TheBinarySheep

I had Koni's on my Superb with OE springs. My current car is a G20 3 Series with M Sport adaptive suspension. The 3 series in comfort mode rides very much like the Superb did on Koni's. A nice balance between comfort and firmness. I think the Koni's are a nice compromise for anyone that wants to keep the OEM look and ride height, while also improving the handling and feel.

There's a set of used Koni Actives on Ebay at the minute. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233980920992?hash=item367a5984a0:g:8QYAAOSwjUNghBlH

At least £8k was depreciation. The rest was repairs and mods etc.

The car was sold to a business and documents relating to the turbo replacement and crank bearings were supplied, nothing was hidden and the car was considered fixed. The price we got for the car reflected its history. We only bought it last year, and I've worked out that it's cost us almost £13k in repairs and depreciation in 12-13 month. We simply were not willing to take the risk that the vehicle would need more money pumping into it at some point in the future. Lesson learnt, we're sticking with non-modified vehicles now, under manufacturers and then extended warranty to be on the safe side.

Funny you should mention about the tax. I read a thread on another forum asking a similar question which prompted me to look it up. I had no idea there was an increase in tax for vehicles with a list price of over £40k, as Autotrader shows tax as £150 and that's what I'd been going off. I didn't read the small print at the bottom of the Autotrader popup as it's chopped off the bottom of my screen! So yep, it seems my tax is going to be £475 per year. What an absolute rip off. The car has more or less the same engine as my wife's Mini (134g/km vs 190g/km), and we'll be paying £325 more for tax on one car than the other. Well, it is what it is, nothing I can do about it now.

The Superb has gone. We've stuck a deposit down on a BMW 330i M Sport Plus. Hopefully getting delivered this week. While it's down on power, it's an ex demonstrator so it's got all the kit, including all of the M Sport upgrades (wheels, brakes, lsd), along with electronic tailgate, laser lights, tri-zone climate control, heated seats + steering wheel, virtual cockpit, Harmon Kardon upgrade, reverse assist, adaptive suspension, rear charge points, heads up display, unlock and start the car with a digital key on your phone phone, leather interior, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay. There's probably more I've forgot. I'll miss the Superb, but we'll move on.

I'm comparing to the stock Superb because I was happy with its stock power, I just got greedy and wanted more. In the real world, 280hp was for than enough. I could fit a tuning box to the new car for a little more power, and be able to take it off for warranty claims, so I cant entirely rule out getting a little more power.

The 330i is 0.2 seconds slower to 60 than the Superb, so I'm hoping it's not too noticeable. I'll probably miss four wheel drive in damp/cold cold conditions, but then rear wheel drive brings a different driving experience. I was just keen not to return to front wheel drive as I know how difficult it can be to get power down in the damp. For the past few weeks I've been driving my wife's 192hp Mini Cooper S, so I'm currently more used to it's power output than I am the Superb. I've only drove the Superb once since I got it back, and even then I don't dare push it given the work that's just been done. The Superb is booked back into the garage tomorrow to have the map and Koni Actives removed. I was going to leave the Koni's on, but removing them costs £280 and I reckon I could sell them for £500 so it makes sense to take them off and make a couple of hundred quid back. I'm looking forward to getting the 330i (once I've chosen one). I'm going to make sure I get one with the M Sport Limited Slip Differential, as apparently that improves handling and helps throw you out of a corner. I may look at fitting a tuning box as some point because at least the warranty will be maintained. It's one thing I regret about the Superb, I should have got a JB4 and at least then I could have removed it and had the turbo replaced under warranty.

My understanding is the flaps open at full throttle. I disabled mine using ODBEleven. They're always open. You get a little more rumble lower down in the revs, but really I don't think you can notice any difference. The flaps on these cars to me at least, are pointless.

