Chris's MK2 Cupra R

[Project1P]

4 months late on this.

Bought this lovely 61 plate Cupra R back in August, had a budget of 10K, so it was quite a challenge to find one in a colour I liked, avg mileage, reasonable condition and not too far away - I've achieved most of that list. It had 85K miles when I got it, a bit high for my liking but it was acceptable, love this colour besides blue, was 60 miles away from me, in good condition and within my budget. This car is a sort of an affordable dream car for me, I previously had the Cupra of the same mark but 2007 reg and a Cupra R was always the goal, so now that I have one, time to enjoy it.

It came with the Heko wind deflectors and that's it in terms of mods. I've since then added the genuine armrest, REVO intake as I already had it on the previous Cupra and a genuine plastic battery box to smarten things up. I am hoping in the new year to invest in some Bilstein B14 coilovers amongst other things through out the next year such as a remap, refurb the wheels with a possible colour change to metallic black, would like paint the calipers yellow to achieve a nice contrast between body/wheel colour, new exhaust system as I believe a previous owner has backed in to a kerb and pushed the system back in to the car, middle silencer is obviously the weak spot and there's a crease down it, also means the tips are not quite central and sit quite far in from the rear diffuser. Other than that, I am one very happy owner!

 

[Jimbobcook]

Awesome car! Not Bias at all lol

I like you had a 2007 Leon all be it an FR TFSI and always wanted the MK2 Cupra R, when I got rid of the company car I set out to find one and bingo got one a month later, had to travel 100 miles but was a nice drive home haha

I always wondered why the Armrest wasn't put on as standard on their top car... It's something that I struggle to fork out £150 for lol

For mods I would definately look at @Legojon Readers ride - https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/bye-fr-hello-speed-blue-mk2-cupra-r.435417/ as he did quite a few mods and has coilovers so may be able to help out there.

When you drive along on a cold day as your exhaust is not sticking out do you get a steamed up back window like me lol @Legojon and I always get it and wondered if the exhaust was 2 inches back if it would solve the issue lol

I hope you have a garage full of detailing stuff to keep her clean haha

Few things I started with are a TRC front splitter and an LED light upgrade interior and DRL+sidelights, it makes the car look alot meaner I think.

This link may give you a few cheap mods - https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/which-cheap-mods-work-fit-and-which-do-not.447329/

Looking forward to seeing another Cupra R at one of our future meets if you fancy it.

Cheers

 

[Legojon]

Love the colour. Good to see more MK2s as well... I thought we were a dying breed.

For stuff you can do, and stuff you should check has already been done:
https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/seat-leon-mk2-cupra-r-2011-revo-2.446059/

Also... I've read that B14s are pretty more the best you can get for handling. But the ride can be quite harsh. It's what swayed me towards the Pro-Street-S I'm currently running. Better handling and better comfort from the H&R springs at least.

 

[Legojon]

When you drive along on a cold day as your exhaust is not sticking out do you get a steamed up back window like me lol @Legojon and I always get it and wondered if the exhaust was 2 inches back if it would solve the issue lol

Polished the exhaust the weekend, must have not got all the polish out as it's currently blasted up the diffuser, tailgate and rear window. Ooops!

 

[Project1P]

Hi guys, thanks for the comments. @Jimbobcook I haven't noticed the steamed up rear window from the exhausts... yet, I just notice the lack of exhaust tip poking out haha, kind of annoying but an issue to be resolved when the wallet allows it. I've had a look around yours and @Legojon thread of your Cupra R's, look awesome! Cheers for the links as well, these forums can be a massive help and quite inspiring to see what others get up to.

Mine had a good clean, clay bar and polish to hopefully keep the worst of winter off a couple of months ago but will be due another one in the new year at some point. The armrest is rather pricey, yeah a shame it's not included with the manufacturing of the car but I'm hoping to build a wireless charger into it for my phone through a College project. Would be good to go to a meet to see other Cupra's, have to see if there's one in the south in the near future.

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Very nice car, with regards to meets keep an eye out here https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/thames-valley-m4-corridor-meet.447834/#post-4818821 as the guys are trying to get enough people interested.

A few of us who go to the North West Meet live in the Midlands so we can also drive down south as well as up north so you may see us there.

Keep up the good work on the car and posting info here for other owners to look at.

 

[Legojon]

Yeah, weirdly my exhaust is so hot, it's now started to warp my reg plate!!

 

[Jimbobcook]

Yeah, weirdly my exhaust is so hot, it's now started to warp my reg plate!!

That's so dirty! How dare you post a picture... We have a reputation to uphold lol

 

[Project1P]

Quick update as I've done a couple of jobs.

Firstly bought white LED's for the number plate (Error free, but still chuck up a warning light), interior and front side lights.

Then had a service done at my local garage, whilst there I talked to them about my crumpled middle silencer and off centre exhaust tips. The owner went into his workshop and brought out a middle silencer from a Nissan 350z, I then said that I'd like bigger exhaust tips as well, he went out and came back again with 350z tips! So I booked in to have them welded in, as well as a Magnaflow sports cat.

Off centre tips as seen above, new bits welded in below.

Magnaflow 200 cell high flow sports cat.

Nissan 350z middle silencer.

Nissan 350z exhaust tips after some Autosol exhaust polish and a wire brush.

I'm pretty happy with the renovated exhaust system, not as loud as I'd like and hoped the tips would stick out 10/15mm passed the diffuser but it solves the crumpled silencer advisory and the tips are much nicer, plus it was half the price of an aftermarket system and the parts were from a 350z! Can't really complain.

