Looking at buying 1.2 TSI SE Copa Ecomotive

[michael_jenkins]

Hi,

I'm looking at buying a buying 1.2 TSI SE Copa Ecomotive, it's 2012 plate with 28,000 miles.

It had a SEAT service at 11,000 miles and another SEAT service at 22,000 miles.

Apologies, I would do a search on the forum but the search seems to be broken

I've been looking at a list of common faults.

The most worrying seems to be cam belt (or chain, not sure what it is?) failing at quite low mileage....

I'm not sure if the cam belt has even been replaced but at this mileage I doubt it. Does anyone know what the service schedule is for the vehicle?

Here's some of my notes taken from here and other sites, the common faults seems to be:






Reports of water ingress from inside of driver's window and door sensor alarms.

All engines apart from 1.6FSIs and VR6s need new timing belts and tensioners every 4 years or 60,000 miles whichever comes first.

Reports of very high early oil consumption of 1.2 TSI 105.

11-5-2013: Report of clutch failure on 1.2TSI 105 at just 2 years old and 19,000 miles.

13-2-2015: Timing chain failed on 27k mile 2011 SEAT Leon 1.2TSI, wrecking the engine.

7-8-2015: Timing chain of 2011 SEAT Leon 1.2TSI Ecomotive failed and car needs new engine despite full SEAT service history. Unfortunately car bought from non SEAT dealer so SEAT will only pay 60% of costs leaving owner to pay £900 - £1,400.



1. Disconnecting rear washer tube.

The tube from the washer bottle to the sprays can disconnect in the engine bay (from the bottle) or in the boot lining on the driver side.

Can leak into interior.

2. Water getting into the engine bay via the scuttle and making the bonnet lining sag and go mouldy.

3. Knock when turning sharp at low speed. I had the same noise but ignored this fix because it would only happen when accelerating/decelerating (not while turning). also it would stop once the car warmed up a little so it was really hard to reproduce/identify it.

4. Uneven tyre wear.

5. Alarm going off for no apparent reason sometimes also showing the drivers door being open on the MFD when it's actually shut.

6. ABS/ESP Light stuck on. This is a common fault across the VAG range and affects lots of models, not just the Leon.

7. Chocolate coilpacks, sorry no link but worth checkin you have the Revised coilpacks when in for a service

8. I don't know if this is of any help, but tomorrow SEAT are replacing the O/S Shock bearing mount under warranty, after I complained of a squeaking from the suspension.

9. Heater fan stops. Taking it out and applying WD40 works, at least for a while

10. drivers side light looked at and ended up having a phone call later through the day saying that the fuse board had melted and need to be replaced

11. touchscreen display lighting intermitent. dark...then bright.....then dark etc etc

12. When l pull away in any gear, 1st 2nd or reverse, l hear a slight knocking and can feel it through the clutch

13. timing chain and variator will require replacing if it develops a loud rattling noise at startup.

14. Complete engine failure, 6k Bill for new engine of my fr tsi 59 plate, 33k miles.

15. the O/S rear door makes a slightly squeaky noise when driving

16. Hot start issue.


Is there anything else I should look out for?

Really appreciate your help.

Regards,
Michael
Fellow VAG Owner of an Octavia vRS

 

[michael_jenkins]

Been doing some more research here. Seems it only affects the 1.2TSI pre-2012. Not sure how true this is, I can't seem to see that any other 1.2 TSI was put in a Leon mk2. Unless there was more than one variation...


If anyone could shed any light on this id appreciate it. If there were more 1.4s around is go for this but doesn't seem to be many (2 on auto trader in a 50mile radius of me).

Anyone know of there was a fix for the chain or if I get a new chain will it eventually just have the same problem?

Thanks again

 

[MJ]

You can't take everything that people post on the Internet as gospel otherwise you'd never buy another car again.

regarding chains - I've only ever replaced 1, that's 1 out of say 100/200 of the 2010-2012 era 1.2tsi engines that I've worked on and that was in a polo.

The 1.2 tsi is a good lump. The only issues you may find are HT leads failing and turbos seizing.

 

[MJ]

and you are literally the only person I've ever heard saying they'd prefer a 1.4 over a 1.2.

There isn't enough paper in the world to write down all the issues the 1.4 has.

 

[michael_jenkins]

and you are literally the only person I've ever heard saying they'd prefer a 1.4 over a 1.2.

There isn't enough paper in the world to write down all the issues the 1.4 has.

You're certainly right with the don't believe everything on forums comment. Been looking at the Alfa Romeo Guielltta and Mazda 3 as possible alternatives, all 3 have complaints of reliability so I guess you just can't win

Appreciate your comments on the 1.2 and 1.4. Thank you.

Going to look at some more tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

[michael_jenkins]

Hi thanks for the help. Found some of the comments on the forum very helpful.

Ending up getting the Mazda 3 today.

I'm sure I'll be back though when the Leon Cupra ST 280's hit the second hand market. It's in the mix between the new vRS Octavia, Focus ST and overpriced Golf R estate.

Cheers

 

[MJ]

I shouldn't really say this but the mazda 3 petrols are one of the most reliable cars about.

 

[michael_jenkins]

Impressed by this forum. Normally you mention another manufacturer and get jumped on

One of the reasons we went for it was because of reliability satisfaction from other owners. Not that the VAG engines are unreliable. I have one myself but the Mazda was all round suited better to our needs.

Thanks again and hopefully see you soon!

Cheers
Mike

 

[MJ]

We used to be a mazda/vag dual franchise and the only 3 things mazda petrols ever had were services, mots and tyres.

you can't complain at that!

