miff13

I've decided after 4 years of impreza ownership it's time to move on and I'm on the verge of ordering a Fabia VRS. I've had a few drives and I'm very impressed, it's not scooby quick but it's got alot of grunt. I want something that's reasonably fun to drive but is cheap to run with decent fuel economy. Are there any other cars I should have a look at.

I can get the older shape VRS brand spanking new for £9,750 including xenon lights and cruise control (not that I want cruise control but it's £50 and brings the delivery date forward for some strange reason) and whilst I could go upto £15,000, it would have to be something special to tempt me away from the VRS.

Any opinions welcome.

Matt?

alpha charlie

The Mrs runs an 04 VRs with the AMD oneclick running 170BHP and nearly 300 torques, I've been using it while i waited to purchase the STI and bang for buck its great, 55 MPG average on the run to work and thats not hanging about and sleeper enoughto embarass a few folk off the lights with the ESP working overtime, we paid £10k for hers 18 months old so you are getting a steal there.

"briskoda" is the forum if you didnt know

Cheers
AC

miff13

AC whats the AMD oneclick and how much does it cost? I'm going to make the most of the warranty but at some point I will get it remapped, that torque and bhp sounds good particularly if it keeps it's fuel economy.

fattb

iTrader: (1)

AmD one click is a little black box that allows you to switch between maps, so when it goes in for a service the stealer is unaware....good idea, only thing is it still makes the ECU counter (chechsum) increase, so if the dealer has half a clue he may work it out

Only thing is AmD went into recievership at the start of the year and are now owned by Big boys toys in Thurrock

I think Revo and APR offer switchable maps now, personally i would use APS (ex-AmD staff) in Brackley

misty

I didn't think the new Vrs was out till next spring??
Dave

ESH

Upon deciding to keep my Subaru I opted for a TDI last May (06)

I looked at both a new VRS and Leon TDI sport.

The Leon was the better all round car for me being bigger, less lardy around corners, having more comforts and personally looking better. The best thing for me was a bigger boot too.

Nothing wrong with the VRS btw.

Regards

ImNotAudiLover

LEON FR TDI
Ibiza Cupra TDI

Holyterror72

If you do nothing else to the VRS get a brake upgrade (couple of hundred quid for audi tt brakes off ebay) and a Jabba sport rear anti roll bar. Changes the car totally.

alpha charlie

FattB has answered that one matey, the demo we drove at the dealer had one fitted so I dont think our dealer is that bothered about it.

Didnt realise AMD had gone under!!!! Looking at the Jabbasport rear ARB and maybe drop it a few mm but now ive picked up the STI all my attention will be on that for now.

Good luck on the hunt

Cheers
AC

vindaloo

I've got a Fabia VRS and my brother's got an Ibiza FR PD130.

The asking price for the Fabia is lower but most other things, the SEAT's got it covered. ISTR the insurance group's lower, the ride's sportier, it comes on 17s not 16s and is probably 50-75 kilos lighter.

I quite like my Fabia but out of the box it's not a sporty handler. I've added Eibachs and a Jabba ARB to improve matters.

J.

StewartyBoy

A friend of mine has a VRS and I love it. He has it slammed on 16inch DEEEEEEP dish alloys, added a Magnex full system and upgraded the headlights to Xenons. It looks amazing, I own an Impreza and im green with envy over it! Keep the VRS, its far rarer and when you have it all sorted youll be happier you kept it!

Daft Lad

You can get an '07 vRS for £9750?? Christ, we've not been able to order one from Skoda for love nor money for the last 6 weeks, and we've been absolutely inundated with order requests for them!! No more Fabia vRS's being made - bar a limited run (1000 I think) in the Octavia vRS Race Blue metallic colour - until the all new Fabia vRS is launched next year.

Bit baffled as to why cruise control brings the delivery date forward, as its a dealer fit extra and takes all of an hour to fit!

If you can actually get a brand new one for that price mate, IMO you'd be a fool not to snap it up, cracking car

miff13

Thanks for the replies, plenty to think about but barring finding something sportier for near the price of the VRS looks like that's what I'll get. Interesting to know about the switchable maps, maybe I won't have to wait for the warrenty to run out

Brun

My lass has an 04 VRS. I love it. Took it away last year for a week on the coast and drove it like i stole it for 7 days solid and managed 48 mpg

martyrobertsdj

iTrader: (1)

You can have mine for the right price!!

Volks

That`s quite a good price, there`s two `06 cars advertised at a local Skoda dealer for 10,750.

