MK2 Leon ownership now at an end.........

[joostdeblok]

I got to throw a spanner in the works on this , my 08 Cupra with BWJ engine is branded TSI on the delivery plate.... in Holland!

 

[Guncha]

1) Remove air conditioning pump, belt and radiator
2) Uprate engine mounts
3) Uprate clutch, but dont fit single mass flywheel.
4) Evolution Motorsports Intake
5) A decent intercooler - see Audi S3 spec with alloy ends or Pro Alloy intercooler
6) Don't fit Anti Lift Kits or uprated anti roll bars. Total waste of money.
7) Don't fit a Forge recirv valve, Carbonio Intake or Forge Twintercooler. Waste of money and slow you down.
8) Do fit a decent set of coilovers.
9) Do fit a Limited Slip Differential
10) Change the oil every 3000 miles and cam follower every 10000 miles. Be sure to change the PCV every 20000 miles.

Thanks for tuning tips, but how Forge DV slows dow?
And how about REVO PCV fix vs stock PCV changing?

 

[Al]

It's when you look at the pricing of the new mk7 GTi that it begins to lose the plot. You'd want it with the fancy diff, dampers and performance pack upgrade (227bhp, ooooooh!! ), which brings the price to just under £27k. So you can imagine how ridiculous the fanboi R version is going to be. Another £3k gets you an S3, with more power, 4wd and better interior etc. I do know what you mean re S3s up here Al

Shame we can't get the M135i X-drive in the UK as that would add another interesting option to the list - 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and the better balance from a car set up as RWD to begin with, instead of a FWD hatchback with 4WD developed. You might just have to get an import from the continent...

Yup. A four wheel drive M135i would be the ticket although to be honest they are bland and kinda fugly. Regarding price for the Golf GTi and Golf R, while they are stupidly high and bearing in mind the GTi only just beats the MK1 LCR for power some 10 +years later and thats with the Performance Pack Upgrade

Thanks for brightening up my Sunday Al

I have been looking for a while for either a scirroco R or golf R and tbh the money people want for 2010 cars is bonkers !
For a 3 year old car still wanting north of £23 k !
Newer ones are just a joke , especially with the new mk7 golf just around the corner so I think I will hold on a bit longer
Been looking for a s4 3.0 supercharged animal my self
Would love one I these and I think they are better overal than the golf R

I looked at BMW 135 I and tbh doesn't float my boat I know the Leon is bland inside but the BMW is just as bland !
If I'm spending £25 k plus on a car I want to feel special when I sit in it and drive it , that's what put me off a focus RS great looking out side but just another focus on the inside except for the bus steering wheel !
That's why the Leon was very good value for money , not a lot of other cars can do that
I still see some 62 / 13 plate scirrocos and golf R 's sitting at over £30K ! And I think good luck mr vag selling that
If you want to know a decent valuation use the ford on line valuation that will give you an idea of how overpriced a lot of cars really are !

Al you going to go DSG or what ever the equivalent is on the car you get or stay manual ?
I test drove a DSG sciroco twice and both times I wasn't that impressed , it had some nice features but for every day driving it was just like a go kart , I hated the pulling away no control either on power or off no gentle in between like controlling a manual so still no sold myself.

Howdo Rob - you got any updates as per our ongoing conversation? Feel free to PM me if you want. I would like to know what happened in the end, if anything.

Agreed with pretty much everything you said above to be honest. If I go VAG, it will be DSG and four wheel drive. However an Evo 10 would be manual as the automatic doesn't cope with powr increases and I know I couldn't leave one of them as is.

 

[Cupra R Matt]

Have you considered a 335i BMW coupe!??

My mate has just bought one, just over 300bhp out of the box, silky smooth (you cannot tell it's turbocharged), and potential for LOTS more grunt with very little outlay and they lay the power really well too being RWD.

I myself am hankering after a B7 RS4 Avant as I want a bigger boot (Fisherman with silly amounts of gear if i'm honest!), AWD for traction, and pace like my LCR and these tick those boxes but unfortunately I cannot make up the difference i'd need to get a good/lower mileage example!

 

[csd_19]

Yup. A four wheel drive M135i would be the ticket although to be honest they are bland and kinda fugly. Regarding price for the Golf GTi and Golf R, while they are stupidly high and bearing in mind the GTi only just beats the MK1 LCR for power some 10 +years later and thats with the Performance Pack Upgrade

Doesn't matter what it looks like from the outside when you're having a proper drive/steer inside

Can't get much more bland than the Golf (is that a mk6, no wait mk7?? ).

Seen the power delivery in the mk7 GTi? Peaks at a whopping 4700rpm, sorry does the new EA888 run on diesel? Sounds like a thrilling engine for a hot hatch...

It'll be interesting to see what will be made available to hot hatch buyers by VAG, this section of the market certainly has a lot of competition - and once people manage to ditch badge snobbery and fanboi-ism, they may just realise that better drives are available elsewhere.

 

[Al]

What coilovers have you run Al?

I have had

1) Standard Suspension
2) Standard shocks with Eibach Pro Kit Springs (mistake)
3) Standard shocks with Eibach Sportline Springs (much better)
4) Eibach Pro Street Coilovers
5) KW V3 Coilovers

Without a doubt the KW V3's were by far the best

 

[YIN]

I have had

1) Standard Suspension
2) Standard shocks with Eibach Pro Kit Springs (mistake)
3) Standard shocks with Eibach Sportline Springs (much better)
4) Eibach Pro Street Coilovers
5) KW V3 Coilovers

Without a doubt the KW V3's were by far the best

Cheers Al currently running Standard shocks with Eibach Sportline Springs
been looking for something better

 

[Al]

Thanks for tuning tips, but how Forge DV slows dow?
And how about REVO PCV fix vs stock PCV changing?

