Cupra 300 ST - how to inject more excitement?

[omegamv6]

Hi all,

I own a Cupra 300 ST manual which I’ve had since last year. I purchased it because it was cheap, and because I thought our dog would appreciate the extra space an estate gives over a hatch!

Objectively, it’s great. It’s fast, refined and practical.

However, I’m struggling to actually ‘gel’ with the car. That hard to define feeling you either have for a car, or don’t.

Previous cars include an M135i, and a Megane 265 Trophy. Both of which, to me, were much more interesting and had a lot more character.

So, I find myself asking what I can do to the Cupra to make it a bit more interesting?

Areas which I think need attention:

Sound. It currently doesn’t have any! Exhaust is totally silent. A neighbour has just bought a Hyundai i30 N and it sounds so much better / louder than the Cupra, especially on start up! Mine is silent in comparison. What’s the best way to inject a little drama?

Traction. Wheel hop, particularly in wet or damp conditions, is extremely frustrating. Is there any way to improve this?

Looks. I appreciate this is very subjective. But I think it just looks so.... bland. I thought I would grow to like the understated appearance, but I don’t turn around and look at the car when walking away from it like I have with other cars. Anything obvious I can do to make it look a little more interesting, and less like an diesel FR with different wheels? I notice the 300 doesn’t have any side skirts fitted, could this be what it’s lacking? Perhaps front splitter, wheel spacers? What are the popular mods?

 

[Deleted member 103408]

omegamv6 I would suggest having a read through the forum as most of your questions have been answered.

Is the car yours or a lease, on the assumption its yours

Engine, You can map stage one and get around the 375bhp which is a whole lot of fun (Revo, APR, Racingline all do maps) or you can put on a box (don't like them personally)

Noise - How long are you planning on keeping the car and how much do you want to spend on the car (that a question for you to think about not give me an answer on).

Air intake, open air intake system will give you nice feedback when pushing and not annoy you when normal driving.

Exhaust you can have a custom one made, something like the Milltek system will give you good noise levels but no drone or you can remove some of the bits of your current one and replace with straight pipe (check out the forum for details)

Traction - Get better rubber, Michelin PS4S (If you are on 19" rims), Get a better dog bone mount (search on forum for details) and engine mounts

Looks, how much do you want to spend (answer to you) Front Splitter, Side Skirts (Seat and Aftermarket), Rear Diffuser, lower suspension, new wheels, check out on the forum to see what others have done but there is plenty of choice.
Check out https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/post-pics-of-your-mk3-leon-in-here.444099/ and https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/what-did-you-and-your-mk3-leon-do-today.379107/ to see what others are doing.

 

[Damo H]

@theoldboy speaks a lot of sense.

Driving wise:

Dogmount insert: At £50 best bang for your buck on any mod on this car.

Tyres: Not so cheap but I have the older Michelin Pilot Super Sports. **** they’re good. (Can only imagine what the Cups are like). However the Pilot Sport 4S are supposed to be better still (Not to be confused with the normal Pilot Sport 4).


Looks wise:

Splitter: A splitter is always a good mod for the front and relatively cheap mod. I personally love the Tripple R Composite one (TRC) and have read it fits the facelift just as well as the 289/290.

Vinyl: I love my side stripes, but a lot of people have wrapped parts of the 300 front bumper to make it look more aggressive. Check this thread out:
https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/cupra-300-front-bumper-vs-290-280.445199/

Side skirts: Not cheap but well worth it for the Cupra. I believe the blades are cheaper but I think the skirts look better, and lower the middle of the car that bit more without having to resort to suspension. Expect to pay £500-£700 for genuine OEM parts including fitting and painting.

Noise:
Exhaust: a lot of people have gone down the cheaper route of removing the front resonator on the ST. You can’t remove any middle back box as there isn’t one on the ST as it has 2 smaller boxes either side of the spare wheel. Personally if you have the money I’d highly recommend a BCS Powervalve exhaust. Louder than stock off but boost, but still a quiet enough to be dog and family friendly. On boost however it’s just awesome

For the record I’m always looking back at my car, feel free to steal ideas

 

[Jib]

I too have been feeling the lack of "gel" after 6 months ownership of my 300 SC. I took the plunge and had a de-res and its made the world of difference. Car feels more "alive" compared to the numb feeling i got from the standard exhaust note. Purely placebo but I love it.


Its a good cheap mod which is easily reversed.

 

[Damo H]

There are enough people on the forum who I’m sure would take you for a spin in their cars to see what route you want to take exhaust wise.

I’m in the manchester area of you fancy seeing what the cat back BCS Powervalve does.

I’m sure @paddy6789 would show you what a turbo back with 200 cell cat and custom exhaust is like

 

[Deano j1971]

Deano from the Norwich area and I’ve had the res delete done with akrapovic dual exhaust tips, front splitter from rieger, stage1 remap by revo, makes me want to drive it to hell and back every time I get in it, I’ll take you for a spin if your up this way.

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[ukoldschool]

@theoldboy speaks a lot of sense.
Vinyl: I love my side stripes, but a lot of people have wrapped parts of the 300 front bumper to make it look more aggressive. Check this thread out:
https://spikeybits.com/2018/05/adeptus-titanicus-new-model-pictures-scale.html

 

[Damo H]

Doh!

Will edit with the correct link @omegamv6

This link:

https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/cupra-300-front-bumper-vs-290-280.445199/

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Must be all the red wine you are drinking on your holidays.

 

[Damo H]

Must be all the red wine you are drinking on your holidays.

Wish I could say I was, I rarely drink. However a 3 year old kicking you In the head at 4am as she’s to scared to sleep in a strange bed doesn’t help lol

 

[AndrewJB]

I actually know what you mean about gelling with the car. I have had my Cupra over 4 years now which is the longest I've kept a car, I've owned it since new but never really gelled with it.

I miss my MK2 LCR and my MK2 FR TDI, when the Cupra is gone I don't think I will miss it as much as the others.

 

[Pew.]

Haven't got over my MK4 Ibiza Cupra, 4 cars later

 

[AndrewJB]

I still miss my first ever car, Punto 1.2 16v..... said nobody ever.

 

[Deleted member 103408]

MK2 Cortina 1600 GT with Lotus Springs, engine to 1700 gone to the great rust bucket in the sky but never forgotten.

But i have gelled with my 280 and no plans to change it

 

[Jimbobcook]

I still miss my first ever car, Punto 1.2 16v..... said nobody ever.

Same here lol but I had the sporting edition... If that was a thing or someone stuck it on who knows...

I'll stick with my Mk2 LCR lol

It's insane the power you get from a stage 1 in the MK3... I go from 265 to 300ish... You guys go from 300 to 375 lol

 

[Blowski]

I’ve not had any issues with gelling with my Cupra, I waited many years to be able to afford a proper hot hatch but I have had the same issue with other cars where I have lost money from only having cars for a few months because I didn’t like them. Ibiza Sporting 1.6tdi being an example, smashed my knee on the dash every time I got in it!

I had a MG Metro for a couple of months in my late teens, so much fun, like a go kart

In terms of adding excitement to the 300. As already suggested an open induction works for me. I’ve got a RamAir one, £200 from eBay and I love the whoosh noise when the throttle closes, so childish but it makes me giggle. I’m sure my neighbours think I’m some sort of horrible chav but I’ll survive! It’s not an anti social noise, you can hear it when accelerating but on a cruise it’s inaudible.

Also enjoyable is hammering people in 520d’s out of traffic lights, seek out some beemer trashing fun to help you bond


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[Damo H]

I suppose it depends what car you move from and to. After driving MINI’s for 12 years, the last one being modded to hell, any car after that was going to feel disconnected. Probably why I didn’t gell at all with the Mk 2.

Moving from a near enough standard Mk2 FR+ Diesel to Mk3 Cupra was a massive step up for me.

Do I gell with it as much as my S, no. I’d argue the Cupra maybe quicker in a straight line, but in a country road I doubt even a 400hp Mk3 would keep up with, me unless it had a professional driver behind the wheel.

However I’m at the point now where I’ve started missing the MINI less, purely due to how capabale the Cupra is in day to day, and the new exhaust helps too

I just wish I could turn the traction control off altogether, but the upgraded tyres and engine mount insert helps.

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Damo, when you say turn the traction control off altogether you can do this via the car menu and i am sure you can code it off with VCDS / OBD11

 

[Blowski]

It can be done by holding the button down too (I think). First hold is ESC Sport then ESC off for the second hold.


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[LCR33]

Buy a Mk1