Update - 106543 miles and counting!
Well, it's been a long road to here!!! - it sure has - nearly 6 years now since Jabba modded the car, and the 'old girl', rather like her owner, was getting a bit the worse for wear!!!
For over 100,000 miles the 'Jabbacar' has given me some of the best motoring fun I've ever had.
There have been some - err - 'difficult' moments for sure across the years, some of which are documented in this thread.
However, all said and done, Summer and Winter, in fair weather and foul, out on the road, the car has never let me down in any major way, and has always been a complete 'hoot' to drive, when I've been in a playful mood.
Here's big respect, and many thanks to VAG engineers for getting their sums right at the design stage, and thanks too, to the Jabba men for their care and expertise in modding the car.
When the car turned the 100,000 mile mark, she was understandably looking a bit frayed around the edges.
I had actually taken to calling the car Jacob - on account of the fact that it had, as it were, donned a ‘coat of many colours’ due to the Ovni yellow paintwork doing its usual well documented ‘fading’ trick.
Apart from its faded paintwork, across the miles, the car’s exterior surface had also been bombarded by numerous Meteorite Showers , as a consequence of many close encounters of the ‘Exoticar’ kind - you know, those pesky Porsche and Ferrari things that keep getting in the way, and won’t pull over to let you pass - plays havoc with your topcoat!!
Mechanically, things were not bad at all, considering the general daily use to which the car had been subject.
A few grunts and moans could be heard - par for the course for sure, for any old pensioner such as she - down a bit in the BHP department ,from her original ‘post tune’ glory days, but she was still making good power, the engine in particular, sounding remarkably sweet, considering the mileage the car had covered.
That was the good news!
With the car up on the ramp, a quick glance at the underside, soon revealed the true significance of the local council’s habit of spreading an abundance what seems to be a mix of salt and treacle on the road surface, at the first sign of cold weather - grim!
Nothing major, structurally compromised as far as the body shell was concerned, but loads of surface rust and corrosion everywhere - and three broken road springs into the bargain!!!
Subsequent to my inspection of the car’s underside mild panic ensued! - ohh err ! - what to do next!
A number of possibilities were considered, and bearing in mind that action was called for in one form or another, doing nothing, and leaving the car the way it was , was not a good option.
Sell the Leon? - well, a local dealer was very keen to make me an offer for the car as part exchange against a ‘very nice’ W plate Kia Pride, which he thought would suit my present needs just fine - he would even give me a free MOT with the Kia as an added incentive!
Fast cars those Kias - I know - but I decided against that!
Give the Leon away? - well there were a few folks who were prepared to do me a big favour as they said, and take the car off my hands, and save me a lot of hassle!
I decided against that - because I was very fond of the car, and had spent a lot of money on it.
Then I had a brainwave !
Having already spent a shed load of cash on the car to date to get the car to the way it was - why don’t I spend another shed load of cash on it, to put it right back as far as possible to its original pristine self.
Bearing in mind that this latter course of action meant probable divorce, homelessness, and penury I decided that it still was the best way to go!!!
Ah the joys of motoring!!!
The car was shipped down to friend and super ‘quarter mile man’ James Hodson at Sub 11 Motorsport, for a mechanical refit.
James who had actually worked on the car in its original form, inspected the car and decided to proceed as follows:-
All the Sub Frames/ suspension components were dropped off the car , to be bead blasted ,powder coated.
While the underside was stripped, the car was cleaned up and Waxoiled.
The Sub Frames were and fitted back up with new Superpro bushes all round - new wheel bearings front and rear - new rear brake lines.
New KW shocks fitted all round with new top mounts and bearings, - new Track Rod Ends - ARB drop links - new Driveshafts.
In the Braking department we fitted the ECS St 5 Porsche 6 pot fronts and ECS vented rear upgrade.
In the Engine/gearbox department, everything was well checked over, and things did not look too bad considering the mileage - no ‘funny noises’ were to be heard, the compression was good and the engine was certainly not using any oil in general use.
The water radiator had developed a leak so we replaced that - the cam belt was changed - new MAF and MAP sensor were fitted - and after much thought and discussion the Turbo/ Manifold/ and Down Pipe were all renewed, just to be on the safe side.
The clutch/ gearbox were deemed to be OK as was the Quaife diff .
All this mechanical renovation whilst wonderful to behold, obviously did nothing for the car’s pock marked exterior presentation, so, having decided to go ‘the whole hog and to hell with it‘, the car’s next port of call was Simon’s very excellent body
shop for more remedial treatment.
Bonnet off, Boot off, Doors off , Glass out, Trim off and all the rest of it - Off with the Ovni - thank God - and on with the Velocity Yellow tint coat!
Wheels refurbished , new spoiler, new under tray, new front wheel liners, new headlights, new windscreen, completed the picture
So there you have it guys - Hope you like it!
The Jabbacar is up for it and rolling again, not quite in the first flush of youth, but looking good and feeling sprightly, despite her advancing years.
Thanks to this great forum for the interest in the car, the support I’ve had here, and the friends I’ve made .
Rock on!! - here’s to the next 100,000!
Cheers to all!
PS - if a nice man offers to part exchange your
Cupra R for a Kia Pride, don’t do it - you will regret it!
- now where did that hedge come from
- Oohh dear, and think about all that nasty Carbon Dioxide too! 
![[B)]](/forums/styles/seatcupra/oldforumsmileys/shades.gif "Cool [B)]")
