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Dissapointed - Leon FR
- Thread starter mklock
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- dissapointed leon
Thanks all for the responses - I have now had a look at the nice trim additions - well worth a look I reckon.
mklock, I did think of the Astra but it was cost prohibitive.
Basically our monthly rental is based not just on the cost of the car, but on the relationship that we have with the manufacturer (hence discounts etc).
The deal generally is brilliant - the monthly cost includes unlimited mileage, full servicing, fully comp any driver insurance, full breakdown cover inc Europe, in fact all we pay is private petrol/diesel. We have the option to buy them at the end of the term for the CAP Clean (dealer) price.
For info approx figures are:
Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI Titanium - £311 per month
Seat Leon FR TDI - £320 per month
Renault Megane 150hp DCI - £266 per month
Vauxhall Astra 150bhp SRI - £366 per month
VW Golf GT 170hbp - £358 per month
As you can see they vary wildly and take a look at the Renault! Amazing value for what it includes, but it's still a lot of monthly wedge if you think the car is useless.
Inrteresting re the Bluetooth - on the Renault it appears to be a gadget that you stick on the dashboard or heater vent. Really hopeless. I tried to see what VW offered but seemed to be based on individual car kits. Seat really have got a good package.
Also the Golf I notice is no good for mp3 playback - you have to opt for a really hideous and non-inkeeping Blaupunkt unit.
mklock, I did think of the Astra but it was cost prohibitive.
Basically our monthly rental is based not just on the cost of the car, but on the relationship that we have with the manufacturer (hence discounts etc).
The deal generally is brilliant - the monthly cost includes unlimited mileage, full servicing, fully comp any driver insurance, full breakdown cover inc Europe, in fact all we pay is private petrol/diesel. We have the option to buy them at the end of the term for the CAP Clean (dealer) price.
For info approx figures are:
Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI Titanium - £311 per month
Seat Leon FR TDI - £320 per month
Renault Megane 150hp DCI - £266 per month
Vauxhall Astra 150bhp SRI - £366 per month
VW Golf GT 170hbp - £358 per month
As you can see they vary wildly and take a look at the Renault! Amazing value for what it includes, but it's still a lot of monthly wedge if you think the car is useless.
Inrteresting re the Bluetooth - on the Renault it appears to be a gadget that you stick on the dashboard or heater vent. Really hopeless. I tried to see what VW offered but seemed to be based on individual car kits. Seat really have got a good package.
Also the Golf I notice is no good for mp3 playback - you have to opt for a really hideous and non-inkeeping Blaupunkt unit.
I couldn't get a descent answer from VW on the MP3. Some said the car should now have MP3 as standard but were unsure and wouldn't guarentee it and others told me that i would need the 6 CD changer, which was obviously a load of balls. So on that basis i walked. plus the GF said the car was boring, so i did what i was told
Main things for me were Blu tooth and Mp3 so whatever car i went for had to include those.
Those costs look good. Our company doesn't usually let on how much the car costs, it just so happens that i had a peak. I bet they rub their hands together when someone orders a Megane. Ours is based on yearly miliage and P11D value. If i did 10k a year i could have had a BMW 3 series or similar but i do at least double that so i had to look elsewhere.
The quote you have for the Astra looks similar and i couldn't justify it over the Leon. i brought it up as an outside chance that the your quote would work out better.
I am however still anxious about the firm ride but for value for money Seat win hands down so that should offset the ride.....i hope
Anyway, good luck
I can give you some detail on the Golf mp3. A pal of mine at work ordered the 140hp TDI and specified hundreds of times that he must have mp3. They told him to have the RCD500 I think it is, and when it arrived we hurriedly put in a mp3 CD to find it said "CDROM Disc - Error". So I reckon you have to opt for the Blaupunkt which looks very busy (80's look) and is very expensive to boot.
Re the company car costs, yes ours is different because it's unlimited mileage - which is good in some respects but your plan makes better sense as you can get a more decent car if you're prepared to lower the mileage.