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Are those stock seats you have in the car. if not do you know what they are.

Like the Exhaust do you think it will get better over time. (noise way)

 

[Project1P]

Are those stock seats you have in the car. if not do you know what they are.

Like the Exhaust do you think it will get better over time. (noise way)

Yes, stock seats.

Mmm probably not, it was a gamble really, it was either going to be barely noticeable or quite a bit louder noise wise, wasn't sure! I think my induction kit drowns out most of the exhaust notes as that IS loud! Whether a remap would increase the exhaust noise, I would then either take out the middle silencer but would be worried about cabin drone or try and get a 2nd hand rear non-resonated section with tips.

 

[Jimbobcook]

Good work!

Them interior lights are brigher than the sun! As for the error free bulbs they will always be difficult as some cars they work and others not... Pain in the butt!

I'm glad you got the Ocd exhaust issue sorted lol looks loads better!

 

[Project1P]

So after lying to myself that I was happy with the previous exhaust changes, it wasn't really loud enough and the tips were welded on pissed plus one was round and the other was more oval shape. I approached Powerflow in Southampton to see what they could for me and then whilst they were making a new rear section, I asked them to remove the silencer as well

So now with a new sports cat fitted previously, keeping the 350z straight through middle silencer and a new de-resonated rear section with 3.5inch tips it's louder and includes low key rumbles and pops.

The right hand side tip doesn't look central to the diffuser cut out but that's just angle in which the picture was taken. Powerflow did a great job and I'm happy now.. honest!

 

[Legojon]

Non resonated? Looks smart. Need a video of the sound!!

 

[Project1P]

Non resonated? Looks smart. Need a video of the sound!!

I just have the middle straight through silencer, this seems to eliminate most of the cabin drone. Also got a video last night so will look at uploading it ASAP!

Couple of recent jobs completed. When I fitted my Revo intake, I decided to remove the bonnet insulation in the attempt to amplify the intake noise a little more and then you see where the manufacturers save money by not painting under it - so did it myself with a body colour code filled can of spray paint and a hot summers day.

Took a couple of hours...

But pleased with the end result, looks pretty smart I think.

As my intake was on my previous Cupra, then went in storage for 18 months as the car was sold and finally came back out to be installed on the Cupra R, it was well over-due a clean. I bought ITG's foam cone filter leaner (Saw this recommended on another forum, so use at your own risk! Seemed to work fine for me though)

Almost feel ashamed for getting it into such a state!

Have got a couple more projects for the car coming, one cosmetic and the other is a wireless charger!

 

[Project1P]

Borrowed my brothers GoPro for a short and not so fast blast but you get the the idea of the exhaust note I have. Hopefully a remap in the future will add some neighbour-loving pops, burbles and bangs!

YouTube clip below!

 

[Project1P]

It's been so long since I've uploaded anything! But, there's been a few new additions to my Cupra R since the start of this year. 3 projects and 1 general upgrade... here we go.

1st project was a wireless charger, this was meant to be a College project but this never took off so decided to do it myself at home. Bought a simple 10W kit, a moulding kit that solidifies into a plastic like finish and a cigarette to USB charger. Wired it all up and stuck it in the little compartment under the stereo.

Project number 2 was changing the door panel leather trims to match what the seats looked like, bought 4 panels off of ebay, some leatherette and got a local upholstery company to copy the seats pattern. Applying the newly threaded leatherette to the 2nd hand panels was an absolute nightmare, not something I particularly want to do again!

And the 3rd project was some exhaust tip finishers, Akropovic style! Quite impressed with the finish, quite difficult to make but look the part.

And finally! I upgraded my stereo to a JVC/KW-M745DBT, now I have Android Auto with Google maps and Spotify.

Next on the list is to refurbish all 4 wheels, possibly with a colour change but undecided on a colour yet. Seen come nice combos out there!

 

[Project1P]

So got my wheels refurbished, was a toss up between black or trying to imitate the newer Cupra Rs with their copper colour, as you can see I braved it and went with the latter! I felt black would make the car too dark whereas copper was a complete gamble, but if it worked then it would be a more unique look. Safe to say I am pleased with them!

I'd highly recommend Chichester Cars Ltd (If you live south central), they did a great job, at a reasonable price, even though I only supplied them with a picture off of Instagram of someone who's done a similar thing.

Shame the centre caps came as an after thought, not sure what to do with them, have sanded them down to a smooth finish and applied some primer, will probably get a colour match aerosol so they blend in with the wheels.

Next objectives;

- Colour match the centre caps
- Engine mount inserts (The air intake is rubbing against a bracket at the rear of the bay under hard acceleration, figured some stiffer mounts would help, will also stiffen up the overall performance too)
- Would love some coilovers but I am probably going to need to do the timing belt and water pump next just to be safe as it's coming up for that time.

 

[Jimbobcook]

Wheels look great! Did they have to acid dip and respray from scratch or did you just got over the top of the old coat?

May I ask the price you paid as I'd like to get mine done I think back to stock silver as I find black wheels get lost from my than 10m away lol

Cheers

 

[Project1P]

Wheels look great! Did they have to acid dip and respray from scratch or did you just got over the top of the old coat?

May I ask the price you paid as I'd like to get mine done I think back to stock silver as I find black wheels get lost from my than 10m away lol

Cheers

Thanks!

It was £480 in total, my wheels were pretty scraped so yeah complete acid dip and respray. I guess there's always going to be a day where you think ahhhh I don't like it anymore! Lol