306maxi said:

They're fine

Click to expand...

I would agree with Maxi and have a 'weakness' for Red leather (not a fan of red on red though !) but the Tan can look well in the flesh on the right colour. The sport model with the half leather is good value but you can only get it with the black ambiance. IMHO leather needs aircon.

loveshandbags said:

I would agree with Maxi and have a 'weakness' for Red leather (not a fan of red on red though !) but the Tan can look well in the flesh on the right colour. The sport model with the half leather is good value but you can only get it with the black ambiance. IMHO leather needs aircon.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't say it needs it because of leather, but every car should have air con really.....

I'm getting a lounge so will have AC, have pretty much decided to get the automatic option too so that's not an issue really. I'm sure it will look great with the volare, just not quite decided whether I want to spend an additional £700 or so on the leather seats. My OH said leather is coooold in the winter which has caused me to dither a little, the idea of a cold behind on a freezing cold morning doesn't fill me with glee

Me again, just looking on the configurator - apart from the colour what's the difference between the pop and the lounge seats? I.e. there are some that are checked and some that are plain -from what I can see on the picture they look different stylewise. Is there a difference in comfort or anything like that?

FloJo said:

I'm getting a lounge so will have AC, have pretty much decided to get the automatic option too so that's not an issue really. I'm sure it will look great with the volare, just not quite decided whether I want to spend an additional £700 or so on the leather seats. My OH said leather is coooold in the winter which has caused me to dither a little, the idea of a cold behind on a freezing cold morning doesn't fill me with glee

Click to expand...

If you have the £££ the climate control is a blessing with the fixed glass roof particularily if you have company on a longer trip. You can set the temperature and not have to resort to fiddle with the controls.

On the lounge you have splits as standard so upgrading to leather - you still get to keep the splits . The Tan colour does look the business with the Volare blue and makes it look classy plus it has a bit of nice stitching around the seat. I never experienced any cold feeling getting into the leather - plus it is easy to keep clean. The Tan wouldn't have the same problem as the Red with blue jeans (on 'staining') or at least I don't think it will. If you're keeping the car for say 3 years you should get your moneys worth and if re-sale is important is will certainly help if the leather isn't marked or damaged in anyway.

FloJo said:

Me again, just looking on the configurator - apart from the colour what's the difference between the pop and the lounge seats? I.e. there are some that are checked and some that are plain -from what I can see on the picture they look different stylewise. Is there a difference in comfort or anything like that?

Click to expand...

The 'lounge' seats are referred to as chequered - some refer to 'affectionately' as houndscloth. It IS hard to keep them clean and personally I prefer them to the POP seats. My experience having the lounge seats in the current 500 is that they are more comfortable than the pop seats but they are not as good as the half leather or the full leather which for some reason you seem to seat a little lower and are more comfortable. On the volaire blue colour that you have opted for I personally wouldn't want it with pop seats.

If it was a toss up between Climate control and Leather I'd drop the CC and add the few bob and go for the Tan leather.

I understand that there are some £0 options tht need to be specified when you order the car, one of these being the port to connect the sat nav that's on the dash. What other £0 cost options are there, if any? Should I be requesting any of these? - I want to get my moneys worth

FloJo said:

I understand that there are some £0 options tht need to be specified when you order the car, one of these being the port to connect the sat nav that's on the dash. What other £0 cost options are there, if any? Should I be requesting any of these? - I want to get my moneys worth

Click to expand...

The only one that I'm aware of is the sat nav port.
Also given the 'shortening' of the wait time for the 500 it would be no harm to mention that you want the number plates mounted correctly without have holes tapped (screwed) into the 'opening hatch'. The back of my 'opening hatch' is a disgrace from the original dealer and the last re-seller.
What options are you going for on the Lounge TA besides the Volare, Tan, ESP and White ambiance ?

Climate control, the rear view mirror & side rubbing strips.

Oh yes - what exactly is the passenger seat with memory option?

I'll check out how they attach the number plates there tomorrow before we go in....!

FloJo said:

Climate control, the rear view mirror & side rubbing strips.

Oh yes - what exactly is the passenger seat with memory option?

I'll check out how they attach the number plates there tomorrow before we go in....!

Click to expand...

Hi Jo!
Re: the passenger/memory option – if you regularly have a carful of people, it might be worth considering. We didn't spec it for our daughter's lounge but if we could go back, we would! It's a right faff trying to get the seat back into a non-knee-crunching position whenever people get in via the passenger door...

