What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Seat Arona FR sport (New) - Misdescribed and new car woes - monian

After having owned an Arona (same model) from new for 3 years and being generally delighted with the car, I ordered a new (updated) car from the local main Seat dealer. I have now had this car for 4 days and it has 71 miles on the clock. The revisions and update to the model appear beneficial and sensible.

My problem is that the car does not come as described in that this model is described and photographed (on line and on the Seat website) as having two integral fog lights. I did not notice this omission until yesterday and on looking on the Arona users website, other owners are equally as miffed over this anomaly and conversation suggests that Seat stopped fitting these at the end of 2021. If that is the case however, they do not appear to have communicated this to their customers.

The question is raised: would I have bought this car had I known that fog lights were not fitted as part of the model specification? Probably the answer to this is 'No' because I judiciously used the fog lights on my old Arona and felt them to be a core safety and safe driving issue,

On another issue, yesterday the Infotainment screen crashed and is continually trying to reboot (without success). This renders many car functions as inoperative. The Arona users site also suggests that this a is not an uncommon issue and I'm confidant that a call to the dealers tomorrow morning will put arrangements in place to remedy this.

Any legal (or common sense) views and advice would be welcomed and I have E Mailed Seat who have assured me that I will receive a response within 48 hours. What would you do because I'm still unsure as to what my stance will be?

Ian

Seat Arona FR sport (New) - Misdescribed and new car woes - sammy1

if I were the new owner I would be very unhappy with this and be telling the dealer so. If you can live without the front fogs than I would be asking for some monetary compensation or free servicing to the value of. As regards the screen I would put them on notice that you may reject the car as an important part has failed and by the sound of things very likely to fail again. If not happy without the fogs also threaten to reject, just not good enough with a new car and the money you have spent.

Seat Arona FR sport (New) - Misdescribed and new car woes - Brit_in_Germany

On the fog light issue, the advertising most likely had a small print remark that specifications are subject to change. Did your order list them? If it did, you have a stronger case for them to be fitted.

With regard to the screen, this could give you a right to reject under the short term rejection rights iof the consumer rights act. In view of the delays ordering new cars, probably best to get the dealer to fix the problem.

Seat Arona FR sport (New) - Misdescribed and new car woes - Adampr

If, as you say, the answer is that you would not have bought it without front fog lamps, take it back and ask for a refund. No amount of services and cups of instant tea are going to make your fog lights appear, so just get rid of it. Our local Seat dealer always has tons of new Aronas, so I don't think it will be tremendously hard to find another.

As for the infotainment, it probably needs the firmware updates. Your dealer can do that, but I suppose it's immaterial.