sickboy

Anyone tried one and how does it compare to the Scoob.

I've got a test drive booked for tomorrow morning.

Don't want to sell the Scoob but I've been offered a reasonable (I'm kidding myslf) trade in price).

Need to try and economise now I've got a nipper.

Have to say I can't see running cost being that much cheaper. Insurance is only £40 less p/a. Mind you the service interval is pretty good.

Anyone get the impression I'm trying to talk myself into this.....the voices..

salsa-king

well i had the 1.6L leon to drive on wedness daywhile the Inca van went in 4 a service,
that car was nice inside, bits and bobs where all there, but the 1.6 engine just had now power!!!
or is it i'm use to the Scooby to much???? LOL

Service intervals are good though, every year!!!! not twice like the scoob.

sickboy

cheers salsa-king.

I'm hoping the 180 bhp sort will be nippy enough (though not scoob like).

Turns in a respectable 7.7 to 60, though it's torque I'm more interested in.

The standard kit list is impressive.

GCollier

I've driven one, though the salesman at the time seemed the nervous type, so I didn't get to push it too hard. We were considering it as my girlfriends new car, because she thought they looked really nice in yellow - women!

Memories include...
Nice positive controls.
Good build quality, quite classy.
Performance a bit disappointing. There was no way it felt like it had 180bhp, though it only had 900miles on the clock.
Overall it somehow felt "right", can't really explain why. I'd test driven a TT-Roadster 225bhp the same morning, and for some reason I can't quantify, I much preferred the Seat.

sickboy

Thanks GCollier.

Interestingly I've driven the TT roadster too and wasn't all that impressed.

It was nice and solid but the steering was a bit uninvolving.

Mind you I AM trying to save some cash here. Compromises must be made.

I wonder if the boy will undestand the sacrifices I've made for him when he gets older.

Mind you, I've not driven it yet so I may still say no

GCollier

Oh, one other thing, when it came to talking figures, the most they would knock off a 20VT Sport or Cupra was 4% - they did this as soon as I asked for a discount, but then simply wouldn't budge any further. They could have gone to 7.5% on any of the other Leons. And if I remember correctly the waiting list was something like 8-12 weeks.

Gary.

sickboy

Gary,
thanks for the tip.

I'm being offered £14500 (ouch) for my MY 99 Euro import with leather and aircon (Sonic blue, 11k miles). This seems derisory to me but is close to the trade price for a UK car.

I will ask for cash off but am not hopeful!
Damn I don't want to sell her ;(
Whaddya reckon?

ChrisB

IIRC, Seat will launch a Cupra V6 early next year with the V6 engine and 4Motion drivetrain from the Golf / Bora. The only think I can't remember if it's the Leon or Ibiza body shell.

The Golf and Bora get criticised for poor handling - perhaps as VW's sporting brand, Seat will make a better job?

Seat.co.uk also covers the new Ibiza 1.8 20V Turbo launched at the Motor Show - 180BHP.

Cheers,

Chris.

EvilBevel

Sickboy, if you can hold on for a few months, please do so...

Rumour has it (but I'll give you a no comment if you ask from where it comes) that there will be an exiting version of the Cupra coming shortly (saw that one with my own two eyes last weekend), next to an even more thrilling versions of the ... Skoda. (I am talking Scooby competitive here)

I could tell you more, but then I would have to kill you

Stay tuned and don't part with your cash too soon.

EvilBevel

Bugger, ChrisB beat me to it ...

That's the one we saw at the Ring this weekend.

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

Buy it from abroad.

Your trade-in will have to be very good as you should be able to get a Euro import 180 bhp one for £12.5k (a few £K cheaper), and possibly even less if you do it yourself. You are bound to have noticed the effect imported Imprezas have had on the used value of even UK sourced cars. I would bare this in mind before buying a car in the UK when it is a lot cheaper elsewhere.

Jonathan

Seat will also cut its price list in the near future so hang on if you can. I'm very friendly with a Sales Manager at a Seat Dealership. There was a meeting a couple of weeks back telling them to expect a cut. He's on holiday for 3 weeks at the moment so I cant check on the latest.

Jonathan

sickboy

thanks for the info guys.

I could get one for £11.5 from Belgium, (where I got my scoob) but I can't be arsed!

It's not becuase I don't want 4 grand, but I'm just really fecked off with all the hassle from those tw%$s at IM. I can't be bothered to go through it again with SEAT.

A Leon from Belgium would only have a 1 yr warranty and also a 4 month wait.

Unless I really like it I may keep the scoob. Gave her a wash this avo, and she looks lovely.

simes

I know in the short time you'll save money, i.e. insurance, fuel etc, but in the long term this will cost you.

You are about to trade in a car that's just taken its big depreciation hit (esp given current market) for one that's just about to - your 1st drive in it will cost you 2k at least.

Don't do it, you know it doesn't make sense.