My wife and I had a discussion over the weekend, and I think we're going to settling for a 2019 330i M Sport Plus. It's slightly down on power compared to the Superb, but just as quick (I'm assuming it's lighter). The boot is big enough for most things, and we'll have roof bars anyway to carry bikes, so we'll just get a roof box for holidays. It'll have plenty of kit, the exhaust at least sounds half decent without being too quiet or too loud, and I'm sure the handling will be far better than anything we've had before. There's the added bonus that it'll still be under warranty where as some of the Audi's we were looking at were 2 year old than this. I think given our budget, it's probably the best choice. It might not have the outright power of something like an Audi S5, but hopefully it'll make up for that in handling.

I don't really the like the Kia Stinger. It doesn't look too bad on the outside, but the dashboard to me looks dated. I find this the same for most Kia's and Hyundia's. The dash is too curvy rather than full of of sharp, modern edges. The next car needs to address some of the shortcomings of the Superb, and I don't think the Kia does that. There's also the fact that it's a Kia, the brand does nothing for me. I've always been a fan of Skoda. As child my mother always had Skodas like the Estelle, Felicia, and the Fabia. Plus, we all know that when you buy a Skoda you're really just buying a cheaper VW/Audi. You're getting VW/Audi engines, running gear, electronics and so on. With a Kia, you're not buying a cheaper version of an upmarket product, you're just buying a cheaper product that doesn't share it's underpinnings with any upmarket brands.

If it was just down to looks and practicality, then the V60 would be the choice. But it has the about the same power as the 3 series (250hp) and it's a full second slower to 60. I read a comment on a video that suggested that the 250hp Volvo engine should really be compared to BMWs/Audis 190hp engines. According to reviews the Volvo engine does seem to be a bit rough at high revs compared to the competition too. Then there's the S60, which is absolutely gorgeous, but has the same problems as the V60. Gearbox too slow, and performance doesn't match the power output. I don't know if the V60/S60 comes with a limited slip diff, because I remember during damp conditioned I always struggled to get the power down in my old 220 VRS. I would imagine without an LSD the Volvo's would be the same. On the other hand, the 330i's I've been looking at have the M Sport Plus package which included an LSD. Combine an LSD with rear wheel drive and there'll be less of an issue getting power now. Obviously 4x4 would be better overall, but I'll struggle to get that without going for an older car. It's just such a shame about the V60, I really want to have one (looks/space), and if I didn't enjoy driving so much then it probably would suite me, but I enjoy driving and I do lots of short journeys where I feel the Volvo is probably more suited to longer runs on the motorway rather than shorter runs around back country roads. While it would appear than I'd edging towards the 330i, it's not perfect either. It's a saloon. It's boot is 480 litres, which isn't massive but should be enough. Sadly being a saloon it means that the boot is less usable due to the restricted opening. An estate version of the same car is out of my price range until I drop down to the 220i and I'm not willing to drop down to 150hp less than what I've got now. I think I'm going to rule out the Audi S4/S5. While they have plenty of power (350hp), I'd have to get a four year old car to keep within my budget. A wildcard option is that I get a previous generation 340i Touring. Plenty of power, plenty of space and you can still get them within warranty. They look outdated though, but apart from that it would hit most of my criteria. Not sure I want to be confused with the local drug runners though. Finally, the Mini Clubman JCW. Only thing it lacks is the space. With a boot capacity of only 380 litres, it's 100 litres down on the 3 series and 245 litres down on the Superb. However, based on driving my wife's Cooper S, I know it would be an absolute hoot to drive with over 300hp and four wheels drive. The whole decision is driving me up the wall. I always wanted a bigger car, having two kids it's always good to have the space to chuck their bikes/trikes in the boot and go out for the day. Or going on UK holidays and being able to throw all of your cases in the boot. The Superb and Octavia were great at this. It's seems that no-matter what I choose I'm going to lose the freedom of a huge boot.

