[Closed] Any Seat Leon FR owners here?

going to bump this just the once, before I let it die.

I was sure there was some Leon owners here 😉

Ive have a 170 since new in 2008. Currently got 55K on the clock and still running well. Its fun to drive, fairly spacious and a good work horse for carting bikes and kit around. Mine munches front tyres in about 10-12K so can be pricy on that front and I return about 37-40mpg on average, probably nearer 43 if I did more motorway miles. If you have a DPF watch out for it clogging up. Mine seemed to do it constantly and its expensive to have it cleared. However Ive found that V-Power diesel seems to keep it in good nick and its not been a problem for the past 18months of using it. Overall its comfy, but firm, handles nicely in corners, can be thrashed or driven carefully and still be a good drive. Plenty of torques to wave at poor petrol owners too!

Same engine as fitted to Golfs, Octavias, A3's etc. so there should be loads of people out there with them who can comment on the engine side of things.

Mate of mine used to have the Golf GT TDI thing when it came with the 140bhp 2 litre. I think they later upgraded it to 170bhp. He really liked that car and it seemed a pretty good engine. Only thing with it, was that it drank oil. He used to keep a bottle in the boot and would have to top it up fairly often. He was doing a lot of miles in it though (probably 40k/yr at least).

You should see 50mpg easily out of the 140 diesel.

I've got the smaller Ibiza (based on the Polo/Fabia) with the 1.9 130bhp TDi engine, which is the older, more clattery PD engine. I think the 140 & 170bhp ones are common rail.
From an ownership point of view I love my car. It's been reliable, economical, plenty quick enough & cheap to run. Perhaps not massively helpful given that it's a different model, but the car has definitely exceeded my expectations.

With regards to handling, in my experience Seat set their cars up a bit harder than VW & Skoda to make them feel sporty. They go round corners well, but my Ibiza rides very hard compared to it's Polo/Fabia equivalents and is very crashy over potholes.

Thanks treaclesponge, not thought about the DPF filter, as its going to be used most of the time for short journeys, that is something I will have to ask about, good advice, thanks.

Perhaps not massively helpful given that it's a different model, but the car has definitely exceeded my expectations

Its still good feedback stumpy01, thanks

I'd get a petrol if you're only doing short runs 😀

woody2000 - Member

I'd get a petrol if you're only doing short runs

That might be on the cards now, thinking about the DPF 😉

Older model here - 150bhp TDI Cupra (2004) which has the older PD engine, so perhaps not a direct comparison.

It has just clocked up 100k miles and is still going strong. 50+ mpg on long runs, 40+ on shorter runs/commute.

Problems/issues - not much really. Leaky driver door seal (known issue for that model year), water ingress to a relay causing battery to short (warranty repair), intermittent wiper fault.

Expenses - usual wear and tear, new wheel bearings at 80k miles, new timing belt at 60k, exhaust repairs (still on the original though...), suspension bushes getting clunky (originals),

Great car to drive, frugal if driven carefully but fairly lusty if desired.

DPF and short runs arent a match made in heaven, but I only do 6 miles each way to work and as long as it gets an A road or motorway blast a couple of times that month then its fine. If Im honest the salesman didnt mention it at all at the time which was cheeky and perhaps I would have changed my decision had I known but there are removal options available if its the only thing stopping you.

Think there's just been a nationwide recall on the TDI injectors for one of those engines.

Bloke at work just had all his replaced free of charge by Seat on a 56 plate.

Do some googling.

If its a 56 plate engine chances are its the PD engine so the new facelift edition (2009 onwards) has the CR engine. A quick Google shows up no recalls on any recent models on the AA or the DFT websites.

Ive got a 57plate FR, petrol though and DSG. I couldn't afford the facelift model with the CR engine rather than the PD and was worried about DPF issues hence i bought petrol. Goes well, gearbox is great although I think ultimately manual is more fun. ride is hard! too hard really, they softened it up slightly on the facelift model. insurance is pretty cheap too, 100 quid cheaper than the golf GTi of equivalent age