Our monthly cost is deducted at source, so I do not pay any tax at all on the rental. Instead I pay benefit in kind tax based on the emissions and the cost price. If I didn't get a car, I would get the same 10% of salary but would then have to pay income tax on it. The income tax, in my scenario, is about the same as the BIK bill, so it makes sense for me to do the company scheme (I could not get a lease car on no-deposit terms inc insurance for these prices).
I have been thinking about what you said re the Leon's firm ride. I too found it to be very firm, but when I compare to the wife's car (a Ford Puma) it is actually very refined and comfortable. It's surprising how things have come on over 10 years. To be honest with you, I would say the Leon will put such a smile on your face - day after day after day - that you will forgive any ride issues. Yes, I reckon go for it! All that kit, excellent value, terrific drive, mp3, bluetooth.... The only downsides are slightly firm ride and the need to get used to a drab dashboard.
Actually have you seen the bluetooth in operation? I have a Nokia 6111 and it stores many numbers per person (eg mklock home number, work number, mobile number). On the picture of the Leon it shows just a list of names. One presumes if you select "mklock" or "Jon" or whatever, you go to a further menu with all his numbers to pick from....
Re the company car costs, yes ours is different because it's unlimited mileage - which is good in some respects but your plan makes better sense as you can get a more decent car if you're prepared to lower the mileage.
Our monthly cost is deducted at source, so I do not pay any tax at all on the rental. Instead I pay benefit in kind tax based on the emissions and the cost price. If I didn't get a car, I would get the same 10% of salary but would then have to pay income tax on it. The income tax, in my scenario, is about the same as the BIK bill, so it makes sense for me to do the company scheme (I could not get a lease car on no-deposit terms inc insurance for these prices).
I have been thinking about what you said re the Leon's firm ride. I too found it to be very firm, but when I compare to the wife's car (a Ford Puma) it is actually very refined and comfortable. It's surprising how things have come on over 10 years. To be honest with you, I would say the Leon will put such a smile on your face - day after day after day - that you will forgive any ride issues. Yes, I reckon go for it! All that kit, excellent value, terrific drive, mp3, bluetooth.... The only downsides are slightly firm ride and the need to get used to a drab dashboard.
Actually have you seen the bluetooth in operation? I have a Nokia 6111 and it stores many numbers per person (eg mklock home number, work number, mobile number). On the picture of the Leon it shows just a list of names. One presumes if you select "mklock" or "Jon" or whatever, you go to a further menu with all his numbers to pick from....
No you get several listing for the same name, i.e.if you have 3 numbers for Rob you have 3 entries in the phone book all called Rob with a different number assigned to each. So until you dial you don't know which number you are dialling. The only solution is to assign Rob Home, Rob Mobile etc in the phone book for all his different numbers. Anyway thats how it works with my Nokia 6230i.
Thanks for the detail on that Rob.
mklock, you will get your Leon FR before me (order 30/4 for 31/7) so you must post when you get it, and let us all know what you think!
Cheers
Mark
mklock, you will get your Leon FR before me (order 30/4 for 31/7) so you must post when you get it, and let us all know what you think!
Cheers
Mark
Good Point....My car should be here for July but there be another reason why August has been mentioned. Perhaps they are trying to order other cars all at the same time for a bigger discount or something. I have a feeling though that my milage is close to there contract limit of 60k so they may have to get mine early
Excellent thread chaps - my company car will come up for renewal early in the year & having sat in the FR and 'endured' the dash then my first and second thoughts are no, no, no. Such a disappointment after the Mk1, though i hear people's positivity about other aspects.
The thought at the moment is it will take a lot of thought! - the mk1 sold itself within minutes but i'm thinking it's not necessarily the leon itself which will sell itself to me but whether the cost premiums for leasing a different 'better' car (or which additional spec the FR has, which i can live without in that different car) which will influence my decision further.
The thought at the moment is it will take a lot of thought! - the mk1 sold itself within minutes but i'm thinking it's not necessarily the leon itself which will sell itself to me but whether the cost premiums for leasing a different 'better' car (or which additional spec the FR has, which i can live without in that different car) which will influence my decision further.
G!zmond0
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AndyWolves
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I'm glad i'm not the only one who thinks the Mk1 is better than the Mk2. My Cupra TDi was still driving like new after 80,000 miles.. wonder how the Mk2 will fair.....