I appreciate you opinion of the Volvo. For me, I recall a carwow review which showed when you floor it, there was a long delay before the gearbox would decide it needed to drop a gear. A number of reviews have also highlighted that when put up against the new 3 series for driving pleasure, the Volvo loses out in every way. I've always thought a V60 would be my next car, but while they've made it more sporty compares to older models,they've only gone 70-80% of the way there. If I got one, I know I'll feel the same way that I do about the superb, a fantastic car that lacks a dynamic edge. another car I'm looking at is a Mini Clubman JCW, great sounding, quick, 4x4, but it lacks the boot space. I may simply have to settle for buying something cheap until we can actually get out and test drive and physically see different cars and make a decision then. My last two cars I've bought from a distance and not test drove or even seen them first.

I didn't know it was only a 4 seater. You learn something new every day.

There is some brand snobbery I suppose, but it's mainly because most 'premium' cars seem to come from Germany. Premium brands that I can think of Audi, BMW, Merc, Lexus, Jaguar, Volvo. 3/6 just so happen to be German, and the rest just don't appeal to me for various reasons that don't include them being from Germany. i.e. I love the Volvo V60, but the car itself just lacks that dynamic edge I'm looking for. If the V60 had the directness and sharpness of the 3 series, I'd have one straight away. I'm not sure any of list included any 4 seat vehicles? They're all five seat I believe. Over the years we've had everything from Renault, Fiat, Vauxhall, Skoda, Nissan, Rover, MG, and Mazda. We've not had anything from any of the premium brands, and life has taught us lately that life is too short, so why not give one a go. Plus, we'll be the envy of all our friends (kidding!).

Yep, this is certainly the case. Whatever I choose, it's going to be flawed in some way. I just need to make sure I make a decision that I don't later regret. I like the previous gen M140. There's only two issues with it, the first is the dash, based on the 3 series and it's a bit dated. The second, the boot, it's far too small. For my budget I could get a new shape M135i, but again, the boot is fairly small. I also looked at a Mini Clubman JCW, 306hp, 4x4, but again, the boot just isn't big enough. The more I think about it, the more the 330i seems to make sense. In the real world, when do you really get chance to use more than 260hp? Being a saloon, the boot isn't a usable, but I can get over that. I'd be aiming for something like this with the big wheels, black grill and uprated brakes. The one thing I'm concerned about as well, is that they'll become too common and everyone will have one. A bit like the previous shape 3 series. There's loads around here and they're all driven by chavy lads or wannabe drug dealers.

The biggest issue with the Kia is.... it's a Kia, and while I know they are decent cars, my wife and I just can't bring ourselves to spend that sort of money on something that not so long ago was a budget brand. I know Skoda was a budget brand, but the sharing of parts with the rest of the VAG group means that you can be confident you're getting a certain level of quality in most areas. I did look at a Hyundai i30 Fastback N, but the interiors are drab.

