I've been after a front mount intercooler (FMIC) for a while. It seems to be one of those mods that lots of people want to do, but because the quality FMIC kits from Forge, Pro-Alloy, ABD etc are expensive they are reluctant to do it.

I was the same, and being a tight Yorkshireman I decided to risk buying one of the cheap Ebay kits.

I did a fair bit of research and decided I wanted a kit like the Americans use where the turbo outlet runs down the right-hand side of the engine rather than using the stock pipework that goes around the back then behind the wheel arch.

I looked at lot of Ebay kits, and they were all priced around the same, before settling on one from a supplier in China who offered the cheapest delivery cost to NZ.

Proving that you get what you pay for. Initial problems were:

The (emailed) instructions were just photos - of two different kits.

The intercooler had no means of mounting to the car.

The kit included 2.5" to 3" joiners for the core but both connections were 2.5".

There was no joiner for the throttle body end

The MAP sensor connector was just a connector for a pipe, not a flange as the sensor needs.

Also I have a relocated DV so I needed to add another connection for that.

So there followed a four month period of test fitting, pipe cutting and modifying, hole drilling, bumper removal, refitting, etc etc.

Eventually I got it all connected up how I wanted it.

Costs:

FMIC Kit $400

Delivery $180

Forge MAP sensor pipe $122

DV pipe $59

Hoses $29

Hose clamps $36

Total $826

Stuff I paid for and had left over:

More hoses, extra pipes etc $120

Aluminium welding to modify MAP sensor connection- ended up not using this!! $80

Total $200

Total $1026

Time spent - maybe 40 hours.

So in conclusion - cheap isn't necessarily cheap!

Would I do it again? Probably!

Would I recommend it? No!

I guess you could have got a forge one for what it cost you? Good work none the less mate.

I guess you could have got a forge one for what it cost you? Good work none the less mate.

Pretty much yeah. Though Forge ones locally worked out at something like $2.5k

Now time to get it RR'd and let us know if it works! :p

How much is that in real money Rob ???

How much is that in real money Rob ???

Around 400-450 of your British Pounds

Ah not too bad then.

A forge one is about 600 iirc

your mad lol could have had a forge twin pass that works for a little more lol

but have to say you do bring alot of things to the forum and the fact you do it all your self is a huge thumbs up to you rob well done

forum legend

your mad lol could have had a forge twin pass that works for a little more lol

but have to say you do bring alot of things to the forum and the fact you do it all your self is a huge thumbs up to you rob well done

forum legend

Cheers :p

Last time I priced up the Forge kit landed in NZ (with GST and duty and all that carp) it was about $2,500

But yes I agree I could have had a better quality kit for not much more money.

I'd also have about three fewer scars on my hands and done a lot less cursing and swearing.

But where's the fun in that?

Because I'm "a nerd" as SWMBO says, I updated me diagram:

... GST and duty and all that carp ...

Can you not get a relative (or even one of us!) to send you a "present"?

Can you not get a relative (or even one of us!) to send you a "present"?

Well.. probably yes but then you have to value the insurance at less than the $400 GST threshold. And I've had a few items go missing between the UK and NZ (both ways) so it's a bit of a risk.