Fabia V Focus

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Mon 3 Dec 2007 21:21
Fabia V Focus - Niallster
Uncle looking to change his car and its between two cars.

03 Fabia 1.9 diesel 70k trim level he can't recall £4,300 with £1,500 trade in on a car worth £1,000 tops so say £3,800 for cash.

Or 02 Focus 1.8 diesel 70k trim again he can't remember. Same money.

The Focus has a tow bar which always makes me suspicious plus Uncle says it smelt damp which the dealer said was because it had just been valeted.

He is aware of the misfueling saga and wants to know if there are any signs to look for.

I saw the Fabia less £200 squids unless its an Elegance in which case its on the money but open to your comments.
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Mon 3 Dec 2007 21:23
Fabia V Focus - Pugugly {P}
Skoda. (see I've been Brainwashed !)
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Mon 3 Dec 2007 21:39
Fabia V Focus - bathtub tom
Focii are renowned for leaking water through the pollen filter.
Any car with air-con can smell damp if it's not been used properly.
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Mon 3 Dec 2007 21:41
Fabia V Focus - y2k+4
Depends which engines we are talking about here. The 1.9 diesel in the Fabia could be the turbo or non-turbo. If it is the latter, I would avoid as it is criminally slow. Same for the Focus, except is it TDCi or TDi? Again, the latter is much the inferior unit, though whilst not slow, is very much the unrefined diesel of yester-year.

Has he considered a car from the class above? i.e. Mondeo/406/Octavia? These are likely to be better value for money, all things considered, especially the Octavia.
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Mon 3 Dec 2007 21:53
Fabia V Focus - Red Baron
Fabia.

Cars from the class above the Fabia or the Focus are not much dearer, but don't be tempted. Running costs are higher. I recently bought an Alfa 147. For less money I cuold have bought a 156. I simply didn't need a bigger car that would come with bigger bills.
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Mon 3 Dec 2007 22:25
Fabia V Focus - Ruperts Trooper
Fabia is Polo-based so presumably significantly smaller than the Golf-based Octavia - the Focus is Golf-sized.

What size car do you want?
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Mon 3 Dec 2007 22:30
Fabia V Focus - Niallster
Apologies the Fabia is the 1.4 TDI. Introduced in 03 I think. So that would be the TDi.
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Tue 4 Dec 2007 00:08
Fabia V Focus - MichaelR
Cars from the class above the Fabia or the Focus are not much dearer but
don't be tempted. Running costs are higher.


Don't be daft - running costs are very similar especially with broadly similar engine sizes. I can think of nothing about the Fabia that is noticeably cheaper than the Focus. They've probably even got the same size wheel/tyre combination. Tax will be the same. Everything about them is likely to be the same.
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