AnnoyingPentium's Adventures - Fabia Fettling and Other Nonsense

[AnnoyingPentium]

Didn't think I'd post a thread, but I'd like to now. So let's get started...

Erm, I like small cars - this is apparent... probably. Most of them are cheap to run (2.0 Fabia has left the building), cheap to buy (unless you've got a posh one), and you can throw them in spaces without bouncing off of other things like Jags, women, and small dogs. They're small, so I'll call them nuggets for this, hence "nuggeteering".

My first (and only... for now) foray into buying a dinky motor is this wee red nugget here, a 2006 Skoda Fabia. It's relatively late in the Mk1's lifespan, being one from right on the edge of the 2006 registrations being dragged kicking and screaming into service on the 22nd of December all those many moons ago.

The car is an 'Ambiente' trim, which means it's one that'd be on par with your equivalent 'Comfort' of the pre-facelift era. As such, it's a little bit better than your pov-spec 'Classic'. For example, it has:

• air conditioning - it was a standard fit on all models around this time I believe due to offers
• heated and electrically adjustable mirrors
• chrome interior door handles (because posh)
• slightly fancier wheel trims over the Classic
• a posh interior light
• better interior trim
• 8 speakers and a "high-tech" compact disc player that decided it didn't want to be freed from my car... more on that later

On top of this, my car was specced with some nice options:

• metallic 'Flamenco Red' burgundy/red paint - often mistaken as Cayenne Orange, being an earlier colour on the Fabias.
• body coloured door handles with matching chrome lock pins and chrome handbrake button (much poshness)
• a posh gearknob

Unfortunately, the previous owner who specced this magnificent beast of a car scrimped on the powerhouse, leaving it with the Ambiente trim's default 1.2 12v (6v was only available on Classic hatchbacks) and 64 (or 63, depends who you ask) raging three-legged ponies powered by 1198cc's and three cylinders of Skoda-ness. I'm not saying it's slow, but the milkfloat has disappeared over the horizon.

Overall though, it's a practical car since you can rip the back seats out at a moment's notice and quite spacious compared to the other sheds in my budget. It's low mileage too, was at just below 52,000 when I brought it home, and it's now due ticking over to 58,000 any day now. Doesn't mean that all the OEM stuff won't wear out with age, however. Lol.

I've also got a thread about it on Briskoda, which I may link to at some points throughout this thread, should this wee thing stick about for some time - which is the plan.

For now, have a before, from the AutoTrader advertisement:

And how it is now...

Apologies for the state of the thing, it's a daily so it gets a little bit of abuse... and long journeys. Haha.

Edited September 27 by AnnoyingPentium
Title

[JMotor]

I really rate these little cars. 

Had a 100 PD Comfort hatch and a SDi Classic estate. 

Both felt solid enough and drove well enough. Seats I couldn't get on with, but a set from a Fabia Sport or Bohemia greatly improved it. 

But my god a Classic spec SDi is base and I'd wager your pez powered one would likely give it a bloody nose in performance terms. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

They're solid wee motors, at least compared to the family's fleet of Dacias. I'd love to get my mitts on a PD of some sort, whether it be the 100hp 1.9 or my neighbour's 1.4 PD 80hp model.

1 minute ago, JMotor said:

Seats I couldn't get on with, but a set from a Fabia Sport or Bohemia greatly improved it. 

I fall out the seats in corners sometimes. The Fabia Sport seats would be smashing, just need to find a set that isn't clapped out. They've all got the inherent problem where the foam base is being cut internally with the metal frame and the foam isn't replaceable.

2 minutes ago, JMotor said:

But my god a Classic spec SDi is base and I'd wager your pez powered one would likely give it a bloody nose in performance terms. 

Definitely, same horsepower and less torque to my little petrol one but I'm about 3 seconds quicker to 60. Only advantage of the Slowest Diesel Imaginable is probably the so-called "Biblical" fuel economy, haha.

[AnnoyingPentium]

My nugget now has a "personalised" plate, I've got posh shite now.

[Jamie]

nice, i am also a fan of the mk1 fabia, i had a VRS back in 2011 that i swapped for an Audi TT 225 - it felt so much quicker bcoz light and also owing to the fact it was mapped to 200bhp. Cracking little thing .

 

[Out Run]

On 1/1/2022 at 6:09 PM, AnnoyingPentium said:

Didn't think I'd post a thread, but I'd like to now. So let's get started...

Erm, I like small cars - this is apparent... probably. Most of them are cheap to run (2.0 Fabia has left the building), cheap to buy (unless you've got a posh one), and you can throw them in spaces without bouncing off of other things like Jags, women, and small dogs. They're small, so I'll call them nuggets for this, hence "nuggeteering".

My first (and only... for now) foray into buying a dinky motor is this wee red nugget here, a 2006 Skoda Fabia. It's relatively late in the Mk1's lifespan, being one from right on the edge of the 2006 registrations being dragged kicking and screaming into service on the 22nd of December all those many moons ago.

