Fabia Elegance 1.9 Tdi

[John757]

Hi All,

I'm hopefully going to be buying a 2005 Fabia Elegance 1.9 TDI PD Hatchback this weekend. Before I do though, I was wondering what people make of them as a family car and a commuter? The wife and I are having a bubba in May, so will need something a bit bigger than our Colt CZT for slinging the stroller and baby seat in. I also do a 42 mile round commute to work, so the idea of the economy the engine has is appealing. Has anybody any experience?

Could anybody tell me how reliable these cars are? I can see many posts about the VRS Fabia and they sound quite reliable, the engine does anyway, from what I gather there are niggly problems with door seals and PAS?

The car I'm going to look at has 48000 miles on it, when would the timing belt (or is it chain?) need to be changed on this model?

I'm really looking forward to viewing the Fabia, it sounds like a great little motor. Hopefully I'll be able to save money on insurance, tax, tyres, breaks and petrol compared to the CZT! I'm hoping my wallet will thank me, but my main concern will it be in the garage all the time for repairs.

Cheers

Edited 24 February, 2012 by John757

[devonutopia]

Should be fine for all your needs. Baby seat comfortably in the back, pram in the boot still I would imagine. Cambelt should be every 60k or 4 years, so it should have had one in 2009, and then it will be due one in 2013, or 60k miles after it was done in 2009. Whichever comes first.

PD100 is a solid engine. Should go on for a long time if serviced properly.

[John757]

Should be fine for all your needs. Baby seat comfortably in the back, pram in the boot still I would imagine. Cambelt should be every 60k or 4 years, so it should have had one in 2009, and then it will be due one in 2013, or 60k miles after it was done in 2009. Whichever comes first.

PD100 is a solid engine. Should go on for a long time if serviced properly.

Music to my ears. Thank you very much

[wilsonian]

My mother got one of these is 2003 and while there has been a few issues (console bushes, rear door leaks and heater problems) the car it self has been fine. Of course regular servicing helps keep the car going

[Dave89]

<p>I'm quite a high mileage Elegance PD100.  Like others say it suffers from all common faults of the VRS and others.. Engine is spot on though.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I've had quite a few electrical niggles but mostly sorted cheaply and most are DIY thanks to the guides on here.  However I have got nearly triple the mileage of the car you're about to buy.  It's the heated seats that stop me from trading up!</p>

[VWD]

I'd look at boot area for when you need a pushchair. Daughter has got a nrmal sized one and even with wheels off it's tight fit in the boot . I've got the smaller 1.4 and for a few years we were going north once a month . Something like 400 -500 miles .Only complaint was that it could have done with a little mre power and/or a sixth gear . Hopefuly the tyres will have been replaced ,but on mine the speed rating at factory fit was just on the limit for it's performance ,and both fronts went bulgy very quickly .( Possibly poor quality tyres ?).

[John757]

The Elegance 1.9 TDI model is like rocking horse poo. The one I wanted to look at was sold and the others I can find are either over priced or estates. Thanks for the comments though guys.

[john42]

Hi John757

I have an PD100 Estate Elegance and throughly recommend it you will have no problems getting the baby gear in the back. It is very reliable and comfortable. It seems the way to go as other users say the hatch maybe to small.

[John757]

Maybe I should go look at an Estate model as well. I suppose I'd be a little more 'future' proof with more space as well. Just had a look at the dimensions and the Fabia Estate is smaller than a Ford Focus both in length and width! I'm only concerned with the Estate is because I live in the countryside and we have a lot of small narrow roads, so lots of reversing. I suppose with reverse sensors I shouldn't worry as much. Either that or just man up

What's the visibility like at the rear on the Estate? If it's like a fish bowl I don't care what I drive lol.

[VWD]

My advice was as granpa, trying to get kiddies carrying gear into the rear . The smaller pushchairs are no problem , but now GS is putting on the pounds - he's too small for most of them,and the one my daughter has is a tight fit in the rear of the hatch .It's more the width of the boot space than the fact that it's a hatch. But then ,as parents, there's lots of other stuff you need.

