Altea FR

[misty]

Hi all Mr newbie here Just got an e-mail off Hobin Seat re:- Altea FR. Due in sometime in the middle of next year Will it be worth the wait?
dave

 

[toys]

Hello and welcome!

I saw a short piece about the FR in Autocar the other day. Basically it uses the 170 bhp TDi engine and comes with standard 17" wheels and other small visual tweeks (not all to my taste it must be said).

As an owner of a 140 TDi Altea, I don't know how the 170 drives, but I guess the extra power comes at the expense of a peakier delivery, and the economy will be a little worse? Someone may have experience of this engine in an other VAG car...

Mark

 

[Tell]

Well it's not as if one needs the extra 30 bhp, the 140 has a fair amount of hump. Think the 170 is in the new Golf or will be.

Those people chipping will be getting there extra bhp's in any case.

Not too poor cold water on it. You wouldn't sell your Altea 140 TDI 17" just to get the FR I don't think, you might go, drat wish it was available when I bought mine, but other than that.

 

[Chemical Al]

Dont know if you seen this....Clicky

 

[loadswine]

Looks fine, but I won't be changing mine, I'm running with similar horsepower anyway . I've got a tuning box that only cost a fraction of the price that it would cost to upgrade. PLus the FR doesn't look as if it is available with the DSG box which is a big attraction for me.

 

[Tell]

So you managed to tune up your DSG... I may have lost that one when you did it ?. Any complications ?. Info ?.

No would not bother with the FR if it didn't have DSG. Another joy trip to the Moselle to stock up with errr 24 bottles of wine or something like that and Xmas shopping. Drove like a dream and the ESP worked well in the snow when the ABS came on as the car said, hey I'm not stopping at these trafic lights on red and the ESP said oh yes you are. It did a few other things as well in the hotel car park in the snow when I started to loose grip. Then once on a slippery road at 60 - 70 it made some adjustments, but the ABS stopping me from sliding into the curb or worse at the lights was great.

 

[misty]

Hell!!!!! didn't realize they weighed 1500kg!!!!!that's more than my beemer.
dave

 

[loadswine]

Tell, sorry , I don't think I mentioned that I actually did tune up my car. Funnily enough I managed to get a Dragon tuning box on ebay for 200 notes, taken off an Audi A3 2.0 TDi DSG. ( chap got a new company car). I went for this for a number of reasons, good price, not too much power and torque and easy to put on and take off for the old warranty.
Haven't had any poblems , the box is adjustable and is set at middle setting. ESP is a bit more active than before. Have changed the fronts now, but not a huge diffrece in grip or handling. ( Goodyear F1s).
I wonder if they have reprogrammed the ESP on the FR at all, to take account of the extra grunt?

 

[Tell]

No worries Loadswine, was it this one ?

http://www.mrhoot.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TBPD050

Think it probably was.

Thanks for the info... perhaps I need to think of a Xmas present for myself or birthday in the new year.

Has your MPG altered much and smoke ?.

 

[loadswine]

Yes Tell, that's exactly the one. I haven't noticed any more smoke than before and fuel consumption is about the same. Not that my car has ever got the same MPG as others, always a bit less for me!

You probably don't get quite as much ultimate power as in a remap, but its much better behaved than the solution on my last car, and it seems to suit the DSG box well.

If you are ever around the Sutton area, you are welcome to take mine for a spin.
Going to give it a bit of a run in a minute , just popping up to Lincolnshire and back!

 

[Tell]

Thanks for the kind offer of the spin Loadswine.

You know on that web site it give "POWER PROFILE - DIGI UNIT" with three options you would not know what yours was would you ?.

I think my MPG is going to average out at about 42. I just did the trip to Germany so I have got to put those into Excel and those high speed trips consume more fuel than in the UK, which are pretty fast. But before I left I did notice that my MPG was getting better on the instaneous read out which was interesting since it was either winter and not using the aircon much or the engine was still bedding in, the reverse of normal motoering when fuel consumption goes down in winter. Afraid I've only done about 8,000 now, I use it for pleasure and catch the train into London for work. I don't have any jobs the otherside of London with the M25 at the moment.

Yes, so feel free to tell me where you connected all the wires and how difficult it was. I think the plug panel is under the steering wheel ?. It needs to take power from somewhere, where did you tap that off ?.

It seems tempting, oh yes and if you can tell me which option you reckon you have on the bottom drop down panel of that screen, that would be good.

Enjoy your trip to Lincs, think you will have gone by now, I'm leaving it till tonight to leave London when the traffic should have dropped down a bit. Others years if I leave early I find I am travelling up the M1 at 5 MPH for 40 miles.

 

[loadswine]

Tell, I think that the unit was programmed in the middle category, but I have an idea that this might just be where the jumper pin that adjusts the power is first set at. You could ask the folks at Dragon about that, I understand that they are quite helpful.
Back from Lincoln now , had a good run up and back. Still amazed by the acceleration available even with four on board with luggage.It's just effortless.
Wiring it up was easy, even for me. You disconnect the 2 halves of the multiplug connection on the top right hand side of the engine and connect the multi plugs for the box in line between them. Power and earth are taken direct from the battery terminals, and the tuning box fits snug next to the battery inside its cover.

The designation on the packaging for my box reads " 2.0 TDI PD-4"
Hope that helps man .
Happy Christmas to all!

 

[Tell]

Yep... thanks... I got to do my run up the M1 now but I'll print that off on my return for safe keeping.

 

[Richie D]

Loadswine just been having a look at e-bay and found a tuning box. There isn't much of a description on there, it does say that its for the Golf V. It just looks a little bit different to that on MrHoot site. Can you have a look at the pic and let me know if this looks right to you.

Cheers
Rich

 

[loadswine]

That looks just like my one, just to make sure, ask the seller a question, like why he is selling ,what transmission his golf had , what setting it worked best on and what model code number it is from mrhoot.
Then sit back and get it for a knock down price!

Happy hunting Rich.

 

[Richie D]

Thanks for the info Loadswine. This is the reply:
"any problems i had was on the higher settings the car was a bit too responsive ,instant power which i found a bit tiresome as i spend a lot of time in traffic every day the box has 7 settings you adjust these by moving a jumper my setting was no 3 i am changing my car on the 30th to a new civic thats why i am selling it, i put in such a low price because i do not think it was worth the price i paid for it ,also i lost the fitting instuctions but i will supply a detailed set of my, own fitting it does not take long just a bit awkward i cannot find apart no onit"

It is the TBPD050 unit and he paid the £299 from new, i'm just trying to get him to name a price now. Any suggestions?

Rich

 

[loadswine]

Sounds the same as mine, mrhhoot uses different designations for Audi ,Seat, VW etc.
I can probably copy my instructions for you, and have the odd tip as well, that isn't mentioned. His answers sound okay,but he doesn't seem very pleased with his car. Yes , the upper settings can be a bit fierce, but you'e chucking massive torque through the front wheels and this takes some getting used to. Middle setting works for me pretty well. Is yours DSG?

Don't know if any others are watching the item or have bid for it, he seems focussed on the new car, which is understandable. Maybe offer him around the 100 mark. All depends on what you want to pay for it. I am happy to have paid 200 for mine. That's about a third of the amount I was quoted for a remap with the company who did my last car.
I know remaps are ultimately better, but not 3 times better!

 

[Tell]

If you do, do fitting instructions I'll have a copy please Loadswine.

No Richie I don't do ebay so no concerns there. I'm still thinking whether I want it. If it doesn' alter my MPG I would.

I have alot of power as it is.