Thoughts on Seat Leon Cupra please.
Discussion
Hopefully going to look at one this weekend to replace my ageing Focus. It will be the first model, 03 Plate.
I know it wont handle as well as a Focus, but just how are they to drive? I'm not after a drivers car, just a practical-ish family car with a bit of poke, which preferably isn't too thirsty! But I'd prefer it to be a better steer than an Astra of the same vintage!
Anybody know how it compares to a MK1 2.0 Focus on fuel? Please tell me its better, because that is my justification for buying one!
Any common faults? I know the 1.8T engine suffers with coil pack failures and I have money aside to have the cambelt and water pump replaced. Anything in particular I should look for? I've never owned a turbocharged petrol car before!
Any thoughts, hint, tips or experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
I know it wont handle as well as a Focus, but just how are they to drive? I'm not after a drivers car, just a practical-ish family car with a bit of poke, which preferably isn't too thirsty! But I'd prefer it to be a better steer than an Astra of the same vintage!
Anybody know how it compares to a MK1 2.0 Focus on fuel? Please tell me its better, because that is my justification for buying one!
Any common faults? I know the 1.8T engine suffers with coil pack failures and I have money aside to have the cambelt and water pump replaced. Anything in particular I should look for? I've never owned a turbocharged petrol car before!
Any thoughts, hint, tips or experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Everything your looking for - the Leon Cupra will deliver. Only other thing you need to keep an eye for is good sh, regular oil changes as the oil pick up pipe can clog up.Maybe worth a sump drop and clean on the car you settle for. If you can track down an R for not much more then go for it - many changes under the skin.
If you can spend a few more quid I really would go for the R, it is a brilliant car if the "fast and comfortable" boxes need ticked.
I had a 2003 Cupra R 225 modified up to 270bhp with an induction kit and cold air feed, Milltek exhaust and lowered on coilovers, it was stupidly quick but not terribly reliable in the time I owned it. For the power it was making, it was decent on fuel. It looked good and sounded good for a turbocharged car though, but the exhaust (fitted by a previous owner) was a resonated system so not loud enough for tastes. It handled well with the suspension upgrades, but you could feel the weight of the car, it was more of an A road blaster because with the wheels pointing generally straight, the acceleration was monstrous for an FWD car - it resisted torque steer and wheelspin well despite the huge 1980s style step in the boost that my car was mapped with. The Brembo brakes are brilliant, but not cheap when they need parts.
It was very, very comfortable to drive. The steering was slower than my Civic Type R, but not heavy, and the R chairs were brilliant, massive great armchair things. Even on the stiff coilovers, it felt like it would carry me across the country in total comfort if it had to. The climatronic climate control system was brilliant too, which lets you control the temp in the car to within half a degree of pretty much whatever temp you want.
I do sort of miss mine - it had a great presence as a car, was comfortable and enjoyable to drive but ultimately not as raw as I prefer my cars, and I found the slower Civic Type R I replaced it with to be much more involving to drive, despite being 70bhp down, and probably just as quick over anything but the straightest roads.
I had a 2003 Cupra R 225 modified up to 270bhp with an induction kit and cold air feed, Milltek exhaust and lowered on coilovers, it was stupidly quick but not terribly reliable in the time I owned it. For the power it was making, it was decent on fuel. It looked good and sounded good for a turbocharged car though, but the exhaust (fitted by a previous owner) was a resonated system so not loud enough for tastes. It handled well with the suspension upgrades, but you could feel the weight of the car, it was more of an A road blaster because with the wheels pointing generally straight, the acceleration was monstrous for an FWD car - it resisted torque steer and wheelspin well despite the huge 1980s style step in the boost that my car was mapped with. The Brembo brakes are brilliant, but not cheap when they need parts.
It was very, very comfortable to drive. The steering was slower than my Civic Type R, but not heavy, and the R chairs were brilliant, massive great armchair things. Even on the stiff coilovers, it felt like it would carry me across the country in total comfort if it had to. The climatronic climate control system was brilliant too, which lets you control the temp in the car to within half a degree of pretty much whatever temp you want.
I do sort of miss mine - it had a great presence as a car, was comfortable and enjoyable to drive but ultimately not as raw as I prefer my cars, and I found the slower Civic Type R I replaced it with to be much more involving to drive, despite being 70bhp down, and probably just as quick over anything but the straightest roads.
I'll have to do an insurance quote for an R. There is one for sale close to the one I'm going to look at, but I'm a bit weary as its a bit higher mileage, cheaper and yellow!
I'd be happy to settle with a Cupra tbh. The upgrade from 130 to 180 bhp should be enough to keep me entertained for a while! I've driven an EP3 Type-R in anger and I fully expect them to be different cars. Its a great car but I couldn't live with the harsh ride and tinny feel that comes with it!
What actually went wrong with yours? Are they easy to maintain and repair?
Thanks both for your input.
I'd be happy to settle with a Cupra tbh. The upgrade from 130 to 180 bhp should be enough to keep me entertained for a while! I've driven an EP3 Type-R in anger and I fully expect them to be different cars. Its a great car but I couldn't live with the harsh ride and tinny feel that comes with it!
What actually went wrong with yours? Are they easy to maintain and repair?
Thanks both for your input.
Rickyy said:
I'll have to do an insurance quote for an R. There is one for sale close to the one I'm going to look at, but I'm a bit weary as its a bit higher mileage, cheaper and yellow!
I'd be happy to settle with a Cupra tbh. The upgrade from 130 to 180 bhp should be enough to keep me entertained for a while! I've driven an EP3 Type-R in anger and I fully expect them to be different cars. Its a great car but I couldn't live with the harsh ride and tinny feel that comes with it!
What actually went wrong with yours? Are they easy to maintain and repair?
Thanks both for your input.
Mine had some very strange fault codes popping up. Mine would cut out at high revs in any gear - usually about 6000rpm, it would result in a heavy shunt, the throttle pedal would go dead and the engine would start rumbling like a tractor. I suspected coilpack failure causing a misfire, but the fault code that came up was "intake temp too high". Checked coilpacks, cleaned the MAF, installed a new intake temp sensor. Boost leaks are common on these engines and can be hard to find (as there are breather hoses going everywhere), no leaks in the system. Suspected turbo intake pipe collapsing under high boost pressure, ruled out as it had a brand new Forge TIP on it, and the boost gauge was not registering excessive boost pressures. Suspected the old air filter was beyond cleaning and could be shedding filaments that were touching the MAF and and causing it to trip the limp mode switch. It was not always reproducible - doing the thing that set it off would not always cause it to happen. That said, with regard to "intake temperature", it would do it on a hot 20 degree afternoon, or a cool 2 degree evening, which ruled out the engine having a hissy fit because the air outside the car was too hot.I'd be happy to settle with a Cupra tbh. The upgrade from 130 to 180 bhp should be enough to keep me entertained for a while! I've driven an EP3 Type-R in anger and I fully expect them to be different cars. Its a great car but I couldn't live with the harsh ride and tinny feel that comes with it!
What actually went wrong with yours? Are they easy to maintain and repair?
Thanks both for your input.
The whole time I had the car worked on by a VAG specialist who had worked on loads of faulty 1.8Ts, they had never seen the fault code it was registering before, and nothing they could do seemed to be able to fix it.
Eventually, it just stopped doing it and it went a while without cutting out, the fault disappearing as mysteriously as it appeared, and was in perfect running order again when I sold it. I had lost faith in the car, it was annoying to know that everything had been done that myself and experienced VAG mechanics could throw at it and it still worked when it felt like it. By this point, I was craving something rawer and naturally aspirated, so I got a Civic Type R. I do miss it at times, it was a great cruiser and it's overtaking ability was just silly, but the Civic puts a much, much bigger smile on my face.
Turn7 said:
I had a week with an R, and I thought the ride terribly crashy tbh. Good power and spec, just a bit harsh for day to day - for me.
Talk about horses for courses - I had mine on rock hard coilovers and still thought it was too insulated, dread to think how I'd find something really sensible like a Golf GTI!Rickyy said:
Any common faults? I know the 1.8T engine suffers with coil pack failures and I have money aside to have the cambelt and water pump replaced. Anything in particular I should look for? I've never owned a turbocharged petrol car before!
Any thoughts, hint, tips or experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Coil packs are part of a recall across the VAG group. A Main Dealer will check and replace any that are not of the latest spec. Doesn't matter if the car hasnt got a dealer history either. Any thoughts, hint, tips or experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
VW changed all four in my mk1 S3 and mk5 Golf GTi
I have the R and had a Cupra before that. The Cupra is a lovely car, especially with the leather seats. It is a much better car than the equivalent Mk4 golf, and a match for the Octavia VRS, in fact, the Octavia only had 5 speed while the Cupra is a 6 speed. The cupra pulls well, and with a map will get around the 210 mark, but the power tails off heavily at higher revs due to the K03 turbo. A comfortable, excellent value vehicle considering the 2nd hand prices now. The Dieasel is also decent, if you do not mind the performance tractor sound.
The Cupra R takes all of the good parts and adds some more, no leather option though, only Recaros seats as an option. The earlier R are a better buy, due to the fact they came with a 6 cd changer while the later vehicles only have an in dash cd. The R really does pull well, a firm but not crashy suspension and torque steer is only present once the tires are near the legal limit, otherwise it is none existent. The R will surprise you how quick it is (with a map), even on a back road blast it is pretty quick, and will not embarrass itself in serious company as enthusiast owners of Porsches, Subaru, Mitsubishi Evo's and M3's will testify.
The car is great value 2nd hand, lots of kit, Brembo anchors upfront, very practical with children, well put together and is still a good looking car, it is the probably the choice of the VAG clones of the early 00's. Only downer is the insurance group.
The Cupra R takes all of the good parts and adds some more, no leather option though, only Recaros seats as an option. The earlier R are a better buy, due to the fact they came with a 6 cd changer while the later vehicles only have an in dash cd. The R really does pull well, a firm but not crashy suspension and torque steer is only present once the tires are near the legal limit, otherwise it is none existent. The R will surprise you how quick it is (with a map), even on a back road blast it is pretty quick, and will not embarrass itself in serious company as enthusiast owners of Porsches, Subaru, Mitsubishi Evo's and M3's will testify.
The car is great value 2nd hand, lots of kit, Brembo anchors upfront, very practical with children, well put together and is still a good looking car, it is the probably the choice of the VAG clones of the early 00's. Only downer is the insurance group.
Just been to look at a Cupra R and walked away from it. Had mayo under the filler cap (I know this could just be condensation, but not risking it) and it had been fettled with. Also had a hideous sub and amp in the boot! Went with my gut instinct and left it! I definitely want an R now though, insurance was exactly the same! Just need to keep searching for the right one!
Rickyy said:
Just been to look at a Cupra R and walked away from it. Had mayo under the filler cap (I know this could just be condensation, but not risking it) and it had been fettled with. Also had a hideous sub and amp in the boot! Went with my gut instinct and left it! I definitely want an R now though, insurance was exactly the same! Just need to keep searching for the right one!
good call.... buyers market at the moment (especially for 'big' petrol engines with high insurnace groups), no point risking it.Also check for condensation of the windows - foot wells (passenger side) can leak and door seals can fail. Usually a simple fix but annoying and a bargaining point.
Looks like I'm going to have to travel to find a good R.
I had a quick look at a Cupra after I'd been to see the R and to me they seem worlds apart. I haven't driven either yet though. I refuse to unless I'm 100% happy with everything cosmetically and under the bonnet, I know if I drive it, I'll want it!
Found a promising example in Southend, may take a trip down there next Saturday if it hasn't sold.
I had a quick look at a Cupra after I'd been to see the R and to me they seem worlds apart. I haven't driven either yet though. I refuse to unless I'm 100% happy with everything cosmetically and under the bonnet, I know if I drive it, I'll want it!
Found a promising example in Southend, may take a trip down there next Saturday if it hasn't sold.
I had a 53 plate Cupra - try and get the facelift, looks much better IMO.
The main difference between that and the R, is the body kit, wheels, brembo's, far bigger central intercooler and a bigger turbo. Saying that you can get 210+ from a Cupra with a remap and an exhaust quite easily.
I loved mine, watch for leaky footwells in the back, water pump failure (plastic impellars), and well documented coil packs.
Mine handled well on Goodyear Eagle F1s, nice bit of lift off oversteer
The main difference between that and the R, is the body kit, wheels, brembo's, far bigger central intercooler and a bigger turbo. Saying that you can get 210+ from a Cupra with a remap and an exhaust quite easily.
I loved mine, watch for leaky footwells in the back, water pump failure (plastic impellars), and well documented coil packs.
Mine handled well on Goodyear Eagle F1s, nice bit of lift off oversteer
Just looking on Cupra net now!
With regards to the mayo on the filler cap. Is it normal for a car that has probably been sat around for quite a while to develop condensation?
I was a bit weary about it because it had samco hoses under the bonnet, good spec tyres and a sub in the boot. The oil was also very, very black. Struck me as a car that had probably been driven quite hard. Which is why I was leaning towards head gasket failure rather than condensation build up. Seem sensible or am I talking nonsense?
With regards to the mayo on the filler cap. Is it normal for a car that has probably been sat around for quite a while to develop condensation?
I was a bit weary about it because it had samco hoses under the bonnet, good spec tyres and a sub in the boot. The oil was also very, very black. Struck me as a car that had probably been driven quite hard. Which is why I was leaning towards head gasket failure rather than condensation build up. Seem sensible or am I talking nonsense?
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