As a young married couple, we found a BMC Mini fitted our needs. Then No1 came along ,and we needed something like a Renault4. As the kids came along, the cars got bigger. By two ,we had a Vauxhall Victor. Massive boot .

Just passing on approx 45 years of married life, and hoping it gets to the folk who need it .

[Fabia_19]

I've got a PD100 Fabia Elegance Hatch. With the 16" Alloys, Spoiler and it's lovely. I commute 60mile round trip daily using motorways and A roads, regularly see over 60mpg.

Family car would be brilliant too- the boots are big and plenty of space and comfort.

The engines are solid and many on here are well Into the 100,000's!

All the best

[VWD]

I've got a PD100 Fabia Elegance Hatch. With the 16" Alloys, Spoiler and it's lovely. I commute 60mile round trip daily using motorways and A roads, regularly see over 60mpg.

Family car would be brilliant too- the boots are big and plenty of space and comfort.

The engines are solid and many on here are well Into the 100,000's!

All the best

BUT - with a big pram/ pushchair- I'd hesitate to recomend the Furby as a Family car for anyone with a pram/pushchair, without a god lok at the bot size . Great cars, I love my little 1.4 Furby- ,but for boot space - I'd be loking at something with a bit bigger bot. And the reas of the Frby seriies aren't much bigger . Sorry to be honest, but better to find out now ,than try to fit a pram in and get problems .

[John757]

BUT - with a big pram/ pushchair- I'd hesitate to recomend the Furby as a Family car for anyone with a pram/pushchair, without a god lok at the bot size . Great cars, I love my little 1.4 Furby- ,but for boot space - I'd be loking at something with a bit bigger bot. And the reas of the Frby seriies aren't much bigger . Sorry to be honest, but better to find out now ,than try to fit a pram in and get problems .

Surely an Estate Fabia would have a big enough boot though? 400 and odd litres with the seats up and over 1000 with them down? I can't believe they aren't as big as a Civic or a Focus! Really was dead set on a Focus at one point, so the Fabia Estate seems much better suited to my needs. I've seen one in Lancaster, hopefully going to look at it tomorrow if they still have it in stock.

[John757]

Oh and does the Estate version have any other issues that the Hatchback doesn't have? Or are they pretty much the same car, just a little longer.

[peter3197]

I'd just check that it's not had a hard life with loads of weight in the back. I think the estates actually handle better.

[John757]

I'd just check that it's not had a hard life with loads of weight in the back. I think the estates actually handle better.

Fingers crossed it won't have at 40,000 miles and a 2006 model. Knowing my luck it will have already been sold when I call in the morning :(

[Fabia_19]

One major plus about the estate is they are a lot cheaper to buy than the hatch also with a lot more on the market to choose from!

Good luck

[TriggerFish]

Mine was an estate - got it at 17 and had no issues parking.

Fitted all sorts in it too, including a 250cc motorbike! Said to ride/handle a bit better too due to the extra 50kg out the back and improving the weight distribution.

[PD75]

Maybe I should go look at an Estate model as well. I suppose I'd be a little more 'future' proof with more space as well. Just had a look at the dimensions and the Fabia Estate is smaller than a Ford Focus both in length and width! I'm only concerned with the Estate is because I live in the countryside and we have a lot of small narrow roads, so lots of reversing. I suppose with reverse sensors I shouldn't worry as much. Either that or just man up

I have the estate, and it will carry 6 x 40 kg bags of coal, 3 bales of BNM briquettes and a big bag of chicken food without having to put the back seat down. Also have a factory fitted (detachable) tow bar and it will pull a trailer to full capacity without bother and mine is a 1.4 tdi.

You won’t need reversing sensors, I live up a sheep track on the side of mountain and visibility through the back is excellent - you know that the back screen is about 6" - 7" from where the back of the car actually finishes. I actually think it is tons easier than my wife's 99 Almera saloon to manoeuvre.

As a young married couple, we found a BMC Mini fitted our needs. By two ,we had a Vauxhall Victor. Massive boot .

