Leon Lead Time and Manufacturing Errors (68 Plate)

Apollo1310

Active Member
Nov 2, 2018
7
0
Kent, UK.
Thought I'd open a thread on my recent experience with SEAT. Sorry for the length.

Has anyone else experience a huge wait time for the latest (68 plate) leon? I ordered my car way back in March 2018 and received it today. About a 7 month lead time?!

Originally ordered a Leon 1.5 150 FR Sport - albeit quite late, but all was going well. Willing to put it behind me to FINALLY have my car! SEAT phoned to confirm it had arrived in the UK and was on its way to the dealership BUT the factory made a mistake on the batch of vehicles... Flappy paddles were not installed to the DSG models amongst a few other optional extras which I had chosen. SEAT gave me 3 options:

1- Take the car as it is and receive a crisp £250 compensation.
2 - Wait a further 8-12 weeks for a new Leon but due to VW emissions testing, I was informed that basically options are no longer possible as they have to make their cars more 'uniform' for testing. (I won't get the same car I originally ordered)
3 - They will give me a fully kitted out 150ps Leon Xcellence in the same colour and as good will, they will price match it with all options included.

I took the Xcellence. Did I make the right choice? I've lost the 'sports' element of the car but gained a hell of a lot of tech PLUS I get to drive the car home today..
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
Staff member
Moderator
Oct 3, 2012
4,710
2,804
Car Length In Front
Thought I'd open a thread on my recent experience with SEAT. Sorry for the length.

Has anyone else experience a huge wait time for the latest (68 plate) leon? I ordered my car way back in March 2018 and received it today. About a 7 month lead time?!

Originally ordered a Leon 1.5 150 FR Sport - albeit quite late, but all was going well. Willing to put it behind me to FINALLY have my car! SEAT phoned to confirm it had arrived in the UK and was on its way to the dealership BUT the factory made a mistake on the batch of vehicles... Flappy paddles were not installed to the DSG models amongst a few other optional extras which I had chosen. SEAT gave me 3 options:

1- Take the car as it is and receive a crisp £250 compensation.
2 - Wait a further 8-12 weeks for a new Leon but due to VW emissions testing, I was informed that basically options are no longer possible as they have to make their cars more 'uniform' for testing. (I won't get the same car I originally ordered)
3 - They will give me a fully kitted out 150ps Leon Xcellence in the same colour and as good will, they will price match it with all options included.

I took the Xcellence. Did I make the right choice? I've lost the 'sports' element of the car but gained a hell of a lot of tech PLUS I get to drive the car home today..
I think you did, its easier to sport the car up with some extras than it is to fit all the electronical extras you've now got.
 

nick.buchan2

Active Member
May 10, 2018
73
26
I’d say good call. Xcellence have very good specs so you’ll have lots of fun playing with all the toys.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

nokiauk

Full Member
Feb 9, 2003
524
25
Edinburgh
Just do what I did, similar position with really long lead times for options, but showroom had an Excellence, main difference for me was the sports suspension which came on the FR, I just got some Eibach's fitted, under £500 and now have all the toys and sports suspension.
 

vmark89

Mark Brown
Sep 10, 2012
211
17
Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
Thought I'd open a thread on my recent experience with SEAT. Sorry for the length.

Has anyone else experience a huge wait time for the latest (68 plate) leon? I ordered my car way back in March 2018 and received it today. About a 7 month lead time?!

Originally ordered a Leon 1.5 150 FR Sport - albeit quite late, but all was going well. Willing to put it behind me to FINALLY have my car! SEAT phoned to confirm it had arrived in the UK and was on its way to the dealership BUT the factory made a mistake on the batch of vehicles... Flappy paddles were not installed to the DSG models amongst a few other optional extras which I had chosen. SEAT gave me 3 options:

1- Take the car as it is and receive a crisp £250 compensation.
2 - Wait a further 8-12 weeks for a new Leon but due to VW emissions testing, I was informed that basically options are no longer possible as they have to make their cars more 'uniform' for testing. (I won't get the same car I originally ordered)
3 - They will give me a fully kitted out 150ps Leon Xcellence in the same colour and as good will, they will price match it with all options included.

I took the Xcellence. Did I make the right choice? I've lost the 'sports' element of the car but gained a hell of a lot of tech PLUS I get to drive the car home today..

Hey mate I was in the same predicament with my FR Sport, only the Paddles are missing on my FRSport 2.0TSI DSG but only found out a day after accepting the car and getting it home that it should have the paddles as standard now!

But I've pushed with Seat UK and My Dealer to get them Retro-fitted as they have confirmed it's just a swap of the Steering Wheel nothing else and the paddles work (They tested on an effected car at the Dealership yesterday for me).

Seat UK and my Dealer are both fronting the price of the Retrofit, parts have been ordered and just waiting to arrive for the Steering Wheel as these are ordered from Factory!


I've noted it down here for others incase they are the same situation, have a look on here :

https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/auto-flappy-paddle.447073/page-4
 

Maypack

Ambassador for Cumberland Sausage
Apr 20, 2014
3,175
2,327
Gods Country - West Cumbria
My wife has a 125hp Xcellence and loves it.

I think you made the right de union as you’ve gained more spec for the same price. Ok you didn’t get the FR badge and modes but if that’s not a problem to you then all is good.

Enjoy your new car and those heated seats will come in handy over the cold winter months
 
Jul 26, 2019
9
1
Out of curiosity I have a 190 tsi dsg excellence lux but doesn’t have flappy paddles would it be a case of swapping steering wheel with paddles for them to work ??
 

Deleted member 103408

Guest
Have you taken it back to dealer as this thread already confirms that you may get some compensation or you be lucky and get the dealer to fit a new wheel for you.
 
Jul 26, 2019
9
1
Have you taken it back to dealer as this thread already confirms that you may get some compensation or you be lucky and get the dealer to fit a new wheel for you.
I have and there quite useless I have sourced a steering wheel and found a garage to swap it for me but before I go ahead was wondering if anyone has actually done this before ??
 

Apollo1310

Active Member
Nov 2, 2018
7
0
Kent, UK.
I have and there quite useless I have sourced a steering wheel and found a garage to swap it for me but before I go ahead was wondering if anyone has actually done this before ??

I found that the dealership weren't overly helpful when you presented them with a problem. They just apologise.

Turns out, even after offering me the Xcellence instead of the FR due to not having the flappy paddles, the Xcellence I took also didn't have the paddles. Must have been a batch issue. Mine is a lease work car so once I signed the car over it was tough. Can't believe I didn't even notice until I drove home that evening! They did give me £100 compensation toward me getting it retrofitted though.

I think it is just a straightforward steering wheel swap and the paddles should work - that's what I had read on a different thread somewhere. Be best to make a few phone calls to the supplier and SEAT for your own peace of mind.

Best of luck!
 

BigJase88

Jase
Apr 20, 2008
3,767
1,069
Flappy paddles are a waste of time you’ll use them once and think its cool then never use them again.

Don’t waste your money
 
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Jul 26, 2019
9
1
Ok guys just wanted to provide and update. So I purchased a flappy paddle fr flat bottom steering wheel from eBay, it had the same MF buttons as my original excellence lux steering wheel. And I can confirm it was a straight forward swap paddles worked without coding. The only thing I had to do was to reset the engine management and airbag light. Hope this helps anyone who is thinking of doing the same it tick me approx 30 mins in total to complete and reset error codes using vagcom this was a 19 plate excellence lux 190 dsg st
 
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