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Current gen Suzuki Swift Sport

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3,584
Well the KA was only a stop gap that cost me £400, I used it faultlessly for about 3 months and have sold it for £400. So alls good there.

Wanting to get back into a hot hatch after loving and missing my FN2 so much, I started to look around what would fit my budget. And settled on a Skoda Fabia 2 VRS. Its an automatic as they all are, and its the first auto car ive owned. And it's an absolute joy of a thing. 177 bhp in such a small car is really fun, with the 7 speed auto being extremely responsive, you can have just the same amount of fun as a Manuel. It also has flappy paddles and a sequentially box if the mood takes me too. But put it on a twisty road and leave it in sport mode and the exhaust note and scream from the engine is just intoxicating. And all with 45 mpg.

I wasn't quite aware of the reported fragility of the engines though when I brought it, with Skoda having unofficially recalled 30% of the VRS'S to give complete engine swaps, but the official figure is nearer 50% need to be replaced. Apparently the rings melt really badly and the turbos are made of chocolate. With owners reporting using 3 litres of oil in 500 miles. I'm hoping mine isn't one of the bad ones, it was owned by the wife of a guy that owner a custom chopper shop in the town. So chances are if it had problems he'd be all over it. But non the less im keeping a close eye on it.





The photo makes it look like it sits seriously high, and although it is high, it's not that bad. I've got a front splitter coming to give it some definition at the bottom on the bumper, and im looking to lower it by about 25-30 mm. Other than that she's staying as original as it is.
Oh and I want a double din sat nav, radio, bluetooth thing too.
 
So many Of them are re mapped, but with how squishy the engine is im worried about doing it.
Because I've read all the horror story's in the interweb I've kind of scared myself out of just enjoying the car a bit. Once I've put a few thousand miles on the car without any problems then I suspect I'll be able to just enjoy it.
But having lost £8000 when my Xtrail went pop at just 67000 miles I really can't afford for anything to go wrong with this one.
 
I'm curious....why not an EP3?

Yep, a friend of mine took his Fabia VRS to a reputable tuner (this did actually happen, hand on heart), and was given it back in limp-mode, with strict instructions to take it back to the dealership...

HOWEVER, after it was fixed, it was pretty fun. You know, for a "hot" hatch.
 
I've always found myself thinking the older cars are better than the new. Take the EP3 and the FN2, i've owned both and prefer the EP3, but thats just my opinion. As to my Fabia VRS MK1 i had many years ago, with the 130PD engine. Stuck a stage 1 remap into it and it surprised alot of cars such as the Golf GTD's and A3 S-Lines. The remap got me roughly 175bhp with around 290lb ft of torque. Great car it was and loads of fun, you could feel the torque alot within the rev range but found myself changing gears too often. Never really looked into the MK2 VRS, as to your post, there were some pretty bad reviews which put me off it and it was time to get myself something bigger.
 
Here's my update. I bought the car from a non-Skoda garage, 2011, 21000 miles, full Skoda history, after first 400 miles I'd burnt .8 litres of oil. Took it back, they sent to Skoda for oil consumption test. Skoda confirmed it was bad so they booked it in for new injectors, and new breathers, Skoda agreed to pay.

It went in Monday last week. I got a top of the range Skoda (really not) Rapid as a courtesy car. Got a call Monday saying they only got sent one injector so they're getting the other three overnight and I'll have it back Tuesday. I then got a call Tuesday saying the new?? sump plug is too small so they've ordered a longer one and I'll get the car back Wednesday. Wednesday I get a call, they've found a hole in the block, they didn't find any pieces in the sump but they sent photos to Skoda UK for advice, and told meanwhile keep driving the courtesy car till I hear more.
Got a call then saying the car needs a new engine!!!!!!
Place I bought it from are going into Skoda to argue a 2011 car with 21000 miles should never need a new engine, and they think Skoda should pay for it.

