RE: Shed(s) of the Week: SEAT Leon Cupra/BMW 325i

[tallpaul26]

Emeye said:

Cupras had a reputation of having more than the quoted power.

Did they?

[greenarrow]

These are both pretty good sheds. Not sure about Cupras making more than quoted power, rolling road articles I have seen on the 180 BHP 1.8T seem to suggest around 180...

I think the E46 is the best looking 3 series ever, particularly the coupe which is a guaranteed future classic IMHO. I'd go BMW.

With the Cupra I think I'd always regret not getting the R model, but I guess for the price its good.

[Scobblelotcher]

greenarrow said:

These are both pretty good sheds. Not sure about Cupras making more than quoted power, rolling road articles I have seen on the 180 BHP 1.8T seem to suggest around 180...

I think the E46 is the best looking 3 series ever, particularly the coupe which is a guaranteed future classic IMHO. I'd go BMW.

With the Cupra I think I'd always regret not getting the R model, but I guess for the price its good.

The 1.8T engine is very reliable for producing the stated power. The worst thing about that engine is the sound, still it has good potential for some mild modding!

[Jonny_]

325i for me, without question. Smooth six-pot engine, much nicer styling, interior in a different league to the SEAT.

[vsonix]

to3m said:

I mean... I definitely looked at the BMW. But it might not have been exactly this colour. It was a rather dark green, though. If this one is Boston Green, but Oxford Green is more common, and they're hard to tell apart - or vice versa - then it was probably one of them. It was a dark green, that was a bit unusual, but rather attractive, just like this one..

Could also have been Fern Green which was quite similar again.

[marshall100]

aka_kerrly said:

Someone above mentioned how they would never buy a VAG product because a 20VT can suffer from boost leaks, really!!?? The single factor which stops you buying a car is when a tiny bit of rubber hose may spring a leak or a metal clip becomes weak. Bloody hell you lot must have the most reliable cars in the world and clearly must have never had any kind of component failure in your driving career if these are the things that scare you about cars!

That was me, and it was in the wifes 1.8t Octavia 4x4. The only car I've never been able to fix, went through every page of the internet changing hoses, clips, air boxes and sensors to no avail. The way I figure it, is my abhorrent dislike of the brand/group means there's more out there for the rest of you.

My Forester Turbo and the iggy sport that replaced the Octavia have been the bastions of reliability, and when they do go wrong which is rare, they are easy to diagnose and repair.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd probably take the Seat.

[iSore]

skylarking808 said:

I would have a guess at the BMW being Boston Green, still not a common colour on any 3 series (was first on the E36 M3 maybe?)

Oxford green on a '46. A pity about the grey velours, truly nasty. The dark wood trim many cars had only adds to the misery. But you'll pick up a clean grey leather trim for 100 quid, if that.

Nice old thing for a grand.

[Swede123]

I can only sing the praises of the e46 having recently bought a 328ia saloon, 80k mls, 1 owner from new, no rust, never an advisory on the mot for just under £600. Its like a new car condition wise and I've read of the mods to take it up to 230bhp so that's where we are going.

There are some amazing cars out there for pennies if you look long enough and prepared to travel a bit of a distance to collect. The e46 joins my e36 touring which is my ultimate toy at the moment, my 50k ml Saab convertible which is to a retro outlaw spec and my Saab 9-5 2.3 manual saloon which is a lot of fun to drive . The e46 was the most expensive to buy but all have had lots subsequently spent on them.

[Burnzyb]

I owned a cupra for a short while as a stop gap and to tick the petrol turbo box for the first time, I really enjoyed owning it, fun and zippy to drive, well put together considering the price, and reliable once on top of maintanance, it was a much better buy over the mk4 gti 1.8t for value for money, was decent on fuel and had enough room for 5 of us and I'm 6'6" little gutted to sell it but I just didn't have the space for it.

[ps01]

BMW for me. I have run a Y reg E46 325i for the last 6 years as a daily driver. Great engine and mechanically very sound. Love the look of the bmw's from this era inside and out (and more than the newer ones). Only main issue is all the wheel arches are starting to rust - obviously a common issue.