SEAT's approach to "standard spec"

Brackett

Active Member
May 12, 2019
158
26
Maybe it's just me, but the standard spec in my Cupra ('18 model) seems odd, but maybe that's just Seat's approach?


For example, it has electrically-folding mirrors as standard. It's something I really like, and use every day, but one that I would (and have in the past) been willing to pay for as an option. Likewise rear USB ports for the kids – I would have been happy to pay for those in another car!


But the flipside is that something as basic as gas struts for the bonnet are not included!!! WTF? These have been basic spec on all cars for decades!!


And I was rummaging around like an idiot looking for the bonnet release lever yesterday, and just could not find it. I thought I must be missing something really obvious. I even then reverted to the manual, which said it's in the driver footwell. Is it? No, it's in the passenger footwell!!! Presumably 'cos LHD is their biggest market they can't be bothered to move it to the right for RHD cars. Really? Odd. (even the manual, as I say, says it's in the drivers side – again, a LHD manual?).


Overall just seems odd. Yes, I'm grateful for the additional spec, but just seems strange re some of the things they DON'T provide.


Or is it just me?
 

Oddmanout

Active Member
May 19, 2019
121
48
Its in the passenger footwell for the Golf too. Seems to be a VAG thing.
But my previous mk7 golf had gas bonnet struts as standard, so yes its odd that Seat don't do this.
 

KXL

KXL
Dec 15, 2016
1,581
197
London, UK
My first and second ever cars were Seats, so I thought lifting the bonnet, finding the metal bar, and holding the bonnet open with this bar were norms. Now I have a Volvo V40, I lifted it, looked where this metal bar thing is, couldn't find it...so let go to lower the bonnet, and tada, it stayed in place...my first experience with gas struts...
 

Deleted member 103408

Guest
VAG Group Policy I suspect to make the cars appealing so people buy them but not to the same standard as VW / Audi.
 

cupra300uk

Active Member
May 31, 2018
288
106
Maybe it's just me, but the standard spec in my Cupra ('18 model) seems odd, but maybe that's just Seat's approach?


For example, it has electrically-folding mirrors as standard. It's something I really like, and use every day, but one that I would (and have in the past) been willing to pay for as an option. Likewise rear USB ports for the kids – I would have been happy to pay for those in another car!


But the flipside is that something as basic as gas struts for the bonnet are not included!!! WTF? These have been basic spec on all cars for decades!!


And I was rummaging around like an idiot looking for the bonnet release lever yesterday, and just could not find it. I thought I must be missing something really obvious. I even then reverted to the manual, which said it's in the driver footwell. Is it? No, it's in the passenger footwell!!! Presumably 'cos LHD is their biggest market they can't be bothered to move it to the right for RHD cars. Really? Odd. (even the manual, as I say, says it's in the drivers side – again, a LHD manual?).


Overall just seems odd. Yes, I'm grateful for the additional spec, but just seems strange re some of the things they DON'T provide.


Or is it just me?

My friends MK5 golf 1.6 from 2006 (I think) has the built in gas strut for the bonnet, which always makes me laugh when I have to open mine and prop it up he also likes to make fun out of the fact that his glove box has a lock on it, felt lined door bins and the sunglasses holder in the roof!


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Oddmanout

Active Member
May 19, 2019
121
48
I have to say I was surprised when I noted the glovebox had no lock (surely thats standard on every car now?) and that there wasn't a sunglasses holder (not always there, but as an FR surely I have an upgraded model?)! My previous Golf had both of those and it was an SE.

Saying that, I prefer the Leon over the golf any day so nevermind.
 
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Oldbutswift

Active Member
Mar 23, 2016
285
91
SEATS get a prop rather than gas struts because it's one of the features that enable them to be cheaper than Audi/VW...ditto Skoda.
Surely no big deal,you don't have the bonnet open every time you drive the car.

Anyway I thought gas struts were only for dramatic effect when you pop the bonnet at the McDonalds car park to show your mates the latest tacky dress up bits you've added to your engine...(sorry,only joking)
 

Brimfull

Active Member
Nov 7, 2018
1,385
418
Wrexham
SEATS get a prop rather than gas struts because it's one of the features that enable them to be cheaper than Audi/VW...ditto Skoda.
Surely no big deal,you don't have the bonnet open every time you drive the car.