Here's my dilemma, when it comes back it'll have a brand new engine, so if I can sort the awful (can't take hands off wheel) pull to the left. I've got a practically new car for £6800.
Equally the garage has offered me my money back. So I can just walk away from what is obviously a very problematic series of cars.

My other concern is the garage I bought from has asked me not to talk to Skoda, because as soon as I do they'll ask for their courtesy car back. It only had 2000 miles when I picked it up, it now has 4500. But the garage wants to use the fact I have the courtesy car as effectively a ransom into getting Skoda to fit the engine for free.
But that means if Skoda ask for it back and I don't return it, then I'm driving a stolen car.

Help with advice please people.
 
In regard to the courtesy car, it'll depend on the arrangement. Did Skoda provide you with it directly (in which case if they ask for it back you'll have to comply) or did they supply it to the garage for you to use?
 
Skoda themselves provided me with the car, hence my garage saying don't talk to them. I don't want to be a pawn in their game.
 
I'd go with keeping schtum for now, let the garage sort it, your contract is with them. If Skoda contact you directly you'll have to give it back, obviously - at that point I'd take the refund and walk away.
 
i think what ive decided to do is keep the courtesy car till Skoda ask for it back, then go to the place i bought it from and get my money back. I'm just not feeling happy with the Fabia, I'd never have bought it with a new engine as if it was advertised with that I'd have not even bothered with it. Don't know why but it would just put me off a car knowing it'd had to have an engine change at just 21000 miles. I'm rather taken with one of these atm, not driven one, but it's quite a lot of car for the money

 
You might change your mind when you learn it is basically a Vectra underneath.
 
Well to give you a heads up on what's more than likely happened to your engine.
The piston rings/skirt breaks away giving you poor oil consumption and eventually lack of compression and misfire.
Here's one I done a few weeks back.
f8dc6a0874b28cb3a343db280b67e7e7.jpg


As for your gearbox. The 7 speed DSG in yours has a dry clutch pack. These after some abuse get overheated and distort. Causing juddering (in particular pulling away in 2nd gear) and poor shifting characteristics.
Mechatronics units fail which isn't uncommon.
Internally, the shift fork guide for 6th and reverse gear breaks. Causing the box not to function at all.
77d2f61ab0b459901140299339cd1b04.jpg

5ab452cb5d2874a18b2b9c2b7c17a9c8.jpg


Easily within the last 3 months I've experienced all these faults at least once.
 
VAG really have been churning out some premium grade sh*t lately, haven't they? :lol:

You might change your mind when you learn it is basically a Vectra underneath.

At least it's proven mechanicals then, tried and tested by a million sales reps.
 
VAG really have been churning out some premium grade sh*t lately, haven't they? :lol:
Yes and no. When their products work, it's some of the best on the market. The DSG boxes (3 variants of them) are one of the best on the market. Until you get into super car technology (which majority use a double clutch system) there's not another manufacture producing such a good auto box.
As for the 1.4 twin charge engine. It would of been a fantastic engine if they got it right. I think a combination of not using forged internals and having to make engines run silly lean on cruise to meet emissions made this engine a flop reliability wise.
As with any manufacture, it's that balance between good quality and cost. I think VW recently have considered their costs more than quality. Giving them some poor reliability issues.
Still, I'd buy a VAG vehicle over any other manufacture except another German brand (BMW and Mercedes).
 
Lewis are there any major issues with a 2015 Passat CC? Sorry for off topic!
 
Lewis are there any major issues with a 2015 Passat CC? Sorry for off topic!

Most underrated VW they make. I really like the Passat CC.
Is it the newest shape or is it the previous? As the latest is based on the MK7 Golf chassis whereas the previous is on the MK6.
If it's the earlier shape, the 2.0tdi will need the recall. Latest shape will have the newest Diesel engine in. Check though as I think all the latest diesel Passat's will use AdBlue.
6 speed DSG is probably the best one they do. Just make sure it's has the DSG oil and oil filter changed every 40k.
6 speed manuals are also bullet proof. Expect usual clutch and dual mass flywheel issues if it's been abused or has mega miles.
 
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