Changing car (AGAIN !!!)

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jmckie1

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Well I have finally gone mad. I'm changing my car again (4th car this year). Looks like I am getting a Seat Leon 1.9TDi S virtually brand new and as a straight swap for my A3. I would give my reasons but as I've clearly gone mad they wouldn't make any sense.

I am test driving the Leon on Saturday and my only worry with it is that the 90Bhp diesel engine will feel a bit slow. Am I right in saying it is the VW 1.9TDi engine but less tuned than the ones in the Golf/A3/A4 etc....If any of you have any experience with this car then let me know what you know.

I know this is an A2 forum but I still read with interest, value all your opinions and deep down wish I had a good A2. So I'm an A2 owner at heart.

Cheers in advance,

Jamie.[:p]
 
Don't worry-we all change cars for no reason really-bet we could all keep or cars for years until they become totally useless, but we all fancy a change now and again.

Anyway, I can offer my experiences of a Leon 1.6 petrol as this is the car I traded-in for my A2. I had my Leon for just over 2 years and about 27,000 miles. It was my 4th SEAT in about 5 years. Lovely car-soft suspension, but not too soft it made people feel travel sick. Power was good for a petrol 1.6, comfy seats, roomy in the front and boot, a bit tight in the rear.

Quality was ok to good-had a few niggles which were sorted by the dealer (absolutely fantastic dealer!). Nothing major until I came to change the car-had problems with the throttle sticking and you would realise you was catching upto the car infront even though your foot was off the gas!. Minor trim niggles-the odd squeak here, a little bit of peeling here (although the dealer was changing the peeling trim under warranty).

Overall, I think the Leon is probably one of the best, cheaper cars in the VAG range after the Golf. Can't comment on the diesel though, but please do visit www.seatcupra.net - there is a fantastic forum there with a huge number of Leon owners.

Steve - 2003 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior
 
Hi Jamie !

The 90 hp TDI engine in the Seat is basically the same as the ones that VW and Audi currently use in their cars (in 100/130/150 hp versions).
But the 90 hp version doesn't have the PumpeDüse injection system
or the VTG (Variable Turbine Geometry) Turbo like the other versions.


BK

Soon the owner of a 2003 Silver 1.4 TDI S-Line (Sport in the UK) with Open Sky, ECC, APS, CruiseControl, Navigation Plus + TV + BOSE + CD changer, Sideguard, Mobile phone, El. rear windows, Fog lights, Winter Package, ISOFIX, Headlight washers, Space Floor +++++++
 
BK-in the UK, and in the SEAT Leon range (and Toledo for that matter) we only have the 90 and 110 bhp diesel engines-and they are not PD as far as I know.

Ah, a Leon with 150PD diesel under the bonnet....MMMMMMMMMM

Only recently has the 130PD diesel come to the SEAT UK range-in the new Ibiza. Fast little car that one!.

Steve - 2003 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior
 
Well Steve

Then we agree :)

As I said; the 90 hp version DOESN'T have the PumpeDüse injection or the VTG Turbo.

The 110 hp version DOESN'T have the PD system either, BUT it DOES
have the VTG Turbo.

That's the difference between the 90hp and the 110 hp versions :)


BK

Soon the owner of a 2003 Silver 1.4 TDI S-Line (Sport in the UK) with Open Sky, ECC, APS, CruiseControl, Navigation Plus + TV + BOSE + CD changer, Sideguard, Mobile phone, El. rear windows, Fog lights, Winter Package, ISOFIX, Headlight washers, Space Floor +++++++
 
Make sure you are test driving the TDI s as I wanted to test drive it for two days before the A2 as it was an alternative option and I was told on the whole of the uk demo fleet they did not have one. The TDI se I drove was good, well specced but the comparison was not objective, and the things I liked over the 1.4 A2 like the climate control was not on the tdi s so I went for the A2. Also on my test drive of c200 miles I only got 37 mpg, the seat garage offered to check the car over and lend it to me again as they were shocked though so do and mpg test.

Phil
 
You're not mad! Last year I went from a Golf GTI, to a Seat Toledo V5 to the A2. As much as love the A2, I still regret to this day getting rid of the Golf which in reality had nothing wrong with it, I just yearned for a change!

2001 TDI SE, Open Sky System, 16" six spoke alloys, Kenwood Mask CD.
A2 Owners Club: www.Audi-A2.co.uk
 
That's my problem too - I get bored with cars too quickly. It's nice to hear so many people want to change their cars often; I thought I was going mad!



MartinW - Dolphin Grey 1.4SE
 
What does not having this PD engine or VTG turbo mean apart from a lack of power.

Phil the garage I am going to is in Scotland and it supplied a local football team with several Leon TDi S's to use as transport for the players. They now have 4 of them back and have them up for sale. Look on the Seat website for any more info on avaiability or spec (just don't go near mine before I decide if I want it or not[B)]). I will however keep a good eye on the fuel consumption. Did you find it powerful enough?

