Re: parkers.co.uk
The only problem with the Skoda Fabia vRS is that its really quite small. they say it feels like a big car, but if you've been driving a marea 155 then you'd be better with the Stilo JTD angeltuned to 150bhp (should be almost as fast as your marea) or the Alfa 156 1.9JTD mapped to the same power. Also, with the Fabia vRS, Skoda dealers are keeping the price artificially high on models still in warranty, but this has to stop soon, so there will have to be a drop in used prices. I suspect this will happen when the 06 models arrive, but then, i thought that about when the 05plate arrived, so my guess is just that, a guess.
Dont buy a 55 plate alfa156 or Stilo JTD because depreciation is pretty damned heavy on both. Alfa dealers are now selling brand new Alfa 156's with 4k off list price (ie about £12K) because the 159 is almost here, and the Stilo just isn't shifting so you can pick up a 55plate for £10K.
My advice is if you are going to have one of these then buy a pre-reg 05, or a used 54/05. You can get massive discounts (ie 40%) of the list price for taking one with as little as 10,000 miles on it. Of course, if you are going to keep the car till it falls apart (no, not 2 months for all you cynics out there, i mean 10 years) then it wont kill you to buy a heavily discounted 55 plate. i change cars quite often, so i need to watch depreciation like a hawk, but some folk, like my dad for example, seem to keep cars forever. I think the shortest he ever kept a car was 4 years. anyway, i'm wandering off topic so i'll shut up.
Buzz (formerly LightWarrior)
The champion of the Bravo 1.4
Owner of the Bravo 1.8
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