[shivir]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Which dealer has quoted you that price for the monogram?

Your comparison is across trim levels. Remember that you are missing out some features along with the cost saving. You should compare elegance Petrol with elegance Diesel, (or the mid level trim petrol vs mid level trim diesel) in my opinion.

In agreement with this completely. Comparisons on price must be against the variant between Petrol & Diesel, because each variant has a different set of features, primarily relating to safety. I recommend the 1.6 Elegance because of the following:

1) Seems like best VFM, primarily around power and price.
2) Great safety features, which are only available in the top end trim.
3) Works on the Mileage front given my daily driving conditions
4) Alloys and thicker tyres - again only on Elegance
5) Storage cubbyholes and dual gloveboxes
6) Aux IN plus factory fitted stereo - which is rubbish though!

But even if you do decide on the diesel I would strongly recommend the Elegance trim - things like ABS and Airbag are non negotiable in todays day and age.

Do let us know what you decide on and looking forward to another Fabia ownership thread!

[pajero4me]

Originally Posted by shivir

But even if you do decide on the diesel I would strongly recommend the Elegance trim - things like ABS and Airbag are non negotiable in todays day and age.
Do let us know what you decide on and looking forward to another Fabia ownership thread!

Absolutely.There is a huge difference in the way the the car behaves while braking with ABS,EBD and MSR along with dual brake assist coming onto play.(Except for ABS,I really dont know what exactly each one does though )
I have extensively TD'ed the current Ambiente which dosent have these,I would any day recommend Elegance trim just for the confidence it gives you while braking.

[shivir]

Originally Posted by pajero4me

Absolutely.There is a huge difference in the way the the car behaves while braking with ABS,EBD and MSR along with dual brake assist coming onto play.(Except for ABS,I really dont know what exactly each one does though )
I have extensively TD'ed the current Ambiente which dosent have these,I would any day recommend Elegance trim just for the confidence it gives you while braking.

Its funny how quickly people agree with me once they see the slugger in the boot eh?

No but in reality, Im glad you posted that because it just makes so much sense and you have chosen between the TDs on similar grounds that I used with the Petrols - so hopefully any potential buyers will se the benefits of the safety equipment and improved handling!

[rajcs]

Partly influenced by the splendid report by shivir and mostly due to my own TD experience of Punto,Fabia, Figo and Polo, I bought a new silver Fabia 1.6 on 13 Feb. Excellent experience with the dealer Jai Auto in South Delhi. Black and silver were readily available and I chose black.
Just done about 250 km and it has been splendid so far and am in complete agreement with shivir on driving experience. Only city driving and mostly in peak hours. Getting 12-14 kmpl as per the Multi Function Display.
One curious thing is that the front fog lamps are wired to act as Daytime Running Lights (DRL) that have become mandatory in EU from 07 Feb 11. These remain on when engine is running unless the headlight is switched on.

[shivir]

Originally Posted by rajcs

Partly influenced by the splendid report by shivir and mostly due to my own TD experience of Punto,Fabia, Figo and Polo, I bought a new silver Fabia 1.6 on 13 Feb. Excellent experience with the dealer Jai Auto in South Delhi. Black and silver were readily available and I chose black.
Just done about 250 km and it has been splendid so far and am in complete agreement with shivir on driving experience. Only city driving and mostly in peak hours. Getting 12-14 kmpl as per the Multi Function Display.
One curious thing is that the front fog lamps are wired to act as Daytime Running Lights (DRL) that have become mandatory in EU from 07 Feb 11. These remain on when engine is running unless the headlight is switched on.

Delighted for you Raj! That is one fine Auto you have purchased right there! Jai Auto is pretty much the same as Giriraj - its all one company now - they run 4 dealerships in the NCR - or is it 5? Not too sure!

I am glad you are getting the mileage you are because Im sure a lot of people were worried about my sanity with the numbers I was quoting! The DRLs are pretty cool and have been told by many passers by and drivers that my headlamps are on - I just smile and give them a thumbs up - how cool am I boy? I drive with my headlamps on even in the day!

