what did you and your mk3 leon do today

[Cubbington]

I've got the AliExpress dynamic indicators in mine. Had them in this Leon for the last 12 months, and the same set in my previous Leon for nearly 3 years. Still working great, and fit spot on

Thanks Buddy!

 

[csd_19]

Nice!

I hadn’t noticed that they were a special colour from the pic, but the closeups really show it off.

Yep, the diamond cut/black does look good, but so many wheels are like that now, I kinda like old-school silver to just look a bit different

Are the mudflaps genuine Seat parts? I can’t seem to find them for Cupra, but I had the same with my Octavia, bought a standard set and they fitted perfectly.

Cheers!

Nick

The camera is making them look lighter than they are (or they're just too clean and shiny ), they're grey as opposed to pure silver but yes a lovely change from how they were looking



I've also got a set of the FR 18s in grey for winters



The 'flaps are indeed genuine SEAT ones but for the FR ST (nothing specific for the Cupra), as the body and rear bumper are the same so they fit spot on

 

[CalJames]

Did a 1200 mile round trip last weekend, the missus's diesel Leon did fantastic on fuel.

Averaged 57mpg in the UK and 61mpg in Europe, could've probably squeezed a bit more sticking to the limits but still very pleased.

 

[SRGTD]

The camera is making them look lighter than they are (or they're just too clean and shiny ), they're grey as opposed to pure silver but yes a lovely change from how they were looking



I've also got a set of the FR 18s in grey for winters



The 'flaps are indeed genuine SEAT ones but for the FR ST (nothing specific for the Cupra), as the body and rear bumper are the same so they fit spot on

Alloys look great - you can’t go wrong with a ‘shade of grey’ or smoked chrome powder coat finish. Much better than the original diamond cut finish IMHO - I dislike diamond cut alloys with a passion; too many downsides for me;

• Poor durability of finish, especially if kept on a daily driver car all year round. It’s usually only a matter of time before white worm corrosion sets in.
• easily damaged by tyre fitters who‘ll deny that they’ve caused the damage.
• can only be refurbished twice as the refurb process involved re-cutting the wheel face, removing a layer of alloy in the process. More than two refurbs and the structural integrity of the alloys could be compromised, potentially making them unsafe.

Given a choice of diamond cut or powder coated alloys, I’d always go for the latter.

 

[Cubbington]

Alloys look great - you can’t go wrong with a ‘shade of grey’ or smoked chrome powder coat finish. Much better than the original diamond cut finish IMHO - I dislike diamond cut alloys with a passion; too many downsides for me;

• Poor durability of finish, especially if kept on a daily driver car all year round. It’s usually only a matter of time before white worm corrosion sets in.
• easily damaged by tyre fitters who‘ll deny that they’ve caused the damage.
• can only be refurbished twice as the refurb process involved re-cutting the wheel face, removing a layer of alloy in the process. More than two refurbs and the structural integrity of the alloys could be compromised, potentially making them unsafe.

Given a choice of diamond cut or powder coated alloys, I’d always go for the latter.

Very well considered reply!

The darker colour just sets them apart from the norm and looks great. Think I’ll get mine done like that if they need refurbing.

I also think the 18” FR alloys really suit the Cupra…I think I prefer them to the Cupra 19” alloys (shock horror that someone prefers a smaller wheel ).

@csd_19 , thanks for confirming that the FR mudflaps fit, I’ll order a set of them, cheers!

 

[csd_19]

Very well considered reply!

The darker colour just sets them apart from the norm and looks great. Think I’ll get mine done like that if they need refurbing.

I also think the 18” FR alloys really suit the Cupra…I think I prefer them to the Cupra 19” alloys (shock horror that someone prefers a smaller wheel ).

@csd_19 , thanks for confirming that the FR mudflaps fit, I’ll order a set of them, cheers!

The only thing I've noticed with the 18" FR alloys compared to the 19" Cupra ones is the difference in the width make the FR wheels sit further into the arches. So they look at bit weird when I first put them on

 

[Cubbington]

Finished putting Dodomat SQ in the boot and few pieces under the rear seat bench.

