This is my past experience of a BMW 1 series and a Seat Leon 1.4.
Mine was a 118D ES Edition. Had it for almost 6 years and other than servicing and consumables the only additional expense was battery (replaced under warranty) and a pair of front springs. Over those 6 years it averaged about 48 mpg (calculated not form the lying dash display). I accept they don't have great rear space but that was not an issue for us which was why we bought it. Compared to the other cars we looked at (Golf, Civic, Auris, Ceed etc) it was head and shoulders better and not a lot more money.
When we came to replace it another 1 series was the front runner (a 118i petrol since my mileage had dropped) but just before this the new Leon had been released and we went for a look and drive. It was a 1.4 TSi 140 PS in SE trim. Within a few hundred metres we knew it was the car we were buying. It was better than the 1 series in pretty much every respect, in the others it was a match. Over the 3 1/2 years we had it we had no issues at all, just servicing, not even a set of tyres. It averaged a genuine 45 mpg which when you take into account the extra cost of diesel pretty much made the fuel costs the same. Only sold it because a change in our need made the car too small. Bought a Skoda Superb which was mechanically identical, just bigger.
Both are great cars providing you get a good one (just like any car).
Are you feeling lucky considering you are proposing buying a 8 to 10 year old car?
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