View Full Version : The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.. of the Altea
Hi all,
Been browsing for a while but never have much to say :)
Having bought an Altea Sport DSG back in November after scouring the net for reviews etc, I've noticed there hasn't really been an overall good points/bad points post. So, I thought I'd start one :D
I can only really talk about the DSG version and what I've experienced with it, so feel free to add anything on the Stylance/Reference versions or any of the extra's available. I'll try to keep it short!
The Good
Mechanicals; What can I say? The engine and gearbox work great. Once the engine is up to 90 degree's, drop it into Sports mode to keep the rev's higher to wear the engine in. Im up to 3,000 miles so far and consumptions gone from 40mpg to 43mpg. Of course, drop it into D when on the motorway! Suspension is fairly hard, but holds the road well, and ive not noticed any real rolling when cornering.
Looks/Styling; From the front, its certainly different! My other cars a Yaris, which stood out from the crowd when it was released. This does the same, and you get a lot of people looking. I also like the standard alloys on the Sport. It will be interesting to see what kind of milage people get out of the 16" and 17" tyres though. . Some options I've got are the door sills and mud guards (Hi tezza :p ). They certainly help to keep the car clean, and look good too!
Interior; Every control is reachable and the steering wheel audio controls help a lot :) The sports seats very comfy on longer journeys I find. Good back support. With few protrusions on the dash, its easy to keep dust free. The red lighting from the dash and mirror is a lot better than some lighting I've seen. Easy on the eye, at least to me anyway. As for storage, oodles of space for small items
The Bad
Mechanicals; Braking and ABS. I know that how abs works etc , and how braking should be done gradually. On an automatic, braking is even more important. Padding the brakes in is all part of a new car, but after 3000 miles, mine dont seem to be quite right. Gradual braking is how it should be done, but not so here. You seem to have to apply a LOT of pressure to the brakes to slow down quickly. Im not talking about 70+ to stopping (although this is a problem too) but from 25 to stopping in towns etc. As for the ABS, it sounds to me like the cars shaking itself apart, and it feels like its dancing on the road. Normal or not? You tell me..
Looks/Styling; A few things here. The aerial looks out of place on the top of the range car to be honest. A GPS style colour coded one would have been much better (BMW 7 series have these). Since the car has no roof sills, rain is a constant problem. Open the window, in comes water, running from the roof. Open the door, in comes water that was stuck in the door seal.
Visability around the front pillars is also awkward, and does take some getting used to looking around them.
The Fog light and reversing light. Both require cleaning regulary, due to road dirt. The reversing light is also in a wierd position. It can't be seen by cars behind you very easily if they are close. Why it wasnt incorporated into the rear cluster, who knows?
Interior; The Full beam indicator led on the dash could be a lot dimmer. If you have your headlights on a lot then it gives you a headache. The surfaces in the cabin may look nice, but they scratch very easily, especially the top of the centre storage bin/cd changer holder. Also, there may be a LOT of storage space in the cabin, but its all for small items. Large items just get stuffed in the boot out of the way, or under the front seats. The problem with that, is the air vents under the seats. Not a good idea to block them! Also the car is billed as a 5 seater. You can get 3 kids in the back, no worries, but get 3 adults comfortable? 'fraid not!
The Ugly
Here's the bit that should really be listed as bad, but deserve extra attantion!
The Back end!!! The car looks fantastic, until you look at the back! :blink: What happened?? Did the designers run out of creativity or was it just that noone could think of a good rear end to put on it that wouldnt fit the design layout of the Toledo?
The Missing Bits!! For the top of the Altea range, the Sport certainly seems to be missing a LOT of items; Here's the list; 1. Seat belt indicator 2. Heated Wing mirrors 3. Screen wash low light 4. Cruise control limiter 5. "Returning back to the car" lights.
If you exit the car with the indicators still being set to left or right, you get a warning sound. WHY!!!!!! Its pointless, there arent even lit! (This is apparently a VW thing, even though there is a sidelights option on the main lighting switch)
And my final bad bit; SEAT Assistance.
1st Day I had the car, it had a ruptured fuel tank. Basically, the dealer dealt with it all, even though SEAT assistance where meant to provide a courtesy car etc, but never did. If I hadnt returned the car directly to the dealers and had rang the helpline up directly, it MAY have been a different story, but who knows?
I'd be interested in anyone else's experiences with them.
Conclusion
Anyway. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, as I see it about the Altea.
