Close to buying an Altea XL......

[Simonk]

We have been looking around for a new car, we have made a decision to not have Vauxhall cars, as we have had nothing bu appalling customer service from them. To the point of rudeness.

So we need a family car with lots of boot space. We liked the look of the Altea XL. We had a MK1 Leon and liked that so we quite liekd Seat.

We went to have a look at one in the Bristol area but weren't allowed a test drive on a Sunday as the demo car is used on a Sunday. Also the dealer said no discounts off the list price. So we left bitterly dissapointed.

Spoke to second dealer and have arranged a test drive on this Sunday.

I am basically faced with 3 choices.....

1) The demonstartor, 2 months old 4k ont he clock 1.9tdi but with 17" Alloys on it. i have offered £12500, dealer has said "£13,000"

2) Brand new 1.9tdi, on the road inc mettalic for £13,803

3) Demonstartor 2, 2.0tdi, 7K on the clock, 9 months old. £14K

Anyone have any advice ? My gut feel is that as I will be paying cash I can probably get 1 down to 12750 and 3 down 13800, not completly sure but maybe.

The thing is every penny under £13K goes towards a new car for the wife, every peeny over comes off her fund. We have around £13K + Zafira ( 3 years old so around 5K ) + Corsa ( 10 years old, 50k on clock ! ) and need new family car and small runaround for the mrs.

All advice greatfully recieved.

Cheers

Simon

 

[Craig Senior]

I would go for the 2.0 over the 1.9 (Well I did actually)

I have a 1.9 leon at the moment and the 2.0 is alot smoother and more refined.

If you don't get the deal you want from the dealer just walk away and go somewhere else. I did and I'm glad I did, got a better deal and much better service from the second dealer. (Should have gone there first really)

 

[Simonk]

Thing is I would like to stretch to the 2 but can't really. i can afford £13K not a proble, any more depends on insuarnce claim for my Zafira, which Vauxhall are saying accident, insureres are saying wear and tear.....

 

[Tony Lawrence]

Simonk.

My 5 pence worth.

I've got a 140 sport with sports suspension and 17 in wheels. Hard ride, handles very well, l like it. Borrowed a 1.9 tdi XL with standard suspension and standard 16 in wheels. Ride was nice and the car felt nicely balanced. Then drove another XL with standard suspension but with 17 in wheels and it had a harsh edge and just didn't feel right.
So l would suggest go either full sports or stay standard for comfort.

PS. Just ordered a 170 TDI XL with full sports pack and sunroof. So Pedro will be busy.

 

[Simonk]

Thanks, I am test driving it on Sunday but I am edging towards a new one at the moment if the wife can do without the cash towards her car......

 

[bobbycfc]

Simon, if you do a search on here you will see the lengthy "first impressions" i gave about my XL.

In answer to your price deal, in June I was offered a 2.0 tdi stylance demonstrator Jan 07 (56 plate) with 5k miles for £14995. List price for this was about £17300.

I went ot Arnold Clark and they gave me a brand new, exact same down to the colour, but an 07 plate with me as first registered owner for £14998. So you can get deals if you shop around. In fact if it is cash you are paying, I could see what cash deal they would give you if you didn't mind travelling to Glasgow to collect (might be worth your while).

As for the car itself, great car but i came from having 3 Scenics and it does not have the same flexibility as the Scenics, especially with regards to seating combinations and my 2 kids hate the rear seats, despise them. In the Scenic it was 3 high individual rear seats. In the XL it is 60/40 split seat just like you would get in any hatchback car and the seats are low down so they do not get the same view.

Re boot space, a question I have asked myself many times is "Is it worth paying the extra for the boot space?" I will probably use the boot to its fullest once a year on my trip to France, would I be better off hiring a roofbox for that 2 weeks of the year and bought an Altea instead? Who knows, I have the XL now so will stick with it!

If you have any specific questions then feel free to listthem and I (and other XL owners) wil answer them honestly!

 

[Simonk]

Thanks all much appreciated.

My previous cars are :

1.6 Zafira - very flexible, 7 seats etc, but boring to drive, especially on Motorways. 7 seats is a pain, I get relitives turning up expecting me to always be nominated driver ;-)

Before that I had a 1.6 Leon which I loved not the fastest or most powerfull but nice.....

I only got rid of the Leon because I needed more space, hence the Zafira which we noticed was listed in a garage as the model below what it was so had aircon when the gargae had it listed without so we got a good deal.

Basically, I have £13K in cash... I can stretch to 13800 for a new one from a localish dealer, 1.9. I can get that down to 13450 if I can travel up north or have it deliverd but for the sake of £200.

I have emailed and phoned a lot of dealers all the way up north. So 13800 is pretty good.

I really fancied a 2.0tdi but have to face facts that I just can't afford one.

