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End Lease Deal Early
- Thread starter Wattser
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For what it's worth, I had my car in at the dealer recently where they applied some updates, and since then I have not had a single issue with the car at all - not a hiccup - and now am just enjoying it without a care in the world.
Perhaps try to push for the same?
Perhaps try to push for the same?
@Maypack - the PCP I referred to and paid off early was with VWFS (although SEAT headed paperwork); no issues with contacting them, getting settlement figure, making payment etc. Of course, I don't know what agreement you have but if a straight lease rather than PCP it will be different.
@EuKiwi - perhaps in Germany you are luckier?? Do you have any details of the updates they applied? May be useful information for others here
@Firaxis - I didn't want to imply that your concerns are not valid (even if my experience/view of other makes is different). We all have different expectations and experiences and it is good to share them and it is useful to know that you are not alone if having issues. My point (prompted by concerns from others about the cars they are purchasing) was that these forums tend to reflect negative views and concentrate on issues; it is rarer for a generally content owner to join a forum and praise a car and so it is difficult to get a balanced view on how good or bad a car is (until wider surveys such as jd power/which? are conducted I guess).
@EuKiwi - perhaps in Germany you are luckier?? Do you have any details of the updates they applied? May be useful information for others here
@Firaxis - I didn't want to imply that your concerns are not valid (even if my experience/view of other makes is different). We all have different expectations and experiences and it is good to share them and it is useful to know that you are not alone if having issues. My point (prompted by concerns from others about the cars they are purchasing) was that these forums tend to reflect negative views and concentrate on issues; it is rarer for a generally content owner to join a forum and praise a car and so it is difficult to get a balanced view on how good or bad a car is (until wider surveys such as jd power/which? are conducted I guess).
Did you booked it by looking on the brochure? As you sound so frustrated mixing everything up I have a feeling the poor Cupra has done nothing wrong...
I don't agree with the gutless, pound shop interior or road noise/comfort comments at all.
It's true that in comfort mode, it's artificially made to be quite docile, but if you just set up your individual profile right, it's not gutless at all.
The interior also in my opinion isn't cheap - sure, there are some scratchy plastics a la VW-Group cars here and there, but in general I think everything feels fairly nice for the class. FAR better than the T-Roc, that's for sure.
In terms of road noise, I find it is actually pretty good for what it is. Comfort-wise, the seats are amazing and driving it long distances you step out without any backache or stiffness.
I know people have had some problems with the car, and I'm not minimising them, but I think some of your observations are way off - just my opinion of course, and we're all entitled to our own
Deleted member 131219
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I'm with you on this @EuKiwi . I've come to the Formentor VZ2 from a 2015 Audi S4, so am well-placed to comment on interior quality, road noise and whether it is gutless or not. First of all, yes the interior quality is a step down from the S4, of course it is, but the gap is not as wide as I was expecting. I have also observed the same reduced quality of materials (but please note, NOT assembly standards or fit) in latest-generation Audi A3 and VW Golf variants. VAG is trying to save money to pay the dieselgate fine. On noise levels generally, but road noise in particular, I've not noticed any siginficant increase between the S4 and the VZ2. Sound quality is another matter, naturally; a good in-line four can never sound as sweet as a V6, especially one as glorious as the supercharged 3-litre in the S4. But I expected that, and as for the fake noises generated by the Soundaktor, I've no interest in them. Seat comfort is close to that of the S4 (in which I had the all-leather "supersport" seats) but I'm not sure they'll match the Audi for long-term durability. Finally, performance: a turbo-charged in-line four will never match a supercharged V6 for power delivery; it's just not possible. But in day-to-day use, I'm not finding the VZ2 to be significantly slower than the S4, just a little less satisfying is all.I don't agree with the gutless, pound shop interior or road noise/comfort comments at all.
It's true that in comfort mode, it's artificially made to be quite docile, but if you just set up your individual profile right, it's not gutless at all.
The interior also in my opinion isn't cheap - sure, there are some scratchy plastics a la VW-Group cars here and there, but in general I think everything feels fairly nice for the class. FAR better than the T-Roc, that's for sure.