I can identify with this - the parents had a Mk1 Morris mini /3 children and we went everywhere in it, north south east and west. Door pockets and boot packed with all the essentials including primus stove, Thermos Flasks and Tupperware water carrier filled with orange squash.

I remember losing the exhaust coming back from Anglesy one time the car was that loaded it caught on the brow of a hill. The primus stove eventually exploded in a lay by on the Coventry bypass, we'd gone down to see the new Cathedral. The old man was gutted, he'd had the stove since he was in the scouts in the forties.

Funnily enough, first car I got was an Austin min van, the second an FB Victor - could have slept 2 in the boot enormous and a bench seat with 3 on a tree column change. Insured to carry six, 3 in the front, 3 in the back.

Edited 26 February, 2012 by PD75

[John757]

Well, went to view the car today and after the test drive put my money down. It should make a brilliant family car for us.

I almost fell out my seat when going around a roundabout! Forgot I wasn't in my CZT lol what spring options do we have for the 1.9 Fabia estate? Think I'm going to need something stiffer to get rid of a bit of bodyroll. Probably doesn't help that it has 60 profile Tyres.

It had plenty of poke from the engine though, even with 4 people in the car, so quite impressed. Might have a remap in the future to get a few more pony's out of it, does anybody recommend the tuning boxes or would I be better off with s custom map?

The exterior and interior looked like new! The paint must be quite hard? We couldn't see any marks or swirls in the paint, couldn't even see any stone chips on the bonnet. So glad to have a silver car, my CZT was black and was a nightmare for swirls chips and dirt in general.

We managed to knock him down £100 and got 12 months MOT, 6 months tax, full service, aircon re-gas and most importantly they're going to do the cambelt free of charge as it was 2 years over due! But the car looks to have had a very easy 6 years. It didn't have a rear parcel shelf either, so there ordering a brand spanking new roller shelf thing to the tune of £80 from Skoda. Think I got a pretty good deal at the end of the day. What do you guys think?

Well chuffed

[sparky2]

sounds good to me :sun: our Fabia elegance is brill 40mpg around town, just look out for some of the common problems eg door leaks. cheers - Stuart

[VWD]

sounds good to me :sun: our Fabia elegance is brill 40mpg around town, just look out for some of the common problems eg door leaks. cheers - Stuart

Yep -they do come back .

I'm a child of the Mini( BL ONE ,NOT THE IMITATION ONE) ,and the Fabia just takes me back to those days. Even my missus( who's not a car fan) likes it . Her only complaint is lack of central locking and electric windows. Still at the price - can we complain,as the quality ,vs price vs the price (after inflation) is possibly the same as we paid for a mini .

As I said, my round town consumption is high ,better if I keep the turbo spooled down . And on long runs, after getting it to speed ,you can relax on the throttle.

Love it - balance of fun and modern technology .

Does what it says on the tin, but I find it hard to believe that litle one is only 75BHP.I suspect that she's been doctored . ( Or Skoda aint telling the truth) .

[vindaloo]

Yep -they do come back .

I'm a child of the Mini( BL ONE ,NOT THE IMITATION ONE) ,and the Fabia just takes me back to those days. Even my missus( who's not a car fan) likes it . Her only complaint is lack of central locking and electric windows. Still at the price - can we complain,as the quality ,vs price vs the price (after inflation) is possibly the same as we paid for a mini .

As I said, my round town consumption is high ,better if I keep the turbo spooled down . And on long runs, after getting it to speed ,you can relax on the throttle.

Love it - balance of fun and modern technology .

Does what it says on the tin, but I find it hard to believe that litle one is only 75BHP.I suspect that she's been doctored . ( Or Skoda aint telling the truth) .

I don't understand it either, why shout MINI! When saying "maxi" at ordinary volume levels adequately describes the car.

[John757]

sounds good to me :sun: our Fabia elegance is brill 40mpg around town, just look out for some of the common problems eg door leaks. cheers - Stuart

Yep, I had a feel of the carpets and they felt bone dry all around the back. I will however be taking the door cards off as soon as I get it home and checking if they have been sealed. I'd rather tackle the issue now, rather than wait for wet carpets.