1996 Skoda Felicia LXi Estate 1.3 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Very underrated, good value for money

Faults:

Exhaust middle section blew, replaced by the dealer.

Front tyres wore excessively, a fault in tyres???

Alternator failed two months after purchase.

Brakes very spongy upon delivery of the car.

Broken glass in the offside headlight from a previous unmentioned accident.

Rear exhaust box fell off after fitting of a mid section.

Constant misfire despite eight trips back to the dealer in eight months, still misfiring now!

Water leaking into the boot area.

Damage to the underside of the car due to careless jacking.

General Comments:

After owning this car since Feb 2000 I would say I've had my share of problems, wouldn't you? It has been in the garage on average every four weeks.

The fault lies with the preperation of the vehicle by the dealer, not with the manufacturer. After eight months the car has had four new tyres at £162 + VAT for four, new wiper blades after they fell apart at £16 a pair, the exhausts blew in the first week of owning the car but the dealership only plugged up the hole, I had to take the car back twice before I got the faulty section replaced, and the car has more recently been back and forth for this mystery misfire.

The dealers now agree to change the car. After saying this I am more than happy with Skoda and hope the replacement is better than this one.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th October, 2000

1996 Skoda Felicia GLXi 1.3 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Economy with reliability

Faults:

Faulty HT leads at 19000 miles.

Rear wheel cylinder leaking at 32,000, found on service.

General Comments:

I wouldn't buy the 1.3 engine again but would certainly buy Skoda again.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th June, 2000

2nd Oct 2005, 16:51

Well the years have moved on, and so has my Felicia, at 91.000 it has been superb, with only minor niggles like new exhaust rears every two years. I had to replace the starter motor last week (£14 from ebay!) and it's started using a bit of oil. It's gone to a young couple who are going to use it as a run around, and oh yes I have replaced it with another 1300 Felicia 1.3 Magic, 6 years old with just 3.800 mile on the clock, so heres to the next 6 years!

1996 Skoda Felicia GLXi 1.6 petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

First year - Two new Engine Management Units.

Other parts, generally wearout items - brake pads, new front strut, several new windscreens :-(

General Comments:

Excellent mover - bags of torque and as much fun to drive as my old Renault 19 16V!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th January, 2000

1996 Skoda Felicia LXi 1.3 petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

Absolutely nothing mechanical, only repairing stone chips and repainting a rusty front spring holder.

Oh - a rear interior door handle broken off and replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

It's a little noisy under pressure, but totally dependable. Heavy-ish steering at parking speeds, not as enjoyable around corners as an Estelle, but, hey, at this price and my average 18p/mile running costs (inc. insurance etc) who cares?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th July, 1999

26th Feb 2005, 12:15

I agree, it's an efficient and economic vehicle to maintain. I took a 8 hour distance trip round trip with 4 gallons of gasoline!!! Isn't that amazing? If you don't believe me, buy one and you'll see.

17th Dec 2005, 17:25

I replaced my L reg 1.3LXi plus Favorit with an S reg 1.3 LXi Felicia. I really liked the sweeping lines of the exterior/interior although I did prefer the total black look of the Favorit. The dashboard is nice and clean looking with easy to read dials. Seats are comfy and support is good.

My version is without power steering and I find it a lot heavier in steering than the Favorit.

Power is also lacking in this version, my Favorit had excellent power and would set of in second and run at 25mph in 5th with no problems (not recommended). The Felicia really does struggle with acceleration and motorway driving is hard if you lose power, it is sluggish to get back up to speed.

This car is also a very thirsty beast and needs topping up regular.

Had no problems in the two years I have had it, saying that I had no problems with my Favorit. Only niggle is the dreaded rust that seems to be creeping in by the headlights and the wheel-arches. I'm the second owner and the previous owner was an aging gentlemen who kept the car garaged. It only had 15.000 miles when I bought it (just done 23.000 now) and was surprised to see the rust appearing (the dealer had told me that the body was galvanised). Keep an eye and deal with it before it spreads, especially the rear boot as the design is the same as the Favorit and the rubber seal is prone to leak.

Overall a good second family car with lots of room, just don't expect performance because you ain't going to get it.

1996 Skoda Felicia LX 1.3 petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

The HT leads lost their efficiency causing the car to cough and splutter. They were replaced immediately by a dealer.

General Comments:

A very good basic car. Well built and reliable. Not fast but can keep up on the motorway. Pretty comfortable especially due to the high roof. Makes buying a more expensive basic family car pointless!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd December, 1998