FloJo said:

Climate control, the rear view mirror & side rubbing strips.
Oh yes - what exactly is the passenger seat with memory option?
I'll check out how they attach the number plates there tomorrow before we go in....!

Click to expand...

With all those extras (all very worthwhile) I can see why you were looking for a bit of discount.
A worry that some dealers have is that they could be stuck with a car of this spec if you don't turn up with the money. Your only exposure at the start (may be different in the UK) is the €200 until the car possibly a week or so before it arrives at the garage.
The passenger seat - IMHO - I'd forget that - more money.
Re the number plate some are using sticky tape as opposed to screws. Personally I like a chrome number plate surround without the advertising it should be possible to get a fixing on this on the hatch (4 screws in each corner) and then possibly 'slip' the reg plate into it.
Best of luck tomorrow.

I have to say I still view the leather seats and the climate control as luxury options that I do want but don't need (iyswim). From playing with the finance calculator without the leather and putting in the the max deposit it will let me use I had it at £10.10 interest on the i deal, it's gone up with my chosen options and were I feeling particularly frugal I'd do without the seats at the very least . The way I see it though is that this is likely to be my car for a good many years and it's my first new car, if I'm going to spend this much what's a bit extra for some luxury and at least cat hair that seems to get everywhere won't be so obvious

loveshandbags said:

The passenger seat - IMHO - I'd forget that - more money.

Click to expand...

I remember when that used to be a no cost option, as was the smoking kit.

:chin: I wonder how long it will be before the SatNav port becomes a chargeable item.

Lilly69 said:

Hi Jo!
Re: the passenger/memory option – if you regularly have a carful of people, it might be worth considering. We didn't spec it for our daughter's lounge but if we could go back, we would! It's a right faff trying to get the seat back into a non-knee-crunching position whenever people get in via the passenger door...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up Lilly - I'll have a play with the seats at the dealer and see what I think. The car is just for me at the moment and there is rarely more than 2 in the car, we don't yet have kids but I might think ahead as it were!

grimwau said:

I remember when that used to be a no cost option, as was the smoking kit.

:chin: I wonder how long it will be before the SatNav port becomes a chargeable item.

Click to expand...

I don't think it will become a cost option. Just imagine how much they make from the sale of a B&M Tom Tom

FloJo said:

I have to say I still view the leather seats and the climate control as luxury options that I do want but don't need (iyswim). From playing with the finance calculator without the leather and putting in the the max deposit it will let me use I had it at £10.10 interest on the i deal, it's gone up with my chosen options and were I feeling particularly frugal I'd do without the seats at the very least . The way I see it though is that this is likely to be my car for a good many years and it's my first new car, if I'm going to spend this much what's a bit extra for some luxury and at least cat hair that seems to get everywhere won't be so obvious

Click to expand...

Tbh if I had to choose between leather and climate I'd take leather every time. Sure as others will say, you can set it and forget it. But getting the manual climate control to work is hardly difficult, whereas you either have leather or you don't

Don't know if this is worth mentioning but as you've said about both I may as well

It says on the configurator that you don't get the underseat storage if you have the leather option?? Maybe it's still too early for me to be up on a Sunday....

Hi everyone - I think I'm going to just be done with it and go for both. With a max deposit it works out at an extra £24 or so in interest on the whole purchase so what the heck

After playing around in the cars yesterday we decided it would be wise to go for the passenger seat with memory option as well.

I realise about the lack of storage under the seat with the leather - but my current lupo has even less storage so it's not something I'm especially fussed about

Just as a final check I testdrove the 1.2 and the TA again and am really happy with my choice of the TA. The 1.2 would be fine if all I did was city driving but as I've said elsewhere that for me it lacks some oomph I'd also got it into my head that the TA was REALLY LOUD too so I'm glad it wasn't afterall!!

Didn't get to order in the end yesterday as the guy with all the passwords wasn't in so will try and get it actioned by phone tomorrow morning.

Hmm, :idea: would it be wrong to go for the 500C just for the wheels?

FloJo said:

Hmm, :idea: would it be wrong to go for the 500C just for the wheels?

Click to expand...

If you really want the wheels. the dealer will order them in for you.

FloJo said:

Hmm, :idea: would it be wrong to go for the 500C just for the wheels?

Click to expand...

Me thinks if you were a 'red' leather person the 500c POP might have tempted :devil: you since it has a very nice basic interior and it comes with Air con as standard.
I get a price of €14,110 + delivery on your tintop TA. I worked out that the leather was the same price as the extras - thinking of Maxi's input about dropping the CC for the Tan.
What would the price of the TA 500c Pop be and should 'we' not go there