Thought I'd found it here: https://www.alistairbuchan.co.uk/us...rer-euro-6-ss-5dr-east-wemyss-202302033908544 It's right on budget, got some nice "extras" and although I'm not keen on the "rubber band" tyres myself, he loves that sort of "bling". Probably take about an hour of comfortable driving to get up there for a look see. However it's a non starter because his other half won't have a red car!
Buying a Leon estate - advice please
- Thread starter Crossthreaded
- Start date
How rude! I waited months to find my red 184. Tell her to reconsider! The mileage is really good for the year, My TDI is on 122,000.
Personally I think that car is overpriced, doesn't have LED headlights, no navigation system, no Carplay/Android Auto, very basic MIB1 infotainment system.
Also noted on the photos that it has 18" wheels, not 17" as the description says.
Last edited:
I had a red rental car in New Zealand some years ago and the lady at the desk of the rental company said that a red car is also the fastest coloured car ?. Might be true of a rental car which won’t be treated in the same way by drivers as they will their own car.
Thanks for that. Makes me feel a lot better! As I think I said earlier he needs a vehicle with a good load capacity but also length due to the ladders so an old style estate is far better than the newer style "chunky" SUV. Just last night I found a 1.8 petrol Toyota Avensis estate for sale near us which is slightly bigger and longer than the Leon so an attractive proposition. I know nothing about Toyotas apart from them having an excellent reputation for reliability. However one of my oldest friends used to be a factory service agent for Toyota so I gave him a ring. Of course, like me, he's now retired so not up with the very latest developments in Toyota land but he said it would be a good bet. The 1.8 petrol engine, which this one has, has been around a long time and, after several upgrades, is now pretty bullet proof as is the rest of the car except for one thing. They have a motor driven hand brake. Apparently it consists of cables from the calipers at the wheels which connect to a motorized unit above the back axle. The motorized unit contains electronics which control it's operation and if it goes wrong - and apparently they do go wrong - it's expensive to replace. I just rang the local Toyota agent and got a very pleasant reception lady on the line. I asked about the hand brake and was not surprized when she said she couldn't tell me about that. However I was even more amazed when she said "hang on and I'll see if our chief Technician can speak to you" Of late I've found you never get to speak to "a man who knows" when you ring a main dealer. Well, what a nice bloke. We had a few minutes conversation about these cars and he confirmed that the 1.8 engine - which initially had a bad reputation for oil consumption and other problems, some had to have new engines under warranty, was all sorted out years ago and very rarely give problems now. The handbrake is indeed a problem. He says there seems no ryme or reason to why or when one might fail some go on for virtually the life of the car and some fail long before that. A £1500 bill to replace it which includes a session on the computer to code the new unit to the car would probably be "in the ball park". Trying to repair the old unit is seldom a lasting cure because of the electronic circuitry involved making complete replacement of the module really the only realistic repair which has any certainty of success.
So. Seems to be a bit of a "Russian Roulette" situation. He (No. 2 son) likes the looks of the vehicle but, as Dirty Harry famously said, "Do you feel lucky punk, well do you?"
What a shame
Just so you know - an ST is not what I would consider a `full sized` estate. It's only about 28cm longer than the hatch.
An Octavia estate is a bit bigger but I can't give you any specific, real world experience of using ladders etc.
www.carsized.com
An Octavia estate is a bit bigger but I can't give you any specific, real world experience of using ladders etc.
Seat Leon 2012-2019 vs. Skoda Octavia 2012-2016
Seat Leon Estate 2012-2019 vs. Skoda Octavia Estate 2012-2016. Compare car dimensions (length, width and height) vs. street perspective.
www.carsized.com
Thanks very much for that. We're basing the room available on my Ibiza ST which is just slightly too small. The rational, perhaps flawed? is that the Leon will be bigger in all respects?Just so you know - an ST is not what I would consider a `full sized` estate. It's only about 28cm longer than the hatch.
An Octavia estate is a bit bigger but I can't give you any specific, real world experience of using ladders etc.
