Did I do the right thing? Leon FR184

[Sslink]

Hi again,

After much thinking convincing and deliberation I finally went to test drive a 2015 Seat Leon FR184.

Unaccompanied test drive, checked the car as thoroughly as I could. Solid service history and decent condition car from my unprofessional opinion.
Managed to "negotiate" £250 off the list price and get the stone chips filled, car polished and an alloy refurbished.
However, after going away to think and have some lunch I went back to put a deposit down but remembered to enquire about the cambelt and water pump.
On my old golf 2.0 TDI 150 I got a card through from the dealer saying that I was due a change at 5 years or 60k miles.
So assuming the two engines are very similar surely the interval is the same for this engine?


They ummed and ahhed for a while and eventually took the alloy refurb off the table ("as their alloy guy is chocker") and also put the £250 back on so they could do the cambelt and water pump.
The deal I offered was knock the price of the cambelt and water pump change off and you've got a deal.
They replied we can't do that as it's not been through the workshop and might need a new exhaust or new discs or tyres so there simply won't be enough in the margin to do all of that AND the cambelt.
So I left them my details and walked away.

If you've made it this far thank you.

Did I do the right thing or was a being a crank? Be brutal I'm still new to cay buying I believed I was doing the right thing.

Thanks in advance.

[p4cks]

Shy bairns get nowt, as they say around here and I suppose in your scenario only time will tell, although it is a seller's market these days and someone is likely to be along who will be willing to pay what they want for the car. Also, I can't blame them for wanting to make a profit so don't be put off with what they have told you... it all sounds above board

[Rockets7]

A solid service history you say.....

Why hasn’t the belt and pump been done already then? Unless I read it way tooooo fast.

[Sslink]

Rockets7 said:

A solid service history you say.....

Why hasn’t the belt and pump been done already then? Unless I read it way tooooo fast.

Well the regular service items were in the book.
The tech that apparently part exed it works at this particular dealer and said it's 80k or 8 years, which just feels wrong but I'm no professional.

I would like to say though, if you don't have anything of value to add jog on. Thanks

[M.F.D]

I smell the usual salesman nonsense. I would walk away.

The argument about not being able to commit to a deal prior to it going through the workshop is a load of ste, as they offered you a deal before you mentioned the belt service. Don't see the difference there. A new OEM exhaust would cost more than a belt service for them....

Find another car is my advice.

[hiccy18]

You offered them the deal that was right for you, they didn't take it, you walked.... sounds like you did the right thing to me.

[georgeyboy12345]

Timing belt interval for this engine is 133,000 miles and no time limit. Sounds to me like you don’t really want the car anyway. Someone will be along soon who does.

[Sslink]

georgeyboy12345 said:

Timing belt interval for this engine is 133,000 miles and no time limit. Sounds to me like you don’t really want the car anyway. Someone will be along soon who does.

Well there's the thing, I've had at least 2 differing sets of opinions on the interval.
Their tech said 80k or 8 years.
Sources online reckon 5 years with seat themselves apparently offering a 5 year warranty on them.

Are they really good for that many miles? Seems extreme but if that's what the car wizards here say then who am I to question? I may have let a good car go and I'm too stubborn to go back.

[georgeyboy12345]

This is from the manual of my 2016 Audi A3. The 2.0 TDI is the same engine the Leon FR uses.

[Sslink]

Well that's me told. Thanks for the help.

[ZX10R NIN]

Most Indy's say every 8 years to be on the safe side of things, as if it does go beforehand you'll have no recourse.

OP it sounds like they didn't do the deal that suited you so move onto the next car & see if you can get a deal that suits you.

[Drive Blind]

you asked the right questions and you got a response. It's up to you if you made the right choice or not.

On the timing belt, everybody quotes different. You'll see 5 years, 60K, you see 100K+ and no time limit as quoted above. VW, audi, seat and skoda will all quote different for the same engine. I did mine at 5 years.

The thing that does piss me off, is that after a bit of negotiation and you think you might be getting somewhere they pull the 'its not been through the workshop yet' and might need more work done. A VW main dealer pulled this one on me on a 3 year old car. I walked. It wasn't the only reason I walked but it was the icing on the crap service cake.

[Rockets7]

Sslink said:

Well that's me told. Thanks for the help.

There you go, you can pop back in your box I guess.