At a loss with my poor Leon...

FlatCap

Active Member
Aug 6, 2008
52
2
Bolton, Lancs
Despite having been a member on here since i bought my 2007 Leon FR mk2 as an ex-demo car in early 2008 i have been more of a lurker than an active participant on the forums for many years. But now I've hit what feels like a terminal situation with my Pride and Joy it feels like only other owners could understand this dilemma..... The missus certainly doesnt!

I noticed some slight bubbling of the paint around the rear passenger wheel arch back in May 2018. After removing the back wheels and liners it rapidly became apparent that i had a manufacturing fault on my hands. The adhesive seam on that side of the car that covers the lip of the car's outer skin/shell where it rolls under the wheel arch was not covering the raw metal edge properly or sufficiently. Over the 11 years of the car's life, water/moisture had gradually pushed in and the dreaded tin worm had taken hold along the line of a section of the wheelarch.

I embarked on 14 month mission with my local dealer, then SEAT UK and then assorted other dealers trying to get a repair under bodywork warranty. Eventually after much argument and patience a report came back that admitted - yes, the car hadn't been built correctly in the first place. This prompted a series of further various assessments by SEAT (and rejections/appeals) that ultimately resulted in a response that essentially said - Yep the car had a fault. Yep this was wrong from build. Nope, it wasnt damage of the type honoured under my (now expired) bodywork warranty, and the cost of replacing the rear quarter of the car and doing the fix (necessary in order to guarantee the repairs) was literally the book value of the car - so it wasnt economically viable. SEAT would therefore give me the cost of the repair (approx £2500) as discount off a new car - only and final offer.

I went back and forth a little longer and then looked into getting the repair done myself, couldnt get it below £1800 at any bodyshop of good repute. My case is now with the Motoring Ombudsman but they promise a response within 8 weeks if they're taking your case and i'm 14 weeks in with no response or replies to emails so it isnt looking good. Disappointing from SEAT but not entirely unexpected as they dont want ot be messing about fixing a 12 year old motor i suppose.

But I dont want a new car! My motor is mint, low mileage (just under 60k), has been over-serviced and worked on by myself, SEAT dealer and - in it's later years - a local VAG Independent. Every bit of the bodywork and paint is untouched, i've loved every minute of my ownership, and the thing has never let me down - ever.

I'm at a bit of a loss of what to do really. The rust is creeping round the arch now and needs action. A patch up/bodge job doesnt feel like i'm doing the car justice, but then 2 grand-ish on a 12 yr old motor seems over the top what with other life expenses at the moment, 4 kids etc. It literally feels.... disrespectful (??) to let it rot away - i was toying with spending a few quid on refurbing the alloys into black and maybe finally getting the leather interior done as i know a guy now.... But once the rot started it felt like i'd be chucking good money after bad.

Sorry for the essay, just wanted a rant/emotional outpouring! And other owners tend to be the only folks that get something like this.
 

R3k1355

Active Member
Oct 30, 2014
1,778
247
Yorkshire
Sorry to say but it's an old, cheap car now.
Hammer the **** out of it, it's on borrowed time and you know it so get your moneys worth out of it.

If the Ombudsman can't help then maybe just punt it on, you could get 2 grand or so as it sits, take the money and run.
 
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FlatCap

Active Member
Aug 6, 2008
52
2
Bolton, Lancs
Just seems really poor to let it go to ruin when it’s literally an otherwise mint example. Am so annoyed with SEAT’s line on this :censored:
 

Rob66

Full Member
Apr 25, 2004
1,620
93
UK
I feel for Flatcap really do.

Like you I have had my car since 2008 (from new), its never let me down and has only been touched by SEAT Dealers. I am probably a bit OCD with my cars and apart from a few stone chips on the bonnet, it is literally as new with less than 50k. I have been toying with changing it recently but only looking at around £3k now to p/x. I think if it were not in quite such good condition and it didn't drive so well it would be easier to let it go, but after I have washed and polished / waxed it it just looks so good, our cars have aged so much better than a Golf of the same age. It still drives like new too.

I had a new Cambelt, water pump front discs and pads last month that was close to £800 so I am even less inclined to sell it now - but with your issue i'm not sure what I would do. Its never going to be a classic car so you cant really justify the cost that way. I 'think' unless it had real sentimental value I would probably say its time to say goodbye, sadly.
 
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R3k1355

Active Member
Oct 30, 2014
1,778
247
Yorkshire
It'll never be worth more than it is right now.

So you're either committing to keeping it until it's dead, accepting that if you try and sell it with a rust hole you won't get much at all for it or sell it now and try to get as much as possible.
 

SpiderWelsh

Active Member
Jul 3, 2018
98
21
For my 2 pence worth, I really feel for you and wish I could stick to a car and look after it the way you have.

Personally, I believe that the market value would only be relevant if you were happy to sell it now anyway.

If you would otherwise be keeping the car untill death then I'd probably get the work done and bite the bullet of the £1,800, which is still less than the £20+k you'd have to spend on a new car.
 
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FlatCap

Active Member
Aug 6, 2008
52
2
Bolton, Lancs
For now i've decided to treat the rust from the rear and reseal the arch - just to try and slow it down a little / buy me 12 months.
We've just bought a new house and the family wagon will need replacing before mine as that beast is literally dropping to bits now! :thumbd:
Once i'm a year or so down the line and we're in the swing of paying the new mortgage etc i'll just see how bad it's got and make a decision on repair, get rid - or just drive it to death.
It's up for Major Service and new cambelt mid 2020 so depending on anything else going wrong - that might be crunch time anyway due to the outlay when Big Red is on borrowed time already :cry:
 

FlatCap

Active Member
Aug 6, 2008
52
2
Bolton, Lancs
Tis a sad sad day.....

IMG-1767.jpg


IMG-E1912.jpg
 

SpiderWelsh

Active Member
Jul 3, 2018
98
21
Tis a sad sad day.....

IMG-1767.jpg


IMG-E1912.jpg
Looks just like mine. I think they're the best wheels.

Really feel for ya mate, fingers, toes and other appendages crossed for the issues to just go away.

On the bright side, if both cars go, get a Cuppa Ateca to cover both fun and the dad wagon.
 

saveoursouls

Active Member
Jul 4, 2018
415
234
36
Manchester
What did the ombudsman end up saying?

I've had some rust on the sills on mine, nothing in comparison to yourself but when I weighed up the work I'd done on her it made sense to get it done.

I think I'd pay almost anything up to the value of replacing the car as I know that mechanically she's sound and looked after. I plan to drive her into the floor, that could be two years that could be 10.

Sent from my JSN-L21 using Tapatalk
 
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