Ibiza build quality

[Jamesb9811]

I don’t know if anyone else has had any similar issues but my Ibiza has just turned a year old and the build quality is absolutely horrendous. Just about every panel is rattley, I have a squeaky clutch pedal and the brakes are so noisy people walking past always stare to see where the noise is coming from.

It’s an amazing car and I love it but I definitely think the build quality leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[camelspyyder]

Drove a brand new Mk6 which was at best unsafe - I already posted this in "Most Hideous/Embarrassing Courtesy Cars":

This week - one of the worst courtesy cars ever - a 19 plate with 59 miles Seat Ibiza Mk6 with the asthmatic MPI engine and less than 80 bhp.

And also a computer/electric bug that randomly disabled (for periods of 20 minutes or more)

Front Assist
Cruise
Airbags
Headlamp auto height adjust
A/C and fan
Gearchange indicator
Central Locking
Seatbelt warnings
and no doubt loads more!

In addition the ECU was misbehaving on the over-run giving a rocking effect at speed.
It felt like the fuel cut off wasn't actually doing that on lifting off the accelerator.

What a piece of junk.

The electrical/computer system on that car was completely up the creek, the dashboard was lit up light a fruit machine, and it was the dealer demonstrator!

I didn't dare stop and switch it off to try and reset the faults for fear it wouldn't restart.

I didn't fancy the 40 mile trip back to the dealer later on but had to do it, surprise - it did all the same things again.

One of the few times I've been really pleased to get back into my crummy Toledo 1.0, after driving that lemon of an Ibiza.

 

[farrar]

I have a squeaky clutch pedal and the brakes are so noisy people walking past always stare to see where the noise is coming from.

The squeaky clutch pedal is easy to fix, mine did it when new and I just sprayed some 3 in 1 silicone lubricant on it. Hasn't squeaked since, almost 2 years later.

 

[Sonicboom]

My drive: Ibiza 1.5 evo

I have noticed some build quality issues, Bearing in mind this is supposed to be a cheap car? 15 grand with extras not exactly what I would term as cheap. My car is now nearly 2 years old. Still fairly low mileage 8 thou on the clock. However does spend it's life on bumpy, lumpy rough country roads.

My partner and I could not locate an annoying rattle. Only seemed to happen on certain roads, that rough washboard type tarmac with ripples in it. Like it was a certain frequency of the vibration that set it off. I said it was my side. She said it was her side. I swore blind it was my side. She said put your money where your mouth is? It is on my side. Used to drive along both putting our hands on door handles, air vent luvers, glove box flap, etc. Anything in reach To see if the rattle would stop. Never did, even when we both put our hands on many things at once.

I finally found it after many weeks, More by luck and chance. As both our ears could not seem to pinpoint it when driving along with other noise pollution. I was the plastic housing around the rear view mirror. Mystery solved? That is why we both argued who's side it was actually on??? It being slap bang in the middle yet to each of our sides.

Anyway I grabbed and squeezed the mirror housing all over. It has not rattled again since, : ) Touch wood; not even on the roads I described earlier in the post : )

I do have other things to say about the build quality of the car. However this has got a bit long, so I will come back to this subject at later date. : )

 

[Sonicboom]

OK as promised I would come back and highlight some build quality issues. Or more accurate to say build cost cutting. As undoubtedly the car is built to a price.

Wind down windows in the rear. Really? In 2017. When I close the rear doors there seems to show a cheapness. Doors feel light and do not have a reassuring clunk. VW done a marketing campaign on this once. Think it was for the Golf MK5? The trim below the windows on the outside. Seems to be very poorly attached. I am having to push the trim strip back into place. Not sure if the sun dislodges it, due to expansion. It ride up near the filled in triangle at bottom rear of the window.

It is very plasticky inside in the back, They have not included any padding on rear door arm rests which looks cheap. No light in the back of the car. I am always not seeing dark items on the rear seats or fell on the floor at night. No grab handles on the roof line. The headlining seems to be very cheap. Made out of old hospital recycled cotton buds and bandages. Has ben said that the material is susceptible to fraying.

Not much soundproofing in the car, Some plastics are very very easy to scratch. The Perspex in the drivers binnacle The back covers on the door mirrors. Car does not seem to stay warm for long like my old cars. Very cold down by the foot pedals. So not very good insulation. Some people do not like the hard plastics. Some complain about squeaks and rattles. However it does seem to be screwed together quite well. For instance the centre console is solid. Does not move a millimetre. Some cars it wobbles from side to side. Ford Fiesta is one that springs to mind. Wheel arch liners seem well fixed on too.