In terms of road noise, I find it is actually pretty good for what it is. Comfort-wise, the seats are amazing and driving it long distances you step out without any backache or stiffness.
I know people have had some problems with the car, and I'm not minimising them, but I think some of your observations are way off - just my opinion of course, and we're all entitled to our own
.
I don't agree with the gutless, pound shop interior or road noise/comfort comments at all.
It's true that in comfort mode, it's artificially made to be quite docile, but if you just set up your individual profile right, it's not gutless at all.
The interior also in my opinion isn't cheap - sure, there are some scratchy plastics a la VW-Group cars here and there, but in general I think everything feels fairly nice for the class. FAR better than the T-Roc, that's for sure.
In terms of road noise, I find it is actually pretty good for what it is. Comfort-wise, the seats are amazing and driving it long distances you step out without any backache or stiffness.
I know people have had some problems with the car, and I'm not minimising them, but I think some of your observations are way off - just my opinion of course, and we're all entitled to our own
Sorry but you obviously didn't read my post correctly, I'm not being a derriere here but I will drive the point home so we're on the same page. "Compared to a Kia Stinger", once again for clarity "Compared to a Kia Stinger" It feels cheap and gutless. Just to re-iterate they cost about the same (or did do recently).. Also don't assume one doesn't know how to setup a drive profile, I don't think I've ever used Comfort mode and always select sport transmission.
That being said I don't really care that it has the equivalent of a Vauxhall Astra interior or that it isn't as nuts as the Stinger, it as after all pretty fun slightly raw car and I dig that. It's just everything else, they cheaped out, half finished the car, gave the UK spec less and didn't R&D it properly, then they asked 335D Xdrive / Kia Stinger money for it. Am I being harsh on it because mine is a bit of a lemon with 30+ issues logged? Probably but it doesn't excuse anything especially when IMO the Seat Leon Cupra MK3 was a better car and far cheaper.
If the Cupra would have been about 8-10K cheaper then fine but at its current price / performance level including the issues I've had it's not worth it. I'd rather save up a bit and go for the M340i personally, yes I think the M340i is overpriced as well but I can't fault it either.
P.S I do agree with the seats though, they are pretty nice.
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Deleted member 131219
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The other point I’d make is about a comment earlier about the Formentor being expensive. I can’t recall who said it but it did leave me wondering what you were comparing it with. In the case of the VZ2, the only real competitors are the VW T-Roc R, Audi SQ2, BMW X2 M35i and Jaguar E-Pace P300. With the possible exception of the VW, everyone of those is substantially more expensive than a Formentor VZ2 once the necessary options have been priced in to match the Formentor’s standard spec. The Formentor is around £41,000: an SQ2 Vorschprung (the only version on which adaptive damping is available) around £47,000, the BMW closer to £50,000 and a similarly equipped Jaguar would be about £54,000.
I know we all have different viewpoints, but there is a big difference between a well informed and reasoned opinion and gratuitous abuse of a good car that has some weak points.
I know we all have different viewpoints, but there is a big difference between a well informed and reasoned opinion and gratuitous abuse of a good car that has some weak points.
I read it correctly, and I don't think it's gutless compared to a Stinger. From your response I'm getting the impression you don't like someone disagreeing with you very much.Sorry but you obviously didn't read my post correctly, I'm not being a derriere here but I will drive the point home so we're on the same page. "Compared to a Kia Stinger", once again for clarity "Compared to a Kia Stinger" It feels cheap and gutless. Just to re-iterate they cost about the same (or did do recently).. Also don't assume one doesn't know how to setup a drive profile, I don't think I've ever used Comfort mode and always select sport transmission hence my 23MPG average.
Comparing it to a T-Roc doesn't make sense either, of course the far more expensive car will be better. An AMG is better than a Fiesta? No, you don't say
That being said I don't really care that it has the equivalent of a Vauxhall Astra interior or that it isn't as nuts as the Stinger, it as after all pretty fun slightly raw car and I dig that. It's just everything else, they cheaped out, half finished the car, gave the UK spec less and didn't R&D it properly, then they asked 335D Xdrive / Kia Stinger money for it. Am I being harsh on it because mine is a bit of a lemon with 30+ issues logged? Probably but it doesn't excuse anything especially when IMO the Seat Leon Cupra MK3 was a better car and far cheaper.