After a number of issues and costly repairs, we've decided we just don't have any confidence in the car anymore and we're getting rid of the Superb. It's not particularly the cars fault, and I'd easily have another. For those not familiar with the story, Bought a Superb 280, got it remapped, turbo blew which resulted in the engine needing new crankshaft bearings and a repair bill of £3k. We're in the process of looking for our next car, but it's amazing how difficult choosing a car can be, but I thought I'd share thoughts and get some opinions. Audi S5 (2017) - I like this, looks good, plenty of power, four wheel drive, 6 cylinders, sounds good, and hatchback for better boot access. I've watched loads of reviews, and my only concern is that as with the Superb, I'd regret not getting something that feels more direct and responsive (sporty). Many reviews say that the steering/ride isn't as direct as some of the competition, and the gearbox can be a bit lazy if it's not in sport (i'm thinking similar to the Superb in D mode). While I want more power, I don't want it to be at the sacrifice of driver engagement and feel (or fun factor). Within budget, I'm looking at a 2017 model, obviously outside of manufacturers warranty but still with less than 30k miles on the clock. BMW 330i (2019) - I absolutely love the look of these. In my opinion it's one of the best, if not the best looking saloon in its class. No four wheel drive, 100hp down on the S5, but from reviews the drive is more direct, responsive and the handling on twisty roads trumps the S5. Interior quality looks excellent. With this one I'm afraid I'd have the opposite problem to the S5, while it's probably a better drive, will I regret not getting something with more power. Really, it's only 20hp down on the Superb (at stock) and I was pretty happy with that (until I got a remap which seems like easy, cheap power). Having watched plenty of views, the engine sounds ok, and there's at least some noise from the exhaust which seems very similar to that of a Mini Cooper S (wife has one). A 2019 model would still fall under the manufacturers warranty which could be extended to provide further peace of mind. Merc C43 (2017) - 3.0 V6 twin turbo. I did initially consider one of these, but I think I've pretty much ruled this one out because of the dated technology, and the interior is starting to look dated compared to the new 3 series. Again, it would be outside of warranty. I like the idea of this car, the brand, the look, the engine and its twin turbos, but I can't get past the infotainment lacking Apple CarPlay and looking generally old. It has a smaller boot than everything else (by about 80 litres), but I could have gotten past that. Alfa Guila Veloce (2019) - I like the look of these, 280hp so plenty of power, but it's very similar to the 3 series and given a choice between the two, I'd always opt for the 3 series for the simple fact I think the interior is better and I would expect it to hold more of its value. 340i/440i (2018) (Previous generation) - While this would meet my needs for more power and a direct/sporty feel, once you've looked at the new 3 series the previous generations just look dated in comparison and I don't think I could get past that. In isolation the previous gen 3/4 series is a lovely looking car, but when it's put side by side with the latest generation there's night and day between them. I think the previous gen 3 series design goes all the way back to 2014, that's 7 year. Audi S4/S4 Avant - I'm not a fan of the looks, they're just too bland for me. I want something I can park up in a supermarket that makes me want to look back at it, and I don't think these do that. Kia Stinger 3.3 - Just nope, not a fan. Golf R/Seat Leon/VRS etc - I've ruled these out. I've had a few things from the VW that use the EA888 engine and I fancy a change. Something a bit more upmarket. For the same price as a used 3 series, I could get a more or less new Octavia VRS. They look great, and while I always liked my old Mk 3 VRS, I always found it struggled with front end grip and the sound system was pretty dire. Honda Civic Type R/Renault Megane R.S. - These cars would be fun to strive with enough power day to day, but at 40 year old I think I'm a little too old for these. I'd also prefer something with a bigger boot. Volvo V60 T5 R-Design - On paper this is probably a car that should be perfectly suited to me. More mature, enough power, auto gearbox, plenty for space for carrying the family around, and I recon it's the best looking estate on the market. The problem is, many reviews say that the car is geared too much towards comfort and that the gearbox is slow to respond. That rules it out because while it's more than likely fantastic doing daily duties, it just won't impart any kind of excitement when you want to hit those B roads. Anything from Jag - Designs look too dated. My decisions seems to change from hour to hour. I'm not rushing into anything, especially as we're in lockdown anyway, but it's frustrating. I feel like I'm edging towards a 2019 330i, but it's just that niggling feeling that I'll want more power and whether or not I'd be willing to sacrifice driver engagement to get it. If I could get the the latest 340i within budget, that would be my made up, but they're almost £10k more and I just don't have the money.

I posted this on Pistonheads too, but there's a Skoda Dealership selling a brand new IS38 turbo for £999 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-OEM-Audi-VW-Skoda-Seat-2-0-TSI-TFSI-IS38-Turbo-charger-06K145874F/153940116474?epid=23021817503&hash=item23d78bc3fa:g:KVIAAOSwhe9digGz As a reference, I paid around £450 in labour/oil to have the turbo replaced on my Superb. So if you get that turbo linked above, or a one from Littco, then you'll be looking at a total cost of around £1500. I paid £1200 to to get mine done, but I only needed a replacement turbo core and not the whole unit. Mahle look like they sell the wastegate actuator on it's own, so I wonder if that's an option as it's only £150 https://uk.redbrain.shop/search?q=MAHLE+IHI+IS38+Electronic&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyJOBBhDCARIsAJG2h5cPwULcGHnUjrYOdn-3NKAFQGFQn5V3KpjuSwyLrxRxALoGy-747G8aAlptEALw_wcB

