the size difference isn't a factor.
and i prefer the leon to toledo, other cars aren't relevent, i'm just pure after opinions on this car.
its a long story but i bought a car i wasn't happy with and they have said find something else on any of out 3 dealerships (hyunai, seat and nissan)
so you can see why i'm looking at a leon.
so views on the car?
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Hi Andy. I had a leon cupra, a great car in my opinion.
Make sure all the electric windows work ok. Mine got stuck down (broken winder mechanism) and the AA man told me he had seen several examples of this. I did suffer a rattle in mine from somewhere in the back, but only when the rear seats had been down and then put back upright. The cure was easy though - get some heavy to plonk themselves down firmly on the back seat and job done ! check your local Seat dealer out as well. Some are very good, some are awful.
There was (probably still is) a really good Seat owners web site - cannot remeber the name at the moment, but there was a link from HJ's car-by-car breakdown.
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that's the think i've read the owners reviews etc....
and see a lot of problems, so just after some other owners views.
test driving it again will help with specifics i've heard about.
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I'd consider the Mondeo TDCi personally.
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Adam
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I'd consider the Mondeo TDCi personally.
Saloon model, I presume ;o)
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Goes without saying Dave.
Champagne Gold if you're lukcy enough to find one.
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Adam
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Wow, Ford still do champagne gold!? My 1982 Granada is finished in champagne gold...maybe I'll pop into Fords for a touch up pen!
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I think so Richard yes. Pretty sure that that's what the Mondeo colour is called. I was told my colour is Harvest Gold but it looks identical to my mate's Dad's "Champagne Gold" Mondeo.
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Adam
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I'd consider the Mondeo TDCi personally.
I think a nice corolla would suit him down to the ground ;-)
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A Leon is basically a Golf - similar build quality, probably higher specs and somewhat less to buy new or secondhand.
A Mondeo is an upper medium class model rather than the Escort class of the Leon.
The Leon will almost certainly be worth more than a Mondeo of the same age when you come to part with it.
Remember too that the world and his dog has a Mondeo - you demonstrate a more individual approach buying a Leon.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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PS
According to Parkers, dealer price to buy (10k) would be £8,095 from a franchised outlet, £7,640 for an independent and £6,995 for a private sale in good condition.
Buy and enjoy...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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had the test drive yesterday, and glad I did.
it was a little bit of rattle bucket, dash was the worst, it was only the vent on the top, cos when i pressed it it went, but there was a quieter one in the rear as well.
bearing in mind i wasn't that impressed with the interior ie a bit old and dated, i'm not going ahead with it.
drive was firm but steering really heavy going.
finally performance, for 165 tax and group 9, i would of wanted a bit more
so any bright ideas, i used to own a focus, but wanted a change, got the vectra C :( now need something with handling of a focus really?
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would of thought the only car your going to get that handles like a focus for £7000 is a focus!!
dont know what alfas are like(apart from the odvious) suppose you could look at something like that to get away from boring
fossilized ford
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You've been spolied mate!
I would say as the Focus is pretty much top of it's class for handling you're gonna struggle to beat it within the budget you're talking about.
Just rule out the Astra from your search, 'cos that certainly doesn't drive as well as a Focus...
Other than getting another Focus I haven't got any constructive suggestions, £7K isn't far short of how much you need to get a one year old Zetec model or something like that.
Blue
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Just rule out the Astra from your search, 'cos that certainly doesn't drive as well as a Focus...
Personal choice I think. I have driven both and still prefer the Astra as an all rounder.
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Maybe if you like the overall feel of the car more I suppose.
I was talking about pure handling ability, mainly thinking of it's performance into a slalom at 30mph where it didn't feel as nice as the Focus, and also an emergency lane change at 50mph where it can only be described as dire (think sideways in a bush and you've got an idea what happened!). All carried out on a test track and so the obstacles were identical.
I admit that a better driver may not have actually crashed the Astra during lane change, but the fact is, the Focus, Golf, 1 series and even, to an extent, the C4, all managed to ensure that even a driver of average ability like myself was able to stay on the track.
That's the new Astra I'm talking about, haven't joyridden an old one in the same fashion, and of course it was pitted against new Focus.
Blue
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my immediate thoughts were, focus, mondeo, then stretching to golf and passat?
mot sure on the handling of the passat.
theory is i want it too look modern inside and out and the VW's do.
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I´m with Dynamic Dave on this one, FWIW. And you will get a heck of a lot of Astra G (old shape) for 7k. I´m well happy with mine - 1.8 16v, goes well, cheap, etc etc.
Andy30, why don´t you get one, bank about 3k on the deal, and blow the saving on a holiday...?
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vauxhall out the window after my vectra and dealer problems, no chance.
my thoughts are only what handles close to mondeo or focus?
are a golf and passat(01 onwards) in that catagory?
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focus is supposed to be the best handling car in its class so!!
no
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saying that id still rather have a sloppy golf than a focus.
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The Golf is good, but only the new one comes close to matching the Focus, when I drove it I couldn't notice a significant difference in the tasks that I asked of it to how the Focus did it, however, I don't think the old one has independant rear suspension, so it does tend to be a bit less agile.
Old one was nicely made inside though, it's the only car in it's class that I would consider choosing over Focus, regardless of how agile it is in the corners I don't think anyone could say the old Golf was a bad drive.
Blue
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right, well i don't really want another focus, i got rid for a change.
so its got to be mondeo vrs the others? is that passat in my price range and as good?
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Handling wise no, a bit soggy, otherwise yes, probably better.
I think, also for the money you will get a higher specced Mondeo.
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Passat and Golf IV handle like barges compared to Mondeo and Focus though Golf V much better, Astra petrol engines sweet and free revving, a 1.8 is pretty quick, also quite good to drive.
You might get a new Megane for that sort of money.
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Couple of years ago I test drove a Mondeo and a BMW Compact back to back with a mate. I was amazed by the compact - a leggy one might come into your price range. The Mondy was smoother on the m-way, but the Compact drove better than anything I had ever driven. 320td with the auto box.
I expect a stream of vitriol now regarding the looks of the BMW...
just an idea.
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I´m with Dynamic Dave on this one,
You know it makes sense.
Cheque's in the post, btw. ;o)
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i've been looking about a passat is a possibility.
but maybe i need a comparison, i hate my vectra for bouncy ride and steering etc...
is a passat a better "fun" drive then a vectra c?
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