Seat Leon 2012-2019 vs. Skoda Octavia 2012-2016
Seat Leon Estate 2012-2019 vs. Skoda Octavia Estate 2012-2016. Compare car dimensions (length, width and height) vs. street perspective.
Looks that way!
Seat Ibiza 2008-2017 vs. Seat Leon 2012-2019
Seat Ibiza Estate 2008-2017 vs. Seat Leon Estate 2012-2019. Compare car dimensions (length, width and height) vs. street perspective.
www.carsized.com
I like RIDC website - for measurements:
Seat Leon ST 1.8 TSI Start Stop FR 5dr estate 2014 | RiDC
Avensis Touring Sports 2.0 D-4D Comfort 5dr estate 2015 | RiDC
So Avensis has 119mm more length to the back of the front seats. (4.5" in old money)
Seat Ibiza ST Style 1.6 TDI 5dr estate 2010 | RiDC
Though the Leon ST has 324mm more than the Ibiza ST so nearly 13" more.
Looks like the Leon will be adequate i thinkI like RIDC website - for measurements:
Length of boot floor - back row of seats folded down or removed 1802mmSeat Leon ST 1.8 TSI Start Stop FR 5dr estate 2014 | RiDC
www.ridc.org.uk
Length of boot floor - back row of seats folded down or removed 1921mmAvensis Touring Sports 2.0 D-4D Comfort 5dr estate 2015 | RiDC
So Avensis has 119mm more length to the back of the front seats. (4.5" in old money)
Length of boot floor - back row of seats folded down or removed 1478mmSeat Ibiza ST Style 1.6 TDI 5dr estate 2010 | RiDC
Though the Leon ST has 324mm more than the Ibiza ST so nearly 13" more.
Thanks Brian. My Ibiza is emocion red and I think it suits the car very well. Looks lovely with a nice polish on it.Looks that way!
Seat Ibiza 2008-2017 vs. Seat Leon 2012-2019
Seat Ibiza Estate 2008-2017 vs. Seat Leon Estate 2012-2019. Compare car dimensions (length, width and height) vs. street perspective.
I know this is an old dormant thread, but @BillyCool just "liked" the picture above and that alerted me through the notifications on my laptop.
Anyway, It then occurred to me that I haven't really rounded off this thread in that, although I've posted elsewhere in the forum, there's no mention here as to what we bought in the end. Well, unexpectedly, a manual gearbox Audi A4 Avant (estate) 1.4 TSI ACT turned up at an Arnold Clarke branch about an hour's drive away. He badgered me so much we went over the bridge to Fife to take a look see. The car was an absolute cracker with relatively low miles and drove faultlessly. The price being asked was reasonable and we managed to get a small discount. We took it to his local Audi Independent Autohaus who went over it for him and reported that all they could find was both rubber spring seats on the rear suspension could do with being replaced soon and the two top ball joint rubbers on the front suspension were showing signs of perishing. I don't have anything to do with maintaining this car but I think, if I remember, it's a 2017 plate? Anyway, they said they weren't surprised to find the spring seats needed doing, it's a common thing with them. Must be one of the last 1.4 engines before they fitted the 1.5? Anyway, it continues to drive as if it's new and, as it's his work vehicle (so he carries all his sign maker's equipment in it) we've had Autohaus replace the spring seats and they'll do the top ball joints at the next MOT. I've heard the long bolt that goes through them can be an absolute sod to extract so very glad I won't be doing that.
Incidentally, I don't have the Ibiza any more either - I've detailed elsewhere the trials and tribulations which caused me to decide to part company with her. I now have a Skoda Scala 110hp 2023 plate but is a pre-reg so actually went on the road March 2024. It's not an "exciting" car to own and drive but it's anonymity suits me well and it drives very competently - and is very comfortable. Unusual trim pack in that it's an SE Technology, I haven't yet seen another with this trim pack.
So there you are. I think that rounds out this thread quite nicely. Thanks for following it and the advice people gave. Here's a picture of the Scala just after I took delivery:
Note the chrome trim on the windows. For some inexplicable reason I absolutely love it - It's not found on the standard SE trim pack either.
