Well, I have to say that patience got the better of me as well... I was given the option of a Black 182 with spoilers, but no susp. or a Silver 182 with both. I had driven both cup and non-cup cars at Milbrook and in all reality the difference is small enough to not make me worry too much about what I was missing out on. IMHO Black 182s look better with silver wheels anyways - and I couldnt be bothered with messing around with the insurance for a modified car. Also, I am sure that the cup tyres are more expensive.
This will 99% of the time be my daily commute car, so stiff suspension and high running costs were not my priority. If I want a proper sports car experience, I will spend £200 on an Elise track day at Truxton (as I did last week...).
Dont worry about what you are missing out on. Its mostly bragging rights... ;-)