Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide

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Sun 3 Oct 2010 20:38
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - Wulbert

I'm going round in circles trying to decide between these two cars and wondered if anyone here could offer some insight.

I'm looking for a cheap to run small family car for me and my wife and two kids, 10 and 12yrs. We do about 16k miles/year, a lot of it in built up areas, commuting to work. We have up to £8.5k to spend at a push but would rather spend £6k.

We need to keep our monthly outgoings down because our income is low. I'm looking at an older 2005, 1.6 SE Honda Civic hatchback or a newer Skoda Fabia Estate deisel, maybe the 1.4 Greenline. However I'm not totally convinced that diesels are that cheap to run in the real world. People seem to get a lot less that the quoted MPG figures in the real world, also diesels need more care and the modern ones seem to be pretty complex machines. I'm not sure if a Fabia 1.4 diesel from 2008/9 would have the dreaded particulate filter? Anyone know for sure. I'm off to Henry Skoda in Glasgow tomorrow for a look around and maybe a test drive. Things that are important to me: relaibility, ergonomics, thoughtful design, safety. Current car is a 1997 Saab 9000, lovely car but getting old and expensive on fuel.(even though it burns LPG, it only gets 23mpg when doing so)

Any thoughts welcomed.

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Sun 3 Oct 2010 23:20
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - likerocks

I can't really comment on the Fabia, but am currently in the market for a Civic of similar vintage. What sold it for me is that the Civic should get 40mpg plus using an engine that is as near as dammit 100% reliable if very basic maintenance is properly performed at home or via a back street garage. Even allowing for the built-in internet bias, you hear about far fewer Honda probs than VAG ones.

The Civic also has usefully more performance than the 1.4 Skoda, but accessing it will take more conscious effort on your part as the driving characteristics of the a 1.6vtec engine are very different to a 1.4pd.

Depending on what you need to carry, you may find that the Honda is actually more practical that the Skoda estate as it has "magic seats", a completely flat passenger compartment floor and a completely flat loadbay with all seats down. I would hazard that the Fabia rear seats don't even fold flat (based on the next size up of VAG car e.g. Golf / Octavia).

Finally, you'll get a nice Honda cheaper than an nice Fabia (albeit slightly older).


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Sun 3 Oct 2010 23:26
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - Avant

Secondhand diesels are getting more and more of a risk of expensive component failure. 16,000 a year is on the borderline for making a diesel worthwhile, but of course a big repair negates the whole arithmetic, particularly if it involves the DPF or DMF (dual mass flywheel).

The Civic and Fabia are both good reliable cars, but make your choice between the petrol versions. Perhaps consider an Octavia if you need as much room as you have with your Saab.

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Mon 4 Oct 2010 00:23
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - Wulbert

Thanks for your thoughtful replies so far. I don't need the same load space as the Saab, which has a cavernous load bay with the seats folded. The gameplan is to get a tow-bar and trailer for use on holidays or taking stuff to the dump. combined with roof bars and a roof box this should give us lots of load space which we don't need to pay for when we don't need it. We are hoping to get car, trailer, roof box and tow bar included in the £8.5k total outlay.

However the kids are getting bigger and will not appreciate a cramped back seat, I'm planing on keeping this next car for 5yrs+.

And I would like to be able to use (good) back street mechanincs who actually know how to repair cars rather than bin parts and plug new ones in at my expense until they fix the problem (whoops.....grumpy old man rant almost got going there)

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Mon 4 Oct 2010 00:49
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - Wulbert

Likerocks, have you made any decision between the 1.4 or 1.6 Civic?

I test drove both yesterday and the 2004, 1.4SE felt quieter than the '06 (55plate) 1.6SE Executive. Also the suspension on the 1.4 felt better damped, softer, but that could just be individual cars. 1.6 was a fair bit pokier, although the 1.4 felt adequate. The 1.6 was my preference given their seems to be only 3mpg between them.