Anyway I thought gas struts were only for dramatic effect when you pop the bonnet at the McDonalds car park to show your mates the latest tacky dress up bits you've added to your engine...(sorry,only joking)
This

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Oddmanout

Active Member
May 19, 2019
121
48
SEATS get a prop rather than gas struts because it's one of the features that enable them to be cheaper than Audi/VW...ditto Skoda.
Surely no big deal,you don't have the bonnet open every time you drive the car.

Anyway I thought gas struts were only for dramatic effect when you pop the bonnet at the McDonalds car park to show your mates the latest tacky dress up bits you've added to your engine...(sorry,only joking)

Ha I see your point.

But actually they would've come in very handy the other day - opening the bonnet with my 9 month old child in my arms I couldn't prop the bonnet at the same time as holding her. The struts would have stopped me putting her down on the gravel driveway, which would in turn have stopped her from eating stones by the time I turned back around :roflmao:
 

SRGTD

Active Member
May 26, 2014
2,388
1,279
Not all VW’s have a gas strut. The Polo doesn’t, and presumably the up! doesn’t have one either. I suspect this is because these two models are the ‘cheap’ VW models at the bottom of the VW model range.

The Golf doesn’t have a glovebox lock either. My mk4 and mk5 Golfs had a glovebox lock I can’t ever remember locking it. I prefer it not locking - if any opportunist thief broke into my car, I’d rather the glovebox could be easily opened, rather than it being locked and forced open, damaging it and the surrounding dashboard in the process.
 

CovFC87

Active Member
Mar 29, 2019
75
48
Maybe it's just me, but the standard spec in my Cupra ('18 model) seems odd, but maybe that's just Seat's approach?


For example, it has electrically-folding mirrors as standard. It's something I really like, and use every day, but one that I would (and have in the past) been willing to pay for as an option. Likewise rear USB ports for the kids – I would have been happy to pay for those in another car!


But the flipside is that something as basic as gas struts for the bonnet are not included!!! WTF? These have been basic spec on all cars for decades!!


And I was rummaging around like an idiot looking for the bonnet release lever yesterday, and just could not find it. I thought I must be missing something really obvious. I even then reverted to the manual, which said it's in the driver footwell. Is it? No, it's in the passenger footwell!!! Presumably 'cos LHD is their biggest market they can't be bothered to move it to the right for RHD cars. Really? Odd. (even the manual, as I say, says it's in the drivers side – again, a LHD manual?).


Overall just seems odd. Yes, I'm grateful for the additional spec, but just seems strange re some of the things they DON'T provide.


Or is it just me?
To give that some more emphasis, I bought a brand new 2002 Peugeot 106 for £6k, my first car, had no central locking, keep fit windows, I got a CD player thrown in otherwise not as standard, but... It did have gas struts on the bonnet. Go figure

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Legojon

I only wanted a remap
Staff member
Moderator
Jul 7, 2015
5,284
2,713
The other cool thing about bonnet struts, I don't know if the MK3 design is the same. But the MK2 is designed to pour water into the coilpacks when you open the bonnet. So with the stick thing, you stand there like an idiot waiting for at least some of the water to run down the drains first before you open it fully and prop it. But with the bonnet struts, you can partially open it so the water runs down the drains and still have access to oil / coolant that your checking.
 

daniel_ley

Active Member
Mar 3, 2018
97
35
Dudley
I love that the Leon (bar the basic spec) comes standard with LEDs all round, however annoys the hell out of me that it doesn't come with fan windscreen washers, the jet ones are rubbish! I think that's the only bug bear I have with it though!
 

Mr_G_76

Active Member
May 3, 2019
22
13
My previous Audi S4 didnt have fan washers, apparently, at high autobahn speeds, jets are much better at reaching the screen than fans.
Even the locking glove box was part of the 'storage pack' option.
 

Oddmanout

Active Member
May 19, 2019
121
48
It irritates me that the infotainment system buttons and knob are on the wrong side for RHD car.

What’s the issue - Ive had the same setup in previous cars so maybe I just haven’t noticed?


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