Flan

Am contemplating on buying a FELICIA 1.3 LXi MPi which has become available locally and was wondering what you guys thought of this particular model. I like the Felicia as its quiet a roomy model and i don't have much cash. I have only sat in but have never driven one. I am moving up (hope its up anyway) from a Toyota Starlet 1L which although damn reliable its not doing me any good on long journeys as my knees snag the steering column. So I am looking for some down to earth honest advice. Should I be looking at a different model or a more recent one. My budget is £1000 but really I am hoping to get away with about £800 if i can. I am told that this model uses a cam chain rather than a belt is this correct?

Many Thanks for reading.
Flan

ugluk

Yes they use a cam chain, and a very reliable system it is as well .

The main points to look for are signs of water leaks in the passenger compartment. Check for dampness etc.

Rear wheel arch rust, sill end rust, door bottom rust, tail gate rust.

give the car a test drive from cold and check for a smooth drive from the engine, The injection systems can get a little tempremental sometimes requiring the throttle body to be cleaned etc.

Listen to the engine when warm, you should get a little bit of tappet noise, but you want to listen to the altenator end of the engine for timing chain rattle, its not a deal breaker unless it sounds really rough. These timing chains rattle on and on and on and on, before they actually snap the engine will run really rough and give plenty of notice. My family run around is coming up for 130k miles it was rattling when I got it 30k ago .

Other than that make sure it brakes straight check for kerbing damage to wheels, and check the spring seats on the front dampers - these can rot out if the drain hole is blocked.

These cars can be stunningly reliable for the money, and tend to run on forever even with minor problems rather than leaving you stranded it at the road side. Ive driven one of these engines from Brighton to Exeter with a failed head gasket before . Good value for money and can be fun to drive as well.

TeflonTom

with the above

also check for corrision where the rear axle beam bolts onto the body, might be worth getting yourself a haynes manual, they have lots of tips on pre-MOT checks you can do yourself

imho, ebay will be a good bet, £350 max is what i would pay for a 1.3 felicia

geoff bell

i got a 2000 felecia classic 10 months ago. for a grand. solid enough car. had to replace the complete exhaust system - that and a service cost me £400 or something. a few months later the laternator went. no scrap yards hard one and bough a recon from a dealer 70 miles away for £100+VAT, plus a few extra for fitting. there's something up electrically, hoping to get it sorted this week - i suspect it's the alternator. if it needs a complete alternator, i'm likely to consider cutting my losses and selling the car for scrap.

the model of alternator i need was only available on felicias for something like a couple of years and is like gold dust in a scrap yard. something like £240+VAT if the car has aircon.

AndyC

Also check the spare wheel well as the tailgate can leak. Cure is to drill a hole at the lowest point. My wifes car is very sensitive to having its tracking and tyre pressures set correctly. The steering can be very heavy with some vibration at above 60mph otherwise.

Andy

__________________
1999 Octavia 1.6 GLXi. Oldest one owner Octy on the forum.
2007 07 Fabia 2 1.2 in Silver. Briskoda's first new Fabia.

ugluk

Sounds like those last couple of years cars are expensive on parts pre 99 models the 1.3 exhausts shouldnt set you back more than £60 from butts for the full system. Altenator £75 new.

Maybe best to look for ones up to 98, the parts appear to be considerably cheaper for before that time.

bazD

the boss (wife) has had her 1.3 MPi LXi for the past 9 years - it's a R reg.

No massive problems but here goes it's lifestory..........

The CV boots (outers) have needed replacing (£30 fitted each), water pump seal failed and leaked water (I fitted a new pump (£50 touch I recall) - bit of a pig due to having to jack the engine up to fit it but got there in the end), thermostat is stuck open so it runs 'cool' (£50 diy fix), windscreen leaked water into passengers footwell (warranty - though all that was done was to 'squirt' some sealant around screen, been OK since) and a little rust on rear drivers wheelarch (will fix when I'm bothered).

These points I consider not to be too bad at all for 9 years of motoring.

It's a good runner and starts fine every day-every time and we've been happy with it.

Recently considered getting a replacement (micra) but then thought why bother - it's going fine, lets go to Florida for a holiday instead next year.

My advice is go for it - all cars have issues, but the ones I have had I consider to be just normal wear and tear, all except for the thermostat which by reading this forum is obviously not upto scratch in the design department - but I'll live with it !!!

ps - check your possible purchase throughly though, I've seen too much heartache from apprentices at my work buying just on looks and missing some blaring problems (the numpties). Take your time and be methodical when looking over a replacement car, maybe even do a check list beforehand and take another set of 'eyes' aswell.

