25% to 33% seems to be the norm (depending on the age).
If it's been well repaired and you want to hang onto it for quite a time then they can be good buys. It may be hard to sell, but if you sell at the same discounted rate you bought it for, then it ought to go.

AFAIK the vehicle will always be on the register as having been a total loss to the insurance company. Last year all you needed was to get an MOT for it. Nowadays I think you have to get it inspected to prove it's identity (to help prevent stolen cars having idnentity swaps with writeoffs.

You're right about the Maxima. Saw one advertised for £3k, yet it would make a perfectly decent limo lasting years.

One of the great ironies is the Toyota Camry. Huge seller in the US, and the V6 is about as smooth as it gets. But a no-hoper over here.

Just heard that the Renault Avantime is also about to get the push after only a year or so on sale over here. Quirkily appealing, but otherwise another French disaster...

I have a diesel Leon - like you, I love it to bits! I have to admit to preferring the way modern diesels drive to petrol, so I don't know if you'll find the different characteristics of a diesel to be better or worse than your experience. Still, I must say that even with just 110 bhp the car is as fast as I need it to be, and more importantly is flexible - I can overtake uphill in fifth, even HGV's, with no worries at all. Plenty of power low down in the rev band.

I also do a similar commuting distance to you on a mix of A roads, B roads and m-way/dual. The car handles brilliantly, and I think the TDi SE has the same brakes and suspension set up as the 180 bhp Cupra (think your Cupra R has uprated brakes).

The torque figure for the 110 bhp TDi SE is 173lb/ft at 1900 revs, which is actually a bit better than the 180 bhp Cupra torque of 173 lb/ft at 1950, but not as good as the Cupra R's 199 lb/ft at 2100 revs. Ultimately, the trade-off will probably be worth it for greater flexibility and less frenzied commuting. Oh, and the engine will sound different!

In terms of economy, I usually get mid-fifties mpg without trying, and that means a usual full cruising speed on motorways and a fair bit of overtaking on As and Bs (obviously I never break the limit ...). During my first year with the car I was at the stage of watching what the mpg was like and tended to get around 650 miles from the 55 litre tank, and have managed a couple of times to get a bit more than 700. Not that I'm recommending you do that - why buy a car you can have fun with then deny yourself the fun? Especially considering that once it's three years old, you can chip the TDi to 147 bhp without worrying about warranties, but still have the economy of a diesel in the meantime. For comparison, the 150 bhp Golf PD has 236lb/ft at 1900 revs, so I'd guess you wouldn't be too far away from that with a chip.

Looking at the LPG option, you're right about the manufacturer's warranty, but I think that approved installers should provide a warranty for any parts affected by the conversion. Best to check with an approved installer, approved being the key word here. If you go into London every day, the saving on the congestion charge would almost pay for the conversion in a year. But I'd guess that LPG won't give you the kind of performance you'd expect from the Cupra, and it might be harder to sell the car later - not a problem with the TDi. LPG is much cheaper per litre, but IMO its relatively low mpg doesn't really give it a huge overall cost per mile saving against a diesel as frugal as the Leon.

Tried using the washers this morning after the condensation - didn't help! The wipers seem to leave a speckled "condensation". I also noticed that the same happens if I use the washers later in the day so I would guess that it is nothing to do with the temperature.

Next try: meths on a cloth or another go with the intensive glass cleaner.

Back in the distant past circa 1970s I recall an item in a Car Mechanics type magazine.
Reader had tried everything in the book to cure a consistent pinking. Eventually took the cylinder head off and discovered one piston with lots of small round dents in it with a sad little ballbearing hiding there too.
You guessed - too much suck and not enough blow did not kill the car but ended the life of said motoring aid. I never did find out the end of the story. Perhaps somewhere over a hedge a future generation will mull over what it is they have found.