RE: Audi RS2 vs. SEAT Leon ST Cupra Carbon Edition

[DigitalNonsense]

I just bought one of these Cupras in Carbon things. It does a lot very well - it goes very quickly very well, it launches very well, its very comfortable - especially coming from an A45 - it carries loads very well (i'm sure...not been to Ikea just yet in it...) but it's position in the VAG family tree and the cheaper build quality will probably mean it's soon forgotten by everyone bar SEAT fans. Of which I am sure there are some. Is it as engineering rich as an S2? Of course not. Is it a reflection of where modern affordable cars are right now - yes. Lovely pictures in the article. Interesting comparison.

[Welshbeef]

phumy said:

Seeing as you mentioned the Lotus Carlton, can i show you my pair of reprobates, I give you the RS2 and the Lotus Carlton all in one picture.

Lovely pair you have.
Question are they your sole cars or do you have a cheap daily or living the dream and run these as they should be day in day out.

[g7jhp]

XK140 said:

Bit of a nonsensical comparison isn't it?

I've just bought one of these Seats,but I've paid £29k,not list £35.5k.

[b]Now for circa £30k I could have bought a five year old RS4 Avant or indeed a bit newer S4 Avant,BUT...[b/]

[b]The other two...out of warranty,more to fuel and insure,unknown and potentially high maintenance.[b/]

So,being perhaps too careful,I bought the Seat,fully recognising that the others are the better cars,but decisions have to be made.

However,an exotic-ish 25 year old car as a daily driver...really?

That's one point of view, but not really a fully thought through.

Your Seat will lose alot of money in depreciation. It should ne more reliable.

The RS4 will likely cost more in maintenace, petrol, BUT it's done the majority of it's depreciation so you are unlikely to lose much if anything and if you're lucky and buy well it may rise.

Taking a risk would mean your in an RS4 for not much more than your Seat.

Worth it to some.

[Russ T Bolt]

Bill said:

borat52 said:

If your willing to take a wander into the world of Japanese imports of the day you could have bought a wrx sti wagon from 1992 onwards for around £20k brand new, 240-260bhp and 1350kg. They went up a bit over time, I’ve got the original owners invoice from David Henry cars for my 1999 sti (280bhp, 340 with exhaust and map) for £28k.

Just to offer another perspective on how perhaps the Audi wasn’t particularly good value back then. Well built no doubt but I’m far from convinced it would have the better of an Impreza if driven enthusiastically.

I pulled up behind an old Audi estate at a roundabout once thinking I'd have him on the next straight. I was in a standard Impreza Turbo. I soon learned not to judge a book by its cover!

It turned out it was a fellow PHer and we were heading the same way. We had a good play at sensible A-road speeds and at no point did he walk away like you'd expect him to with 50% more power. Flat out in the Impreza (verified on an airfield...) was 130 so I assume he'd have left me far behind had the speeds been less sensible.

I got to know him at various meets and can confirm he was trying, and also it pulled like an absolute train way into triple figures in a way the Impreza didn't.

ETA thinking about it the Impreza was a P reg, and the RS2 similar vintage, so both cars were 6/7 years old at the time.

Edited by Bill on Saturday 24th November 08:45

I had a standard classic Impreza in 1999 as a company car. Changed jobs and the new place gave me a Citroen, kept that for a week and gave it back.

I bought an imported classic STi V5 wagon. In terms of performance it was worlds away from the uk standard Impreza.

I took the mechanic from the local TVR garage out in it (he came round to get my Chimaera running), he couldn’t believe how hard it pulled right up to the redline.

I agree with Borat, the classic STi’s were amazing cars.