If its a bit of a rant, I apologies :)
Why did I buy one you may ask? Because its got that undefinable something "extra". I was going to wait for the Merc B Class, and I may still trade the DSG in for one after the problems I've had with SEAT, but for now, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Rolyen
driveforward
24-01-2005, 11:55
Welcome to the site, I'm sure that write up will prove useful as slowly but surely more Altea owners and would be owners are apprearing on here!
If you exit the car with the indicators still being set to left or right, you get a warning sound. WHY!!!!!! Its pointless, there arent even lit
Answer: It's a VW thing, leaving the indicator stalk either left/right turns on your parking lights on that side :)
Dudemeister
24-01-2005, 12:14
hi, good report on your altea. We have a 2.0TDI sport in platinum with 6 speed.
for me
The good - so far everything. no problems what so ever. Drives really well and is the most comfortable car i have had.
Still rare on the roads around here. Only seen 5 others since i got mine in September 04.
Fuel economy on a decent run is at 53mpg and around town normally low 40's and thats not driving steady. We have 2800 miles on the clock.
it does everything i want.
the bad - for me missing heated mirrors. Should be included on the range topper. I am not worried about seat belt warning. i know if i have my seat belt on or not. The others i can live without but would have been handy.
the ugly - nothing for me. I like the look of the car all round. Even when dirty.
The seat dealer was excellent when i collected the car. no bad comments from me.
So far - no complaints from me.
tbh, the SEAT Dealer was the firm in charge of sorting out the fuel tank leak / replacement - they should be in contact with you
B&Q head office don't call you to tell you the back order mdf is due in - the local branch does (if that makes sense)
interesting read none the less.
Hi Rolyen and welcome.
You may have outbid me on the mud flaps and sills :( , but I did get you back on the chrome mirrors :roflmao:
I got outbid again for the car mats last week, it wasnt you was it? :confused: Whoever it was bought them for £2 less than the dealer price - some bargain eh.
I cant agree with you on the instrument lighting. I know I need reading glasses, but I find the red glow blurs the dials so much, I dont bother looking at them anymore.
The lighting on my Avensis is 1000 times better.
You seem to have to apply a LOT of pressure to the brakes to slow down quickly. Im not talking about 70+ to stopping (although this is a problem too) but from 25 to stopping in towns etc.
Roly
My last car was a Citreon ZX so the breaking arrangement is similar;). It does stop quickly I know. I have noticed a clunk like thing when stopping, that sort of disengage the engine type of thing. I got a DSG as well. I would never want the ABS cutting in since I hope to avoid it's use, so I'm not worried about that one.
I tend to use engine breaking to slow down rather than racing up to stuff and then breaking. You have to relax when driving you know... er something contrary perhaps to you ex-Leon owners I know :rolleyes:
My chief moan is the ride, but at last I think I'm getting use to the go-cart ride after my comfy 10 year old ZX. It takes sleaping policemen much better which is why I don't think anybody would want to mess up the suspension.
I'm good at moaning so have another one, the wack to get the boot to shut. I have this now down to a fine art, enough wack to make me think, it can take it and the light is never on in the dashboard.
Plus side is the comfort of the seats, the aircon, the sound system is not so bad as people have tried to suggest. The nice growl of the TDI 2.0 when you are asking it too do something. Smooth ride albeit the sports ride, but it's a silent car to drive.
Purky engine, lovely DSG box, why you would want 6 speed if you got the money, who knows, since you can sit back and relax and smile rather than getting arm ache and I know that I'm going to out run you 6 speed manual Altea boys at the lights since the DSG is too fast for you :bleh: <.1 of a second faster 0-62 MPH - I just looked it up so there, like for like 2.0 TDI ;) >. I've noticed that I get away alot more quickly at a roundabout since everybody else is still searching for their biting point and stiring the gearbox.
I also notice that I get a lot of arses following too close behind trying to keep up since they think that I could be effecting their masculinity or femininity by driving a new car. Interesting one that one. Unlike the ZX I can't cover them in unburn't diesel fumes aka smoke by stabbing on the accelerator. Can't win them all.
Dudemeister
25-01-2005, 08:54
I also notice that I get a lot of arses following too close behind trying to keep up since they think that I could be effecting their masculinity or femininity by driving a new car. Interesting one that one.
Tell,
I know what you mean mate. I have left many a car trailing. They soon back off when they realise that the strange thing in front of them has a bit of power.
Whats a cruise control limiter?
Know what you mean about "returning lights" Perhaps Seat feel that owning a family car means you only get home when it is dark and you won't be going out again until it is light
Whats a cruise control limiter?