MY thoughts after 4 months
After having the Fr for over 4 months now i have come to the conclusion that if it was my own personally bought car and not a company car i would have sold it by now.
I have such a mixed feel about it. From the outside, i absolutley love it and think seat have got this bit right. Especially in the Yellow. Light colours work for this car so well. The inside is cheap but you can live with it. But the ride quality is just awful. Why didn't Seat fit a sports button? we could have had the best of both worlds. When you have passengers this is really noticible. they look like "Bobble heads" and only yesterday i was driving myself home from my stag night and had to pull over to be sick after driving 15 minutes. Now i know this goes hand in hand with a stag night but, prior to getting into the car i had been fine with the exception of a bad head. Id even had breakfast and walked to the shops and watched TV for a couple of hours. Could be coincidence this one though.
If you are getting this car as a company car you need to ask why you are choosing this car and how much time you will be in the driving seat.
For instance if you average journey is 30min on A roads, the car will be fine. But it is definately not a car to be stuck in traffic with. Although the seats appear to be comfortable and are supportive, the lubar support is pants and after a while sitting in traffic or even on long journeys you realise that overall the seat is not as comfortable as you'd like.
It terms of Benefit tax, the Leon is a good buy. I currently have done 4k and returning 40mpg, which is good i expect this to rise to 45mpg after 10k
I think i was corrupted by BHP and should have got the 140bhp Golf Gt. Not the prettiest of cars but a good alrounder.
After having the Fr for over 4 months now i have come to the conclusion that if it was my own personally bought car and not a company car i would have sold it by now.
I have such a mixed feel about it. From the outside, i absolutley love it and think seat have got this bit right. Especially in the Yellow. Light colours work for this car so well. The inside is cheap but you can live with it. But the ride quality is just awful. Why didn't Seat fit a sports button? we could have had the best of both worlds. When you have passengers this is really noticible. they look like "Bobble heads" and only yesterday i was driving myself home from my stag night and had to pull over to be sick after driving 15 minutes. Now i know this goes hand in hand with a stag night but, prior to getting into the car i had been fine with the exception of a bad head. Id even had breakfast and walked to the shops and watched TV for a couple of hours. Could be coincidence this one though.
If you are getting this car as a company car you need to ask why you are choosing this car and how much time you will be in the driving seat.
For instance if you average journey is 30min on A roads, the car will be fine. But it is definately not a car to be stuck in traffic with. Although the seats appear to be comfortable and are supportive, the lubar support is pants and after a while sitting in traffic or even on long journeys you realise that overall the seat is not as comfortable as you'd like.
It terms of Benefit tax, the Leon is a good buy. I currently have done 4k and returning 40mpg, which is good i expect this to rise to 45mpg after 10k
I think i was corrupted by BHP and should have got the 140bhp Golf Gt. Not the prettiest of cars but a good alrounder.
I've only had mine for 3 days & will agree its much firmer than my previous MK4 GT TDI, but the ride of the MK4 was like a boat in choppy water anyway, so anything going to feel firmer. I did try a meganne DCi 175 too, like a go-cart with the handling pack fitted...
I tried a GT 170 & didnt think the interior was much better than the FR, the MK5interior is certanly a few notches lower than the MK4 IMO.
For the money I dont think you can beat the FR.
Interesting to read your update - certainly a roller-coaster in terms of choosing it & mixed thoughts after a few months on the road. Have your thoughts changed now, a few months on?
Further Feedback
Not really, I still have very mixed feelings about the car from day to day.
Its a great looking car and certainly a doddle to drive on the motorway and overtaking on A roads is pure fun, but driving the car at slow speeds on bad roads just doesn't work for me.
The firmness of the Suspension is still annoying me to a large degree. As i have said in my previous review\Rant, when im on my own in the car, being my semi-reckless self, i don't tend to notice it too much. It is just as soon as a pasenger gets in im conscious off it.
In fact my Australian cousin sat in the back Last week on the way to Cardiff and asked what was wrong with my suspension, which clearly says its a little on the firm side.
