Duck_Pond

I'm contemplating getting a Fabia vRS next year, and have been obviously browsing the facts and figures of them recently.

I have a Rover 420Di at the mo, which according to the stats does 0-60 in about 10.5 sec, and has a top end of near 120mph. The stats for the vRS say 9.5 for the dash to 60 and a bit more top end.

Thing is, the Rover is sluggish to drive, yet the vRS is supposed to be hot hatch, and the figures don't seem that different.

Am I likely to be surprised by the mid-range speed of the vRS from the extra torque over that of the Rover, or am I going to be disappointed?

The only diesel cars I have been a passenger in recently (MG ZT with 180bhp, Mazda 6 and Volvo V70) haven't seemed that quick... I know they're big cars, but the VW lump in the Skoda makes it very heavy.

Also, those of you who have got a vRS - did you buy them outright, or use one of the finance deals? Are they worth doing, or is a straightforward loan better for it?

Andy M3

I bought my car cash - it is far brisker than a Rover, although i used to have a 620 SDI which wasn't bad. But anyway the Fabia is actually a lot quicker in reality - and 30-90 is on a par with much quicker cars [on paper].

however a cheeky remap assists further, and at Donnington recently i managed a 6.6 0-60 and 15.2 1/4 mile, so they have more potential than Rovers.

Duck_Pond

They are very tempting - I thought someone would mention the upgrades available and the insurance is less than for the Rover, well a lower group anyway.

What sort of mpg is the average, with normal driving? I can get about 45-50 out of the Rover.

Andy M3

yeah you can get the same mpg if you drive it steady - but i drive mine HARD and manage 34 mpg on average. I lowered mine soon after i got it though (only 8 months old now) as the handling and pitching is a bit unsettling, and standard tyres are poor. Most people get directional tyres. Other than that they are spot on.

brickboy

The Skoda figures are very conservative too -- magazine road tests have been in the low to mid 8s to 60mph and the in-gear grunt is something else

I have the same PD130 motor / 6-speed gearbox in my Passat and it does 40-60 in 4th gear in 5 seconds dead ... 50-70 in 5th in under 7 secs.

Oddly the Passat is about the same weight as the Fabia, both around 1250 kilos!

vindaloo

First impression of mine was of instant thumping torque from around 1900-2000rpm. It doesn't react so strongly at higher revs but I guess that's a diesel thing. Brakes are v-light to touch and the suspension has a very soft initial bump/dive. The Eibach spring kit seems to be rated highly.

It is heavy but what kills the economy is acceleration. So long as you don't go mad it'll give back 45mpg. Part throttle running in slower moving heavy traffic is far more economical than any petrol car I've driven, provided you can drive smoothly and don't have too much stop/start.

Bought mine outright, considered second hand but prices aren't low. Considered a car supermarket but wanted a car more quickly.... Though I did give Broadspeed a go, they'd sold out for the 1/4 unfortunately.

Prices have dropped on Broadspeed, if you're looking for something within a couple of months, get a quote off them.

Useful options would be cruise and maybe Xenons, though the std. headlights are rated as good enough. Since I bought it, I've added the boot cargo nets and have some front mudflaps to fit over the w/e.

J.

wide

45 is the best I get from my vrs. Good car but not as inspiring as my old scoobs including my sport! Has plenty of mid range to see off tailgaters, unless you got a bigger beast behind and they are ready for a bit of whipping

Duck_Pond

Sorry for reviving the thread - what tuning chips have you vRS owners employed? How much do they cost, and also how much does this Einbach upgrade cost?

I assume they don't invalidate the warranty on the car...

wide

Of course a chip will invalidate any warranty, although if you read on briskoda some owners report some friendly dealers who seem to be ok with a superchip. Although I have heard that superchip will honour a warranty of their own, if it gets fitted. There are plenty of peeps with a remap or chip, have a look on briskoda. I have been toying with amd one click, as they have been dealing with VAG for many years