I have a PD100 Fabia estate. I find it quite enjoyable to drive, it's cheap to run and insure and it has plenty of boot space. Essentially it does everything I want of a car and is quick enough for my needs.

However, for some reason I have recently been thinking that as my annual mileage has dropped from about 22k to more like 6k I could "swap" for something funner. Such as an Octavia VRS (tried one and loved it) or a Mazda 6 MPS (used) or even something loony like a Passat W8 or Audi RS2. While the running costs would be higher than the Fabia they wouldn't be much of an issue. Well, possibly the RS2 would be too painful to service and maintain.

But then every time I drive the Fabia I am completely happy with it - even after getting out of the Octy VRS or the V50 T5 I tried recently (actually, I was totally ecstatic to be back in the Fabia after the 911 C4S I tried). I'm well aware that it's no supercar but its limitations and mine are reasonably well aligned so I'm blissfully unaware of its shortcomings. Oh, apart from the boot being too narrow to get a guitar hard case in, but I transport such things infrequently enough that I'm happy to drop a seat or stick said item in the back.

Lady Bertie McHobnobs is similarly perfectly happy with the Fabia and has a largely don't-care-ist attitude towards the idea of changing, provided the new car meets her (reasonable enough) requirements.

Am I just suffering from a case of itchy wallet?

I thank you in advance for your advice.

Sounds like the Fabia ticks all the boxes except "funner". Maybe you could just spend a few quid spicing it up?

Chris

The whole modding thing doesn't really appeal though. Lady Bertie wouldn't approve, and I really, really don't like having dirty hands (not to an OCD level, mind). Even cleaning the wheels is a bit traumatic, pathetic though that is!

I'd considered a remap, but I think before that I'd want better brakes and suspension and all that sort of lark, and by that stage I'd rather just buy something more capable as-is. That's not a dig at anyone with any mods; it's just not my thing, I think.

And let's be honest - I'd benefit more from some advanced driving lessons. Or just intermediate ones.

Am I just suffering from a case of itchy wallet?

Probabley yes, but at the very least it's fun to try some more out. I find that when I have a new car, after a few months I'm thinking about the next one. Shame my wallet wouldn't be able to keep up.

At the end of the day (it goes dark), cars are a terrible waste of money, but they can give you allot of fun too!!

There - what a waste of bandwidth that was!!

Probabley yes, but at the very least it's fun to try some more out.

Y'know, I think that might be it. The Fabia doesn't do anything wrong, but maybe I just want something different for the sake of a change. Hmm.

Cars worry me anyway. Every one I've had has been pretty dependable but I have an irrational fixation that they're going to turn into money-sucking misery-machines. Buying used from someone I didn't know would probably kill me.

I was in a similar position about 5 years ago. I had a lovely little W reg Polo which I'd owned since new. It was quite sprightly with it's 1.4 8V engine, it was a nice comfortable drive and I loved it's little blue dashboard lights. The only real drawbacks were a lack of air conditioning, and the colour: Evergreen. It could force a passing stranger to part with his breakfast at a distance of 40 yards.

Then I was tempted away from replacing it with a 1.6 Golf by a rather broody looking black Octavia vRS. The rest is history. I would be firmly in the Replace Your Fab camp. If you can afford the newer spanglier car then why not. It might not rid you of your wonderlust for other cars, but at least it will give you a bigger sense of satisfaction than merely making do with a dependable vehicle.

Perhaps a number of well chosen test drives would solve your dilema? You will know if a car feels right for you after treating Lady Bertie McHobnobs to a countryside tour.

A word of warning though; faster cars are an encouragement for making progress and can lead to higher fuel bills, more frequent tyre bills, parts wearing out more frequently and fixed penalty notices.

Perhaps a number of well chosen test drives would solve your dilema? You will know if a car feels right for you after treating Lady Bertie McHobnobs to a countryside tour.

That's rather a good suggestion. If something grabs me then I could consider changing, if not then not bother.

Fair point on the consequences of having a faster car too - I've had (use of) faster cars before and always managed to be careful with them, but who knows if it was my own...

RS2! RS2! RS2!

you know it makes sense

Dragon box for the time being - until the urge passes

You could always sell the Dragon on for little loss - plus, quite probably wouldn't (care taken) have to go the brakes etc upgrade path.

Come to think of it I don't actually use the brakes that much.

Erm.

In a good way, I mean.

Come to think of it I don't actually use the brakes that much.

Erm.

In a good way, I mean.

Ditto.

All about thinking ahead.

If I was thinking of upping the power on our car I wouldn't be bothered to upgrade the brakes, rear ARB etc because I don't tend to go crazy on bends or coming up to bends and the rest of our driving is pretty mundane stuff on the whole.