Cheers

Simon

PS Only heard good things about Leon, it ain't a scoob tho...

[This message has been edited by simes (edited 20 October 2000).]

logiclee

Sickboy,

I know on paper it doesn't compete but have a look at a 2 litre Focus Zetec ESP. The Leon may come a short way to the Scoob on performance but no where close on handling. The Focus may be a down on power but is a drivers dream. I had one before my scoob and still miss it.

Cheers
Lee

CharliePsycho

Had a Seat before I got the P1.

Good dealer support, especially as I would break the thing regularly... Mostly by destroying brake disks

Remember it's a VW, basically a rebadged Golf with a better back end. Very Safe, Very reliable, Oh and the 1.8T will chip to 250 bhp!!!

Everybody is raving about the new diesels tho, Don't Laugh too much, the latest 1.9D has 150BHP and 296NM torque... (they do that version with 4WD for some reason!)
Ahem, that makes my P1 think carefully...

The problem is Seat run about 6 months behind VW on the new parts game, so don't expect the new Diesels and 4WD in the Seat showrooms too fast...

Moz

I had a SEAT ibiza 2.0 16v 150 bhp gti Cupra sport for about a year, the worst car I have had in my life, Massive depreciation,£5900 in 11 months, VW powerplants are over rated, appalling build quality, devoured tyres, Main SEAT dealer told me I was doing well to get 4000 miles from the fronts, worse electrics than an old Alpha Romeo.24!!! different warranty claims for electric items from switchgear to engine management, OH! and a small fire. I think SEAT replaced Skoda as the lowest class of car in the VAG.
It wasn`t a Leon so there could have been improvements in all of these areas, but worth having a look at the depreciation, as on SEAT cars it is very heavy, If you want to save money IMHO I would forget SEAT.
You might enjoy the driving experience though as all things considered, thats not bad.
One benefit of owning a SEAT is you will get to drive every car in their range at some time or another while yours is being fixed.

CharliePsycho

You've got a good point on the depreciation, mine went from new at £16,000 to trade value circa £2,000 in three years. But I did fairly high mileage (75,000 in three years).

I put realiability down to the way I drove. Front tyres and pads every 5K, front disks every 10K. I also blew the bottom sprocket off 3 times.

But then I had a Toledo 1.9TDI which I drove to London Every week from Devon. I had 134mph out of it (registered on a GPS, off the speedo entirely) doing in the region of 27-30mpg all the time. My best time to London was 2.5 hours... So destroying the engine under warranty was fine. Eventually they had to replace the crankshaft, which involved a complete bottom end! (note: Seat have changed the warranty now to 3yrs/60,000 miles whereas before it was unlimited mileage )

It's hardly surprising that I sometimes get 9mpg out of the P1 now ... But my best time now is 2 hours

Still go through standard disks and pads like nothing else though (pads every 5K disks every 10K) but the P Zero's seem OK after nearly 15,000! But I have done 2 sets of front anti-roll bar bushes... So reliability is all about how you treat it.

The reason I have a P1 now is because Seat didn't do a 200bhp+ 4WD sports car... Even though they profess to be the sporting arm of VW (they liken themselves as Alfa Romeo to Fiat ) I'm rather pleased they didn't actually!!

Now the good bit, my wife drives an L reg Seat Ibiza 1.9D, 4 door hatch, sunroof central locking etc. Ultra reliable, great fuel consumption, only cost £5000 3 years ago (it's worth nothing now!) and is bomb-proof. The moral is, buy a second hand Seat as then you don't have to worry about depreciation and you get an ultra cheap VW (if that is what you need)

sickboy

Simes,
you're right of course.

Took the car out today- very damp conditions and a generally grey day here.

I have to say I quite liked it but it just couldn't get the power down. The traction control light was coming on all the time and it would still spin the fronts.

I'm amazed how spoiled I am by the scoob.

The Leon didn't feel "safe" like the scoob does, and the wet just highlights this.

It is unfair to compare directly, and I reckon if I'd never driven a scoob, I'd think about the Leon seriously. I'd like to drive in the dry to give it a fair go.

Interior-wise solid teutonic styling- what I miss most in the scoob (I've had many Golf's and a 325i).

The wife liked it but agreed it is not going to save me much in the short or long run.

I love my scoob...................

IanF

Have to say I have been looking at a Leon 1.8 VT for my next company car.

With the new tax laws, a list price of £15K and emissions of 204 grams per whatever, it seems good value and good performance.

If anyone else has any comments that have not been made above it would be useful to hear them

Regards
IanF

Steve vRS

They look the dogs in yellow with dark alloys.

Steve

spudgun

just to say i used to own a p reg ibiza 1.4
great little car, well built, never let me down. nippy off the mark, but rolled like a bugger on the bends.
dealers were GREAT! i kinda miss the thing in a funny sort of way!
beware though, seats residuals arent great!