LCR vs S3

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pablo

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Guys - not a chav race question but an honest question about the merits of the leon cupra R over an S3. Im considering buying an LCR as a more practical car but also because as its fwd it should feel a bit livlier than the 4wd S3.

Can anyone offer some unbiased comparisons on the car? Handling not really an issue as much as straight line speed.

cheers all
-pablo
 
afaik its a lot lighter than the s3 over 100kg iirc so yes much quicker in a straight don't know about bends.
 
I dont really care about bends tbh mate. as long as its adequate handling Id be happy enough.
 
audi upgrades
It's a fair bit faster 0-60 in real life from being FWD. It has better brakes than an S3, and is lighter. What more could you ask for?

However, the interior can only be described as a boudouir......
 
I have an S3 was looking into buying a Cupra R due to a baby being on the way, got to test drive one - I found it did feel quicker than the S3 and was a lot more fun due to the torque steer. (Now idea what it would be like in the wet).

The reason I never bought it the Seat dealership would only offer 7500 as part exchange for the S3 (X reg 100k approx). I wish now, I had gone and part exchanged because I had to have a new clutch in the S3 since then.

Also babe has now been born it's quite difficult to get the car seat in and out of the back once he gets a little bigger I think the Misses will find it a struggle.
 
The seats are truely awful alright in the S3. Ive had to put my neice in a few times and by god its a struggle.

Thats why god invented the VW golf tho :p
 
in a straight line LCR would woop ***, same engine less weight simple.

I'd still have the S3 personally although I can see your point about the whole practicality issue.

Why not get an RS6 instead :p
 
''lot more fun due to the torque steer.''

personally I would not call torque steer fun, its just a down side of being front wheel drive
 
Surely the S3 will get away from a standing start quicker due to 4wd. Would the Leon be able to make up the lost ground?
 
If your looking for the practibility of the four door how about the R32? The main problems I have with the SEAT is the quality of the interior, and the fwd.
 
Yeah, i had an a Leon Cupra for a while. I've only given the LCR a test drive for 30mins or so and i've never driven an S3. There is loads of info on them on seatcupra.net.

My general observations on the Leon compared to the A3:

Leon interior is noticeably 'cheaper' in terms of material and build quality, but it looks exactly the same. The 225LCR does have a very nice steering wheel though ;)

LCR has bags of power but i find the traction control intrusive, easy enough to switch it off though.

Stock handling is actually fairly poor. This is, in part, due to the pony tyres SEAT spec for it. I've been told that a simple swap to GSD3's etc transform it but even then if you want to exploit all the power you'll need to change the shocks, springs, rollbars etc. It's basically the same chassis as a A3 1.8T Sport so no suprises there.

The LCR Brembos are great.

The LCR looks great, but still doesn't beat an Audi badge (IMO).

If i had an S3 i wouldn't sell it to buy an LCR. Pablo, i'm not sure why you think it'd be more practical? The only thing you'd be saving money on is the Haldex servicing. It's still the same economy, tax, insurance, and basic servicing (if you use an independant specialist). The residuals of the LCR will be worse than the S3 so i've no idea where you'd save money.

Haven't you only had the S3 for 5 mins? I guess you've done the same as me and blown wayyyyyyy too much cash on modifying it? ;)
 
monkeytrousers said:
Surely the S3 will get away from a standing start quicker due to 4wd. Would the Leon be able to make up the lost ground?
Click to expand...

but the LCR has more BHP to the wheel due to less transmission loss... my standard s3 has been embarassed by a standard LCR before. Once once mind, i dont bother now ;)
 
Book figures:

LCR-225 0 - 60: 6.7s
S3-225 0 - 60: 6.3s

The transmission losses are cancelled out by the S3 actually being able to transfer more of the power to road earlier. I imagine the S3 will be quicker over the first 60ft but they'd probably cross a 1/4mile pretty much neck and neck.
 
pablo said:
I dont really care about bends tbh mate. as long as its adequate handling Id be happy enough.
Click to expand...

This is subjective...what do you class as 'adequate'?
An S3 is adequate...same with an LCR.
Neither is 'better' than the other...one does some things better and the other different things better.

As has been said, the LCR has far better brakes.

The LCR has a Mk4 Golf type chassis...which is numb, wooden and awful..whichever way you look at it!
The S3 is no better...but the S3 will make better use of its drive advantage.

The LCR feels faster off the line, but you have to be a skilled driver on a dry day to match the S3 in a standing start.
The LCR migh feel like it corners better, but the S3 will power out of corners better - not that you are interested in such things.

At silly speeds, the S3 seems to be more aerodynamic as despite the weight disadvantage, the S3 seems able to pull up and often pass the LCR at the top of the speed range.
 
Similar discussion here with more opinion of LCR owners:

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=51038&highlight=LCR+S3

I've been a member on SCN for a while, it's worth baring in mind that the majority of LCR owners think their car is faster than light. Lots of claims of besting M3's and other tall stories. They are good cars but i can't honestly see anything that'd swing it over an S3 if i'd already bought the S3 (and had modified it!).
 
Ess_Three said:
The LCR has a Mk4 Golf type chassis...which is numb, wooden and awful..whichever way you look at it!
The S3 is no better...but the S3 will make better use of its drive advantage.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the LCR, being front wheel drive, has the old style Golf Mk4 rear - which means no independent rear suspension. From memory, the Mk1 Ford Focus was the first car in class to offer independent rear suspension which is why it had class leading handling at the time. Golf Mk5 and all the variants now have independent rear suspension which is why it gives the Mk2 Focus a better run for its money.

Anyway, inorder to make a 4wd version of the Mk4 golf chassis, they had to give it a different rear suspension - which is independent. Hence any of the 4wd versions of the chassis should have better handling due to the improved rear suspension - but whether the extra weight negates that I don't know.

Incidently, Seat made a 4WD version of the LCR, but that was left hand drive only.
 
Tallpaul said:
If i had an S3 i wouldn't sell it to buy an LCR. Pablo, i'm not sure why you think it'd be more practical? The only thing you'd be saving money on is the Haldex servicing. ;)
Click to expand...

I think he is talking about the foor door optio with the SEAT, Pablo if you think torque steer is fun, how about a Alfa 147 GTA? :)
 
I don't think the colour does it justice.

The headlights do look too far apart though.

The seats look lurvley.

Plus these have those daft mpv style wipers that are like a Coach's. That would confuse the hell out of me.
 
well due to a change in circumstances the 3dr S3 is no longer an option. Neither is blasting down B roads or standing starts (Ill say no more). What Im interested in is overtaking power and general grin inducing acceleration once on the move.

Budget is £8-10k for a replacement car for the S3. Id love to keep the S3 but the lack of back doors rules it out.

if only evo7s were a bit cheaper lol
 
pablo said:
well due to a change in circumstances the 3dr S3 is no longer an option. Neither is blasting down B roads or standing starts (Ill say no more). What Im interested in is overtaking power and general grin inducing acceleration once on the move.

Sounds like a Diesel may be on the cards???
Click to expand...
 
john2garden said:
pablo said:
well due to a change in circumstances the 3dr S3 is no longer an option. Neither is blasting down B roads or standing starts (Ill say no more). What Im interested in is overtaking power and general grin inducing acceleration once on the move.

Sounds like a Diesel may be on the cards???
Click to expand...

lol looking for a 5dr golf tdi for the missus!
Click to expand...
 
£10k should get you a nice 2003 LCR210 on the mainland, i'm sure prices are the same in NI, but i have no idea?
 
john2garden said:
Theres a nice Lancia Delta here - http://www.just-sports.org/manufacturer.asp?manu=all thats if you can put up with a left hooker.

And an even better Evo 6 if your budget can stretch!
Click to expand...

as nice as the lancia's are, (saw a mint one in the flesh last night :eek: )
Its not really in the same class as the cars he is comparing.......they have more than a slight tendency to not work which I'm guessing he doesnt really want :p

And again Evo 6 are fantastic performance cars but if you drive it like an evo should be driven you will be lucky to see 150 miles from a full tank of fuel, again not what you want with children to sap all of your cash away as it is.

I'm either going for S3 or LCR for my next car, leaning more towards S3 and have been for ages but I wont rule out the LCR because they are so much cheaper.

