Leon Cupra 240 vs mk5 golf gti

[willmagrath]

Thinking of what to get after my fabia vrs. i cant decide what to get! But its down to these two:

VW Golf GTI mk5

pros:
£2000-£3000 cheaper due to the slight age difference (around £5000-£6000 with around 100k miles, the cheapest best looked after car)
Nicer interior
Steering feel slightly better at low speeds
Can almost afford

Cons:
40 horses down on leon
bit boring to look at in comparison to leon

Seat Leon Cupra 240

pros:
40 horses up
trick front diff
looks great
good grip through and out of corners

cons:
More money (£7000-£8000 for the cheapest best looked after car)
More money
More money
Would need to save for longer!

Oooor buy a cheap shed mx5 mk1 as a second car

WHAT DO PEOPLE THINK?!

[va1o]

I can't see why you'd go for the Leon. Its a little quicker but a worse car in every other way. Golf GTI Mk5 is one of the best all rounders ever.

[delboy735]

Golfs are boring and all look the same....get a Cupra.
It just looks so much better.

[bazza white]

Or your could go in the middle with an fr. Same power as the golf and a low miler can be had at bottom end golf prices

How it compares suspension and brakes to the cupra I don't know


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEAT-Leon-Hatchback-FR-T...

[JamesD1]

neither of those cars are bastions of VW's reliability (when you start playing with them).

get an mx5, easy to get for <£1000 for a minter. keep the fabia going (unless its the 1.4 petrol- in that case get rid)

[decadent]

Cupra is a better car than the GTi, equivalent engine wise the the Golf Edition 30.

GTI has a more classless look and feel, can take it anywhere. Leon probably has a more of a "boy racer" (is that term even used anymore lol?) image.

Post 2009 Leon's have a nicer dash, pre 2009 facelift cars are not so nice.

Cupra handles better but on the road I doubt you'll spot that much of a difference versus the GTI.

Golf is more desirable to more people.

I had a 2011 FR prior to my current car. Good car imo & equivalent to the GTi in engine terms.

[bga]

Golf looks so much better
Leon is quicker

Should be an easy choice based on what your priority is

[NadiR]

I'd personally get the Leon out of those 2, it just says hot hatch more then the Golf does. Alternately, you can get a really nice Civic Type-R for your lower end of budget of around £5k, and you can even find a few supercharged ones (300bhp or over) for under £8k.

[BFG TERRANO]

The Seat will fall apart and lose value. The Golf wont. Im on my first and last Seat, don't do it.

[va1o]

BFG TERRANO said:

The Seat will fall apart and lose value. The Golf wont. Im on my first and last Seat, don't do it.

Harsh but true.

[JackReacher]

The Cupra has more power as you know, but also much better brakes (same as on the Golf R32 I believe). It is noticeably quicker than the Gti, but despite this and the better brakes I preferred the ride and interior of the Gti, so bought one. A Gti with a remap and those better brakes fitted would be the best of both.

[decadent]

Strange - how will the SEAT "fall apart" and the Golf wouldn't when they're built from the sum of the same parts?

My work mate has an 05 GTI with 55k on the clock. At 50k he had a new gearbox. I've had a range of VAG group cars and apart from the cheaper interior plastics of Skoda and SEAT and less sound proofing found in them I have haven't noticed any difference in longevity between Audis, VWs, SEATs and Skodas. I am currently driving SEATs but have had Audis, VWs and Skodas previously.

I suppose by that logic an Audi is better built than a Volkswagen. Erm, more soundproofing maybe.

[BFG TERRANO]

decadent said:

Strange - how will the SEAT "fall apart" and the Golf wouldn't when they're built from the sum of the same parts?

My work mate has an 05 GTI with 55k on the clock. At 50k he had a new gearbox. I've had a range of VAG group cars and apart from the cheaper interior plastics of Skoda and SEAT and less sound proofing found in them I have haven't noticed any difference in longevity between Audis, VWs, SEATs and Skodas. I am currently driving SEATs but have had Audis, VWs and Skodas previously.

I suppose by that logic an Audi is better built than a Volkswagen. Erm, more soundproofing maybe.

Ive worked this out using the following- 3x golf TDis, straight past 100,000 miles with nowt other than services and a few bulbs. 2x Passat estates, one went on 89000 and the other just over 100000. One faultless the other a maf meter, that's it. 1x toureg, short term but faultless.

1 Seat Ibiza ST sport 2011 (current company car) at 60k- 2x gearboxes, boot trim fell off when using the pull to shut the boot, boot release snapped off in my hand, passenger footwell always wet (source unknown) car windows always running with water inside in the morning, 2 x wheel bearings, water enters the boot lid then discharges in the boot when opened, rattly trim, trim between front and back doors fallen off (wont clip back on) 1x top engine mount snapped off, dpf light on regularly despite long motor way runs, water getting in around windscreen and staining trims (original windscreen, not replacement)

So yeah.. my first and last Seat!

Edited by BFG TERRANO on Monday 3rd February 22:51

[amusingduck]

BFG TERRANO said:

Ive worked this out using the following- 3x golf TDis, straight past 100,000 miles with nowt other than services and a few bulbs. 2x Passat estates, one went on 89000 and the other just over 100000. One faultless the other a maf meter, that's it. 1x toureg, short term but faultless.

1 Seat Ibiza ST sport 2011 (current company car) at 60k- 2x gearboxes, boot trim fell off when using the pull to shut the boot, boot release snapped off in my hand, passenger footwell always wet (source unknown) car windows always running with water inside in the morning, 2 x wheel bearings, water enters the boot lid then discharges in the boot when opened, rattly trim, trim between front and back doors fallen off (wont clip back on) 1x top engine mount snapped off, dpf light on regularly despite long motor way runs, water getting in around windscreen and staining trims (original windscreen, not replacement)

So yeah.. my first and last Seat!

Edited by BFG TERRANO on Monday 3rd February 22:51

Not exactly an apples to apples comparison though, is it?

[Septonius]

BFG TERRANO said:

Ive worked this out using the following- 3x golf TDis, straight past 100,000 miles with nowt other than services and a few bulbs. 2x Passat estates, one went on 89000 and the other just over 100000. One faultless the other a maf meter, that's it. 1x toureg, short term but faultless.

1 Seat Ibiza ST sport 2011 (current company car) at 60k- 2x gearboxes, boot trim fell off when using the pull to shut the boot, boot release snapped off in my hand, passenger footwell always wet (source unknown) car windows always running with water inside in the morning, 2 x wheel bearings, water enters the boot lid then discharges in the boot when opened, rattly trim, trim between front and back doors fallen off (wont clip back on) 1x top engine mount snapped off, dpf light on regularly despite long motor way runs, water getting in around windscreen and staining trims (original windscreen, not replacement)

So yeah.. my first and last Seat!

Edited by BFG TERRANO on Monday 3rd February 22:51

Conversely the Seat I owned for 8 years was the most reliable and cheap to run cars I've ever had, more so than previous Japanese cars I owned in the 80's and 90's, admittedly a bit plasticky inside but solid, no rattles and an indestructable engine. I quite miss it, but 230,000 miles was getting a bit silly.

[M3greg]

My other half has run an Ibiza 1.4 for 4 years now, on,y thing that went wrong with it was the battery. Been a great little car, if a little underpowered (not going to be a problem with the Cupra).

I'd have a Seat tomorrow.

[decadent]

BFG - that list of faults would be enough to leave a bad taste in anyones mouth. Bad luck.

But, aside from the windscreen and seals, all of those failed parts are shared across the group so could have happened to any VAG vehcile. Is it crash damaged to have all of those faults with the seal and interior trim?

[BFG TERRANO]

decadent said:

BFG - that list of faults would be enough to leave a bad taste in anyones mouth. Bad luck.

But, aside from the windscreen and seals, all of those failed parts are shared across the group so could have happened to any VAG vehcile. Is it crash damaged to have all of those faults with the seal and interior trim?

Never crashed, ive had it from new. Very disappointing tbh.

[andycaca]

BFG TERRANO said:

passenger footwell always wet

that could be a leaky heater matrix. does the engine coolant level drop ever so slightly over time?
seen it on a fair few cars.

[BFG TERRANO]

andycaca said:

that could be a leaky heater matrix. does the engine coolant level drop ever so slightly over time?
seen it on a fair few cars.

No loss of coolant ever. Just can't find the entry point. Gets worse driven on the motorway in the rain.