The Roomster - My verdict.

[Shifty]

Well, Woodheads have kindly loaned me a Roomster while I decide over the weekend what to do with the Fabia.

Not sure which model it is, only its a gay champagne colour, with beige trim, which is truly ghastly.

That aside...... Having driven on some cracking roads in the last 24 hours, the Kirkstone Pass, the A686 to Alston, and over Orton Moors, in Cumbria, I'm impressed with the car.

Room in the roomster is most impressive, hence it appropriate name. The engine is a bit tight, the car only having done 500 miles, but revvy when pushed, with a cheeky little induction noise. Motorway cruising is ok on the flat, but a struggle in hilly areas. I think this model is fitted with a 1.4 16 valve unit.

Handling - well, best descpription I can come up with, is it is a funky looking car, sat on a chassis from 1980. It rolls ALOT in corners, it crashes over motorway bumps, but takes very bumpy roads reasonably ok.

Not alot else I can add really. I do like the dashboard, alot actually. Very solid, well laid out, and the "Dance" head unit is quite good too.

I'll see how my daughter likes it tomorrow, although being only 2 and a half, I doubt her opinion will be too comprehensive.

For a family car, I'm sure there are better for the money.

[Auric Goldfinger]

Same as the One I have, Dave on 24 hour test. Bit under powered and needs another gear..........Off to Worcester and back Tommorow so I'll hold my verdict until I return............

[Shifty]

Same as the One I have, Dave on 24 hour test. Bit under powered and needs another gear..........Off to Worcester and back Tommorow so I'll hold my verdict until I return............

Have a safe trip.

[Auric Goldfinger]

Shifty, I've asked a Roomster Question in another thread...........Can You Help Please

[lfc958]

Shifty

So when are you going to mod the roomy

[mdk1]

we were lucky to have the 1.9tdi engine in the one we had, goes quite nice.

[Guest parsko]

Hi, I have driven a 1.4 and 1.9 TDi Roomster and found it less rolley than my 2006 1.9TDi Fabia Estate, so maybe its more rolley than a VRS and less rolley than a standard Fabia.

I wonder if this apraisal will get me a job on Top Gear?

[Shifty]

I wonder if this apraisal will get me a job on Top Gear?

Look out James May....

[Loz]

I'll see how my daughter likes it tomorrow, although being only 2 and a half, I doubt her opinion will be too comprehensive.

Have we had Molly's opinion yet? Did she say something along the lines of 'ugly skoda'? lol! Then cover it in sudocrem and fill it with pennies?

I don't think my verdict would be much more comprehensive really seeing as I was slightly tipsy and quite tired lol! I'll have another look at it later!

[Neo_VR]

Handling - well, best descpription I can come up with, is it is a funky looking car, sat on a chassis from 1980. It rolls ALOT in corners, it crashes over motorway bumps, but takes very bumpy roads reasonably ok.

Improved version of the fabia chassis

They aint bad cars.. i guess they are aimed at a specific mini MPV type market sat inbetween the new furby and the octy

[anonymouse]

Well, Woodheads have kindly loaned me a Roomster while I decide over the weekend what to do with the Fabia.

Do you mind me asking what is happening with the Fabby - did you manage to source another block ? Or what............

[Shifty]

Do you mind me asking what is happening with the Fabby - did you manage to source another block ? Or what............

It's in hand, i'll have an update in the broken fabia thread tomorrow hopefully

[anonymouse]

It's in hand, i'll have an update in the broken fabia thread tomorrow hopefully

Taa, Best of Luck

[spinndrift]

Wait until you've tried a remapped 1.9td lowered Roomster with eibachs and uprated ARB:)

[dieseldarren]

I had a Roomster as a courtesy car a while back.

I liked it, tons of space, more rear leg room than the mk1 octy!

The only disappointment was;

there seemed to be a lot of road noise above 50mph,

even on smooth motorways, could just have been the tyres?

