Hi all, I’ve seen online a 2019 Rapid spaceback 1.0 tsi 95 SE Sport in white with 53k miles @ £8249. Near enough top of my budget.

 

Car looks nice and would likely meet my needs (family car, up to 4K miles per year consisting of mainly shorter trips, the odd longer (up to 3hr) trip), but my concern is whether it has enough bhp i.e., have enough oomph, and to feel like it has more to give/overtake when at 60/70/80 mph.

 

Does anybody have experience of this model/engine?

 

Many Thanks

I had a Rapid Spaceback, albeit with the 1.2 TSI engine that was replaced with the 1.0 engine that's in the car you are looking at. No issues with oomph. Very nippy, no issues getting up to or holding motorway speeds, even with a car full of people or other stuff.

 

My only issues with the car, which is why after over 8 years of happy ownership I eventually traded it in, was that the seats were extremely uncomfortable (which was addressed with new seats with more padded upholstery in the facelift model that you are looking at) and was a bit low down, so it's a bit of a drop getting into it depending on how tall you are.

5 minutes ago, chrisgreen said:

I had a Rapid Spaceback, albeit with the 1.2 TSI engine that was replaced with the 1.0 engine that's in the car you are looking at. No issues with oomph. Very nippy, no issues getting up to or holding motorway speeds, even with a car full of people or other stuff.

 

My only issues with the car, which is why after over 8 years of happy ownership I eventually traded it in, was that the seats were extremely uncomfortable (which was addressed with new seats with more padded upholstery in the facelift model that you are looking at) and was a bit low down, so it's a bit of a drop getting into it depending on how tall you are.

Hi @chrisgreen, thanks for responding, sounds positive. I’m 5’10 and up until recently had a 2013 Ford Focus 1.0 ecoboost titanium until the engine went kaput, and currently driving a 1.0 Ford Fiesta titanium every bow and again until a new car is bought.

 

I haven’t checked dimensions on these for comparison.

You are roughly the same as me (I'm 5'11"). You really need to physically get into the car (or any Rapid) and try it to make sure 1) it fits you and 2) that you can get in and out comfortably. 

Update - off to view and test drive the car tomorrow, I’ve read so many conflicting views about the car and its power being enough. For my needs, hopefully it is.

 

However, in researching I’ve also seen many people modifying the their cars increasing by and torque by remapping  etc), it’s good to see what’s possible if I felt more power is needed. Along with many others mods.

 

Also, it’s year is 2018, not 2019. And I’m surprised I don’t mind the candy white (from images).

Update - Viewed and test drove the car today, it was very nice. As with a nearly 7 year old car there are some scratches and chips on the paintwork, but nothing too bad I think.

 

However, there are some reasonable scratches on the tail end of the roof. I’m investigating if these can be tidied up and I would be asking the dealership to do so regardless.

They have also spray painted the savio alloy wheels all black because one of them had some chips which apparently could not be restored properly, but I’m not convinced the spray job is that good as it seems the paint is bobbly.

 

 

The advert still shows the original savio’s.

 

Need to think about it all and ready to discuss with the dealership tomorrow what I want to do.

There’s a few things there that are throwing up red flags. If the car is mechanically sound, personally I would be looking to knock about a grand off  if I were buying it for the bodywork issues and the cost of having all four rims refurbished properly (and put back for the correct colour). 

13 minutes ago, chrisgreen said:

There’s a few things there that are throwing up red flags. If the car is mechanically sound, personally I would be looking to knock about a grand off  if I were buying it for the bodywork issues and the cost of having all four rims refurbished properly (and put back for the correct colour). 

Hi @chrisgreen, what for you is throwing up red flags? Do you think the finish on the alloys doesn’t look quite right?

 

Any knowledge on whether the scratches on the glass could be fixed?

 

There is also a scrape on top of drivers side wing mirror, and a few small chips in windscreen. For the age of the car I suppose it’s to be expected, paint chips I expect touching up can resolve. 
 

Another picture closer up of alloy.

 

Edited 23 February, 20251 yr by Fieldy79

The new pics of the wheels is showing up the paint job to be even worse than I initially thought. Done badly by someone who didn’t know what they were doing. Those wheels are supposed be silver, not black. 
 

The roof scratches concern me, suggests a hard life at a minimum and worse case scenario that it’s carried things on the roof (not using a proper roof rack). Have you looked into the full previous history of the car. Was it previously a taxi or on Motorbility? 

