Faults:

Engine stalls at idle.

Engine cuts out and restarts at steady speed motoring.

Parts shortages kept car off road for 4 weeks.

Dashboard lights flicker.

Various trim items fallen off, especially rubberised coating on door pulls.

Disappointing fuel consumption (31mpg average)

Extremely poor dealer service (3 dealers)

Extremely poor customer service.

General Comments:

This car has had 19 visits to dealers to date to fix an intermittent problem, whereby the engine cuts out at idle, low speeds, and at constant speed.

The car has been to the regional reporting dealer and has been driven by the regional technical manager, both of whom are unable to fix the problem.

Customer services have become adept at fobbing-off - I have been told that there's plenty of cash in the warranty pot so I should just continue to take the car back time and again.

They have offered £500 off the cost of a new Seat if I want to get rid of this one - but theres a small matter of 65% depreciation in two and a half years to factor in...

Generally the car is very capable; the styling is good (except for rear visibility which is v poor), comfortable for me - a 6 foot 17 stone lump.

Dealer service has ranged from unexceptional to downright rude.

Faults:

Shortly after buying the car there I had a problem when I moved off from parking and had to stop at a junction shortly afterward, when I would move off again the car would go really slow, but not cut out and the revs would drop. I ask the garage to check it at each service as it still happens, but they don't know what is causing it.

I have had problems with the radio from day one also. The radio would keep going into safe mode and would have to be shorted for about an hour before I could put the code in. The garage thought it was a loose wire, but never fixed it. I eventually fixed it myself when half the buttons stopped working.

A year ago the car kept cutting out when I would stop at traffic lights or a junction. This was fixed in a scheduled service, but it has started again this time it is cutting out when I slow down instead of stopping.

During a service I was told there was a knocking in the suspension, but they didn't know what the cause was. The car was almost out of warranty and they told me that it would be covered under warranty when ever they found the problem (somehow I don't believe them).

I have had the catalytic converter replaced after 32,000 miles when the car was just 2 years old and SEAT would not give it to me under warranty.

I also have problems with water in the front doors and condensation in the lights, but not to the same extent that others have.

There is a large paint blemish on the boot, but knowing the nightmare of having parts of the car repainted I decided to live with it.

General Comments:

I like the car a lot it is nice to drive and comfortable. If I didn't like it so much I would have sold it long ago.

When the radio was broken I did notice a few squeaks, but they don't bother me too much.

I get the car serviced twice a year and I find that things go wrong with it just before the service is due.

I would be reluctant to buy another SEAT, it is only my second car so I have only my last car to compare it to. I put 60K miles on it in three years with no problems and it was only a 1L.