Alcantra Seats

[civilservant]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

That sounds good. Heated seats are essential on leather, unnecessary on cloth. It is an option box I would rather not tick.

Yes, save your money. Heated seat is only critical for leather seats. I prefer the Alacantara to leather for comfort, but for a young family, leather is a godsend.

What car do you have your eye on next?

[Harvey1512]

Skoda Superb, estate most likely although I will be looking at the hatchback as well. It's a lot of car, huge boot, good lease price. It ticks all the boxes for what I need.

[NigelDay]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

Skoda Superb, estate most likely although I will be looking at the hatchback as well. It's a lot of car, huge boot, good lease price. It ticks all the boxes for what I need.

Make sure you specify all the parking assist options. It's a big beast to park. Nice choice.

[Scooser]

Originally Posted by NigelDay

Make sure you specify all the parking assist options. It's a big beast to park. Nice choice.

What! Big estates are easy to park given the back window is pretty much in line with the rear bumper.

I don't have rear parking sensors on my V70, and whereas I've been tempered to retrofit, I've never really needed them.

No need to a whole bunch of gadgets to park a large estate car.

[civilservant]

A nice car indeed. I wouldn't buy one outright but as a lease car, you can't go wrong. Lovely interior and good specs.

I personally would spec parking sensors. They are helpful in that you can reverse as tight as you wish and avoid the scenario of getting out of the car and seeing a large gap at the rear and getting back in the car and having to reverse back further.

Plus it helps the wife...

[Harvey1512]

I'll be going for the Business / Tech version so front and rear sensors are standard. If they weren't I would tick the box for them. I have them on the XC60 and they make parking so easy.

It is a big car but the XC60 is not a city car so hopefully it will be okay. I'm taking my wife to see them this weekend to get her approval, no sniggering single people, and then I will be sorting out a test drive. I will be testing out the size etc in car parks at that stage as parking in the town where I live can be tight at times. I need a big old boot but I also need it to be suitable for regular life.

I will be leasing and the price I have for a kitted out estate version is coming in, including servicing, at the same price as I pay now for the XC60 without servicing. If I go for the hatchback I get the same plus £20 / month saving on top. The list price is also £5k-6k less than my XC60 so that will be a tidy tax saving for me as well.

In my eyes it is an affordable V90 and unless HID bombs it out or the test drive is awful it stands out as an obvious choice for what I need.

[bobby2000]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

Quick question. I'm looking at changing my car in July and the model I'm looking at has Alcantra seats. Never had these before and don't really know what they are like. Are they cold? Do I need to be getting heated seats with them?

I'm going into the showroom at the weekend to have a look but it can't be guaranteed that they will have the right model in for me to see.

I've had Alcantra seats, leather on the outside with Alcantra centre panel in a cream colour, looked nice, good to sit in and with heater and massaging, but very impractical, kept drivers seat covered most of the time.

[Spitfire4]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

Quick question. I'm looking at changing my car in July and the model I'm looking at has Alcantra seats. Never had these before and don't really know what they are like. Are they cold? Do I need to be getting heated seats with them?

I'm going into the showroom at the weekend to have a look but it can't be guaranteed that they will have the right model in for me to see.

Do you know I was just wondering when all those who purchased their cars around the time I did would be changing?

What are you interested in or do you not want to disclose? Always have heated seats, need them for Mrs S.

Not sure when my V40 CC will arrive, garage now think April, but it's no problem.

[Harvey1512]

Spitfire - Scroll up

First thoughts are a Skoda Superb, either hatch or estate. Other possibles are a Mazda 6 est or Passat est. I've had really good pricing in for both Superbs so unless something goes horribly wrong it is likely to be one of those. I'm at a point where interior space and boot space is well needed so lifestyle estates are no use to me.

I've had 5yrs of Volvo's now and I couldn't take another 3yrs with the same interior, options being either a V60 or XC60, neither of which have changed. I need more boot space than a V60 gives so those two things rule the V60 out. I want an auto this time and the economy drop in the XC60 would be too painful, as would the extra BIK that would incur. The quality of my XC60 has also not been good enough. If I am paying a premium tax wise I have high expectations. They have not been met.

I may well return to Volvo in the future but at the moment I fancy a break. The Superb really does offer a lot for your money and as it keeps winning What Car awards it can't be a complete mare.

I had leather in a car a few years ago and the heated seats were glorious. Never needed them on cloth seats though and that is a bit of tax I can keep to myself.

[NigelDay]

I am sure the Superb will fit the bill. I did (briefly) have Skoda on my 'long list', but when Mrs D noticed Skoda, she told me in no uncertain terms NO. It's a shame really because she only remembers the stigma which Skodas had in the 1970's. Try telling her they are (virtually the same as a) VW -- of which we had three long-serving ones from new since changing to a V50 in 2009 -- is a discussion she does not understand !