Having had to drive a Roomster for a couple of days recently while my car was serviced and warranty work carried out, I can report that the mini MPV concept in general is a poor idea. I say now that I expect the Roomster is good for an MPV.

I did not want to review it serously because I did not want to start a flame war or criticise anyones decision, but my god it is bad. I read in a couple of magazines that it was fun to drive. In what way fun? Maybe in the same way as having flu is fun? It is far too tall, seating position too high, bouncy and scary at any remotely entertaining cornering speed. Seats are perch on rather than sit in, which given its dynamic limitations is probably acceptable. The fuel economy of the 1.4 16V car I had (according to the on board comp) was scarcely better than that of my old V6 Omega on a similar journey. Performance: there isn

Do I take it you were glad to get the Furby back - or are you still 'possessed' ?

Do I take it you were glad to get the Furby back - or are you still 'possessed' ?

Extremely glad to get back in the Fabia. Had a little water ingress both sides at the back. So far it has stayed dry, but it only leaked on occasion anyway.

Chris

You'd gone offline

Water ingress - was that was the Furby was in for ?

And, sorry, Hi

You'd gone offline

Water ingress - was that was the Furby was in for ?

And, sorry, Hi

Yeah, went offline to do data transactions (good security system here allows for total insulation from the net when moving important data about).

Fabia had 60,000 mile service one week, then went in following week for rear door leaks to be sorted. Garage had the wrong seals and only noticed by 2:00 pm so had to go back again. Had the Roomster for 3 whole days. Missus broke her ankle late last year and still finds getting in and out of the MR2 and travelling any distance in it painful. Enough said that after first ride in the Roomster, she endured the pain of the MR2 in preference to what she calls the "clown car". Funnily enough, the bloke down the road from us is a clown and does own 2 Skodas, but neither of them a Roomster.

Chris

Chris

Ours went in for MOT

Drove son's Polo

Aaargh - it an oldish one

Only good thing was I could take the speed humps at 20+ and not worry about the nose tapping the ground.

Was I glad to get the Furby back.

The Horners delivery bloke genuinely rated them and he drives Horner's customer's Mitsis, Rovers, Skodas and owns newish Mondeo 130 TDCi.

I asked him that night - he came round for newbie help on PC, lives 1 mile away - and he said "Bloody Hell. That's fast. What have you done to it ?"

Well I'm about to get rid of my Fabia vRS for a Roomster so I'm soon going to look like a **** driving it.

Yes it's as ugly as sin but the Fabia isn't exactly the best looking car in the world with its fat **** hanging out.

I'm going with the roomster for practicallity.

We do a lot of camping and have a dog so there is plenty of space for all the gear and the dog plus I can shift stuff around when I'm out gigging. My Mum is disabled and there is plenty of room for her to get in and out of the back and the seats aren't too low so that means it's easier for her too.

The other vehicles in the frame were a transit connect but that has no rear seats and a VW Touran but they're a higher price.

As for the drive - you can't compare it to the fabia as it's a different type of drive.

Have you looked at the Corsa van with seat conversion? My parents have just got one with the 1.7cdti for £9000 brand new.

Have you looked at the Corsa van with seat conversion? My parents have just got one with the 1.7cdti for

Fair enough same goes with French cars with me.

Fair enough same goes with French cars with me.

Got screwed by a dealer and had a dodgy car so put me right off.

I was warned off citroens by a friend when I was looking for a large family car years ago - ended up with a pug which was a pain too.

French cars aren't even in my 'look' list - had a few stinkers (and look where they are in all the reliability surveys).

Then Jetta was brill until written off. Then bulletproff Cavalier - but Vauxhall went truly downhill after.

In a fact based survey, such as Reliability Index :: how reliable is your car?, the Citroen Xsara and Renault Clio (just two I happened to think of) are actually rated as more reliable than the Skoda Fabia ... the Xsara being significantly more reliable!

They also rate Porsche as the least reliable car make!!!

Chris

I had a Pug and to cut a long story got shot and chopped it for a Fabia. Colleague at work had a New Astra, three generations of Astras and 2 of the Vectra and they still can't sort the old problems with the 1.8 hunting at idle. She now has a Fabia too

In a fact based survey, such as Reliability Index :: how reliable is your car?, the Citroen Xsara and Renault Clio (just two I happened to think of) are actually rated as more reliable than the Skoda Fabia ... the Xsara being significantly more reliable!

They also rate Porsche as the least reliable car make!!!

Chris

I believe the Xsara was something of a non-Citroen in its reliability.

I used to use / believe the Reliability index - but started becoming dubious about some of the results.

Plus, isn't it a survey on warranty claim costs (extended etc) so not truly representative i.e. not everyone takes out these schemes.

Overall, from a broad spread of polls / surveys, the French cars come out disastrously.

I hated the Roomster I had for 3 days whilst my Furby was in having it's heaters sorted. the 1.4TDi engine sounded like a 90's transit van whilst being slow and poor on fuel, the handling was terrible, it looked like I was going to take disabled people out for a day trip, the interior was ugly, the rear seat arrangement is pointless unless you're into booze cruises and the wierd design of the B pillar/ plastic window covering freaked me out.

Was sooooo glad to get back in the vRS. It felt like a souped up, high spec rocket in comparison.

Must admit that I have never understood the small / medium mpv thing at all :confused: Personally I have always felt that a decent size hatch (Octavia, Mondeo etc) is just as practical for space inside,with the exception of height, and has a better boot and handling to go with it.

Had a look at the Roomster in the local dealer's showroom the other week - didnt like the front design at all (Guess not going to like the new Fabia) and felt cheap, then had a look at the Octavia estate they had nearby - much better car and much better build quality feel to it and like the front design of it much more, if was going have a Skoda as the next car then I would go for the Octavia estate.