Cupra - Yay, or Nay

[WaspyJoe]

So, bit of back story. Currently driving a mk2 golf Gti, and love it. But it's not good on long motorway slogs (too much noise) and I'm aware I am putting more miles on it than I want to. So in the market for a more suitable everyday car. I'm pretty picky.

I have looked seriously at 3 year old Sciroccos, and like them a lot. But insurance is a killer (I'm 20) and they are overpriced to start with. But I do like them, a lot.

Then came the Seat Leon FR (Newest). Such a nice car. Took a 1.8 and 1.4 out and both were fantastic. Monthly repayments on the spec I would want (18s, alcantra seats, and metallic paint) would be affordable for me (just) but tbh, I would rather not have the worry and chose a car I can more comfortably afford. So I looked at used ones, obviously they are only a year old, so not a huge amount about, and since they aren't subsidised by seat, you pay interest on the full thing, not just the usual credit portion (talking Pcp here). And I can't quite afford to pay cash.

So I'm now at the ibiza cupra (most recent face lift one) and I have a few (loads of questions). I was hoping a few of you might chip in.

Reviews are not favourable for this car. I havnt had a chance to drive one (there are none at all near me to take for a drive) - but what do you guys think?

I'm put off by DSG. If I want some B road fun will it be usable in manual mode?

The radio section of the dash looks awful. Changeable?

Real world mpg? Almost all of my driving is extended periods (an hour upwards) at mostly 60-80.

I am a bit torn between new and used. They depreciate like a bitch (seats in general). So it's a toss up between take PCP on a new one, and appreciate I will have no deposit (the car is bound to be in negative equity) for a new car after three years, or buy a year old one for 12k cash and just enjoy it for as long as possible (aim would be 4-5 years).

So, ask you can see from this HUGE first post, my head is all over the place with cars. At the end of the day, I want a smart, quick car, and the less I spend the better (more to spend in the GTi )

Would really like to hear everyone thoughts, see if I can get my own in order, haha. Also open to other car suggestions!

 

[troupy]

LOVE my boc...

Ive came from jap cars supra..glanza etc etc

the ibiza done everything I needed tbh..new..comfy..quick....

can mod these very kool as well..

the DSG is just a super peace of kit!! changes gear mental quick!! trust me try one and then decide...
mine can easy do 38mpg when I really want it to but half time dont lol!!

9/10 for me like!

 

[IbizaMK5CupraDB]

Hi, I drive a 10 plate Cupra and I regularly commute 60+ miles 4 times a week, I normally get high 30's and occasionally 40+mpg and that is done on a dual carriageway at 70-80mph and sometimes quite a bit faster. As for the DSG box I can say it is very easy to play about with especially with the added paddles, it out accelerates a fair few bigger engine cars and sounds great under hard acceleration.
I was surprised at the handling and comfort as it's not harsh but sticks to bends well, as for the dash mine being a 10 plate is different to the new one, I personally like the older one but unfortunately no DAB however I tend to play my Ipod anyway so can live without it. My advice would be if you go down the used route make sure it's been well cared for as they can use oil and get a warranty for peace of mind, don't take reviews as gospel all cars have their good and bad points but they are a great bit of kit if you want to have fun.

 

[WaspyJoe]

I wouldn't be going down the boc route haha, not big on the black face (norasism) although I saw one on the road and it did look pretty cool.

As for the dsg, I tried one in a scirocco (same gearbox and engine for that matter) and it felt slow to change down when you plant your foot. Even manual changes weren't as quick as I would have like. However it was a VERY short test drive, so I might not have given it a fair go...

38 when trying isn't great, I could live with it, but it's pretty poor from a modern car. My 23 year old golf does that. Hopefully motorway cruising would be better.

Edit: Sorry, missed the above post. Thanks for the post. If I was buying used it would be a year old (I much prefer the face lift) so that wouldn't be an issue, i would still have warranty etc. great to hear you like yours. I need to find one to test!

How much customisation is there with VAGCOM? Can when and how quickly the car decides to shift be tweaked?

 

[JamesT]

I went from owning a load of Type Rs to my brand new Cupra.

MPG on a run average I'd say around 42, on a long run I always get 47. That's pretty decent.

The DSG is great once you get used to it. I either use it in D for pootling around, or in manual mode with traction control off. I believe the Cupras will have a different DSG map to the Scirrocco so should be a bit quicker. I never use kickdown because it does take an age IMO. In D mode you can just flick a paddle to put it into manual mode, but will go back to D mode if you haven't manually changed in 10 secs or so.

In regards to buying new, you better keep it. I bought mine new for roughly 18k inc the options. 5 months later I fancied a Leon Cupra and spoke to my dealer, they offered £9500. Needless to say I'm keeping it. Still not sure if that was accurate.

