Just got the 1.2 FR Black edition :)

[blackpanda]

Set off yesterday from Liverpool at 5.30am after finishing work at 12pm to pick up the wifes new car which was in Scotland. Got there at 11am, cup of coffee, few signatures, smiles and handshakes and I was homebound 220 miles.
My daily driver is a Cooper S Clubman diesel so I obviously mentally compared it to this.
Very first thing I noticed was tyre noise was a little loud although only really on those gritty roads.
After a few minutes the road surface was better and I was happy again and it did not really bother me after that tbh. I was very impressed that the car does not really follow the tram lines in motorways unlike my Cooper and the steering is lighter and just as responsive.
Suspension is beautiful and coupled with the steering and super smooth gearbox is a dream to drive. I suspect around 50mpg was achieved and whilst not granny driving I didnt do any rally stages either.
The engine was a little too quite for me especially at idle when sometimes your wondering has it cut out, saying that it made for a relaxing journey and you still get the odd rasp under heavier acceleration.
Interior is a nice place to be especially with the leather/alcantara seats and while it is not as nice as the Cooper (which is top spec) It is still is very good.
Sat nav worked faultlessly, stereo is good if short on a little bass and generally could not really be critical of the car.
Overall I am very impressed with the car of this spec especially for the price.
I must admit I would swap my Cooper for one without question if it had a bit more umph, so guess I will be looking to take the 1.4 fr for a test drive.
If anyone has upgraded from the 1.2 to the 1.4ft act I would love to hear your comments, also if you have gone from the 1.4 140act to the 150act.

I would certainly recommend these cars for anyone searching for that rare blend of performance and economy, with low insurance and tax

 

[j.owen]

Set off yesterday from Liverpool at 5.30am after finishing work at 12pm to pick up the wifes new car which was in Scotland. Got there at 11am, cup of coffee, few signatures, smiles and handshakes and I was homebound 220 miles.
My daily driver is a Cooper S Clubman diesel so I obviously mentally compared it to this.
Very first thing I noticed was tyre noise was a little loud although only really on those gritty roads.
After a few minutes the road surface was better and I was happy again and it did not really bother me after that tbh. I was very impressed that the car does not really follow the tram lines in motorways unlike my Cooper and the steering is lighter and just as responsive.
Suspension is beautiful and coupled with the steering and super smooth gearbox is a dream to drive. I suspect around 50mpg was achieved and whilst not granny driving I didnt do any rally stages either.
The engine was a little too quite for me especially at idle when sometimes your wondering has it cut out, saying that it made for a relaxing journey and you still get the odd rasp under heavier acceleration.
Interior is a nice place to be especially with the leather/alcantara seats and while it is not as nice as the Cooper (which is top spec) It is still is very good.
Sat nav worked faultlessly, stereo is good if short on a little bass and generally could not really be critical of the car.
Overall I am very impressed with the car of this spec especially for the price.
I must admit I would swap my Cooper for one without question if it had a bit more umph, so guess I will be looking to take the 1.4 fr for a test drive.
If anyone has upgraded from the 1.2 to the 1.4ft act I would love to hear your comments, also if you have gone from the 1.4 140act to the 150act.

I would certainly recommend these cars for anyone searching for that rare blend of performance and economy, with low insurance and tax

Hi, I also own a 1.2FR Black Edition, I've done just over 12,000 miles in it now and I still love it. Like you mentioned, for the money and insurance/tax costs there isn't much better in my opinion. I agree with everything you've said above, you can increase the bass of the stereo from the center console (can't think exactly how to do it without physically looking at it). I don't know how many miles your missus car has done but mine fully loosened up after about 8,000 miles, it has a bit more grunt and exhaust note now too (admittedly it's not massive but it's noticeable if you drive it frequently).

The general feel I've got from other forum users about the 1.4FR is that it's an obvious upgrade but I personally wouldn't go for one because of earlier models' issues, the newer models may be fine but it's still early days so wouldn't touch one personally even though I'm sure 80% of them are probably faultless.