Black looks hot on this little beauty(sorry am a little confused - you said you chose black but have a silver fabia) and we must compare notes on how you run in your engine and how it impacts your economy! But congratulations and looking forward to reading your ownership thread!

[rajcs]

@shivir.. My apologies on the colour goof up - Mine is a silver fabia 1.6 and not black.

[shivir]

The silver is a great colour too Raj! I had my eyes on the silver and the cappuccino beige as well.. but I guess im too fixated on red!

[shivir]

Food For Thought

I was just reading an interesting review on the web on the Polo 1.6 and this review claims the 1.6 Polo is more fuel efficient than the 1.2. For some reason this does not surprise me since I have pretty much the same take on the Fabias around this. I guess because the 1.6s require less throttle input to actually perform. All this while I thought I has lost my mind, well at least Im no the only one. Incidentally, both the Fabia and the Polo use the same plants.

[S_U_N]

^^ Just took a test drive of 1.2 Petrol (the 1.6 is not available for test drive at all).
When I asked for FE for 1.2 and 1.6 the Skoda guy (driver who got the car) indicated that in city it would be about 14-15 for 1.2 and 12-14 for 1.6.
He indicated that 1.6 will have lesser FE than 1.2 (as would be the general expectation).

On another note, the test drive was good.
OTR for 1.2 P Elegance is 6.44 L (Skoda Assure 5300 extra)
OTR for 1.6 P Elegance is 6.81 L (Skoda Assure 5500 extra)
There could be a corporate discount of 10000 if my company is in their list.
Other than that there are no other discounts or freebies.

It is easy to change gears without pressing the clutch pedal completely. My wife is unable to reach till the end due to short height. She can go about 80% max.

However, I am not sure if this is a good thing to do.

[theoriginal9321]

I read somewhere that when the car is new, there is no problem pressing the clutch 80%, but when the car gets old and there has been some wear and tear, then pressing the clutch 80% can seriously damage the gears.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by shivir

Food For Thought

I was just reading an interesting review on the web on the Polo 1.6 and this review claims the 1.6 Polo is more fuel efficient than the 1.2. For some reason this does not surprise me since I have pretty much the same take on the Fabias around this. I guess because the 1.6s require less throttle input to actually perform. All this while I thought I has lost my mind, well at least Im no the only one. Incidentally, both the Fabia and the Polo use the same plants.

I remember seeing a video on youtube - of Polo 1.6 (autocar india review), and the reviewer mentioned that the FE is quite similar to the 1.2. And one of the reason he stated was that the 1.6 require lesser gear change in the city traffic and that helps in increasing the FE.

[rajcs]

On two occasions I traveled to Gurgaon from Delhi I got 16 kmpl, which also includes the frustrating wait at the toll booth both ways. This is my only venture on to a highway so far. In Delhi traffic I have been getting 12.3 kmpl as per the multi function display. FE seems to be better at speeds above 90 kmph. Anyway Fabia 1.6 is about driving pleasure rather than FE. Even in my old M-800 I never got above 12 in city and 16 on highway thanks to my poor driving habits.

[shivir]

Originally Posted by vb-san

I remember seeing a video on Youtube - of Polo 1.6 (autocar india review), and the reviewer mentioned that the FE is quite similar to the 1.2. And one of the reason he stated was that the 1.6 require lesser gear change in the city traffic and that helps in increasing the FE.

I guess thats what its about really - fewer gear changes. The car seems to enjoy third gear and has a really large power span across the gear.

@S_U_N - While conventional wisdom would suggest that the 1.2 is more economical, it is strangely untrue in terms of the Fabia and I would imagine the Polo as well. Also, usually salespeople at car showrooms know as much about the reality of the car as my grandmother knows about the offside rule in footy! Also, please do try to push the clutch all the way down. From my very limited knowledge it would be quite damaging to the car to work it at 80%.

@rajcs - In complete agreement with that. Just running through this because a lot of people are interested, honestly I wouldnt care if the car was giving me 8 KMPL - I just enjoy the way the car feels. And also agree with the point on best place being 80 + (I personally think 80+ is where the car starts getting economical on the fuel).