As for actual build quality. I think the old adage. Time will tell. As none of these cars are actually out of warranty yet. No doubt problems will arise as the miles go on. Maybe others have found issues? Interesting to discuss and compare.

 

[GordonMcC]

same quality issues as the new Audi A1 i drove recently

 

[Jamesb9811]

I would agree that the car is screwed together very well I mean nothing has actually fallen apart or came loose which is good I suppose. I would buy another one because it’s very well equipped and very fun to drive etc. camelspyyder mentioned about his courtesy car having ecu problems which is very serious, I’ve not had anything engine wise or major things it all just seems to be small little things.

same quality issues as the new Audi A1 i drove recently

I think the A1 is a waste of money, for about 10k less you can get just as well equipped Ibiza and it shares pretty much everything with it, granted it’s a bit nicer inside but not drastically enough to warrant the extra premium.

 

[Sonicboom]

same quality issues as the new Audi A1 i drove recently

Thanks for your reply Gordon. Now that is surprising as the Audi A1 is supposed to be towards the top of VW's stable.
I would have thought there would have been a marked quality difference. Probably made me feel better. As even if I had upgraded then I would not have got any better as quality goes.

Down my way a few years ago you could not move for Audi's they where everywhere. It was like the in car to be seen in. Like a BMW before that. The dealer was doing so well he had cars parked next door in the filling station. Always seeing transporters delivering there. Not anymore??? Very short lived.

 

[ayrshiredude]

I think you get what you pay for. It is a pretty low end car compared to rivals, though some of the new models just out, new Renault Clio for example, are uping the game in the quality area. I have been lucky not to have any issues with rattles other than on seriously bad road surfaces and I think that, having had some Fiestas preciously, the car is solidly screwed together. But things like the door closing sounds cheap and nasty, the quality of some of the plastics is pretty low rent and the car doesn't seem to have much in the way of sound insulation. As far as things like manual window winders in the back, so does the fiesta and some other cars so the Ibiza is not alone in this. I had to take mine back to the dealer after I had some faults on the instrument display and required a new unit but not heard this to be a major issue. All cars are going to have the odd one that has a fault so not worried about that too much. I am also plagued by, what I think is, excessive moisture inside the car during cold/wet weather. Its rediculous sometimes with the inside of the glass literally soaking. Not really got much further with that and unsure if there is a leak or thats just the way this car is. Over all though, I prefer this car to the Fiesta Zetec S I had previously. Its not much noisier and the overall build quality in a lot of areas is better. Its has a better spec and drives just as well and is significantly cheaper .

 

[Jamesb9811]

I think you get what you pay for. It is a pretty low end car compared to rivals, though some of the new models just out, new Renault Clio for example, are uping the game in the quality area. I have been lucky not to have any issues with rattles other than on seriously bad road surfaces and I think that, having had some Fiestas preciously, the car is solidly screwed together. But things like the door closing sounds cheap and nasty, the quality of some of the plastics is pretty low rent and the car doesn't seem to have much in the way of sound insulation. As far as things like manual window winders in the back, so does the fiesta and some other cars so the Ibiza is not alone in this. I had to take mine back to the dealer after I had some faults on the instrument display and required a new unit but not heard this to be a major issue. All cars are going to have the odd one that has a fault so not worried about that too much. I am also plagued by, what I think is, excessive moisture inside the car during cold/wet weather. Its rediculous sometimes with the inside of the glass literally soaking. Not really got much further with that and unsure if there is a leak or thats just the way this car is. Over all though, I prefer this car to the Fiesta Zetec S I had previously. Its not much noisier and the overall build quality in a lot of areas is better. Its has a better spec and drives just as well and is significantly cheaper .

I had a fiesta before and I agree the Ibiza is a much better car, I test drove the latest fiesta before getting the Ibiza and the spec is nowhere near as good on the equivalent spec fiesta plus it’s nice to have a car that you don’t see absolutely everywhere haha. Like I said I wouldn’t let the issues I’ve had stop me from buying another one next time around.

