Looks like a fine buy - let us know how its gets on HJ. Nice colour too.
I can barely believe how cheap that Vectra was. My Uncle just bought a 1 year old one (poverty spec 1.8) this summer and he thought he was getting a good deal at £10k. Unbelievable.
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That Leon looks great. They're my favourite (of the cars I could ever realistically hope of owning).
Great deal on that Vectra. Its virtually brand new!
CavV6 and cavWeb fan.
www.cavweb.co.uk
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That Leon looks pink from the photo, and those wheels are a bit on the ugly side.
Aren't theses things screwed together in Spain ? not exactly a country known for craftsmanship or quality, they sleep most of the afternoon. ;)
Still, each to their own I suppose.
(Yes I know they belong VW etc blah, blah)
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Spain is where all Polos and Corsas come from.
HJ
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As I said each to their own. Can't comment on the Polo but the Corsa still looks quite flimsy and poor.
I guess its what they call "racial memory". Most humuns are still afaid when they see a snake or a tiger.
Its the same for me and Seat, Skoda or Fiat. The memory of those "System Porsche" Ibizas, Marbellas, Estelle 120s and Regatas are stil way to fresh in the mind !
They may now be the best cars on the road, but they still make me shudder.
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I have done 52,000 in my X-reg Leon, and apart from a few little problems that are known faults that will be done under warrenty (peeling interior door pulls and catching rear plastic door moulding) it has never missed a beat, even running the last 30k on an uprated chip. Having said that, it has started to develope a clonk from the front suspension, but thats another story......
..... Having spent alot of time on the www.SeatCupra.net forums I have noticed that Leons (the SE and Cupra in particular) suffer from clonks on the suspension. this is normally down the the shocks.... reason? Well, the SE and Cupra have sports suspension, but the shocks are not up to the job, giving a nice ride on smooth surfaces, and bouncy ride on bumpy roads, an uprated set of shocks fitted to std springs improves this and gives better handling and ride.
If you think this is down to it being bult in Spain then I can say that the Golf is even worse!!!! The Octavia is the best of the bunch.
Other thinks to look out for are:
Failed Dump Valves - symptoms is normally a funny squeak on gear change rather than normal air sound, plus flat spots
Failed coils - VAG engine has coil for each cylinder, same problems reported on Audi TT
Leaking door seals - can also come in through mis-fitted pollen filter
Clutch problems - On TDi models
Difficult gear change - on 6 speed boxes when cold, normally 1st to 2nd gear
Hope this helps any would-be buyers of this excelent value car...:-)
cheers
Neil T
SEAT Leon TDi 150
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Will report, if I keep the car. Dead right about peeled trim from driver's interior door handle, though. I blame rings on fingers.
HJ
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>>>"I blame rings on fingers."
You would think so, but I don't wear rings..:-) Apparently it shares it's problem with the Polo, and maybe the golf/Bora too??
Neil T
SEAT Leon TDi 150
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Sorry, just noticed "Leon TDI 150". Is this the four wheel drive? I drove one in Spain in May 2001. Very useful piece of kit. And they have now taken the underbumper styling of the TDI 150 4WD and applied it to the 2003 Leon 20VT 180. (So mine's now out of date.)
HJ
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Unfortunatly not, its a chipped TDi 110 SE. Power figures are 154bhp @ 3750rpm and 235lb/ft @1750rpm. I still get 42 - 55mpg, it's excelent for towing my Car trailer/Montego track car combination, and will keep up with a std Cupra from about 30mph until it runs out of revs, (a 6 speed gearbox would help the TDi here).
It has been ultra reliable over the past 52k, and I hope it will do another 200k without problems.....
Neil T
SEAT Leon TDi 150
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Which company did the chipping please (I see a TDi 150 Octavia estate looming on the horizon!).
Matthew Kelly
No, not that one.
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It is an UPsolute chip (see www.upsolute.com), they are an austrian company, and enforce std pricing throughout the world. In the UK is is £295 inc rolling road, altough through the Seat Owners website I got 10% off.
The distibutor that fitted it was Impossible performance i Kent, although I believe there is more dealers now, if you e-mail UPsolute about your nearest dealer they normally reply promptly.
Out of interest for Cupra owners, the UPsolute chip gives 212bhp, and reduces the flat spots some Cupras are having. I know of one 2001 Cupra that has done nearly 90,000 hard miles with this chip!!!! (yes, 90,000)...
Neil T
SEAT Leon TDi 150
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Have just bought myself a second hand Leon TDI SE on a Y plate. generally really pleased with it, although the clutch doesn't seem quite right. With the engine on and the gearbox in neutral the pedal is 'lumpy' when depressed. It feels like the clutch is slightly engaging and feeding back through the pedal.
Are you able to elaborate on your comment reagrding the clutch problems on TDI models? Could I be looking at a new clutch?
Regards
Rob G
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Rob,
I'm pretty sure mine did that, it is just caused by the engine vibration, although I soon got used to is as it wasn't too bad.
How many miles has yours done, I actually never replaced the clutch on mine in the end and was ok at 90K miles when sold, and that was with 70k miles running a chip with 235lb.ft torque, inc. towing heavy trailers at times.
I do miss my Leon, but the Mondeo is so much quieter!!
Neil T
Mondeo Ghia TDCi 130 Estate, SEAT Toledo 20VT Sport, Various Montegos...
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Neil,
Thanks for the reply - I think you might be right, it does feel like engine vibration. It's done 81k.
Regards
Rob G
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