 

[Rob]

Im picking up a 2011 SE Copa leon next week. Its the one they used in the the test drive diaries with a Lisa Nicholls on youtube, i had to take a second glance when i see the video as the number plate is the same. Its only covered 19k since new so initial thought was im playing it safe getting a car with low mileage. After reading what you have, i'm too worried about the cam chain going. I have been driving a toyota corolla 03 reg and its covered 118kk with no issues! If it goes i'm hoping it does in the 1 year warranty period. First thing i already found wrong with it is that its white on the logbook when in actual fact its silver. Seat garage have put a fresh MOT on it and just serviced it so hoping its all good to go. I had them agree to see to quite a nasty car park ding and put lifeshine on it to protect the car. Specially the inside having kids! I plan to be doing around 10k a year in it so i will report back any issues. The test drive of the car though went really well, i was out for 20 minutes and the auto lights, stop start and cruise were great! Fingers crossed from next week all goes well...

 

[elnigel]

Hi mate. I have had a 1.2tsi for a year now. Bought it at 25k, now on 36. It's a great car. I do 56 miles a day on the M1 and country roads its a great car to drive. I average 45mpg. I had to change the chain at 26k but it didn't cost too much and I now have the latest upgraded chain fitted son will hopefully last much longer. Mine is a 2010 so one of the first tsi with the poor chain fitted. Hopefully your 2011 will have a better version fitted. I put fr wheels on which really make it look better. 17s seem to suit the car nicely. Good luck with it!

Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk

 

[Rob]

Cheers elnigel, been racking my brains as to what to buy instead of the Leon. Was going to be a zetec focus (pretty basic) or a Vauxhall Astra. Decided I paid for the Lifeshine and deposit, might as well bite the bullet and go for it! Nothing has as many toys and I do like the SE Copa spec! Not overly fond of the latest designed Leon I think they made better effort with the mk2 imo. I have seen a couple 1.2 2010/11 tsi's on autotrader over 100k albeit skodas so here is hoping. Thanks for the heads up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[elnigel]

I think you will be OK. It's a good design engine. We also have a fabia 1.2 tsi and that's on 60k no issues and its a 2010. I'm a bit of a vw nut and fix everything myself. Having a turbo bolted on the front and charge cooled system is a good design. No daft intercooler pipe joints to wear out and when I changed the turbo on my mk4 Ibiza cupra TDI it was a right pain, hiding behind the engine with no space to get your hands in! Hope you like the car!

Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk

 

[Rob]

Brilliant, looking forward to getting it next week. My brother is happy he is getting the Corolla next week. Been in the family since new (03) and it's been insanely reliable. Even being hammered down the m25 that little 1.4 engine with 118k shows no sign of giving up! Thanks for the heads up looking forward to getting it again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rob]

23k and its having a new chain fitted they are keeping it a bit longer to investigate the engine to see if their is any damage. I hope this upgraded chain set lasts considerably longer!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rob]

On the plus side I quite like these slow little city go's that I have been given. Specially the Monte Carlo version I have, it's quite a nice drive! But then I have 18 inch wheels on my Leon and that's quite a crash on bumps


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[elnigel]

I've done 30k on my new chain so far and its quiet as a mouse still. So hopefully you should be OK. I was told by a friend who works at vw not to use the stop start as it puts the most strain on the chain when starting. So every time I get in I push the little button on the console before i set off. Never really thought it did much for the economy anyway!

Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk

 

[Rob]

I'm actually needing a new turbo too apparently, this was after they investigated the Rev rattle which I pointed was from the turbo. The skoda/seat dealer are working it all out with seat uk and the warranty company before work goes ahead. I am wondering if they actually ironed out these issues on chains now or if it will keep manifesting itself. I know they changed to belt driven now so does that mean the chain version was never fixed? If that's the case can't I just convert it to belt driven I wonder?What mileage are you on now elnigel? Did your economy improve with the new chain set? I'm getting roughy 350 miles to a tank. I sure hope mine will last the life of the car but 30k sounds on the way to being promising!
Will start turning off start/ stop now, I find it a pain most the time anyway!

I once see a yeti on autotrader with 122k miles for sale and wondered how many chains it went through to get there. Only a few 1.2 tsi engines that are chain driven over 100k on autotrader but I'm wondering how many turbos coil packs and chain sets it took them :/ really want to love this car and it drives great for what it is! I'm seriously contemplating a 1.6 diesel golf now...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[elnigel]

I'm doing motorway miles (absolutely loads at the moment!) Always get between 450 and 500 on a tank. Cruising at whatever the flashing signs tell me to do! It's more like 450 at the moment though as I have put winter tyres on my 17s. All cars have some issues. I have a friend who is a vw specialist independent garage and he charges less to change a tsi chain including replacing the tensioner and pads than he charges to change a timing belt on a 1.9tdi! So TDI belts have to be changed every 4 years or 60k so if the chain only did 4 years then its evens with a TDI. My dad has a new belt driven 1.2 tsi Leon. It's a lifetime belt allegedly. I wouldn't trust a belt and tensioner for 10 years! Having driven it its not as nice a drive as my tsi, less responsive and a bit flat. I bought mine as I didn't fancy a 1.6tdi as they also have many common issues. My father in law has a 1.6 TDI Toledo and has had lots of dpf issues and a turbo on it in the last 2 years. Hope you get it fixed OK. Oh and yes, my economy improved a bit when the chain was replaced. Probably by a couple of mpg.

Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk

 

[Rob]

It's good to hear someone else doing the same miles in the same engine! I have covered over 3k since the end of November with it currently on 23k+ miles from 19,500 odd and thought that was diesel territory!
Interested to see how long this upgraded chain gets on with yours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk