I do 15-18k per year. Am I crazy to be considering a Cupra?

[thebrasso]

I've had some general advice on here before, I'm a potential Leon owner having test driven a 2.0 TDI FR at my local Seat dealer in Crewe. Currently drive a W reg 1.8 Focus Zetec.
I do 15-18k per year.

Would I be crazy to consider a Cupra? I've done the sums, I can afford the fuel (bear in mind I am not doing lots of stop start journeys) and for some reason Cupra's are fairly cheap for me to insure (I class a couple of hundred a year more than my Focus as good, a lot cheaper than a Focus ST anyway). However assuming I buy new, would dealers just laugh at me or give a rubbish agreed value after three years?

What I'm looking to do is buy new with a deposit and part ex my car then at the end of the three year period swap the Cupra for something else. Leasing in effect.

I've not been able to test drive a Cupra yet however when I've enquired dealers always just say pretty much if you are doing over 12k miles a year you have to be driving a diesel.

 

[Mr Cellotape]

Go for it.

I can do anywhere upto about 25K a year and I bought a K1..... you might as well have some fun in life.

 

[phil3012]

I've had some general advice on here before, I'm a potential Leon owner having test driven a 2.0 TDI FR at my local Seat dealer in Crewe. Currently drive a W reg 1.8 Focus Zetec.
I do 15-18k per year.

Would I be crazy to consider a Cupra? I've done the sums, I can afford the fuel (bear in mind I am not doing lots of stop start journeys) and for some reason Cupra's are fairly cheap for me to insure (I class a couple of hundred a year more than my Focus as good, a lot cheaper than a Focus ST anyway). However assuming I buy new, would dealers just laugh at me or give a rubbish agreed value after three years?

What I'm looking to do is buy new with a deposit and part ex my car then at the end of the three year period swap the Cupra for something else. Leasing in effect.

I've not been able to test drive a Cupra yet however when I've enquired dealers always just say pretty much if you are doing over 12k miles a year you have to be driving a diesel.

I've both the 1.8 Zetec Focus you have now and the Cupra, apart from I had 2 other cars in-between.

No you don't need a diesel if you are doing above 12K miles a year but it does work out a lot cheaper.

I did 14K miles in my Cupra in 15 months, you're looking at 25 to 30 mpg realistically, maybe a tad more on a run and also remember 98RON or above petrol is recommended. I used to say about 20 pence a mile in fuel covered it, mine was mainly motorway driving as well.

A tank of fuel for the Cupra is about £62 at today's average price and that might get you 300 to 320 miles tops on a run.

I would personally never risk doing a 240 mile run and a 100 mile run the next day without filling up the evening in-between, so I was visiting the petrol station a lot.

It would be interesting to see the figures, I wouldn't have thought the Focus would be worth much as a deposit unfortunately (although I must say Mk 1 Focus is an excellent car) and I would think the future value of the Cupra would be £8K £9K after 3 years. Based on Autocars figures a 3 year old Cupra would be worth about £8200.

There are sometime better ways of buying a car than the way you're thinking of though, just depends on your circumstances.

 

[danny20vt]

if you can afford the fuel get one, just cos you do over 12k a year you don't have to have a diesel, i was considering going diesel as i drive 40 miles a day to work and back and i ended up with a 1.8t which is costing no more in petrol than my old 1.4 astra, petrol engines have come a long way in economy situations these days. go for it you won't regret it!!

 

[QuietQuackers]

Id recommend speaking to Irfan, I've bought cars from both Irfan from M1 Autos and LC Charles in Crewe and I'd buy from Irfan every time. Crewe took 2 weeks to get back to me by which point I'd placed an order with Irfan.

If you can find a Cupra, go for it, you really wont regret it! Had mine for a few weeks and it's fantastic

 

[MUFFIN]

Just buy the Cupra coz if you don't you'll always have that nigglin' "should I have...?"
A neighbour of mine has a trendy FR but he just can't droolin' over mine on the way past LOL

Cupra all the way..
FCUK the cost of fuel..
smiles per gallon is the key!

 

[QuietQuackers]

Dont forget to budget for Revo!

 

[tweedz]

If you think you can aford it go for it.
would it not be better for you getting one 2nd hand with a few thousand miles on?

 

[thebrasso]

Thanks for the replies!

I've no problems buying one that isn't new, I'm not scared of mileage (my car is on 115k and still going strong) its more how it could impact on me in terms of trading the car in after 3 years if I got one that was one year old already.

I am just thinking smiles per mile, I like the look of the Cupra and wouldn't mind a quick car while I can. Focus ST is a bit of a no no due to the increased insurance and even worse MPG.

It was LC Charles I test drove a tdi FR at, but ringing round nobody seems to have a Cupra available to have a go in

 

[phil3012]

Thanks for the replies!

I've no problems buying one that isn't new, I'm not scared of mileage (my car is on 115k and still going strong) its more how it could impact on me in terms of trading the car in after 3 years if I got one that was one year old already.

I am just thinking smiles per mile, I like the look of the Cupra and wouldn't mind a quick car while I can. Focus ST is a bit of a no no due to the increased insurance and even worse MPG.

It was LC Charles I test drove a tdi FR at, but ringing round nobody seems to have a Cupra available to have a go in

If going for a used car on a PCP scheme like you've described, I would be very careful. While they can be a cheap option on a new cars they aren't so good for used cars. Manufacturers often offer them as an incentive to buy a new car, but the same deals aren't always available used.

For example we bought a used Ford Ka a few years back, now Ford finance is usally comptetive but because this was a used car the APR on the PCP they offerred was 28%. Obviosuly we went elsewhere.