The car is an 'Ambiente' trim, which means it's one that'd be on par with your equivalent 'Comfort' of the pre-facelift era. As such, it's a little bit better than your pov-spec 'Classic'. For example, it has:

• air conditioning - it was a standard fit on all models around this time I believe due to offers
• heated and electrically adjustable mirrors
• chrome interior door handles (because posh)
• slightly fancier wheel trims over the Classic
• a posh interior light
• better interior trim
• 8 speakers and a "high-tech" compact disc player that decided it didn't want to be freed from my car... more on that later

On top of this, my car was specced with some nice options:

• metallic 'Flamenco Red' burgundy/red paint - often mistaken as Cayenne Orange, being an earlier colour on the Fabias.
• body coloured door handles with matching chrome lock pins and chrome handbrake button (much poshness)
• a posh gearknob

Unfortunately, the previous owner who specced this magnificent beast of a car scrimped on the powerhouse, leaving it with the Ambiente trim's default 1.2 12v (6v was only available on Classic hatchbacks) and 64 (or 63, depends who you ask) raging three-legged ponies powered by 1198cc's and three cylinders of Skoda-ness. I'm not saying it's slow, but the milkfloat has disappeared over the horizon.

Overall though, it's a practical car since you can rip the back seats out at a moment's notice and quite spacious compared to the other sheds in my budget. It's low mileage too, was at just below 52,000 when I brought it home, and it's now due ticking over to 58,000 any day now. Doesn't mean that all the OEM stuff won't wear out with age, however. Lol.

I've also got a thread about it on Briskoda, which I may link to at some points throughout this thread, should this wee thing stick about for some time - which is the plan.

For now, have a before, from the AutoTrader advertisement:

And how it is now...

Apologies for the state of the thing, it's a daily so it gets a little bit of abuse... and long journeys. Haha.

Welcome to the forum, Martin Mullholland.

[Rod/b]

2 hours ago, Jamie said:

nice, i am also a fan of the mk1 fabia, i had a VRS back in 2011 that i swapped for an Audi TT 225 - it felt so much quicker bcoz light and also owing to the fact it was mapped to 200bhp. Cracking little thing .

 

This photo will send all the two-bucket, grit guard, clay bar wankers absolutely apoplectic. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

3 hours ago, Jamie said:

nice, i am also a fan of the mk1 fabia, i had a VRS back in 2011 that i swapped for an Audi TT 225 - it felt so much quicker bcoz light and also owing to the fact it was mapped to 200bhp. Cracking little thing .

 

Nice looking wee motor that one. One of my old neighbours bought a vRS not that long ago.

[AnnoyingPentium]

So, I possess more cassettes than I'm ever willing to mention (except on tapeheads.net, but that's another kettle of fish). Therefore, for the pinnacle of shitery and cause why not, I fitted the Goodmans GCE-530 that has been inhabiting my loft for a number of years to my Fabia. It started off a little warbly, but picked up nicely eventually. Definitely due to it lying about for so long though.

The aerial isn't wired in but that's fine because the radio is mostly shite anyway.

To the peeps looking to buy a Fabia and replace the stereo. Just don't. Wiring is a [female dog] and I have made enough blood sacrifices to prove it. Or maybe I'm just a bit of a dimwit?

[AnnoyingPentium]

Less like Stevie Wonder in the dark now, I reckon.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Was absolutely chuffing baltic but I made the most of it...

[AnnoyingPentium]

Decided that I should put my spotted things here, since they come up in my travels/adventures.

Here we have a 2006 bASe Fabia 1.2 54hp. Second time I have spotted this wee yin.

[320touring]

Our mother had a 1.4 16v auto (75bhp) for a while - reasonable little thing, and stood up to my "Blackridge to Dunvegan return to buy cupcakes in a day" well enough. It was even ok at passing folk 🤣 just needed to keep momentum up!

 

I also bought a 1.9tdi estate for commuting to sunny Blackburn down south..

All in all, I much prefer a mk1 Octavia 😁🤣

 

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

13 hours ago, 320touring said:

It was even ok at passing folk

Impressive as apparently it's slower than mine due to the auto box. I can pass things but it involves having your last will and testament handy. 😝

I like the idea of a 1.9 PD though, especially in estate guise like yours as I could do with the extra boot space. Elegance being the top-spec model of the time would get me heated seats too.

[D.E]

On 01/01/2022 at 19:09, AnnoyingPentium said:

As such, it's a little bit better than your pov-spec 'Classic'.

For the Eastern European market there was an even lower spec, the Junior:

[AnnoyingPentium]

4 hours ago, D.E said:

For the Eastern European market there was an even lower spec, the Junior:

Indeed. Had the steering wheel from an Octavia since some lacked PAS. Most didn't have glovebox lids either. There's something charming about the unpainted bumpers.

