Leon Gone

Active Member
Dec 26, 2017
26
0
Well Christmas is over and I am tempted into swapping the car. Had the 1400 SE TSi 140 for almost 5 years and still happy with it but fancy a change. Need more space so do I try the estate or consider a Skoda. really want to stay with the 1400 TSi so not that much choice.
 
Well just been online and looked at the specs and prices and I only need to ask one question, what have Seat done to the range.

When we bought ours for us there was simply only one model that was a sensible buy, the 1.4 SE TSI 140 PS. We wanted climate and rear tints but we decided that the offer on a stock car was simply too good to miss so we bought it. Always missed (not regretted) not having them but they are definites this time.

So what we want is a 1.4 TSi 150 ST but we cannot get the SE spec, only FR and Xcellence. Problem with that is not the price but some of the standard fit kit. Both have 225 45 17 tyres which were appalling and very expensive on our last car, the 205 55 16 on the SE have been perfect. Both have sports seats which are impossible for the partly disabled mother in law to get out of, had similar before. At least the Xcellence has standard suspension, don't want the lowered sports spec of the FR. I guess it may be possible to get the dealer to retro fit 16" wheels to the Xcellence but that still leaves the sports seats.

After almost 5 years with the 1.4 140 PS there is no way I wish to step back to a 1.2 or 1.0 to get the SE trim. Even then there are issues with the ECO 1.0's getting sports suspension WTF is that about.

It was so easy when we bought the last car, looks like mission impossible this time.
 
Is it worth looking for a nearly new model instead of a new one to try and get the car you are after
 
Might be but it would have to be on a 67 plate and be very very low (or delivery miles). Had new or pre reg cars now since 1978 and don't intend joining the lottery of second hand motors again.

Since the info I have found on line is dated 04/2017 it looks like the car I am looking for is going to be far older than I am willing to buy.
 
Had an e-mail form Bristol Street yesterday re their January sale so planning to visit Saturday. Don't expect miracles since there is nothing on their website of interest but if I pitch up in the showroom they may just be good enough to find something of interest. They were rubbish when we bought the current car, ended up walking out after 3 hours talking to a total idiot who did not understand simple English like "your price to change is too high". Went to another dealer 2 days later and paid £2500 less. But they have been good for servicing so hopefully their sales staff have improved.
 
Well we went to Bristol Street today and despite a reasonable start I can confirm they are as big a bunch of idiots as they were in 2013, different idiots but still idiots.

Talked to them about the fact I was very happy with what I had been driving for almost 5 years and basically as expected they cannot sell me the car that I want. Its either a 1400 FR with lowered sports suspension, sports seats and 17" wheels or their alternative suggestion of a 1200 SE Dynamic which in truth has most of the stuff I want with only the 17" wheels from my list of don't wants but its 30 PS down. They suggested a REVO (I think thats right) remap which they say will give it performance between the 125 and 150 PS models for about £400 extra. Does that make any sense, does anyone have one.

So I changed the subject to how much. They would not tell me unless I was prepared to order a car only saying there was extra £500 discount for taking a test drive and extra £1000 discount for being an existing Seat owner. They don't have a 1200 TSI on site but they did promise to ring me next week to arrange. At this stage I am interested to experience how much it is lacking compared to the 140 PS we have but how on earth will I try one with the remap.

Back home I dialed up Drive the Deal. A 125PS 1400 FR estate in white is £16333 and a 110PS SE Dynamic estate in white with climate is £14333. Both prices can be reduced by £1000 since we have a Seat but DtD say the discount includes £800 for fresh start if we order before the end of January. No mention of test drive discount. Cannot see anything about this £800 on the Seat site and the test drive discount is not on the Seat site either. Sent DtD a message to see if they can explain it but if anyone can explain the current offers in simple english it would be appreciated.

PCP's don't interest me this time, now retired so I don't think I would get one based on the pension.

Thanks.
 
They suggested a REVO (I think thats right) remap which they say will give it performance between the 125 and 150 PS models for about £400 extra. Does that make any sense, does anyone have one.

The dealer was suggesting a remap on a brand new car?
Did you ask about the warranty implications on that? Any remap would usually invalidate the warranty.

I think you need to accept SEAT as a brand is supposed to be sporty and dynamic. That's why its all big wheels and sports suspension.
 
The dealer was suggesting a remap on a brand new car?
Did you ask about the warranty implications on that? Any remap would usually invalidate the warranty.

Asked about that. Said it would be fine. Apparently some VAG dealers sell REVO rempas.

I think you need to accept SEAT as a brand is supposed to be sporty and dynamic. That's why its all big wheels and sports suspension.

Our existing Leon has neither big wheels or sports suspension. It has a 140PS engine which makes it nice and sporty.Previous car had same size wheels/tyres as FR and it was horrid, swapping to 205 55 16's in winter showed how bad they were. Don't really want to experience that again unless it becomes the law.
 
What a bunch of absolute morons. I hope you laughed in his, her or their faces?

No need to laugh, makes walking out much more pleasurable.

