Repairs and Costs Over 205,000 miles in a SEAT Leon Petrol

[@denisripley8699]

One careful owner, 1000 drivers.

[@bengilrane]

Nah doesn’t matter that car is in outstanding condition he keeps on top of everything even down to the carpet as u seen you wouldn’t get a Leon in that condition and spec at all nowadays cuz nobody puts in that amount of effort

[@salahmed2756]

Its like counting the body counts on a car lol

[@lightwxrk]

@@bengilrane well it's his work car, not to mention, he can write off all of the expenses

[@T.K.9]

I think in the USA if my memory serves me right, an oil rig worker managed to clock in 1 million miles on his Toyota Tundra just driving from rig to rig to maintain them. Toyota sent their engineers and bought that car from the guy so they can examine the engine. And Toyota gave the guy a new one for free.

[@spicynoodle7419]

W Toyota

[@ChrisPatrick-q6k]

Today Toyota isn't great IMO

[@insertnamehere5660]

It's refreshing to see someone be so in touch with how their car should feel and keeping up the maintenance, after all these are hard working machines and can only do their job with your help replacing components and servicing

[@paulstaffordcook8799]

Wow! This vid deserves a million views. I watched every minute. I too am an ADI but I don’t know how to work on cars…. Hence I pay full price for servicing and repairs and I “trade in” for replacement cars FAR too often. I must have spent thousands more than you. I’m also an avid researcher of cars on KZbin which has led me to believe that VAG cars are to be avoided (unreliability). But after watching your vid, I’m actually surprised and impressed with how your 1.4 TSI has held up. This vid blows my mind with how accurate you have been with record keeping etc. One last thing…… I can totally relate to your desire for that special car (the GR Yaris). I succumbed to that urge a few years ago and bought a Fiesta ST for driving instruction. Crazy idea and completely inappropriate. But my god, it was fun. I’m not officially recommending that you do it ( the ride was quite unforgiving) but if you DO buy the Yaris I’m sure you’ll have a ball 😊

[@khalidacosta7133]

He picked the right engine, not too small, not too large. There's no timing chain or DMF. Diesel were better before 2007 but not anymore. It doesn't have start-stop and most crucially, just accepts that things will occasionally go wrong with random stuff and doesn't cheap out.

[@acid3129]

​@khalidacosta7133 I got a 2016 skoda fabia estate 3 months ago from a dealer only to find out it had never had any work done it had all original discs pads suspension so on . I just spent £800 replacing everything only for the engine to seize up its a 1.0lt mpi 3 cylinder apparently you need to keep an eye on the oil but the owner before me drove 120.000 without an oil change

[@gullible119]

@@khalidacosta7133I would argue diesels are a lot better then what they used to be except the reliability ofcourse but with any other car, service and maintain it.

[@mariemccann5895]

@@gullible119 They are old hat, keep up.

[@mariemccann5895]

@@khalidacosta7133 Strong rose tints I think. The things that went wrong would have written the car off under many circumstances.

[@user-tn1vc1xz5d]

My old 08 Mondeo is still alive. I took it from 19k to 180k. Sold it 7 years ago and saw it a few months back. It went to Tromso in Norway (6000 miles in 2 weeks) and down to Gibraltar, everywhere in between. Same clutch and only bits n bobs going wrong. That car was a legend and I once did 840 miles in Norway before the fuel light came on. It would do 45mpg on the autobahn over 100mph and would eat miles. I'm glad it's still alive but in a new home. I sometimes wish I kept it.

[@Zadster]

Mondeos are hugely under-rated cars! Mk4s were very popular with taxi drivers doing the long distance airport runs.

[@shanginadildo]

​@@ZadsterI've got a mk4 titanium x and I love it. Quiet, comfortable, quick enough and economical. Ten year old car that hasn't failed an moy

[@DarkReaper-or9el]

​@Zadster I think too many abusers owned them. I avoid ford at costs simply because the quality isn't like before my neighbour was a taxi driver always needed work constantly on his car had it 5yrs he wished he sold earlier. I have heard of them with lots of issues so steered clear as there were better options on the market

[@oddities-whatnot]

I had a 1.8 tdci Ford Focus years ago. Kept it five years, ran perfectly and had been ultra reliable although now it would cost me in clean air zones but I wished id kept it a few years longer to stop me getting a lot of debt with new cars on finance. Bad move. Im getting another car soon, second hand, cash buy. I hate car finance these days.

[@DarkReaper-or9el]

@oddities-whatnot get a toyota or lexus mate you'll love their reliablity or go for a 2.0TDIs or 1.9TDIs

[@codefident4939]

I can't believe this previous gen of Leon is 10 years old! Those cars still look great and modern and the interior is far superior to the new cars from VAG (as also many other brands nowadays)

[@7rodo]

I thought they were at least 2016

[@NotAnonymousDude]

Much better than the other vag cars of this gen. Vw look mad outdated but seat did really well alongside with audi

[@rohan_3128]

Seat really is updated version of VW cars

[@KronoReaper]

How in the name of god did you manage to make me watch a whole ass 1 hour video without skipping a minute, you’re amazing and so is that seat. I wouldn’t go for a Mazda as I’m not sure it would stay rust free on the underside for a long time

[@DH39943]

Sadly true, 2010 M3, 110k miles later and it’s flagged for rust around the side sills other than still ticking over and starts first time

[@cassiecassie8325]

Thinking this also, think he's just one of those people worth listening to. My instructor is awesome but if I lived in colchester I would go with this guy (If he was brave enough of course)

[@michaelherrmann3423]

Well done. I Have got an Audi A3 1.9 TDI Automatic since 1998 with well over 700 000 kms, which I drive by HAND. So keep this SEAT. Greetings from Cologne in Germany. With 51 litres of Diesel I can drive 1337 kms from Spain to Belgium for example...

[@aden3113]

Goddamm, what have you done with the car to get 700k km out it? Commute from Spain to Belgium everyday??? Also how has the car held up in terms of rust?

[@exe-678]

1.9tdi is very good

[@amogus694]

original gearbox? what are the gearbox service intervals?

[@legend131000]

A3 8L 1.8T 1996 (manual 6speed) Owner here, My dad has had the car since brand new and it now has 312 000km, I've done a hair shy over 40 000km in it and it's one of the most fun, soulful and reliable cars I've had the pleasure of sitting it and I absolutely love it, still drives perfectly in 2024 and doesn't have a spot of rust on it, absolutely Love both the 1.8T and the 1.9TDI Engines, as well as the cars they came with, cheers for doing over 700 000 km in it.

[@michaelherrmann3423]

@@aden3113 no. I can not walk so good and I drive around 30 000 kms every year. There's no rust. I have bought it from New. It is still very good. Thank you.

[@midinotes]

There aren't many 1 hour videos I watch all the way through, but Richard this is an incredibly insightful, powerful, informative and important video that young drivers should watch. I am also impressed though at how much of the maintenance and part changes you did yourself! Whilst I realise for many of us, the labour costs are likely to be an additional factor to repairs and maintenance, there is so much common sense in this video backed up with proper hard evidence. I've always liked this Seat Leon even though I've never owned or driven one! Looks to be a great motor and I don't blame you for hanging on to it. Changing seats, headlining, steering wheels, handbrakes and carpets.. wow that is true dedication but also an example of how you can preserve a car (and the planet), as well as your wallet! Excellent video Richard, thank you for this and like other viewers I hope this takes off and gets plenty of views.

[@longbar2344]

1hr? ah sod that. 2mins is enough

[@davidlang3625]

Richard, you are an absolute legend. Your attention to detail is second to none. I cannot believe that you have added up every fuel receipt over 205,000 miles. However, this attention to detail has paid off as not many cars driven under these sort of conditions would last nearly as long - I think that Seat should give you an award! All the best for the next 205,000 miles.

[@sentarrr]

This feels like it could be the start of a legend, like with those 1 million mile toyotas or the 1 million mile volvo you might have heard about, except a 500K seat would be in many ways just as impressive

[@willpeony5534]

It's good practice, if the mpg is about where it should be you know everything is working as it should. I've kept every single bill for my car, excluding parking meters, I've tried on occasion to tot it all up and have always given up in shock.

[@macinjosh2223]

I think another reason you can add to that list of good points about this car is the looks! This era of Leon still looks modern, fresh and sleek to me - whenever I see one or watch your videos I find it hard to believe that the design is almost 11 years old... and I was 8 years old when you picked up this car in 2014 (time really does move too fast!) and that point about the sentimental value - very true! This car if you think about it has been the one that helped you grow the Conquer Driving KZbin channel - a channel that now almost has 750,000 subscribers! It can be hard to let go of certain things - especially when you get used to them! If you wanted to sell it you could probably flog it to Car Throttle, they might like another high milage hero ;)

[@t4om154]

I have a 2014 Leon too and mine is on 150,000 miles, mostly all motorway driving. Still on the original clutch, flywheel and even battery!

[@ATICrossX]

10 years on original battery? That's really impressive actually, most batteries are done after 5 years max

[@t4om154]

@@ATICrossX I had it checked a few months ago at Halfords and each cell was showing 3.1v I think, so total capacity of 12.4v or around 60%.bjt it goes on a loot motorway journey 5 days a week so the battery is alway full

[@ATICrossX]

@@t4om154 Nice, I just recently replaced battery on my 6 year old Hyunda i10, voltage was still reaching 12.6 or so but it had no power, it was struggling to crank, to the point if you turned on lights for more than 5 seconds before turning the car on, it wouldn't crank and I had to use my booster battery to turn it on every time

[@TheTangodog]

Glad you were able to replace the infotainment system. This is what really dates older cars these days.

[@djdelarosa25]

That car has lived an exceptional life and it's amazing to see it still in such great condition.

[@Koryhun]

Very good maintained car! I have the same FR model, 1st owner 2018, facelifted model (1.4 TSI 150bhp), after ~40k km installed REVO official partner stage 1 tune, ~191 bhp, 300 Nm). The only warranty repair was the boot "shade" roll locker, which was faulty. ~100k km. Wear and tear: rear brakes and discs, tires, still original battery! (Start-stop disabled) and of course filters and oil changes.

The amount of useful information condensed in this video is out of this world for fellow Leon owners. Thank you.

[@36hunters]

Absolutely testament to your decision to put your faith in Seat, your decision has absolutely paid it’s dues. This car has had to work many times over than equivalent commuter vehicles yet has only had issues associated with wear/tear and/or issues from the factory replaced under warranty. You seen to have had very bad luck with your VAG folding mirrors motors, my 10 year ford mirrors have yet to fail so keeping my fingers crossed! Many mechanics will swoon at the underside of your car at that age, many cars that haven’t even reached their warranty expiry look scabbier than the photo you showed, gobsmacked!

[@1blackballed]

This video explains a lot as I wondered how your seats and steering wheel looked so nice with over 200,000 miles.

[@williamegler8771]

I am a viewer from the United States and in 2001 I purchased a brand new Saturn LW300 wagon. That model is an Opel/Vauxhall Vectra B modified for the US market. It has the 3.0 24v V6 and 4spd automatic. It has 386,000 miles on the original engine and transmission and the car starts instantly regardless of how long it's been sitting or the weather and runs and drives fine. The only issues it's ever had were shift solenoids that were replaced at 220,000 miles and multiple valve cover gaskets. It has never failed to start and it's only been towed twice. Once when the fuel pump failed and once when the alternator failed. Routine servicing by a knowledgeable mechanic over the years has resulted in exemplary reliability and durability. It is a semi-retired dog taxi and extra vehicle now but it still accumulates between 7 and 10000 Mi a year. A 2018 Buick Regal Tourx which is a rebadged Opel Insignia replaced it and it's already accumulated 135,000 MI it is showing similar levels of reliability and durability.

[@s1lenttoad422]

Vauxhalls always want valve cover gaskets haha. I've owned two now both been the same. Luckily they are very inexpensive to replace. When anything goes wrong on a vauxhall cost of parts is very competitive. Shame the company has been sold off, it's pretty much a dead brand now.

[@nokobz2624]

Don't the next Opel. 2018 means it's stioll a GM, as of now Opel is owned by PSA which means Opel's engines are PSA made and oh boy do they have problems... catastrofic engine failures due to direct injection PLUS having the timing belt go through the fucking engine oil. Never ever buy a French car. They are total crap.

[@johna3421]

I have a 2015 Seat Leon 1.6 diesel. It has 135000miles on it at present. I've owned the car since new and am surprised by the faults you've had with your car. To date I've replaced the front struts (misting) glow plugs, timing belt kit and all brake pads and discs once and one calliper. Still original alternator, battery and clutch. Has the same boot opener problem as you had. Full service history. I'm not easy on the car by any means, used it to pull a caravan all over the country, pulls trailer regularly and just basically a daily work horse. Interior is in great condition. Sadly the bodywork is showing some signs of age but just surface rust. This is why I've kept my Seat so long, worth more than me that anyone else. I totally understand why you've kept your Seat so long.

[@RichardFanders]

It's important to remember how many hours my alternator etc has been running for as apposed to miles. If I averaged 40mph I would have done 800,000 miles ish.

[@beastkaybyt2865]

@@RichardFandersexactly you’re sat there got hours with engine on for learners

[@BlixtMedia]

200,000 miles and still pristine, excellent job Richard, conquer driving was a godsend for me aswell so thank you

[@mcfrosty8739]

Wow, making me feel blessed. I've had my 2015 1.6 TDi A3 for almost 6 years and have had barely anything go wrong at 125,000

[@crisp910]

Not surprised to hear you mention the Mazda 3 as a potential replacement vehicle. Every other car I look at buying, I always think "I could get all those features and more from the Mazda 3 for many thousands of pounds less".

[@RichardFanders]

I feel very at home and happy driving the latest Mazda 3.

[@michaelg8821]

I have the 2019 mazda 3 and it is a lovely car

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

​@@michaelg8821 Mazda is always an option for me if i get another car.

[@colinburns4965]

A very good review. I have a 2017 FR 150 ACT. Purchased nearly new, only 4000 miles on the clock and under a year old. I have never had an issue with the car in over 6 years of ownership. Not even a bulb. It's been serviced every year without fail, and has been superb. One of the best hatchbacks of its time. Mine has only 33,000 miles from new. £35 pounds road tax per year, and can achieve over 60 mpg. Cheap to insure,and has a top speed of 134 mph. An excellent car by all means. I will be holding on to it for a while yet.

[@Trihawk7]

I owned one. My favourite ever car owned, so much torque

[@robinrai4973]

I love comprehensive videos like this! I got my first car a year and a bit ago, a 2011 2.2 diesel Mazda 3 at 87k miles. Obviously nowhere the use as your trusty Leon, but it seems the previous owner was a busy mother so plenty of use! I've since done 40k miles on it, here's the things I've done, and the things that were done before I owned it: - Rear roll bar links (before I got it) - New rear struts (free recall before I got it) - New condenser (corroded, I think because it was a Scottish car) - Front roll bar links (me) - Injector washers (known issue that they leak so I replaced them preventatively) - Brake light pedal switch (me) - Front calipers (one was siezed, managed to free it up but replaced them anyway) - I refurbed the drivers seat as the boulster was collapsed and leather perished, I think the previous owner would sit sideways on it with legs sticking out the car when parked - I installed new shocks all the way around but I think that was just me being anal, the old ones were perfectly fine - Headunit with android/android auto/carplay - I have a door handle ready to swap out, the keyless button is a bit worn out There's no rust on the actual body, though there is on the subframe and what not, though not any more than my friend's A3 of similar age, and nothing to worry about, though I am fluid filming it now. I'm planning a timing chain, and front and rear control arm replacement, and intend to drive the thing till it explodes! 220hp and 50mpg is truly great

[@JohnnyMQB]

That must be mapped they're only 180 standard

[@robinrai4973]

@@JohnnyMQB yep, had it mapped for £250

[@bikeman123]

My 2001 mk 4 golf gti 1.8t has done similar miles. At 22 years old and 210k miles its only ever had 1 ht lead and 2 batteries. Cruise control and folding mirrors failed but not fixed either. Thats it, nothing else except routine servicing. Webuyanycar valued it at £150! And thats why I keep it.

[@extralock1045]

I think you should just keep your Seat, and upgrade it a bit at a time, like how you added Android Auto. But you also can add better headlights. Or just useful features like that, which you want. I recently bought a new car, it's a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage ES. I've had it since September 27th, 2023, I put about 70 miles on it a day, it has 11,850 miles now. Very nice car. Even though it's one of, if not the cheapest new car here in the US, and the slowest new car, I really like the car. I am keeping it up like you are with your Seat. Goal is to one day reach 1,000,000 miles in it, even if it takes 30 years. Most of the driving I do is on the freeway. So far, the only things that needed replaced are.. Well.. Nothing. I want better tires, but will wait till the OEM ones are needing replaced. And just oil changes every 3,750 miles. Will be doing a transmission service soon, just as a break in change. New pan filter, cartage filter, and oil.

[@henrikpetersson3463]

I inherited my parents 2008 Mazda 3 after my mother passed this winter. And that's what motivated me to get a license (and why I found your channel). That car is really an eye opener to how important regular service is to a car. Yes, there is rust on it (that generation was very prone to rust), but apart from that it feels and drives like when it was new. It has a low milage for its age though so that helps, but I'm pretty sure it would not be in that good condition if it wasn't for the yearly service. I've installed a new android head unit, reverse camera and sensors in it to modernise it a bit. I figured since its in such a good condition it was worth spending a bit on upgrades. I'm pretty sure it will last for many years to come if I take good care of it. The rust is my only worry. New cars are so expensive these days. The newer generations of Mazda 3s are tempting though. But even the ones from 2013-2016 are so much on the used market.

[@lamby28]

Currently got a 2015 transporter 2.0 140ps with 371k service it myself and probably the best vehicle ive ever owned . Genuinely drives like its got 80k on it .

[@ln5747]

Auto or manual?

[@lamby28]

@@ln5747 6 speed manual

[@lamby28]

6 speed manual :)

[@barryr10]

My parents have a 2014 DSG passat estate with 200k miles. Has been looked after all its life, and never provided any faults aside from a few engine lights here and there for minor things. great car and looks good being an executive model too, still no rust and bodywork is perfect.

[@JohnnyMQB]

have you had to replace anything in the gearbox

[@barryr10]

@@JohnnyMQB Surprisingly no! just regularly serviced.

[@JohnnyMQB]

@@barryr10 that's good going 👍

[@frimleyfrodo]

I’ve done 217k in my 2014 Touran DSG without any problems. I service it myself every 9/10k and change the DSG oil and filter every 38k. Mine does mainly long journeys so has a fairly easy life. Just about to change the front discs from the originals. The original pads lasted 133k and rear pads 139k.

[@JohnnyMQB]

@@frimleyfrodo same here Leon cupra 280 dsg on 110k hopefully make it to 200k

[@petergoulding2421]

You should be proud of all good drivers you have produced. I often take a look to polish up my driving.

[@charlescth]

What an insightful start to your video. I have a 13 plate diesel Focus with 208k on the clock from new. It still drives like new delivering 650 miles on 50 litres almost every time and uses almost no oil between servicing. But... It lives 90% of the time on the motorway at 60+ mph and always lives in the torque band between gear changes. Bits of it are looking like trigger's broom and mainly suspension items as our roads are so poor. But there are some other wear items: Clutch 180k, drive shaft 150k, a starter motor... Regular oil changes and the second cam belt is booked in. Tyres approach 50k between changes and I have only had one set of brake pads and discs. BTW: No advisories on the MOT! Your hours figure is massive, mine is about 5k and I have often though about that as my work is with large commercial and marine engines with 50-60-70k of hours and perhaps engine rebuilds at 20k. Why does this flick my swithch? My company are the UK Distributors for a bypass 0.5 micron oil filter system (plus fuel & hydraulics) that extends intervals between oil changes from 1k to 4k+ on large engines. This reduces downtime, reduces wear to the engine components and reduces cost to the operator. So by removing unburned carbon and moisture from the oil, the oil does not degrade and therefore there is less engine wear.

[@BWReid10]

My current car is a 64 reg Ibiza Cupra with the 1.4 TSI engine (assuming its the same, maybe slight power differences due to model etc), with the DSG Gearbox. Absolutely love it. Seats to me are 10x better looking than VWs and Skodas. I'd move down from Scotland to learn manual in yours!

[@850r2]

Came across this channel by accident, it's the Conqueror Driving guy, helped me an awful lot getting me through my test. Thank you mate ❤ P.s. I've since sent your channel to a few learners, your works are priceless.

[@AdamLeask]

I love long term reviews and seeing your fastidious maintenance/replacement schedule is superb. Crazy to think most people are replacing cars on a much more regular basis. Thanks for sharing!

[@Kamavagadoo]

I’ve owned 2 MX5s and can understand why you want to get your hands on a GR Yaris - I own one and they are fantastic. However, the front brake disks cost £1000 to replace and the clutch costs even more and they do get through both quite quickly. In addition, the clutch can be tricky so probably not best for a learner - even experienced drivers tend to stall them more often. I still can’t blame you for wanting one and they are a natural choice for an MX5 driver.

[@lovingCarz]

This is the most informative video I have ever watched in years. The information given here is amazing and I am stunned by how much detail and depth he has kept his maintenance records in check. The fact that the cylinder head was changed at such low mileage makes me doubt the reliability of Volkswagen products. However this video proves that proper maintenance will always result in longer stress free ownership of the car.

[@20shourya]

I got myself a second hand Seat Ibiza 2 years ago - absolutely in love with it. I suppose the LEON is even better to drive, but the whole aesthetic of their cars is so good, feels really classy both on the inside and outside.

[@DanielEvansMusic]

Just sold my 2007 Leon FR diesel. 1 cambelt (with water pump), 2 brake disks and clutch. Rear door central lock motor. 3 batteries. 340,000km. No issues at all. The old school 170bhp Tdi. They dont make them like that anymore. Bit noisy on the road with the fat tyres they have but never let me down. Do love a Leon but the new models just too complicated.

[@repo4]

Brilliant summary. I've got a 2017 Leon estate with 1.2 Tsi, 63kw, it's done just under 60K miles. So far I had absolutely no problems until last week when I got the dreaded loose fuel rail problem (well, not dreaded, I only learned about it after it happened 😊). From what I understand, a number of engines made in 2017 had the fuel rail incorrectly fitted when the four bolts holding it were not torqued properly due to incorrect tooling. The vibrations caused by the injectors work the bolts loose, some of them may snap and fuel starts spraying from the top of the engine. I had the four injector seals replaced and the rail bolted back on, hopefully correctly this time, it was around £200 to fix. This is of course relevant to all VAG brands, not just Seat.

[@Digi20]

I drove exactly that Leon as a rental back in 2018 and was so impressed (even against many much more expensive cars) that i said to myself i´ll soon buy it. i didnt really need it cause my old one was fine so i pushed that plan a bit further down the line...and then covid hit and it was hard to make money. really glad i didnt buy the car shortly before and thus didnt have to pay it off when money was sparse. now, everything it back in normal working order again and, even after 6 years, i still gravitate towards exactlly this car. new car prices have gone up so much that i have a hard time justifying that for not much more in return (in some ways even less when looking at stupid touch controls, clogging particulate filters, increased weight, missing manual gearboxes s etc.). i will keep an eye open for a good used one. this video had really excelent insights! thank you.

[@utmostcreator]

From the detailed summary of the costs and issues faced by the car owner over 10 years and 205,000 miles: Costs and Parts Replaced: Under Warranty: 1. 30,000 miles: Steering rack 2. 40,000 miles: Volume control wheel 3. 41,000 miles: Battery 4. 60,000 miles: - LCD screen - Heater fan - Third brake light - Ignition coil (broken during spark plug replacement) - Steering software update 5. 63,000 miles: Cylinder head 6. 75,000 miles: Ignition coils and wing mirror motor After Warranty: 1. 95,000 miles: Climate control flap motor 2. 98,000 miles: Fuel flap lock 3. 100,000 miles: Clutch slave cylinder 4. 107,000 miles: Rear shock absorber 5. 118,000 miles: Right climate control flap motor 6. 123,000 miles: Alternator (£60, second-hand) 7. 126,000 miles: Water pump 8. 130,000 miles: Battery 9. 145,000 miles: Air conditioning compressor (£60, second-hand) 10. 153,000 miles: Intake valve cleaning 11. 166,000 miles: Front suspension control arms, oil sump 12. 172,000 miles: Fold motor on wing mirror 13. 181,000 miles: Battery 14. 188,000 miles: Steering wheel stalks 15. 190,000 miles: Air oil separator 16. 200,000 miles: - Boot struts - Boot stopper 17. 202,000 miles: - Roof liner (£675) - Boot release badge - Rear wiper motor (£30, second-hand) - Wing mirror adjuster Additional Costs: - Interior Maintenance: - Replaced seats twice (second-hand) - Steering wheel replaced twice (new: £150) - Gear knob (£100) - Handbrake (£50) - Armrest re-trimmed - Carpet replaced (£50) - Technology Upgrade: - Android Auto and Apple CarPlay installation (£600) Wear and Tear Items: - Front Discs and Pads: 35,000 miles (genuine), 70,000 miles (PAGID) - Rear Discs and Pads: 130,000 miles (genuine), still good after replacement - Clutch: Every 40,000 miles for damp mechanism noise, not wear - Cam Belt: Every 60,000 miles or 4 years (£300 per change) Fuel Costs: - Total Fuel Cost: £31,012.65 - Average Fuel Economy: 36.5 mpg - Total Fuel Used: 25,497.56 liters Most Difficult Maintenance Situation: The most challenging issue for maintaining the car seems to be the repeated failures and replacements of the ignition coils and the climate control flap motors. The clutch noise and the decision to replace it for noise rather than wear also posed an ongoing issue, indicating the difficulty in balancing between comfort and cost. Mileage: - Total Mileage: 205,000 miles - Total Hours of Use: 19,000 hours

[@xanpagebrown]

Just bought my first (new-ish) car today! It's a 2021 Leon 1.0 TSI and I was partially inspired by you and your Leon. It's an amazing car (came from a 2010 1.2 Polo) and I'm hoping to have it last as long as yours is!

[@fnShun]

I also have a 2010 1.2 Polo, and I'm wondering about buying a Leon. How do you enjoy it after driving your Polo? Is 1.0 TSI enough?

[@xanpagebrown]

@@fnShunI would say that a 1.0 tsi is enough. The 1.2 polos are either 60 or 70hp whereas the 1.0 tsi in the Leon is 108hp. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not going to blow your socks off or anything but it’s pretty nippy and good on the motorway!

[@fnShun]

@@xanpagebrown Thank you for response!

[@velikimedved8589]

Never watched video like this after years of surfing.Bravo from Serbia!

[@andrewmiddleton8633]

Great thorough video Richard, loved it. I’m just starting out as a qualified ADI and have bought a mint 3 years old Ibiza FR TSI 110 with 12k miles on it. In the past, I had new cars every three years pretty much for 20 years then started buying low mileage nearly new. The notion of it feeling different from a brand new car wore off quickly. Once I’d spent a bit of time polishing up a nearly new car back to factory fresh if necessary, on reflection they all felt the same after a short time.

[@justinbuckley]

This was a video I was hoping to see. Very informative and just goes to show that cars will last a long time if treated right. I can also see your point in wanting to avoid used cars, it’ll be nice to avoid inheriting the results of someone else’s maintenance habits. The attention to detail, in terms of record keeping is also very impressive. I’ve tried to maintain a spreadsheet with a note of all repairs I’ve had done, but I’ve not maintained that as well as I’d have liked

[@nopik9091]

best car when it comes to repairs, everyone gives credits to the seat leon - my number 1 choice to buy if i can afford

[@kt-by3lj]

This guy makes good videos, no b.s straight facts, easy to understand

[@TheGoatfister]

I sold my 2017 Leon FR 5F at 7 years/41,000 miles, thinking it was time to move it on before the problems started. It had been flawless up until that point. I now have a 2021 Leon FR KM and can only say that I miss my 5F and really regret selling it. So much for progress...

[@awsinger1]

Amazing, I watched the whole video. They tell us to scrap our cars and ship heavy EVs to save the environment... I think you've got the right idea ❤

[@mikeymike3634]

I have the 2liter Diesel estate Version of yours on a 64 plate and I love it. It's now done close to one hundred and forty thousand miles and with regular preventative maintenance including oil changes every 9000 miles and cambelts etc every 60 thousand miles it has proved to be totally reliable with fantastic fuel economy. If you keep the engine in it's "sweet spot" E.G 1600 to 1800 rpm it'll do around 70 Mpg on a run easily The most I've ever seen was on a trip to Lancaster, when restricted to around 50 mph due to heavy traffic for around twenty miles of the trip it turned in just on 90 mpg and yes i do have a photo of the on screen display to prove it! the only fault of note was needing the heater matrix replacing as it had blocked internally, a common failing I'm told, but with that now replaced I haven't had any other problems. one set of disc's and pads at about 80 thousand and one set of pads in the front since. All four shocks were replaced at around a hundred thousand due to one front and one rear shock leaking and the original battery was replaced just before this winter, because like the one on your car it was showing signs of getting weak. My car is very rarely used for stop start town work and often does around 500 miles in a day so no probs with the DPF to date. Will I change it in the foreseeable future? Not on your life!

[@F3lixMjamjar]

My word! My Mrs has only just discovered the joys of buying cars with more than 50k miles on, and told her about this video and now she's determined to take her car to 200k! Sounds like we need to get to grips with the basics of car maintenance 😅

[@Caerdan]

I have a near identical car - 63 plate, 3 door, same blue colour - the only difference is that mine has the 18" FR wheels. Bought mine with 50,000 miles in 2019 and its now done 93,000 miles all trouble free. This video is great as it gives an idea of what to look out for on mine.

[@chrisbooth1374]

Have you changed the timing belt on yours

[@Midlife_mike]

What a real talent you have mate to keep us all entertained. Great video love it

[@WeAreTheUnhappyMajority]

I've got the 2022 Seat Leon Estate 130 1.5 SE Dynamic, I'm planning to keep it as long as possible. I also self service and treat the under body with ACF50 against rust, I also wash it myself.

[@jakeangel9276]

I have a VW Polo Gt with the 150ps version of the 1.4 act. It’s a very impressive & reliable unit. Certainly shifts in something a light as the polo!

[@ReeceBrutsman]

Wow this video shocked me purely because you never failed to keep it in immaculate condition with every new video, it may look dirty but I wouldn't've guessed it to be a mile over 50,000 without looking at the odometer.

[@harveybold6981]

Firstly, what an amazing video and huge credit to you for keeping this car on the road and looking after it as too many people would do the opposite, very well done! Secondly, I would highly recommend the Hyundai i30, specially the N Line model, which comes with a 1.5 turbo four-cylinder petrol with 160PS. We have one and its absolutely brilliant and has had no issues in the 3 years we have had it so far. They are also on the cheaper side, undercutting the Golf, Focus, and a lot of other rivals, at around £26-27,000 for this top spec N Line. The N Line spec also gets a manual handbrake too, still, in 2024, even on the automatic models too, so having that manual handbrake is a win, and something very rare in this class of car nowadays, and you get a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty, so I would highly, highly recommend the i30 N Line, a very underrated car, that also looks and sounds good!

[@RichardFanders]

Thank you, I have considered the i30 and just about every manual car in this class as and when released. The I30N fastback was my favourite.

[@woodant1981]

I have an 09 C5 Excl and an 06 Corolla coming up for 215k. One is broken guess which! but neither have ever let me down really, as I've cared for them! Good job!

[@bjorgolf]

Awesome video and happy birthday to the Leon! I've been driving a family hand-me-down Opel Corsa D, turning 18 years old this year! Very low mileage (just 60k) and i really love it. It's been mine for 3 and a half years and so far hasn't had any major issues. Drives great, good fuel mileage (diesel) and i've driven it all across my country and a few times abroad. The only complaints that i have are that the seats are not great, after about 2 hours it gets a bit uncomfortable, and that it's pretty slow (just 75 PS). Also, I find it lacks a 6th gear on the motorway. Other than that, I'm very sentimental about it since it's my first car and I'm planning to keep it as long as it's running. Wouldn't trade it for the world!

[@LawrenceTimme]

52:00 that is really interesting because I don't think its necessarily the torque of the diesel or petrol that makes it complain so much but the mapping, some cars try too hard to keep themselves going and not stall and on a diesel this is magnified by the low down torque, but the sane also applies to a larger displacement petrol. My 4.3l hates stalling and will

[@MS-yy2dh]

Very interesting. I've owned the same Volvo for 31 years and do all my own servicing. Other than normal wear and tear items (brakes, battery, etc, and one clutch change) , the only major parts I've replaced are both front drive shafts. Everything else, including incredibly in my mind, most of the builds, are original.

[@paulwoods4094]

What a brilliant video, full of lots of facts, details and stats through the 10 years and 205,000 miles. Loved it, thank you!