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Mon 4 Oct 2010 02:22
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - john96
There seems to be problems with the civic´s driveshaft bearings, which involves getting gbox out, however, not sure if you cant just drive the car anyway!
On this site warnings of power steering problems too.
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Mon 4 Oct 2010 08:19
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - SteveLee

If money is tight and potential unforeseen repair bills are an issue, I'd avoid modern diesels like the plague - it's just not worth the risk. Also consider for £4-£6K you can pick up a nice KIA C'eed, these have a transferable 7 year warranty - take the example below, for £4,200 you are going to get an excellent focus-sized hatchback with 60 thousand warranted miles left in it: www.cargiant.co.uk/KIA/details-474373-KIA.asp

You'd be mad not to!

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Mon 4 Oct 2010 16:33
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - Wulbert

Thanks Steve,

I 'phoned my brother last night and he mentioned the Kia warranty too. I'll have a look.

One of my workmates had a Kia (Pride?) about 15 years ago and it seemed flimsy, maybe they've upped their game since then though. Cheers.

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Tue 5 Oct 2010 15:18
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - SteveLee
Yes KIAs used to be flimsy cheap nasty things - they are now as good as anything out there. The only current models which are still a bit nasty are the Picanto and Rio, the Picanto is due be replaced with new model with the excellent Hyundai i10 underpinnings.


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Mon 4 Oct 2010 22:29
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - likerocks

Likerocks, have you made any decision between the 1.4 or 1.6 Civic?

I must confess I'm hovering between 1.6 and 2.0 actually! The 1.6 has all I need, but there is very little difference in purchase price and i do enjoy having a bit in reserve for the odd overtake, plus a shade more mid range torque around town. I reckon on about £250 difference in fuel costs over 12k a year.

interesting comment re ride. I wonder if the 1.6 exec was on larger alloy wheels or cheap / misinflated tyres?

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Tue 5 Oct 2010 17:06
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - SteveLee

In the real world (ignoring official figures) the Honda 2 litre petrol unit is a very efficient unit - achieving 40mpg is no problem on the open road, the only critisism I have is the closed throttle fuel cutoff is very aggressive, opening and closing the throttle in heavy traffic situations makes for jerky progress. I suspect the fuel economy of a gently driven 2 litre wouldn't differ a great deal from the 1.6.

I still regret not buying a bargain 5 door civic type S from car giant. By the time I convinced myself to buy it, it had been sold, it was £1,500 cheaper than anything on Autotrader.

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Tue 5 Oct 2010 17:22
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - Avant

In view of what you say above, Wulbert, about back seat space for growing kids, I'd agree with the general view that the Civic (old shape) is the one to go for.

This model had masses of legroom,and is in many ways superior to the new shape, where the stylist has been given too much freedom with the result that rear visibility verges on the dangerous. It has a spoiler (which it doesn't need) instead of a bidet (rear-wash-wipe, which it does).

SWMBO had a Civic Type S (2.0 petrol) a few years ago - a very good car. Totally reliable with lively performance and good handling. There may not be very many around, so check out the more popular 1.6 and see if it's fast enough for you.

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Tue 5 Oct 2010 21:11
Honda Civic or Skoda Fabia - Fabia Estate ('08ish) or '05 Civic? can't decide - Dodge49

Hi

I owned a 2004 Honda Civic 1.6se 5dr for 5 years and would recommend one to anyone. The space and legroom in the back are excellent and not cramped even with the front seats fully back. The mpg averaged about 42 on mixed runs and around 55mpg when sat at 55-60ish on the motorway, matching my friends Seat Altea 2.0tdi. I used it to tow a folding camper (650-900kg) all around the UK and France and it performed really well. Also 100% reliable. Only issue I had was that the front tyres would spin too easily in the wet but this may have been down to the tyres-not sure. I replaced it with a 2.0 accord tourer so we could tow a caravan.

Edited by andy rodge on 05/10/2010 at 21:11

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