[iSpoke]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Which dealer has quoted you that price for the monogram?
Your comparison is across trim levels. Remember that you are missing out some features along with the cost saving. You should compare elegance Petrol with elegance Diesel, (or the mid level trim petrol vs mid level trim diesel) in my opinion.

I got the monogram prices for Fabia from Europa auto, Wakad. In case of Polo, I visited Vidyut Motors at Corporation showroom. It was just an inquiry with the SE, so rates must be approximate.

Originally Posted by shivir

In agreement with this completely. Comparisons on price must be against the variant between Petrol & Diesel, because each variant has a different set of features, primarily relating to safety. I recommend the 1.6 Elegance because of the following:

1) Seems like best VFM, primarily around power and price.
2) Great safety features, which are only available in the top end trim.
3) Works on the Mileage front given my daily driving conditions
4) Alloys and thicker tyres - again only on Elegance
5) Storage cubbyholes and dual gloveboxes
6) Aux IN plus factory fitted stereo - which is rubbish though!

But even if you do decide on the diesel I would strongly recommend the Elegance trim - things like ABS and Airbag are non negotiable in todays day and age.

Do let us know what you decide on and looking forward to another Fabia ownership thread!

No I am not comparing them side by side. But trying to sort out the best option (Elegance Petrol or Ambient Diesel) within my budget (6 to "max" 7L) and expecting to get good FE to lessen the maintenance burden. That forced me to make this comparison across the trim level.
No doubt I give any less priority to safety. From safety point of view the Elegant misses ABS/EBD, MSR and something called dual brake assist. Of these I think only ABS/EBD is there even in HL Polo, because I never read about the other features in Polo. [sorry to pull Polo in this but I want to draw my point that even new age top-end models in same league from VW are not equipped with these features, it "might" be traded for cost cutting /lowering budget].

Originally Posted by pajero4me

Absolutely.There is a huge difference in the way the the car behaves while braking with ABS,EBD and MSR along with dual brake assist coming onto play.(Except for ABS,I really dont know what exactly each one does though )
I have extensively TD'ed the current Ambiente which dosent have these,I would any day recommend Elegance trim just for the confidence it gives you while braking.

Well, there goes a really interesting discussion about ABS on "The ABS discussion thread!!". I'm just copy-pasting a response from there.

Originally Posted by msprabhakar

For all those who think ABS is an essential safety equipment in modern cars and will make a difference, here's a bit of a surprise:

A study, designed, conducted and excellently analysed by U.S. Department of Transport, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can be downloaded from their website at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/vrtc/ca...inalreport.pdf (Caution: This is a 67-page, 1 MB PDF file. Right-mouse click and Save Target As...)

This white paper states (among other things) "...Numerous crash data statistical analyses conducted over the past few years suggest that, for automobiles, the introduction of four-wheel antilock brake systems (ABS) has produced net safety benefits much lower than originally expected. The studies indicate that the apparent increase in single-vehicle crashes involving passenger cars equipped with four-wheel ABS almost completely offsets the safety advantage such vehicles have over their conventionally-braked counterparts..."

The report also goes on to say that "NHTSA’s Light Vehicle ABS Research Program has only been a first step in assessing the anticipated safety benefits from ABS. This program deals solely with trying to learn why the crash data studies did not find the anticipated increase in safety (i.e., reduction in crashes) for ABS-equipped automobiles. The development of countermeasures to resolve any problems discovered is left to future research..."

Hope this piece of evidence at least will put some end to a seemingly endless debate on these forums...

[shivir]

@iSpoke - ABS is always going to be a debate, as is Auto V Manual. Just test drive the lot and see what works best for you. In terms of diesel cars, please understand that it will take a long time and a lot of driving to make up for the additional cost. Also, you said the Elegance misses ABS etc, which Im sure is a typo- because its the Classic & Ambiente that misses out on this! Please also be sure of what you refer to as maintenance cost - while the cost of fuel for a diesel car is lower, the cost of ownership includes service and maintenance which is usually higher for a comparable petrol engine. Currently, most top end variants of the middle and higher hand hatches have the ABS - Polo / Fabia included.