If the Cupra would have been about 10K cheaper then fine but at its current price / performance level including the issues I've had it's not worth it. I'd rather save up a bit and go for the M340i personally, yes I think the M340i is overpriced as well but I can't fault it either.
As I very clearly wrote, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I was giving mine.
Plus, the T-Roc R at a similar spec is MORE expensive than the Formentor, hence why I used it as an example, especially given it's also from the VW stable.
I'm sorry you have had such a bad experience with your car, but getting all snarky with someone else just because they don't agree with you is not a good look.
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Fully agree... and that's why I brought up the T-Roc as a comparison, and then he mocked me for it as if I had compared the Formentor against a far cheaper car...
I do find that odd but I mean fair enough, it doesn't matter if someone disagree's because the car's going. I shared my opinion that's all..
"Fully agree... and that's why I brought up the T-Roc as a comparison, and then he mocked me for it as if I had compared the Formentor against a far cheaper car..."
Whoa, whoa, whoa.. There's no snarkyness here, or any detriment meant or uttered. We all know text can be taken the wrong way, of course I'm annoyed at mine but again it's going and if people are happy with theirs awesome. In these crazy days of waiting six+ months for a replacement the only one that'll suffer here is me.
I just looked at the general prices of the T-roc, they appeared to be a lot cheaper. My mistake..
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Assuming the Kia Stinger you're referring to is the GTS, then yes I imagine a Formentor, even in VZ2 trim, would feel slower in comparison. That's because the Stinger has a twin-turbo V6 3.3 litre engine delivering about 20% more power and torque. Even allowing for the extra weight of the Kia, that's going to make a
difference. But I don't see the point of the comparison anyway. They might be similarly-priced but they're entirely different cars built to do different jobs; both offer highish performance but one is a 4WD compact SUV, the other a RWD large hatchback. The Kia might be an alternative way of spending £40,000+, but it's not a comparator for the Formentor. You might as well say a one-bedroomed flat in London is cramped compared with a similarly-priced five-bedroomed detached house in Durham.
Yeah, I am taking about the 3.3 V6 twin turbo 361HP / 510NM version, that's the only one they sell in the UK now. The point? Well I cross shopped the Kia Stinger, Formentor, Cupra Leon and Ateca. I liked them all for different reasons and I've seen many people buy an SUV even if they don't need one but price can be the determining factor hence the comparison. There's no real real reason to pigeon hole when selecting a car..
Then again some go off road, some need a seven seater etc. etc. and then the cars serve a specific purpose, anyway IMO there's no right or wrong way to go about it. I know the Formentor is a different car to the Cupra Leon 300 I bought but they share quite a few bits and the Leon isn't that much smaller.
This comment did make me chuckle though because I own both: "I know we all have different viewpoints, but there is a big difference between a well informed and reasoned opinion and gratuitous abuse of a good car that has some weak points." Well technically speaking my other half owns the Stinger but I have access to it and drive them all the time hence a very informed and reasoned opinion on both.
As @AndrewRL stated we do mainly come to forums to complain and I've only really focussed on the negatives of the Cupra so far, the Stinger can't handle like the Cupra it's just too heavy and the chassis / response on the Cupra is far sweeter. Also the Kia really does lack theatre and despite it being RWD it's not as chuckable or fun, the Stinger is more like a muscle / GT car spewing 510NM torque from 1350RPM.. On a side note I test drove an M135i as well and whilst the fit / finish / interior was nicer I preferred the Cupra TBH. I like fun hot hatches..