If, on the other hand, we did a heck of a lot of twisty back and country road driving then it could become a maybe.

I use my brakes all the time

While the Dragon box is good, it's not going to transform the car substantially and is just going to give you a bit more power. Standard brakes and suspension will cope with it just fine

Chris

So - please excuse my ignorance here - it's basically a box that plugs in somewhere in the worky-end of the car and makes it go faster? Does that mean that the warranty would be unaffected on account of it could just be unplugged before the car ever went in for service?

So - please excuse my ignorance here - it's basically a box that plugs in somewhere in the worky-end of the car and makes it go faster? Does that mean that the warranty would be unaffected on account of it could just be unplugged before the car ever went in for service?

Yup

To tune a diesel, you just inject more fuel. The box plugs into a sensor under the engine and monkeys about with the output from the sensor which causes the ECU to put more fuel in. Warranty is a tough one and I'm not in a position to comment on that. The only way they would know it had been plugged in would be if it had logged a fault or they noticed a tuning box sized dirt free bit under the engine

Chris

I see what you mean. I suppose technically it'd invalidate the warranty, but if one was careful they'd never know.

Ta muhcly everyone.

Little bit confused......

Your happy with the Fabia, but all of the potential upgrades are considerably larger than your current car. I'd have thought that you'd be looking at "fun" cars of a similar size?

For my 2 pennies worth, I'd keep the fabia, then buy something completely impractical for the weekend!

I only want to have the one car, and I'm aware (and happy enough) that that means a bit of compromise one way or other. My drive is only big enough for one and there's naff-all space to park on the street.

I was thinking a bit bigger just because I couldn't think of another car that's the same size as a Fabia estate - the combination of being quite small but having a decent sized boot is ace. Also (as I think I mentioned) the boot entry is just a touch too narrow on the Fabia and I can't get a guitar in a hard case in.

Octy or Octy estate sized would be fine. I don't really want anything significantly bigger than that though.

You may as well go and test an Octy then Mr McGuffin, you'd be surprised at the amount of bootspace in the hatch, never mind the estate, which claims to have more cargo space than a BMW 5 series touring.

I completely take your point about there not being any other comparable size cars, but to my mind, your moving up 2 size brakets..... I'd have thought you'd be looking at the Mazda 3, rather than the 6 if you see what I mean.

Hell, Why am I even saying this? Look at whatever you like, it's you car!!!!!!!!!

Have you thought about a Focus Estate 2.0 tdci. Still be a bit quicker than your Fabia, more space, and still quite sensible. And second hand quite cheap I'd have thought.

Or and Impreza estate. (If you can find any)..................

An Octy vRS Combi sounds like it would suit your needs

I do appreciate what you're saying, and not for a moment dismissing it.

The 6 might indeed be a bit big. Also from some of the tests I've read the read seats don't go down so it's out. The 3 might be worth a look though. They're quite a nice shape, the MPS would be in my price range and they're not too bulgy and overt.

My dear old mum has a Focus (a 1.6 Zetec) and I don't like it at all. I actually much prefer driving the Fabia. I know the Focus is supposed to be much better handling but I don't enjoy being in it.

Not sure Lady Bertie would approve of an Impreza, and they're a bit loud, looks-wise.

Mr Pitt - I did try an Octy VRS a few weeks back. I liked it rather a lot (with the exception of the spoiler, but I could live with that). Plenty of boot space in the hatch, liked the handling and the ride and the go-ness of it. Actually, I'm trying to think of a reason not to get one of them. I like Skoda, it's spot-on in terms of practicality, not overly thirsty (as I understand it) and you can order them with heated seats (Lady Bertie being a big fan thereof).

Hmm.

Maybe I've answered my own question. Maybe I should try one again and see. I wonder if a dealer would lend me one for the weekend to (as previously suggested) take Lady Bertie McHobnobs away to see if she likes it too.

You can get an Octavia vRS Estate , that would rid you of the rear spoiler too....

Does the combi handle the same? It's a teeny tad slower isn't it?

With regard to the Mazda3 MPS, it's exactly the same engine as the 6 MPS only without the 4 wheel drive. True, it's a lighter car, but also a faster car, so the fuel consumption will be around the same.

When I traded my MkI Octy vRS for the 6 MPS, the increase in fuel consumption was rather alarming, and the DISI Turbo engine is quite particular. It will not sip anything other than 98RON and above, so you are restricted to Tesco 99RON, or Shell Vpower, both of which are somewhat insensitive to your bank account. The only other alternative is to convert the car to Bioethanol at a cost of £500, however there are only 19 petrol stations in the UK that offer up such wonderous exilir.

Anyway, I digress, The Octy would make more sense.