicant her non-driving friend that sometimes gets ferried around, my suggested that her friend should contribute to all the additional buying and running costs to carry her and the additional boot space required for double the boot space was meet with the usual look and non-verbal response.

More annoying is that one of the test drives will be in a SUV type thing that previously my wife said she would not look at SUV type things, as a salesman suggested it and not I she will consider it, such is long term life together, I know my place.