Thinking about returning to the SEAT camp...

[RCS2K4]

Come on chaps, twist my arm here... I have very fond and happy memories (mostly) of the 3 SEAT cars I have owned over the years. I had a MK4 Ibiza FT TDI, then a MK4 Ibiza Cupra 20VT, and the last one was a MK2 Leon Cupra which was tuned to a rather bonkers 350 BHP!

some of you will hopefully remember me also, as I attended a few meets locally, and went to loads of BTCC races with ym various SEAT's. Thing is, I no longer have any SEAT's, and while the car I currenty drive is not bad by any stretch (A 2009 BMW 335i M-Sport Coupe), it's thirst for Fuel, Oil, £800 service costs and £350 EACH rear tyres is leaving my bank balance very, erm, empty...

The car is basically great, but I just dont have the deep pockets required for it, and hate the bills. I have seen a new Leon Cupra R is due out, should I?

Any word on how much they cost, and can you have DSG on it? Can you also have a 4WD drive one like an S3 at last?

A lot of questions there, so erm, thanks in advance

 

[lil3520]

Test drive report in the lasted auto express mag

 

[Nath.]

Sadly there is no 4WD, not even on the "R"

 

[robdf2]

didnt you order a Focus RS?

i remember your car mate , doesnt the BM do it for you?

The cupra R is basically an update of the Cupra , same engine albeit with bigger intercooler ala S3 we think , ecu tweak , electronic diff , bigger discs , 19" wheels and new interior with slightly changed exterior , 1 thing that stands out is the noise from the exhaust sounds nice.

TBH Mate what ever reason drove you away from the Leon in the first place i doubt whether coming back will have seen much things change to persuede you , i would personally go with an Audi TT lighter , quicker cars and just as tuneable but each to their own.

 

[jezyg]

Come on chaps, twist my arm here... I have very fond and happy memories (mostly) of the 3 SEAT cars I have owned over the years. I had a MK4 Ibiza FT TDI, then a MK4 Ibiza Cupra 20VT, and the last one was a MK2 Leon Cupra which was tuned to a rather bonkers 350 BHP!

some of you will hopefully remember me also, as I attended a few meets locally, and went to loads of BTCC races with ym various SEAT's. Thing is, I no longer have any SEAT's, and while the car I currenty drive is not bad by any stretch (A 2009 BMW 335i M-Sport Coupe), it's thirst for Fuel, Oil, £800 service costs and £350 EACH rear tyres is leaving my bank balance very, erm, empty...

The car is basically great, but I just dont have the deep pockets required for it, and hate the bills. I have seen a new Leon Cupra R is due out, should I?

Any word on how much they cost, and can you have DSG on it? Can you also have a 4WD drive one like an S3 at last?

A lot of questions there, so erm, thanks in advance

I have also come from the BMW camp after owning a M1 Leon Cupra back in 2003. Then a string of 3 Series and 1 Series. Interesting about the 335i as someone else has gone from a 130i to a 335i found similar high running costs and less fun factor and have gone back to a 130i.

Biggest step down is build quality especially from a 3 Series mainly apprant on the interior side and of course RWD which on the limit does have the edge. Certainly my 1er to the Leon FR did.

But the Leons make you smile they have something that draws you in or Pedro's aftershave that gives you a real buzz once behind the wheel. The BM's are almost too refined for there own good you loose the sense of speed. Cupra R will give you a much bigger grin factor than a 335i and be lighter on your wallet and tsaking in weight and drivetrain losses not that much slower at all.

The Cupra R does not have DSG as an option or 4wd, looking at a Golf R or S3 for a simialr powered car with 4wd.

 

[RobH]

Basically your old cupra was a higher spec than a cupra r apart from the alacantra seats and slightly improved interior dash from what we think we know about the cupra r.

so where you go from their i dont know, youd be only driving a slower newer version than your old cupra with a different interior .

but welcome back i do remember your motor and your problems with it lol.

 

[RCS2K4]

didnt you order a Focus RS?

i remember your car mate , doesnt the BM do it for you?

The cupra R is basically an update of the Cupra , same engine albeit with bigger intercooler ala S3 we think , ecu tweak , electronic diff , bigger discs , 19" wheels and new interior with slightly changed exterior , 1 thing that stands out is the noise from the exhaust sounds nice.

TBH Mate what ever reason drove you away from the Leon in the first place i doubt whether coming back will have seen much things change to persuede you , i would personally go with an Audi TT lighter , quicker cars and just as tuneable but each to their own.

I did order a Focus RS, but got bored of waiting so went for the BMW.

I'm not going to suggest that for one minute that the BMW is a bad car, it's just expensive to keep it moving. The rear tyres don't last for a start. They cost £350 for one, and only manage about 4-5K. I also dread dealer visits - It's routine service is £800, and needs 2 of those a year! Then there's all the other little costs that build up from owning one. It's already been broken into, and has also been keyed when parked at Morissons doing my weekly shop.

