Owen + 263 Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Hi all, I am almost at the point of graduating from university and getting a job - as such I want a new car as a 'reward' as such for myself after 18 years of straight education! (Obviously this will be once I get a reasonable job/graduate scheme!) The question is - Audi S3 Sportback or Seat Leon Cupra (taking into account the price difference too!) Has anyone had either of these cars? Or anyone recommend a different hot-hatch or similar? Cheers, Owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sceptre + 2,704 Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Without knowing a bit more about what money you've got coming in and how much you have left at the end of the month, what it would cost you to insure and whether you'd be buying new or used and in cash, on an unsecured loan or on credit it's hard to give advice, but I suspect I might end up being the curmudgeon who tells you it probably isn't a sensible use of money on a graduate salary. If you're buying in cash then it would do you far more good as a house deposit as a car will only ever cost you money, and buying on finance is nearly always an eyewateringly bad deal. Putting good financial sense aside, how have you come to those two cars? They're both far more powerful than you'd ever need for normal driving at 270bhp for the S3 and 290bhp for the Seat, and a normal A3 or Leon would be far cheaper and still more than powerful enough to race off the lights and earn lots of speeding tickets. Is it really sensible to get a car which will do 155mph when you're still fairly new to driving, to get a hot hatch which probably isn't terribly efficient when you don't know whether you're going to end up in a job which will involve a lot of driving or not just yet, or to put yourself in a position where in a few years' time you are wanting to buy a house or have kids or whatever and might have to accept a downgrade because you can no longer afford it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen + 263 Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 All good advice, thanks but i'm asking to consider the pro's and con's of the Audi S3 and the Seat Leon Cupra or other hot hatch i.e Golf R not personal circumstances whether I should buy a hot hatch or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseyLLB 8,426 Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Get yourself a Renaultsport Clio... All the performance you need and no German car pricetag! But I'd go with the Seat for your circumstances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmook + 532 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 And Renault engineering. Fiddly, unreliable and expensive. Go for the seat, the audi will rip money from your pocket more in the long run... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uppy 264 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I know it is not the S3 but I have an A3 and have been impressed by the build quality, looks and how everything just seems to be in the right place in the cabin. Couple that with the larger horse-power engine in the S3 and I'm sure you would be on to a winner. The Cupra also looks a great car though to be fair. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Police-Supplies 17 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Putting aside any of the financial details I'd choose the S3 every time. Seat have come on leaps and bounds in regards to the quality of the interior but are still an age behind audi and although the Cupra has more power it's trying to put it all down through the front wheels. Once rolling the cupra will be a little quicker but no trick differential will ever replace 4wd traction either from a standing start or in poor weather, 4WD is a godsend when we get a bit of the white stuff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotLass + 638 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I don't know much about cars but I do know about finances. Whilst it will obviously vary depending on if you go to a dealer, the PCP options offered directly by Seat and Audi directly (which I assume you're buying this on) are not dissimilar - £249/month for the Seat and £285/month for the Audi over a similar term with a similar deposit. Test drive them both. Work out which one you like. You might hate them both! I wanted a Skoda before I test drove it and worked out that I could get more for my money in terms of interiors by getting a Vauxhall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamieMET + 121 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Focus RS probably costs the same as the S3 and wont lose its value anywhere near the two you mention. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blandy + 112 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 What about the Focus ST? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFlomeister + 349 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 I'd go for the SEAT Leon - all the same tech and engineering under the bonnet as an Audi/VW but without the ridiculous price tag. I used to get a top of the range Ibiza with all the bells and whistles for a fraction of the price of an entry level VW Golf or an Audi A1 when I worked for VWG. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miffy + 74 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Audi, if I had to money. But if you are a member of the Police Fed, why not get a BMW using the discount? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseyLLB 8,426 Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 On 12/01/2016 at 00:24, Shmook said: And Renault engineering. Fiddly, unreliable and expensive. Go for the seat, the audi will rip money from your pocket more in the long run... My mate races them and tbh it's as reliable as anything else aside from a diesel VW/Skoda. It's a cracking car and goes like poo off a spade and is just about the most affordable thing. Fiesta STs are a bit small for my liking. What's your budget? If you want quick I have a friend who drives a Vauxhall Insignia VXR which is probably the cheapest high performance car you can get for 30k brand new but it doesn't corner wekl without upgrades. Will do 170+mph and a sub 6 second 0-62mph if you're planning trips on the autobahn. Id say draw a list of your spec you need, then spec you want and compare choices on that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmook + 532 Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 6 hours ago, MerseyLLB said: My mate races them and tbh it's as reliable as anything else aside from a diesel VW/Skoda. It's a cracking car and goes like poo off a spade and is just about the most affordable thing. Fiesta STs are a bit small for my liking. What's your budget? If you want quick I have a friend who drives a Vauxhall Insignia VXR which is probably the cheapest high performance car you can get for 30k brand new but it doesn't corner wekl without upgrades. Will do 170+mph and a sub 6 second 0-62mph if you're planning trips on the autobahn. Id say draw a list of your spec you need, then spec you want and compare choices on that. Fair enough. Was going off the clio I used to drive, grsnted things may have changed since then. We also run Renault vans at work, and parts are pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen + 263 Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 Thanks everyone for your advice. It has definitely given me different things to think about. I think like a few have said, it's probably best to test drive a few and see what I prefer. I am leaning towards the S3 however!! Surprised only one person has mentioned BMW and that the 135i hasn't appeared! Thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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