At least 3 I know of stuck. And the Forge Twintercooler with an S3 intercooler allows too much pressure drop and blocks air to the main intercooler. I lost 5-6mph terminal speed on the 1/4 mile with the Twintercooler fitted.

Haven't seen the "Revo PCV fix" to be honest. If its similar to the BSH catch can or blank I used, then it would be worth considering.

 

[Matthew FR]

Your Cupra looked unreal. My favourite car on here! Good luck in what ever you go for next

 

[Jarre]

Your Cupra looked unreal. My favourite car on here! Good luck in what ever you go for next

+1, I always thought it looked great!

 

[Al]

Cheers

Some more spec;

The blue car had on it in its time with me

Engine Modifications;
Evolution Motorsport Intake and Heatshield
Secondary Air Feed
Pro Alloy Intercooler
S3 Intercooler
S3 Intercooler with Forge Twintercooler
Air Conditioning Removed
BSH Engine Mounts
APR Fuel Pump
New gen PCV
RS4 Fuel Pressure Regulating Valve
Lightweight battery
Neuspeed Uprated Turbo Discharge Pipe
3” Milltek Leon Cupra R Exhaust (Race System and it ran with both a Decat pipe and a catted pipe)

Transmission;
Wavetrac Limited Slip Differential
Forge Adjustable Quick Shifter
Under chassis support mount
Southbend Stage 2 Daily Clutch Kit and Single Mass flywheel

Chassis;
KW V3 Coilovers
Whiteline Anti Lift Kit
Autotech Adjustable hollow Anti Roll Bars

Brakes, Wheels & Tyres;
Volkswagen Racing 4 piston brakes with lightweight 360mm 2 piece discs and uprated pads
Volkswagen Racing 6 piston brakes with lightweight 360mm 2 piece discs and uprated pads
White Pavoni Cupra Alloys Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric 2 tyres
Black Pavoni Cupra Alloys with Cooper Weathermaster snow tyres
Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 Alloys with Toyo R888 tyres

Software;
Revo Technik Stage 2+
Estimated Power – 360bhp
Estimated Torque – 340ft-lbs
0-60mph – Approx 5 seconds
¼ Mile – 13.0 seconds @ 116.3mph
Estimated Top Speed – 170mph
Knockhill Lap - 58/59 Seconds

The red car dispatched the 1/4 mile in 12.9 @ 115.4mph.

The red car ran uprated lightweight 2 piece discs with Ferodo DS2500 pads, Eibach Pro Street Coilovers and an S3 intercooler with Air Con Delete, Autotech hollow and adjustable ARB's a whiteline Anti lift kit and a BSH catch can kit and latterly the BSH blank. Also had Pro Street and Sportline springs from Eibach fitted too.

The Milltek Cupra turbo back system sounds way better than the Milltek Cupra R turbo back system and is less intrusive on a steady 70-80mph run.

The blue car had no issues where the red one had issues with mirrors, lights and also had a replacement clutch, flywheel and gearbox under warranty when it was still standard.

SEAT customer service is crap in my experience and I avoided the local stealer in the blue car as the service manager there was horrendous. Thankfully he has now moved on somewhere else so it may be possible to get work done there now without being treated like a criminal.

Best mods overall - Revo remap, Evoms Intake, Uprated engine mounts (though the BSH ones are quite harsh), uprated fuel pump, S3 Intercooler with Alloy ends, decent coilovers, Dot51 fluid, remove the Air Con and as a must, an uprated clutch - but avoid the single mass flywheel. Oh, and a Wavetrac/LSD if you plan to do track days as I did

 

[csd_19]

Fair few mods on the old girl over the time eh

If she was anything like Red Bess she'll have been a beast still remember that passenger ride in Red, the way it accelerated on the dualler up to 70mph was phenomenal

 

[big eck]

Nice list of mods its had Alan. I'm planning on having it a good while so hopefully some will make there way back on.

 

[Cupra R]

Some great advice in this thread.

Sorry to see it go Al, but onwards and upwards eh.

 

[Al]

Thanks

Some action stuff

Cupra vs M3 on the 1/4 mile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPzgAD5q58M

Cupra vs Mega Power Focus RS on the 1/4 mile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc10gIWPPaY

Few laps round Knockhill in reverse direction - knocking off some "hot hatches" and "rally cars" in the process
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUFhnS28VGc

And my personal favourite vs Anthony37 in his 420bhp Leon Cupra K1 at Crail (Bess with the Twintercooler fitted so giving away 5mph terminal speed too )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaPCc1q5KcU

Couple more photos

 

[csd_19]

Great pics and vids Al, guess the last one is proof that K1 bumpers slow you down

 

[POPOV]

Great summery Al!!
Could you extend the reason to why you recommend engine mounts and why not single mass flywheel?

 

[Al]

Great summery Al!!
Could you extend the reason to why you recommend engine mounts and why not single mass flywheel?

Engine mounts stiffen up the front end and reduce likelihood of wheel hop. SMF is noisy, makes gear changes less fluid and is generally unpleasant.

 

[Daveb77]

Al,

what would you say to THS engine mounts? Seem to be more compliant for daily driver etc (which mines is...)?

D

 

[Al]

Mikey had the THS in his Leon and they were a lot more compliant/smooth/less hardcore than the BSH ones I had.