P.S. 5 door golf Tdi will shortly be up for sale \/ \/ \/ ;)
 
send me some info on the golf mate pls/
 
my lancia integrale was very reliable ! in some ways more so than my S3 and servicing was probably around the same price but carried out by total enthusiasts...
 
i used to have a 290bhp leon cupra r , and they are a great car , all it done until you got into 3rd is wheelspin though , it feels a lot quicker than the s3 i have now got
 
you can get lot newer can for you money, looks nice out side but as people say inside very cheap compaired to the S3

as for faster!!!!

maybe opening up a hole can of worms but i have played me 2 now both 04 plates (so 225 versions) first from around 20 to 90 and motorway for for around 10 miles with the other (say no more) and my 84k chipped S3 out ran both....

NOW i guess they could have been standard in which case my car is **** and a bag of old nails:faint: HOWEVER i dout it...

as for car seat for baby when i take my 4 month old out i simply turn the front air bag of and he goes in the front no hassle no problems.
 
I have recently been a similar situation, bought an S3 then a week later my wife told me she was pregnant!!!!! Ended up buying a Recaro Isofix child seat(The same as the one I'm selling in the classified section, blatant celebrity book style plug!). The Isofix system makes it 100 times easier fixing in the car seat, click in click out, no messing about with a seat belt.
If its any minor consolation once you get the next size up, we have just got a Recaro Young Sport, that stay in the car 90% of the time and its no problems at all so stick with it and keep the S3 IMO. :icon_thumright:
 
If i were u id buy a 530d or 330d Would be everything you're looking for and then some.

And they feel absolutely rapid on the move
 
rodenal said:
If i were u id buy a 530d or 330d Would be everything you're looking for and then some.

And they feel absolutely rapid on the move
Click to expand...
For 10k i think not! not for a newish one surely!
a golf gt tdi 150 remapped feels rapid because of teh surge of torque you get low down!:icon_thumright:
or an A4 TDi same engines so remap and have space and comfort!
 
had a 225 cupra r and standard no map they dont put power down well not the best round corners little to soft and if you lower them its going to hit most speed bumps
 
We have a baby and an S3, I don't think they're totally incompatible if you have a second car (you've already said you're looking for a golf for your wife to complement it). We have an A4 which is the day to day family transport, but we still make regular use of the S3. One of its advantages is that you can put the rock-a-tot seat into the front seat (our lad loved being able to see the driver). Later when the baby is bigger the full size car seat lives permanently in the back. The lad thinks it is a real hoot being 'cuddled' to be put in and taken out, granted it's not the easiest operation and I have to admit to bumping his head a couple of times (only brushed honest! hang up that call to social services).

But if the S3's not the everyday car, why bother replacing it? You'll lose money on changing cars, you always do, and you could argue that the improved traction of the S3 in the wet provides a better safety margin for the youngster. A second car seat to permanently fix in each car is a lot cheaper than the depreciation you lose in selling the S3. Of course if you factor in say a bad back or a heavy child then the argument swings against keeping the S3.

Having said all that of course, should the unthinkable happen and I lose the S3 (I have a theory that cars you like always get driven into), I shall most likely be out looking at 5-dr R32s. Leons are great cars, but my wife rejected them out of hand as the rear visibility is not as good as the S3 for parking due to the high boot line.
 
Come on, need there be any doubt.

I would go for a S3 over the new leon any day!

Firstly look at the Leon, can no-one else see it looks horrible!!! :shrug:

Plus the interior is cheap and for the amount of money you are going to given Seat is it really worth it?

My friend has the Leon 225 and it spins up in the wet were as the S3 doesn't. I think the Leon could be a great car but the S3 has everything the Leon has but much more.

I could go on and on but I don't want to bore.
 
my wife also rejected them in favour of a mk5 golf gt tdi. but we were using the S3 before. main problem is the pram takes all the boot up in the mk5 theres loads of room.

oh and a mammas and pappas baby seat just squeezes past the reccaros :) in the S3.
 
adrian2006uk said:
...not the best round corners little to soft and if you lower them its going to hit most speed bumps
Click to expand...


Er, is that the S3 or the LCR???



the S3 has everything the Leon has but much more.
Click to expand...

Including transmission losses, which is why the LCR is slightly faster as standard.
 
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