The problem with the Mazda 2 1.4D is it is so much slower than a 1.4 TDi 80 Fabia.The acceleration of the Mazda is yawningly pedestrian.

He recommended the 1.9 punto - but that might be a bit much for me. A bit reluctant to leave my VW/Skoda roots behind....! Will go get some test drives arranged.

I'd definately drive one.

A relative has a 1.4 d4d yaris and was purchased new over the net for less than a fabia 1.4 TDI could be purchased for.

It knocks the stuffing out of the fabia's build quality in every way IMHO and the dealears are very good. That plus the engine has a timing chain not an expensive to change cambelt.

I'd certainly take the 1.3 for a test drive along with any other cars on your short list as only you can really decide. IMHO though as the tax keeps going up a 1.9 TDI is going to be an expensive small car in the not too distant future :(

On the FIAT point, Sharkrider and one bloke who has a FIAT Coupe turbo are the only 2 (of 9) FIAT owners I know who've not had major reliability issues, or even broken the cars at stupidly low mileages/ages.

I know people who have the new design ones and have had no issues.

It's not like the comment of Fix It Again Tomorrow is constructive.

I mean you drive what is a "skip" as do I.

Fix Or Repair Dailys are pretty damn good and reliable too.

I'd say out of the Ford and Skoda both the fords we have in the family are more reliable than any of the three skodas we have had. All 5 are dervs.

Considering sample size, FIATs are far and away the least reliable cars of any make I've never subscribed to a web forum for.

2 dead engines out of 9 cars against a closest rival (GM) with 1 out of 15, and none for anyone else excluding accidental damage or willful neglect, and the only make I've ever encountered a dead gearbox (well 2 actually) on!

I'd definately drive one.

A relative has a 1.4 d4d yaris and was purchased new over the net for less than a fabia 1.4 TDI could be purchased for.

It knocks the stuffing out of the fabia's build quality in every way IMHO and the dealears are very good. That plus the engine has a timing chain not an expensive to change cambelt.

:(

I thought someone would suggest one of those! Another one to add to the list....!

Edit: a family member just bought a yaris, but don't know what flavour. Will find out later on...

FIATs are getting better - build quality has improved with the new Panda and 500, and I do like the look of the new Punto.

They've just added the Punto to our company car list - in amongst the VAG models (Fabia, Octy, Passat, Jetta, A4, A3, and A6) and a few people are starting to changeover.

New Mazda also looks good - but take some drives in them and then have a re-think. You may be suprised ?

Si

Test drove a Panda before buying the furby (we were offered a brand new 1.3 multijet for the same price as the 2nd hand furby). Unfortunately, the pedal position is way too high - really uncomfortable for city driving. Hoping the punto is different.

Nissan "Fairlady" "350Z" GT-R.

Nope its the new Nissan Skyline GTR but looks very similar.

that marcos has 406 headlamps!! :P

FIATs are getting better - build quality has improved with the new Panda and 500, and I do like the look of the new Punto.

They've just added the Punto to our company car list - in amongst the VAG models (Fabia, Octy, Passat, Jetta, A4, A3, and A6) and a few people are starting to changeover.

New Mazda also looks good - but take some drives in them and then have a re-think. You may be suprised ?

Si

fiat have changed.... as ken says, fiat used to be very bad.... even up to things like the last croma ect, breaking down all the time....

BUT they really have turned it around since making the panda..... the new generation, panda/GP/bravo are all much better built cars, and have no reported reliability issues at all..... mine is currently proving better than the skoda I had last. and as for the engines, fiat have won awards for their deisel engines... lets face it vauxhall buy them to put in the vectra/astra ect, and ford are buying them for the new ford KA (after recently driving a ford deisel i can see why! )

mine is a year old, and I have covered 42,000 miles so far.... faults are as follows:

1) new door handle at 4k

2) new drop links at 14k (modified part, no issues since, unlike my skoda's suspension!)

3) new seat base at 36k service

4) new wheel bearing on back (just done)

thats it..... not bad considering the massive abuse it gets as a driving school car, (the wheel bearing for example is a likley symptom of pupils cutting corners and getting that rear nearside wheel over the kerb!)