 

[blackpanda]

thanks for the reply buddy, the car has done 8500ish miles and dont get me wrong I would not say its slow in fact I think considering its a 1.2 its outstanding, however over the last five years or so Ive been driving sub 6 and 7 second cars (except for my current daily driver) and I would not be able to live with the 1.2 long term.
Im going to check out the stereo and setting this weekend and see what I can get out of it, I must admit turning it on and changing the volume is about it at the moment and unfortunately did not get a handbook for it, but Im sure I can get my head around it.
Regarding the 1.4 engine I have seen a couple of online reviews without any criticism, although I did read one thread that talked of an oil leak, from memory I think it was a crank shaft seal, but other than that I have not read of any faults only praise.
I always do my homework before buying a car so I will look up more before waving my cheque book about, is there anything specifically I should be looking for on the 1.4 engines which you have seen to be a week point or is generally different faults suggesting early build quality issues?

 

[RUM4MO]

I think that he is referring to the bad press, given, probably quite rightly, to the old 1.4 twin charger design of engine. I'd guess, like the current 1.2TSI, there is very little of the "bad bits" design wise carried across.

 

[Steve221]

I haven't heard of any issues with the 1.4 ACT/ECOTSI. Mines done 19k now, no issues or lost oil.

 

[blackpanda]

Thanks for the replies people
Might take me a few weeks to get my car ready for sale with a couple of minor maintenance jobs to do, MOT and service followed for a full detailed valet, but I am going to start looking at the 1.4 act FR Ibiza.
Pretty sure I will be going for the black edition again 140act version as I have seen these go for around 11k (5door - alcantara 15plate), currently the cheapest I can find is 11.5k. Whereas the 150 appear to start at around 14k.
Hopefully I can get around 10 to 11k for my Cooper, which would be sweet.
Dont see many 1.4 140act for sale with xenons which I would really like - guess these will be a pain to retrofit?

 

[Oldbutswift]

Thanks for the replies people
Might take me a few weeks to get my car ready for sale with a couple of minor maintenance jobs to do, MOT and service followed for a full detailed valet, but I am going to start looking at the 1.4 act FR Ibiza.
Pretty sure I will be going for the black edition again 140act version as I have seen these go for around 11k (5door - alcantara 15plate), currently the cheapest I can find is 11.5k. Whereas the 150 appear to start at around 14k.
Hopefully I can get around 10 to 11k for my Cooper, which would be sweet.
Dont see many 1.4 140act for sale with xenons which I would really like - guess these will be a pain to retrofit?

You need to look at the best discounted new car price for a 1.4 before you go used.
I've got a 1.4 ST FR on order with a spec to give a list price of just over £19k but 5k off,so only £14k!
Anyway,any used 1.4 150 is rare,let alone one in the spec and colour of your choice.

 

[bcr5784]

You need to look at the best discounted new car price for a 1.4 before you go used.
I've got a 1.4 ST FR on order with a spec to give a list price of just over £19k but 5k off,so only £14k!
Anyway,any used 1.4 150 is rare,let alone one in the spec and colour of your choice.

+1 I have 1.4 ecotsi 150 on order at a similar discount. Drove both 1.2 and 1.4 before ordering. The 1.4 does feel a much faster car, quicker than the claimed figures would suggest. The only Downsides were the ride on 16 inch wheels was better and the 1.2 gearbox was slicker.

 

[blackpanda]

Thanks for the replies guys,
Sounds good at this type of discounting I may well consider this when I have sold my current daily drive. Are all Seat dealers as generous? or do I need to haggle with them?

As a matter of interest can I ask what you paid for the 1.4 act FR and what spec.
In an ideal world my shopping list would be:-
deffinate
xenons
alcantara/leather
parking sensors
17" tagus wheels

like but not a deal breaker
folding mirrors

Is the black edition still available on the 150 act model?

 

[MantaOwner]

Don't they offer a good deal on a Cupra in the UK? In my country a FR 1.4TSI 150 with full specs costs the same as a Cupra, crazy or what? On the other hand, we don't have this tax on cars that you have in the UK, for my Cupra I just have to pay for insurance around £30 a month and that's it, a FR would be maybe £2-4 cheaper per month (insurance fee depends on engine power to some extent).

