hi all,

just converted from a 2.0i ghia x mondeo (145bhp) to the fabia vrs..

apparently the one im getting is one of the last 22 in the UK... (not sure if that was salesman talk or what) but im hoping for good times ahead..

can anyone tell me a bit about what its like to live with the vrs as opposed to a tank like a mondy?

In comparison to the Mondy, the Fabia is tiny, low specced, has a hard to keep clean interior, soggy handling and is expensive to service. In its favour, it is more economical, has stronger residuals and a better enthusiast's web site. Enjoy your new purchase

Chris

Depends what sort of driving you are doing and what age your mondeo is.

The Ghia X has lots more toys than the VRS, and on the motorway the mondeo will be a much more comfortable cruiser due to the longer wheel base.

I personally think the mondeo will have a stock vrs in the corners too, although the turbo on the VRS and the torque surge makes it seem like a very fast car. It is indeed pretty nippy under the right conditions.

I would say that if you have to move stuff around you will miss the space, but at the same time probably have a bit of a grin on your face.

Oh and Hi

In comparison to the Mondy, the Fabia is tiny, low specced, has a hard to keep clean interior, soggy handling and is expensive to service. In its favour, it is more economical, has stronger residuals and a better enthusiast's web site. Enjoy your new purchase

Chris

i dissagree

tiny vs mondeo.... yes its smaller... but theres only me and wifey so not a problem

hard to keep clean interior - thats why ive bought the scotguard/superguard pack

soggy handling.... the test one ive had this week didnt feel soggy

no more expensive to service than the mondy

totally agree on the economy.... 24 mpg average for the mondeo and residuals are higher

my other car is the fab 1.4 which has given wifey 3 years of trouble free motoring so hoping for more of the same

Depends what sort of driving you are doing and what age your mondeo is.

The Ghia X has lots more toys than the VRS, and on the motorway the mondeo will be a much more comfortable cruiser due to the longer wheel base.

I personally think the mondeo will have a stock vrs in the corners too, although the turbo on the VRS and the torque surge makes it seem like a very fast car. It is indeed pretty nippy under the right conditions.

I would say that if you have to move stuff around you will miss the space, but at the same time probably have a bit of a grin on your face.

Oh and Hi

hey!

the ghia x does have a lot of toys (heated screen/seats/6 disk player/full leather/cruise con etc..) but the difference in accelaration is vast

i timed the 20-40 run... skoda - 2.4 seconds.... mondeo 4.9 seconds... its just phenominal... the mondy has a higher top speed, but by the time it reaches it, the skoda will be about 5 miles ahead! the space does concern me a bit cos you can fit a small house in the back of a mondy.... but i agree - i did have a bit of a smirk on my face when driving it

the space does concern me a bit cos you can fit a small house in the back of a mondy.... but i agree - i did have a bit of a smirk on my face when driving it

you can fit alot in a canal barge too you know.

The Scotchgard will last about 6 months, then the seats will start staining.

One thing I will say about the fabia VRS (and the Octy TDI that I had) is that they seem a lot faster than they really are.

You will find (i know i did) that the fabia VRS is nice on a test drive but when i had one for a week, I picked up on how soft the suspension really it when you pile into a corner. Also under braking the nose on the fabia dips a scary amount.

It's a good car, as long as you realise it is an A-B car that you can have a bit of fun in, rather than a well handling hot hatch.

You can make it so by spending cash on something like eibach/FSD suspension etc, but a 306 (any of them inc the Dervs) or MK I/II golf GTI will still absolutely eat it in the corners.

Regarding the seats, this chap had leather fitted at his own cost, because as nick said, the scotch guard lasted a year then the white was just too hard to keep clean. after 2 years it was leather all in.

It seems like you are happy with the car though, which is what counts.

I hope you didn't pay full price though as I know i recently got one for a friend for £11.2k and when trading in an older furby VRS the cost to change was the good side of £3k

The Scotchgard will last about 6 months, then the seats will start staining.

Mines not done this and has worked a treat at keeping the seats clean. If I spill something or have to clean mud off the back of the seats then it cleans straight off leaving no marks. I've had the car for nealy 8 months without issues and I mucky the seats quite a bit as i play football quite a lot.