 

[DaveP]

I did 57k miles in 15months in the old shape Cupra. The only thing that I could fault was the cost of the fuel and the range (it meant I had to fill up every 1.5 days). Saying that, I dont think I will ever buy another petrol car.

 

[robdf2]

you will be hit more on the resale value of the ST over the cupra neway , cupra resale values will hit a lowest point and steady out (following the mk1 cupra r ) but the st will plumet , have a look on auto trader put in st , then put in cupra with the same distance age ect , look how many pages of st v cupra , thats why cupras prices will hold better just my 2 p.

 

[phil3012]

I was told a couple of years back the ST by a VW dealer that the ST just plummets, you can pick up one for quite a reasonable price nowadays.

From experience the Cupra takes a big hit in the first year. Deprecitaion is around £500 a month assuming average mileage. It does seem to steady out and I imagine would be fairly flat years 2 to 3.

I lost about £7000 on my Cupra in 15 months, I would say looking at the valuations online it has probably lost about another £2000 since I part exchanged it.

In today's market though anything can change. When I bought my Cupra retained value was estimated at anout 50% after 3 years, they are now nearing that after 2.

 

[Invisible]

Just to throw another spanner in!

A possibility would be to consider the 2.0T FSI FR with the DSG.

Will come in cheaper than the cupra, you could argue the FR syling is as good as the Cupra, the performance difference isnt really that much.

Secondly if you decide to give it some stick you have sports mode and flappy paddles to play with, I had plenty of fun with mine

Also the economy reasonable if you allow the autobox to do its thing for you and can help with the miles (has cruise control aswell, but think cupra does also).

But to answer you main concern, the market is a big lottery at the moment, it will be a gamble, prices for cupra/FR constantly changing day by day.

With this in mind I would suggest to try and pick up a low mileage 6-12 months old one from a dealer or specialist trader and work numbers with them as you can cover some of the risk or new car depreciation.

Good luck and let us know what you settle on

 

[DOLBY]

there are many other things to consider other than fuel....i.e. i know you mentioned it wont be much stop start, but its worth noting that if you do alot of miles in a performance hatchback then the cost of replacing pricy parts (brake pads, discs, tyres, ) etc will come sooner than you think..

getting an average joe car will obviously have cheaper components...you have to weigh it up,

use your head or your heart...i never use my head when it comes to cars lol

 

[RickyD1975]

Got for the Cupra, you won't be disappointed. I came from a MK2 Focus Zetec Ti-VCT and can honestly say that I could have managed to run a Cupra based on the 15,000 - 20,000 miles I used to do in the Focus.

The Focus used to get 35+mpg and the Cupra does 27mpg and that's around the doors.

As I only work 7 miles from home now as opposed to 50+ miles I used to do a few years ago I'm quids in now.

 

[phil3012]

there are many other things to consider other than fuel....i.e. i know you mentioned it wont be much stop start, but its worth noting that if you do alot of miles in a performance hatchback then the cost of replacing pricy parts (brake pads, discs, tyres, ) etc will come sooner than you think..

getting an average joe car will obviously have cheaper components...you have to weigh it up,

use your head or your heart...i never use my head when it comes to cars lol

All very good points as well. The Focus is very cheap to run compared to the Leon.

10K service is about £160 but people have managed to get it a lot cheaper, second service I think you can add another £100 onto that.

Tyres mine had about 3 mm left on at 14K but in all honesty needed replacing due to lost grip.

The Cupra is known to use a little bit of oil as well which is about £15 per litre. I had to top up at 4K but it was okay after that.

 

[RickyD1975]

All very good points as well. The Focus is very cheap to run compared to the Leon.

10K service is about £160 but people have managed to get it a lot cheaper, second service I think you can add another £100 onto that.

Tyres mine had about 3 mm left on at 14K but in all honesty needed replacing due to lost grip.

The Cupra is known to use a little bit of oil as well which is about £15 per litre. I had to top up at 4K but it was okay after that.

I'm glad I paid for the 3 year service plan when I bought the car in Dec '07. It's an incentive for me to keep the car another two years Not that I need one as I love the car.

If I was to change it, it would only be for bigger and better and I couldn't afford an RS4(B7) or M3(E90)

Cheers

RickyD

 

[thebrasso]

Thanks for all the replies!

I am just finding it annoying at the moment to have a go of a Cupra they are hard to get hold of and as I am not in a position to change cars right now this second dealers see me as a tyre kicker. Also there seems to be this assumption that doing more than 12k miles you HAVE to have a diesel.

I'd be looking at getting it serviced at a good VW/Seat independent near me using genuine parts, which should be a little cheaper than dealers on labour if nothing else.

I'll have to do some more sums later factoring in increased tyre and brake costs, and also a bit of oil usage.

 

[phil3012]

Thanks for all the replies!

I am just finding it annoying at the moment to have a go of a Cupra they are hard to get hold of and as I am not in a position to change cars right now this second dealers see me as a tyre kicker. Also there seems to be this assumption that doing more than 12k miles you HAVE to have a diesel.

I'd be looking at getting it serviced at a good VW/Seat independent near me using genuine parts, which should be a little cheaper than dealers on labour if nothing else.

I'll have to do some more sums later factoring in increased tyre and brake costs, and also a bit of oil usage.

They aren't particually rare, not sure how many demos are about nowadays but most dealers have one or two on the forecourt from what I've seen anyway.

I wouldn't even discuss mileage with them, unless you do go for a PCP but do that after the test drive.

They probably have a bigger mark up on the TDi. I found they always tried to push me towards the FR petrol rather then the Cupra.