The Motor Forum

simonp · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject: Seat Leon Cupra (request)

Anyone driven one?

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject:

Nope.

simonp · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 8:05 pm Post subject:

You've put me right off the idea now!

simonp · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:50 pm Post subject:

Seen one on t'internet that I quite like the look of but it's near Plymouth. That's a long way to go to have a gawp. I'll be down that way on the 10th so I'll just have to hope it don't get flogged.

www.castlemotors.com

Matt, don't suppose you wanna go have a look at it for me?

Boxer6 · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:14 pm Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:57 pm Post subject:

Silver isn't the problem, its the interior. I was really disappointed when I looked at one 3+ years ago (current shape one, but a Sport as it was before the FR & Cupra were launched). The switches are in strange places and it doesn't look great.

Mind you, after a Clio it is probably OK

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simonp · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:38 pm Post subject:

The interior is rather bland and slab-like isn't it? Annoyingly it's one of the things they've addressed with the facelift model, but I can't (won't) stretch to one.

I'm having real trouble deciding on my next car, as everything I like the missus hates and vice-versa. She wants me to get a V50 or A3 Sportback and I want a Focus ST or an R32!

Martin · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 8:19 am Post subject:

Good luck then!!
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Frank Bullitt · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:59 am Post subject:

simonp · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 3:38 pm Post subject:

It's not a bad compromise, but they seem to be pretty rare in manual guise and I don't want an auto. I have similar issues with the Audi in that I'd like a petrol quattro (2.0 or 3.2) with a manual box and xenons are a must as well, as the standard headlights are like fookin candles.

Put all those requirements into autotrader and you get about 2 results for either car, whereas the ones I like are ten a penny!

franki68 · Petrolhead Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 2380

Nice Guy Eddie · Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:32 am Post subject:

It can't be much difference from the Gti which is the best car i 've ever owned. The interior would be the only area that let the car down and would be a deal breaker for me. I'm also not a fan of the MPV styling.

I thought you were set on an ST.
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simonp · Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:01 am Post subject:

I'd love an Ed30, but they seem to be almost depreciation proof!

As for the ST... the wife hated it when we went to see one (usual story!). As a bit of the extra funding is coming from our joint savings she seems to think that she has a say in what I get.

With the Focus I'd ideally like a facelift in silver or grey, but most seem to be blue and orange, with those 2 colours being the lowest prices. I quite like the blue, but she recoiled from it like the car was a rattlesnake or something! That probably discounts an R32 as well, as they all seem to be blue at my end of the price range. Oh well!

Pkh72 · Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject:

Have you had a test drive in an ST yet Simon?
If not see if you can take one for a spin around some country roads, that should win you over.
RE the good lady - You need to put your foot down with a firm hand

Mines booked in for it's tweakery in a couple of weeks, so long as i don't get cold feet, i'll report back what it's like afterwards.

simonp · Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:00 pm Post subject:

A while ago yes. Chose the Renault over one!

The used car game is proving difficult as there's so little choice. A chap at work has just bought a silver pre-facelift ST so if I buy an older one it'll be exactly the same as his! There are very few new shape ones around in the 2 colours I like and they all seem to be 100s of miles away. Also, not wanting red/blue seats doesn't help the cause and the leather of the ST3s always looks a bit ropey to my eyes. This is something that afflicts other cars (like the Audi) too. Drivers seem to crush the side bolsters getting in and out, so one side of the seat looks new and the other looks knackered.

simonp · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:10 am Post subject:

Well, today's the day. Cupra still seems to be on the website, so I'm gonna go have a little look.

"him" · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:15 am Post subject:

Matt · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:17 am Post subject:

Crap, I'm a week late. I would have went to look for you otherwise.
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Small car, big heart.

simonp · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:40 am Post subject:

I'm in Plymouth for an Astra meet if you wanna come along, Matt? Meeting in Plymco car park at 12ish.

simonp · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:38 pm Post subject:

Well, in essence... I didn't like it! More bad than good with it.

I sat in the car and decided that the interior, whilst plasticky, was liveable with and the car seemed solidly built and it was in pristine condition.

The drive, however, was a different story. On the move the high window line proved rather claustrophobic and the gearknob was a weird shape, as was the wheel. The rim had a round profile at the top, but a square one at the bottom which was terribly annoying as you fed it through your hands. The performance wasn't as good as I thought it would be with the Cupra not feeling as fast as an Astra VXR I once drove. The brakes were typical VAG group fare, over servoed, snatchy near the top of the pedal and with little or no progression (progressive-ness?). Also with them being so massive (same brake set-up as an R32) this meant I stood the car on its nose the first couple of prods until I got used to only brushing the pedal.

The deal breaker, however, was either the seats or the ride (I can't work out which was to blame). I took the car on a spin of maybe 7 or 8 miles and could hardly walk when I got out of the car! The ride was no harder than the Clio's, but it felt like all the vertebrae in my lower back were about to crumble, even after that short distance.

I just feel lucky that this showed up so quickly, as had I bought the car and driven it home I'd probably be in a wheelchair right now!

"him" · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:45 pm Post subject:

That was a shame, what did you think of Castle Motors as a dealer?

Did they have anything 'tasty' in the showroom today?
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Remember - A gym without chalk is a heath spa...

simonp · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:48 pm Post subject:

A new (59 plate) 911 Carrera S in white stood out amongst a raft of Porsches and 2 Astons both of which were taken out while I was there. There were a bunch of Mercs of various types in the showroom and a couple of S2000s. There was also a JCW MINI in there. I really don't like them! It baffles me how a car of that size can have so little room in it?

Matt · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject: