[iSpoke]

rajcs,
yet I have to go through your detailed posts people are praising about, but a quick look at the MID part looks sample of your detailed work. And let me tell you, you illustrated a heck of MID information in much simpler way. Thanks buddy

[neil.jericho]

Excellent posts rajcs. Very detailed but crisp writing is always a pleasure to read. Good to see that youve had a pleasant experience wrt the A.S.S for the Fabia. I know the car is really good but the horror stories that I have read on Tbhp ensured I just couldnt take the risk when I bought my car. My friends also gave up their plans on buying the Fabia when I forwarded some of the Tbhp threads to them.

Looking forward to more updates on your ownership experience with the 1.6 Fabia.

[jnpai]

@ rajcs
Lovely write up.Being a Fabia1.2 htp owner I can indeed understand the love for your vehicle.

BTW i loved the Ikran line. Remember Jack Sully graduates from Ikran to Toruk Makto. Happy flying sir!

[shrjun]

I have a slightly foolish question.One of my acquaintances insists that the air conditioner in the Fabia runs on the battery and hence the pulling power of the engine is unaffected in the hills ! Is this true ?

[rajcs]

Originally Posted by shrjun

I have a slightly foolish question.One of my acquaintances insists that the air conditioner in the Fabia runs on the battery and hence the pulling power of the engine is unaffected in the hills ! Is this true ?

That's not correct. The cooling system works only with engine running. Ofcourse the heating system and blowers work without engine running but would drain the battery if operated for long.

He's correct about the fact there is no perceivable reduction in engine pulling power with ac on. In fact, the rpm also does not increase when you switch on ac at idle speed unlike some of the smaller engines. The engine has enough torque to meet the ac load at 800 rpm. The ac consumes approximately 0.3 ltr more fuel per hour on the 1.6 ltr engine.

[serious_maniac]

Here is the news from dealer:

The below changes nearl confirmed by the dealer. Also says there could be more feature upgrades (he mentioned USB port as well).

The sad part - he says it will be only Diesel deliveries to start off with in a week's time and petrol will take a month - is this true? is anybody aware of when petrol deliveries will start?

Also currently there are discounts / offers on petrol model (~35-40k) - are they expected to continue?

Itching to lay my hands on the car but could wait for a few weeks for a better product / deal.

~maniac

Originally Posted by ritzy

Congratulations on the Fab.. Thats my personal favorite between Polo and Fabia due to its practicality. Great Write-up.

FYI, following features are now offered on Fabia Elegance Trim.

1. Rear defogger
2. Rear wiper
2. 15" alloys with new design.

You should be able to see them shortly in the showrooms.

[serious_maniac]

New models launched. The updated specs are available at carwale.com website. Classic is out, its called Active and a new model Active Plus has been introduced. Ambienet is renamed to Ambition and a new model called Ambition Plus is introduced. Elegance remains as is according to Carwale - no news of rear wiper / washer & defogger.

Time to visit dealer and get the chequebook out. Will get more info from dealer end of day.

~maniac

[mb_jg]

Originally Posted by CRtorquefan

Do update with its On-Highway performance & FE too.

Sorry to hijack your thread Racjs, am posting my experience in the meanwhile.
I was personally amazed with the engine performance. We managed to climb the ghat sections in 4th gear, with a full load in the boot & a full tank of fuel & the a/c on! It was not something I would've imagined at all. Earlier I was used to wheezing the 1.2 engine on the Palio in 2nd & 3rd gear on the same road sections. Good tugging power for sure!!
I managed to hit 160kmph several times without a fuss, the cars taut chassis is brilliant! Just like speeding, the braking was effortless & brilliant, all I had to do was tap the brake pedal. The MSR (Motor Speed Regulation) \ EBC (Engine Braking Control), alongwith with the Dual Rate Brake Assist & ABS inspires loads of confidence. The car always feels in control while braking, I never felt the sudden push forward while decreasing speed from 160kmph, never. It was always a well behaved stop or decrease.