Aaquil

Defo check out BRISKODA website...it is the Skoda equivalent of Scoobynet and all the guys are really helpful. Fabia VRS from what I heard are top cars being a SKODA they are cheap but still VAG.

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

VRS is a top car and at that price a bargain !!!

will keep its value too and gets faster with mileage increases

corradoboy

I love mine, and it gave the Scoobs a run for their money at the last trackday

martyrobertsdj

iTrader: (1)

I sold my Scoob wagon and got the vRS for one reason.....my wife decided to **** off, so I got some debt (she couldn't have that) and also coz the car was much cheaper to run.

Mine is now Revo'ed (176 bhp and 300 thingumyjigs of torque) and it's superb!

I'd only sell mine coz my financial situation is about to be sorted and I'm in the market for another Scoob.

The last year has been hassle free and 50mpg/£260 insurance aint to be sniffed at.

Russ71

I got myself an Octavia vRS and it a super car, and a snip for £9500 2005 still under warranty, you wont regret it. I havent looked back since.

matchmaker

Yellow - nice

Not as good as black, though

And a towbar - fastest towcar on your street?

miff13

Nice car Russ, I've always liked the octavia vrs.

Echo

We've had our vRS (Fabia) for about 15 months, done 40,000 + miles from new, no problems, pulls like a train, costs between a third and a half of what our WRX costs to run. It's not huge, if it's your only car do check the larger Leon but I have no plans to sell ours, drives great and even as standard is a good car to drive.

Gets a thumbs up from me

Russ71

Agree with you on the running costs mate, half the insurance, no tracker needed, 99ron not needed, done an all around trip to West Wales and back, up and down the gears through winding roads over 200miles and under half a tank used, and I wasnt really taking my time they are fab cars, I have to admit it.

Russ71

The tow bar is going, it happend to come with the car but it will make me a bit of cash when it comes off The colour mmm it does grow on you and the pics dont do it justice really, but I will never forget where I parked my car

It not a bad swap for a 52 wagon

lozgti

Just sold the wife's after nearly three trouble free years of cheap quick motoring.

She's still upset now, two weeks after it has gone .Have to say I really miss it too

Brilliant little car.Paid £11500 for it,got p/ex of £7500,not bad for a (nearly)three year old car and the garage has it on the forecourt for £8750!Hold their values really well

Duck_Pond

I've had a 54 plate Fabia vRS for over a year now, as the daily runner, with the Scooby becoming a weekend car. I've done over 25,000 miles in it so far, and it's superb (excuse the pun).

Mine is standard, and it'll stay that way unless I sell the Scooby, and even then, I'm not sure I want to change it. It wheelspins enough already.

Handling is as expected, with a steel lump of a diesel engine in the front of a supermini, but not bad, and is entertaining through B roads. Where it does shine is on A roads and motorways, as it has the feel of a much bigger car. Certainly feels less skittish than the Scooby on the motorways, and pulls like a train from 70mph, in 6th.

The only niggles of it are:

* some rattles on the dash (glovebox) and back seat
* how soft the plastics of the dash are - scratches very easily
* condensation (a normal VW trait)
* the light seat colour (might get them changed to leather one day)
* tyre wear, though these Toyos seem to be grippier than the last set
* brake noise, but to be fair, the brakes seem to work very well

But I am being very picky! It's arguably the best car I've ever driven.

The plus points are:

* good performance - really feels fast with the urge of the turbo
* brilliant economy - it averaged 80mpg across Cambridgeshire on a recent excursion! Usual figure is 48mpg, but I do like to thrash it
* looks - I really like the chunky, rally(ish) look, yet also discrete.
* equipment
* comfort
* insurance, though I have a feeling this is about to change, as insurers are reviewing diesels, presumably to make yet more money out of us.
* depreciation - mine's probably lost less than a grand in value since buying it.

I suppose it all boils down to whether you're bothered about image, and whether more importantly, the car is the right size.

monkeysan

i had an Ibiza TDi Sport130 - exactly the same as a VRs but you can get a 3-door and it's 2-3k cheaper

only group 7 insurance too, bloody good cars - can upset much bigger with ease

Matteeboy

Worth trying an Astra 150CDTi - Depreciation means they can be picked up for a quid, they can easily be chipped to 200bhp/300lbs/ft, they handle a ot better than the Fabia (I tried one and really liked it but it was too rolly for me) and they are genuinely pretty quick.
Think mk4 Golf TDI 150PD but with proper handling.

Euro 4 compliant and super cheap insurance too.