Having the bodywork repaired after some jealous keyed it ran into £1000+. BMW's carry a certian image, and it's just not me.

As for how the car drives, it's capiable but boring if that makes any sence. You know it will stick to a corner at 90 MPH, but it does it so safely you can't ever have any fun getting the back end out for example, and any sense of speed is lost... My god, is it very nearly the perfect handling car?

Now, given the new Cupra R's disappointing spec sheet (I would have really thought it would come with a unique body kit and auto at the very least now), maybe I would be better suited to an S3?

However, given that the BMW is still worth north of £34,000 on P/X, I would have lots left to make the Cupra R go faster than my old one, while avoiding the pitfalls I fell into from last time round? I personally never had an issue with the interior (like all auto mags bang on about), and the car did handle very well...

 

[dannychapman10]

If you have the 335i now, I would recommend the 3.2 S3 they did for a few years before it went to the 2.0T engine 4 wheel drive, gorgeous sounding engine note and very good build quality

Just a thought.

Danny.

 

[RobH]

dont remember no 3.2 audi s3 but an audi tts or new s4 isnt a bad shout imo.

 

[NickP]

dont remember no 3.2 audi s3

That's because there has never been one

They were 1.8T before the shape changed and they became 2.0T

 

[Harry_Crack]

If you have the 335i now, I would recommend the 3.2 S3 they did for a few years before it went to the 2.0T engine 4 wheel drive, gorgeous sounding engine note and very good build quality

Just a thought.

Danny.

I had a A3 3.2 S-Line Quattro, think you meant that? Was quicker off the line than my Cupra but once going the extra weight did use to tell quite badly. Right about the engine note though sounded a bit more "manly" than the Cupra which isn't at all bad for a 4-pot though.

 

[robdf2]

3.2 has limited tuning potential, and as we know you from all your previous posts you will get the itch for modding before very long so i would stick with the 2.0 litre engine just down to you to choose what car its in

 

[Mr Cellotape]

After they way you got shafted last time i'm suprised your considering another SEAT.

 

[RCS2K4]

3.2 has limited tuning potential, and as we know you from all your previous posts you will get the itch for modding before very long so i would stick with the 2.0 litre engine just down to you to choose what car its in

Agreed. the 3.2 engine sounds excellent, but it just can't cut it in the performance stakes against the 2.0 TSI engine. If i bought another SEAT (Or the S3), the modding bug would bite very quickly because I know what can be done to that engine. It's amazing that after almost 12 months, the BMW is still totally standard (Probably because a single ECU re-map alone is £1800!).

After they way you got shafted last time i'm suprised your considering another SEAT.

Yeah, I'm supprised too. I also think I am still banned from MK Seat, but would not go within 100 miles of the place anyway! While the issues of the old car were not helped by SEAT directly, the main brunt of the problems and resistance come from that dealer in particular. Perrys SEAT in Aylesbury are very friendly

 

[NickP]

the BMW is still totally standard (Probably because a single ECU re-map alone is £1800!).

In this months Evo they had a Mapped 335i up against an M3, and were quoting £465 for the remap....company was MoreGo which is an offshoot of BBR...
Not sure how they're rated in the BMW world though..

 

[Poverty]

If you have the 335i now, I would recommend the 3.2 S3 they did for a few years before it went to the 2.0T engine 4 wheel drive, gorgeous sounding engine note and very good build quality

Just a thought.

Danny.

Whats the matter with you? The 3.2 is slowwwwwwwww


If you can wait a couple months you can have mine. Its pre-fettled.

 

[dannychapman10]

Whats the matter with you? The 3.2 is slowwwwwwwww


If you can wait a couple months you can have mine. Its pre-fettled.

Lol Poverty, compared to the tuning potential of the 2.0T lumps, yours as an example, yes it is, but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the 3.2 V6 from the Vag group i.e R32 and 3.2 S-line, which is what I meant I'm sure in a few months your car will be snapped up quickly if you decide to sell

Danny.

 

[Poverty]

Lol Poverty, compared to the tuning potential of the 2.0T lumps, yours as an example, yes it is, but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the 3.2 V6 from the Vag group i.e R32 and 3.2 S-line, which is what I meant I'm sure in a few months your car will be snapped up quickly if you decide to sell

Danny.

I have to say I wish mine sounded like the 3.2. Its soooo good, it definelty moves something in the deepest echelons of my two big testicles.

Wonder what a decatted TT-RS will sound like

 

[robdf2]

I have to say I wish mine sounded like the 3.2. Its soooo good, it definelty moves something in the deepest echelons of my two big testicles.

Wonder what a decatted TT-RS will sound like

only 1 way to find out , i will just go down to the garage and quickly swap it out and report back

 

[Poverty]

only 1 way to find out , i will just go down to the garage and quickly swap it out and report back

milltek need to get some vids up of their one!