is it a cupra - you decide

voxpop

Guys and Gals - looking at an ad for a leon cupra but the guy has a disclamer of sorts - basically he says that its a cupra but the log books says is only a 1.8. Im wondering if hes just bought a cupra badge - is there any other way of distinguishing a cupra from a 1.8 Leon ?

bazz26

voxpop wrote:

Guys and Gals - looking at an ad for a leon cupra but the guy has a disclamer of sorts - basically he says that its a cupra but the log books says is only a 1.8. Im wondering if hes just bought a cupra badge - is there any other way of distinguishing a cupra from a 1.8 Leon ?

If it is the 2000 - 2005 model Leon then the Cupra had the VAG 1.8 litre 20 valve turbo charged petrol engine. I think the Cupra had 180bhp as standard. The Cupra R having 225bhp afaik.

If you can get a hold of the chassis number from the car you could verify it with Seat to be extra sure.

voxpop

There is a 1.8 20v non-turbo charged Leon though - is it easy to spot the difference?

colm_mcm

never heard of a non turbo 1.8 leon

bazz26

voxpop wrote:

There is a 1.8 20v non-turbo charged Leon though - is it easy to spot the difference?

I would assume when you drive it.

I think also the Cupra had a different deeper front and rear bumper with a body kit and side skirts, recaro seats and upgraded brakes.

Might be worth checking out a few owner forums for more detailed advice. Someone on here has a Cupra, Ando I think is his name, might be worth dropping him a pm.

bazz26

I think the Cupra was only available here from 2003 onwards too.

unkel

colm_mcm wrote:

never heard of a non turbo 1.8 leon

Yeah, the non turbo 1.8 (125BHP) is sold throughout the VAG range. It deffo was available in the Mk 1 Leon. My brother in law has this engine in his '01 A6

colm_mcm

wouldn't say it was sold in Ireland though.

voxpop

its a 2000 Leon Im looking at - just seems strange about the log book remark. Maybe Im being too paranoid...

unkel

colm_mcm wrote:

wouldn't say it was sold in Ireland though.

Just looking on carzone and it looks like you might very well have a point there, Colm. My source was indeed not Irish. Do you know were they sold in the UK? My BIL's '01 A6 is an originally Irish car for sure

mloc123

voxpop wrote:

There is a 1.8 20v non-turbo charged Leon though - is it easy to spot the difference?

One will have a turbo bolted to the manifold, the other will not

EK9Dublin

This is a real cupra, ive seen it. well worth checking it out

HashSlinging

It not a "REAL" cupra if it has 1.8 on the log book. There were some signo spec leons with the 1.8 20v sold around 00 - 01. I presume this one has had an engine transplant.

opeldave

HashSlinging wrote:

It not a "REAL" cupra if it has 1.8 on the log book. There were some signo spec leons with the 1.8 20v sold around 00 - 01. I presume this one has had an engine transplant.

Also dont forget he could be one of the sellers who puts similar ads up about logbooks
like 1.3 on the logbook & 2.0 on the logbook for subaru wrxs etc.
he might be just trying to show his car to so many people & some try & scam their insurance companies by saying the car is a non turbo as it only says 1.3/1.8/2.0 etc on the logbook.

Neilw

I have a leon cupra myself, the easiest way to check if it is a "real" cupra is to check the engine code, I think all 180bhp cupra's (not cupra r's) had an AUQ engine code. The code is stamped to the block on the front left of the engine where the rocker cover meets the block.

If it's a 2000 model it wont have the deeper bumpers and skirts, it will look very similar to a standard leon. What it will have is a six speed box.
It should also have 16" multi spoke alloys.

Neil.

omega man

Is this the one??

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=655547

Reckon its genuine but one look at the engine and you'll know. Also the power output (KW) should be in the manual and the boot. This car was never actually called the 'cupra' in ireland, it was always the leon top sport. It was only called the cupra in the UK. The 20VT was available from 2000/1 i think. Anyhow the 1.8 non turbo was only about 120bhp so a drive will tell you if its the real deal 180bhp. Could be a uk import?

mloc123

The 180bhp Leon is not a Cupra. The Cupra is 225bhp and has bigger bumpers and 17"/18" wheels as standard. It would also have the Recaro interior similar to the mk4 golf gti. There is a standard 180bhp 20v turbo leon aswell, it had 16" wheels as standard and the same bumpers as any of the high spec lower models.

Edit: or maybe not "The original León Cupra (which became know as the Cupra T) had a 1.8 litre Turbo with 180 PS (132 kW), and the León Cupra R 210 PS (165 kW), later becoming 225 PS."

voxpop

omega man wrote:

Is this the one??

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=655547

Yeah thats it alrigh - reckon Ill check it out and as Neilw mentioned check the engine code. Just need to find someone who will insure me now, so far I've only found one policy on 123.ie with a 4k excess!!! Quinn said they dont insure it ??!!??

Henry Ford III

From the ad "2000 Seat Leon Cupra,1.8 20valve turbo,only 1.8 on log book,180 bhp,6 speed gear box...."

Does this suggest anything to you?

colm_mcm

UK import

mloc123

I have never seen a turbo car where it mentioned turbo on the logbook, has anyone?

omega man

mloc123 wrote:

I have never seen a turbo car where it mentioned turbo on the logbook, has anyone?

On the last 3 turbo cars i have owned it hasn't but it did state the bhp.

Neilw

mloc123 wrote:

The 180bhp Leon is not a Cupra. The Cupra is 225bhp and has bigger bumpers and 17"/18" wheels as standard. It would also have the Recaro interior similar to the mk4 golf gti. There is a standard 180bhp 20v turbo leon aswell, it had 16" wheels as standard and the same bumpers as any of the high spec lower models.

Edit: or maybe not "The original León Cupra (which became know as the Cupra T) had a 1.8 litre Turbo with 180 PS (132 kW), and the León Cupra R 210 PS (165 kW), later becoming 225 PS."

Will have to correct you on this.....

As you said leon cupra pre 2003 was a 180bhp which looked like the higher spec standard model, does have 16" wheels too.

Leon cupra from 2003 was also 180bhp as the pre 2003 model, also had deeper bumpers, honeycomb grilles and twin exhaust, climate control, cd changer in glove box and an option of electric leather seats.
This model was available in the uk, don't think it was on sale in Ireland.
The equivalent model to the uk cupra was the 180bhp leon t-sport or top sport, this looked the exact same as the uk cupra and had the same options available although recaro seats were never an option on these models.

There is also the leon cupra R, this car came in 210bhp (early model) and 225bhp specs, these cars have 18" dark colored alloys different bumpers and a single oval tailpipe. 323mm discs with red bermbo 4 piston calipers, came with an option of recaro seats but not leather.

There is also a cupra tdi, same spec as petrol with a 150bhp 1.9tdi engine.

Then there was the leon FR and FR+, both these were available in petrol and diesel. FR model had silver mirrors and different 17" alloys to the cupra/t-sport models.
FR+ was very similar to the cupra R, had the same bumpers and design of alloys although they were 17" not 18's.

Phew...:)

Neil.

Tabnabs

I have the Mk1 brochure in front of me and the Cupra R (the model below being a "top sport") has 1.8 20VT 165 kw / 225hp engine. If it hasn't got that it's just not a cupra.

Neilw

Dyflin wrote:

I have the Mk1 brochure in front of me and the Cupra R (the model below being a "top sport") has 1.8 20VT 165 kw / 225hp engine. If it hasn't got that it's just not a cupra.

There was both cupra and cupra R versions made.
Cupra is 180bhp (same as t-sport) and cupra R was 210 or 225 bhp.

Neil.

Henry Ford III

colm_mcm wrote:

UK import

Yes but is it suggesting the new owner fraudulantly insure it as a non turbo?

It does to me.

Wossack

Henry Ford III wrote:

Yes but is it suggesting the new owner fraudulantly insure it as a non turbo?

It does to me.

Screams it alright, but are the insurance companies not wise to this by now? Its hardly a new idea..

galwaytt

Henry Ford III wrote:

Yes but is it suggesting the new owner fraudulantly insure it as a non turbo?

It does to me.

what stuff and nonsense. You don't see 'turbo' written on the logbooks for any diesel, either, so what that's got to do with anything is beyond me....

The insurance companies don't rely on what's written on the log book to determine what the car is - they look up a database on their system. Under, say my2000 Seat Leon's, they will have.......10?...types, and they ask you to confirm which one. That's what the quote is based on. And as for tax, it's irrelevent - tax is on a per-cc basis, and whether the car has 1, 2 or 10 turbo's matters not a jot.......

And to prove that even the Revenue get it wrong, there are 2 tariff codes for the Audi Coupe Quatto (1986, 2.2 ). One is for the 'Audi Coupe Quattro' and the other is for the 'Audi Quattro Coupe'.

Oh, and one is cheaper than the other for VRT too.........:rolleyes: