Ok I think I am going to sign on the dotted line for a new car tomorrow.....

"AndyG_UK" (ajg1974)
12/09/2016 at 18:18 • Filed to: None

I wasn’t planning on doing until Feb\March but I’ve been offered a great car (more on it in a mo), great finance offer that I am more than happy with, like a lot less than I am happy to pay, awesome trade in price for the Abarth etc.

I just always get so nervous when changing cars, am I doing the right thing, should I wait, will the car be what I expect it be a few months down the line etc etc.

So on to the car, after flipping between a Seat Leon 1.8tsi SC FR DSG and Renault Clio RS for a while now, I was leaning towards the Clio cos it’s quick, fun and cool looking. I had bit of flip flop between buying new or (slightly) used but settled on the slightly used as you get much more for used in the UK (we only pay VAT on new cars, so 20% instant discount compared to new straight off!).

My local SEAT dealer have really worked hard and have found me a 6 month old, Leon with only 3k on the clock, in black, all the options I wanted etc for a great price. The trade in on the Abarth is so good they are giving me back over 2k in cash (so more than twice the amount I need to pay off the Abarth), I couldn’t get anywhere near close to this deal on a Clio RS!

The Leon just feels so right to drive, yes the Clio is a bit more exciting, a bit quicker etc but the Leon is bigger more substantial feeling, has a much higher quality interior, nicer dual clutch gearbox, just much more a rounded car.

Plus the Abarth is due a major service the new year and an MOT that I know will say it needs rear brakes, the exhaust is looking like it’s not long for this world and it keeps randomly making a weird noise that my mechanic has yet to diagnose (sounds like it has asthma!) and I am over it now. It is still fun but I find it tiring to drive more than an hour on the motorway and it’s developed numerous creaks and rattles inside the last 6 months!

So my fellow Oppos, would you go for it?

The Leon looks exactly like this (not actual car but same colout, trim, wheels etc) -

DISCUSSION (38)

pip bip - choose Corrour > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 18:22

do it!

Tazio, Count Fouroff > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 18:51

imo you’re making a great case to press the trigger on the Seat

facw > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 18:56

Sounds like you are getting a good deal. I’d be mildly weirded out by getting a used car that new (why is back on the market so soon?), but there are some reasonable reasons for that sort of thing.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 19:01

Do it! Do it now! DO IT!

Captain of the Enterprise > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 19:03

I would

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 19:07

Do the Clio, same engine & platform as my Juke.

AndyG_UK > facw
12/09/2016 at 19:08

It’s an ex-SEAT uk car, all car manufactures lease new cars to their employees for a few months very cheap, loaded up with popular options then sell them to their dealers to sell as approved used cars. My dad used to work for Vauxhall and we always had a car on their scheme, I had a few myself. Is a way of getting new cars registered then getting decent used cars on the dealers forecourts.

AndyG_UK > pip bip - choose Corrour
12/09/2016 at 19:08

I think I will!

AndyG_UK > Tazio, Count Fouroff
12/09/2016 at 19:09

Yeah, although I loved the fun factor of the Clio, I did with the Abarth as well but grew tired quickly, the Leon is just such a nice car to drive, be in and look at!

AndyG_UK > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/09/2016 at 19:23

But the Leon is VAG MBQ platform and the 1.8tsi is just a de-stroked 2.0 from the Golf GTi...........

facw > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 19:31

My uncle got cars from Ford under a similar program, but I don’t think he ever had them for less than year (seems like you’d be losing a lot of money by switching them out so quickly). And of course it’s not clear that you can trust the car hasn’t been abused in that time. Certainly not a strong enough reason to say you wouldn’t buy it, but enough to make me uneasy anyway.

Audistein > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 19:48

Go for it, but be prepared to walk away if they try to change things up and alter the deal when you go there tomorrow. Also don’t let them sell you a bunch of extras: none of that stuff is necessary.

Vicente Esteve > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 20:05

Do it. MQB platform is brilliant, and the combo of DSG and 1.8 will feel like a much better overall car.

Also the Leon is one of the best looking hatches ever made IMO.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 22:53

The Clio, not Leon. The Clio is built on Nissan’s Global B platform with 1.6L MR16DDT.

Svend > AndyG_UK
12/09/2016 at 23:24

Go for the Leon. Great little car.

Guy who I worked with recently had a Leon, 1.4TSi in blue. He loved it, it looked great (angular yet curved), great stance. Honest daily driver that you could throw about if and when you wanted to.

The Clio doesn’t do it for me anymore.

The interior on the SEAT is pretty much 50-60% VAG carry over from every SEAT, Skoda, VW, etc...

Kinja'd!!!

But it’s tried and tested, easy to live with and not bad looking.

The Clio, erm, well. Nope.

Kinja'd!!!

Looks like someone drew an outline on the dashboard and said, ‘right, that’s the area you have to work with for the radio, hmm, air vents will have to go in there also as I drew the outline too high, and for the heating and ventilation controls. Okay off you go, no conferring the three of yous’.

AndyG_UK > facw
12/10/2016 at 02:19

Some do it differently, Vauxhall have strict mileage limits, so in the case of when my sister in law was having cars on the scheme and driving 100 miles a day commuting, her car was changed every few months. You don’t know how any used car has been treated by it’s previous owners, it’s always a risk.

AndyG_UK > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/10/2016 at 02:22

I like the Clio and it’s a really good car but the Leon is from the next class up and VAG MQB is such a good and well regarded platform, plus the 1,8tsi is a really lovely engine, sounds great too.

AndyG_UK > Svend
12/10/2016 at 02:27

Yeah I really love the design of the exterior on the Leon, especially in the 3 door SC that I’m getting! The interior is what sold me on it, it is enough VW without being too staid and boring, everything you touch though has a quality feel (as a Skoda owner you know what I mean).

I’m glad you replied to this as I think with it being black I’m going to have to find myself a very talented car detailer to do a new car detail and paint work protection on it, fancy a day out to Salford??? :)

AndyG_UK > Audistein
12/10/2016 at 02:36

All the monies is finalised, I’ve just got to sign up for it, I have gone through the extras and gone for some of them, they under cut 3rd party GAP insurance that I was looking at (by their own admittance theirs is way too expensive at it’s standard price but they are allowed to discount it), living in a city I have gone for the minor damage insurance (the Abarth is covered in small nicks and dents caused by other people) and alloy and tyre insurance as well, tbh they added next to nothing to my monthly payments and gives me pretty much full protection. I’ve also (though not included in the car payments) signed up for their interest free service plan. The way I look at it, other than fuel and cleaning it, the most I should have to pay out in the 3 years I’ll have it, that is not already accounted for monthly, is for 2 tyres (and then I might get away without doing that!).

AndyG_UK > Vicente Esteve
12/10/2016 at 02:38

Yeah I am pretty smittten, especially a 3 door SC in FR Titanium spec like I am getting, it just looks so0o good, and the led front and rear lights look really cool at night!

Plus cos it’s the 1.8tsi it gets the multi link rear end and bigger brakes over the smaller engined ones.

Svend > AndyG_UK
12/10/2016 at 09:59

3 door is best door.

Ye’, the interior is a nice place to be and the surfaces are very tactile, not hard and scratchy.

Ye’, I could pop down to Salford early next year.

I’d probably take two days on her. Do you have any undercover space, garage, etc... where she can cure overnight?

How do you feel about Gyeon Cancoat topped with Gyeon Cure to speed up the curing time?

Vicente Esteve > AndyG_UK
12/10/2016 at 11:23

The LED’s look excellent. I still am hitting myself in the knee for not going for a Leon FR when I bought my Golf. The emotion of the new design from the VW convinced me, but the features of the Leon are much nicer.

Quick question, does the ambient lighting change when you put it into sportier modes? I have been interested in trading up to a Cupra for a while and would like to know if they had this feature because gimmicks like that are what sells me on a car.

AndyG_UK > Svend
12/10/2016 at 16:59

I like the fact the on the Leon it is slightly shorter wheelbase and more coupe like from the A pillars back compared to the 5 door

I have no idea what all that is but it sounds awesome!! I don’t have a garage though unfortunately, I’ve got a drive and could stick a gazebo over it maybe??

AndyG_UK > Vicente Esteve
12/10/2016 at 17:03

Yes it does, led strip in the doors goes from white red when in sport mode, mines got the interior LED lighting pack as well so all lights inside are led, which please me cos I love LED’s, I am a gimmick freak as well, am so glad to be having a daily driver with gadgets again!

Svend > AndyG_UK
12/10/2016 at 21:23

Three door just tend to look nicer than the five door alternative.

The long doors and B pillar further back give it more of a purposed look.

The car washing and detox is about three hours, plus one and a half for the wheels, interior-four hours and then polish bits that need doing and a panel wipe down (time depending on how much polishing is required-I do it by hand), then seal. Gyeon Cancoat takes 24 hours to cure and must not get wet in the first 11 hours, with the application of Gyeon Cure the curing time can be speeded up to 12-14 hours with not being allowed to get wet for the first five hours. Gtechniq C5 for the wheels will give the wheels great protection.

Vicente Esteve > AndyG_UK
12/10/2016 at 22:32

Gimmicks are just the best aren’t they. Does it have auto-fold mirrors? I also have unconditional love for those.

AndyG_UK > Vicente Esteve
12/11/2016 at 05:53

Yes it does but for some unknown reason, unlike in almost every car that has them, it doesn’t unfold them when you unlock the doors from the fob unless you hold the button down on the second press. No idea why SEAT set it that way but a quick search of SEATCupra.net tells me it is an easy fix with VCDS (the new VAGcom) and there are plenty of people around where I live who will happily change it (and other settings) for me, I fancy having my rear lights come on with the DRL’s, so all LED’s all the time!

AndyG_UK > Svend
12/11/2016 at 06:19

It is true and I think the Leon and it’s brothers Golf and A3 are pretty much the last ones of the mid-size European hatch backs to still come in 3 door, which is a shame, even the new Megane is 5 door hatch or estate only, as is the Astra and Focus.

We shall have to speak closer to the time to sort it, would a car cover do it or can it not have anything touching it while curing?

I assume this will make it super shiny? The alloys on it are diamond cut (after me saying I wouldn’t have them again cos the Abarth’s are a pain in the ass!). I am, withthe best will in the world, expecting it to be covered in swirl marks after the dealers “vaeters” have been at it and while I can cope with it durring the winter, come spring it will wind me up now end!!

Svend > AndyG_UK
12/11/2016 at 06:33

Outside is manageable but need to make sure there is no rain, no tree fallout, no train lines nearby that could cause iron fallout to bond into the curing coating. A gazebo with walls would do it but a car cover would be in contact with the car and leave a mark where it touches.

Coatings and sealants don’t make things shiny per say. They essentially protect what has been made shiny making it easier to keep that way and acting as a sacrificial coating to protect the car.

AndyG_UK > Svend
12/11/2016 at 07:30

I live in Manchester so it rains here, a lot, no overhanging trees though or train lines nearby and it is a quiet(ish) road, tends to get used as short cut for people during rush hour but quiet mid day and the weekends. I do have something that would cover the car fine, you can easily fit cars under it but it won’t fit on my drive. One of these (I’ve even got a couple of sides for it) -

Kinja'd!!!

It’s massive, have seen pics of them being used at car rallies as workshops, cars on jacks with their boot open etc, I parked my old Mazda 3 under mine once (while camping) and all doors, bonnet and boot open while still in it with plenty of space around it, it’s 4.5 m x 4.5 m!

I’m still waiting to hear back from the dealers to see if the finance has gone through ok, they could say computer says no!

Svend > AndyG_UK
12/11/2016 at 07:47

That should do the trick.

There is time to find a plan.

Fingers crossed it goes through fella.

AndyG_UK > Svend
12/11/2016 at 08:49

I’ll have to try and see if I can fit it on the drive, some of it would be on the grass but looking at it I could do, maybe, do it!

Vicente Esteve > AndyG_UK
12/11/2016 at 08:52

Try OBDELEVEN, much easier to use than VAGCOM and way cheaper.

AndyG_UK > Vicente Esteve
12/11/2016 at 09:01

I’ll just find someone who has the kit already and knows what they are doing with it, and knows what other things can be set, to do it for me! lol From what I can see as my car only has rear parking sensors you don’t get the parking assist come up on the touch screen but it can be enabled by VCDS so I will getting that turned on for sure as well.

Vicente Esteve > AndyG_UK
12/11/2016 at 09:08

I want my DRLs to turn on when I unlock the car from a distance, do you know if this is possible?

AndyG_UK > Vicente Esteve
12/11/2016 at 10:25

I know you can change which lights come on when locking and unlocking when it’s dark (if you have the auto light sensor) but not sure if you can set it for your DRL’s to come when always unlocking.

AndyG_UK > Svend
12/12/2016 at 09:56

Well it is an officially done deal now, all finance agreed and the dealers have bought the car, they are just trying to put a bit of pressure in SEAT to get it delivered to them this week as they need to put it through the SEAT Approved car inspection and sort anything that could not be up to and scratch before they can let me have it.

Svend > AndyG_UK
12/12/2016 at 10:11

Nice one fella.

It’s a great car.

Just be careful because the engine is large enough to write a few tickets without you realising.