Skoda Fabia - Advice please. Used family car, estate or MPV, £3k

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Tue 14 May 2013 17:48
Skoda Fabia - Advice please. Used family car, estate or MPV, £3k - EdgarTp
Hello,

Our Skoda Fabia 1.4 MPI Estate has just gone over 100k miles and needs some expensive work on the breaks.

We're considering getting a 'new' used car to replace it, with the main focus being economy. I'd be grateful of some advice. This is what we need:

- no smaller than the fabia estate and preferably a bit bigger. It would be nice to have three in the back comfortably

- we need the estate boot, or maybe a bigger car with configurable seats to allow at least similar space to the fabia

- it doesn't have to look good, or be particularly nice to drive so long as its cheap to run. I was thinking diesel. Maybe a Japanese car for reliability? Or do we say sod it and pay for the skoda repair?

- budget of around £3000, with mileage probably around 60000 I guess.

Any advice or pointers very much appreciated.
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Tue 14 May 2013 20:56
Skoda Fabia - Advice please. Used family car, estate or MPV, £3k - brum

You need to repair the car to get a good second hand selling price for it, so get the fabia repaired and consider keeping it. What do you mean by extensive brake repairs?

Rear shoes and slave cylinders should cost around £100 - £150. Front discs and pads maybe £200.(independant prices)

Using a good reputable independant is around half of skoda main dealer prices although a lot of skoda dealers will often match local independants quotes especially on older cars.

Edited by brum on 14/05/2013 at 20:59

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Tue 14 May 2013 21:06
Skoda Fabia - Advice please. Used family car, estate or MPV, £3k - Cyd

What do you mean by "expensive"? £3000 worth?

What is the nature of the work required?

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Tue 14 May 2013 23:24
Skoda Fabia - Advice please. Used family car, estate or MPV, £3k - EdgarTp
Our garage say they'd need to investigate why the brakes are not braking evenly on each side of the car. It nearly failed the MOT based on this. I can't recall off the top of my head, but our car had a problem of uneven braking at about 23% when the fail level is 24% apparently (I'm no expert)

The garage was coy about how much the investigation and fixing would cost. They don't give much away.

We have been thinking of a little more space. Any opinion on the 2002-04 Toyota Verso 2.0 D-4D?

Thanks
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Tue 14 May 2013 23:37
Skoda Fabia - Advice please. Used family car, estate or MPV, £3k - brum
Our garage say they'd need to investigate why the brakes are not braking evenly on each side of the car. It nearly failed the MOT based on this. I can't recall off the top of my head, but our car had a problem of uneven braking at about 23% when the fail level is 24% apparently (I'm no expert) The garage was coy about how much the investigation and fixing would cost. They don't give much away.

If they want you to pay for investigation then ditch this so called garage and start using someone reputable.

Its possibly

1. Your "garage" has been telling porkies or being "creative" to generate business (common with some MOT examiners)

2. It requires something adjusting e.g. a brake cable

3. It requires pads/shoes replacing or maybe discs

Go into a kwikfit if you must and ask for a free brake examination - again ask for a written quote for required.

Let us know what they say.....

Edited by brum on 14/05/2013 at 23:38

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