Seat Leon, any good?

[Southwell]

Test driving a 2007 2.0 tdi sylance with dsg tomorrow, are there any problems i should look out for?

It's full service history with 80k on the clock.

Thanks

[birdy]

Not really any problems to look out for when driving but if you can ask for any service / replacement parts history that would be helpful.

I had a 56 plate FR 2.0 Tdi from new, I had loads of problems around the 70K mark with the injectors breaking, the first was covered under warranty then the 2nd injector went with a +£1000 bill.

The Seat garage suggested that within the next 10K miles another injector would pop.

Apart from that it was a top car.

[sosidge]

We have an '07 Altea XL petrol - more or less the same car but with a larger body.

You can tell that SEAT cut corners on the trim and the final finish to get the cars down to a price, bits and pieces of the interior and exterior are prematurely worn or loosely fitted - but mechanically it has caused us no problems so far, albeit with only 20k on the clock.

Can't say it is an inspiring drive, but it gets from A to B.

Having it's first MOT tomorrow so hopefully I won't get any unpleasant surprises!

[MattW]

I had a 05 plate Leon FR 1.9 TDi, got rid of it when it got close to 90K, but it had given me no bother at all. Replaced it with a 57 Plate Leon FR 2.0 170. Currently all fine there, but it only has 22k on the clock.

There is talk that the 170 engine can suffer from DPF issues, which can be expensive. However, i think it is only the 170 that has the DPF on it, not sure which engine the stylance has in it.

[Southwell]

Thanks for the info so far, keep it coming.

It has the 140 engine Matt.

[Richard Lowe]

I'm not sure if it will apply to a Leon but the later R32's with DSG sometimes suffered with faulty mechatronics units which made the gearbox do random things - it wasn't a cheap fix either. I think it applied to the Golfs made between late 2007 and early 2008.

I don't know if the gearbox's on the two cars are the same (apart from ratio's/software of course) but you'd think they are pretty similar being based on the same VAG platform. When you drive one check it's not jerky going into one or two particular gears.

[i4n]

My dad's got the VW Touran with the DSG 'box.

His control unit went for the box - made it surge as gear changes took place. That was replaced under warranty (he said it would have been about £400 at the main dealers to replace) so have a look at that when your test driving it.

The other thing to note is the 'box has to have an oil change at 40k miles, that's another £180 at the VW dealers (half oil and filter, half labour). He was at 38k miles when the control unit went and to do that they had to drain the oil. Did they replace the filter at the same time - no. Did they phone him to let him know for the price of the filter he could save the big oil change job - no. Would they discount the oil change - no. Needless to say he wasn't impressed and now goes to the VW garage in Canterbury and not the one in Ashford!

[MattADH]

Same engine as in my Audi and mine has been perfect with 115k on the clock. Only thing it uses is a litre of oil every 20k.

[MattW]

As Matt says, I think that version of the Engine is bordering on bomb proof. I have a mate that has taken one to around 200bhp with no worries at all.

[Southwell]

Thats some great info guys, thanks. The gearbox worries me most, but the other half is rubbish with manuals and i like the idea of easy driving on the motorways with the advantage of being able to have the paddles.

Im not sure how jerky the up and down changes will be as a semi auto, but im guessing it should be around the same as a normal auto?
Do all dsg's have double clutch or is that only on the higher spec cars?

[brooksy]

Id say go for it. I have two seats,Ibiza for for six years and had no probs at all with it and I bought an altea 1.9 tdi stylance last year. Top cars and very good looking cars aswell!. You get a damn site more car for your money than you would if you bought a vw.
I don't agree with another post on here that they cut corners on quality to cut prices either.
I think seats are better than vw's on looks, price and quality!.

[Big G]

Originally Posted by Southwell

Thats some great info guys, thanks. The gearbox worries me most, but the other half is rubbish with manuals and i like the idea of easy driving on the motorways with the advantage of being able to have the paddles.

Im not sure how jerky the up and down changes will be as a semi auto, but im guessing it should be around the same as a normal auto?
Do all dsg's have double clutch or is that only on the higher spec cars?

yes all DSG are twin clutch. "Direct Shift Gearbox" so the next gear has already been pre-selected by the other clutch ready

my only complaint about a DSG box (excluding the price) is I found sometimes when pulling out of junctions it would take half a second to realised I was ready to go and move forward. When in paddle mode it wouldn't always downshift when I wanted to going into a corner and then when back on the power it was in the wrong gear. Still in full auto mode around the city it was a pleasure

I mostly experienced the DSG in a A3, but the principle is the same.

[MatJohnson]

I wouldn't have anther seat again after the mrs's car. It appears to run better with the engine light on (which turns on when you go over 70 anyway). Watch out for the window mechanisms on the electric windows, they break, front springs go as well and bushings on the front seem to light to break as well.

[Big G]

sounds the same as the golf to me. mk4's were prone to break window mech's aswell as the rear beam bushes go. don't remember ever replacing front springs on a golf apart from my own, but they are FK coilovers on 18's.

just so you know I worked for a VW specialist for 2 years rather than personally owned all these cars lol

[Southwell]

Well drove it today. Gearbox is very smooth, no clunky changes and surges quite nicely, brakes and steering are good and it rides nicely.

Bad points: Nice mark on front bumper, rear tyres blistered on the outer edge, coolant light on (rad broken i think) which they would fix and probably condensation coming from the engine cap, i didn't take it off.

They have offered what i want for my car and that at 7250

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...ge/1?logcode=p

Considering some of the issues it still seems reasonably priced, although is there something better for my money?

It's also got 92k not 80k, which he 'thought'

Thanks

O yeah, the accelerator pedal goes down, then feels like a notch, and hits the bottom, is this normal? It feels like it should be there?

[Northy]

£7 1/2k for a 92k 2007 Leon?

Who said the car market was on it's arse?

G

[rallyjon]

personally wouldnt touch it with a barge pole at that mileage,and a supposedly broke rad??how do you know it hasnt run dry??overheated? etc,plus with bumper damage,ok perhaps 150 to get paint sorted,but its not even metallic is it??
anyways your money your choice bud

[markwilliamson2001]

From your last post Ian, it sounds a bit roughly treated... who knows what else needs doing?

Your choice in the end though. Hope you end up with something you like

[brooksy]

I paid just over 9 grand for my 06 altea last august with 22,000 on the clock and that was from a main seat dealer.
Think I'd give that one a miss for that mileage and price. Don't be put off buying a seat though. As I said before,for me they are very good cars.

[Chaz]

I'd personally buy the 'old shape' cupra for that money pal. Look on Piston Heads . They sometimes have a few good cars on there . Can't fault the Seat's though. Ok i've got nothing anywhere near as powerful (53plate 1.4 Leon) but it tootles along fairly nicely at 90mph Fairly roomy backseat too.......