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A-Pillar frustration, just me?

red line fun

red line fun

Full Member
May 24, 2004
604
13
Scotland
i knew the a-pillar's on the mk2 were a bit wider / thicker than on the mk1, but have to be honest i find them quite frustrating, wondering if it's just me or if others feel the same? couple of examples, when going round certain roundabouts i find i have to swap my field of vision between windscreen and drivers side screen to ensure i get around properly.

more worringly, coming out of work the other night i reached a small t junction, looked right and seen a car driving away from me, looked left and seen a car approaching me but a fair distance away so i pulled out ... only to see a small car (punto or something) going past :blink: if it had been slower or me quicker i'd have been into it. i've racked my brains on this one (always uber careful at junctions etc) and i reckon it was basically hidden by the passenger side a-pillar ... or at least it's lights were as i just didn't see it.

only me, or others find them a bit annoying?
 
red line fun said:
i knew the a-pillar's on the mk2 were a bit wider / thicker than on the mk1, but have to be honest i find them quite frustrating, wondering if it's just me or if others feel the same? couple of examples, when going round certain roundabouts i find i have to swap my field of vision between windscreen and drivers side screen to ensure i get around properly.

more worringly, coming out of work the other night i reached a small t junction, looked right and seen a car driving away from me, looked left and seen a car approaching me but a fair distance away so i pulled out ... only to see a small car (punto or something) going past :blink: if it had been slower or me quicker i'd have been into it. i've racked my brains on this one (always uber careful at junctions etc) and i reckon it was basically hidden by the passenger side a-pillar ... or at least it's lights were as i just didn't see it.

only me, or others find them a bit annoying?
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tottally agree with you on this mate they are pretty damn thick and the way they slope back doesnt help either!
 
there is quite a blind spot back over too. the rear pillar/rear view mirror/door mirror needs to be complimented with a look over the shoulder.
just ask the biker i missed by a gnats pube a few weeks ago!
 
Totally agree, I'm constantly bobbing my head around, especially on my road as it's a gentle right bend with parked cars and kerbs so you gotta be a bit careful.
 
I find the hooge rearview mirror more annoying than the pillars, but you do have to be careful on some corners. I find myself leaning forward, teenager-in-a-Corsa style to get a better look sometimes.
 
I totally agree with you, find myself leaning forwards and backwards to see past the pillar when coming to junctions.

I also find the rear visability a pain when reversing, it's even worse at night with the next to useless reversing light. Glad I specified the rear sensors.
 
Mr Cellotape said:
I also find the rear visability a pain when reversing, it's even worse at night with the next to useless reversing light. Glad I specified the rear sensors.
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Had to reverse up a farm track the other week, at night, in fog - the only way I could see anything was with my left foot touching the brake to bring the brake lights on. Thought I might have to do the Countach technique to see where I was going. :)
 
A pillar is very obstructive. Especially when your sitting slouched over to the far right as you can be.

I also find that the wing mirrors leave you with a terrible blind spot when cars are next to you but not yet in your lineof vision.
 
Agreed and the little woman struggles even more with it, and she's a driving instructor! Roundabouts are the worst I find, the approach angle causes the pillar to block out nearly all the lanes!
 
Agreed too. The lean forward on a gentle right turn seems to be quite common.
 
Don't have too much of a problem with the A-pillars (it was certainly a HELL of a lot worse on my old Pug 307), but the rear vision is awful. Firstly the door mirrors have no 'blind spot' section. The last few cars I've had have all had convex edges to increase the field of view. Secondly the big thick rear pillar is enough to hide a Land Rover, as witnessed a few months back when I pulled out from a slip road feet in front of one, despite checking over my shoulder.

That, and the diddy rear window, the low roof line and huge rear view mirror meaning that the view out of the front screen is like looking through a letter-box.

Never mind, if a car does side swipe you, be comforted by the fact that it has a good EuroNCAP rating due to those thick pillars (the same crash you would have avoided if you could have seen the other car coming).
 
andyffc said:
A pillar is very obstructive. Especially when your sitting slouched over to the far right as you can be.

I also find that the wing mirrors leave you with a terrible blind spot when cars are next to you but not yet in your lineof vision.
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Have you changed the drivers mirror glass for the one that has the line down in it to help the blind spot. Cannot remember what the correct word is but it is about £35 from Seat.
 
i ride a motorbike as well as driving the Leon so Im paranoid about a good view of whats around me - visibility is pretty poor and it doesnt help Im a shorta**e. Im always checking over my shoulder as well as using the mirrors and the a-pillars are just a pain as well as the b/c pillars being in the way!!! Have to lean into the centre of the car just to see getting round a roundabout :lol:
Mirror gripe - why cant car manufacturers make all the mirrors from the same glass - can never be sure which one to trust when gauging how far behind me that car is . . . .
Mirror gripe 2 - is it just me or does the interior mirror not pivot smoothly enough to get the right view??? It always seems to move in big chunks and is a bitch to set how i like it
 
I think the trend is towards thick A pillars these days due to the airbags stuffed into them.

I havn't driven a Leon, but a friend of mine says he find's it hard to see out of.

It's a shame too as my wee Ibiza has excellent visibility, ironic that car design is almost going backwards than forwards!
 
Last edited:
Haven't quite figured out why you guys bought a Leon:confused:

In the last 30 odd years, I've owned and driven all sorts of cars from a Mini (which I've still got (show car) I've had a Renault Espace (yeah I know - family and all) 24v Senators X 2, Omega Elite 24v, MR2, Focuses or Foci:D, Renault Alpine 2.5 V6 Turbo with all sorts of vision, rattle, electrical and engine problems and can honestly say that I really don't have any prob with the Leon at all:D

All you guys cars seem to be kept mint, looked after and you must have some kind of liking for them otherwise you wouldn't be on this site!

Anyhow, rant over, no offence meant to anyone, I just think that we ought to be looking at the good points in our cars - like all the toys that are options on most others, the reliability, the driving/handling, THE PRICE/VALUE! and the amazing (pretty exclusive) design/shape, lets face it, it is a wicked looking motor even with all its faults:D

As I say - no offence meant to anyone!

Ian
 
think (hope?) all our gripes are with a pinch of salt :lol: i love my Leon warts and all - washed it today and it looks beaut again, all sins forgotten :p
 
ianltd said:
I should think you do Dave, it looks blo**y amazing!!!!!!!!!!:

Ian
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:redface: cheers for that, its nothing special except detailing, no big money spent after purchase and very few dealer privileges - i see cars on here i drool over mate :lol: white k1 is def on my wish list :p:p:p:p
have to mention 'detailing world' for the zaino polish - its awesome and the best result in my year of cleaning. the shine will turn heads on ANY car after a simple polish, glaze and seal. 3 coats but dead easy - big thanks to John . . .
 
Couldn't agree more, I love my K1 it is the best car I have ever owned (and 3rd leon!). I wouldn't be seen dead in any other hatch on the market right now, but I'll still nit pick :p
 
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