Hello everyone

I'm a newbie on here - am considering a Fabia as my next Driving School car and have some questions based on problems I have had with other cars over the years.

With the exception of the Corsa I am running currently, clutches have tended to become heavy and 'sticky' after extended use. Does the Fabia do this?

Which models are best avoided - sounds like the 1.4 16v might be one to avoid going by the reports of throttle lag. Can't afford a Vrs!!!! Anything else to watch out for? My nearest dealer (David Ian) is about 30 miles away and don't want to be running back and forth for niggling faults.

I was looking at a Mazda 2, until I found out it was a Ford in disguise!

Thanks everyone. Regards, Howard

Welcome to the forum, do a search its been well covered in the past there are a few on here who are instructors.

I'd be going for one of the diesels in Ambient spec if I were you. The 1.9PD 100 is excellent for performance if that floats your boat, and should be bulletproof. The 1.4PD engines are great too.

The 1.2 is a great little engine in the 60 odd bhp guise too.

As you say, I'd avoid the 1.4, and the 2.0 will be far too fast for your learners

I'd be looking at the 1.9 PD TDI (100bhp) in either Ambiente spec if I was set on a Fabia. One problem I had with mine was the clutch pedal snapping (at about 70k/4 years) which a few other people on here have experienced too. Also bear in mind that if you get an '06 on Euro IV car it may be plagued with a stutter, but it seems to affect the non-vRS' a lot less.....

Chris

As suggested, do a search, there are a few on here who instruct. Bias seems to be toward the RS. A PM to Sharkrider may be of assistance, I know he instructs in an RS and is an ORDIT chappie too.

Thanks for that, search done and loads of information found. I'm going to try and find a 1.9 D to test drive, as this seems to be second favourite to the VRS. Interesting to note that a pupil in one of the earlier threads had commented that the Fabia was easier to drive than the Corsa. This was the impression I got when I test drove a 1.2 Classic - prior to this I had found the Corsa easier than all previously owned cars.

ScoobyChris - why did the clutch pedal break? Had operation become heavy? I know I keep harping on about this but it is the single most recurring/irritating problem I have encountered in Driving School cars since 1979. The Corsa doesn't do it (does lots of other things though, e.g. steering racks, gearchange linkage, water pump gone etc.) Thanks again, Howard

ScoobyChris - why did the clutch pedal break? Had operation become heavy?

The recovery guy and dealer told me it was fairly common and "just one of those things", but I don't know if they were trying to cheer me up (why do breakdowns always happen on the wettest coldest weekend of the year? ). Operation was fine as far as I was concerned until I heard a click and the pedal went to the floor, leaving the clutch permanently engaged. The clutch itself was still fine, just the clutch pedal.

Chris

Thanks, Chris, that's exactly what I needed to know. A local (ex bike mechanic) instructor has suggested that hydraulic clutches are less prone to sticking than cable clutches, though he agrees that is the release bearing that sticks rather than the cable. He's not sure why though...

Howard

hey howard, said hello to you in your other thread, If not the vRS as chris says, I'd reccomend the PD100, great engine, economical, powerful and very easy to drive.. the pupils love them!

as the clutch seems to be your biggest concern, I can only comment on mine. I use the vRS (PD130) and have clocked up 57k in 20 months of learner driving. the clutch still feels like new in my car, and has shown no signs of wear. it does creak, but this is the spring from the dual controls making the noise, not the cars clutch. It is a little heavy in the PD130 (not so much that any of my pupils have ever complained, they just comment how easy it is to use compaired to other cars they drive i.e. their own petrol model fiestas/206's ect) and the clutch on the PD100 should in theory be a bit lighter, having to handle less power....

hope this helps!

Dave DSA ADI ORDIT

I'd be going for one of the diesels in Ambient spec if I were you. The 1.9PD 100 is excellent for performance if that floats your boat, and should be bulletproof. The 1.4PD engines are great too.

The 1.2 is a great little engine in the 60 odd bhp guise too.

As you say, I'd avoid the 1.4, and the 2.0 will be far too fast for your learners

A 1.9tdi pd100 will blow a 1.4 16v into the weeds! Even without the breath of jabba! I use a 1.9 tdi pd 100 its done 103k miles and is a little stormer. Good for 40+mpg on most lessons and I found it to be bullet proof. Clutch good for at least 50K. Look up cobra cr2 on yell if you want a chat.....

PD100 gets my vote too, it's got a more 'regular' 5 speed gearbox, plenty of power, and at an appropriate spec level you get all you need.

For a learning driver I would imagine the lack of 'flash looking dash/ICE' may be good too, not too much to distract from the learning.

The 1.4 16V IMHO felt slower than the 1.2 12V.

Not driven the 1.4 PD but I would imagine it would still be a very usable car

Hi Howard

The vRS has held up well so far. It has had a few minor niggles, but nothing that stopped it being used for teaching, so it has not lost me any business. Mine has done 45000 in 12 months and still drives very well indeed.

I went for the vRS because the passenger seat is very comfortable. In all models the driver seat and djustable steering column combine to make it possible to teach all shapes and sizes (I have pupils 4'11" to 6'7" at the moment, all get in comfortably).

If you petrol, the running costs will probably outweigh the purchase price benefit. I went vRS beacuse of the seat comfort, ergonimics, low cabin noise, fuel economy and maybe just a bit, the performance. Consider the resale value and the vRS may not be far from reach. PD100 engine Jabbad should be good for similar performance.

Chris

Although I bought my PD100 after driving for two years, I can concur that it's an excellent engine. Very economical (mine often touches 60mpg on out and about trips without my realising!) and pretty tough too. Not had the snapped clutch pedal on my '02 with 52k miles . . . touchwood.

Well, that's good, everyone has recommended and no-one said 'beware'. When I get a free weekend (Pass Plus this Sunday) I'll have to take a trip to test drive one of the diesels. The nearest dealer to me is 30 miles away and the nearest S/H PD100 I can find is about 70 miles. Thanks everyone for the input.

Howard