The Junior started with a 60hp detuned version of the 1.4 8v OHV which was a bored out version of the Felicia engine. It got the 1.2 HTP slapped in later AFAIK since it was designed by Skoda with minimal VAG involvement for the Fabia to replace the 1.4. VW then took it over to the Polo and the Seat Ibiza in both 54hp 6v OHC and 64hp 12v DOHC form.

Now anyway, I'll stop geeking out? Or will I?

[chancer]

@AnnoyingPentiumwithout disrupting the shite in minature thread any more, what is putting you off fitting the cd changer? If memory serves me correct, its only 2 leads that need to be run. The black multiplug and the audio leads. Run them from the head unit, behind passenger carpet, tuck up behind the passenger door kick plates and pillar trim then through back seat. 2 self tapping screws into the boot floor to hold changer in place. Jobs a good un

[AnnoyingPentium]

15 minutes ago, chancer said:

@AnnoyingPentiumwithout disrupting the shite in minature thread any more, what is putting you off fitting the cd changer? 

Life, and a little more life. Aiming to do it during my week off in February, though.

Correct re: the wiring. I've also tested it all and it appears to work very well!

15 minutes ago, chancer said:

Run them from the head unit, behind passenger carpet, tuck up behind the passenger door kick plates and pillar trim then through back seat. 2 self tapping screws into the boot floor to hold changer in place. Jobs a good un

Plan is a little more different for me since my rear dash cam wiring runs up under the passenger kick plates. I'm going to run along the driver's side and through much the same way. Tucking in any waste behind the RH side boot carpet.

[Inca-mpetent]

They're solid wee motors, at least compared to the family's fleet of Dacias. I'd love to get my mitts on a PD of some sort, whether it be the 100hp 1.9 or my neighbour's 1.4 PD 80hp model.
Definitely, same horsepower and less torque to my little petrol one but I'm about 3 seconds quicker to 60. Only advantage of the Slowest Diesel Imaginable is probably the so-called "Biblical" fuel economy, haha.

That's what the Inca has, 1.9 SDI, which are solid engines, that can take some abuse

Sent from my Redmi Note 9 Pro

[AnnoyingPentium]

15 minutes ago, Inca-mpetent said:

That's what the Inca has, 1.9 SDI, which are solid engines, that can take some abuse

Yeah it's the same 64hp engine. The only one that can run veg oil in the Fabia range, allegedly. Think it's due to the fact it's the only non-PD diesel.

[Inca-mpetent]

Yeah it's the same 64hp engine. The only one that can run veg oil in the Fabia range, allegedly. Think it's due to the fact it's the only non-PD diesel.

Veg oil, you say?

That stuff might be cheaper than diesel over here

Might have to look into it


Edit: some stores have it on sale right now, including Lidl(25% off), giving you 4 liters for €3,50
Sent from my Redmi Note 9 Pro

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, Inca-mpetent said:

Veg oil, you say?

That stuff might be cheaper than diesel over here

Might have to look into it
Sent from my Redmi Note 9 Pro

 

Good idea. There's probably countless threads on it.

[AnnoyingPentium]

You know, for a slow as treacle Fabia, the hilarity of the engine sound makes up for it...

[AnnoyingPentium]

I often wonder what got me into these small cars other than the fact I was learning to drive and needed something cheap. I reckon this is what kicked it off...

A Punto SX 60 (or 75, can't remember) that belonged to my Granny after my Granda bought his Vectra. The car lasted until 2011 where at 140k it was finally retired by my cousin and sent to that big road Chris Rea sang about. I used to love this car as a wee lad though.

I felt the same about the Grande Punto that my Granda bought in 2008 from AC Fiat in Ayr, no pics to hand of it, unfortunately, but it had an even shorter life. It lasted until 2020 where it received a hell of an MOT test result at only 83k. At that the car was walked away from as my Granda wanted rid of it (after spending money on new tyres, an exhaust, and some other stuff), fetched a grand total of £200 when P/X-ed for a Dacia Sandero Stepway. Never saw the roads again.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Spotted today...

[High Jetter]

That's disgusting!

(Not the Spit, the honeycomb bubble milk tea, obs.)

[AnnoyingPentium]

18 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

That's disgusting!

(Not the Spit, the honeycomb bubble milk tea, obs.)

Agreed. I was walking by for a roll and bacon at a cafe and saw it sitting. There's a 2CV somewhere too that I'll need to seek out.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Threw the CD changer under the back seat with the cables running out of a pre-existing hole in the cubby drawer from when I had a head unit with iPod connections.

CDs play well and it doesn't take up much* rear foot space.

Radical. 😎

[AnnoyingPentium]

Spotted at Asda...

[Inca-mpetent]

Spotted at Asda...

Is that a 9, or an 11?

I always get confused

Sent from my Redmi Note 9 Pro