Reading the topic about the long term reliability, i got thinkiing about how many Monte's were out there on the roads.....not many according to how many left.

To date december 2013 there are apparently:-

PETROL

-2100 Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI

-557 Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI Tech (does that count as exclusive ?)

DIESEL

-2200 Monte Carlo TDI

-632 Monte Carlo Tech TDI

-MISC- 2 registered 2011 listed as "Monte Carlo 16v"

-MISC- 382 registered as "Monte Carlo"

So quite an even spread really with the diesel Monte doing slightly better than petrol & for whatever reason the 384 that are unknowns whether diesel or petrol.& roughly 5000 Monte's on UK roads in total.

Don't do it down! That's over 5500! Pretty good going.

16800 miles about to be crossed, needs the next inspection in 1800, never missed a beat, just think it may be too small for next years potential killer commute...

It is strange that there are so few Registered in the UK.  there must be lots sold around the world,

or sitting unsold someplace.

 

Skoda CEO Dr Winfied Vahland is reported to have said,

' when we introduced the Monte Carlo trim line, we estimated we would sell around 3,000 and ended up producing 20,000'.  (paraphrase.)

So  is it Skoda Spin or maybe just wishful thinking. It could not be just untruths surely .

 

http://topgear.com/uk/car-news/skoda-fabia-vrs-is-no-more-skoda-suv-coming-2013-08-21

Ye sorry i shoulda said this is of course UK only.

So as you say the most are elsewhere which i suppose makes sense as the UK is so small so we've got our fair share of them if they did make 20,000.

I do not think there is a limit on them and the UK got their fair share.

They were not selling like 'Hot Cakes' if Skoda are truthful.

 

They had to get the Tech Models out to get the Retail price down and publicity and shift more without looking desperate.

Certainly not a run away success as Skoda implies.

Full price specced up Monte Carlos are rather expensive for what they are. Compared to the offerings from other manufactures.

Monte Carlo Techs are certainly a bit better value.

'Tech Black Edition' being pushed as sales are so poor.

 

*A limit of 1,000 of each, TDI & TSI 'Tech Hatches the Magazines and websites said, and dealers said they were all sold as customers tried to buy to late,

but then you might expect there to be 1,000 TSI & 1000 TDI now Registered in the UK, or near enough.*

Maybe 'Howmanyleft, not accurate, or some other explanations, like the Skoda Black Hole ordering system,

or cars Imported then Exported again, or maybe never built, because never ordered.*

 

Are there 15,000 Fabia Monte Carlo elsewhere around the world,  i do not see much mention online out with the UK, Are they a good seller and priced at a very good value to buyers outside the UK?

there are a few in Australia certainly.

Well ive got to say i certainly wouldnt have bought a non tech version, the tech was a reasonable price for a nice looking car but it is style over substance.

It's a basic car which i quite like, not too many gadgets to go wrong, it's like a can of heinz tomato soup, nice label & styling but inside it's just tasty old reliable soup, a decent looking car with low running costs.

The engine is a peach, just perky enough, i cant quite believe that it would be a problematic lump.

Trim inside is nice,sports seats,steering wheel,handbrake cover & black roof lining create a nice atmosphere.

The suspension imo is garbage & really lets the car down, looks wise it makes the car look like a jacked up crossover, performance wise it wallows about & is uninspiring & my greenline estate handled much better.

So it seems that most people want one or the other, either an actually sporty car with sporty looks to match, or boring looking car with boring looks to match.

Noggythenog, it's interesting that you say the handling is worse than your Greenline. They are both lowered, Monte is "sports" I think 10mm lower than std and the Greenline I'm not sure...

Also, you say it looks "jacked up". Again, that doesn't fit with lowered suspension fitted to mine. I've parked next to a std and you can tell the difference in ride height, the massive wheels filled with lots of air and not much brake disc/drum does look a bit strange, but it certainly fills the arches better than std. Are you sure they built it right?

As for performance, I got what I paid for - yeah, I could have bought used for better performance, but with a few exceptions, it wouldn't have been as nice/reliable/economical etc etc.

They say lowered, when there is undercoverings and different tyres/wheels. So less clearance down below.

ie, 10mm less clearence say,

and yet the top of the roof only 2mm less high.