Fitted genuine mist-type washer jets, courtesy of @East Yorkshire Retrofits - thanks Keiran, they arrived yesterday, and are a million times better than the standard jets!

Cheers,

Nick

 

[tracktoy]

Major service today.

Oil change and Filter clean,
Pollen Filter replacement
DSG Service
Front Diff service
Full Brake Fluid Change

plus finally got round to having new rear Camber Control Arms (Racing line) fitted and had a full 4 wheel tracking with camber adjusted to -1.5 all round.

Track day booked for next week to check it all out.

 

[grabania]

Today, I installed black mirror covers from AliExpress. I was concerned about their quality — everyone knows how it is with the fitment of cheap plastic items from China. But they only cost me around £15, so I thought I might give them a shot.

They arrived after 8 days, nicely packed. Installation was pretty easy, and I must say that the quality of these covers is spot on. The paint job is perfect, without any scratches or spills, and all the hooks clicked into place without any issues. I can easily recommend them!

Here is a link if someone is interested: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DmOZxGR

P.S. There is also version with carbon imitation but that's not my vibe

 

[b4j44n]

Finally eliminated buzzing that seemed to come from around the dash/driver's side vent area. In the end there might have been more than one sources, hard to tell. Went through the steps discussed here couple pages ago such as padding/fixing the window side ventilation pipes behind the ventilator, using textile tape (or cable ties) around connectors and loose wires and so on. Pretty sure that during the process I didn't even know anymore if I was still searching for the same buzz/rattle that I originally went after

Two things that definitely helped:

1. Added ~1cm thick foam below the steering column top plastic cover (I knew from before that pushing on it sometimes helped)
2. Left shift paddle - might have been the main culprit from the start! While driving, I found that it the buzzing got silent when I kept the paddle pushed down. Thought that maybe screw needed tightening, so removed the airbag and left side steering wheel buttons, but the screw wasn't loose. Still, removed the paddle assembly and added some textile tape strips on the paddle's steering wheel side to make the fit more snug. And it worked!

 

[grabania]

I've finally installed Cupra rear spoiler on my Leon! It was lying in my storage for about a year so it was about time for finishing this mod. It is still secured to the car with tapes so it is looking a bit off, but already it looks so much better! Can recommend this modification to everyone, although it's not the cheapest one.

 

[Mo_86]

Definitely need this on my estate however £500 for an original is far too much.

 

[grabania]

Definitely need this on my estate however £500 for an original is far too much.

Yep, it ain't cheap. I was lucky and bought complete spoiler (without those side spoilers) for around 180£ from member of one of polish FB groups. Add to this new side spoilers for 90£, painting for 140£ and mounting everything for 50£ and it makes one of the most expensive mod that I made in this car yet.

You can try buying rear lid from Cupra and salvage spoiler from it. I know few people that did that and they were also able to get some money back after selling the lid.

 

[tracktoy]

Another very enjoyable day at Cadwell Park and managed to get 12.5 mpg so good sign I was having fun.

I have recently been having some issues with the brakes on track where if feels like the brakes are kicking in even though I have not touched them, normally when I am chucking it though some tight twisty sections.

Last time out on the way home I suddenly recalled these motors are fitted with SABS (Straight ahead brake stabilization) and I turned this off and now don't have the problem anymore.

Still trying to work out how to code off the annoying pedestrian brake system (for track only) as again I was coming down from mansfield and the red screen of death comes on but its not all the time and its not like I am sitting right up the car in fronts back side.

 

[maurobap]

Got the wheels refinished, wasn't a fan of the diamond cut, plus lots of curb marks.
Still not sure if I should keep the hub caps or paint it.

And finally got hold of a pre facelift trunk carpet and spare tire, just need to get a bigger "center screw".

 

[Cubbington]

Another very enjoyable day at Cadwell Park and managed to get 12.5 mpg so good sign I was having fun.

I have recently been having some issues with the brakes on track where if feels like the brakes are kicking in even though I have not touched them, normally when I am chucking it though some tight twisty sections.