Anyway, It then occurred to me that I haven't really rounded off this thread in that, although I've posted elsewhere in the forum, there's no mention here as to what we bought in the end. Well, unexpectedly, a manual gearbox Audi A4 Avant (estate) 1.4 TSI ACT turned up at an Arnold Clarke branch about an hour's drive away. He badgered me so much we went over the bridge to Fife to take a look see. The car was an absolute cracker with relatively low miles and drove faultlessly. The price being asked was reasonable and we managed to get a small discount. We took it to his local Audi Independent Autohaus who went over it for him and reported that all they could find was both rubber spring seats on the rear suspension could do with being replaced soon and the two top ball joint rubbers on the front suspension were showing signs of perishing. I don't have anything to do with maintaining this car but I think, if I remember, it's a 2017 plate? Anyway, they said they weren't surprised to find the spring seats needed doing, it's a common thing with them. Must be one of the last 1.4 engines before they fitted the 1.5? Anyway, it continues to drive as if it's new and, as it's his work vehicle (so he carries all his sign maker's equipment in it) we've had Autohaus replace the spring seats and they'll do the top ball joints at the next MOT. I've heard the long bolt that goes through them can be an absolute sod to extract so very glad I won't be doing that.
Incidentally, I don't have the Ibiza any more either - I've detailed elsewhere the trials and tribulations which caused me to decide to part company with her. I now have a Skoda Scala 110hp 2023 plate but is a pre-reg so actually went on the road March 2024. It's not an "exciting" car to own and drive but it's anonymity suits me well and it drives very competently - and is very comfortable. Unusual trim pack in that it's an SE Technology, I haven't yet seen another with this trim pack.
So there you are. I think that rounds out this thread quite nicely. Thanks for following it and the advice people gave. Here's a picture of the Scala just after I took delivery:
Note the chrome trim on the windows. For some inexplicable reason I absolutely love it - It's not found on the standard SE trim pack either.
Good stuff wrt your son's A4 etc. I used Autohaus twice recently as you had said earlier in the year that your son had used them and it had turned out okay. First visit for my 2011 Audi S4 for a 4 wheel alignment check after I had eventually replaced too much of the front suspension - the alignment error after doing all that work was negligible and really the steering tracking had to get moved over slightly. The second time was to get the cam belt replaced on my wife's 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS 6MT - really as it was just over 10 years old and just over 50,000miles, if it was ever to get that belt replaced while in our ownership, it might as well be now! My own slight moan there was that they sprayed some funky plastic panel cleaner on the engine plastic parts - and that stuff smells as sweet as my dearly departed MIL's "going out" perfume, when I got out of it after driving home, I got a shock by smelling that smell!
Anyway, a couple of spanner swinging tales, the 2011 Audi S4, yes these top bolts do really get stuck in the top of the aluminium uprights/hub carriers, also the similar lower pinch bolts are more of the same. Most people don't need to remove the lower pinch bolts as the lower ball joints can last for ever, but I had set in my mind to replace the lower ball joints as well as all the other arms top and bottom, mainly as just after my car was built, Audi increased the size of these lower ball joints - and only the lower pinch bolt on the RHS upright eventually came out intact, sadly the one on the LHS snapped off, I tried too quickly to drill the remains out while the upright was still fitted to the car, and ended up drilling into the thread at one point, so an easi-out could not be used, so I dug deep and ordered in a pair of new Audi uprights as I had also failed to make much progress on removing the long top pinch bolts. Tools used were arm hammer, mapp gas torch, lots of release oil, lots of time between attempts, Blu Tac to build up "bunds" to hold/store the release oils in, and finally a induction heater. The way I see it, as well as steel passing through aluminium issue in an area where salt is used on roads in winter, there is the fact that Audi used low strength bolts for all these pinch bolts as they don't get tightened up much - so you can't apply much force to try to break them free, I knew this and initially thought that I had freed up the second side, ie the LHS lower bolt, but it soon became obvious that while I could get the bolt to start moving slightly and then gradually a bit more - only one end of it was rotating - game over! Anyway, if I ever did that job again, I'd just remove the lower arms inner bolts and the top arms inner bolts, damper leg lower bolt and drive shaft bolt - and lift the complete assembly off the car - after removing the brakes etc. As it turned out the brakes had a "bit of a feel" to them around this time, one wheel bearing was rusting and so "eating" the ABS wheel sensors and the splash guards were rotting at 2 of the 4 fixing points, so a lot of what I had to remove was replaced with new parts! That stole too much time over the summer period!
