Do I or don't i?? Bmw 125d to cupra 280

[Madhatter]

Hello all, first post so please be kind!

I've been looking at reviews of the new cupra 280 and it looks like a real corker of a motor! I'm currently driving a bmw 125d which is due to go back in 6 months. Its a great car, very quick, fun handling and 45 mpg with a heavy right foot. Only downer is it sounds like a Massey ferguson and shape not to everyone's taste (I like it in 3 door msport guise like mine, the basic 1er is a pig!)

But now my annual mileage has dropped from 20k to 15k so looking to move back to petrol. I miss the noise and Fizz of a good petrol engine.

I appreciate the 280 is a powerful petrol engine and will get nowhere near the quoted 44mpg! But I was wondering if any owners have any feedback on real mpg figures once the motor has a few 000's on the clock? I've worked out if I can screw 33-35 mpg out of the 280 overall running cost should be similar to the bm. Man maths at work here!

Couple of other q's;

What RON fuel does it need?

Is the front diff effective or is it an understeery beast?

What are servicing costs like?

Thanks guys and any comments are most welcome.

 

[Finbow]

You've posted this in the FAQ section fella, better to post on the main mk3 leon board for a response.

 

[Jord]

I've driven both and for your milage I personally would go with the golf gti or gtd. I'm really not a great fan of the 125d it's a corker of an engine but in real life it's no quicker than a 120d or gtd/leon184. You can achieve 40mpg on a run in the gti but no chance in the cupra 36-37mpg at a push. Work out your costs as on a yearly basis the cupra may only cost you 500quid more to run than the gti. This would work because you are most likely to get a better discount on the cupra. Kind of contradicted myself but it's just my opinion

 

[Madhatter]

Cheers for the responses so far fellas. Will repost in the main mk3 forum!

Hear what you say about the gti, but test drove and not very impressed tbh. Saw it as a step back performance wise tbh. The cupra seems a bit of an animal by comparison and I can cope with low to mid 30's mpg.

Cheers

 

[andrewpain]

am also on another forum, ******.com, and a moderator just collected his new cupra 280 in Newcastle, drove it to MIlton Keynes, and recorded 36.5 mpg.
check out the forum, and look in "Showcase" forum ...from what I can gather the leon is better value than the GTi, but residuals would suffer. if it's a company car, who cares?

 

[andrewpain]

damn - won't let me show you the site name.
It's leon, follwed by oc (no space or punctuation), then .com

 

[Madhatter]

Cheers buddy, will have a nose at it