Eggy's Cupra 290 ST Whiteline 283kW 515Nm

[Eggy]

Hi,

I have been a lucky owner of Cupra 290 ST for almost a a week now. I have driven ~1100km. I really love that car (It could be because of it has 2x more torque and power as 2 last of my cars ).

Average fuel long term consumption is 7,7L/100km, my (best so far) eco run (60km on highway) was 5,8L/100km and also the way back home, so combine I got 6.1L/100km for 129km trip (about 10km of city driving) - so quite good. Average 95-98km/h on highway the 6.3-6.6L/100km is normal.

Bads:

*Whiteline alloys are so good...for collecting brake dust very quickly, but they look nice
*Media system display dimming is too far into the menus, no screen on/off fast switching possibility for night driving. I found this 10sec switch screen off function, but it is not quite that.
*I do have a faint wind noise at the driver door, probably bad sealant between the car body and the door.
*Lane assist switching itself off after 12 sec, so if I suffer a heart-attach I will just live 12 more seconds before crash?
*Full link needs to be activated for extra cost.
in addition:
* central locking system "click" is in my opinion way too loud, I could have been much nicer. I do not want little elfs kicking hammers inside the doors every time
*Ignition key position seems off, I must twist my hand off each time I start the car. I found the workaround - insert the key, release it and re-position the hand and then turn the key... it's not a deal breaker, but inconvenient.

Goods:

*I really like the eco driving tips (they are just cool)
*convenience consumers information
*different setting possibilities (decrease radio sound on reversing for example, door panel and foot well lighting level etc)
*information about why start-stop us not available at certain moments
*Start-stop system
*automatic headlights
*Driver profiles
*Radio reception
*BT functions

Questions:
*I have not found the way to dim the dash indicator cluster back light ..only automatic settings?
*Where is the odometer indicator? As I understand it is not the "Long term .."
*I can not find any information about the eco trainer, for example at some point I see cruise control mark with "!", or ECO sign...what does they mean? What conditions needs to be fulfilled to get eco score of 100 (as far as I have seen, the speed must be below 90km/h, at 70 range I see 100% eco
*What is convenience indicator option?
*Why are the small hooks on the top of the open boot lid, for what are they meant to be used?

DIY's done:
*I have hardwired installed dash cam, rebuilt the 12V psu into the sealing lightning console.
* Sound isolation on back end, internal wheel arched, boot floor.

DIY to do:
*add sound deadening to all wheel arches, driver cabinet floor, all doors.
*replace front door speaker, disconnect all speakers. Rewire all speakers, built custom fiberglass pods for tweeter-mid on the dash, special fiberglass box for subwoofer, install custom built 6ch amp for front end speakers and class D for sub. Add also Mosconi 6to8 DSP.
*Built in QI charger bay for cellphone next to the central console usb/aux connector.


MOD LIST (updated 20.07.2017)

*Exterior*

Front splitter
OEM sideskirts
Zito SZ05 19" 8.5" alloys, powdercoated to white
Dynamic blinkers on mirrors
Darker tinted windows on back


*Under the bonnet/intake/exhaust/engine*

Bonnet gas struts
Injen cone filter kit
Forge shortshifter (set to 40% reduced travel distance)
043 motosport dogbone mount
Resonator delete
Back mufflers replaced by Ultersport quad sport mufflers
Custom Stage 1 remap, 283kW/515Nm (dyno graph later on the topic)
Custom Oettinger 600Nm clutch to handle the torque



*Sound Mods*

Custom glass fiber A pillar covers housing tweeters and mids
Replaced midbass speakers on front doors
Glass fiber custom subwoofer box
SQ level soundsystem, DSP, 6ch amp+1ch ap under back double floor
Custom double floor cover
Sound deadening on all doors, weel arches, hatc, back floor



*VCDS mods* (probably have forgotten some )

Back wiper action selectable in menu on reverse
Rear DRL-s always on
Wiper teardrop actoin
Automatic headlights action always on
Reduced speed while automatic headlights are switched on/off

 

[kiddo]

Good review I'm thrilled with my 280 St and at 12 months of ownership still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. Mines a lease so not fussed about adding sound deadening but if it was my car I would defo add as I think the cabin is far too noisy. Still contemplating adding a dash cam.

 

[Eggy]

I forgot to mention, two annoying thing that needs to speak of:
1) First couple of days (and sometimes still now) I am flashing full beams and indicators on a straight line...sometimes I get confused which lever I need to move for cruise control. Both previous cars I had the buttons on steering wheel.

2) Oh yeah that stupid grin I have every time going to the car or leaving it

 

[Dr.Dash]

...Questions:
1. *Where is the odometer indicator? As I understand it is not the "Long term .."
2. *What is convenience indicator option?
3. *Why are the small hooks on the top of the open boot lid, for what are they meant to be used?

Mine's only an FR without the ACC so may differ, but I'll have a go at the above Q's:

1. Try turning the Cruise Control [CC] OFF. Doing this in mine replaces the CC symbol on the lower left of the MFD with the Odometer.

2. A momentary movement of the indicator stalk, ie you don't latch it in the L/R position, results in 3 indicator flashes.

3. Hanging bags if they are the ones I'm thinking of.

Hopefully other members can confirm the above, correct it and/or answer the rest of your questions.

Glad you're enjoying your car.

 

[Eggy]

1. It worked, thank you.
2. Nice to know now.
3. I thought so too, just feels a bit weird to hang the bags so up high.

 

[Walone]

3. I thought so too, just feels a bit weird to hang the bags so up high.

I think the hooks you are referring to can only be used while the boot lid is up, as when the lid is shut they would be at the bottom and facing downwards.

