Dissapointed - Leon FR

mklock · Feb 16, 2007

Hi Guys and Girls,
Its been awhile since i last posted, but to tell you the truth i haven't really had much to say......until now.

It that time again, when i get to choose my new company car, so i drafted up a shortlist and drove them. Here are my findings.

Honda Civic Type S GT 2.2 Cdti
VW Golf GT 170 TDI
Seat Leon FR 2.0 170 TDi
Vauxhall Astra SRI 150 TDI

Honda Civic Type S GT 2.2 Cdti
Diesel is not as punchy as the VW engine but ok
THe Ride is just BAD, infact awful!! Its not an everday car.
The car was impressivly responsive round twists and bends and was fun on smooth roads
The dash is far too busy

VW Golf GT 170 TDI
Currently my No1 choice
Normally i wouldn't look at Golfs, as they are just plain dull but i drove the new Jetta last year and was impressed how far things had come in terms of quality

Anyway, the ride felt a little high but nice and soft yet responsive. Lets just say, i gave it a good test drive.
Engine was remarkable, but i only managed 38mpg which is worrying.
Quality of cabin is just better than most cars.
But overall its a golf, refined but its not a talking point.

Seat Leon FR 2.0 170 TDi
Arrived today for a 3 day test drive. The exterior has grown on me, but stepping into the cabin just irritates me. Its so Cheap and awful, that im actually contemplating leaving it at work and driving mine home tonight. Surely Seat should be making the cars better not worse!?
The engine doesn't seem to be at the same standard as the VW either.

The car is shite [:@]

Im so dissapointed, i just wanted it to say "buy me " but sadly it screams "Dont bother, get something nicer"

Vauxhall Astra SRI 150 TDI
Not tried yet. Worth trying? My experience of the new astra was limited to a stint in Ireland but that was a 1.4. Felt like a tin can on wheels.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

Mike

Ol' Timer · Feb 16, 2007

What about the Octavia VRS TDi?

mklock · Feb 16, 2007

I must admit, i kinda felt that the car was a little on the big side, but i should get myself down to the local dealer and have a look.

fivetones · Feb 16, 2007

Yeah the leon dash is something you get used to.

It nearly put us off getting ours. The golf GT wasn't around when we looked and the Audi equivalent at the time cost 6k more than the FR.

An easy decision.

ps. I dunno why you think the car is rubbish though. The rest of it is fairly high quality if you don't consider the dash.

Ol' Timer · Feb 16, 2007

mklock said:
I must admit, i kinda felt that the car was a little on the big side, but i should get myself down to the local dealer and have a look.

Yes, the Octy is a bit of a monster but according to the reviews it is fast, rides well, is better built than the others and should hold its value pretty well.

And according to all those user surveys it should be completely trouble free.

andyb · Feb 16, 2007

a friend of mine went through the same process as you in the last two weeks. He didn't think much of the Astra by the way and he tried the Focus, which he did like and the Octavia.

Last time I spoke to him, the Octavia had the nod. He's also a Mk1 Leon owner

Bonzy1800 · Feb 16, 2007

what about the astra 888 cdti pretty hardcore diesel

http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?lnk=401&featureid=379&pageid=-1&show=s9e9&section=Behind%20the%20scenes

wurzel · Feb 16, 2007

I'm probably biased towards the Leon but it sounds like you may just have a poor example of one. My first impressions were that the dash is cheap but you soon get used to it and realise it is a quality item. Ok the glove box is a bit flimsy and the draw under the passenger seat is a pain in the arse but the overall package in my opinion is excellent. My mother bought a Golf GT TDI and the extra money is not justified, a couple of bits of interior trim have come lose, the doors don't feel as solid as the leon tbh its all a bit boring and sensible. If you look at the whole leon package it is a bit funky, the exterior stlying is very unique and in some respects quirky; the dash and cd player may not appear as shopisticated as the Golf but again like the exterior styling it is quirky and funky and modern. I've had my TFSI FR for 4 months now, done 4000 miles and it still feels everybit as solid as when I took delivery, the dash doesn't squeak or rattle (the only rattle I have comes from the interior light lense) My Mk1 leon fr sounded like a budgie after 1000 miles. I guess the new leon is like marmite...

andycupra · Feb 16, 2007

had a good look round the new leons today, i was totally gob smacked at the interior. what the hell is going on with the plastics? they look awful.
seats i like, the rest i dont at all.

yell_oh · Feb 16, 2007

Avoid SEAT and probably all VAG group cars. While the perceived quality is high, the true quality of engineering is appalling. I've had rattles, paint problems, alarm problems (estimated to take 2 MONTHS to fix). All on a 6 month old car. I don't mind having lesser quality trim in a SEAT due to lower price, but the reliability and build quality is terrible and seems to be common across the VAG range. Skoda only score highly due to peoples low expectations.

Buy a Focus. Well engineered and reliable. Or a 1 series, had my BMW 8 years, thrashed it daily and had absolutely no faults, only visited dealer for routine servicing (which was pretty cheap... cheaper than SEAT).