Know what you mean about "returning lights" Perhaps Seat feel that owning a family car means you only get home when it is dark and you won't be going out again until it is light
Well you might drive away with the indicators on you know ;) - I discovered that one and it's had me twice. I also had one where it would not cancel when I was at a junction is was going, left and I switched it off but it went right, so I switched back and it went left, no in between. I don't what the people behind would have thought :rolleyes:
>>What's a cruise control limiter<<
I need to read the manual again on cruise control I know that if you speed up above the limit it takes you back to the set limit it you let the speed drop - spooks you first time that happens. You touch the bottom to put it on, you touch the top and I don't think it does too much as I recall.
Would someone like to explain in plain English how the function works and after that the trip since that's another area where I can't reset the right miles number back to zero... thought I should be able... :worship:
altea-ego
26-01-2005, 13:38
How to use Cruise control.
switch it on, get to the speed you want press the set button. the car will now maintain this speed. if you want to go slightly faster/slower use the + or - buttons to change the speed by 1mph (instead of the accelerator/brake).
to switch it off use the brake or accelerator. to re-use cruise control at the same speed press the set button to get the speed you want, or switch off and start again.
for example set when going 30mph. brake to stop for traffic lights, accelerate to get the car moving and once moving press resume and the car will accelerate up to 30 by itsself!!!!
To reset the trip just push and hold the button under the rev counter.
hope this helps.
How to use Cruise control.
switch it on, get to the speed you want press the set button. the car will now maintain this speed. if you want to go slightly faster/slower use the + or - buttons to change the speed by 1mph (instead of the accelerator/brake).
to switch it off use the brake or accelerator. to re-use cruise control at the same speed press the set button to get the speed you want, or switch off and start again.
for example set when going 30mph. brake to stop for traffic lights, accelerate to get the car moving and once moving press set and the car will accelerate up to 30 by itsself!!!!
To reset the trip just push and hold the button under the rev counter.
hope this helps.
Thanks Altea Ego I never knew that the + / - altered the speed I thought it was down to set and up for OFF, but I did wonder why it didn't go off.
It was
>>for example set when going 30mph. brake to stop for traffic lights, accelerate to get the car moving and once moving press set and the car will accelerate up to 30 by itsself!!!!
<<
that bit I was looking for sink in, I thought there must be a way to get it to return back up to speed.
Perhaps I need to read the manual again, that bit did not since in.
As for the trip.... I'll have to have another go - I have never got the right counter to zero it's self and I gave up 1,000 miles ago.
So yes, I'll have another go on both of these and try to absorb what the manual is saying as well.
Hey all again,
I think I'll edit my original post with the rant bit. Bit OTT after I reread it. My gripe is with SEAT Assistance, m0rk, not the car itself so, I'll amend it.
What I meant by returning lights was If you had left your lights on when you locked the car, they dont come back on automatically. I had this in my old C class merc, and it was very useful.
As for the indicator, thanks driveforward : :p It confuses me though why there is a parking lights switch option on the lighting and also the indicator thing. Ah well :)
Cruise control limiter. What I meant by this is that you should be able to set a Maximum speed you want to travel at (ie 30mph in built up area's) and be able to accelerate up to the set speed and use the kickdown on the throttle to disengage it. To me that would be more useful than the cruise control itself. Again, had it on the merc so I was used to having it :)
And I've found the same thing as you Tell, with tailgaters. It's amazing how many people think the cars a slug because its bigger than thier car. Ive given up counting the number of saxo's that have fallen behind at lights and roundabouts. The 3 series beamers seem to be a bit more persistant though, so i tend to let em past when I've reached 90 or so :D
Another couple of things I'll mention on the review is the placement of the fog light and reverse light. Apart from the amount of dirt the lenses seem to get covered with, if someones close up behind you, you can't see the reverse light.
Rolyen
Cruise control limiter. What I meant by this is that you should be able to set a Maximum speed you want to travel at (ie 30mph in built up area's) and be able to accelerate up to the set speed and use the kickdown on the throttle to disengage it. To me that would be more useful than the cruise control itself. Again, had it on the merc so I was used to having it :)
And I've found the same thing as you Tell, with tailgaters. It's amazing how many people think the cars a slug because its bigger than thier car. Ive given up counting the number of saxo's that have fallen behind at lights and roundabouts. The 3 series beamers seem to be a bit more persistant though, so i tend to let em past when I've reached 90 or so :D
Rolyen
On the first one Altea Ego above tells one how to do it, I haven't tried that one out, that's for Friday night. That's if I understood the post correctly etc.
I'm sort of assuming that above 90 the Altea just carries on going since it perfectly willing up to that speed, so I suspect that 125MPH [only 35 MPH faster;)] isn't the top speed unless it has some limiter on it. The speedo shows 140. Well it feels like that in my DSG. I won't try.