Now things have calmed down a bit let me explain a few things, the Mk3 seat Leon Cupra I tried had more than enough power. Not as crazy as the stinger but impressive, unfortunately my MK4 doesn't behave like that (in manual, w/ sport trans or Cupra mode whatever). It has moments where you can sense there's a hooligan waiting in the background and on occasion it has a bit of pull from the get go but most of the time it seems hesitant, sluggish and reluctant. I posed the question to Cupra, does it have a break in limiter? But I didn't get a response. Now in a few thousand miles it might get lively but because of the paintwork, systems causing weird issues etc. I'll probably never know and it might just be an issue with my car.
In terms of interior quality there's an obvious difference, the dash / cubby hole on the Cupra is cheap plastic where the Kia is wrapped in leather and whilst the seats are nice I do sort of prefer the Kia (maybe)? The road noise could mostly be cured with some better tyre's, the low profile Hankook's on mine are noisy on UK roads dependant on the road. Because it's a lease though I'm not tempted to fork out for it..
In terms of comfort for the most part the Kia will soak up anything, the Cupra can crash through the cabin on certain bumps but on your average trip the Kia does feel over-sprung compared to the Cupra and bounces a bit. On the right road however the Cupra is fine whereas my old M140i was pretty rough on any road..
Also with a light foot you'd be lucky to get 20MPG out of the Stinger and the service intervals are every six months, a few more negatives for there. The most infuriating thing though is once in a blue moon my MK4 Cupra will behave and everything I've whined about doesn't seem to matter.
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The Kia is trying to compete in a £45k+ big saloon market and Kia has some brand aspirations to move upmarket whereas the Cupra is in a hot hatch/crossover space so a completely different sector so not sure I agree you can compare the 2.
You can buy a van for £40k but that doesn't mean it's comparable.
To be in a position where all these failings of the car become apparent after you have bought it suggests a massive lack of research!
You can buy a van for £40k but that doesn't mean it's comparable.
To be in a position where all these failings of the car become apparent after you have bought it suggests a massive lack of research!
They cost 40K, Kia's aspirations are irrelevant and you can draw imaginary lines until the cows come home but it doesn't stop people from cross shopping. I've got both so I must be some sort of enigma to said random idiosyncrasy...
As stated multiple times the car is going due to technical and paintwork issues, it has nothing to do with anything else mentioned. You only need to read these forums to be aware of the compromises (also I did a weekend long test drive of a Cupra E-hybrid), there's complaints everywhere and I knew what I was getting in to.
I won't deny it though, I've no idea what I'm going to replace it with. There's not that many all rounder, fun hatches with attitude left that fit my other car budget. If mine worked anything like the Mk3 I tested we probably wouldn't be having this convo..
P.S I do think the negatives become exacerbated when things start to go wrong. As said, when it behaves once in a blue moon most of this stuff doesn't seem to matter.
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So rejection based on technical issues and paint........ so why complain about all the other stuff you knew about from the long test drive?
Sounds like you had a bizarre buying journey!
Sounds like you had a bizarre buying journey!
Why wouldn't I? A car costing 40K should be nigh on perfect. Plus there's something obvious that keeps getting missed here, if nobody else is having power issues, or ride comfort issues and I've got a complete lemon... Don't you think it could be the car hmm? I can only form a basis on what I've got and that could be the reason it's not representative of others.
Besides the interior of course but plush trim isn't even in my top 5 list of wants or needs. Just an update on more issues, its started pinging my phone at 3AM saying the heater isn't working and something's leaking inside the engine bay. Great, that's issue 37 and 38..
Anyway, I honestly think this thread has been quite interesting. I've taken on board what some have said and I'll update later on...
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Unfortunately, cars costing twice the price are not perfect either.
"Nigh on perfect" meaning it doesn't have to be flawless but near enough, I guess I've been lucky so far because I've only come across one other lemon in 20 or so cars. Anyway, stuff happens and it's not the end of the world. It'll get replaced at some point..
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Deleted member 131219
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I work in dispute resolution, and this reference to "nigh on perfect" remind me of a case I had to decide many years ago when a car-buyer made a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act against the provider of the credit card he'd used to pay the inital deposit on his new car. He said he'd expected the car to be "perfect, flawless in every way". When drafting my determination, I was soooo tempted to short-cut everything and just say "Shouldn't have bought an Alfa Romeo, should you?!"
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