(Skoda have 5 & 6 mm roof heights given different between Standard Fabia and vRS/Monte Carlo

& 5 mm clearance difference.)

 

What maybe makes a car actually lower is if the height to the roof is actually lower, not just the clearance between road surface and car.

'Sport' 'sports' is an over used word with Skoda,  maybe lost in Translation.

Well, I parked next to std and it was significantly lower at the roof line. 2mm is nothing. If that is from the manufacturers dimensions, then maybe they slipped on the keys.

10mm suspension drop isn't a huge amount, but the rolling radius of wheels should be near as the same - 205/40/17s on Monte, increments match as wheel sizes decrease - 195/55/15?

the standard vRs is lots lower roof by roof than a standard Fabia, if there is such things.

As is easily seen at Dealerships as new cars sit side by side,

 

Skoda make up figures at will. To suit VAG probably.

Emission, Economy, Weights, sizes,  even Cars Sold sometimes it seems.

Well ive read all sorts of things about the different suspension setups but the most recent that i remember is that the Greenline being the uber mile munching aerodynamic beast that it is, was fitted with the lowest suspension.i didnt quite believe it until i got my monte, both estates too.

If i could ever figure out how to upload some pics on here id stick up a pic of the old greenline & my monte.

Pics aside though, i do exactly the same trips in my Monte & i dont hang around & im saying for sure that the Monte handling is far inferior to the greenline.

Nothing 1k wont sort with some good suspension springs & shocks but as far as i can see the only difference is either the suspension, the different wheels size or the presumably heavier engine up front in the diesel greenline.

Not slagging the car in general, just the suspension....ideally id have kept my old greenline & transplanted this tsi engine.

Well that is interesting. I had a Greenline Superb and always thought it handled really well, for a 1.9tdi powered pseudo limo. I think the Monte is pretty good - CR in my nose, so maybe the weight distribution is better. I drive it fairly briskly.

I drove my dad's TSI estate and it didn't feel massively soggier, but it was my Dad's and he was with me, the DSG was a different experience too!

As you say (and George always has his fingers on the gen for this), maybe the weight difference between hatch/estate, petrol/diesel, Eco gubbins/standard set up/Monte all have their different effects on handling.

Standard vRS Estate on its standard springs handles much nicer and better balanced than the hatch, official Unladen 5 kg lighter and 9 3/4" Body/rear overhang more.

 

Remove the 25kg weight sandbagging (which does nothing practical) bolted to the rear crash bar of the Hatch to make it officially slower/heavier. (& remember its cheaper)

& it handles much like a Estate does.

 

'Skoda advanced Engineering techniques' mostly seem to be concerned in that the most expensive VAG brands never be overshadowed by the Skoda models.

& never have the cheaper version appear to performer better than the one customers are going to have to pay more for.

I don't think I've ever seen another Monte Carlo on the road. I think they're a great idea for Skoda. I wouldn't have bought a "standard looking" Fabia, but the Monte Carlos really change the whole look of the cars totally

Call the grammar cops.

Quite a few Montes around my neck of woods, the look of my Tech and the deal I got swung it for me as I had been looking at an Ibiza FR with the same engine.

I would never have bought a normal Fabia but when I saw the Monte it changed my mind, definitely looks better than the Ibiza and the interior is a cut above, that's my opinion anyway.

Agree that it could've been set on it's wheels a bit lower but it doesn't bother me enough to start swapping springs.

Too many IMO. They've killed the Fabia vRS. HTH

And as for where the rest are haven't there been posters on here from Ausrtralia and Europe (especially Romania etc) and some from India? Wouldn't be hard to stretch 20,000 units across most of the northern hemisphere (less US) and Oz.

They've killed the vRS because they never looked special enough IMO, the Monte does look better even if it doesn't go as well.

Definitely see more Montes than vRSs so there must be some truth in that.

When me and the littl'n see a Monte he plays spot the Tech, he looks for the shark fin sat nav arial, it could also be a normal Monte with the Amundsen fitted as an option though.

vRs is dead long live the Monte.

They've killed the vRS because they never looked special enough IMO, the Monte does look better even if it doesn't go as well.

Definitely see more Montes than vRSs so there must be some truth in that.

When me and the littl'n see a Monte he plays spot the Tech, he looks for the shark fin sat nav arial, it could also be a normal Monte with the Amundsen fitted as an option though.

vRs is dead long live the Monte.