 

[Eggy]

Every day something new. Since 90% of the time I listen to music over BT it was quite annoying that the radio was switched off every time I started the motor (2 previous cars), not anymore - it stays on all the time...whoop-whoop (Y).

 

[Eggy]

Monologue continues, next find:

Car->Sport->swipe up or down on the dials can get new options such as oil temp, coolant temp, currently used engine power in kW and turbo pressure. Nice widgets, only a bit dangerous to keep an eye on them while 2+bar in the turbo and 200+kW from engine is put onto the road. Some history graph would be nice feature on there.

In individual mode engine setting *must* be set to Cupra, then even in 6th gear accelerating on the road from 70kmh the noise...it amazingly start somewhere from 1500-1700rpm already

 

[ggo89]

Monologue continues, next find:

Car->Sport->swipe up or down on the dials can get new options such as oil temp, coolant temp, currently used engine power in kW and turbo pressure. Nice widgets, only a bit dangerous to keep an eye on them while 2+bar in the turbo and 200+kW from engine is put onto the road. Some history graph would be nice feature on there.

In individual mode engine setting *must* be set to Cupra, then even in 6th gear accelerating on the road from 70kmh the noise...it amazingly start somewhere from 1500-1700rpm already

Isn't it recommended not to keep the engine in cupra mode as long as it's still running-in?

 

[Seastormer]

Isn't it recommended not to keep the engine in cupra mode as long as it's still running-in?

Not seen that, mine said not to labor it and not use more than 2/3 revs or 2/3 max speed, no mention of modes. Warm oil to at least 80 before giving it a bit of higher revs though.

 

[Eggy]

No real warnings or anything how should be the run-in period look like. I have driven for now a bit over 2000 km. Yesterday I went to local WV dealer to show off my car to a friend, they were quite surprised of the car, acceleration etc. Also he mentioned that all the motors are actually already worked in, but in the very beginning should kept a bit lower load to the engine.

Seat dealer said, that some EU "smart people" had said that "loading the engine" means driving over 80 km/h, in WV they said that it is more likely driving over 150 km/h on highway... If it would be so life-critical, it would be electronically limited by car ECU I think.

PS! It does not matter if the engine settings are in Cupra or Eco mode, the highway load on the motor is still about 10% (15-25kW).

 

[ggo89]

My problem is, after my Cupra arrives (hopefully last Friday this July), I have to take her on a thousand miles trip(will be leaving the following Monday) and have only 3 days to make the best out of the run in before the trip starts. I don't really know how to tackle that, it's really difficult to cover over a thousand miles of city drive in 3 days.

 

[Eggy]

Scary, I have driven for now about 5300km. I just finished the sound isolation for wheel arched (front-back), all the doors and hatch + boot area floors and walls. Front A pillars have glassfiber shape modifications for tweeters and midrange, currently they are waiting for the leathering. Unfortunately subwoofer glassfiber box (probably use the monster DLS UR12 I already have) have no advances, since no time. Also no electrical part (speaker and power wires) have been done so far. Today is the last day of my vocation so unfortunately probably some delays on next builds.

 

[Eggy]

Last weekend I had a bit scary experience. Since I was installing speaker wires into the doors I had to disconnect the door wires connectors, during this time I listened to the ca radio, after that I doscovered "Error: Airbag" message. Luckily I had a friend with right OBD cable and he was able to delete the error messages. the problem was that in the doors there are crash sensors and they were disconnected at one point when car's mcu made a "self test". Now all is okay, speaker wires and power wires are installed.

Under the boot floor there will be amp rack with Hertz 1D as subwoower amp, Mosconi Gladen 6to8 DSP and 6ch class D DIY amp for front speakers. Front pillar have been modified with glass fiber to mount Voce AV 1.1 and AV 3.0 speakers, finalized with black leather.

 

[Eggy]

Some pics finally:

I have received my VCDS cable so no also some mods have done:

* DRL on/off switching in menu
* DRL swich off when handbrake on (for ex good for car cinema if you want to keep the car running)
* Always on auto high beam assist
* High beam assist speed lowered from 57 to 30km/h (deactivation speed must be lowered also)
* Climate control fan level also showing in auto mode
* Key in ignition warning beep disabled when door open
* Rear LED-s ON with DRL
* Show refill quantity on information screen

PS! Now I have also been on first local SQ event and 3rd place in 7ch class
PS2! Oh yes...it still-still makes me smile when I see my car, when I push the accelerator pedal..

 

[Eggy]

One more addition:
I do not know if it is due to VCDS mod (I found it somewhere) but now I can connect 2 cellphones by Bluetooth. Both phone modes works simultaneously (2 phones connected, calls possible through car media system) but the media sound transfer must be selected by phone (streaming music by phone). Nice addition anyways

 

[Eggy]

New bonnet struts installed. https://youtu.be/292w2tBn_jQ

New Ultersport sport mufflers ordered (http://onlyfrompoland.com/en/shop/exhaust-ulter-sport-seat-leon-cupra-st-2015-2016-combi/ ) sound example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIa0KQVIFlY, probably also original side skirts will be ordered soon

 

[Redline]

Nice!

where did you buy the bonnet struts?

Your car farts and gurgles alot! My 290 ST is SILENT, is something wrong with it?

 

[Eggy]

hi,

struts were bought from those Russian guys: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252591079680?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


The sound video is sample with the Ultersport rear silencers, unfortunately not yet under my car. I will make the video as soon as I have received and installed the units.

Today my rear windows got tinted, now it is really as dark as is should have been from the beginning

 

[Redline]

Thanks. Did you have to cut into that plastic like in the video?