Limp mode during test drive - should i run away?

[locky]

To be fair i could walk away, find another one, and it throws an error on the drive home or 2 days after the warranty expires....
At least this one is getting scanned up front

 

[jmc1976]

True that's always a risk , try make sure it goes somewhere vag least then you know there using correct equipment, and id try get some more money off


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[locky]

I sure will, i am going into this with my eyes open, and only if the Seat dealer who are doing the work check out exactly with what the seller is saying will i even consider it. Im gonna ride this one out till there is more news to tell.

 

[jmc1976]

Good luck with it mate , let us know how it turns out


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[locky]

So how long is the warranty?
I think I would look at the paperwork from seat once it's fixed and then say you maybe interested but only if they throw in an extended warranty for free due to the test drive issue..
I have to admit 16000 seems low mileage and you think what could have gone wrong with driving 4000 miles a year?!
On the flip side I part exchanged a car recently because it was staring to cost too much to put right, and it had only done 38,000 in 7 years.

Have you looked at paperwork for last service, when was this?

The stamps in the service book tie in with what the kind lady told me today when i called Seat UK.
My thoughts are like others who have mentioned someone here has PX'd a problematic FR with a Fiat dealer.
I see the good part as the fault has occured (luckily for me) on the test drive, and now the Fiat dealer is paying the Seat dealer to put it right, and if their stories check out im scoring a decent price low miler, clean bill of health, with no more chance of a new problem occuring as the next car.

 

[NickCupraR]

The stamps in the service book tie in with what the kind lady told me today when i called Seat UK.
My thoughts are like others who have mentioned someone here has PX'd a problematic FR with a Fiat dealer.
I see the good part as the fault has occured (luckily for me) on the test drive, and now the Fiat dealer is paying the Seat dealer to put it right, and if their stories check out im scoring a decent price low miler, clean bill of health, with no more chance of a new problem occuring as the next car.

I agree, go for it!

 

[old 'uns]

I have to admit 16000 seems low mileage and you think what could have gone wrong with driving 4000 miles a year?!

Strangely enough we handed a 2010 FR CR170 back with 16k on it

















....don't think this one is ours though.

 

[locky]

Strangely enough we handed a 2010 FR CR170 back with 16k on it

Was there a particular reason for handing it back? (Or shouldn't I ask?)

 

[old 'uns]

End of agreement, nothing sinister, it's still for sale at a dealer after going through auction.

 

[betty_swollox]

If it feels right, go for it

If not, walk away


Only you can decide mate

 

[Jarre]

As others have said, only you can decide. Any doubt and I'd leave it.

Something to consider, though, is the chance of getting a 'goodwill gesture' if something goes wrong on your car and it's out of SEAT manufacturers warranty. If you haven't bought it from a SEAT dealer - you won't get one. So if anything goes you will have to foot the full bill. If you buy from a SEAT dealer there's a chance you may be able to get a goodwill on it.

 

[J400uk]

Wouldn't bother with it unless it's mega cheap, I.e. trade price. The mileage sounds too low for a diesel so I'd suspect its had a hard life of lots of short town journeys which tend to cause dpf/ egr issues

 

[locky]

Cheers for the replies.

Wouldn't bother with it unless it's mega cheap, I.e. trade price. The mileage sounds too low for a diesel so I'd suspect its had a hard life of lots of short town journeys which tend to cause dpf/ egr issues

Thats sort of the point, its already thrown an error and is being looked at by Seat who will resolve it, so my logic here is that anything lurking DPF/EGR-wise will be sorted. It was the EGR valve which I have been told is the problem prior to it going to Seat to do the work.

Although someone further up said the car doesnt have an EGR valve, im currently working on the information I have been told by the non-Seat dealer selling the car, and I will definitely be double checking with the Seat dealership who are doing the work, as they will certainly scan the car themselves as part of the work.

However I still maintain that once fixed, I dont see any reason this particular car has any more chance of throwing a new error than the next car.

Something to consider, though, is the chance of getting a 'goodwill gesture' if something goes wrong on your car and it's out of SEAT manufacturers warranty. If you haven't bought it from a SEAT dealer - you won't get one. So if anything goes you will have to foot the full bill. If you buy from a SEAT dealer there's a chance you may be able to get a goodwill on it.

It is out of manufacturer warranty and its not a Seat dealer, but unless the place I am buying gives me at least 6 months warranty, I will probably reconsider as these cars do seem rather fragile.

 

[betty_swollox]

Thats sort of the point, its already thrown an error and is being looked at by Seat who will resolve it, so my logic here is that anything lurking DPF/EGR-wise will be sorted. It was the EGR valve which I have been told is the problem prior to it going to Seat to do the work.

Dunno how that makes you think that there won't be any DPF problems lol.

how old is the car?


EDIT: Just checked first post, 16k miles on a 4 year old car? that is RIDICULOUSLY low!

 

[old 'uns]

However I still maintain that once fixed, I dont see any reason this particular car has any more chance of throwing a new error than the next car.



It is out of manufacturer warranty and its not a Seat dealer, but unless the place I am buying gives me at least 6 months warranty, I will probably reconsider as these cars do seem rather fragile.

you're talking yourself into it in the first paragraph........

...and out in the next?

I'd be REALLY worried if i was looking for a 1.4 Twin Charger though

the CR170 isn't fragile as such, just that like every other late model Diesel they have DPF's which cause issues on other manufacturers too.
never had an issue on ours, even with the low mileage, yes it did re-gens but to be honest never really noticed them as such

 

[Jarre]

It is out of manufacturer warranty and its not a Seat dealer, but unless the place I am buying gives me at least 6 months warranty, I will probably reconsider as these cars do seem rather fragile.

