Audi S3 or Ibiza Cupra?

[Andy_T4]

Hi folks!

I'm currently looking for a new car. I have a Mk3 Golf VR6 and a Mk2 Golf 16v at the mo, and I plan to sell them both as neither can easily be made fast enough for me.

It has to be a VAG hatchback, and I've whittled down the choices to either an Audi S3 or a Mk3 Seat Ibiza Cupra.

All in, I have a £12k budget to buy & modify the car.

For that, I can either get a £10k S3 and spend a couple of grand on it, or a £5k Ibiza and spend £7k on it. Which would you choose, and why?

The budget has to include wheels & suspension + engine mods for the Seat, and just suspension & engine mods for the S3 (I'd be happy buying one with RS4 wheels already fitted, of which there are loads).

There's no right or wrong answer, just wondered what opinions people who have already experienced an ICR had?

Thanks,
Andy

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[flashbsd]

i own a mk3 cupra, i love it to bits, although i would slel for an s3 any day

Build quality, 4 wheel drive is an added bonus for getting the power down.

Saying that, the mk3 has so much potential and they are half the price of an s3 now!

 

[WeeJase]

no question.S3 imho

 

[dalepearson]

I think if your a person big into modding then the Ibiza, but I would go for the S3, and some minor mods with the remaining budget.

 

[cpufreak]

S3.

I moved from an ibiza -> my S4 and have never regretted it.
The benefits are:
- interior - far nicer quality, no rattles, comfier/more supportive seats
- arriving at destination after 200+mile drive still feeling relaxed and refreshed
- being let out at junctions
* dunno why this is but I can't complain
- people moving out of your way on motorways
* again can't explain this, but its nice, bill noticed the same in his S8 vs Ibiza
- Image
* S3/S4 etc are respected by those in the know, yet descrete, and those not in the know still think of them as Audis, so therefore nice cars.
* Ibiza's really nice cars, but those not in the know think of them as spanish shopping trolleys. (which is great for suprising them, but its nice when people say to you 'I like your car' ).


thanks

Andy

 

[CupraTgirl]

I would go for an Ibiza Cupra (not that im biased)

I dont think you can go wrong with either of those cars really as they are both awesome in my opinion

 

[225]

S3, definately. Quality, comfort, image, toys. Not knocking Mk3s but you cant really compare two cars that start of with such different brand new prices and are in different car sectors i.e super mini, hatchback

 

[Andy_T4]

Some good points, thanks

I've had a short drive in an Ibiza Cupra R, but have yet to have a proper go in a normal Ibiza Cupra.

I've noticed the being let out of juctions thing when I've been driving my company Volvo or wife's standard cars. To Joe Public, the Cupra looks like a modified car, so I guess they'd treat me just the same as they do in my VR6 and block me at every turn, put their foot down when I try and overtake, etc.

I guess what I need to know is how much slower the S3 would be than the Ibiza, given the small budget for engine mods on the S3. I can get a GT28, etc in the Ibiza budget which should presumably make it a pretty rapid little car, if a bit slower off the line than the haldex S3.

 

[claudefrog]

S3.. will be worth a lot more come resale time for a start

 

[CupraTgirl]

I dont know much about the Audi S3 but if you got the Ibiza Cupra you would have a nice amount of 'extra' modding money to use on it

With £12,000 you would be laughing, wish i had that to spend on mine

 

[flashbsd]

IMO cupra's dont look modified

The S3 weighs alot more, but once youve spent 2k on it, turbo etc, you will have no problem out runnign an ibiza.

Although unless i get a stunning s3 up for sale, i'll stick with the mk3 still love it to bits, almost 2 years of ownership now

As cupratgirl says, your laughing with 12k on an ibiza, IHI,/gt28rs, but your still struggling with traction

 

[Andy_T4]

if you got the Ibiza Cupra you would have a nice amount of 'extra' modding money to use on it

Aye! Have been smitten with the 'beeza since the first time I saw this;

 

[Jonzy]

The ibiza is a rattly bean can compared to the S3, S3 eveytime without batting an eyelid!

 

[Jamie R]

I would sell my ibiza for an S3 in a flash i love the bose stereo system (not normally into stereo systems but sounds ace).

The 4 wheel drive and the interior is just gorgeous

Not to mention fast standard

 

[Spanky]

Just out of interest, how come you narrowed it to an S3 and Ibiza Cupra, two very different cars indeed, why not a LCR for example, or is traction an issue, hence the S3...??

 

[Andy_T4]

IMO cupra's dont look modified

You and I know that. When I pointed a standard Ibiza Cupra out to my caravan towing, Picasso driving old man the other week and said "I'm thinking about having one of those next.", he replied "But not like that one?"
"Yes, exactly like that one."
"I would've thought you'd have grown out of that by now!"
"Grown out of what?!"
"Spending loads of money on bodywork, only to lose it at sale time."
"It's standard Dad!"
"That spoiler isn't"
"It is!"
"And those sculpted side-skirts?"
"Yup"
"And the front bumper? And those alloys?"
"Standard, standard, standard - that's how they came out the factory."
"Oh"

~~~ me sitting back with smug grin! ~~~

 

[Andy_T4]

Just out of interest, how come you narrowed it to an S3 and Ibiza Cupra, two very different cars indeed, why not a LCR for example?

I've hated the styling of Mk4 Golfs since they came out (I love the Mk5), and I have a pathological aversion to 5 door hatchbacks...

Sorry!

 

[Copra]

S3 any day.

in my opinion, you would be silly to buy an ibiza cupra and then spend £7k on it.

S3, its a much smarter choice

 

[Andy_T4]

S3 any day.

in my opinion, you would be silly to buy an ibiza cupra and then spend £7k on it.

S3, its a much smarter choice

Because of depreciation? I look at cars as a hobby, not an investment like a house for example that I'm looking to recover the money I have spent when I sell it. If I lose the entire £7k at re-sale 12 months later, that's still no more than many of my workmates throw away on their hobbies in a year (such as playing Golf, deep-sea diving, sky diving, etc)

 

[Spanky]

I've hated the styling of Mk4 Golfs since they came out (I love the Mk5), and I have a pathological aversion to 5 door hatchbacks...

Sorry!

Fair cop, just wondering, S3 for me then..!!