Talk:SEAT Marbella
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[edit] Worth adding?
The fully Spanish versions we always used to use as disposable, cheap (UK£5 per day!) hire cars when on holiday on the mainland or one of the islands had, I believe, an 850cc (848?) 3-cylinder motor with about 38hp, possibly a Volkswagen design (as seen on very early Polos, etc). Despite a reasonably healthy power output for the size, and the car's light weight, it was lacking a bit in torque; an overriding memory of various trips out was, with the car loaded with two adults, two tweens and a bag with drinks in, my father thrashing the bolts off the motor (and cursing the terrible gearbox) just to keep up with regular traffic over the hills - including heavy trucks!
Even so, they were hard as nails (not just in ride quality) - another memory is going offroading in one along a desert track through Lanzarote that wasn't so much unpaved, as totally nonexistant and navigated using a compass and the odometer... at 60+ kmh in a 2WD tin box! (for all the lack of power and uselessness on the open road, first gear must have been very low, as on that trip it easily crested a couple of very steep hills that left Suzuki Vitaras and larger-engined Ford Fiestas struggling). Given the dryness of those climates, there must still be thousands of them running about even with such proximity to the sea; unlike here in Britain where they're a rarity (most having crumbled long ago, along with the mk1 pandas), the salt just wouldn't touch them over there.
They also came in a range of startling colours, just right for a mediterranean country...
The northern europe ones might have received both versions of the engine but certainly had rather more sedate paint jobs!
- The problem with this car that it dislikes moisture and cold. The combination of these two will guarantee to not start the vehicle. A solution is: wrap the bobine in a dry towel. And have a fully loaded energy station ready, for an extra boost in the accu. This works! Even with cold and damp it will start (I have a seat marbella). And electrical systems are very sensitive.
A plus is the rust-free chassis. Mine is from 1992 and it still looks as if it came from the factory yesterday. Marminnetje 16:14, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
