SEAT Arosa (1997 - 2004) 1.0 S 3d (2004/04) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

im cheap and could be a girl. but then again it has a revvy engine and i do like overtaking Sunday Audi drivers who are suprised when i shoot past them on a downhill.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

parents love it and say it looks funky with a cheeky face. work mates say its a bit girly but then i say upto 50mpg and usually they shut up and drive home in their estates only to fill up next day whilst mine goes for a week on 1 tank.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No as i need something bigger and with more 4WD capability. mine has none so need to improve on that! i woud recommend it though as its basically a Lupo so no major faults with German engineering but looks a little dated inside now if you are a gadget man. And sorry but i dont do A/C, think its a waste of money and this car suits me fine without it. Great first time buyers car or if you dont want be one of the million city people who have a Ford KA

What are you likely to buy next?

Probably a Panda 4x4 as they look cheeky and would fit the bill of this car almost exactly but with 4WD but same running costs and cheeky looks. dont do big cars or pointless estates as its only me driving in the car with a set of wellies in the back. so no i dont need anything bigger!

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£3,100

When did you buy the car?

September 2008

Did you get a good deal and why?

not sure as was first car. didnt pay over the price but didnt have trade and came in with £1000 cash but dealer didnt seem to likely to give extras. id get £150 off the price. suppose it was a cheap car anyways so didnt expect much.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Needed a cheap run about for work and ony had a week to find a car. Was first car s had to be practical to insure and mpg.

What was the dealer like?

ok but not great. If you're buying a car stick to same car make same dealer. my Seat was bought at a Ford branch and they had issues getting a part for it. had to wait 2 weeks for service. not a problem as car ran fine but steering was an issue as had a mishap with a grass verge so they said only drive it 50 miles a day as otherwise more damage could be caused. a little inconvenient.

What's it like to drive?

Very lively as its only a 1 litre. overrev in first and there really is no point in using it for puling away as your car then turns into a moped with less go. and you look like a tit for making it sound like a racers car! other than getting used to that its great. there is some roll around corners but makes for a fun drive if you like 60mph country bends (i do!). Brakes are not ABS and show as they are quite spongey and not very responsive. big fat chunky tyres which look good and give good grip.

What's it like to park?

Veey easy! its a small car and good visiblity but the rear seat rests do get in the way sometimes,

Have you had any problems with the car?

not anyhing i hadnt done to it myself! the front light does mist up sometimes and nothing will really solve this although a replacement was done by dealer under warranty.

What's most practical about your car?

great MPG and cheap to insure and run, over 45 combined most times.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Not much to choose from but the lights are placed at right side of steering column which doesnt over clutter the driving stalks as some makes do.