Ibiza FR TDI - UPDATED 16/10 - ICE

[seat_rich]

Picked up my new (read second hand), Mk4 Ibiza FR TDI last week, and finally got around to taking some pics today:

No mods yet, but having just sold my modded Focus ST, I've got a few plans for the future, probably starting with springs, dampers and spacers to sort out the stance of the car.

All that's been done so far has been an abortive attempt at making a flip key (new key blank arriving in a couple of days time ), and to give the exhaust a bit of a clean and polish with my trusty dremel:

Next on the list is a complete upgrade of the audio, with new HU, speakers, and possibly an amp and sub, though I'm still at the research stage.

 

[Gooner_Mike]

Welcome to FR ownership and the forum. Good choice of colour too Have a look at my readers ride thread for ideas on mods (link in sig below). This forum is a great place to get information and advise and tips on mods.... but it will end up costing you some cash too!

 

[warren_cox]

Nice car, and looks a tidy example.

Loving your forum name - sounds like a special edition jazz mag!

 

[seat_rich]

Welcome to FR ownership and the forum. Good choice of colour too Have a look at my readers ride thread for ideas on mods (link in sig below). This forum is a great place to get information and advise and tips on mods.... but it will end up costing you some cash too!

Cheers Mike. I joined the ST forum previously to try and save money, and just ended up spending a fortune after seeing what everyone else was doing. Having come here, I can see it's pretty much the same, and I've already got the next year's worth of mods planned out!

So far the plan is:

Phase 0: New HU, speakers, amp & sub (if necessary)
Phase 1: Springs, dampers & wheel spacers
Phase 2: Front strut brace, RARB
Phase 3: Remap, PD160 intake pipe & Green Cotton panel filter
Phase 4: Turbo back (decat)

With the ST I went for power and only late on did I look at handling / transmission mods. This time, I'd rather do it the other way round and try to avoid straining the car from day 1 (clutch / driveshafts etc). Pushing 360lbft through the ST cost me a new clutch and a lot of warranty work on the driveshafts

Nice car, and looks a tidy example.

Loving your forum name - sounds like a special edition jazz mag!

Keep forgetting about the connotations of my username as it's a handle I've had for the last fifteen years!

 

[Gooner_Mike]

Phase 0: New HU, speakers, amp & sub (if necessary)
Phase 1: Springs, dampers & wheel spacers
Phase 2: Front strut brace, RARB
Phase 3: Remap, PD160 intake pipe & Green Cotton panel filter
Phase 4: Turbo back (decat)

Good mods, but I would probably do them in this order...

RARB, springs and dampers, spacers, strut brace, panel filter, PD160 intake (if you really have too!!), exhaust, remap.

I'm not really into ICE so would leave that alone! Have you thought about 17" wheels?
If you get exhaust, Forge 007p recirc valve and front mount intercooler (FMIC)... then get a remap, you will be at stage 2! Just a thought...

 

[Gooner_Mike]

Phase 0: New HU, speakers, amp & sub (if necessary)
Phase 1: Springs, dampers & wheel spacers
Phase 2: Front strut brace, RARB
Phase 3: Remap, PD160 intake pipe & Green Cotton panel filter
Phase 4: Turbo back (decat)

Good mods, but I would probably do them in this order...

RARB, springs and dampers, spacers, strut brace, panel filter, PD160 intake (if you really have too!!), exhaust, remap.

I'm not really into ICE so would leave that alone! Have you thought about 17" wheels?
If you get exhaust, Forge 007p recirc valve and front mount intercooler (FMIC)... then get a remap, you will be at stage 2! Just a thought...

Mine started like this...

And now stands like this...

 

[seat_rich]

Good mods, but I would probably do them in this order...

RARB, springs and dampers, spacers, strut brace, panel filter, PD160 intake (if you really have too!!), exhaust, remap.

I'm not really into ICE so would leave that alone! Have you thought about 17" wheels?
If you get exhaust, Forge 007p recirc valve and front mount intercooler (FMIC)... then get a remap, you will be at stage 2! Just a thought...

Well my thinking behind it is that for the first few months at least, I'm more concerned about driving slow and saving my pennies, so I won't be hooning it round corners yet. The dampers, springs & spacers are more about the looks than anything else for the minute, but should see me set up for a little while, especially as I'm not finding the Ibiza all that roly-poly in the corners yet.

The ICE is a bit of a treat to myself to make the commute a bit more bearable.

I understand the logic behind the FMIC (I had an uprate Code:Red jobby on my ST which helped no end with inlet temps), but what's the deal with the recirc valve? Is there a performance boost, or is it just a noise thing? I'm NOT a big fan of the dump-valve sound

Not sure about 17" wheels, as it seems like quite a cost for a purely cosmetic item, but I'm sure I'll change my mind and blow some hard earned at some point

PS I like what you've done with yours, very mean looking!

 

[Gooner_Mike]

I understand the logic behind the FMIC (I had an uprate Code:Red jobby on my ST which helped no end with inlet temps), but what's the deal with the recirc valve? Is there a performance boost, or is it just a noise thing? I'm NOT a big fan of the dump-valve sound

Not sure about 17" wheels, as it seems like quite a cost for a purely cosmetic item, but I'm sure I'll change my mind and blow some hard earned at some point

PS I like what you've done with yours, very mean looking!

Cheers mate. Not really spent big bucks on mine.. all mods fairly cheap and I try to do all myself too. Trying to get my boost gauge finally sorted today.
The Forge recirculating valve just lets the boost back into the intake and none to atmosphere so there is no whooshy noise. I have a Green filter, Forge 007p and drilled airbox and you can hear the turbo sucking and the DV working but its not chavtastic! (Mines a petrol so can't speak for diesel engines). Come to think of it, I don't think the diesel has a recirc valve so you can ignore everything I have just said...

 

[seat_rich]

Cheers mate. Not really spent big bucks on mine.. all mods fairly cheap and I try to do all myself too. Trying to get my boost gauge finally sorted today.
The Forge recirculating valve just lets the boost back into the intake and none to atmosphere so there is no whooshy noise. I have a Green filter, Forge 007p and drilled airbox and you can hear the turbo sucking and the DV working but its not chavtastic! (Mines a petrol so can't speak for diesel engines). Come to think of it, I don't think the diesel has a recirc valve so you can ignore everything I have just said...

LOL!

Actually, I'd have thought most modern cars come with a recirc valve rather than a plain old atmospheric dump. Either way, that's one for way down the line...

 

[brad1]

He doesnt need a forge 007p, as he is a derv owner Welcome to the forum anyway mate

 

[Gooner_Mike]

He doesnt need a forge 007p, as he is a derv owner Welcome to the forum anyway mate

I realised that after I had written all about it!

 

[seat_rich]

Updated ICE!!!

It's been a while since I had it all installed, but I've only just got around to updating the thread!

Ended up going to ICE Direct in Peterborough who seem to be a good bunch of guys who've done a great install for me.

Head Unit: Alpine IDA-X303 (no CD player, but a nice quick iPod interface)
Amp: Hertz EP4
Fronts: Hertz ESK165 components
Rears: Hertz DCX165 coaxials
Source: iPod nano velcroed up under the dash out the way

Amp & Speakers:

Head Unit:

Hidden iPod :

Really pleased with the sound quality. Really crisp delivery from the components, and enough punch to deal with most dance and rock (at least to my standards!).

I decided to spend my budget on getting better speakers rather than adding a sub as I figured it's cheaper to add a sub to the system at a later date rather than ripping out poor quality speakers. That said, I've already got my eye on a really flat powered sub that will sit alongside the amp so I don't lose any boot space.

Since the first update, I've also swapped out all the headlights for Osram Nightbreakers which is a big improvement.

Next update is going to be a small one, with some flat blade wipers, and maybe a rear debadging (still deciding).

 

[Gooner_Mike]

Next update is going to be a small one, with some flat blade wipers, and maybe a rear debadging (still deciding).

Two good mods in the pipeline there. Debadging is the way forward mate!

Before

After

 

[seat_rich]

Debadged 15 minutes after I last posted....

...and you're right, much better, cleaner look!

 

[Gib]

I've got a Facelift FR... i'm definately getting rid of the centre badge, but the FR is staying, but if you have the pre-facelift i would DEFINATELY de-badge, very tidy indeed!

You've gone for a good quality brand for your ICE, I'd throughly recommend HERTZ, their quality is superb. Another notable company is RAINBOW, they are also pretty good. If you have major pennies to spend then you can't go wrong with AUDISON, IMO it is the best kit you can buy. Obviously you know the ones to avoid, or you would have installed them instead (avoid EDGE and FLI, SONY etc), though this is all a matter of personal opinion... and budget!!

If you are after cheap but not bad quality bass, then Vibe aren't too bad , particularly their active subs (CBR active range [sub+amp+box-in-one]), which often come with a port plug so you can tailor your sub to pretty much any music. If you like rock etc, then definately use a port plug to seal your enclosure to keep all your frequencies tight and well refined, but if you want just a little extra bass (IE, quality over volume), then stick with HERTZ.

I've always prefered a subwoofer in an in car set-up, but problems arise when you don't use one properly and go for a mega-powerful-shake-the-car-look-at-me kind of sub which ruins the quality because chav's don't know it when they see it. A good quality sub usually has a smaller cone size for tighter control, but most people who add subwoofers in cars (those afore mentioned chavs), would pass up an excellent quality 8-10" sub "'cos it not big enuff, innit".

:w4nk:

Like I said though, it's down to personal preference, and budget, and that's only my opinion (there are for example some really good accurate 12-15" subs, i was just making a generalisation)