Picking up 2004 LCR 225 Tonight - Some Newbie Questions...

[Jerry*]

Hi there,

All being well I'll be picking up my 2004 LCR 225 tonight and I'm obviously looking forward to it

Its a silver one with the gunmetal grey alloys (why are some LCR alloys lighter than others?), its had one owner, its got 41k on the clock and has full SEAT service history. Its completely standard too and drove really well on the test drive.

Here's some randon questions though that I hope you guys can help me with..

- The car has a single slot Seat CD player fitted and no autochanger. I was under the impression that they all came with the tape player head unit and a 6 CD autochanger in the glovebox as standard!? Which is right?

- The standard head unit looks very wide. If I was to replace it with an after market head unit do I need some blanking plates at each side? If so, where do I get those from and how much are they?

- What sort of fuel economy can I expect on average with fairly steady b-road driving? Are the manufacturers claims of 32.1mpg on the combined cycle fairly accurate?

This will be my first turbo charged car (barring the awful 1.9 CDTi Astra I'm just trading in) and therefore I'm intrigued to know how basic breathing mods affect the car. Will the fitting of an after market panel filter or induction kit (BMC CDA for example) upset matters or will the ECU just adjust to the improved airflow? Do you have to remap the car to get best results?

- Also, if I went down the route of after market downpipe/sport-cat would I need a remap too to make it work properly? I've seen Scoobies spiking and misfiring on the std map after the exhaust/cat was changed.

- I've read plenty on here and elsewhere about the potentially troublesome coil packs. If one of these was to fail on my car should I just look to replace it with an OE spec coil pack or would I be better off replacing all 4 with some after market (and hopefully more reliable) ones? If so, which after market coils offer the best performance/value for money? How much should I be thinking of spending too?

- I've read too that the standard ARBs are not the best on the LCR and can contribute to more body roll through the corners than you would expect in a car of this type. If I considered replacing the OE ones at some stage what sort of after market ones should I consider, and what sort of price do they go for?

- Are strut braces worthwhile? If so, just the front or rear too? Who makes decent ones and at what price?

- Finally, are there any other things I should look out for that could be potentially problematic on a 2nd hand Leon Cupra R like this, other than the obvious stuff you would check for on any 2nd hand car?

Any help or pointers would be much appreciated!

J

p.s. Are there any other Leon owners on here from the Leeds area? Would be good to attend a meet/event in the near future to pick up some tips.

 

[JamJay]

Hello there!

- The car has a single slot Seat CD player fitted and no autochanger. I was under the impression that they all came with the tape player head unit and a 6 CD autochanger in the glovebox as standard!? Which is right?

2004 onwards got the single CD, previous models had tape & auto changer.

- The standard head unit looks very wide. If I was to replace it with an after market head unit do I need some blanking plates at each side? If so, where do I get those from and how much are they?

You need a facia adapter, Halfords stock them and they are about £13

- What sort of fuel economy can I expect on average with fairly steady b-road driving? Are the manufacturers claims of 32.1mpg on the combined cycle fairly accurate?

If you drive it hard then it'll be crap but if you drive balanced then 30 - 32mpg is easy. I have had 37mpg when being a good lad.

- This will be my first turbo charged car (barring the awful 1.9 CDTi Astra I'm just trading in) and therefore I'm intrigued to know how basic breathing mods affect the car. Will the fitting of an after market panel filter or induction kit (BMC CDA for example) upset matters or will the ECU just adjust to the improved airflow? Do you have to remap the car to get best results?

The ECU is adaptive so upgrading things is fine. The only thing that upsets them a little is a de-cat exhaust pipe but even then it only brings on a light, no running issues. BMC CDA's aren't recommended, they are quite restrictive. You do not need to remap the car to suit an air filter, you can however get a remap which will stick another 40 - 50bhp on which is much fun

- Also, if I went down the route of after market downpipe/sport-cat would I need a remap too to make it work properly? I've seen Scoobies spiking and misfiring on the std map after the exhaust/cat was changed.

To get the best from a turbo-back exhaust system, it's recommend that you get a remap. At the same time a front mount intercooler is a good idea.

- I've read plenty on here and elsewhere about the potentially troublesome coil packs. If one of these was to fail on my car should I just look to replace it with an OE spec coil pack or would I be better off replacing all 4 with some after market (and hopefully more reliable) ones? If so, which after market coils offer the best performance/value for money? How much should I be thinking of spending too?