Tõnu

 

[Oldbutswift]

Thanks for the replies guys,
Sounds good at this type of discounting I may well consider this when I have sold my current daily drive. Are all Seat dealers as generous? or do I need to haggle with them?

As a matter of interest can I ask what you paid for the 1.4 act FR and what spec.
In an ideal world my shopping list would be:-
deffinate
xenons
alcantara/leather
parking sensors
17" tagus wheels

like but not a deal breaker
folding mirrors

Is the black edition still available on the 150 act model?

No way will you get a great deal simply from your local SEAT dealer,my local one declined to quote when he knew he was in a competitive situation.You need to look at internet car brokers.
You can try Carwow,who do put you in touch with a Seat dealer,but the best price I could find was at a broker,Cort Vehicle contracts.You can spec up the car and get an instant quote via their website.
Electric folding mirrors are standard on the FR,as are 17" Tagus wheels with the 1.4 engine.
Their is no leather option but you can get the seat centres in alcantara.
You can get the black pack on any FR.

 

[blackpanda]

Hi Tonu
The Cupra is a very good deal seeing them in the UK for around £1500-2000 more than the 1.4 tsi act FR. On top of the extra £s on purchase:-
- Cupra + £125/yearr tax
- Cupra + £120 insurance/year
- Cupra + £240 petrol/year
So all in all £2000 extra at purchase plus £500 a year running cost.
I expect servicing maybe a little more plus certain parts more expensive.
It maybe worth considering for many and I understand completely why, however my current car was bought after careful consideration due to the performance v running costs.
Cooper Clubman SD - 50+mpg, 145bhp, £30 road tax, £350 insurance and low depreciation.
The 1.4 is as good if not better as the Cooper based on the figures plus a more comfortable drive.
My previous 3 cars, Audi TT 1.8t 258bhp, Nissan Skyline GTR R33, Suburu Impreza WRX all had higher insurance, higher road tax and between 18-28 mpg and I was always finding deep pockets with nothing in them
The worst thing though was all the above cars got vandalized by kids that could not afford them.
I am in my late forties now and the addiction to driving like Batman going to save the world is waning But going on a little fun run in the countryside is still appealing, just not the norm.
If I was 25 again guess you know which one I would go for.

 

[blackpanda]

No way will you get a great deal simply from your local SEAT dealer,my local one declined to quote when he knew he was in a competitive situation.You need to look at internet car brokers.
You can try Carwow,who do put you in touch with a Seat dealer,but the best price I could find was at a broker,Cort Vehicle contracts.You can spec up the car and get an instant quote via their website.
Electric folding mirrors are standard on the FR,as are 17" Tagus wheels with the 1.4 engine.
Their is no leather option but you can get the seat centres in alcantara.
You can get the black pack on any FR.

Thanks Oldbut for putting me in the right direction, will look into this.
I was looking at a Seat dealer locally and as you say I did not find them accommodating when asking them about flexibility on a deal unless I was prepared to do a deal there and then.
The seats I was wanting are the simulated leather with alcantara centres, which I think are the same ones you mention, finding them very comfortable.

 

[bcr5784]

No way will you get a great deal simply from your local SEAT dealer,my local one declined to quote when he knew he was in a competitive situation.You need to look at internet car brokers.
You can try Carwow,who do put you in touch with a Seat dealer,but the best price I could find was at a broker,Cort Vehicle contracts.You can spec up the car and get an instant quote via their website.
Electric folding mirrors are standard on the FR,as are 17" Tagus wheels with the 1.4 engine.
Their is no leather option but you can get the seat centres in alcantara.
You can get the black pack on any FR.

I ordered from cort too. I'd consider the reversing camera rather than sensors, they are a similar price.

