Faults:

The boot lid lock will only open with the key and when the doors are locked.

The driver's door and the near side rear door both rattle and squeak.

The brakes sometimes give the impression that they don't want to work, but pumping the pedal twice usually solves this. (The fluid level was fine.)

Drivers door leaks water and leaves you with a wet right arm and sometimes trousers! As does the off side rear door which after a night of rain left the rear floor pan flooded.

This car has a dodgy light switch. Going over a bump will cause the lights to flicker on and off.

The electric windows on the passenger side both had to have new motors which was quite expensive to do, even when my local mechanic did the job.

Electrical fault causing radio to crackle.

The central locking sometimes unlocks itself, even when all the doors are closed properly. I once returned after leaving it in a public car park and got straight in!

General Comments:

I liked the styling of it and wanted a big car. However I thought being a relative of a VW it would have been of a slightly better quality inside and out.

The VW engine is excellent. Fast, fun and ferocious!!

The big boot has it's advantages. I have helped at least two people move house. But there is no rear windscreen wiper which can be a little tiresome when trying to park in the rain.

Generally, it is not a bad car.

Faults:

Nothing as yet - touch wood.

Although the rubber lining around the outside of the windows needs replacing - if you look beneath the paintwork is flaking.

General Comments:

According to reviews the Golf GTI MK2 16 valve is the best incarnation of the GTI range due to its fantastic free revving engine.

I had a boring 1.3 Golf before and was looking to replace it with a GTI.

My problem was finances. My wife wanted me to go for the newest car I could afford, but this would have meant a Skoda Felicia and hence no performance - which was the one thing already missing!

I started to look for a GTI. However after viewing lots of cars and ringing about more I discovered :

You can't get a ten year old GTI with less than 80,000 miles for less than £2000.

Most of the ones I looked at were fine, but had done mass mileages ie 120,000-160,000 miles and that's too much for me.

So I started looking at Seat.

VW took over Seat back in 1992 and since then Seat cars have been really good.

A friend told me about the Toledo range and I was surprised to see 2 GTI models available. One was a 2 litre 8 valve and the other a 1.8 litre 16 valve unit as used in the MK2 GTI.

I went to see a few - they are few and far between and decided I liked the 1.8 GTI 16v model a lot - it looks pretty mean as it has side, front and rear spoilers as standard.

I found a low mileage example in Wales and bought it.

Since then, I am more and more impressed with the car. It is basically a 16v VW Jetta, but has the added convenience of a hatchback (a huge boot!!! to get our 2 labradors in).

Performance is excellent. The engine screams up to 60 and pulls with lots of torque.

It is fully loaded with electric windows, mirrors, sunroof, ABS, alloys, stereo and much more.

For less than £2000, I got an L reg (1993) car with 60000 miles and FSH.

For the same money I was looking at a E Reg Golf.

If anyone needs further information, please contact me.

Phil@rosebarn.co.uk

I would definitely buy another Seat.

I fancy in a few years a Ibiza Cupra Sport or the Leon 20v Turbo.

Faults:

On delivery, erratic performance was eventually traced to a faulty connection with the catalytic converter.

Interior heater controls changed twice.

Rusty bits appeared around the windows but were very well repaired with no quibbles inside their anti corrosion warranty.

General Comments:

Considering that the car has done over 115,000 miles, it has been remarkably reliable and fun to drive.

Faults:

Exhaust.

General Comments:

Excellent car. I would recommend a SEAT to anyone. I've had the car 2 1/2 years and I'm very happy with it. The engine is out of an older Golf GTi so it can be a bit quick, it has loads of toys inside (4 electric windows, power steering, decent hi-fi, etc) and looks smart (front fog lights, alloys, skirts all round).

Faults:

Rear Windscreen heater ceased working, otherwise just normal wear and tear.

General Comments:

A little sluggish when around town and first starting, but otherwise a wonderful workhorse. Very economical and a superb motorway cruiser.