Don't get me wrong, you expect a little firmness on a sport Hatch but not this firm. Someone has suggested to me, to find a road with several Speed humps and spend an hour going up and down the street to loosen the suspension. I've not tried this yet but i am seriously thinking about it.
Other things:
Mpg
Having done only 8000 miles im still only getting 38- 40mpg. If i put my foot down an average 90 mph i only get 32-34mpg
At this stage i feel that i should have got the Petrol version but if this does increase later i will be a happier man.
Wheels
I have the Optional 18" wheels installed and although these look great, they do have a very large downside. In all my years of driving i have only ever curbed 1 alloy wheel. In the Leon i have curbed 3 since July 07. The alloy sticks out just past the Tyre and every time i have to squeeze through a width restriction i cringe as its just inevitable sooner or later. True this due to my driving but these alloys seem to attract curbs.
My wife has also managed it and she is a pretty good driver..............I suppose........for a girl
The car itself still feels solid and well made. The interior annoyances i had to start with are gone, so if you are put off by the interior don't be, everything is in the right place and intuitive enough and easy to clean which is always inportant. Everyone loves the look of the car and i still feel that based on looks, the leon stands out from the other sport hatches. You can spot a leon coming a mile away.If seat just softened the suspension a little, the world would be a better place.
I think in terms of everyday driving i should have either gone for the VW Golf 140 TDi or the Astra SRi, both of which drove and handled better but both were a little on the dull side inside and old.
The Seat is the right choice for Fun and looks by far but i suspect this will be my last one
Not really, I still have very mixed feelings about the car from day to day.
Its a great looking car and certainly a doddle to drive on the motorway and overtaking on A roads is pure fun, but driving the car at slow speeds on bad roads just doesn't work for me.
The firmness of the Suspension is still annoying me to a large degree. As i have said in my previous review\Rant, when im on my own in the car, being my semi-reckless self, i don't tend to notice it too much. It is just as soon as a pasenger gets in im conscious off it.
In fact my Australian cousin sat in the back Last week on the way to Cardiff and asked what was wrong with my suspension, which clearly says its a little on the firm side.
Don't get me wrong, you expect a little firmness on a sport Hatch but not this firm. Someone has suggested to me, to find a road with several Speed humps and spend an hour going up and down the street to loosen the suspension. I've not tried this yet but i am seriously thinking about it.
Other things:
Mpg
Having done only 8000 miles im still only getting 38- 40mpg. If i put my foot down an average 90 mph i only get 32-34mpg
At this stage i feel that i should have got the Petrol version but if this does increase later i will be a happier man.
Wheels
I have the Optional 18" wheels installed and although these look great, they do have a very large downside. In all my years of driving i have only ever curbed 1 alloy wheel. In the Leon i have curbed 3 since July 07. The alloy sticks out just past the Tyre and every time i have to squeeze through a width restriction i cringe as its just inevitable sooner or later. True this due to my driving but these alloys seem to attract curbs.
My wife has also managed it and she is a pretty good driver..............I suppose........for a girlThe car itself still feels solid and well made. The interior annoyances i had to start with are gone, so if you are put off by the interior don't be, everything is in the right place and intuitive enough and easy to clean which is always inportant. Everyone loves the look of the car and i still feel that based on looks, the leon stands out from the other sport hatches. You can spot a leon coming a mile away.If seat just softened the suspension a little, the world would be a better place.
I think in terms of everyday driving i should have either gone for the VW Golf 140 TDi or the Astra SRi, both of which drove and handled better but both were a little on the dull side inside and old.
The Seat is the right choice for Fun and looks by far but i suspect this will be my last one
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Not really, I still have very mixed feelings about the car from day to day.
Its a great looking car and certainly a doddle to drive on the motorway and overtaking on A roads is pure fun, but driving the car at slow speeds on bad roads just doesn't work for me.
The firmness of the Suspension is still annoying me to a large degree. As i have said in my previous review\Rant, when im on my own in the car, being my semi-reckless self, i don't tend to notice it too much. It is just as soon as a pasenger gets in im conscious off it.
In fact my Australian cousin sat in the back Last week on the way to Cardiff and asked what was wrong with my suspension, which clearly says its a little on the firm side.