Next the 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS, as it was filled with G13 coolant at the factory, at 10 years as that car does not have a silicate pouch to "boost" the G13, the ph value is heading towards being acidic. So, a few weeks ago, just before it got colder, I popped along to Bilston business park to buy some extra G12evo so that I had enough G12evo to change the coolant in that Polo - the VW Van Centre had closed and moved away, now over at Newbridge and run by Western - so sod that, bought a couple of bottles of VW Group G12evo online to avoid driving across/along the city bypass - a bad move as the sellers package was deposited in their local EVRI locker, was collected by EVRI and never made it into the system, so after maybe 10 days that order was refunded and I bought online again, that order dragged its heels, again with EVRI by accidentally with a different by with a similar name, seller. Then we were down in Bromley visiting our younger daughter and her family, so yesterday was finally "coolant changing day" as it was a warmish day. Well I couldn't get the hose clip off the main engine coolant hose using my angled hose spring clamp pliers! Now I have worked out that VW Group, when that car was built, used "pre locked open" hose spring clamps and that means when you use normal spring clamps on them you can only open them "almost" enough before one part fouls on the lug/latch that that type have to lock them open for initial use!. The replacement spring clamps don't have this feature so they are just the usual type that get stored closed and you only open them with pliers when you start to fit/use them. I didn't expect to find that so I'm waiting until the new hose spring clip turns up before restarting that job. Blinking progress, sometimes it can be hard. The smaller charge cooler pipes have normal hose spring clamps so I don't think that they will cause any issues.
All I need now is another warmish day - or I'll splash the cash and heat the garage and car up before starting that job, I can confirm that VW Group G13 is extremely sweet to the taste though - but I probably knew that it would be before getting some dripped onto my face.
Edit:- finally got access to older daughter's 2019 SEAT Leon Cupra to change its engine oil and filter - a bit late in the year to need to work in the garage! Still got the job of removing the front diff lock (VAQ) Haldex fluid AND remove and clean up the pump and the area it is located into, maybe that will wait until the spring time. Again I chose to buy the Haldex fluid online, first bottle sent out was the wrong version, it seems that it is what is used on Skoda and VW Gen 5 Haldex units but not in same age Audi and SEAT Gen 5 Haldex units - different health warnings on both bottles, one fluid made in Sweden which is where Borgwarner are based, the wrong one was made in Germany so maybe some of these parts/units are built under license out of Sweden and some materials are different. A strange fact, lots of the motor trade supporting VW Group products consider that Febi is quality stuff and can be trusted, the Febi offering for both these versions of Gen 5 Haldex fluid is the same.
