Faults:

Piece of internal trim came off.

Steering sensor needed replacing.

General Comments:

Very reliable and comfortable car, eats up the miles on motorways and extremely economical - I'm currently getting 55/57 mpg on a daily 40 mile commute using all types of roads. I've found everything is well built (that samll piece of trim is now back in place!) - and its been well used over the past 4 years and I've no regrets over buying it!

Faults:

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).

Faults:

Alarm control unit needed to be replaced when new, otherwise no faults at all.

General Comments:

Pocket rocket, excellent long distance cruiser and quiet at all speeds. Great steering, brakes, and taut body control. Amazingly frugal engine keeps getting better as it "matures" eg now averaging over 65mpg on daily country commutes. Seats very firm, but comfortable. Compact and super efficient air-con does not affect performance or consumption. Heated seats perfect for winter. Rock solid construction enhances passenger safety.

Faults:

At 32000 miles, the stitching on the driver's seat started to fail. The dealer immediately accepted that this fault is covered under the manufacturer's warranty. Whilst the dealer was fitting the replacement seat cover, the stitching on that failed resulting in some damage to the internal parts of the seat back. The dealer has ordered a replacement seat back which will hopefully be fitted in the near future. The seat remains usable whilst awaiting the replacement of this part.

General Comments:

There are two minor design faults worthy of mention.

Firstly, the boot can only be opened by a lever inside the car by the driver's door which is a nuisance when wanting access to the boot only and not the car's interior - a boot lock is far more practical and no less secure.

Secondly, rear visibility is relatively poor due to the thickness of the rear pillars.

Other than that, an excellent car giving 50+ mpg.