On >>The 3 series beamers seem to be a bit more persistant though, so i tend to let em past << it really needs the old device of throwing out un-burnt diesel particles my old device to those that followed too close, a quick stab of the accelerator gave satisfaction.... may be little switch somewhere on the dash, I'd value that more than fancy body part mods :worship:
I tend to use engine breaking to slow down rather than racing up to stuff and then breaking. You have to relax when driving you know... er something contrary perhaps to you ex-Leon owners I know :rolleyes:
A bit off topic but...I certainly agree that racing up to people and braking is not too clever - good driving should all be about anticipation which minimises use of the brakes (I hate being a passenger in cars when people drive like that - especially in commuter traffic). However, although many of us were taught engine braking was a good thing years ago it's now considered largely unecessary with modern brakes as it causes undue wear on engine and gears. Took a while for me to "break" the habit (as it were). Far better to use the brakes and then pop into the required gear for whatever you need to do next. The only exception I would say might be making rapid progress along winding country roads when a degree of engine braking can be useful.
A bit off topic but...I certainly agree that racing up to people and braking is not too clever - good driving should all be about anticipation which minimises use of the brakes (I hate being a passenger in cars when people drive like that - especially in commuter traffic). However, although many of us were taught engine braking was a good thing years ago it's now considered largely unecessary with modern brakes as it causes undue wear on engine and gears. Took a while for me to "break" the habit (as it were). Far better to use the brakes and then pop into the required gear for whatever you need to do next. The only exception I would say might be making rapid progress along winding country roads when a degree of engine braking can be useful.
I think there are several things going on here:
(a) it's nice to go off topic it adds flavour to a thread
(b) on my old ZX it went for 10 years without any problems with the gears, engine or clutch, but the brakes, I was for ever having work done on them every couple of year at +£250 or so Citreon prise, +£120 or so Halford prices. Brake judger and the like, warn discs. So I reckon it's cost effective to save the brakes myself.
(c) I got the DSG so I trust in it to select the gear as I slow down. I have noticed that it does not slow down so fast as my other car. Once you break with an automatic your starting to tell it things, so I prefer not to go hitting the break left, right and centre
If there is traffic about I do revert to aggressive driving styles but it's nice sometimes not to.
hibitdat
28-01-2005, 00:21
Hi Tell, I know what you mean about the ZX brakes - had the same constant problems with my Aura Turbo D and the garage whilst great had no end of problems with ZX brakes. Many a time I didn't think the old girl was going to stop - but it always did! It suffered from frankly frightening amounts of fade when using the performance and leaving braking late :) Good car though!
As for the Altea, our 2.0TDI Sport is splendid and I generally echo everyone elses comments coupled with my own gripes posted previously on other threads, mainly about the silly equipment omissions and items listed in the manual that simply arent there! Examples being (that I can remember!) heated mirrors, light in glovebox, door open illumination in door bottoms, return to car lighting, text information display in the trip computer, washer level low warning, cruise control active light, and the stereo really is poor for a car costing 17k, believe me! It can be made to sound semi acceptable with careful tweaking of the bass,mid and treble but it really doesn't like playing remotely loud and would probably benefit from a speaker upgrade. Sure I am spoilt with the audio gear I use at work and home, but the sound in the Altea is worse than my old Megane even :(
(a) it's nice to go off topic it adds flavour to a thread
(b) on my old ZX it went for 10 years without any problems with the gears, engine or clutch, but the brakes, I was for ever having work done on them every couple of year at +£250 or so Citreon prise, +£120 or so Halford prices. Brake judger and the like, warn discs. So I reckon it's cost effective to save the brakes myself.
(c) I got the DSG so I trust in it to select the gear as I slow down. I have noticed that it does not slow down so fast as my other car. Once you break with an automatic your starting to tell it things, so I prefer not to go hitting the break left, right and centre
Fair points Tell. I did agree with your original point about people slamming on the brakes (we've all done it). I think that if people are already using their brakes heavily and are assuming the person in front is going to maintain their rate of progress what then happens if the person in front then decides or needs to use theirs suddenly. If you are behind and are already close to your brakes limit you've had it!
(a) I agree, although I meant it was me was going off topic not you!