Yes they fail and when one goes, they all seem to follow suit. Dealers charge £30ish each, the are modified are more reliable than the old ones.

- I've read too that the standard ARBs are not the best on the LCR and can contribute to more body roll through the corners than you would expect in a car of this type. If I considered replacing the OE ones at some stage what sort of after market ones should I consider, and what sort of price do they go for?

The LCR only has a front ARB (no rear). A rear one can be fitted but Neuspeed are the only ones that fit with the standard exhaust back box, the others knock. You can go for either 25 or 28mm. If you want to upgrade the front, an R32 one is a good choice. At the same time, fit an Audi S3 front upper strut brace but this requires drilling. Check DPM Performance or Awesome GTi for prices.

- Are strut braces worthwhile? If so, just the front or rear too? Who makes decent ones and at what price?

See above.

- Finally, are there any other things I should look out for that could be potentially problematic on a 2nd hand Leon Cupra R like this, other than the obvious stuff you would check for on any 2nd hand car?

The silicone sealant in the doors can perish, allowing water to build up on the side skirt and eventually over flow into the front footwells. Door panel off, reseal and job done.

 

[Haggistech]

- The standard head unit looks very wide. If I was to replace it with an after market head unit do I need some blanking plates at each side? If so, where do I get those from and how much are they?

You need a facia adapter, Halfords stock them and they are about £13

I got one from here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEAT-LEON-IBI...s_SM?hash=item45ed5baf14&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

£8 including postage

 

[JamJay]

Actually, I think the CD player was standard fit from 54reg or 05reg but some late 03's & 04's did come with one.

 

[Jerry*]

Thanks for the replies peeps..

Well I picked the car up tonight and all seems well. I've given it a little wash and the paint all looks to be as good as I'd hoped. I've bulled up the inside and got rid of a few small marks and pretty much checked everything out.

Firstly it seems that my book pack is missing the full owners manual. Are these easy to come by?

The single slot CD player doesn't play CDs. It just makes a loud clicking sound when you insert a disc and then says "cd error." Anyone else experienced this? Is it fixable or should I just junk it for an after market unit?

The centre arm rest is stuck in the vertical position, and despite pressing the button on the end of it as hard as I can it just won't budge. Am I doing something wrong or should it just move with minimum fuss?

The cloth on the outer edges of the parcel shelf has rubbed off and come away. Is this common? If so, how do people stop it happening?

How do you get the door mirrors to fold in? According to the 'quick guide' it says that you use the joystick on the drivers door? Will this only work with the engine running or with the key in the ignition, or will it work at all times?

What type and what viscosity of oil do people recommend for the LCR 225?

Are the clutches hydraulic and are they prone to failing?

Cheers,

J

 

[mike2926]

hi there mate, congrats on the new car. it is a common fault on the cd player and you can either by a second hand replacement (always on ebay and second hand section on here) or go for an after market. the arm rest sounds knackered to me.

if you move the joystick so the line faces downwards they (should) fold in. they will do this with the ignition on and will also do it for 30seconds after you turn the ignition off.

hope this helps.

cheers

 

[Three Leons]

Hi there,

- The car has a single slot Seat CD player fitted and no autochanger. I was under the impression that they all came with the tape player head unit and a 6 CD autochanger in the glovebox as standard!? Which is right?

- The standard head unit looks very wide. If I was to replace it with an after market head unit do I need some blanking plates at each side? If so, where do I get those from and how much are they?

p.s. Are there any other Leon owners on here from the Leeds area? Would be good to attend a meet/event in the near future to pick up some tips.

I'm in Leeds (Pudsey) and got an 04 LCR just a couple of weeks ago . Currently looking for decent VAG specialist to service it.

I've got a 6CD changer in mine - probably just pot luck though I've also got an adaptor you can have for a fiver - decided not to go for an aftermarket unit (pm me if you're interested).

As regards oil - it seems 5w-40 or 5w-30 is recommended. VAG Quantum fully synth and Castrol Edge pop up on here alot so if the garage I eventually go to do the former I'm probably going for that as it's much cheaper than the Edge.

 

[Jerry*]

Thanks again guys..

Doh, I just assumed that pushing the joystick down would activate the door mirrors. I just did it properly and they work fine ...thanks Mike.

PAS - good to see another local LCR owner. If you don't mind me asking, where did you purchase yours from? I just got mine from sunny Stanningley :lol

I've heard that Cramag at Guiseley are also VAG specialists despite just selling BMWs. They might be worth a look.