I intend to sell my FR at a big loss and buy an ST.

tobywuk · Feb 16, 2007

im guessing that the FR has the same interior as the 1.9 tdi stylance.

I like the interiors and it felt well made when i test drove the car. I found it was one of the selling points for me as i like it.

wurzel · Feb 16, 2007

yell_oh said:
Avoid SEAT and probably all VAG group cars. While the perceived quality is high, the true quality of engineering is appalling. I've had rattles, paint problems, alarm problems (estimated to take 2 MONTHS to fix). All on a 6 month old car. I don't mind having lesser quality trim in a SEAT due to lower price, but the reliability and build quality is terrible and seems to be common across the VAG range. Skoda only score highly due to peoples low expectations.

Buy a Focus. Well engineered and reliable. Or a 1 series, had my BMW 8 years, thrashed it daily and had absolutely no faults, only visited dealer for routine servicing (which was pretty cheap... cheaper than SEAT).

I intend to sell my FR at a big loss and buy an ST.

Sounds like you have a friday afternoon car, its a real shame. Have you approached Seat Customer Services? From you've experienced they should be doing everything to keep you sweet, imho replacing your vehicle with that many problems.

El Vic · Feb 16, 2007

I had the same problem when I got into the FR at the dealership and saw the cheap dash. It p***** me off that they can't be bothered to put something better, or at least as good as the LCR's. I know that their idea is to spend money on things that matter for performance, which I like, but in this instance, they've gone too far. I don't want to get used to that. It's awfull. That, plus some odd exterior angles convinced me to keep my money for now... Can't wait to see the Cupra 3 ! In the meantime, I'll keep my LCR (which I love), although I can't wait to see the new VW Scirocco in the flesh.

mklock · Feb 17, 2007

Update

Got used to the dash and had some fun in it this morning. Certainly feels more fun but i cant get used to the door plastics, cheap glove box etc.

Seats are fantastic.!!!

Im trying to get a test drive of the Golf tomorrow to compare again.

Monkeyhanger · Feb 17, 2007

I can empathise with you regarding the plastics. The glove box is next to useless and theres a lack of storage too. I knew this when I bought my car though and the handling and styling etc make up for this easily. The quality of the door plastics in the greater scheme of things arn't that important.
If it really was the car for you you'd probably be able to overlook these points.
Having driven the Golf (in 140 form) theres no doubting the higher quality interior but IMO its a far less attractive and less inspiring car.
Best of luck in your choice.

red line fun · Feb 17, 2007

like a lot of manufacturers these days, they're obviously fitting the cheapest plastics they feel they'll get away with ... from what most of you are saying they've gone slightly too far down the 'good to bad' quality scale. mind you, interior aside, i didn't like the mkii at all when it first launched but it's definitely grown on me. seen a yellow fr with 18's the other day, now love the shape!

however if i buy one this year it won't be yellow ... no disrespect

slimtater · Feb 17, 2007

New Cupra v Golf GTi Edition 30

Will I be saying this?

"Ooooh, the plastics on the inside of the Golf feel so much better than the Cupra. I am really glad I spent FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS MORE"

No, I won't.

mklock · Feb 17, 2007

slimtater said:
Will I be saying this?

"Ooooh, the plastics on the inside of the Golf feel so much better than the Cupra. I am really glad I spent FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS MORE"

No, I won't.

Problem is, im not paying. Im not overly bothered about price, just what car is going to be best over the next 3 years.

Ive been looking at the car today, and it does make me smile. Going tomorrow to have another look at the golf for final clarification.

slimtater · Feb 17, 2007

mklock said:
Problem is, im not paying. Im not overly bothered about price, just what car is going to be best over the next 3 years.

That must be nice!
I am paying, and I hopped straight from an FR to an R32 to a A3 Quattro and I really think the Leon can hold its own. If you are thinking 3 years ahead, the Leon is likely to be the freshest looking as the Golf and a few other models you have looked at will be due a change.
I still love the look of my LCR, but park it next to a new Leon in a decent colour and with nice wheels on and the LCR suddenly looks very old.

wurzel · Feb 17, 2007

If I wasn't paying I'd have an Audi for the prestige etc but as I don't qualify for a company car yet I can't justify the extra 4/5K of my own money for the same spec Golf GTI as an FR let alone the extra ££££k for the Audi. Drove the old dear's Golf GT TDI again today and ok it may feel a bit more superior inside and it may look a little more expensive but it looks like every other Golf, even the GTI looks like a standard Golf from behind (except the twin exhaust and GTI badge) at least the Leon FR has a bit of individuality (well until the Cupra comes along and then people may mistake it for a Cupra etc - can sympathise with the New Cupra owners, if I was paying an extra 2/3K I'd want something that was clearly distinguishable from lower models in the range)

Does your allowance stretch to a 320d? or 320Cd? what about an A4 with the S Line trim?

Dissapointed - Leon FR

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