I've spoke to a few tuners who have said they wouldn't remap a car that had a Littco turbo. The main reason seems to be that something like a map from REVO has had hours and hours of testing done on the stock IS38 turbo. The Littco L380X is slightly different and introduces a tiny amount of lag (not noticeable) but gives you more boost/flow at the top end. I think tuners are concerned that their maps won't be as effective on something untested. I had one turner tell me they would tune it, but couldn't guarantee the results. Like you, Ive had a tuner try to steer me towards a Turbo Technics turbo, but I think that's only because that's what they work with and know. My tuner, and another that's fairly local both work with Littco, so if you go to them that's what they suggest. It all depends on the tuner. I don't think these tuners think there's anything wrong with Littco turbos, it's just that they are not familiar with them. The tuner I used know the guy from Littco and has helped out and done testing for them, so it seems obvious he'd stick with them. As mentioned, I've had a nightmare with my car. But after a lot of research to speaking to a load of tuners, I'm confident that the map itself wasn't the cause of my turbo failure. It's more likely that my stock IS38 was balanced within manufacturer tolerances, but possible just. Once the turbo has been asked to produce more boost, it's just given up. My problems would have ended there if the recovery guy hadn't have tried over and over again to start the car to get it onto his truck, as we believe this is where the damage to the crank bearings has come from. When he was turning it over, we heard a metal grinding noise (probably a spun bearing). Cost wise, I think I'm up to around £3k to get the car back on the road. That included replacement turbo, and new crankshaft bearings and seals. If I had only needed a new turbo, then £1200. I keep seeing posts online saying get a REVO map, don't go independent. But if you do your research, you'll see that turbo failures occur on REVO maps as well, although I think any turbo failure is less likely these days compared to when the Golf R etc first came out as VW have made various changes to the IS38 over the year in an attempt to reduce the number of failures, but I think still the underlying issue is there, just nowhere near as apparent. The only advice I can give to anyone remapping the IS38 turbo is, don't floor it until the engine oil is up to speed. There are those that believe that these turbos fail because of a lack of oil supply to the bearings. If you're flooring it when the oil isn't warmed up it won't be flowing as well through the turbo and won't provide the required lubrication. The second bit of advice is, listen out for any sort of whine coming from your turbo as low revs, as this is a clear sign that the bearings are warn. I had this noise, but I just assumed it was something to do with the remap. I could kick myself that I didn't do anything about it and get it looked at sooner.

@Bigeater It would be interesting to see a view showing how your exhaust sounds at idle and being rev'd as there's not many 280's with a resonator delete and it's something I'm considering myself.

I don't like the looks, and the handling is meant to be a bit suspect.

I'm wondering if an exhaust specialist could open up the OEM baffles at the rear and make some modifications? Alternatively, chop off the tips right where they meet the baffle and weld them onto another back box. If I'm keeping the car, I need to do something.

Yeh the Giulia I'm talking about was the 4 pot 2.0 280hp. The car itself is lovely, and from the reviews it looks an absolute hoot to drive and there is at least some noise from the exhaust. I've always said, the Superb is a fantastic car apart from two things. Handling and noise. The handling is easily sorted without spoiling the OEM looks, but the exhaust is more difficult. Once the car is back on the road I'm going to ask the specialist what options I have to get a 'little' more noise from the exhaust at high revs. I'm thinking maybe having them install a sport resonator (rather than deleting it completely) to see if that makes a difference as it's cheap to do and cheap to remove if it makes the car worse. I've already opened the flaps and that gives more rumble lower down, but I want something that is quiet when you're driving around, but that puts a smile on your face when you floor it. I keep saying this, but my wife's Mini makes some lovely noises and it's lacking at least 150hp compared to mine, so why shouldn't I have a little noise.

I was considering either a C43, Audi S5 or an Alfa Romeo Guilia Veloce (280hp). In fairness, none are really that much quicker than my Superb, they're just far better sounding. The Alfa, while it would have less power, is Gorgeous.