I'm stage 1 with a Revo map now and the car is pretty damn quick to 100. Past that, and you can tell it's a 1.4.

 

[WaspyJoe]

Thanks for the informative reply! That valuation doesn't sound right. After three years they have a GFV of like 5-6k so 9k after 5 months is way out? Anyway, I wouldn't buy in cash is buying new. It would be on PCP. I would buy used in cash probably..

Remapping is always and option is I get bored, but I'm not too concerned out anything above 100. Not worth worrying about something which is so rare, for any length of time anyway.

The scirocco didn't have paddles, just shifted with the gear knob. But to confirm. If you put it in manual mode (not just a downshift in D) will it leave you alone and let you change when you want regardless of how long ago you shifted? Or will it take over at some point?

Man I would LOVE a leon cupra. One of my favourite car on the road ATM.

 

[JamesT]

If you put it in manual mode (not just a downshift in D) will it leave you alone and let you change when you want regardless of how long ago you shifted? Or will it take over at some point?

Essentially, yes. Apart from when -

1. Taking it up to 7000rpm - it'll auto change up
2. Taking it down to 1200rpm - it'll auto change down
3. If you're wheelspinning, it won't let you change till its got traction. This annoys me. Sometimes you can get it to change just before the wheelspin though.

Here's a little 0-100mph vid I did, in fully manual mode. I let it change for me in 2nd and 3rd. In 1st I pulled the paddle as I knew it would spin, and 4th I short shifted to stay in the power band. Revving past 6500 ish and it loses power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOIs-4iXSCw

 

[WaspyJoe]

Okay, that's not too bad then, how easy is it to wheel spin a standard Cupra in first?

 

[ibizaracebrake]

My Cupra normally returns 40 - 46mpg on 16mile trip to work, max 52mpg one day stuck behind slow lorry. It has recorded a 0 to 60 time under 5 seconds and 13 sec to 100mph. I don't miss the clutch, I never drive in auto - S or D, only + -. I never switch off the traction control and never let it kick down, I always select a low gear before flooring it. The clutches burn/slip with the massive torque if you don't actively prevent this by managing the gearbox. The standard dampers are crap, the standard exhaust too heavy/quiet, factory alloys massively heavy, brakes poor (uprateable). I change the oil at 3,000 miles to protect the timing chain. It is a remarkable car, at times untouchable, and also one of the worst cars the VW group has ever produced. I wish I had never bought it. When it does work I struggle to think of any car I could have bought that could come close to it's range of performance. Whether or not you can find a good one is a lottery, do you feel lucky punk?

 

[WaspyJoe]

Wow!

So I'm guessing you ovehauled the suspension, exhaust and wheels then, haha, how did you time that 0-60?

Quite a review. What do you wish you bought instead?

 

[ibizaracebrake]

Car is modified/lightened. I should have bought a Golf GTi as engine/box stronger, but then I wouldn't have had the experiences I have had. See 'REVO Ibiza Cupra MK5 @ Castle Combe' on youtube.

 

[WaspyJoe]

Looks quick. Gti is out of budget I would say (plus I technically already have one )

Another point. It annoys me that the exhaust is pretending to be something it's not. Are back boxes available that have a single tailpipe in the right shape? Or do I have to live with twin tailpipes poking out of jazzy surrounding?

 

[ibizaracebrake]

I have custom one box exhaust ending in one pipe, maybe buy my car, ha ha.

 

[WaspyJoe]

Haha, if only it was a facelift

 

[troupy]

Looks quick. Gti is out of budget I would say (plus I technically already have one )

Another point. It annoys me that the exhaust is pretending to be something it's not. Are back boxes available that have a single tailpipe in the right shape? Or do I have to live with twin tailpipes poking out of jazzy surrounding?

agreed

I rushed and bought the miltek.. to quiet for me imo

so I went one off custom!

basically a straight pipe from cat sounds ****ing SICK

 

[JamesT]

Any videos? ^

 

[WaspyJoe]

Not sure I'm a fan of that either. I think I would either want a completely different system. Eg, like the FR, or split left right style. If I can't get a tail pipe which is actually the shape of the surround. Hard to explain myself haha.

 

[Pyrres]

Not sure I'm a fan of that either. I think I would either want a completely different system. Eg, like the FR, or split left right style. If I can't get a tail pipe which is actually the shape of the surround. Hard to explain myself haha.

Miltek with bigger dual pipes look actually quite good on stock bumper. And I saw a picture of a exhaust that came out on each side like Golf Gti or Swift sport but you had to change to a custom bumper for it to work.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[JamesT]

My Milltek -

 

[WaspyJoe]

Actually that milltek looks pretty good!

None of my local dealers have one to try! Gahhhh.