I'm interested in this adaptor though mate because I'll be sorting out an after market stereo come pay day.

Just looked on e-bay and I can get a 2nd hand owners manual set off there without too much trouble... most seem to have a nice leather pouch to put everything in. Mine didn't come with one of those

J

 

[Three Leons]

Thanks again guys..


PAS - good to see another local LCR owner. If you don't mind me asking, where did you purchase yours from? I just got mine from sunny Stanningley :lol

J

Stanningley's just down the road from me - was yours from a dealer? I got mine privately from someone in Derby. Going to have a crack at refurbing my Brembos tomorrow weather permitting.

I'll look out for you on the roads

 

[Jerry*]

Thanks for that..

Any advance on my question about the LCR clutch? Is it a hydraulic system and are they prone to packing in? I've heard a few rumours that they are that's all and I wonder how careful I need to be with it.

Also, as I don't have an owners manual - how do you set the clock in an LCR?

..and how do you remove the OE stereo? I can't see any holes like you find on a normal car radio?

Cheers,

J

 

[kewe]

Thanks for that..

Any advance on my question about the LCR clutch? Is it a hydraulic system and are they prone to packing in? I've heard a few rumours that they are that's all and I wonder how careful I need to be with it.

Also, as I don't have an owners manual - how do you set the clock in an LCR?

..and how do you remove the OE stereo? I can't see any holes like you find on a normal car radio?

Cheers,

J

Jerry,

Setting the clock should be as simple as twisting the knob and holding it to the left (hrs) and right (mins) if it's the same as mine.

Think the OE stereo needs 2 keys, you should see spaces where they fit in around the stereo. Ebay usually sells a kit with the adaptor faceplate, the keys and the wiring harness adaptor all together for less than £20 mate, might be your best bet.

The clutch is hydraulic but not sure about the problem, can't be any worse than the ZS lol.
Check the sticky thread:-
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=202318

 

[kewe]

and another useful link:-

http://www.seatcupra.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=2&id=28&Itemid=6

 

[tomatoketchup]

I'm in Leeds (Pudsey) and got an 04 LCR just a couple of weeks ago . Currently looking for decent VAG specialist to service it.

I'm another LCR in Pudsey mate, hope you're enjoying it. I've used IVC for a few years on a few VAG cars and they've generally been good. They're across town mind you.

http://www.ivcleeds.co.uk

 

[Jerry*]

Thanks mate!

J

 

[Three Leons]

I'm another LCR in Pudsey mate, hope you're enjoying it. I've used IVC for a few years on a few VAG cars and they've generally been good. They're across town mind you.

http://www.ivcleeds.co.uk

Yeah that's who I'm thinking of going to. Logistics of it are a bit of a nightmare though - I need my car daily!

There's also Volks Works a bit further up the road from them - seem a bit cheaper but noone on here seems to have used them

 

[tomatoketchup]

Do you work in Leeds centre? They do a minibus in to Leeds centre in the morning and pick you up at 4ish. But yeah if you need to be elsewhere it's a pain in the @rse to get to

 

[Havok316]

good luck! youll definatly not regret buying an LCR. Also additional to your mods list

1. Do the N249 Bypass
2. Get a forge 007P DV
3. Modify the airbox and replace the crappy standard air feed.
4. Get some HID lights

 

[Jerry*]

Havok,

Yes the LCR is growing on me by the day... It feels so special next to the cr4ppy Astra SRi I've been driving.

Makes a great noise as standard too. Lovely low gruff noise from the OE exhaust.

Sorry for my newbieness but, what is the N249 bypass? What does that do? Why is this better than OE?

I've heard of lots of people on here with this Forge 007P dump valve. Why do people fit these? Do they dump to atmosphere and make a loud 'psssh?' Once again, why are these better than OE?

What modifications to people do to the OE airbox? Where do people duct the improved air feed to? Do they replace the OE air feed with a completely new pipe? If so, what sort of pipe do they use and where do you get them from? How much are they?

My car seems to have Xenon bulbs in already. They are really bright and look cool. The normal sidelights and full beams appear to be normal bulbs but I'm more than happy with them. Are there any issues with Xenon bulbs with the OE light setup and wiring loom?

Cheers,

J

 

[Funkyfin2000]

ive got an OEM stereo for sale in the For Sale section if your interested!