Buyers advice! few problems

[lighters]

Hi guys, newbie here coming from an mgzr 120 but considering a seat leon cupra 1.8t 2004 139k £1.5k

Went to view this today search gumtree/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/seat-leon-cupra-18t/1017227322

Car has an oil leak on the sump and has back pressure on the engine. Much could this fix cost if I bought it?
Bit of smoke out of the exhaust, more than there should be.
Back drivers quarter panel looks as if its been repaired "painted" atleast.
MOT was at a garage where they are sometimes dodgy.
STP oil treatment & stop smoke i need to look up apparently.

Other than that car was fine, driving wise - quick responsive, break clutch steering handling. no engine lights. Rear disk slightly corroded. Back box a little rusty.

Would you guys steer clear, I'm in no hurry to buy but want something faster than a mgzr 120!

Considering:
Seat leon cupras
MGZR 160
Ford Focus st 170

Ideally I want to spend as little as possible but also retain the speed ie. Id rather buy a cheap mg at £800 with potential of HGF problems and cost me £1300 total than spend £2k for a cupra if they both perform the same.

Think I'm making myself clear, I just want bang per as it goes!

Thanks

AND HELLO!

Edit - apparently All 1.8t engines have blowing out of the oil filler cap, it's not an issue unless excessive.?

 

[Seal_LCR]

If you spent decent money on a cupra you will get a good one. If you buy an mg you WILL get a HGF

 

[lighters]

Can you be a bit more specific please? should i look at the cupra r's and even with HGF I can get it fixed/uprated at £150-200 so it would still work out cheaper.

 

[Seal_LCR]

You won't get a decent cupra r for 2k.

I wouldn't touch the one you looked at and there's a good buyers guide on here to look at

 

[lighters]

I should have clarified. I have a a budget of around £5k including insurance but I don't want to spend 5 if I can get the same speed/performance for around £2. I don't care about the age of the car or much for the look.

Will take a look, thanks

 

[Seal_LCR]

Then I'd got for an cupra r. You can get a good one for 3-3.5k just get an insurance quote

Or get a cupra which is cheaper then stage 1 map it and it won't be far off an R

 

[lighters]

Yea the car I went to view today had a remap. Was running about 200-216?bhp?
Like I said it was really quick but unsure on it.

Is the CUPRA R really that much better though? I mean I just took a look at gumtree/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/mg-zr-18vvc-5door-58k-850/1017351826#gallery-item-full-1 for £850 - Spoke to him and already had radiator and uprated headgasket. Just how far behind in terms of performance would the 160 be to a cupra 1.8t and then cupra r.

I know the above seems like I'm an MG lover! I'm honestly not! I fancy a change but I see the Focus st170's are just as cheap. Just like the type R's are rated highly but they are way out my price range.

 

[Azza_]

turbos will always have better scope for bhp improvments so id say go for a cupra the 180's with a maps and mods will see 210 bhp stage 1

id stear clear of focus st170 as im sure they made the shells in a damp enviroment, my mams focus is rotten!

as i undertsand it the mg's it isnt the gasket by its self but sure someone told me even if you put the landrover? gasket on it will still fail at some point

180 cupra's can be had for good money in pre facelift form, i paid 900 for an 02 plate with 86k on it

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-SEAT...2879137?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27d1c209a1

looks ok central locking could be a mare to sort but could be a simply battery pull

 

[lighters]

Thanks azza, Thing is I'm not really to keen on modding it as I'm not sure where I stand from an insurance point of view and dont want to mod it myself as I cant justify the money. Apparently there were a few different revisions but they dont always fail.

Apparently the standard ones really do though. My current mgzr failed within 34k miles and had never been redlined or abused! It was my mothers car from new and always services/repaired. Ended up fitting a later revision headgasket. They did mention the land rover ones but apparently there was an even newer one?

I have only really been using gumtree. Do you lot reccomend ebay or even auto trader?

Thnx

gumtree /p/cars-vans-motorbikes/seat-leon-cupra-r-18turbo/1016480713[/url]

 

[Azza_]

well as with any mods i always say declare them that way your free and clear should anything happen

stage 1 can just be the cost of a map, but its always best to get a few recommended upgrades like cone filter, possibly dump valve (although theirs a lot of people saying the oem one can more than handle the power) and a general service that could all be done for 500 notes give or take.

i think of gumtree as a last resort i just don't like the idea of no accountability whereas eBay you have feedback etc and if payed online buyer protection

the only thing with cupras is they are complicated theirs sensors everywhere but its all in the name of keeping the car running good and because theres a huge vag scene out there your never short of help

if you do get a cupra 180 check it has an AUQ engine (standing in front theres a plate on the front left of the head with a stamp on it) as these had the better flowing k03s turbo whereas early cars had a k03

 

[BigJase88]

Sack the MG idea off! They a poop cars!

Get a high miler civic type r! Cost peanuts and hondas are bombproof

 

[Azza_]

Sack the MG idea off! They a poop cars!

Get a high miler civic type r! Cost peanuts and hondas are bombproof

dont do it! i love type-r's but nailing it everywhere is no fun! and no torque! couldnt pull the skin off rice pudding haha

 

[BigJase88]

Ahh the old vtec has no torque and is no fun to drive.

My driving style suits them! Im balls out most of the time


A type r would be more fun than a 180bhp cupra

 

[beastgtir]

Type r no torque is a myth. They are ridiculously short geared and have 145 ft lbs of torque.
Stock for stock, they are similar to a Cupra r 210/225 to around 70 odd after that the Cupra r pulls away nicely. How often will you be passing those speeds though!

Had lots of Hondas and 2 Leon Cupra r. The Cupra r is a much nicer and sturdy car to drive. With a remap they leave civics for dead. If its your first real performance car I'd suggest a face lift Cupra (non r). Bits are cheap. You could get a mint one about 2-2.5k. And they tune upto about 230 bhp so fairly quick.

 

[brad_barker12]

focus st170s are really good cars! they come well equipped and aside from some sensors that commonly fail there pretty reliable. the engines are bullet proof they handle well. as for performance well they aearnt the fasted thing on the road but they do go ok. they need to be worked to get the best out of them.

just thought I would add to this as my uncle and cousin both had st170s.
if you can afford it get a cupra r. don't buy any old one, make sure it has plenty of history. these cars are pretty solid but there getting on abit now and things will inevitably need to be replaced, cupra r's which have been ragged and not looked after will cost you a bomb to maintain so make sure you look/buy a decent one.

 

[lighters]

Everyone really rates the focus st170, safe, reliable, steady performance but thats exactly it. They are nothing out the ordinary which seems fine in my book.

How does the above example look or what kind of leon would compare? The TDI's just as quick? gumtree /p/cars-vans-motorbikes/focus-st170-03-reg/1017421597

 

[Chris-cupra R]

I went from an MG ZR 160 to a Cupra R 225. Would reccomend the Cupra R any day, better build quality, looks a lot better and just more fun to drive..