RE: SOTW: Seat Leon 20VT

[jiff]

what about a 2k Budget, iv been looking at 325ci, any ideas?
needs to be fun RWD if possible if not a very fast FWD

[FastRich]

I've got 2005 Cupra TDi 150 (last of this shape) and I use it as a daily commute. I've driven it 35,000 miles and have never had a single fault. Driving hard, I still get 500 miles to every tank (+/-20) and on a long run driving carefully I managed over 700 miles before the fuel light came on!

It handles brilliantly - sharp, direct and grippy as you like. Feedback through the steering is excellent and the chassis is near perfect. The engine pulls strongly with a slug of power from about 1,750rpm but it's short lived as it runs out of puff at around 3,750rpm.

I bought the car as a 'go between' but as much as I want to (and it's well past time to) upgrade, I just can't justify it!

[Riggers]

jiff said:

what about a 2k Budget, iv been looking at 325ci, any ideas?
needs to be fun RWD if possible if not a very fast FWD

It's a good question, but not for this thread, please! Do feel free to start a thread of your own, however

[mikey P 500]

I have the cupra tdi 150bhp also, I think these are the ones to get, as most the performance, with great running costs, doubt you would get one for sub £1k, but they hold value better so would get your cash back when re selling and have alot cheaper running along the way. This petrol example is nice but who would really want a relativily thirsty engine in such a mundane and very cheap hatch back.

[splitpin]

Whilst it's a decent enough car, 'cachet' and 'cupra' are not two words I've ever put together whatever the 'vintage'; to my mind, Seat misguidedly led the way (and Audi misguidedly followed) in making most all of their models look virtually identical.

[JamStar]

I can't believe it. The first shed of the week I've owned.

It was never pretty but a great car though. I never felt it was a poor relation to the A3 I'd had with the same engine a few years earlier. Mine even had electric fold in wing mirrors. Woohoo.

[johnpeat]

What you have to remember about this is the value it represented at the time - it was cheaper than a Golf GTi by some margin whilst having more power, nicer handling and a better interior (nicked from an Audi!!)

I'd personally hang-on/spend more and try to find a Cupra Sport (the 210hp engine and nicer wheels/bodykit) - always really fancied one of those myself

Edited by johnpeat on Friday 13th April 14:22

[redgriff500]

mikey P 500 said:

I have the cupra tdi 150bhp also, I think these are the ones to get, as most the performance, with great running costs, doubt you would get one for sub £1k, but they hold value better so would get your cash back when re selling and have alot cheaper running along the way. This petrol example is nice but who would really want a relativily thirsty engine in such a mundane and very cheap hatch back.

In the context on SOTW if you can't get one for £1k it's irrelevant - and you can't.

As too who would want a relatively fast / thirsty engine in a dull looking car - everyone who cares more about performance than looks / image.

I specifically wanted an anonymous car to take to areas I wasn't happy leaving my MX5 or RX7.

[Defconluke]

Article said:

This particular model perhaps isn't quite so 'Q', resplendent as it is in its look-at-me yellow, but it's still a lot of poke and practicality for the money (challenge to all PHers: find shed a contemporary - or newer - hot hatch for the same price with more power).

How about a pair of very clean looking MG ZS 180s. Car 1 and Car 2. Not quite as 'Q' as the Leon and sporting a full 2hp less (albeit marginally lighter) but they do look a lot less like the runt of the litter at £1K.

[redgriff500]

Defconluke said:

Article said:

This particular model perhaps isn't quite so 'Q', resplendent as it is in its look-at-me yellow, but it's still a lot of poke and practicality for the money (challenge to all PHers: find shed a contemporary - or newer - hot hatch for the same price with more power).

How about a pair of very clean looking MG ZS 180s. Car 1 and Car 2. Not quite as 'Q' as the Leon and sporting a full 2hp less (albeit marginally lighter) but they do look a lot less like the runt of the litter at £1K.

MORE power was required not less !

Also the 180 can be remapped to 210bhp for £200ish.

[Defconluke]

redgriff500 said:

MORE power was required not less !

Also the 180 can be remapped to 210bhp for £200ish.

Parkers actually quote a quicker 0-60 for the ZS because it's not quite as porky as the Leon, 7.3 vs. 7.5.

The car in the advert isn't a remapped car.
You could find an £1100 car and say it could be haggled down to £1K but that's not the point of SOTW.

[pSyCoSiS]

Riggers said:

It's a good question, but not for this thread, please! Do feel free to start a thread of your own, however

Look around hard enough mate, and you can even pick up a half-decent 330ci Sport (earlier models).

[georgiansoccer]

a friend has one of these pretty much keeps up with my e46 330 ci on a rolling start

180bhp

[Gez79]

I had a 2002 Cupra for 4 years, great car, couldn't find anything else at the time which offered the same power for the price, relatively nice interior, loads of equipment, not that bad at handling and no one knew it packed 180bhp. (it was one of the earlier, none bodykit model)

It would beat my brothers brand new BMW 320d 177bhp in rolling starts every time even with 110k on the clock.

[MadDog1962]

Hmmm... I wonder how much to fix that boost leak? I wonder if it's a straightforward fix?

Looks like a decent sort of shed daily driver for a PHer :-)

[EDLT]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

Strawman said:

A leaky turbo sounds bad, how much is a new one?

That's what I thought when I read the article, but the ad says it's just a boost leak, which is nowhere near as big a problem. If it's anything like my Ibiza TDI, it's probably a 50-pence metal clip holding one of the boost hoses onto the intercooler. The little metal lugs wear, and then the hose pops off the intercooler when you put your foot down.

If it was a 50p clip it would have been fixed, it'd be a lot easier to sell.

[johnpeat]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3804067.htm

There lies the oddness of the market - it's younger, done half the miles, had the basic boost upgrade and it's less than £300 more...

Of course either could be a shed (the 7 owners on the SOTW worries me a bit - esp if they're all recentish) of course...

[J4CKO]

£500 worth, perhaps the £900 if running right, the seller admits its a bit scruffy, these aren't sought after, especially in yellow, remember it doesn't run on diesel, if it has done 136,000 and is on original suspension it could be quite wobbly and it wont be that fast without a boost leak, with one it will be flat as a fart.

Not a great shed.

[Leptons]

There really is no pleasing some people. It's a grand car any day of the week in my opinion. A boost leak, that's a split hose and a door leak is a mornings tinkering.
It's to be expected at this level and anyone incapable of fixing things that simple shouldn't be looking to run a 'shed'.

[Gez79]

They all have door leaks, I sealed mine 3 times with silicone and the leak always came back after 6 months, it was OK if it was parked on the level.

Common on a lot of VW too