Why do you think the CR170 is a fragile unit?

 

[locky]

Dunno how that makes you think that there won't be any DPF problems lol.

The car has already thrown an error, it is being inspected/fixed by a Seat workshop, so I will ask them to tell me what came up on the scan, and what it was they fixed. I will then be able to make a much more informed decision. My logic tells me if nothing DPF related comes up on the scan, then there isn't a DPF problem at this point in time. Im not saying there wont be in future, im just saying it has as much chance as the next VAG car I look at.

EDIT: Just checked first post, 16k miles on a 4 year old car? that is RIDICULOUSLY low!

Meaning what? Are you saying its obviously been used on short runs only so inevitable DPF drama brewing or possibly DPF is what the current problem is? Just for reference, I have only driven 5k in my current car last year, and 4k of that was 4x 900mile journeys between Newcastle and Plymouth - does that sound ridiculously low in that context?

the CR170 isn't fragile as such, just that like every other late model Diesel they have DPF's which cause issues on other manufacturers too.
never had an issue on ours, even with the low mileage, yes it did re-gens but to be honest never really noticed them as such

Why do you think the CR170 is a fragile unit?

To be honest, its the replies on here which are making me fear fragility. Yes I will do some short trips to the shops or whatever, but primarily the reason im buying a diesel is due to my family living the other end of the country. I have been running a 2.0 HDi Pug for the last 13 years and that is why I am looking again for a diesel, and figured the CR170 would provide me some nice economy plus some grins. I prefer everything about it over Golf or A3 alternatives.

Just to bullet point this 'adventure' so far...
1) Finding this 2010 with 16k in MINT condition at a nice price felt like a good thing to start.
2) My initial dismay at the error happening on the test drive prompted this thread.
3) From chatting here, and thinking about it logically, I still think having this error occur has put me in an advantageous position, for the garage selling it are now paying Seat to sort it out.
4) Provided I am happy with what Seat say when I call them, they tell me what came up on their scan and it checks out with what the seller is telling me, and the fault is fixed - I see this as something which you don't normally get when buying a second hand motor - a good thing.
5) So essentially there is no more reason to walk away from this motor or suspect there will be future problems, than any other VAG motor I could choose to buy which doesnt have a scan and remedial action before I hand over a bag of gold.

Hope ive answered all the Q's!! I really do appreciate the discussion guys.

 

[betty_swollox]

The car has already thrown an error, it is being inspected/fixed by a Seat workshop, so I will ask them to tell me what came up on the scan, and what it was they fixed. I will then be able to make a much more informed decision. My logic tells me if nothing DPF related comes up on the scan, then there isn't a DPF problem at this point in time. Im not saying there wont be in future, im just saying it has as much chance as the next VAG car I look at.



Meaning what? Are you saying its obviously been used on short runs only so inevitable DPF drama brewing or possibly DPF is what the current problem is? Just for reference, I have only driven 5k in my current car last year, and 4k of that was 4x 900mile journeys between Newcastle and Plymouth - does that sound ridiculously low in that context?

you aren't dealing with SEAT though, the FIAT garage is

SEAT could just tell FIAT any old sh1te and they'd believe it.

All they will do is scan it for faults. If the DPF is 90% clogged, will that show up as a fault? Will they even investigate it? the car is in for EGR replacement, wouldnt surprise me if they didnt check anything else



4k a year in a diesel is stupildy low, so I think that its just been used to do the school run and to the shops at the weekend.


so you did 1k miles in the rest of the year? I wouldnt even entertain having a diesel for doing 10,000 miles a year

 

[Jarre]

I wouldn't say the CR170 was a fragile engine, just basically short, low mileage, town driving type journeys do not sit kindly with DPFs. The CR engines work with the DPFs a lot better than the older PD engines did so really you should be okay.

I haven't had any issues with mine, but I do 20k miles a year and a lot of it motorway so really I shouldn't be having any issues

You may be able to ask SEAT what the DPF soot content is? This could give you an idea into whether the DPF may be an issue.

 

[STU3Y]

Dont buy it. I bought a leon with 26k on the clock from main dealer with 12 month warranty only to discover turbo was failing. Probably due to fact it had only done short town jourenys etc and has missed a service.

Long story short warranty is worthless, seat dealer didnt want to know at all and a 10 page complaint letter to seat uk got me no where.
I still need to get the turbo done and will have to pay for it myself.

This was supposed to be the best car ive ever bought and the safest option with the low mileage, warranty and being fron a reputable dealer but its ended being the worst and the support I thought would be there wasnt. Bare in mind this was for a car with no preexisting problem initially so definately DO NOT buy that one, especially as limp mode problems are intimitent so they may say are fixed and will come back. The main cause of limp mode is often gunked up turbo.

Plus will Seat even bother to scan it as Fiat may have told them what the problem is and asked them to rectify it. So they may just take their word for it. Added to that A diagnostic will cost fiat about an extra 100 and eat into their profit and they are less likely to offer any reductions due to unforseen bills etc. The position of advantage you actually think you have isn't there.

If the egr is clogged up they are more likely just to clean it rather than replace it. And if egr is bad the manifold will be too and also the turbo, which could be the true cause of the limp mode.

The car will almost certainly need a terraclean and could ultimately need a new turbo leading to a £1200-1500 bill for that alone.

Depending on how turbo goes if it develops a problem it may have already put shrapnel in the engine and will ruin every new turbo fitted too.

Not worth the risk believe me