Anyway, a couple of spanner swinging tales, the 2011 Audi S4, yes these top bolts do really get stuck in the top of the aluminium uprights/hub carriers, also the similar lower pinch bolts are more of the same. Most people don't need to remove the lower pinch bolts as the lower ball joints can last for ever, but I had set in my mind to replace the lower ball joints as well as all the other arms top and bottom, mainly as just after my car was built, Audi increased the size of these lower ball joints - and only the lower pinch bolt on the RHS upright eventually came out intact, sadly the one on the LHS snapped off, I tried too quickly to drill the remains out while the upright was still fitted to the car, and ended up drilling into the thread at one point, so an easi-out could not be used, so I dug deep and ordered in a pair of new Audi uprights as I had also failed to make much progress on removing the long top pinch bolts. Tools used were arm hammer, mapp gas torch, lots of release oil, lots of time between attempts, Blu Tac to build up "bunds" to hold/store the release oils in, and finally a induction heater. The way I see it, as well as steel passing through aluminium issue in an area where salt is used on roads in winter, there is the fact that Audi used low strength bolts for all these pinch bolts as they don't get tightened up much - so you can't apply much force to try to break them free, I knew this and initially thought that I had freed up the second side, ie the LHS lower bolt, but it soon became obvious that while I could get the bolt to start moving slightly and then gradually a bit more - only one end of it was rotating - game over! Anyway, if I ever did that job again, I'd just remove the lower arms inner bolts and the top arms inner bolts, damper leg lower bolt and drive shaft bolt - and lift the complete assembly off the car - after removing the brakes etc. As it turned out the brakes had a "bit of a feel" to them around this time, one wheel bearing was rusting and so "eating" the ABS wheel sensors and the splash guards were rotting at 2 of the 4 fixing points, so a lot of what I had to remove was replaced with new parts! That stole too much time over the summer period!
Next the 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS, as it was filled with G13 coolant at the factory, at 10 years as that car does not have a silicate pouch to "boost" the G13, the ph value is heading towards being acidic. So, a few weeks ago, just before it got colder, I popped along to Bilston business park to buy some extra G12evo so that I had enough G12evo to change the coolant in that Polo - the VW Van Centre had closed and moved away, now over at Newbridge and run by Western - so sod that, bought a couple of bottles of VW Group G12evo online to avoid driving across/along the city bypass - a bad move as the sellers package was deposited in their local EVRI locker, was collected by EVRI and never made it into the system, so after maybe 10 days that order was refunded and I bought online again, that order dragged its heels, again with EVRI by accidentally with a different by with a similar name, seller. Then we were down in Bromley visiting our younger daughter and her family, so yesterday was finally "coolant changing day" as it was a warmish day. Well I couldn't get the hose clip off the main engine coolant hose using my angled hose spring clamp pliers! Now I have worked out that VW Group, when that car was built, used "pre locked open" hose spring clamps and that means when you use normal spring clamps on them you can only open them "almost" enough before one part fouls on the lug/latch that that type have to lock them open for initial use!. The replacement spring clamps don't have this feature so they are just the usual type that get stored closed and you only open them with pliers when you start to fit/use them. I didn't expect to find that so I'm waiting until the new hose spring clip turns up before restarting that job. Blinking progress, sometimes it can be hard. The smaller charge cooler pipes have normal hose spring clamps so I don't think that they will cause any issues.
All I need now is another warmish day - or I'll splash the cash and heat the garage and car up before starting that job, I can confirm that VW Group G13 is extremely sweet to the taste though - but I probably knew that it would be before getting some dripped onto my face.
Edit:- finally got access to older daughter's 2019 SEAT Leon Cupra to change its engine oil and filter - a bit late in the year to need to work in the garage! Still got the job of removing the front diff lock (VAQ) Haldex fluid AND remove and clean up the pump and the area it is located into, maybe that will wait until the spring time. Again I chose to buy the Haldex fluid online, first bottle sent out was the wrong version, it seems that it is what is used on Skoda and VW Gen 5 Haldex units but not in same age Audi and SEAT Gen 5 Haldex units - different health warnings on both bottles, one fluid made in Sweden which is where Borgwarner are based, the wrong one was made in Germany so maybe some of these parts/units are built under license out of Sweden and some materials are different. A strange fact, lots of the motor trade supporting VW Group products consider that Febi is quality stuff and can be trusted, the Febi offering for both these versions of Gen 5 Haldex fluid is the same.
Last edited:
Hi RUM, nice to be back in contact. Yes, my boy speaks highly of Autohaus. In fact the car is just about to go in to them for it's annual service any day now. He hasn't mentioned anything about aromatic scents when he got it back last time though - I must ask him. I actually accompanied him when we dropped it in for it's check over after he/we'd bought it and had a very nice chat with the chap booking it in. Very definitely got the impression they were "nice" people and knew what they were on about.
Much to my disappointment I'm finally realising, that at nearly 80 years old, I just can't do all the stuff I used to do even 5 years ago. So I'm actually quite glad he's taking the car to them. I'm also not really up to understanding the more difficult aspects of using VCDS to say nothing of the fact I really need to buy a new interface connector. I'm still very much into doing simpler maintenance though. I'm trying to decide whether to do standard services on the Scala but haven't made my mind up yet. This getting older is no joke! Following your description of the problems with those through bolts on the front suspension I'm so glad I decided not to attempt them!
Timing belt intervals on the EA211 engines? I think I may have mentioned elsewhere that Arnold Clark told me they are now a "lifetime fitment" which I've discovered translates into something like 10 years or 120,000 miles! In fact I think this is so preposterous I've forgotten what the figures they quoted were. If I keep the Scala long enough I'll get it done around 70,000 miles or 6 years whichever comes first, for peace of mind and I'll get the water pump/thermostats/mini drive belt changed at the same time. The Scala will have been on the road for 2 years beginning of March and I've driven it on both longer journeys (our Devon soirees) shorter trips trips on town and country roads (A7 and A68 to Gala and back) and, more local journeys around the town and out into Midlothian to visit both our boys and their families and I can honestly say I really enjoy driving the car. It's comfortable, apart from the Renault 20 I had years ago, it's possibly the most comfortable long distance cruiser I've owned, much more restful and comfortable than the Ibiza was. It's not so much "fun" on twisty windy country roads compared to the harder sprung Ibiza, but the days of chucking cars around on the wee border back roads are well and truly over for me now. There are just so many positives I like but, if I have to think of negatives I'd vary happily throw the infotainment screen (Amundsen) away and replace it with gauges for oil pressure, turbo boost, etc, etc. and have an old style radio with nobs for volume and tuning. The only other thing that annoys me is the first gear "lurch" or "hesitation" or whatever you want to call it. I noticed this in the demo car I drove but thought it was just me not being used to the car. However exactly the same symptom is there in mine 2023 1.0 litre 110hp EA211 with 6 speed manual box. The test car had the same engine and I've since driven another with the same engine and it's exactly the same. It sort of "lurches" as you move away from a standstill. It feels as if you've slightly closed the throttle just as the clutch fully engages in first gear which makes the car lurch slightly. Of course your natural reaction is to depress the throttle slightly to overcome this "hanging back" which only results in making the lurch more obvious. I've spent a lot of time analysing this whilst driving and looking for ways round it. You can almost entirely get round it by increasing the revs and slipping the clutch for longer but this goes against all my instincts and makes me worry for driven plate life. After a great deal of thought I believe what's taking place is a mismatch between the ecu programming which increases engine revs slightly as you engage the clutch - as you'll know many manufacturers program this in using a switch in the clutch pedal to trigger the ecu. For those who don't know about this try letting the engine idle and, with first gear engaged, gently let the clutch pedal up without touching the accelerator. You'll find the engine revs rise slightly (antistall) and then go back to an idle rpm when the clutch is fully engaged.
What happens in the Scala is that as you let the clutch pedal up the revs rise and the car starts to move so you release the pedal fully whilst at the same time depressing the accelerator pedal. Trouble is that this doesn't smoothly transition between the ecu controlled rise in revs and the throttle pedal induced command. You'd have to drive one to understand exactly what I'm describing but I know it's not just me, there are posts on the Briskoda forum from others who have noticed it. Anyway, it's a small annoyance and I've decided to just live with it. It's a small annoyance in an otherwise excellent everyday car.
By the way RUM, I seem to remember you're out to the south of the city? keep an eye out for my boy as he's all over that area, especially Newton grange/Gorebridge/Dalkeith area. Black Audi A4 estate signwritten "EDI Sign Maker - Vehicle Livery Specialist" (or something like that - he keeps changing it when he thinks of a new design). I'll tell him If an S4 flashes him it'll likely be you.
Take care and have a happy Christmas.
Much to my disappointment I'm finally realising, that at nearly 80 years old, I just can't do all the stuff I used to do even 5 years ago. So I'm actually quite glad he's taking the car to them. I'm also not really up to understanding the more difficult aspects of using VCDS to say nothing of the fact I really need to buy a new interface connector. I'm still very much into doing simpler maintenance though. I'm trying to decide whether to do standard services on the Scala but haven't made my mind up yet. This getting older is no joke! Following your description of the problems with those through bolts on the front suspension I'm so glad I decided not to attempt them!
Timing belt intervals on the EA211 engines? I think I may have mentioned elsewhere that Arnold Clark told me they are now a "lifetime fitment" which I've discovered translates into something like 10 years or 120,000 miles! In fact I think this is so preposterous I've forgotten what the figures they quoted were. If I keep the Scala long enough I'll get it done around 70,000 miles or 6 years whichever comes first, for peace of mind and I'll get the water pump/thermostats/mini drive belt changed at the same time. The Scala will have been on the road for 2 years beginning of March and I've driven it on both longer journeys (our Devon soirees) shorter trips trips on town and country roads (A7 and A68 to Gala and back) and, more local journeys around the town and out into Midlothian to visit both our boys and their families and I can honestly say I really enjoy driving the car. It's comfortable, apart from the Renault 20 I had years ago, it's possibly the most comfortable long distance cruiser I've owned, much more restful and comfortable than the Ibiza was. It's not so much "fun" on twisty windy country roads compared to the harder sprung Ibiza, but the days of chucking cars around on the wee border back roads are well and truly over for me now. There are just so many positives I like but, if I have to think of negatives I'd vary happily throw the infotainment screen (Amundsen) away and replace it with gauges for oil pressure, turbo boost, etc, etc. and have an old style radio with nobs for volume and tuning. The only other thing that annoys me is the first gear "lurch" or "hesitation" or whatever you want to call it. I noticed this in the demo car I drove but thought it was just me not being used to the car. However exactly the same symptom is there in mine 2023 1.0 litre 110hp EA211 with 6 speed manual box. The test car had the same engine and I've since driven another with the same engine and it's exactly the same. It sort of "lurches" as you move away from a standstill. It feels as if you've slightly closed the throttle just as the clutch fully engages in first gear which makes the car lurch slightly. Of course your natural reaction is to depress the throttle slightly to overcome this "hanging back" which only results in making the lurch more obvious. I've spent a lot of time analysing this whilst driving and looking for ways round it. You can almost entirely get round it by increasing the revs and slipping the clutch for longer but this goes against all my instincts and makes me worry for driven plate life. After a great deal of thought I believe what's taking place is a mismatch between the ecu programming which increases engine revs slightly as you engage the clutch - as you'll know many manufacturers program this in using a switch in the clutch pedal to trigger the ecu. For those who don't know about this try letting the engine idle and, with first gear engaged, gently let the clutch pedal up without touching the accelerator. You'll find the engine revs rise slightly (antistall) and then go back to an idle rpm when the clutch is fully engaged.
What happens in the Scala is that as you let the clutch pedal up the revs rise and the car starts to move so you release the pedal fully whilst at the same time depressing the accelerator pedal. Trouble is that this doesn't smoothly transition between the ecu controlled rise in revs and the throttle pedal induced command. You'd have to drive one to understand exactly what I'm describing but I know it's not just me, there are posts on the Briskoda forum from others who have noticed it. Anyway, it's a small annoyance and I've decided to just live with it. It's a small annoyance in an otherwise excellent everyday car.
By the way RUM, I seem to remember you're out to the south of the city? keep an eye out for my boy as he's all over that area, especially Newton grange/Gorebridge/Dalkeith area. Black Audi A4 estate signwritten "EDI Sign Maker - Vehicle Livery Specialist" (or something like that - he keeps changing it when he thinks of a new design). I'll tell him If an S4 flashes him it'll likely be you.
Take care and have a happy Christmas.
Similar threads
