2004 Skoda Fabia vRS from UK and Ireland - Comments

'It's a skoda and everybody other than the strange skoda owners laughs at them so in my opinion it isn't very hard to beat.'

Actually, not everyone still laughs at them, and the people who do are just enforcing their poor automobile intellect. I wouldn't comment on your car without driving it, so I don't see how you can comment on a car you clearly have never driven.

A 5 minute test drive is all it takes to change most peoples views on the vrs, even Jeremy Clarkson was astounded by its power delivery!

And to the person who thinks that re-mapping it will make the engine 'go pop', I suggest you have a look on briskoda. net 100s of owners who have remapped with no problems. The only problems (with the odd exception obviously) have occured when people have tried to get too much power or used a non-reputable company.

The simple fact is, I have driven one, and there not a particularly nice car.

That is my opinion and if your stupid enough to up the cars power with these chips then I reckon you don't know what your letting yourself in for, in 40k miles or less the engine will be in trouble. FACT I work for an engine building/tuning firm and these engines, whilst quite strong as standard won't withstand a chip the internals are too weak.

As for none drivers laughing at Skoda's, well, I don't see why not, they look like crap and they just borrow from the bottom of VW's parts bin. (cheap and nasty)

'FACT I work for an engine building/tuning firm and these engines, whilst quite strong as standard won't withstand a chip the internals are too weak'

You may work for an engine/tuning firm, but you are completely wrong. The problems that vrs have had due to remaps, are mainly to do with the clutch & dual mass flywheel. Only when owners have tried to get stupid amounts of bhp like 200+ without doing other necessary mods has it caused engine problems.

'these engines, whilst quite strong as standard won't withstand a chip the internals are too weak.'

Not true. Don't forget the PD150 & PD160 engines are nearly exactly the same (but obviously have more bhp & torque). They have the same shaft, the only differences being the compressor & turbine are slightly larger, but the outside housing is the same.

Actually its not just a bigger turbo on these pd 150 & 160 models.

The internals are also beefed up and the intake manifold is also uprated as well.

I still stand by my comments that a chip simply is not the safe option to up the power on these engines, you are only deluded if you believe that these are going to withstand such abuse, to get the 150 & 160 engines to there power levels, VW did a lot of work to make sure reliability wasn't an issue, why do you think there is such a premium over the 'normal' models if it's only a bigger turbo? surely it would be more prudent to charge accordingly?

When you have taken one of these engines to bits yourself and examined the pistons etc. then you will see what I am talking about. (it is under the shiny plastic cover by the way.)

'I still stand by my comments that a chip simply is not the safe option to up the power on these engines'

Listen to the actual owners, we know if it works or causes problems. Mines done nearly 40,000 miles since being re-mapped by Angel to 170bhp and I've had no problems at all.

Go on briskoda. net, you'll find almost all re-mapped vrs have had no more problems than one not re-mapped.

I don't think I'm being paranoid when I say this about these engines: http://www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_81604.html#c197732, check out this review from Croatia from the top all comments left are mostly by the owner with updates, the last one confirms what I have been on about and also shows that the engines will not stand the test of time with these supposed 'safe' modifications.

If vw's best effort with this engine is 160ps in the seat ibiza etc. then you should take note that with extensive mods to the engine this is possible whilst keeping the reliability, firms offering to 'up' the power considerably are not thinking longer term reliability I'm afraid and it just shows that people will believe anything you tell them.

For instance, by trade I tune and build engines for a living mostly and I could say to someone that I will increase the bore of there 1.6 zetec Focus engine to 2.0 and it will still be as reliable as before due to blah blah blah. and they might believe me, but the engine block would be so weak that a sudden increase of heat could crack the block therefore one broken engine.

Its the same with these 'tuning' firms, they may be able to offer the remap, our firm also offers this, but we only put the power up safely to match engine spec., not as much as possible as this is just asking for trouble.

In closing, if you feel the need to have your car 'chipped' then by all means do so, but don't go crying to moma when your engine is breaks and you're not under warranty to get it fixed.

