2001 Skoda Fabia Comfort review from UK and Ireland
"The Fabia is an excellent car, spoiled by persistent faults and poor dealers."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Persistent rattle from behind the dashboard. Various dealers tried to fix on 3 occasions, and one dealer told me that it was a known problem, and there was a modified bracket behind the dashboard that he could fit. It started rattling again within 6 weeks. It still rattles today.
The power steering warning light keeps coming on. On occasions the power steering fails altogether. Skoda claimed (whilst the car was still under warranty) that they couldn't find any problems with the system.
Headlights flicker when the steering is turned, which is irritating when driving on dark, unlit roads. Skoda checked the charging system, and said nothing was wrong.
The rear door trims were soaking wet after heavy rain. The door seals were replaced / modified.
The electric windows swap sides (left hand switch operates right hand window). Skoda don't know of a fix.
The front suspension clonks/knocks a lot on bumpy roads, and although the dealer claims there is nothing wrong, it never sounds right.
The central locking switch sometimes doesn't work. Skoda don't know of a fix.
Various rattles have started in the area of the rear seats.
General comments?
The Fabia, with the 1.9TDi engine, is a surprisingly quick and economical car to drive.
The handling is sharper than the equivalent Polo, and it comes across as a solid and good value for money car.
However, the dealers I have experienced (and I have tried 4 different ones) have all demonstrated various degrees of incompetence. Of the list of faults that the car developed during its warranty period, hardly any were acknowledged (let alone fixed) by the dealers.
It is one thing to have a "rogue" car, which is plagued with defects. However, my research so far has shown that the faults experienced on my Fabia are by no means uncommon.
The fact that the existence of most of these faults have been ignored by the dealers I have approached says to me that Skoda is shirking from its responsibilities to its customers.
Therefore, in spite of the car's apparent strengths, I shall not be buying another Skoda (or indeed another product from the Volkswagen group).
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 2001 |
| Year of manufacture | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.9 TDi Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 39000 miles |
| Previous car | Seat Ibiza |
| Date of Entry | 16th September, 2004 |