Maybe the FR just suits larger drivers, i reckon Simons was carrying the fat end of 26 stone combined with him and and me 
Maybe the FR just suits larger drivers, i reckon Simons was carrying the fat end of 26 stone combined with him and and me
What you saying pat
Might be that the transit blocks have been left in def worth a look
What do the transit blocks look like exactly? I'd like to check my car. I'm finding the ride rather firm myself but will be going the Koni route if need be.
I noticed a metal plate behind the rear brake discs. Is this meant to be there as some sort of heatsink?
I noticed a metal plate behind the rear brake discs. Is this meant to be there as some sort of heatsink?
Metal plate behind the rear disks should be there .
Transit blocks will be wedged in the springs and the car should look fairly high though imho all standard leons look like 4x4's
Superted
Guest
Not sure i would have pushed to buy without checking first but presumably you did test drive..............Oh and i just part xd my Mondeo ST TDCI for an FR TFSI..........have to say i'm not sorry..........ST TDCI..
Very disappointing car in quite a few ways and considering it cost new £22k +....Oh, and the Ford dealers are
Very disappointing car in quite a few ways and considering it cost new £22k +....Oh, and the Ford dealers are Not sure i would have pushed to buy without checking first but presumably you did test drive..............Oh and i just part xd my Mondeo ST TDCI for an FR TFSI..........have to say i'm not sorry..........ST TDCI..
what ways Ted ??? .... and I dont think Seat dealers are any better from what Ive read.....
just got back from a meeting in north wales, 150 miles in sweeping lanes, FR,s road holding was excellent as was power deleivery, but got out with neck and back ache, my boss who was with me said he was very impressed with the engine but felt very confined and uncomfortable..and felt too low down...... we are both in our 40.s and I think alot of the problem with the car is down to me,,,, 20 yrs ago I would have loved this car, now I mostly want comfort but was smitten with the looks of the FR...Guess i just dont want to admit Im getting old and want comfy seats and slippers !!!..
Was fun watching my boss turn white on a few of the bends though , it really does handle well, better than my st ever did [too nose heavy].
As a car for out and out fun it would be perfect but I spend 8 hours a day in my car and thats where the problem lies..
yet another thread about harshness of the fr's ride ... worrying when i'm thinking of buying one in a few months! i find my mk1 fine, but if the mk2 is stiffer, and bearing in mind i want the 18" alloy option, i'm now thinking the car might not be for me. yes you can test drive for a few hours, but doesn't always give a true indication (to your body) of what the car will be like to live with daily.
Superted
Guest
I'm also in my 40's..........just don't want pipe and slippers yet and so far my FR has done plus 1k miles and no back or bum ache! Try seat adjustment.
Try seat adjustment.its not that bad ''red line'' over most surfaces it is acceptable and only annoys me on undulating roads where it bounces, its just that I have had two focuses before this car, an st170 for 5 yrs then and ST3 with leather recarros, so am used to a much softer and higher ride....
its a combination of things that Im not happy with, the seat, the blind spots, the driving position is too low for me personally, cant raise the seat enough as the roof is so low, I cant see out of side windows as my eye line ends up above the top of the windows [even took the mirror out as it was too obstructive for me] and car does feel very claustophobic to me, then the ride quality could be better for my liking....
I think these issues are quite personal to me, I love the engine and looks/road holding but just dont FEEL that the car is for me...my car is my office and think I need something bigger and more comfortable.....
Please dont let me put you off the FR, Im the most fussy guy in the world and the FR is a great car, its just not for me..
its a combination of things that Im not happy with, the seat, the blind spots, the driving position is too low for me personally, cant raise the seat enough as the roof is so low, I cant see out of side windows as my eye line ends up above the top of the windows [even took the mirror out as it was too obstructive for me] and car does feel very claustophobic to me, then the ride quality could be better for my liking....
I think these issues are quite personal to me, I love the engine and looks/road holding but just dont FEEL that the car is for me...my car is my office and think I need something bigger and more comfortable.....
Please dont let me put you off the FR, Im the most fussy guy in the world and the FR is a great car, its just not for me..
Trying sitting in a Smart Forfour Brabus, you will see how harsh the ride is . You can barely go over a tiny bump in my 44 without hearing a loud thud and almost getting whiplash.
I am sure my new FR will be a complete pleasure but then again as long as the car is reliable and goes like a rocket then I dont care too much about the rest of the car, as long as everything works. I might upgrade the suspension if I dont like it and the speakers.
. You can barely go over a tiny bump in my 44 without hearing a loud thud and almost getting whiplash. I am sure my new FR will be a complete pleasure but then again as long as the car is reliable and goes like a rocket then I dont care too much about the rest of the car, as long as everything works. I might upgrade the suspension if I dont like it and the speakers.