 

[bcr5784]

No way will you get a great deal simply from your local SEAT dealer,my local one declined to quote when he knew he was in a competitive situation.You need to look at internet car brokers.
You can try Carwow,who do put you in touch with a Seat dealer,but the best price I could find was at a broker,Cort Vehicle contracts.You can spec up the car and get an instant quote via their website.
Electric folding mirrors are standard on the FR,as are 17" Tagus wheels with the 1.4 engine.
Their is no leather option but you can get the seat centres in alcantara.
You can get the black pack on any FR.

I was/am a bit concerned about buying via a broker so I would be interested to hear how your purchase is going. I ordered 3rd week in March and was quoted June delivery, how about you?

 

[Oldbutswift]

I was/am a bit concerned about buying via a broker so I would be interested to hear how your purchase is going. I ordered 3rd week in March and was quoted June delivery, how about you?

That's an almost identical time scale to me,June delivery.I understand that a factory order from a Seat dealer would be a similar time scale.
I agree it seems a bit uneasy using a broker but they get the best prices.I suppose they do this because they put in orders for a lot of cars each month that they lease out and get big discounts so they can tag on some private orders from the likes of us and get the same discount,and they have lower overheads than dealerships.
Cort have been around for a few years now and the guy seemed very plausible over the phone.
I paid £500 deposit by credit card so that should be covered if the worse happens.
What I'm not sure about is how the balance is paid,obviously the seemingly risk free way is to pay the rest on collection,but I think they will want another stage payment,do you know anything about this?

 

[bcr5784]

That's an almost identical time scale to me,June delivery.I understand that a factory order from a Seat dealer would be a similar time scale.
I agree it seems a bit uneasy using a broker but they get the best prices.I suppose they do this because they put in orders for a lot of cars each month that they lease out and get big discounts so they can tag on some private orders from the likes of us and get the same discount,and they have lower overheads than dealerships.
Cort have been around for a few years now and the guy seemed very plausible over the phone.
I paid £500 deposit by credit card so that should be covered if the worse happens.
What I'm not sure about is how the balance is paid,obviously the seemingly risk free way is to pay the rest on collection,but I think they will want another stage payment,do you know anything about this?

Final payment is required 48 hours before delivery, which is the bit I am uneasy about.

 

[Oldbutswift]

Final payment is required 48 hours before delivery, which is the bit I am uneasy about.

I think they said to me that they would want a stage payment,presumably when the car is in the country,but that I could pay the final balance on collection (I do intend to collect the car from them at Bury.)
What I intend to do is before I give them any more money is to request an email from them detailing all the aspects of the transaction...evidence.
There has to be a degree of trust and we worry unduly,I think.After all any car dealer wants a deposit and because they have a big glass fronted showroom it doesn't mean they can't still go bust before you get the car.

 

[j.owen]

I felt the same when I got my car, albeit it is a lease it was still via a small (unheard of) company and it all felt a bit dodgy because the deal was so good in comparison to others. They made me put my deposit down and proof of insurance etc before I'd even lay eyes on the car (I don't know if this is normal?) and they didn't really give me any proof or updates about the transaction until one day they called and said it's on it's way in a weeks time.

It was immaculate and completely what I expected of course, just found the whole process slightly weird but yeah just thought I'd share my experience.

 

[RUM4MO]

I think they said to me that they would want a stage payment,presumably when the car is in the country,but that I could pay the final balance on collection (I do intend to collect the car from them at Bury.)
What I intend to do is before I give them any more money is to request an email from them detailing all the aspects of the transaction...evidence.
There has to be a degree of trust and we worry unduly,I think.After all any car dealer wants a deposit and because they have a big glass fronted showroom it doesn't mean they can't still go bust before you get the car.

I agree completely, I've bought two new cars aboard via the internet, in the first case I visited the broker (Intercar) in Holland and was happy with them - the "foreign" brokers need more of a deposit that UK based ones as they need to cover the possibility that you don't complete the deal and they have a RHD car to get rid of in a LHD market country.
The second one was a VW dealer in Holland, but they used a UK based intermediary as a buffer and to avoid any wrong assumption with model specs - in reality a previous customer of their's.

I feel that if anyone just wants to turn up and pay for a car when they pick it up, then they should really be going to a local dealer and be paying the extra money for that privilege.