The Monte barely goes at all.

It looks a bit tacky to be honest - mutton dressed as mutton.

 

'Rally Heritage',  'Rally Inspired' !!!!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skoda_Motorsport

 

Next Special Edition.  

SKODA FABIA MK2,

'SCRAPPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL', RUN OUT EDITION.

 

a Fabia S2000 2.0 litre came 1st in Group B in 2010 or the likes, (or was it 2011 in the Monte Carlo Rally)

so as a Tribute to the S2000 rally car, & RALLY HERITAGE, they build some 1.4 TSI's with a Decal set and an arm rest.

& lots of 1.2 petrol and 1.6 Diesels with 86 & 105 ps. (& rear drum brakes)

 

Not quite Ford Escort Mexico's, RS 2000's etc.

 

http://skoda.co.uk/news/skoda-announces-specialeditionfabia-vrs-s2000

http://skoda.co.uk/models/FabiaHatchMonteCarlo/fabia-monte-carlo-tech

Ooh, fighting talk from the vRS owners, it must be working for Skoda if there going to carry the Monte Carlo spec over to the new Fabia and not the vRS.

if you want to drive around pretending to be rallying all the time and trying to win the traffic light Grand Prix that's fine, I just went for a car that looked half decent and drives fine that came with 3 years free servicing.

You're saying mutton dressed as mutton, the vRS must be dressed in the Emporer's new clothes then.

Everyone's got their opinion and that's great, that's what makes forums like this tick, so enjoy your vRS while you can, just keep checking that oil level.

Ooh, fighting talk from the vRS owners, it must be working for Skoda if there going to carry the Monte Carlo spec over to the new Fabia and not the vRS.

if you want to drive around pretending to be rallying all the time and trying to win the traffic light Grand Prix that's fine, I just went for a car that looked half decent and drives fine that came with 3 years free servicing.

You're saying mutton dressed as mutton, the vRS must be dressed in the Emporer's new clothes then.

Everyone's got their opinion and that's great, that's what makes forums like this tick, so enjoy your vRS while you can, just keep checking that oil level.

No worries there. Very original of you though.

 

I wouldn't normally be so rude as to post what I did but if folk are going to be straight up about the vRS I thought I'd be as equally forthright about the Monte.

 

I like the vRS as it's subtle - a red Monte regularly parks next to my vRS and I've never thought - "I wish I'd bought the Monte" - I'd sooner save my cash and walk.

vRS is Fugly, and the Monte Carlo looks better.

Add some Black Plastic to the Exterior, at least they gave them Fog Lights,

and make them look 'Sporty'.

Make the interior suit some, pile them high, and say you sell loads.

Truth is, about twice as many get sold in the UK as the vRS did in 3 1/2 years.

Skoda Spin. 

 

'Monte Carlo'. Skodas idea of Rally Inspired . poor attempt. IMHO.

vRS was not Rally Inspired, just an attempt at building a petrol Warm Hatch from the ugly duckling.

Limited edition as in few buy them and they self destruct.

 

Monte Carlo Tech limited editions, they fail to even get all the the Limited Numbers on offer sold.

Limit their availability in the future, or try to,  by turning out a good percentage of them set up as Ditch Finders.

I had never seen a VRS until i was in the dealers picking up my monte.

But i had seen some Montes kicking about.

I must say i like the understated look of the VRS, it looks a grown up car & i've no doubt that it gives a fair few people a shock when it opens up.My tuppence worth though is that it is a bit o over complicated for my liking - DSG, Twin chargers etc, i like a hot hatch to be a bit more raw & basic.obviously the oil threads have killed many peoples ambitions of ever owning one which is a real shame & i really hope that the VRS doesn't have the same suspension as the Monte as that would be very disappointing on a real hot hatch.

Also agree that the whole rally theme on the Monte is far fetched, i had a suzuki ignis sport & it was a similar idea but it was a little rollerskate bone rattler at least, even if it looked like a naff pope mobile, the 106 rallye is the same, all stripped out & handles amazingly.the Monte is just looks......but it does look good.....& i do think that a decent full suspension purchase & an anti roll bar could see me with all the car i actually need....even if it isn't all the car i ever want.