New Toledo ... help

Bunny134

Guest
Can anyone help me with advice on the new Toledo?

I have just bought a 2012 ex-demo with 4k miles. 1.6 TDi, 16" wheels. Have driven it for a week/700 miles and I really can't get used to it.

The ride is truly horrendous. It jumps & bumps over everything, even the very minor changes in surface on motorways. I can honestly say that it is the worst ride I've ever experienced (I once had a Mini Metro!), and very much worse than Leons & Ibizas I've had as hire cars abroad to help any SEAT experts on here make a comparison.

The car also makes very bizarre noises when the suspension is under strain (pulling on to the ramps in a multi-storey). The only way I can describe it is the noise that light branches make hitting the top deck of a bus, travelling through the bodywork from front to rear?

Is any of this normal for a Toledo (or any car)?
Is it a hard car to get used to?
How can I tell if the suspension is too hard/seized (all I can find on the internet is where shocks are too worn/failed).
If it is a fault, what is the best approach with the dealer, given that it is quite noticeable when driving the car (which one of their mechanics has been doing for the past 4k miles ...).

I have checked that the suspension spacers aren't still in place.
 

J400uk

Active Member
Jan 7, 2010
1,978
3
London, UK
Unfortunately its normal and seems to be a side effect of the rampant cost cutting and the low profile tyres fitted to the 16"/ 17" alloys.

Not many new Toledo owners on here, but the Skoda Rapid forum may be worth a look as its mechanically identical - http://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/225-skoda-rapid/

Also take a look at the WhatCar long term test of the Rapid - http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/our-cars-skoda-rapid/july/266076 . They've had similar observations to you noting "the fussy ride veers, depending on speed and road surface, between annoying and appalling, and the vague steering, limited roadholding and mushy handling are enough to deter even moderately spirited driving"
 

MJ

Public transport abuser
Apr 22, 2008
5,508
13
Manchester
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I'd take it to a dealer and make sure the suspension blocks have been removed when it was PDI checked otherwise it will ride incredibly firmly and loose comfort.
 

Bunny134

Guest
Thanks for both replies. Unfortunately it is a very small dealer & their used stock is currently very limited. £2k more for a basic-spec Leon doesn't seem like such a good deal.

I assume the suspension blocks would be visible and I have had a good look under all the wheel arches.

How much better would the ride be if I could persuade or pay a dealer to switch a set of 15" steel wheels for mine?
 

GazGT

Active Member
Jun 25, 2005
304
0
Manchester
This is bad if it's actually a design flaw - but I can't see how as it's a stretched ibiza not a new untested platform and the big wheels are nothing new on one of those.

I'm planning on test driving one in the next few weeks as it's on my shortlist for a new company car (on paper, apart from what I've seen of the interior trim, I can't really fault it)
 

J400uk

Active Member
Jan 7, 2010
1,978
3
London, UK
I'm not sure exactly why they ride so badly. As GazGT points out its a tried and tested platform. In theory the longer wheelbase should have improved the comfort and ride quality but it seems to have had the opposite effect. They simply don't cope with UK roads.

There have been some murmurings over on the Skoda Rapid forum that they've been slightly tweaked and the models coming of the production line now are better, but I haven't been out in one yet.
 

aldo4343

Guest
I have to say the one I just bought, I test drove first and it certainly has nothing of the symptoms you suggest. Its the 1.2 tsi 105 eco.
I love light steering as im used to a Honda Jazz. However, the 1.6 TDI I test drove a while ago had really heavy sluggish stiff steering. i didnt really feel comfy pushing it into the corners. It may be a difference in range etc. I was told for example that the eco models have totally altered tuning and suspension so that may make a difference.
 

Bunny134

Guest
Had another SEAT dealer take a look today, and basically got similar response to J400 ... it feels like a smaller car than it is to begin with, because of the Ibiza chassis, and the 16" wheels really aren't helping ... they all drive like this.

Interesting comment from aldo about retuning. I test drove another previously and didn't find a problem, and I have come across a Skoda Rapid pre-release road test (can't find it again now) which seemed to suggest that Skoda were still fine-tuning the suspension at that stage and the real thing would be an improvement on the test car. I wonder if this is something which is going to turn out to be a problem on the earliest cars (of which mine was one).

Disappointed, but suspect that there is little I can do here other than try to get used to it.
 

aldo4343

Guest
I wouldn't give in just yet. If something feels functionally wrong with the car then ask for your car to have a seat mechanic inspect it under warranty. The absolute worst thing you can do is get down the line and have something happen that you haven't taken all practical steps to prevent. The same for Seat, if you have asked them to inspect something under warranty, they can't later turn round and say 'you should have had this checked during the warranty period. I'm a believer that seat won't deliberately mislead but you can't be held liable for anything if you've done everything you can to prevent it.
 

J400uk

Active Member
Jan 7, 2010
1,978
3
London, UK
My money is on it only been the early cars that are this bad. There is certainly a good number of us who have experienced similar characteristics and I don't think its something that can be easily fixed/ improved unfortunately. On the other hand some people (and some press reviews) find them completely fine so I can only guess they tried newer ones.

Need more info to say for 100% sure

If you are unhappy with it then I would advise seriously considering using the 30 day AUC thing and jumping over to a new shape Leon. Reason I say this is the Toledo residuals are looking a bit worrying so if you decided 6 months down the line to trade it in you'd take a massive hit in depreciation
 

Bunny134

Guest
Thanks all for the advice.

On reflection, I suspect there are multiple issues on top of each other: stiffer suspension on the first batch of cars, low profile tyres, and that the Toledo is deceptively small - as a narrow car, it drives a lot more like a small car than a big one, which all combined are making a rather unpleasant drive.

The issue with the 30 day exchange is that the dealer has very limited stock, mostly no more than a year old, so for the same price I could only switch for an Ibiza. For £2k more there is a base spec Leon, so I would end up paying more than I wanted to for a car I wouldn't have looked at in the first place.

I think I can just about work it out that the hit on the depreciation (maybe £2.5k if I change at Christmas) can be factored into a new finance plan by making very sure I buy a car I'm happy with and running it for longer.

For anyone planning on looking at a Toledo ... don't assume they all drive the same, and make sure you get on some uneven road surfaces during the test drive!
 

camelspyyder

2 SEAT-er
Jun 26, 2014
1,305
175
The skoda spaceback introduced modified suspension and steering improving both ride and handling. These mods also went on the 2014 spec rapid and toledo (which I bought)

The ride is really quite good now on factory 17s and conti tyres - although I've read that the dunlops fitted to some skoda rapids are pretty noisy and harsh.