Also, glass scratches are very hard to fix without damaging the actual glass itself. Very very fine scratches can be dulled down with an aggressive glass polish and some tedious hand polishing, but anything deeper is very hard to do anything with. Machine polishing glass risks distorting the surface. 

17 minutes ago, chrisgreen said:

The new pics of the wheels is showing up the paint job to be even worse than I initially thought. Done badly by someone who didn’t know what they were doing. Those wheels are supposed be silver, not black. 
 

The roof scratches concern me, suggests a hard life at a minimum and worse case scenario that it’s carried things on the roof (not using a proper roof rack). Have you looked into the full previous history of the car. Was it previously a taxi or on Motorbility? 

Yeah, they’re not looking good. Blistered and not smooth. I had the same feeling about the scratches.

 

I haven’t checked if ex taxi or on motorbility, what’s the best place to do this? Is there a price attached to finding this information?

I normally use motorscan.co.uk. They provide a lot of info for free, but a full report on the car’s history is £9.99. Money well spent IMHO. 
 

Chris 

50 minutes ago, chrisgreen said:

I normally use motorscan.co.uk. They provide a lot of info for free, but a full report on the car’s history is £9.99. Money well spent IMHO. 
 

Chris 

True, especially when spending such a big amount of hard earned money.

 

I suppose I could get the report tonight and then see what the dealership (Hartwells Ford, Reading) say about fixing the wheels, roof, windscreen chips, wing mirror scrapes.

 

Steve

What did the report say - is the car history clean or has it been ragged by a taxi driver or had a hard life as a motorbility car etc?

7 hours ago, chrisgreen said:

What did the report say - is the car history clean or has it been ragged by a taxi driver or had a hard life as a motorbility car etc?

Hi @chrisgreen, I haven’t had the check yet. I thought I’d email the dealership with the issues identified asking if they resolve to satisfaction first.

 

I’m not sure they’ll fix the biggest items, if this is the case then no point in checking the car history (although I have also asked if they know its history a I doubt it).

On 24/02/2025 at 20:43, Fieldy79 said:

Hi @chrisgreen, I haven’t had the check yet. I thought I’d email the dealership with the issues identified asking if they resolve to satisfaction first.

 

I’m not sure they’ll fix the biggest items, if this is the case then no point in checking the car history (although I have also asked if they know its history a I doubt it).

Update - Dealer is currently fixing issues (scratches etc identified by filling, touching up etc). Alloys are being re-done but will stay black.

 

I advised them I wouldn’t be purchasing the car without seeing any work done with my own eyes, yet they continue to talk and push as though I’m buying the car, that I’m to pick up Saturday and to pay in full Friday before collection before picking up. They will be sending me photos of the work, but that’s no substitute for your own eyes.

 

Previous owner was apparently a lady, not a taxi etc.

 

I don’t have a lot of experience buying cars, but how they’re behaving feels odd and makes me feel uncomfortable. I know they’re trying to sell a product, but come on.

 

Think it’ll be a no from me. There will be more cars.

Edited 27 February, 20251 yr by Fieldy79

Pictures dealer has sent me following polishing scratches on body work, mirrors and roof (apparently what I thought was a scratch on glass roof is actually on bodywork), resprayed wheels.

 

I’m not sure how I feel

about it if I’m honest, wheels still bother me as well as still being able to see a scratch on roof bodywork.

 

Further pics.

Your call. But if I were in your shoes, especially without knowing the history of the car (oh and the tyres don’t actually fit on those rims. Look at the sidewalls), I would walk away. Plenty more out there in better condition. 

39 minutes ago, chrisgreen said:

Your call. But if I were in your shoes, especially without knowing the history of the car (oh and the tyres don’t actually fit on those rims. Look at the sidewalls), I would walk away. Plenty more out there in better condition. 

@chrisgreen I’m with you, I don’t feel comfortable at all. Niggling away at me.

 

Thank you for your input, it’s been appreciated.

Update - Well, after advising the car was not as expected and requesting a refund of my refundable deposit I was met with two options; 1) £150 discount and pay for the car in full, then when going to collect if I did not want it they’d refund me in full (er, no.). 2) £99 refund as they completed works I requested incurring costs, and to my deadlines (I didn’t request any work to be completed nor provide any deadlines).

 

I emailed the dealer a statement of fact detailing events, and today I’ve been advised I’ll be receiving a full refund of my deposit.

 

Not a pleasant experience.

 

Once again, thank you to everyone who responded to me here.