I don't see the point in tuning them anyway really. Just had my unmodified Seat Cordoba 130 dyno tested at Graham Goode Racing in Leicester recently and the results were 147 bhp and 268 lb ft of torque. So why bother remapping. The guys there told me this is common and that the official VW power output figures for these engines are quite conservative.

These cars seem to be very good every day cars, with enough power to keep vtrs and other annoying cars at bay even from 0-60. I drive a ZR diesel remapped and other stuff like decat pipe with 135bhp and I would imagine performance is very similar. Mid range grunt is surprising enough to make you feel like you are driving a sports car, I wouldn't want to get into debates with proper sports cars as my brothers integra type R DC2 is still a lot lot quicker than my car.

I'm sorry I've had enough; the Skoda Fabia vRS is a brilliant little car, nobody has the right to call it a bad car. Different people drive and use cars differently. I'm not bothered in the slightest of the 0-60 or top speed.

I haven't got a vRS YET, but I'm looking and waiting till next month for 3 years no claims. The day my insurance runs out is the day you'll see me in the local Skoda dealer signing on the dotted line.

I've never heard so much rubbish in all my life! Everyone slating the VRS clearly hasn't got a clue!

I own one my self and have driven a lot of cars and this one, especially for value for money, is fantastic!

0-60 times have been recorded as low as 7 seconds in a standard car, which is pretty quick!

Mine is re-mapped (no ones on about chipping as in a diesel its not necessary, which you should no being a 'car expert') and I've upgraded the clutch and fly wheel and have had no problems at all, better fuel economy and a lot lot quicker!

As said before, go on briskoda.net. There's guys that have done 100k miles with there cars re-mapped explain that!!!

As for Saxo VTR's don't make me laugh, not lost a race against one yet! Id also like to add BMW 300d,330d, 500d, 530d, Z3 and a Z4 the other day, also Mercs, Copper S's and just about everything else that comes my way! Anyway us VRS owners will beat any petrol eventually as you will all run out of fuel!

99BHP per tonne may not be amazing, but you forget they have more torque that a Porsche Boxter S (remapped) so you don't need a load of BHP!

As for looking cheap/low quality??? What are you all on about, its one of the most solid built cars I've driven!

Rover beating a VRS??? Was is it a V8?! Calm down son, think ur having a giggle aren't u?!

As for handling, after a few mods that cost next to nothing, it's now like a go cart, handles any corned I throw at it!

We're a wolf in sheep's clothing so watch out!

Oh wow 99 bhp per tonne; don't rip the tarmac up too much! LOL.

I used to have a Mondeo V6 that would ripped apart the little vRS; granted it would have guzzled fuel, but sounds 10 times better and goes like hell on the motorway, something no Fabia driver can ever say, I now own a Sport Clio 172, which is even faster.

The point I'm trying to make is the Fabia vRS is merely a warm hatch; it's not hot in anyway, and a remap is chipping in the sense of the word as you plug in a chip or flash module to the ECU to reprogram its settings, so make sure you get your facts straight before criticising others.

Mini cooper S's are actually quite fast cars, you will not beat one of those, and the BMW 530d? You must be joking, its amazing what these fabia owners will say. Or kid themselves that they were actually in a race!

Interesting comment about the Mondeo V6, also known as the Cologne slug, absolutely hideous engine, hugely slower than figures suggest, heavy and leisurely are the words that come to mind. A 2.0 Carina E would run rings around one. What planet are you on. Ford V6 = Gutless... always was always will be. They have no pick up or get up and go, dreadful antiquated obsolete heaver of a car.

Any VW/Audi TDi apart from the 1.4 would obliterate it in the performance stakes.

Haha, first off it's not a Cologne it's a duratec, completely different engine to the Sierra XR4x4 days.

Much smoother and definitely quicker.

You say it's a slug and then go onto mention a Toyota??? LOL.

I have beaten the Fabia vRS before in it, as the maths speak for themselves.