GOOD LUCK !!!

ian450

Apart from niggling problems mine's be very reliable. Wish I'd known more about them and what to check before buying though. As said above be methodical when you view, give it a decent road test, not just around the block, to make sure it drives and idles smoothly and steadily hot and cold. Check the temp gauge is working (about half way or so when hot). Windscreen seal leaks seem common and a right pain but can be sorted. Check the footwells are dry and try to feel inside the soundproofing under the dash especially below the windscreen corners. Headlamp levellers can fail, but probably not too important. Expect fairly heavy steering if not PAS and the engine is naturally a bit tappety, which needs periodic adjustment.

bobob

Having bought a FELICIA 1.3 LXi after a Peugeot 405 1.6 glx, i wish i'd kept the Peugeot, it was so refined compared to the Skoda, especially on long journeys, i really miss it but this damn Skoda keeps going on and on.
However, if you really want a small, late model hatchback that's cheap, you won't find anything comparable.

Flan

Thanks for all your tips didn't expect such great feedback. At the moment my next car will either be a felicia or micra. There is that felicia not too far from me for sale but at £950 for the 1.3 LXi MPi and it is supposed to be in tip top condition inside and out. But at 90000 miles it seems rather steep for a 'R' reg no matter what condition its in. Its hasn't got any fancy extras which didn't bother me before i am now thinking it would be nice to have central locking, e/windows and possible sun roof and i'm thinking if i wait surely i can get a decent 1.3 with a few fancy extras at the same price and condition. Wondering which model in the felicia range has these comfort options, avoiding the 1.6 because of the road tax.

Thanks
Flan

DurhamRed

I think thats very expensive considering age and mileage of the car. I got mine (its my back up vehicle for winter driving to work) for £350 on a R plate 1.3L 1 owner 62K on the clock, the body is immaculate but it does have a minor leak from the windscreen.
Be careful of Nissan Micra's, they are fitted with cam chains (like some skoda's) but they cost an absolute fortune if they break prematurely killing an engine - and they often do.

AndyC

If you can find a GLi this will have central locking and a sunroof - no electric windows, I think these were only available on the 1.6 SLX.

__________________
1999 Octavia 1.6 GLXi. Oldest one owner Octy on the forum.
2007 07 Fabia 2 1.2 in Silver. Briskoda's first new Fabia.

ugluk

Look out for a Felicia Bohemia, comes with nice wheels central locking alarm and electric windows. Also uses the less expensive SPI injection system.

Agree £900 is WAY over the odds for a felicia, I wouldnt be looking to spend over £500, less for anything other than mint condition - I pick up decent useable ones for under the £100 mark

ian450

I think it's an under-rated car, which is good because you might get a lot for your money and if you just want honest A2B transport, it's probably a good choice. I've not had mine very long but done some longish journeys and found them really quite pleasant and as good as most other similar cars. Nippier than you'd expect, straight and sure ride, good space (and you can completely remove the rear seat and make it like a van) low insurance group. There seem to be many about with low miles maybe because they've had mature owners. £950 seems a lot though, should think you'd get something better for less. Shop around, you'd probably get something pretty good for under £500. They can have their problems but can't anything, and so far it's always got me there without fuss.

bobob

£950 is a good price if it's done around 30k, look on autotrader they go up to £2995 for an x reg 46k model, a ridiculous price, but you certainly won't find a really decent example for the money that's been mentioned in most of this thread.
A 1.3 Magic Ltd Edn would be my first choice if i wanted all the goodies.

Flan

Damn i can feel budget creep beginning to set in! I have to agree with Bobob about prices, down here in the south east anything decent doesn't seem to go for much less than a grand. But i will hold tight and see what comes up in the next few months, there used to be a Skoda dealership locally so hopefully something cheap will pop up. Have only sat in a Felicia never driven one and most notaable thing i noticed was the space available to the driver to move around...greeaat! Thats the one thing thats a major advantage over the micra.
Anyone know why don't most cars have cam chains rather than cam belts as they don't need to be replaced as often if at all?
Cheers
Flan

ugluk

Timing belts were a big automotive design fashion in the 80's, they are quieter, and can be more efficient due to less weight to turn I believe they are also cheaper to build the systems.

However as time goes by people are objecting to the costs of cam belt replacement, and the regular cam belt snapping incidents, and some manufacturers are going back to timing chain design instead.

From a modifying point of view cam belts can be good news as they can make more precise adjustment of cam timing possible.

cjcrumly

Also possibly the lubrication issues -
Does the chained engine require more frequent oil changes?
Does the belted engine need better sealing to keep the oil away from it?

Flan

Just wondering if the combi's are a good buy as i have seen a SKODA FELICIA GLXi Combi for sale. Because the combis are a heavier car would it be fair to assume they would be heavier on petrol and have less go than say a hatchback. Should i stay well clear of them?

Cheers
Flan

AndyC

The estate has a huge amount of space for the size, especially with the rear seats down and the floor is completely flat. the extra size doesn't add that much weight. I ran a 1.6 GLX estate for a time and always got over 40 mpg. If you do have an estate then try to find one with PAS, it can be a bit heavy if loaded otherwise.

Andy

__________________
1999 Octavia 1.6 GLXi. Oldest one owner Octy on the forum.
2007 07 Fabia 2 1.2 in Silver. Briskoda's first new Fabia.