One thing I noticed looking at a Leon in the car park at my work today is that it has the exact same fascia as my A3. I haven't sat in one and checked it out but it looks identical through the window.

Cheers,

Jamie.
 
I'm the same in getting bored with my cars - the problem is the depreciation everytime you want to change. As several people have said, dealers love people like us - as that is where they make their money.
 
Yes, the Leon (and toledo I presume) dash is near identical to the A3. That's what makes the Leon so interesting-an A3 dash, underpinnings, engine etc etc for a fraction of the cost....

Steve - 2003 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior
 
Jamie,

When you went from your A2 to the A3 this was not really your ultimate choice when really it was only sad circumstances which brought that change about. You do not say why you are disappointed with the A3, but I worry that circumstances are about to rule the situation again, as opposed to the car being what you really want. Of course I acknowledge that sometimes we just make the wrong choice, or fancy a change, however I contend you should be asking yourself if a Seat 90hp is your desired choice. If its not then forget it, and explore the market further.

I am certainly not flogging the virtues of a Golf PD130, but please try to have a test drive in one before dismissing the idea. Build quality is nice – acceleration and top speed of 130mph (plus) is great fun – and a genuine 64mpg is not to be sneezed at, if like me you do not have money to throw around. Not forgetting that depreciation of a VW will always be much healthier than a Seat. Indeed I recall Steve crying over how much he lost on his car – and that was before buying his paper hankies from Tesco’s.

Regards
John Disdale
 
JD - I drove a Golf 130 today - have to agree that it is a great car. I found the ride slightly soft, and cornering not as sure as the A2, but great fun and pretty quiet too. They seem to hold onto value better than the A2.
I would imagine the Seat Leon 90 is a bit sluggish. I would recommend a test drive of the Golf Tdi 130.

MartinW - Dolphin Grey 1.4SE
 
I would love to get the Golf 130bhp Diesel but it is a bit too expensive.

I drove the Leon today and it's power was fine. I drove the new Seat Ibiza 1.9Tdi (100Hp) straight after it and even though it felt quite a bit faster it rattled like hell on a test rough surface I used to test for rattles, and just felt cheaper. One of my pet hates it a rattly interior so that ruled it out. Overall the Leon looks great, is well put together, was in next to new condition and most importantly I got a great deal (my brother is a freind of the salesman). So I get it next Saturday. WooHoo!!

Also I have seen the back of the Audi garage that gave me so much heft in the first place so that is another bonus.

Here's to happy motoring in my new Leon.

To answer John's question of why I want rid of the A3 it was mainly due to the cost of insurance. I have been looking at quotes to renew recently and the cheapest I am getting offered is £1500. The Leon is only £700 in comparison (the word only being used in the loosest possible sense). Also believe it or not the A3 seemed to generate several rattles while owning it and THEY DRIVE ME NUTS.

Cheers,

Jamie.
 
Martin,

On the Golf I admit to finding that a corner of the bonnet takes a nose dive if trying to swiftly get round a sharp bend or corner. Funnily enough I reckoned the A2 diesel had a slight tendency to do this in comparison to the petrol model. I don’t know why there should be differences between the A2 varieties, but I contend there is.

Although I am now a decent convert to stinky diesel, I still say these cannot handle bends or roundabouts in the same style as a petrol model – simply because full control of the rev range is lacking, and not so immediate. At the end of the day many cars behave differently, and to get the best out of them often means adjusting the brain accordingly. Indeed I argue that if you drove a Golf or A2 into a roundabout at the same speed as an Audi Quattro you would likely be telephoning for an ambulance.

Regarding the Golf I did wonder in the early days whether to order the sports suspension option, however I don’t mind the standard setup when as far as I am concerned in 1,400 miles I have not travelled down an uncomfortable road once. In fact a local road that was totally banned for my A2 is now a road that I am back to occasional driving along – without swearing. At the same time the Golf is not like a Polo or a milk float.

As to Jamie having to pay £1,500 to insure an A3 that is very expensive, and makes my Golf at £250 seem like a real bargain. Then again I suppose I got the “senile old git discount”

Regards
John Disdale
 
JD - I wonder if the difference between the petrol and diesel A2 on cornering is due to the extra (?) weight of the diesel engine?
I was VERY impressed with the 130 golf. The plus points outweighed the cornering issue. If the dealer had offered me a decent PX and sensible finance I would have bought it yesterday. I felt that 10k for a 5 month old A2 1.4SE petrol with 3000 miles was a too low, the price of his Golf at £15,995, 6 months old, 7k miles, was probably high (although there was a £500 discount offered), and 6.5% flat on the finance was definitely very high.
I liked the salesman, he did a good job. I took an instant dislike to the finance man (business manager), who was extremely condescending. My wife had the same opinion of him. CD Brammell VW in Cheltenham will probably not be getting my business, mainly due to the business manager. In fact, in true JD fasion, I might even write a letter telling them this! :) On the other hand, life is too short, especially for us 'old gits'. I get cheap insurance as well as you John!


MartinW - Dolphin Grey 1.4SE
 
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