June 2018
Since we have had the Fabia for about 6 weeks and 1000 miles now I thought it was about time to give my initial thoughts and while I am at it we have had the Superb for almost 16 months now and its time for an update.
First the Fabia 1.0 TSi 110 PS SE-L, to sum it up its great, better than great actually. At the full retail over just over £17000 including extras its a bit expensive but for the money we paid after discounts and contributions (£12100) there cannot be a better car of its type out there. It had a tough job replacing the Note but other than interior space and boot space (which anyone with Mk 1 human eyes could spot) its better in every respect. I had reservations about buying one with 215 45 16 tyres but I test drove 2 and they were fine, ours is the same. Obviously they have spent time tuning the suspension to match the reduced tyre sidewalls and have done a good job. Its loosening up nicely but I expect there is still some way to go yet but the engine is incredibly flexible and refined. As for economy its averaging 51.5 mpg so far (better than the Note managed over 3 years) and on a 250 mile round trip to the coast it averaged 56.5 mpg. It would have been better but we were delayed by an accident on the M1 for about 20 minutes and on the way home it was A/C all the way. The coast trip shows that the Fabia is not just a town car. It coped with the hills of the North York Moors with very little need to change down and the occasional overtake was easy. Got lucky with a full size spare, Skoda wanted £100, got a full set of winters with 6mm left from a local chap on a forum for £80. Ones in the boot as a spare, when necessary we have a full set of winters.... Read more
Back in February I purchased a private plate and transfered them to my car, as you would.
Yesterday I decided to buy a new (used) car and went online to take it off my car ready for the new one. I filled in the the required boxes and they told me it couldn't be done online and I would have to do it by post. I started up a chat with an online "advisor" and asked why this couldn't be done.... Read more
I love the ones where people have to use bolts to try and make the plate spell something it doesn't really spell.
The ones where you need a committee to decide what its trying to say are even better....
Thought I would be able to upload some photos.. but maybe not.
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Hopefully the insurance will cover it and you have protected no claims on the policy. I would get on to the insurance people and get their people to have a look for a start.
Thought I would be able to upload some photos.. but maybe not.
... Read more
We've got this in the Motoring section as well. No need for two threads on the same subject.
I expect car safety systems will brake for us, sensors will not allow vehicles over the speed limits...which will have many 20mph zones. Diesels and petrol cars will be on he well on way out in favour of electric cars. MOTs will be a nightmare with all the safety systems being failure risks. Any thoughts? Read more
And oil fuel CH, requiring no fixed cable/pipe distribution service, is cheapest of all, thanks to gb and his large wheeled oil cans ;-)
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That idiot was me last week. At a large and empty mid morning roundabout I approached in the right lane, having received parking instructions to 'go down the road and turn right. The roundabout looks like this at that point.
Having 'turn right' in my head, and with my 92 year old mother having just been admitted to hospital with a stroke, and my 94 year old father dying in Feburary, coupled with the concern about care for my 'challenged' brother, still single and living at home at 55 and concern for complications of care for him, I made a right turn on the empty roundabout and pulled into the left, i.e. close to the centre of the roundabout. I was then honked by a truck coming the right way and immediatly pulled over on the hard standing of the roundabout centre.... Read more
It's a mistake easily made, and even those who claim to be professionals (and being paid to drive, as in my case, may or may not make one a pro) still drop clangers now and again, don't give your error another thought.
Should have been done years ago.
I would also like to see the same penalties applied for the testing for the "range" for EV and Hybrid cars on "battery power only". The manufacturers average 17% over statement on battery only range. This is not good enough. Read more
Why are VW owners NOT paying the correct VED in the UK. All others have to pay the going rate. so we are paying more so they can get away with it !. Is the Government afraid of VW. Spineless we think. VW owner's I know stick two fingers up to the likes of me. In the USA all VW's were purchased back by VW. VED is a shame.
Increasing finacial penalties for using the phone won't deter some people, perhaps caught once a warning, twice and it's a ban. I see many drivers on the phone whilst driving and there aren't any police around to catch them. Read more
The truth is that accidents are quite rare, so if something increases the chance of an accident two fold, most times you will be fine. To me it is quite obvious that a phone conversation increases the chance of a crash, as does talking to a passenger. I find it quite hard to chat and drive on non motorways, but maybe I am unusual. I find it takes my attention away from the road too much.
It sounds to me that you are seeing what you want to see - no real increase in accidents due to a phone conversation - and fitting the argument to prove it. You don’t know the impact of car safety improvements, and drink driving enforcement for example. In other words, you have no idea of the underlying reality, but hand waving is enough. Plenty of studies have been done into the effect of phones, talking etc.
I’m aware of the arguments in that link, the way we process information is not as common sense suggests. That in fact is an argument for not talking while driving. And not driving when emotional. I have only once skidded in the wet due to a driving mistake, which was going too fast round a wet bend, and that was when angry. My attention was elsewhere. Fortunately I knew how to correct the skid having previously skidded twice on new but dangerous tyres, which were quickly replaced. On that occasion luck was on my side.
Time to replace our diesel Passat estate, but struggling to find alternatives that we like.
I do 12k year mileage, so borderline with diesel. Looking to spend £12,000.... Read more
Maybe they're confused with the HR-V, which is more of that type (though still not bad in terms of internal size), like the Juke and Mazda CX-3. Easy done these days with all the different models on offer that can look quite similar.
We looked at the HRV before getting the Fabia and its true to say it has really good internal space, shame they don't fit the turbo petrols used in the Civic. If they did we would have considered it more seriously....
My Ford Focus has a strange problem where a loud klunk noise comes from the engine bay 15-20 seconds after coming to a stop. The klunk can be felt through the pedals. I have made a couple of videos, links below, of the klunk from inside and outside the car. I get strange looks from other road users and am concerned the problem will affect my ability to sell the car. It is still under warranty but so far Ford have not worked out the cause.
Video from outside: youtu.be/vRD9ibjKXYA
Video from inside: youtu.be/3pKVYLE65A8
Does anyone have any ideas as to what is causing this noise and/or have some advice on how to proceed with Ford?
Many thanks in advance.,
Kind regards,
Richard. Read more
Well you live and learn - good job it's sorted, I found this video showing how they work.
Browse
Actually, in 6 years of XF 3.0D ownership, over two cars, we've had precisely nothing go wrong. Zilch, etc. It's a wonderful experience, go for an XF.
If the infotainment system goes down in a Golf, the hallowed VW want £4,000, so £1,500 for the Jaguar doesn't seem so bad. I wonder how much the Skoda garage would charge. I'm not being shirty, I'm just curious since I presume it to be the same component. Does anyone know?