Conference terri::cars_uk

    Saw one in Weldale in Reading...looks like they've recently dropped the
    price by 12.5%! Is this VW buying a market we ask?
    
    Looked good from the outside, with side impact bars built into doors
    now, making it a lot safer. Some of the interior looked a bit less well
    finished than I'd have liked, but for the price it looked like a
    Turbo diesel bargain. If the green paper suggestions of 11-14K pounds
    tax bracket is correct, then it could be even better!
    
    Tim

    I test drove one at the newbury 'motor show' in highclere castle last
    year. Very comfortable, good ride, easy handling, good space inside and
    boot was huge. Performance was reasonable.
    
    There was some vibration coming back through the pedals, it wasn't as
    quick and refined as the Citroen/Peugot diesels, but for a similar size
    it is cheaper, and seemed good value.
    
    Richard

    I was put on it's trail by friend and colleague Stephen Delaney, I
    had'nt considered it. Looking at the price, equipment and taking your
    points about future TAX codes , it could be a bargain.
    
    I've been to see one at the Garage at Hook and you could play a game of
    football in the boot. Booked a test drive for early March. I'll place
    the results in here. Thanks for the input
    

    had a 48 hour test drive, organised by southern garages at Hook, who
    were very helpful.
    
    Overall it seems quite a bargain. handling was good, the power steering
    was just right,good braking and excellent economy. I included a cutomer
    visit to Birmingham so was able to try it on a long run. I managed
    approx 40mpg on this run  (very rough estimate).
    
    You get a lot of extras for your money. Electric windows all round,
    electric door mirrors, steel sun roof (mannual) and a boot the size of
    an estate.
    
    My only negative points are :-
    
    1) Seats seem hard to me , though this is me speaking as a CITROEN
    'slumberdown' driver, so maybe I've been coseted. I'm not used to the
    masochistic german school of car comfort.
    
    2) pedal layout is the standard VW, I'm told, which is with the
    throttle some way further down than the clutch and brake.
    
    3) stereo is average, but then the one in my BX is nothing to write
    home about.
    
    Good points in addition to those above are:-
    
    1) Noise. Idling or at speed it's the quietest diesel I've come across.
    
    2) whilst finish is'nt perhaps as good as some, the car feals solid,
    the doors, boot and bonnet shut with a satisfying clunk
    
    3) black is a standard option, the test car was black and looked quite
    smart.
    
    I'll wait untill Tuesday { LAMONT 2 : JUDGEMENT DAY } but am likely to
    go for one. The driver price is low, the economy is excellent , and
    there is a chance it might fall into a lower tax band in the new tax
    system.

    Well I've had my TOLEDO 1.9TD for just over a week (600 miles) and I'm
    very pleased with it.
    
    The car that was delivered was the 93 spec, which has a few extra
    refinements from the car I test drove :-
    
    1) The seats seem MUCH more compfortable, a major concern as I found
    the testers seats to force my shoulder blades into unusual shapes. The
    trim is also new.
    
    2) It now features stearing height adjustment as standard, which is
    nice.
    
    3) Mine came with a Grundig-SEAT rebadged RDS radio , with removable
    front panel for security, though I'm not sure that this was'nt just a
    fluke.
    
    When you add these to all the other features it adds up to quite a
    package (all round electric windows, sun-roof, central locking,
    electric door mirrors, 6 speaker stereo ).
    
    The list price on day of delivery was 11,495 which when you calculate
    the TAX is quite good. 
    
    So far I've not kept much of an eye on fuel consumption, but it looks
    good 40MPG+.
    
    I really like the car , as does my wife who reckons it's pretty much
    like her old Golf 1.9 GL.
    
    the only slight niggle is that the price you pay for the cavernous boot
    is reduced leg romm in the back, but as we are 2adults plus 3 month old
    it's not really a problem.
    
    Also whilst the driver seat has height adjust the passengers does not
    (as standard - available as an extra). My wife is 5'10 and finds her
    head a bit too close to the roof for compfort, so we just open the
    sunroof and she sticks her head through that - so all is well there.
    
    I suppose the irony is that this car makes a good cheap lease car, low
    price, low quote, low costs, yet I doubt many will now have the chance
    as I doubt SEAT got the rumoured single supplier deal.