Once the engine was warm, I ripped it to the redline & the roar from the exhaust tempts you to do it more often
I had managed to overtake sedans without any effort. I remember on our journey back to Pune, there was an SX4 infront of us throughout the ghats who did not give us way. My wife told me to let it go, & then she says "lets wait to reach the expressway & then you can overtake him" I see the smirk & I obliged, turned left onto the expressway & the guy in the SX4 immediately takes off, & so do I. I pass him at 165kmph a few seconds later & I could see him struggling to keep up, we eventually lost him in our rear view mirror & never saw him again!

All through this, my 3yr old slept like a log on the back seat all cozy in his blanket. The suspension setup is very good, & the bumps very rarely filter into the cabin. I did notice a very slight body roll while taking curves at high speeds, but nothing that makes you uncomfortable.

The 185 patch tires offer good grip & did not squeal at all. I was a bit reluctant with the feedback from the steering, considering I was used to the hydraulic steering behavior from the Fiat Palio, but the steering weighs up well at high speeds & you never feel out of control. There is sufficient feedback from the tires & you can tell what's happening upfront.

I honestly did not bother about fuel consumption as I was too busy enjoying the drive, all I can say is that we used 60liters of fuel on the entire journey. So considering we covered approx 1200kms on the entire trip, the fuel economy was not bad at all

Since the dash is very basic & there are no steering mounted controls, there very less to distract you while driving. I like it that way, not a big fan of gadgets at all. The air conditioner performed well, it filtered out all the unpleasant smells & kept us fresh all the way to our destinations. Seating is pretty ok, the drivers seat offers good support & hugs you well, the height adjust & steering adjust adds to the comfort. The pretension on the seat belts are very good, it does not pin you back in the seat. The gear shift is BRILLIANT, all you have to do is guide it into place & it will slot in effortlessly.

The dead pedal is a nice touch. I am glad Skoda did not provide rear speakers, our son slept well even though we could enjoy music Overall, unlike the previous trips, we arrived pretty fresh in Goa to enjoy the beaches right away.

[iSpoke]

Originally Posted by rajcs

That's not correct. The cooling system works only with engine running. Ofcourse the heating system and blowers work without engine running but would drain the battery if operated for long.

Hi rajcs, if I'm not wrong the AC works even when the engine is off. I'm not very sure but as far as I remember, with AC in running condition when we turn off the engine it (AC) turns off. But with engine off and key into ignition slot try pressing the "AC" switch, it turns on and cools too.
I have to try it once again to confirm, but I think have tried it once but didn't dare to run it for more time since not sure how much power it draws and thus the battery!

[mb_jg]

Originally Posted by iSpoke

Hi rajcs, if I'm not wrong the AC works even when the engine is off. I'm not very sure but as far as I remember, with AC in running condition when we turn off the engine it (AC) turns off. But with engine off and key into ignition slot try pressing the "AC" switch, it turns on and cools too.
I have to try it once again to confirm, but I think have tried it once but didn't dare to run it for more time since not sure how much power it draws and thus the battery!

Nope, the AC does not work while the engine is turned off. Try it after you've left the car under the sun for a while. It will only throw out warm air from the blowers running.

[iSpoke]

oops, then it must have thrown some remains of already cooled air with blowers. It has to be like what you guys saying, since I'm a newbie Fabia owner would have judged it wrongly.
Anyways good to know these small bits about it and thanks for sharing!

[mb_jg]

To switch on the fog lamps you have to pull the light knob once, but if you tug it once more it shows a lamp indicator on the dash. I am guessing this is the heater for the fog lamps incase they gather moisture in the rainy season. Is this true?

[vb-saan]

A bit late to get into this thread. Congratulations Rajcs! Excellent review of an excellent car

[rajcs]

Originally Posted by mb_jg

To switch on the fog lamps you have to pull the light knob once, but if you tug it once more it shows a lamp indicator on the dash. I am guessing this is the heater for the fog lamps incase they gather moisture in the rainy season. Is this true?

When you pull the headlight switch once the front fogs come on. Pull it further and the rear fog lamp come on.

[iSpoke]

Guys, the information about the Rear Defogger/Wiper is now in the air!

Just checked Skoda India web, the Equipment List shows it. However the Technical Specification mentions only 185/60 R14 Alloys for Elegance and Not the 15".



Source: ŠkodaFabia - Now That's Fab