The one I drove was a 3 cylinder 1.4tdi,

which just needs to be worked a little too hard for my liking,

I'd recommend one with the 1.9tdi.

Overall a competent mini-mpv, with plenty of well thought out touches.

[Shifty]

Wait until you've tried a remapped 1.9td lowered Roomster with eibachs and uprated ARB:)

I can imagine that will be good. You dont have the beige trim do you?

[spinndrift]

I can imagine that will be good. You dont have the beige trim do you?

I've got the black trim - gone are the days of worrying about oily jeans.

[Shifty]

I've got the black trim - gone are the days of worrying about oily jeans.

[daz51]

I drove a Roomster 1.9 tdi 105 bhp at the same time i had a Fabia 1.9 tdi. I found that the roomster delivered the power more smoothly compared to my fabia.

In my fabia it was more grunty and extreme compared to a smooth yet quick roomster

[Stephen McVicar]

I've said similar before, but I'll say it again...

It is a competitor for small van conversion MPVs like the Berlingo. It is not a boy racer mobile! It does what it says on the tin very well indeed. It is tall, this probably accounts for a bit of noise, & body roll when thrown hard around corners.

I've covered a couple of thousand miles in mine now, been over Wrynose pass in the Lakes (Steepest road in England, lots of hairpins) Had it fully loaded with a small trailer tent in tow down to the Pennines. No problems. Superb driving position + passenger comfort. It is a great family workhorse .

[Shen]

We have organised a 48 hours trial.

We have had two test drives and are impressed. One of our cars is a Comfort estate, the 1.9tdi so we know the engine already and have tested that engine in the 3 model.

The test is really to see how comfortable I, (the male) find sitting in the passenger seat as on the 2nd test I found my right leg uncomfortable against the sticky out bit in the middle. No doubt there is a techie term for that partbut I don't know it.

So we are pretty sure we are buying one it's just a case of is this annoyance serious enough to put us off?

we will see.

Shen

[Organist]

We had a 1.9 diesel courtesy car which Winchester Motor Company kindly lent us whilst our Fabia Vrs was in for service. The 'bread van' image aside, we thought that it was quite a nice drive though, although we were glad to get the vrs back!

[Blanes]

Just had one on loan *(roomster)

Did 700 miles in 4 days!

Must apologies to all Roomster/new Fabia owners as my original opinion was this car must be crap -

However after a brief affair with this little motor I can say it has got loads of character and enjoyed it very much!

It was bright RED (like postman pats van) you should have seen the looks I got and even people coming up to me in petrol stations asking what it was....

God knows how you roomster drivers cope!

[iain]

I picked one up lastnight as my octi is in for a couple of bit to be done and I must say that the 1.9tdi I have is much better that I thought it would be.

the thought is a great car for lugging people and junk about

[Conshine]

I had the rear brakes and the flap motors done on the Fab vRs on Thursday and Motorline lent me a Roomster.

My verdict:

I like it, a very funky vehicle, well laid out inside, well built, good stereo.

I like the seating position, very good.

Very big inside, supprised me alot.

I invisaged my friends saying hello Pat, where's Jess when I got out

Had the 1.4 petrol, and this semed to be a bit....well very underpowered, especialy when the air com is on, (but this may be as I'm used to the power of the vRS), so can't make a firm coment, I would have to try the Derv one.

The outsde is funky, takes a bit of getting used to as you look at it and say to yourself, was the person drunk when the designed the body panels for it, but if you look deeper, you can see the logic behind it, specialy the rear doors having the window line lower, this would be really god for children to keep them amused. Seems to be true what Skoda say about the design.

I would like to see the indicators in the door mirrors, but this may be a wish for the future as cost probably played a part in them leaving them out, (either that or VW said no).

This would be a good car for people with a family or older people as the ease of getting in and out would be an advantage, not sure it would appeal to too many younger people, the Fabia may be better suited for them, unless of course they do a vRS model, which could be pimped up to the max.

I think the pricing is a shade high for the car, perhaps it should start at say