Potential Leon FR+170 Owner needing some advice.

[shaunr22]

Hi all,

I had a walk round a local car supermarket yesterday as I'm ready to change my current car which is a Mercedes C220 Auto. The merc has been a great car but I fancy a change.

What caught my eye was a Seat Leon FR+170 in Diamond White on a 61' plate, so late 2011, priced up at £11,600. I've had a look on Autotrader at the same spec cars and the price seems not far off the mark.

The car really does look stunning and I'm sorely tempted to go for it. However, I'm slightly bothered by its quite high mileage, the clock is showing 74000. I had a look at the service book and it has a full seat dealer service history with one owner.

So my question: Would the mileage put you off taking into consideration it has a full dealer service history and only one owner? As I say the car is stunning, I also took it for a test drive and I was impressed.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[locky]

Sounds like it could be an ex rep-mobile.
Higher than average miles for a derv, one owner and regular servicing. Lots of motorway miles probably rather than short trips which is better.
If the price and milage is comparable to others you have seen, and its in good nick then its probably worth consideration. I would definitely go and look at some other examples to compare against tho.

Not that they really compare but my late 10 Cupra with 44k was less money than that, so it seems a bit high priced but I dont know what money the FR+ dervs go for really.

 

[shaunr22]

Thanks for the advice , appreciate it.

 

[shaunr22]

Can anyone tell me if this car comes with the dreaded DPF?

 

[old 'uns]

DPF yes, dreaded?
Not with 75k in three yrs, average of 500 per week, says its not been used as a commuter in stop/start traffic.
Our '10 plate went after 3 yrs with 18k on the clock and never had an issue with re-gens that we noticed whilst driving.
Not sure why people think what they call 'high-milers' are trouble waiting to happen?

 

[shaunr22]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm trying to decide whether this is a car I should go for or not, as in every other way, apart from the mileage, and DPF, the car appeals to me very much!

I'm in a rock and a hard place trying to decide. I've secured the car with a small deposit and the salesman is wanting me to do the deal tommorrow!

Just don't know what to do........!

 

[Speed-FReek]

You don't need to worry about the DPF on the newer CR engine (which the FR+ has). You will find very few people complaining about DPF issues on the CR engine and any you do find will be far a few between and down to something obscure. Nearly all the DPF complaints come from owners with the older PD engines (pre 2009 cars) where the it was a real problem if the car did a lot of short journeys.

 

[will_0407]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm trying to decide whether this is a car I should go for or not, as in every other way, apart from the mileage, and DPF, the car appeals to me very much!

I'm in a rock and a hard place trying to decide. I've secured the car with a small deposit and the salesman is wanting me to do the deal tommorrow!

Just don't know what to do........!

I'm having a similar dilemma. I'm looking at one that's a 12 plate with 72,000. I can't go and see it until Friday anyway so I've got a week to mull it over. Reg date was 01/03/12, so call it 3 years old, that's 24,000 a year which has to be majority motorway miles. Only 1 owner and full seat history also!

 

[shaunr22]

I'm having a similar dilemma. I'm looking at one that's a 12 plate with 72,000. I can't go and see it until Friday anyway so I've got a week to mull it over. Reg date was 01/03/12, so call it 3 years old, that's 24,000 a year which has to be majority motorway miles. Only 1 owner and full seat history also!

Yep, you can mull it over for a week as you say. but until you actually see the car you won't be able to make a definite decision!

When I got my present car, the Mercedes, it was 7 years old with 50,000 genuine miles on the clock (an average of just over 7k a year). People on the Mercedes forums etc. were telling me to steer well clear of it due to its LOW mileage, although it didn't have the DPF.

However, I disregarded the advice, and as a result, I've enjoyed 3 years of trouble-free, very comfortable, motoring with the Merc. It now has 75k on the clock and is 10 years old but still runs as sweet as a nut.

Therfore, would the same people on the Merc forums who were telling me to steer clear of it, would they now tell me to go for the Leon due to its HIGH mileage? Can I compare a Seat with a Mercedes? Hopefully, somebody will tell me!

 

[will_0407]

Yep, you can mull it over for a week as you say. but until you actually see the car you won't be able to make a definite decision!

When I got my present car, the Mercedes, it was 7 years old with 50,000 genuine miles on the clock (an average of just over 7k a year). People on the Mercedes forums etc. were telling me to steer well clear of it due to its LOW mileage, although it didn't have the DPF.

However, I disregarded the advice, and as a result, I've enjoyed 3 years of trouble-free, very comfortable, motoring with the Merc. It now has 75k on the clock and is 10 years old but still runs as sweet as a nut.

Therfore, would the same people on the Merc forums who were telling me to steer clear of it, would they now tell me to go for the Leon due to its HIGH mileage? Can I compare a Seat with a Mercedes? Hopefully, somebody will tell me!

I think there is an element of doubt and luck involved in buying any second hand car- all you can do is tick as many boxes as you can to the point where you've satisfied enough of your personal criteria to allow you to pull the trigger- advice I will be trying to give myself if I go and view the one I've found next week!

The main thing holding me back is if I do 12,000 miles a year, and I plan to keep my next car for at least 3 years, it'll be up to 108,000 (based on current 72,000) which will make it very hard to move on.

 

[Sampd170]

Just as a little bit of side info I purchased my 2011 Leon fr pd170 dsg for the same price as you with only 28000 on the clock only 3 months ago. If you look hard enough there are some beautiful examples to be found however I will admit I had to travel 90 miles to find mine. Best of luck

 

[will_0407]

Just as a little bit of side info I purchased my 2011 Leon fr pd170 dsg for the same price as you with only 28000 on the clock only 3 months ago. If you look hard enough there are some beautiful examples to be found however I will admit I had to travel 90 miles to find mine. Best of luck

Forgive my ignorance but what is a PD170? Seen it mentioned a few times on the forum but not sure what it is or what the difference is?

Also was your an FR+ or the standard FR?

 

[Sampd170]

A pd170 is the 170bhp diesel audi/ VW / Seat/ Skoda engine

 

[will_0407]

A pd170 is the 170bhp diesel audi/ VW / Seat/ Skoda engine

So the same as the ones that Shaun and I are looking at getting?

 

[Sampd170]

Mine was standard fr not the + but it had the 18" alloys upgraded from factory only thing missing is the factory satnav and bluetooth which I will hopefully get upgraded over the summer

 

[kazand]

Just as a little bit of side info I purchased my 2011 Leon fr pd170 dsg for the same price as you with only 28000 on the clock only 3 months ago. If you look hard enough there are some beautiful examples to be found however I will admit I had to travel 90 miles to find mine. Best of luck

If yours is a 2011 it'll be a CR engine not a PD, they are a bit different.

 

[will_0407]

If yours is a 2011 it'll be a CR engine not a PD, they are a bit different.

That's what I thought which is why I got a bit confused. I'm sure I read the PD engines were 2009 or prior.

 

[kazand]

That's what I thought which is why I got a bit confused. I'm sure I read the PD engines were 2009 or prior.

Afaik they are, the CR is meant to have far less issues with the dpf as it was designed for one from the start.

 

[old 'uns]

If yours is a 2011 it'll be a CR engine not a PD, they are a bit different.

Username change on the way m'thinks

 

[Sampd170]

Haha I'm just gonna sulk and go back to the bikes I know and love