Last time out on the way home I suddenly recalled these motors are fitted with SABS (Straight ahead brake stabilization) and I turned this off and now don't have the problem anymore.

Still trying to work out how to code off the annoying pedestrian brake system (for track only) as again I was coming down from mansfield and the red screen of death comes on but its not all the time and its not like I am sitting right up the car in fronts back side.

Hang on, what’s this about SABS?

Mine’s booked in for it’s first service in my ownership, and one thing I’ve mentioned is it feeling like the brakes are slightly sticking or dragging when I’m on the motorway as the steering feels like it’s being ever so slightly pulled; would this be normal?

EDIT - a little Google searching, and does the SABS just apply to 2WD cars with XDS? Mine’s a 4WD!

BTW, a mate of mine used to have a Jag XJS and 12.5mpg was a dream in that

Cheers,

Nick

 

[tracktoy]

Hang on, what’s this about SABS?

Mine’s booked in for it’s first service in my ownership, and one thing I’ve mentioned is it feeling like the brakes are slightly sticking or dragging when I’m on the motorway as the steering feels like it’s being ever so slightly pulled; would this be normal?

BTW, a mate of mine used to have a Jag XJS and 12.5mpg was a dream in that

Cheers,

Nick

The SABS system as far as I am aware is designed to stop the car spinning out of control if the control unit thought the car was going in an odd way, I saw the original coding for this from the states where owners of Golfs were complaining about this system when they were leaving the highway and on the up ramp causing dangerous behavior (the inference was they were going fast).

I personally never had an issue on public roads (mainly because I am driving much slower and the roads are not long fast bends with tight right followed by 90 degree left at speed and with a change in road angle in a very short distance and dropping in elevation.

if you want to try the coding, this is what i have on the pre facelift car

1 - Control Unit: 03 Brakes
2 - Adaptation
3 - Select Straight ahead brake stabilisation
Change value from activated to Not Activated to turn off and from Not Activated to Activated to turn on.
Save using Green Tick.
Security code 25757

post updated as original had the on off settings incorrect.

 

[Cubbington]

The SABS system as far as I am aware is designed to stop the car spinning out of control if the control unit thought the car was going in an odd way, I saw the original coding for this from the states where owners of Golfs were complaining about this system when they were leaving the highway and on the up ramp causing dangerous behavior (the inference was they were going fast).

I personally never had an issue on public roads (mainly because I am driving much slower and the roads are not long fast bends with tight right followed by 90 degree left at speed and with a change in road angle in a very short distance and dropping in elevation.

View attachment 43564

if you want to try the coding, this is what i have on the pre facelift car

1 - Control Unit: 03 Brakes
2 - Adaptation
3 - Select Straight ahead brake stabilisation
Change value from activated to Not Activated to turn on and from Not Activated to Activated to turn off.
Save using Green Tick.
Security code 25757

Ah cool, thanks for the explanation…I think I’ve misunderstood what the system does, as I’m not throwing the car around on track or the roads - I think my brakes are probably sticking a bit…the car spent nearly all it’s first 4 years by the sea, and I’ve already had to clean rust off the disc wheel mating faces with a wire brush and the brakes squeal at low speeds (sometimes when driving).

Thanks again, that’s really helpful.

Cheers,

Nick

 

[tracktoy]

one other place to check for rust is the actual pistons, you can get crud/rust on them so they don't move as freely as they should.

 

[Cubbington]

one other place to check for rust is the actual pistons, you can get crud/rust on them so they don't move as freely as they should.

Thanks buddy, that's really helpful; I'll make sure the garage give them a full inspection when it's in. I was sat in awful traffic on the M1 a few weeks ago, dropped the window and could hear a slight squeal whilst at crawling speed, so they definitely want looking at.

I'm budgeting for new discs and pads on the front as they're quite lipped anyway, and the rear pads leave an imprint/outline on the discs, not too worn, but as it's due a brake fluid change, just get the whole lot refreshed and know it's good.

Thanks for your informative replies, interesting reading

Nick