Seat Leon MK3 1.6tdi 105bhp owners?

[lewischadwick7]

any owners on here? just got a bit bored and fancy a newer car for my daily driver and started looking at these as i've currently got a mk2 fr170 and quite like it in all honesty! it's getting on a bit now (148k and 10 years old) and body work could do with some paint in a few places and was thinking of maybe a change but not read into the 1.6 engines really and wondering if anyone has any known issues or expriences with them? what they like to drive in terms of comfiness etc. the free tax is a plus point for them too along with the great economy figures which i'm sure they aren't too far off in real life tbf

TIA for your replies

 

[EddieP]

I really like mine its really good on fuel and is comfy to drive never had any issues with the engine
i can average about 65/70 maybe more on a motorway or long drive

 

[lewischadwick7]

that's good news then! i fear he seats might not be as comfy as the ones i have at the mo, what's it like for pulling away from junctions & overtaking? it's about half power i'm currently running haha

 

[EddieP]

well its about double what i had haha
Maybe not as comfy but it is comfy

its great for overtaking ive found i can easily get to overtake without dropping a gear

pulling away is good as well but maybe a bit slower than you are used to

could always get it a remap if you one for more power

 

[lewischadwick7]

that's good enough then!

the armrest would be very welcome haha!!

i'm sure they map to arond 140-150 ish anyway and that will be reasonable enough tbf!

cheers again for the reply Eddie

 

[EddieP]

i never thought id use a arm rest if i got a car with it in but ive found i use it a lot without realising

no problem

 

[JACUPRA280]

any owners on here? just got a bit bored and fancy a newer car for my daily driver and started looking at these as i've currently got a mk2 fr170 and quite like it in all honesty! it's getting on a bit now (148k and 10 years old) and body work could do with some paint in a few places and was thinking of maybe a change but not read into the 1.6 engines really and wondering if anyone has any known issues or expriences with them? what they like to drive in terms of comfiness etc. the free tax is a plus point for them too along with the great economy figures which i'm sure they aren't too far off in real life tbf

TIA for your replies

Had a 1.6 TDI several times as a loan car for when my Cupra was in.

I found the performance pathetic. Absolutely gutless at any speed it was, and I had around four different 1.6 TDI's so it wasn't because of one particular car.

I would avoid it if you are concerned about speed at all.

 

[lewischadwick7]

i never thought id use a arm rest if i got a car with it in but ive found i use it a lot without realising

no problem

you don't you're right! i'm always leaning on my cup holder in my mk2

Had a 1.6 TDI several times as a loan car for when my Cupra was in.

I found the performance pathetic. Absolutely gutless at any speed it was, and I had around four different 1.6 TDI's so it wasn't because of one particular car.

I would avoid it if you are concerned about speed at all.

i know what you're saying... but if you drive a cupra then i get why tbf i'm not too concerned about speed as it's just for a daily driver and taking the little one about but i don't want it to be that bad it's unbearable and can't even overtake comfortably etc, for when i wanna be daft or have fun i've got a fiesta ST which is one reason why i can take a loss in power for daily driving

 

[JACUPRA280]

you don't you're right! i'm always leaning on my cup holder in my mk2



i know what you're saying... but if you drive a cupra then i get why tbf i'm not too concerned about speed as it's just for a daily driver and taking the little one about but i don't want it to be that bad it's unbearable and can't even overtake comfortably etc, for when i wanna be daft or have fun i've got a fiesta ST which is one reason why i can take a loss in power for daily driving

It's slower than my wife's 1.0 EcoBoost Fiesta with around 120hp.

Fair enough though if you have an ST

 

[Aardvark]

If I can weight in here, my friend has just finished her lease on one. I was often passenger and the car never lacked when pulling up entry ramps to join duel carriageways or motorways and had plenty of pull in the gears. She drove it steady and often got more than 80mpg in fact she averaged close to 70mpg over the lease period.

I would join her in her car to travel to clients straight after getting out of my 184 and I never had an issue with comfort. In some ways I preferred her instrument binnacle trim which was black, in mine is is grey.

 

[Bleon]

They take some getting used too, iv had mine for 2 years and I struggled too warm to it (previously owned mk5 golf gti, civic type r etc) as the gearing is abit odd

I really like it now, very refined and suprsing power considering it's only 105bhp - you have to get used to the way to drive it though to make use of it. Weirdly iv grown to love it where as I got bored very quick with my previous faster cars

Its in no ways fast but free tax and awesome mpg is the bonus - i get average 55-60mpg doing a fair bit of town driving but I saw over 80mpg on a drive the other day - based on the trip

No problems in the 30k iv done in it

Would have the 2.0 tdi any day but if like me you couldn't afford the extra don't discount the 1.6

 

[stu_m]

I also have the 1.6tdi

Can't complain

I can easily do effortless overtakes and never really felt the need for more power! that might be because I get my kicks on two wheels though

2 years and 25k with no issues to report and not bored of it yet

 

[KXL]

I rented an A3 with (i suspect) the same 1.6TDI engine for a week. Audi's have a 6th gear manual, whereas the Leon is 5 gear manual.

Being used to a 2.0 TDI 150 and now 1.0 EcoTSI 110, I didn't find the 1.6 TDI needing more power for city and dual carriageway use. Of course you aren't going to win many traffic light GP with these (had a 0-50mph sprint entering a dual carriageway with an A1 1.6TDI in my Ibiza), though I'm sure you can bully the smaller cars. You also will NOT get the 'airplane taking off' shove in the back feeling that I had with the 2.0 TDI, but for a daily runabout it's fine.

When I rented the A3 1.6TDI in Portugal, highways we were doing 130kmh (~80mph), some country roads, some city driving, and quite a few hills, plus it was 30+ degrees at the time.

The mpg for the entire tank was 54mpg. I'm sure with the lower highway speeds here, unless you drive exclusively in the city, mid 50s shoudl be the minium MPG you will get. Gentler / highway only drivers probably will see 60-65mpg easily.

Oh, compared to a Cupra, everything else Seat will be 'slow.' Even VW GTI/GTDs Unless one has a Nissan GT-R or Tesla, then the Cupra will feel 'slow.'

Maybe one day they will release an FR+ or Cupra D, with VW 2.0 TSI 230 and VW 2.0 TDI BiTurbo 240, then again I can always dream...

 

[lewischadwick7]

thank again guys!

you see the cheap running cost do tempt me to get the 1.6 and also the fact my mrs will be driving soon so need something that she can get insured on too! i could stretch to an FR probably but i don't really need the power or anything fancy for my commute & hauling the bambino about, the only thing i would miss is the comfy seats the FR has to offer haha!

 

[Pops848]

I've got the 1.6 with tech pack, i bought it as I do 500 miles a week so wanted a mile cruncher car.
I see about 62 mpg long term with a 7 speed DSG gearbox.
Engine power is sufficient for daily driving, not really for spirited though
more than comfy enough, I never ache and I sometimes spend 2 hours stuck on the M25, well at least once a week i'd say actually!

What I'd look for is;
LED headlights
Auto wipers
Auto Lights
Seat Sound
DSG if you want to be real lazy or spend any time in traffic.
ACC if you do any sort of long distance driving

The car will need at least once a month a motorway drive of 30 minutes to allow the DPF to regenerate, I've heard of problems where people buy a diesel and do run about mileage and the DPF clogs up. It's a very clever engine and it will shut off exhaust ports to heat the dpf up if not going fast enough but if you continually cut out the engine during this stage you will eventually get a DPF light.

 

[lewischadwick7]

I've got the 1.6 with tech pack, i bought it as I do 500 miles a week so wanted a mile cruncher car.
I see about 62 mpg long term with a 7 speed DSG gearbox.
Engine power is sufficient for daily driving, not really for spirited though
more than comfy enough, I never ache and I sometimes spend 2 hours stuck on the M25, well at least once a week i'd say actually!

What I'd look for is;
LED headlights
Auto wipers
Auto Lights
Seat Sound
DSG if you want to be real lazy or spend any time in traffic.
ACC if you do any sort of long distance driving

The car will need at least once a month a motorway drive of 30 minutes to allow the DPF to regenerate, I've heard of problems where people buy a diesel and do run about mileage and the DPF clogs up. It's a very clever engine and it will shut off exhaust ports to heat the dpf up if not going fast enough but if you continually cut out the engine during this stage you will eventually get a DPF light.

cheers for that pops! i would require one with tech pack (led lights etc) and bluetooth, sat nav & cruise as a minimum and possibly one with convenience pack too if i could!

i'm glad you mentioned the DPF i was guna ask how much trouble they give you, i had to gut mine on my mk2 as it was giving me bother but i do more than enough miles and cover enough on the motorway at times

 

[stu_m]

we very rarely touch a motorway and the DPF is doing just fine! never had a light on and it will regen at lower speeds!

technology has moved on since DPF's first came out and all this about you must take it for a long drive every so often is rubbish!

 

[lewischadwick7]

we very rarely touch a motorway and the DPF is doing just fine! never had a light on and it will regen at lower speeds!

technology has moved on since DPF's first came out and all this about you must take it for a long drive every so often is rubbish!

my mates was like that on his mk5 ibiza! very handy to know though

 

[Luckypants]

With regards to lacking power, 105bhp might not sound much but it makes plenty of torque - which is what you want for overtaking and hill climbing. I've never found the car wanting for power and overtaking is pretty easy. We have a 10% hill to get home, the car breezes up it even with 4 adults and luggage. It even coped with no bother 5-up around the Pyranees, where there are proper long hills and the added problem of altitude.

But it not a sporty drive.

 

[lewischadwick7]

With regards to lacking power, 105bhp might not sound much but it makes plenty of torque - which is what you want for overtaking and hill climbing. I've never found the car wanting for power and overtaking is pretty easy. We have a 10% hill to get home, the car breezes up it even with 4 adults and luggage. It even coped with no bother 5-up around the Pyranees, where there are proper long hills and the added problem of altitude.

But it not a sporty drive.

sounds ideal then! exactly what i need really, i dont need it to be sporty i have another car for that