My Octy was Scotchgarded before I had it. It's had stains that have appeared on the seats since and can't be removed - some of them are just water stains where the seat has got damp, and the odd chocolate crumb etc. The Scotchgard seems to make no difference whatever :thumbdwn:

Mine wasn't Scotchgarded or anything, it's now over 3 years old and any stains still come out fine with a little upholstry cleaner.

Depends how mucky you will be getting the inside of the car I suppose.

What cleaner are you using, Mort? I'll have to get some...

I used to have a mondeo, and you're right, it was like a tank.

I now have a fabia and I love it to bits! And mine isn't even a vRS!!

The VRS will make you smile more than a Mondeo Ghia X could ever do. What more do you need to know?!!

The VRS will make you smile more than a Mondeo Ghia X could ever do. What more do you need to know?!!

hope so.. im really looking forward to it.... 2 weeks to collection date!

*cough* http://www.briskoda.net/forums/fabia/fabia-vrs-vs-mondeo-2-0lx/56670/ *cough*

Chris

*cough* http://www.briskoda.net/forums/fabia/fabia-vrs-vs-mondeo-2-0lx/56670/ *cough*

Chris

i maintain that the mondy 2.0i is a great car.... i also maintain that the torque level/speed/accellaration (particually under 80mph), the fabia will kill it.... at higher speeds (120+) the mondeo will simply sail into the distance. vrs top speed 127 vs mondeo 143..

not sure about the corner handling though, the mondeo has got probably one of the best suspensions in class, (they knicked it for the passat, focus, and improved on it for the new octavia (5 links instead of 3)) but even with full esp on, ive never felt THAT safe lobbing the mondy round 60-90 lefts/rights. im hoping that the VRS will be more stable

...

not sure about the corner handling though, the mondeo has got probably one of the best suspensions in class, (they knicked it for the passat, focus, and improved on it for the new octavia (5 links instead of 3)) but even with full esp on, ive never felt THAT safe lobbing the mondy round 60-90 lefts/rights. im hoping that the VRS will be more stable

I get the feeling you will want to take a look an interest in this if you want the car to handle around the corners better than they mondeo.

The standard set up in the fabia, is IMHO, under damped and allows far too much body roll etc into corners, which combines with the heavy nose means that the car is quite easy to get under steering, again IMHO.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/group-buys/group-buy-koni-fsd-eibach-kit-octavia-mkii-fabia/70962/

you can improve on the fabia ride by simply fitting eibach springs. They improve the handling and I think how the car should have been out of the factory. It rides and handles like my fathers mondeo tdci zetec s. Out of the two, i would always have the skoda. The mondeo is nice, but it is large car to park etc. The fabia is very deceptive in size and a good all rounder. Plus itscheap as chips to maintain and run. Tax and insurance etc. You wont be disappointed with your purchase!!

Mondeo may be good cars but I know i'd rather have my VRS (no offence to anyone), congrats on the purchase you will be v happy:thumbup:

the space does concern me a bit cos you can fit a small house in the back of a mondy.... but i agree - i did have a bit of a smirk on my face when driving it

i've had a complete 6x4 garden shed in the back of my VRS , does that count as a small house

Eibach springs and the Jabba rear ARB transform the handling on the car

What cleaner are you using, Mort? I'll have to get some...

I can't remember offhand, but it's nothing special. Picked it up from halfords when I was buying a bucket. One of those foamy things that you spray on, rub in with a hard bristled brush, leave it a bit and hoover out.

Also made my floor mats come up like new. I loved that day!

you can improve on the fabia ride by simply fitting eibach springs. They improve the handling and I think how the car should have been out of the factory. It rides and handles like my fathers mondeo tdci zetec s. Out of the two, i would always have the skoda. The mondeo is nice, but it is large car to park etc. The fabia is very deceptive in size and a good all rounder. Plus itscheap as chips to maintain and run. Tax and insurance etc. You wont be disappointed with your purchase!!

hope not..... had confirmation today that its being built in tuesday, will be in the country next week and on my drive 6th march!

stick with the Furby anytime matey. Poeple forget Modeo's are still made by ford.

but a 306 (any of them inc the Dervs) or MK I/II golf GTI will still absolutely eat it in the corners

Any 306? I disagree :P Mr P has a 306 1.9DT 90 bhp that I still drive every now and again and it is absolutely gutless, so would need a head start to even get into the corner