 

[Sonicboom]

I think you get what you pay for. It is a pretty low end car compared to rivals, though some of the new models just out, new Renault Clio for example, are uping the game in the quality area. I have been lucky not to have any issues with rattles other than on seriously bad road surfaces and I think that, having had some Fiestas preciously, the car is solidly screwed together. But things like the door closing sounds cheap and nasty, the quality of some of the plastics is pretty low rent and the car doesn't seem to have much in the way of sound insulation. As far as things like manual window winders in the back, so does the fiesta and some other cars so the Ibiza is not alone in this. I had to take mine back to the dealer after I had some faults on the instrument display and required a new unit but not heard this to be a major issue. All cars are going to have the odd one that has a fault so not worried about that too much. I am also plagued by, what I think is, excessive moisture inside the car during cold/wet weather. Its rediculous sometimes with the inside of the glass literally soaking. Not really got much further with that and unsure if there is a leak or thats just the way this car is. Over all though, I prefer this car to the Fiesta Zetec S I had previously. Its not much noisier and the overall build quality in a lot of areas is better. Its has a better spec and drives just as well and is significantly cheaper .

Thanks for the detailed reply. I was going to mention the moisture. However it is not nearly as bad a my past two Ford Pumas. They used to steam up really bad, All the windows. They where well known for this fault. Not sure if the shape was partly responsible? I have not had really cold enough weather where I live to give a fair comparison. However I have got three moisture removing bean bags two on the back parcel shelf and one on the middle of the dash. They do seem to be really helping so far. The real winter will be the test. Usually after New year is when cold weather starts for sure.

 

[Sonicboom]

I had a fiesta before and I agree the Ibiza is a much better car, I test drove the latest fiesta before getting the Ibiza and the spec is nowhere near as good on the equivalent spec fiesta plus it’s nice to have a car that you don’t see absolutely everywhere haha. Like I said I wouldn’t let the issues I’ve had stop me from buying another one next time around.

I have found Fords to be a bit basic. also a bit behind the times. Examples being the old informant systems like in the fiesta ST. Airbags and anti lock brakes. Ford just seems to play catch up. Yet only when they have to pull there socks up and have to catch up with the competition.

They have built some great cars. However rust was there Achilles heel for a long time. Even after everybody else seemed to have left the rot problems a long time ago. Or doing stupid cost cutting things. Like putting carpet wheel arch liners in Puma wheel arches. Or not bothering treating the back of panels like on the rear of the older ford Ka's.

Seat seem quite confident about the corrosion on the Ibiza, Which is good for me being surrounded by sea on three sides. Also having a local authority that puts more salt on the roads than my Mrs does on her chips. That is saying something.

In balance so not slating Ford. I drove a new Ford transit hire van a couple of years ago, I had to say I was really impressed how refined and easy to drive it was. They had done a fantastic job on it. I just could not find fault with it.

 

[ayrshiredude]

I think the New Fiesta is more refined than the Ibiza but its a lot more expensive per model. I looked at the ST-Line and it was working out about £80 p/m more expensive at the time and had less spec.

 

[tak-fr]

3+ months into ownership.

Coming from the MK5 Ibiza FR quality is good in my opinion; that car albeit was used when I bought it had rattles I just had to be acquainted with.

Don’t see the door sound being an issue as described above.

Dislike the rear windows not being electric like it’s almost 2020 for Pete’s sake.

Dislike there is no rear passenger light suppose I’ll have to use my phone torch.. oh well.

Weird one but even with the heaters on I feel a cold draft like feeling from the back of the car at times don’t know if this is just me or the sun roof seal is 100% airtight.

I can’t really complain on much to do with the quality as I haven’t had a vast range of cars to compare it to or even liken it to but I’m enjoying each mile. Standard spec is great and better than its “superiors” & competitors.

I just think SEAT are sometimes 80% to get it right.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GordonMcC]

Thanks for your reply Gordon. Now that is surprising as the Audi A1 is supposed to be towards the top of VW's stable.
I would have thought there would have been a marked quality difference. Probably made me feel better. As even if I had upgraded then I would not have got any better as quality goes.

Down my way a few years ago you could not move for Audi's they where everywhere. It was like the in car to be seen in. Like a BMW before that. The dealer was doing so well he had cars parked next door in the filling station. Always seeing transporters delivering there. Not anymore??? Very short lived.

the upper dash materials were really good, soft rubbery material however the lower dash and doors were horrendously cheap. I dont seem to remember this when I drove the mk1 Audi A1

 

[vc-10]

The doors on my Ibiza seemed nicer than the Polo I test drove. The FR and Xcellence Ibizas get a nice bit of fabric/pleather underneath the door trim strip, whereas the Polos don't, even on the GTI from what I can see. The Polo has a nicer squishy upper dash moulding, but I prefer the Ibiza's leatherette dash insert over the Polo's plastic ones. I don't understand why the Fabia has the nicest of the plastic options- the SE and SEL trims have a really nice looking silver metal effect trim strip across the dash, much better than the 'paint' effect ones the Polo has or the piano black the Ibizas have.