New Cupra 300 or used 280/290???

[Big poppa John]

I'm currently looking into the possibility of changing my Leon FR ST 184 for a fun, fast, but still practical hatchback.
I was looking at the Golf R but the price difference to the Cupra is massive and everything I've read suggests the Cupra is the more fun car to drive. I've owned a few quick cars over the years including 4wd, rwd and fwd and can honestly say I've had brilliant fun in the fwd cars so I genuinely don't think I will feel short changed not having the R.
So to my question - There are some great deals out there on the Cupra 300 (£22,500 new without any options is the cheapest I've seen). Early 14 plate 280's are being advertised around the £14,500 mark. Which do you think makes more sense financially the 300 or a used 280/290? Obviously the 300 would have a 3yr warranty whereas the used car wouldn't. How much difference is there really between the 280, 290 and 300? Obviously if the new 300 was £30,000 then the depreciation would be massive but at let's say £24,000 with options it's not so bad. Also would it make more sense to lease or have a £10,000 loan over 3yrs? I know everybody's circumstances are different, I'm just after thoughts. Thanks.

 

[Shaady]

I can't comment on the differences, but that price for a new 300 seems very good, a bit of a bargain seeing the price of the competition.

I think it depends how long you are planning on keeping it. It it's for more than 3 years the loan makes much more sense, but if the plan is to get shot in 3 years a lease might be the way forward, there are some cracking deals out there, you can get yourself in a new one for just under £250 a month. That's what I would do if i did less mileage, just can't justify the fuel costs etc on one doing around 1.5K a month

 

[JsyCuPrA]

Hi,
I got my 300 with a few options for £25K last year, got a loan for 10K, which worked out cheaper than PCP on a monthly cost, with the added bonus of you owing the car at the end, which should be worth around £14k at the end of the loan (36 months).
So if you can get a new 300 for around £24K, then it would seem a better option imho.

 

[xyz]

I'm currently looking into the possibility of changing my Leon FR ST 184 for a fun, fast, but still practical hatchback.
I was looking at the Golf R but the price difference to the Cupra is massive and everything I've read suggests the Cupra is the more fun car to drive. I've owned a few quick cars over the years including 4wd, rwd and fwd and can honestly say I've had brilliant fun in the fwd cars so I genuinely don't think I will feel short changed not having the R.
So to my question - There are some great deals out there on the Cupra 300 (£22,500 new without any options is the cheapest I've seen). Early 14 plate 280's are being advertised around the £14,500 mark. Which do you think makes more sense financially the 300 or a used 280/290? Obviously the 300 would have a 3yr warranty whereas the used car wouldn't. How much difference is there really between the 280, 290 and 300? Obviously if the new 300 was £30,000 then the depreciation would be massive but at let's say £24,000 with options it's not so bad. Also would it make more sense to lease or have a £10,000 loan over 3yrs? I know everybody's circumstances are different, I'm just after thoughts. Thanks.

I'd go for a used 280 sub8 if you can find one - the 290 and 300 don't seem to offer much more than the 280. Incidentally, I went from the 280 to a brand new Golf R - the 280 is more fun in a way but it suffered from severe axle tramp on hard acceleration. The differences between the R and the 280 are quite significant in various ways - as for cost, I got my R with £5000 of extras for the same price as the standard R - paid just over £31k - nearly 2 years on and similar spec, similar mileage Rs are still selling for £26,500 so depreciation on comparison, is very good. Put this way - I loved my 280 and it was my fourth sporty Leon but next time, I'll still be looking for another R although I'm considering a second hand M2 as I have to scratch the M car itch! Read some EVO reviews on line to see the comparisons of the 280 with other cars and you'll see how good it is! The 280 will actually beat many cars on track, including the Golf R but for me, at least, the R is a bit more "complete."

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[Deleted member 103408]

I'd go for a used 280 sub8 if you can find one - the 290 and 300 don't seem to offer much more than the 280. Incidentally, I went from the 280 to a brand new Golf R - the 280 is more fun in a way but it suffered from severe axle tramp on hard acceleration. The differences between the R and the 280 are quite significant in various ways - as for cost, I got my R with £5000 of extras for the same price as the standard R - paid just over £31k - nearly 2 years on and similar spec, similar mileage Rs are still selling for £26,500 so depreciation on comparison, is very good. Put this way - I loved my 280 and it was my fourth sporty Leon but next time, I'll still be looking for another R although I'm considering a second hand M2 as I have to scratch the M car itch! Read some EVO reviews on line to see the comparisons of the 280 with other cars and you'll see how good it is! The 280 will actually beat many cars on track, including the Golf R but for me, at least, the R is a bit more "complete."

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agreed the R is more refined and 4wd. however i am a keeper of my 280 with a map good tyres and upgraded bushes wheel hope is much better. where i live there are lots of twisty badly made up roads and the 280 loves it. but this is the same conversation of DSG vs MANUAL its a personal choice. you need to take the cars out and see what is best for you. GOLF will always hold value better than cupra but there are goig to be a lot of ex lease cars soon (on both cars) that may impact second hand prices.

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[xyz]

agreed the R is more refined and 4wd. however i am a keeper of my 280 with a map good tyres and upgraded bushes wheel hope is much better. where i live there are lots of twisty badly made up roads and the 280 loves it. but this is the same conversation of DSG vs MANUAL its a personal choice. you need to take the cars out and see what is best for you. GOLF will always hold value better than cupra but there are goig to be a lot of ex lease cars soon (on both cars) that may impact second hand prices.

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Agreed back! Lol! My commute to work is 20 miles of twisty roads - the cornering speeds of the Golf are almost as insane as the 280's - but my Golf is as fast in the wet as the dry! As for leases affecting prices, to an extent you're correct - a vast majority of lease cars are basic spec cars as that was the only way a lot of people could get into an R by keeping the price down - indeed, look at the prices of basic spec Rs and they are cheap. Mine has a fairly substantial spec and the current prices reflect this - dealers have admitted that they struggle to find second hand Rs with a decent spec and I regularly see people on forums looking for Rs with a decent spec but for a reasonable price - unfortunately for them, those cars don't exist at the prices people want to pay - so there seems to be two separate camps on that score.

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