1991 Seat Ibiza GLX 1.2

Summary:

A dream first car, much faster than a Nova, worth taking a look at

Faults:

Speedo stopped working, need a new transducer.

Both wings have started to rust through really bad.

Exhaust cracked where joined to manifold, quite expensive for a new middle section.

Boot won't open for some reason.

Gear box crunches when put in 3rd gear, clutch pedal squeaks.

General Comments:

Very nippy car, nice bottom end. Beat a Ford Sierra Sapphire 1.8GLX.

Nice looking car, a bit boxy, could do with a wider wheel base.

Brakes aren't too good, but still work.

Tracking is easily knocked out.

Interior is a bit tatty, cheap materials used. But for £500 it's an excellent car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th February, 2002

9th Mar 2003, 13:22

There's no way a 1.2 ibiza will beat a 1.8 sierra in a race. 1.8 sierras are actually very quick considering their weight. as far as I know they have nearly double the power of a 1.2 ibiza.

I suspect they guy you "thought" you were racing was actually just driving normally ;)

1991 Seat Ibiza GLX 1.2

Summary:

A quick, nice looking car

Faults:

Speedo not working correctly. It says I'm going slower than I am i.e. doing 50mph on the clock, really doing 70mph.

Thermostatic switch had already gone when I bought it, found out on the first day as my car over heated as the fan didn't come on. Cracked all my water reservoir. Just fit a switch in dash to switch the fan on manually.

Hand brake cable and brakes went, cost a lot to get fixed.

Window glass came out of bracket and hence the glass just drops.

Distributor seal went and oil was leaking out of it into the distributor cap. Got one out of a scrap yard and cost me £30!

Throttle cable snapped.

Clutch went after 1 year of owning. Already had one fitted 3 years ago by the previous owner.

General Comments:

The car is very quick off the mark.

The gears are easy to change.

The engine is a System Porsche and sounds good and has always started. I get a top speed of about 100 MPH (I had to have someone following me as my speedo doesn't work!).

Fully colour coded body kit, i.e spoiler, skirts, wheel arch covers and fully colour coded bumpers.

Smoked back lights.

Mines is also jet black, which comes up new every time I wash and polish it.

Haven't got any alloys on though.

Interior is gray and dull, and the seats are hard and uncomfortable.

The seating position is too high.

Costs a lot for parts, and it's a group 6 insurance for only a 1.2.

This car only cost me £600, and it's been worth it, even though I've had problems, but you get that with old cars.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th November, 2001

29th Oct 2003, 16:36

We add a 1.2 system paorche seat and it was a great little car and we got about 115mph out of it and its quicker than out 1.4 Saxo. but after all our fun we had loads of problems and found out it was a write off shame.

16th Nov 2004, 09:53

Just a bit of info.

The body kit for the Ibiza was factory standard and your best of going to a scrap yard to find one, maybe a 1.5 of the more rare 1.7 sport line. Get the alloys off it to complete the look!

Anyone who's finding that their car is stalling in the cold this season, try pulling the electrical heater connection off and just let the car rev high until the water heats up. It should then run fine.

If the car is crunching gears going into 3rd then it means the syncro mesh has had it and in most Ibiza's it has. Just let the revs drop before you change down to prevent it!

I owned one of these for a while, might buy another if I come across a mint sportline.

5th Nov 2007, 12:50

I have a 1.2 GLX Ibiza. Nice little car, and it's very quick. I've been running it now for two years, but I have had many problems including some of the ones shown above.

My speedo was wrong by only 8mph, but now it's died completely.

I also have the problem with 3rd gear, but as well with others gears sometimes, no matter the revs.

The car is also claimed to do around 41mpg, but I'm lucky to get around 20mpg out of it.

Most importantly is to NOT wheel spin the car; it has a very poorly made engine bracket on it, as I found out when my engine fell out.

Asides from that's she a beauty, very good looking, and generally fun to drive.

Can anyone help me out? Will a 1.5i engine fit into a 1.2 J reg Ibiza???

Cheers!

1991 Seat Ibiza XL 1.2

Summary:

A reliable, interesting car

Faults:

Timing belt failure - my fault, destroyed the valves. Fixed fairly cheaply considering. Apart from that, just a couple of door handles.

General Comments:

A lot of fun to drive. Never gets boring.

Excellent seats, driving position and visibility.

Autochoke was hopeless. Had a manual choke fitted.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th October, 2001

29th Dec 2007, 12:44

These are nice cars, but quite tinny large interior space. They are drivers cars, but I had a 1.2 that lacked power and was difficult to modify; no parts listed for them. The 1.5 engine was the dog danglies.

1991 Seat Ibiza XLS, last of the mk1s 1.2 petrol

Summary:

Best way to buy a Volkswagen

Faults:

Water pump after 90mph for 4 hours, my fault.

Cracked distributor cap, failed to start.

General Comments:

Very reliable if serviced properly and not thrashed.

System Porsche head on VW block is surprisingly nippy. Best over 2000 rpm, loves the motorway.

Galvanised body means only superficial rust.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th June, 2000