(b) Fair enough, that's been your experience but the Institute of Advanced Motorists would disagree (though I know some people might think that's a good reason to do just the opposite!) :) . I still think the clutch centre's get great business from drivers not getting it quite right and think of all the extra gear changes - as a passenger I regularly observe people seeing the lights are red way off, braking gently and working down through 4th, 3rd and 2nd to 1st (and sometimes forcing 1st in a little too soon) without hardly a hint of the engine doing the braking - why waste the effort on all the gear changes? On my previous cars I've had the opposite experience to you - lots of expensive gear and clutch work with the only brake work being the relative low cost of pads etc. - which are seen as consumables anyway.
(c) If I had taken time to notice what you drive I guess that makes a difference. Not having any experience of a DSG myself my comments were directed mainly at those with ordinary manual gearboxes. I would be interested to experience how a DSG drives in different passive/aggressive situations.
Hi Tell, I know what you mean about the ZX brakes - had the same constant problems with my Aura Turbo D and the garage whilst great had no end of problems with ZX brakes. Many a time I didn't think the old girl was going to stop - but it always did! It suffered from frankly frightening amounts of fade when using the performance and leaving braking late :) Good car though!
As for the Altea, our 2.0TDI Sport is splendid and I generally echo everyone elses comments coupled with my own gripes posted previously on other threads, mainly about the silly equipment omissions and items listed in the manual that simply arent there! Examples being (that I can remember!) heated mirrors, light in glovebox, door open illumination in door bottoms, return to car lighting, text information display in the trip computer, washer level low warning, cruise control active light, and the stereo really is poor for a car costing 17k, believe me! It can be made to sound semi acceptable with careful tweaking of the bass,mid and treble but it really doesn't like playing remotely loud and would probably benefit from a speaker upgrade. Sure I am spoilt with the audio gear I use at work and home, but the sound in the Altea is worse than my old Megane even :(
I luvved me ZX :) - it's gone to a good home I sold it to my brother where it's getting loving care. I was use to the breaks, it was the partner who moaned about them, I just did not drive beyond my stopping distance, a Turbo D like yours, you could always rely on it to churn out just enough smoke when boy racers got too close behind you :thumbup: ....
>>door open illumination in door bottoms<< but with the Altea you open the rear door and the lights come on, that was not the case in the ZX Dimension with no light switches in the rear. Such luxury.
Can't comment on the Megane never had one.... the problem with the speakers if there is one, is as I think it was Steve that said, you need a Seat engineer to take the tweeters out of the door [two hours I think], so the only thing you can put in, is to change the bass / treble unit, then I suspect the crossovers etc wouldn't match with the tweeters and you could not put in a unit with tweeters built in, not when you got tweeters already, and they would be too low for the sweet spot. There is also the small matter of the manual warning you not to disturb the speakers in the door because of the air pressure that is used to fire off the airbags, so if you leave gaps between the door and the speakers it will effect the safetly of the car.
I've had some good bass notes out of the speakers better than the Acoustic Research 5" or so ones I put in the ZX, but then I'm not into boom box sound systems in cars. So I can live with it:). It would be nice to be able to take out factory fitted stuff and fit your own but one is probably stuck these days with cars being too specified or not enough with your omission list.
I'd be pissed if all the extras were put on a future car, although from my experience of Unos the build quality goes down with cars that come off the production line latter in a cars life.
(c) If I had taken time to notice what you drive I guess that makes a difference. Not having any experience of a DSG myself my comments were directed mainly at those with ordinary manual gearboxes. I would be interested to experience how a DSG drives in different passive/aggressive situations.
If you drive in normal (D) mode it seems to put it in the gears that one would select if one was doing it yourself, albeit my non over revving way of driving. You sometimes get a lag at say a roundabout and you want to go fast, but that lag is nowhere near the lag that the manual drivers get, I noticed that. So I tend to just go, at roundabout now with cars about to come on from the right when I would not dream about it before, since I know that I'm not going to have a problem.
In Sport mode (S) it's pretty snappy and revvy. I had to get to a Seat dealer a couple of week back, OK, Milton Keynes, through 5 miles of roundabouts by 12 noon when spares closed. It was nippy.
I have experimented in the tiptronics mode or whatever you want to call it, touching + and - for gear changes late at night again on the MK roundabout system... think I'll leave it to the automatic mode with all those roundabouts;) . I have used the manual mode for changing down when going down a long steep hill in Germany.
I'd be interested in other peoples experiences, hence the concept of a leasured engine breaking with the DSG going through the gear box, it does work as you approach a round about etc. I only do this if nobody is following.
I keep it in (D) except when I'm wanting to give it a bit of running in driving when warm. In (D) mode the revs are kept very low and you'd never treat it like your suppose to do during running in.
How to use Cruise control.....
Thanks altea-ego both your bits of info worked, I tried them out this weekend :thumbup: :worship: