I had to do a repair on a Seat Ibiza 51 reg on friday, first time I've been in one, and was quite frankly appalled at the tacky and flimsey interior. Found it hard to believe it was part of the VAG group.

Sorry for the late reply

Yes the DB9 is better than a mondeo however the association with ford is a painful one (at least i would think so). I wouldnt say no thou

The DB9 doesn't share ANYTHING with a Mondeo!

If Ford didn't own Jaguar, Land Rover or Aston Martin, none of these cars would be as reliable, well-built or well designed as they currently are. Thousands of people (myself included) are employed by these companies in THIS country. We should be grateful for Ford's insight, bravery and investment.

I think they have a far better approach to these companies than any other parent company would have. Just look at what GM has done to the companies it owns! And VAG is far more guilty of 'badge engineering' than Ford ae. There is a great deal of separation between the Ford group of cars.

It costs a fortune to design and develop a car these days. Without some commonality, all these smaller companies would have died out. We should be grateful they're still going strong.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the Fabia vRS in the Guardian's list, though! And who picked the top ten? It was Steve Sutcliffe, of Autocar!

Apart from a bank account

I'm one to talk, mercedes make my car..... badly, hence it originally being light hearted.

For anyone who knows that they are a ford, it takes that sharp edge feeling out of it. Just like ferrari, everyone splooges over those, and to see a fiat and realise that they own ferrari.... doesnt really do it. The only time you can look at a car and think wow is when you see something original, pure and untouched. Not saying ford have done a bad job, its just the overall aura the effect of someone owning it has.

I'm one to talk' date=' mercedes make my car..... badly, hence it originally being light hearted.

[/quote']

Mercedes don't exist in their own right either: they're owned by Daimler Chrylser.

So your car's a Neon in drag :P

CJ,

I was going to go for an Ibizia originally until discovering:

a) The salesmen were total w**kers at my local garage

The car felt like an empty tin can on the test drive, literally bouncing around on the road at 55mph.

ooo the incestuous nature of the car industry

I prefer a viper/SRT-10 in drag

I have to admit I was going to get a seat leon unil my local garage were a bunch of W$

I have to admit I was going to get a seat leon unil my local garage were a bunch of W$

The DB9 doesn't share ANYTHING with a Mondeo!

Actually that's not quite true...

On another front, has anyone ever seen the interior of current Lambo's (especially the Gallardo)? You can see the 'VW'ness' !!

Wasnt the one at Cowgate was it? I went in to look at an Ibiza but they were complete ******* with their heads stuck up their **** so I told them to shove it :thumbdwn:

It was the one at langley moor

The skoda dealership in preston was crap when i went in. ****ting hell i nearly smacked the guy. i went in looked around the show furby vRS (v nice) then i sat down with the guy and his first words were "how old are you?" i told him and he replied with ......."you cant afford this car. ill tell you now, you need to go look at citroens or something instead!" I jumped to my feet and layed into him with the biggest verbal barrage you have ever seen he just sat there and quivered in his seat. Then when i finished i walked out with him nearly crying. haha stuck up ****

his first words were "how old are you?" i told him and he replied with ......."you cant afford this car.

I had that quite a few years ago now when I was looking at a Punto Sporting. Needless to say, he lost a sale.

I got funny looks because of my age (doesnt help when I look young for my age as it is) when I went into my dealer after a Fabia vRS, and was asked "is this being bought for you then, mum and dad, or company" to which my reply was, "no I am bying it outright, cash"

Turns out I bought it off tins though in the end

seems most seat dealers are cr@p.. I tested a leon cupra and wanted to deal.. he offered me