Are people happy with their Cupra ?
- Thread starter P0LKR
- Start date
I have this also. It seems to be normal for this engine as the Golfs do this as well from what I read on their forum.
One and a half week ago Seat in The Netherlands organised a special event for selling the 100th Cupra 280 (in Holland we have only the 280). They planned when launched to sell 25 of them a year but in 9 months they sold 100+.
So they organised for the first 100 owners (45 showed up) a special track event on the Zandvoort Circuit which consisted out of driver training: slalom, 180 degree emergency turn, emergency stop and collision avoiding and special track instructions for racing the car on the track.
It was wet around noon when it started and with drying track at the end of the afternoon.
We did about 20 laps (at first relatively slow) behind the instructor at 75% racing speed and 4 laps as fast as you trusted yourself with the instructor (a licensed racing driver with 20 years of experience) next to you.
Round noon the track was still wet and I could very well find the limit of the car. It has on wet serious traction trouble but the grip was reasonable. Very well I could drive the car on wet to it's limits and you really feell how well the differential lock pulled the car into the corner but also you could experience when you went too fast: the car then stepped out 3 to 4 feet of it's line with the front but just slightly ease off the throttle restored the traction.
On dry later in the afternoon it was astonishing how high the grip and traction levels were and, very important, how well the brakes performed.
On dry it is very neutral with a back that steps out a bit when going off the throttle slightly so you could steer it very good with the throttle. I managed on my best lap 195 km/h at the 150meter breaking point on the straight where the instructor (he drove with me 3 laps on full racing speed) managed to reach 215 km/h breaking 25 meters later.
It was a good day to experience where the limits were of the car in as well wet as dry and the combination of the two.
The instructors were astonished about how well and how fast a street car did it on the track and how well the brakes did their job. They had the experience with premium brand cars having brake failing after 2 to 3 laps were the Cupra 280 kept it all together over at least 5 to 8 laps at racing speed. More laps we couldn't do because they wanted us to save our tires. At the end of the day some did loose 50% of the profile!
So it was a very good day to get to know the car and below some links to video and pics where in the first video my speed was quite limited to the car in front who was a bit conservative:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prbWECxaB8w&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ2vBqyVwto&feature=youtu.be
http://www.ronvanderslik.nl/pon/SEAT_25_02_2015/
So they organised for the first 100 owners (45 showed up) a special track event on the Zandvoort Circuit which consisted out of driver training: slalom, 180 degree emergency turn, emergency stop and collision avoiding and special track instructions for racing the car on the track.
It was wet around noon when it started and with drying track at the end of the afternoon.
We did about 20 laps (at first relatively slow) behind the instructor at 75% racing speed and 4 laps as fast as you trusted yourself with the instructor (a licensed racing driver with 20 years of experience) next to you.
Round noon the track was still wet and I could very well find the limit of the car. It has on wet serious traction trouble but the grip was reasonable. Very well I could drive the car on wet to it's limits and you really feell how well the differential lock pulled the car into the corner but also you could experience when you went too fast: the car then stepped out 3 to 4 feet of it's line with the front but just slightly ease off the throttle restored the traction.
On dry later in the afternoon it was astonishing how high the grip and traction levels were and, very important, how well the brakes performed.
On dry it is very neutral with a back that steps out a bit when going off the throttle slightly so you could steer it very good with the throttle. I managed on my best lap 195 km/h at the 150meter breaking point on the straight where the instructor (he drove with me 3 laps on full racing speed) managed to reach 215 km/h breaking 25 meters later.
It was a good day to experience where the limits were of the car in as well wet as dry and the combination of the two.
The instructors were astonished about how well and how fast a street car did it on the track and how well the brakes did their job. They had the experience with premium brand cars having brake failing after 2 to 3 laps were the Cupra 280 kept it all together over at least 5 to 8 laps at racing speed. More laps we couldn't do because they wanted us to save our tires. At the end of the day some did loose 50% of the profile!
So it was a very good day to get to know the car and below some links to video and pics where in the first video my speed was quite limited to the car in front who was a bit conservative:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prbWECxaB8w&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ2vBqyVwto&feature=youtu.be
http://www.ronvanderslik.nl/pon/SEAT_25_02_2015/
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I could have written this. Agree with all of it. Having come from a 2013 WRX STI, the leon just feels so alive. Apart from the obvious weather related benefits, i find 4wd performance cars have simply too much grip! They just feel a bit inert and you have to push so hard to have fun.
As for those who complain about wheelspin, probably need to learn the throttle isn't just an on-off switch. Father in laws V8 Vantage gets plenty of wheelspin if you floor it and that's not front wheel drive. I'll write to Aston's to complain.....
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I've had mixed feelings about mine over the last few months, however, i'm now 6 months/3,500miles in and at the moment I am very happy with it.
The main areas that have been cause for concern:
1) The LSD - having been used to a completely mechanical diff with my previous car, the electronic side of the Cupra diff does mean there is some delay before it works. Initially I hated it and wasn't even sure it made a difference, however, after pushing it harder and harder i've learnt how it works. In short, don't go half arsed at a corner, chuck it in and get on the accelerator asap whilst ignoring the initial understeer - it's completely against what you would naturally do but activating the diff early works for me.
2) The tyres - for this type of car the Bridgestones are very poor in the wet/damp/cool conditions - they lose grip too easily and 1st/2nd gear wheel hop can be very annoying. On a dry day they are good but depending on how often and how hard you drive these may be something you upgrade in future.
3) The 2.5k flat spot - now I know this is just turbo lag (see other thread) I tend to ignore it.
Now, what I like....
1) Understated but classy looks - I don't look like a boy racer despite driving a hot hatch.
2) Fast, very fast - especially when you can get the power down.
3) Excellent corner traction in the dry.
4) Driver profiles - the ability to switch to comfort for long journeys and carrying passengers is very useful.
5) MPG - I'm averaging 31mpg over the first 3,500 miles.
6) Practicality - 5 doors and a decent boot!
7) The touchscreen media system, especially the phone book favourites - being able to call a favourite with 1 touch is brilliant.
The main areas that have been cause for concern:
1) The LSD - having been used to a completely mechanical diff with my previous car, the electronic side of the Cupra diff does mean there is some delay before it works. Initially I hated it and wasn't even sure it made a difference, however, after pushing it harder and harder i've learnt how it works. In short, don't go half arsed at a corner, chuck it in and get on the accelerator asap whilst ignoring the initial understeer - it's completely against what you would naturally do but activating the diff early works for me.
2) The tyres - for this type of car the Bridgestones are very poor in the wet/damp/cool conditions - they lose grip too easily and 1st/2nd gear wheel hop can be very annoying. On a dry day they are good but depending on how often and how hard you drive these may be something you upgrade in future.
3) The 2.5k flat spot - now I know this is just turbo lag (see other thread) I tend to ignore it.
Now, what I like....
1) Understated but classy looks - I don't look like a boy racer despite driving a hot hatch.
2) Fast, very fast - especially when you can get the power down.
3) Excellent corner traction in the dry.
4) Driver profiles - the ability to switch to comfort for long journeys and carrying passengers is very useful.
5) MPG - I'm averaging 31mpg over the first 3,500 miles.
6) Practicality - 5 doors and a decent boot!
7) The touchscreen media system, especially the phone book favourites - being able to call a favourite with 1 touch is brilliant.
Yes, test drove DSG and have a manual. To be honest I like both, the DSG and paddles was fun and auto handy in traffic. But I also like manual with nothing overriding anything.
I decided to save the £1400odd and get a manual!
This is quite a subjective question to be honest and everyone will say different
The demo car I drove was DSG and I expected to hate it, but I actually liked it. It took me nearly three weeks to decide DSG or manual, I went for manual but when I change this car I am tempted to give DSG a try.
I think any Cupra early order(ers) would have test driven the DSG because that was all that was available as dealer demo a year ago. Like Rob and Biker I tested the DSG but chose manual. DSG was OK, but didn't float my boat. I don't regret my decision in the least and can't see me opting for an automatic in the future unless a manual version of the car I wanted wasn't available.
The split is pretty even, but DSG is a marginally more popular with members on here according to the poll in the stickies. Since buying our Cupra a close family relative has recently bought a DSG leon SE. I've driven it a few times and whilst I can see the appeal of the auto in certain traffic conditions I wouldn't be happy with it. Nice car though.
Each to their own, etc.
The split is pretty even, but DSG is a marginally more popular with members on here according to the poll in the stickies. Since buying our Cupra a close family relative has recently bought a DSG leon SE. I've driven it a few times and whilst I can see the appeal of the auto in certain traffic conditions I wouldn't be happy with it. Nice car though.
Each to their own, etc.
Same here. Test drove both , was happy with the manual and couldn't justify the extra for the DSG. Plus the GF didn't like it.....
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I dont find the dsg in the cupra as slick as the newer 7 speed dry dsg i had in my last car (but no way that would take the cupras power). i need a dsg incase my wife needs to drive the car, but even if i didnt id prob still choose dsg over manual unless the car was a track focused thing like an elise (im lazy too lol).
i almost went for silver over monsoon grey but the shade looked too anaemic, it lost the definition of the coach lines and didn't look right with the Ti-grey alloys
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This is what put me off the Octavia vRS I test drove before I went for the Leon, thought it sounded stupid! Don't think the 2.0 150hp TDI Leon FR that I've ordered has one fitted, thankfully!
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