[@Joe_-_-_]

43:58 where would I find this for android auto, does anyone have a link?

[@lulkLogan]

Thanks Richard. After not taking good care of my 2001 accord for years (and it continuing to run well in spite of me), I'm going to try to turn a new leaf with my next car. I think this video is really going to help me with that, to have the right attitude and plan going forward.

[@ILOVETODOWNLOAD23]

I watched this video in a breath and thats why I love KZbin, some random guy talking about most generic Seat and his 10 year expirience, but I love it every second, thats whats KZbin is about, sharing expirience about something in your life. IMO you should keep your car ( and get GR Yarris 🤣) because you talk with such passion about it, it''s not so much expencive to maintain, it have all the things for driving class and most off all "If it ain't broke, don"t fix it", in another words if it does a job, why change? Keep the good work, subscribed!

[@henryrolt3747]

24:15 I think at least some of the noise is actually gear rollover noise, i.e rattle from the backlash of the gears im the transmission. I've owned 4 mk Yaris that all do it. It's louder on hot days as the gearbox oil is thinner and doesn't damp noise as well. Probably accentuated by worn/loose clutch springs.

[@tanknoob1278]

My dad owned a Hyundai i30 from 2016 to 2021, car was quite reliable and the only thing he has replaced, excluding brake pads, etc.. was the rear wiper blade. He also used to do oil changes every 25-30k Kms.

[@tennisman191]

I have a 2017 Leon Fr, had it since 4k miles, and its now done nearly 100k. Only problems I’ve had is the dust cover for one of the alloy wheels came loose and had to be removed, and a common issue with Seats the boot seat logo no longer springs back into neutral position when opening the boot. Brilliant car.

[@connorbamber3614]

I WISH everyone kept track/kept up with this kind of maintenance. If everyone done this the world would be better in relation to cars. I’m glad I’m not the only person that keeps religious track of things like you do.

[@tofu_RS]

she's been well-looked after and it shows thanks for recounting your ownership experience

[@James-cj5jw]

I love the fact that you still use the same car for that many years instead of changing it every couple of years like some driving instructors do. I have a Peugeot 206 2005, 1 litre petrol for 3 years now, after 6 months of owning it the timing belt snapped first and ruined the engine. Wasn't cheap to fix but looking back it was definitely worth it, had other stuff done to it basically looking after it well, I've often thought about getting a new car but the more I get the Peugeot serviced and get things replaced, I just feel I know the car inside and out and how it drives. It's not the most flashy and is more of a woman's car or "mom's car" but I suppose if a car hasn't really let me down considering the age it is I'd probably be better keeping it for as long as I can. Has 260,000 kilometres on it don't know what that is in miles haha. Keep up the great work as always Richard!

[@Harryd06]

awesome video, so much detail too. My first car i still own is a fiesta mk7, 1.25 duratec, 2010. Its got 130k on it and still drives well, also came with fsh and bought it at 120k for £1750

[@Miki99432]

I own Seat Leon FR 1.4 2017 over 100k mileage. I couldn't be more happy with it. Really love this car, no problems at all, engine works really smooth, looking fresh despite its age. I highly recommend it specially for new drivers. It is cheap to insure and it has 150 bhp and weight slight over 1 tone, it's pretty fast considering small engine and handle like dream. Ps. I think the touch screen issue is on every seat leon from around that production year, my does the same during winter time but only for 2/3 minutes when I start it, not big deal for me. I just let the car warm up then I turn on the radio.

[@fiazshah3838]

Fantastic achievement that, especially when you consider all the idling hours on top of the milage. Youve well by her over the years!

[@karolpawlowski3785]

I've got the exact same car, spec and engine. Since I've owned it, it has been flawless. The only issue I've had is the cruise control randomly stopping to work when its cold, but simple restart and its fixed 😂

[@Nevexo287]

Great video, thanks Richard! It'd be so strange to see another car on the learner channel, but I give it 6 months before we see a GR Yaris 😂

[@fnShun]

If it was left-hand, I'd buy it for sure. I wish there were more owners like you

[@RS-nl2lp]

I’ve done 90k miles in mine from 2016. Still love it. I have never had a repair or recall. I have only ever had scheduled maintenance and wear items live a single brake job and new summer tires once. It’s a commuter car averaging about 45 mph overall with very little traffic, so that’s only 2000 hours which in comparison to your learner Leon is nothing.

[@bengilrane]

It would be silly I think to replace it at this stage when you keep up with wear and tear so well and service regularly this is how I like to keep a car aswell and it’s so refreshing to see someone else do it aswell but Leon is still a modern car in looks and technology I don’t personally like the Mazda u mentioned and it’s not worth the risk of losing the Leon’s OUTSTANDING reliability it’s a stunning car and i absolutely LOVE THEM I’m so proud of what you’ve done with that car it’s amazing 🤩

[@leeholden8658]

Great video and puts our ownership of our first car to shame. After passing my test we bought a 20 year old Honda CRV for £3,000 with 113.170 miles on the clock and two year later it’s now showing over 134,000. But and it’s a very big but, it’s had that many things go wrong that needed replacing it’s cost us a further £3,400 not including £500 on a full set of Yokohama all season tyres. We’re now thinking about buying another car (used) but can’t help thinking will we buy someone else problem and we’re back at square one again. We’ve replaced the CAT and both o2 senses,condenser,compressor and aux belt,a third gear sensor, a front strut, then the usual brake pads,brake discs and three out of four calipers. We’d get next to nothing for trade in and the car means so much more to us and has really been a great car for us in getting to go places we would never have got if we used public transport.

[@hamdanali2036]

51:58 agreed. i learned in a fiesta diesel in 2019, and damn it was a shaking mess when i was one year too high. additionally, my first car was a petrol (due to ULEZ). i stalled an uncountable amount of times in my first few months with the petrol car. the diesel fiesta did not need throttle to set off from a stand still, whereas the petrol honda jazz i had did and i found it hard to get used to.

[@AaronFisher]

I feel your paint pain on the MX5, Mazda's commitment to lightness is the bane of my existence on my MX5's paint! They made it so thin it's a constant battle against the elements.

[@Wg323]

Can you do a video talking about all your past vehicles? I remember you mentioning a Vauxhall VX220 you used to have and I'd love to hear what other things you've had and how your experience was with them!

[@derniax7513]

would be fun to see you teach in a gr yaris! i was thinking through the whole video that you should get one and then you said it!

[@IGRAFF09]

Funny you say about the sump plug. I was getting the same thing on my A3. I tighten it so much to stop it leaking. I never thought to get the OE plug will do from now on.

[@RichardFanders]

If the paint on the sump is damaged even the genuine plug may not solve it.

[@IGRAFF09]

@RichardFanders interesting, I'll check on the next service. 👍

[@robertguest5309]

brilliant cars had a toledo diesel 1.6 still being used as a taxi 300,000 + miles sold it to someone i know have a leon fr estate sport petrol tsi 177,00 miles so far at 4.5 years old does'nt miss a beat same clutch new battery cam belt changed had 3 ibizas prior to that lot of car for the money very reliable

[@jamessykes3965]

I bought the estate version in March 2014 and I regret selling it on ,but I was short of funds at the time , I agree with all your sentiments expressed in the video, great car.

[@MrReeceyburger123]

I’ve had a MK2 Leon tdi cr140 since 2019 done 110k in it so far. It’s been brilliant I got warned about the egr/dpf and no issues so far. Engine runs smooth and is nippy. So far no other faults 🤞

[@5ausageandMash]

We have the 2016 2.0tdi 150bhp version. I was the second owner from 35000miles. It has been remapped from 40k It's now on 97000 miles. Apart from lots of front tyres and 1 set of brakes, cambelt and water pump the only unexpected thing to go wrong in all that time is 2 rear springs which I was sad about as the stance was much nicer on broken springs. I did the other way for android auto the same old screen but you change the plug socket and pay a man £60 rather than the seat dealers £200 to activate android auto and that saved the car for me too.

[@rhomanW]

Genuinely excellent content from this channel, only just starting to get into cars fully due to the fact I'm currently in lessons and I'm looking to buy my first. Really nice insight into how much upkeeping a car can actually be, I know this might be a bit exaggerated and more costly due to the fact this is your primary teaching car but I'd argue for a car with the mileage this has a lot of these faults are probably to be expected regardless. Keep up the great work!

[@GTFour]

I’m amazed how little that’s failed. Wear and tear items aside as expected. Good car! Still looks sharp and modern to me too. I’d for sure hang on for as long as possible. The savings are huge and it’s both good to drive & reliable.

[@radimziegler7079]

heya man, i just also bought a leon mk 3,5 off a german dude that drove it up an down the autobahn A LOT (250 000km since June 2017) so this video is a godsend in terms of preventative maintenance and information in general. thanks a lot. if you have anytthing else important to share i'm all ears :) edit: but as i'm watching along, i have to disagree with 29:46, the bonnet on my nevada white ST is in terrible shape, the leading edge is absolutely ravaged by stone chips. but i suppose that is to be expected when you're going at high speeds.

[@Luckyjo21]

2007 Toyota Corolla near me being used as a learners car with around 450,000 miles on it, been a learners car since new

[@hamdanali2036]

watching this beginning to end was a nice way to spend my sunday morning today. love the content bro

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

Richard's videos are so wholesome.

[@cx.silver.bullet]

Fact that you didn't have to replace clutch after this milage means you are really good teacher... or car readability is good ... or both 🙂

[@jayjay378378]

My wife has done 95k miles in 3 years in her hybrid Corolla and not had any issues just had servicing

[@GameWithViiP3R]

Service toyotas they will run for miles

[@jayjay378378]

@@GameWithViiP3R very true 👌

[@RichardFanders]

They have a good reputation. Although ours needs a new door control module that we've been waiting 2 months for.

[@jayjay378378]

@@RichardFanders ah that's annoying, my wife is too a driving instructor and its been a good choice for her , 65mpg and no issues so far 😊

[@manveersingh1971]

i have 2 leon’s, one 17 plate fr 1.4 ACT and the others 14 plate 1.4, what i learnt from this is to remove the coil packs with a hot engine. I had to use a crow bar 😂 and the fuel cap locking mechanism failure seems to be quite common. I’m looking to code the start/stop to default off using VCDS and i’ve changed the boot struts to the ocatvia ones, so it can automatically open the boot if you hold the middle key button down. overall great cars and quite fuel efficient. I wouldn’t recommend ACT just due to the timing belt change being a lot.

[@volt8684]

I have owned a few off the wall cars and some get under your skin. My mk1 berlingo 1.6 petrol best car ever owned in 55 yrs

[@martinDynamique]

We ran a pair of Renault Clio MK2 1.2 16v's as driving school cars from 2001 to 2004 both done around 160k when changed for another pair, these done similar miles until 2007 when they were replaced with a mk3 Clio and a MK2 Twingo both 1.2 16v, in 2010 these were both replaced with Facelift 1.2 16v Twingo's again similar miles, 2014 they were replaced with a pair of mk4 Clio 1.2 16v's until both cars and the business was retired. Fun fact - these cars done over 1.5 million miles without a single failure!