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Having recently decided against buying an estate (decided I wasn't far enougth into middle age), I decided a hatch would probably fit my needs. Recently I noticed a Seat Leon 1.9TDi Cupra. Car looked great and has decent performance. I also like the look of the new A3 5dr 'Sportcross' (cue marketing stradtegy). During a nose througth Whatcar, I had a look at the estimated servicing costs. Over three years the Audi is likely to cost £750. The Seat is estimated at a staggering £1130. Nearly £400 a year to service a diesel Seat? How correct is this figure and why is it so high.
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I suspect the Audi has VSI (variable service intervals) whereas the SEAT has fixed XX,000 miles intervals. I know some A2 diesels have intervals up to 20,000miles in the right conditions.
I doubt that an Audi dealer will have cheaper labour rates than SEAT......
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Sorry, should be 'sportback' (the marketing campaign failed) and I must learn to spell 'strategy'.
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The Seat should have the same computer choice of fixed or variable service intervals - the reason is more likely to be that diesels should have the oil changed more regularly.
I've a petrol engined Bora. It's a lot cheaper for an oil and filter change at National with the vouchers published regularly in the national press - I always use them for oil changes.
Up to last month the semi-synthetic oil and filter charge was £15 but it's gone up to £20 now. However, the previous month's £15 vouchers are still eligible till the end of this month.
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What are they basing this information on? £750 for the A3 seems very steep and does not agree with my experience of Audi ownership. With variable servicing and an average mileage of 12,000 per year the A3 will require just one variable service at two years old and a brake fluid change - total cost about £300-350. No other servicing would be required within the three years stated.
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I'm a bit puzzled by Whatcar's servicing costs too, they seem well above 3 "annual" services and I don't know if they are supposed to include tyres, exhaust etc that they think may need replacing within 3 years. Perhaps they are the figures used by leasing companies as "worst case" when determining their monthly charge rates?
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Just had a call from my local Seat Dealer replying to my e-mail requesting some written details on the Leon. He firstly stated that the intervals are fixed 20000m or 12 months and that the What car figures "seem quite high".
I then asked him when the new shape Leon is arriving (apparently its next year). Reply, "Seat don't tell us anything. I believe it's late 2007 at the earliest". Doesn't really inspire confidence does it.
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In my experience some Seat dealers are competent, friendly and helpful and others are completely useless, with nothing in between. Try another dealer.
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