Bristol Street sales were morons in 2013. I had a price to change in my head and was hopeful since they had the exact car we wanted in stock and actually used it to take us a test drive. But they were £1000 out on their first offer and all that happened was when we asked for a better deal the salesman would (pretend to) go to his boss for 10 minutes and come back with exactly the same price asking how does that sound, crap would have been a good answer. After several attempts I told him how much we would pay and he said to leave it with them and they would ring back. Well they did the next day and offered exactly the same deal asking again how did it sound.

So I rang another dealer (about 40 miles away), told him what I wanted and again they said they had the car in stock. Told him about my PX and 10 minutes later rang back offering a deal £2000 lower than Bristol Street. Paid deposit by card, collected car 4 days later. Will probably try them again before I finalize any deal.

Bristol Streets service department have been very good but the dealer we bought from had a workshop filled with idiots, only went back for one service, AA had to fix car 2 days later, sump plug had been left loose.
 
Been doing some surfing today and it looks like the best value is going to be another Leon and just accepting the sports seats, suspension and 17" wheels.

The Octavia estate is about £2000 more that the Leon if there is really £1000 off for existing Seat owners but the gap closes to virtually nothing if I can get the PCP deal on the Skoda. As I said above that is probably not possible due to retirement and living off my pension.

What I need to do now is find a dealer who will give me a good drive in a 1400 FR estate.
 
You won't get the £1000 on top of any drive the deal discount. I asked the same question last time , and the time before. DTD is the way to go if buying new.

If skoda are doing a 0% finance, as they often do, then that in effect pays the price difference.
 
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You won't get the £1000 on top of any drive the deal discount. I asked the same question last time , and the time before. DTD is the way to go if buying new.

If skoda are doing a 0% finance, as they often do, then that in effect pays the price difference.



+1 for DtD. Had such great experience and the price was awesome. Sadly couldn’t get the £1k financing discount at the time because I haven’t lived in the country long enough. But it was still miles cheaper than all my nearby dealers. In the end the nominated dealer was only 50 miles away so just took a uber there for £80 and now use a local dealer for servicing.


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You won't get the £1000 on top of any drive the deal discount. I asked the same question last time , and the time before. DTD is the way to go if buying new.

Pasted from the DtD website

"Please note there is an additional £1,000 discount available for LOYAL SEAT customers. If you would like to take advantage of the above offer please request this at point of order."

From that it appears to me its the dealer that gives this additional discount and not DtD.
 
Pasted from the DtD website

"Please note there is an additional £1,000 discount available for LOYAL SEAT customers. If you would like to take advantage of the above offer please request this at point of order."

From that it appears to me its the dealer that gives this additional discount and not DtD.

Carwow also mention the extra £1000 discount, which seems to be additional to the discounted price - and again reads as though it may be handled by the dealer.
 
Pasted from the DtD website

"Please note there is an additional £1,000 discount available for LOYAL SEAT customers. If you would like to take advantage of the above offer please request this at point of order."

From that it appears to me its the dealer that gives this additional discount and not DtD.

Can't hurt to ask, I was told they are selling as cheap as possible to get sales up. As I understand it, discounts are applied by the dealer before the they give DTD their prices.
 
Been back on the brokers sites this morning with some interesting results. Only used Carfile (wifes car came from there but they don't do Seats) and Drive the Deal (excellent reviews here and elsewhere) because both do no risk pay us nothing business.

DtD want £16335 for a 1.4 TSi 125 FR in white and £17837 for a 1.5 TSi FR in white. I know I am happy with the 140 PS 1.4 but does it really cost £1500 more to make a car with another 25 PS under the bonnet or are Seat just having a laugh.

Carfile want £18533 for an Octavia 1.5 TSi 150 SE in white with rear tints.

BUT

There may be another £1000 off the Seat for being an existing owner bringing the 150 PS version down to £16837

and

There is a PCP deal on the Skoda that would bring the price down to £16831

So sod all in it.

Plus points for the Seat, I know it and like it (in hatch form)

Plus points for the Skoda its the new 1.5 motor, no lowered sports suspension, sports seats and 17" wheels, dealer 4 miles away

Negative points for the Seat lowered sports suspension, sports seats and 17" wheels dealer 15 miles away

Negative points for the Skoda its the new engine (but so was the 1.4 when I bought it)

Other point to note, Seat has SatNav but Skoda has Android Auto which works fine with Waze on wifes car

A trip to the Skoda dealer looks like its on the cards this week.

Complicated but it appears I have it narrowed down to 2 cars which under the skin should be identical.
 
The 1.4 125ps engine does not have ACT - the cylinder deactivation technology. The 1.4 150ps does, and this generally makes it more efficient despite being more powerful.
 
DtD want £16335 for a 1.4 TSi 125 FR in white and £17837 for a 1.5 TSi FR in white. I know I am happy with the 140 PS 1.4 but does it really cost £1500 more to make a car with another 25 PS under the bonnet or are Seat just having a laugh.

That's more of a marketing ploy than purely manufacturing costs. To be fair, those are broker prices although admittedly list prices will come into it.

There isn't as much of a differential if you look at the Xcellence model recommended prices. Might be worth getting broker quotes for the Xcellence to compare.

As Ewen said, it's a more efficient engine - although whether the lower CO2 and better mpg is enough to offset the price difference is another matter. But more power and better economy in theory.