Do we need a big boot ? Well twice a year we head up north, once is christmas when we are packed full of toys and need the space. On a weekly basis I need to transport my golf clubs electric trolly etc, and I am just not sure the basic Altea is big enough, Mrs says it certainly isn't which is a shame becasue there are a few 170bhp Alteas locally under a year within budget, now I imagine they are fun...

How will I find the drive in a 1.9tdi compared to my 1.6 petrol Zafira ? I've got a 1.6tdi C-Max as a hire car tomorro, that will be an interesting comparison.

Cheers all

Simon

 

[DAN M]

I paid £12300 for a pre-reg 1.9XL. Try Westgate SEAT, they seem to do some good deals on pre-reg. Myself I chose the 1.9 rather than a 2.0. I have a friend with a 2.0 Passat, he gets 40mpg best, I get around 45mpg. Also saving a couple of grand appeals to me.

 

[dlm2310]

You're thinking of buying a SEAT and expecting good customer service?

 

[Simonk]

Dan M - Spoke to Westage today, best they can do at the moment is £13400 + delivery. They were selling them a week ago at £11950 ! I might have snapped their hands off.

My only concern with a 1.9 is that it wouldn't be enjoyable to drive, guess I'll wait and see.

When I get my cheque book out I'm sure a few hundred more quid would fall off the price........

 

[bobbycfc]

Simon the car I originally looked at is still up for sale - a 56 2.0tdi stylance but now advertised for £13995 which I am sure could be negotiated down by a couple of hundred if that interests you? It also had the TomTom on it.

 

[Simonk]

dlm - When I had a seat leon, I got excellent service from holders near Bristol. Local vauxhall in downend is very good, the one in Bath were theives simple as, thieving robbing s

Can't be worse than my recent experiances with Vauxhall and a shattered gear box 3 weeks outside of warrenty ! Vauxhall stated it was accident damage, indie garage accident damage, insurance company wear and tear. Back to vauxhall, yup could be wear and tear, we'll cover the 800 quid repairs if you pay us a £3k non returnable deposit. Ehhh why the would I pay you 3k when it costs me 800 to do it ? Customer service at vauxhall :

a) refused to give me their name
b) told me there was no point complaining as no one would listen
c) refused to give me any other points of contact
d) told me there is a £3k non returnable deposit for all warrenty repairs ! now thats a lie open and simple lie.

Indian call centres !

well if I don't laugh I'll cry, Zafira goes when I get it back from Middlesbrough ( I live south of Bath )

I've always liked Seat cars......

 

[Simonk]

bobbycfc cheers I'll check it out

 

[Viking]

Just a note about the difference between the 1.9 and the 2.0ltr.

I sit at home and used to hear the wife pull up outside in our Bora 1.9, and I could always make it to the sink and be washing up when she came in. Now that we have a 2.0ltr Altea, I can't hear the bloody thing pull up even with the back door open. She thinks I'm getting lazy.

Seriously, compare the noise factor between the 2 engines and you'll see there's a big difference.

 

[Craig Senior]

I'm not sure that I'll fully use the extra space in the XL compared to the standard Altea that often.

I went for the XL partly because I prefer the way it looks. I think the height seems to balanced out more with the extra length.

Will be nice to get my bike in the boot though without having to remove headrests & parcel shelf and fold the seats down.

 

[xlray]

Hi Simonk.

Just a few brief comments on the XL. Mine is a 2.0L DSG, so well out of your price range new.

I agree with Craig, The extra length balances out the height and I think this makes it a more stylish.

The 2.0L is much quieter, especially on a cold tickover.

I wanted a car that could take 4 people and luggage in comfort and I think the XL fits the bill very well. Car drives like is on rails, even when loaded.

Its my first SEAT, and experiences have been good so far, apart from LHD tailgate lights which were swapped out by the dealer with no problem.

We specifically would not entertain the the Sport suspension because of the dodgy roads in our area of Kent. The Stylance suspension is a good compromise, slightly firm when unladen but settles nicely with a bit of a load.

I ordered mine in March and got about £1500 off list, and then got the free Tomtom as well.

Try WJ Kings in Sidcup, speak to Ashley. I think one of the sales guys is still using a 2.0L as a demo, (in black) you might be able to get a deal on it.

XLRAY

 

[littleade]

Hi Simonk. have you considered the Altea 1.9TDi Ref sport? they're on offer at 11,995 until the end of this month, but there ain't many left. Granted the 1.9's probably not as good as the 2.0 but I drove the xl stylance yesterday and much preferred the standard altea ref sport-worth a try? And at 2K off list I just couldn't help myself black majic I thank you......

Ade soon to be ex mondeo man

 

[Simonk]

Had a look at the Altea but the boot was just too small.

Got an XL 1.9TDi, engine a little smaller but it was ok and would certainly do for us. Better than the 1.6i Zafira or the 2.2 Hyundi Sante fe