SEAT Ibiza 1.9TDi SE 5d (2003/03) Owner Review
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Economy
Value
Good for the amount of kit. I negotiated £720 off the list price and got a year's free insurance, when I bought in Feb '03.
Costs
Very economical to run, tax and insure. Great all-rounder. First service at 10k miles will be £115.
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On the road
Driving
Very responsive in the mid-range. Press the throttle in 3rd or 4th and leave most others behind. Comfortable and responsive.
Performance
Faster than the demo I tested. TDi Sport was very quick, but body rolled too much in corners. I didn't like the black wing mirrors. SE has a nice chrome grill surround too. Gives base model Beemers, Mercs and Audis a run for their money on the motorway!
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Living with it
Reliability
Not a squeak, not a rattle. Immaculate for 1 year. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong. I topped up the oil at 8K miles, because now the engine is run in I can horse it on a bit (!), but that's it.
Image
Metallic Black, lowered with 17" Kann's. Very sporty and very sexy with torque to match. I'll take it to Superchip to raise the bhp 30 or 40, but after it comes out of warranty.
Comfort
Very comfortable. Climate is a dream, especially last summer. I fitted 17" low-profile alloys. They need to be set at about 28psi to avoid serious bumps. Am going to fit lowering spings to kill remaining body roll.
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Security and Service
Security
Rock solid. Only additional extra I would think of fitting would be laminated glass all round, but it's still too dear and alarm should scare off most. I fitted a padlock and chain as a deterrent.
Service
Good so far. I haggled hard which they didn't like!
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Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Used a bit of oil between 5 and 8k miles (probably because of my lead foot).
Other
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
New
Would you buy the same model again?
Yes
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
Yes