Don't get me wrong, you expect a little firmness on a sport Hatch but not this firm. Someone has suggested to me, to find a road with several Speed humps and spend an hour going up and down the street to loosen the suspension. I've not tried this yet but i am seriously thinking about it.
Other things:
Mpg
Having done only 8000 miles im still only getting 38- 40mpg. If i put my foot down an average 90 mph i only get 32-34mpg
At this stage i feel that i should have got the Petrol version but if this does increase later i will be a happier man.
Wheels
I have the Optional 18" wheels installed and although these look great, they do have a very large downside. In all my years of driving i have only ever curbed 1 alloy wheel. In the Leon i have curbed 3 since July 07. The alloy sticks out just past the Tyre and every time i have to squeeze through a width restriction i cringe as its just inevitable sooner or later. True this due to my driving but these alloys seem to attract curbs.
The car itself still feels solid and well made. The interior annoyances i had to start with are gone, so if you are put off by the interior don't be, everything is in the right place and intuitive enough and easy to clean which is always inportant. Everyone loves the look of the car and i still feel that based on looks, the leon stands out from the other sport hatches. You can spot a leon coming a mile away.If seat just softened the suspension a little, the world would be a better place.
I think in terms of everyday driving i should have either gone for the VW Golf 140 TDi or the Astra SRi, both of which drove and handled better but both were a little on the dull side inside and old.
The Seat is the right choice for Fun and looks by far but i suspect this will be my last one
I have shared some of these initial niggles with you although I have adjusted to the ride somewhat now but find the biggest bug is the quality of the interior, yes everything is in the right place but the quality of the materials is just too poor, I'd even say the Astra SRI has a better interior than the Leon
. Don' shoot me down for that comment....Also re.: the exterior styling no arguements there...
I agree with some of the comments made by mklock and Rob.
On the Cupra and have driven the TFSi FR as well...
Suspension - I don't really find this much of an issue, but then again I have been driving cars with sports suspension for the last 8 or 9 years. Compared to the Mk 1 Focus Zetec I had the ride in the Leon is better, you don't feel bumps anywhere near as much as on the Focus. Just something to get used to really. Pays dividends when it comes to handling though.
MPG - Cupra MPG isn't great but then again you don't expect good MPG from a car like that. I think the TFSi FR is only slightly better. I average 25 mpg but other similar cars out there are a lot worse.
Wheels - Complete nightmare. I'm the same have only ever damaged one alloy in the past but have had one refurb already, another one scracthed and have a small scratch in the refurbed one. The Leon is a wide car to start with and the tyres offer no rim protection.
Interior - Now I actually quite like the interior on the Leon. 95% of everything is in the right place and looks much nicer than the Golf or Astra both of which I consdiered.
Stereo - Not impressed. Sound quality isn't great. Can be fussy at playing discs now and again and the iPod adaptor is an afterthought.
I also suffered from a lot of rattle from new, all bar the heater rattle are sorted now though.
I can see it being a car that I keep for maybe 2 years and that's it.
On the Cupra and have driven the TFSi FR as well...
Suspension - I don't really find this much of an issue, but then again I have been driving cars with sports suspension for the last 8 or 9 years. Compared to the Mk 1 Focus Zetec I had the ride in the Leon is better, you don't feel bumps anywhere near as much as on the Focus. Just something to get used to really. Pays dividends when it comes to handling though.
MPG - Cupra MPG isn't great but then again you don't expect good MPG from a car like that. I think the TFSi FR is only slightly better. I average 25 mpg but other similar cars out there are a lot worse.
Wheels - Complete nightmare. I'm the same have only ever damaged one alloy in the past but have had one refurb already, another one scracthed and have a small scratch in the refurbed one. The Leon is a wide car to start with and the tyres offer no rim protection.
Interior - Now I actually quite like the interior on the Leon. 95% of everything is in the right place and looks much nicer than the Golf or Astra both of which I consdiered.
Stereo - Not impressed. Sound quality isn't great. Can be fussy at playing discs now and again and the iPod adaptor is an afterthought.
I also suffered from a lot of rattle from new, all bar the heater rattle are sorted now though.
I can see it being a car that I keep for maybe 2 years and that's it.
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