SO compairing it to my vRS, which needed a new gearbox, mounting frame, and driveshafts by this mileage, and had suspension issues that SUK refused to fix under warrenty , I have to say the fiat is MORE reliable than the skoda was....

so I don't think the fix it again tomorrow is fair anymore, much as the old skoda jokes arn't fair anymore.....

by 1.9tdi are you referring to a VRS... if not... get a VRS...that's pretty much all I have to say. If I wasn't 6"2 I'd probably have gone for a fabia VRS but thought I'd look a bit... hmmm.. so went for the octy vrs, which kills on MPG (though it's good for it's class)

by 1.9tdi are you referring to a VRS... if not... get a VRS...that's pretty much all I have to say. If I wasn't 6"2 I'd probably have gone for a fabia VRS but thought I'd look a bit... hmmm.. so went for the octy vrs, which kills on MPG (though it's good for it's class)

I am 6ft4 and i have a fabia vrs........ dont think i look hmmmmm at all

I am 6ft4 and i have a fabia vrs........ dont think i look hmmmmm at all

Same here too but definately not hmmmm also:rofl:

Nope its the new Nissan Skyline GTR but looks very similar.

Does it have rear seats? One of the things that separates a Fairlady from a Skyline is the latter having rear seats as standard. (Ok, there's also the styling and the early 1980s 4-cylinder Skylines.)

Don't know if I'm being fussy or not, but this is a quick summary of what happened at the weekend (thanks for all the above advice BTW):

1. Went to a toyota dealership (pre-arranged) to test drive a yaris. Boot was way too small esp. for the price you have to pay, and the dealership said I hadn't booked a test drive! Useless staff. Walked out in a huff....

2. Test drove a Fabia2 1.4tdi. Helpful advice and a nice car (shame I couldn't try out the 3 spec I was interested in), needs a bit of revving to get going, solidly built. :cool: Out of interest, a Fabia VRS is not making an appearance until 2011. :eek: There's going to be a face-lift to the current Fabia first, and apparently the VRS will only be sold in the UK. Not sure if it'll be a diesel or petrol. :offtopic:

3. Test drove a punto (had told the dealer I wanted to test a new one, so they gave me a second hand one to test - pre-face lift model to boot ). Lively performance, much better acceleration than the fabia. But the pedal position which I had problems with on the panda were ever present, and the visibility out of the car was a bit poor for my liking too. :thumbdwn:

Then got into SWMBO's furby for the drive home and decided that this is the car I want! :cool: So now begins the hunt for a cheapish 2nd hand 1.9tdi elegance (not a VRS). Or a mazda 2 if I get around to test driving one.

Don't know if I'm being fussy or not, but this is a quick summary of what happened at the weekend (thanks for all the above advice BTW):

1. Went to a toyota dealership (pre-arranged) to test drive a yaris. Boot was way too small esp. for the price you have to pay, and the dealership said I hadn't booked a test drive! Useless staff. Walked out in a huff....

2. Test drove a Fabia2 1.4tdi. Helpful advice and a nice car (shame I couldn't try out the 3 spec I was interested in), needs a bit of revving to get going, solidly built. :cool: Out of interest, a Fabia VRS is not making an appearance until 2011. :eek: There's going to be a face-lift to the current Fabia first, and apparently the VRS will only be sold in the UK. Not sure if it'll be a diesel or petrol. :offtopic:

3. Test drove a punto (had told the dealer I wanted to test a new one, so they gave me a second hand one to test - pre-face lift model to boot ). Lively performance, much better acceleration than the fabia. But the pedal position which I had problems with on the panda were ever present, and the visibility out of the car was a bit poor for my liking too. :thumbdwn:

Then got into SWMBO's furby for the drive home and decided that this is the car I want! :cool: So now begins the hunt for a cheapish 2nd hand 1.9tdi elegance (not a VRS). Or a mazda 2 if I get around to test driving one.

glad you've narrowed it down to one

happy hunting.