OI! The forfour BRABUS wasnt that hard a ride, I did 25k in mine and it was ok. Its harder than the FR we collected today though.Trying sitting in a Smart Forfour Brabus, you will see how harsh the ride is
Having driven the Leon FR TDI last week and owning the ST I can agree with alot of harveee's comments about the FR. The ride is unbelievably harsh with the 18" wheels which lead to a sort of pogoing action as I was driving down the A12, but it did grip quite well despite that. I think it leant a little less than the ST, but I'd rather have a car that doesn't try to rattle my fillings out over every single bump than one with ultimate road holding.
The engine is a fantastic one and the car is deceptively quick, but even for a diesel it's still pretty noisy and agricultural when cold.
Now would I buy one instead of the ST? Possibly, but I suspect a suspension transplant/upgrade would be happening shortly afterwards.
The engine is a fantastic one and the car is deceptively quick, but even for a diesel it's still pretty noisy and agricultural when cold.
Now would I buy one instead of the ST? Possibly, but I suspect a suspension transplant/upgrade would be happening shortly afterwards.
no buyers yet for fr am gonna drop asking price, just drove it for 500 miles arround Cornwall, getting used to it abit, but still not happy..if dont sell private am gonna part ex for 6 month old mondy st tdci...sorry leon fans...
I love the look of the car and the power but thats not enough...
I love the look of the car and the power but thats not enough...
Maybe that's a better vfm option
find someone with upgraded suspension on their FR - get them to run you out in it & see if it's the vast improvment
Harvee,
Very similar conclusion to myself after test driving the new Leon, the 'cockpit' feel of the Mk2 wasn;t for me and I felt clostrophobic. There were other reasons but I ruled the Leon FR tdi out.
I drove plenty of other cars (larger) looking for the right car Mondeo, Volvo V50, A4 etc and would recommend that if you want to change the car try a Passat Sport Tdi 140 or tdi 170.
Make sure it is the sport or SEL not the SE though.
I'm sure some of the steering feedback is lost over the Leon but the car IMO it's worth a test drive
Gigel
Guest
I must jump in this here.
Harveee , until 3 weeks ago I drove a VW Passat 2.5TDI from 2001.
The car is big , nice inside , comfortable when driving long and a loot of space.
I had the VW Passat for less than 1 year and I was happy with the car in general but I could not get used to drive a station ... it felt way to big even if I'm expecting a kid soon I just could not get used driving it.
I drove 14-16 cars in the last 10 years (When I have a big car I want a small sporty , when I have a sporty I want a big comfortable one ) and now I drive a Seat Leon 1.9 TDI .. well , not same power as the 2.5TDI , space inside might be an issue also if you like a loot of space , but I must say I am pretty happy with the Leon.
Lokks nice , not so many useless buttons , manual gear (I wanted manual) easy to drive , quick response it's a "young" car it feels young and agile.
I like it. It's not so quick ( but it will be in a few months) as the other cars I had , the seats are not so comfortable as the ones in bigger cars , but I think I did not did a bad deal changing the VW with the Leon.
I would say give it a try 2-3 weeks more and see , but yeah , in the end if you are not happy with the car buy another one ... but please not a FORD.
Imho you will loose more money on the Ford than you will ever loose on a Seat.
Harveee , until 3 weeks ago I drove a VW Passat 2.5TDI from 2001.
The car is big , nice inside , comfortable when driving long and a loot of space.
I had the VW Passat for less than 1 year and I was happy with the car in general but I could not get used to drive a station ... it felt way to big even if I'm expecting a kid soon I just could not get used driving it.
I drove 14-16 cars in the last 10 years (When I have a big car I want a small sporty , when I have a sporty I want a big comfortable one
) and now I drive a Seat Leon 1.9 TDI .. well , not same power as the 2.5TDI , space inside might be an issue also if you like a loot of space , but I must say I am pretty happy with the Leon.Lokks nice , not so many useless buttons , manual gear (I wanted manual) easy to drive , quick response it's a "young" car it feels young and agile.
I like it. It's not so quick ( but it will be in a few months) as the other cars I had , the seats are not so comfortable as the ones in bigger cars , but I think I did not did a bad deal changing the VW with the Leon.
I would say give it a try 2-3 weeks more and see , but yeah , in the end if you are not happy with the car buy another one ... but please not a FORD.
Imho you will loose more money on the Ford than you will ever loose on a Seat.
I also had a passat for the last 3 years and it was great for long distances and general cruising. Would defo recommend as I loved it and looked at one before I got the FR.
Just to add my 2p. If you love the car for its looks and performance but ride quality is on the iffy side I wouldnt have any problem spending another 600-700 quid on suspension.
Granted if the interior bothers you then there isnt much you can do BUT then again surely when you test drive a car first thing you adjust is the seat position, get the feel of the car right before you set off? If you have driven the car for an hour and didnt think much of the seating position then its your own fault to be honest. I hope you do get it sorted though I am not trying to be bashful, suppose its a lesson for next time.
Granted if the interior bothers you then there isnt much you can do BUT then again surely when you test drive a car first thing you adjust is the seat position, get the feel of the car right before you set off? If you have driven the car for an hour and didnt think much of the seating position then its your own fault to be honest. I hope you do get it sorted though I am not trying to be bashful, suppose its a lesson for next time.
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