I think my problem is I don't really want a middle ground car.

 

I am looking for something with a genuine performance edge or something that dares to be different (Green Mk2 Fabia vRS for example covers both bases) 

 

The 3 series available in my price bracket don't really do either of the above unless I consider particularly high milers which I have never really done before, or want to do now.

 

Here's a curve ball

 

 

Seat Altea XL Freetrack - It's VAG, 4x4, bags of space, choice of 2.0 litre 170bhp diesel or 200bhp petrol, some of the looks of Skoda Scout models, basically the Leon FR interior, and available in yellow

 

I always had a bit of a soft spot for Alteas, quite original IMHO. 

There is also Leon Estate for you, not sure if available with Cupra engine. Mazda3MPS might be something you could look at too - amazing performance from 2.3l Turbo engine http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/for-sale/search/mazda/3/mps-2009/usedcfs-840864535126801/

Same here too, although a few years away. I can't kick the urge to get something from the Broverian area of Germany....

You meant Bavarian?

 

Bayerische Mist Wagen comes to mind

Edited 17 July, 201411 yr by Jabozuma

I always had a bit of a soft spot for Alteas, quite original IMHO. 

There is also Leon Estate for you, not sure if available with Cupra engine. Mazda3MPS might be something you could look at too - amazing performance from 2.3l Turbo engine http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/for-sale/search/mazda/3/mps-2009/usedcfs-840864535126801/

 

Leon Estate would need to be the new model and I guess if there is a Cupra it will be far beyond my price range.

 

I am picturing the 2.0tsi Altea XL Freetrack 4x4 Stage 2 at around 280bhp and with kid seat in full view out on track harassing a few cars, and I do like the idea. (as you can see I am looking for something around 3 years old, jsut out of warranty and ready to tinker with)

 

MPS is great but not quite big enough and thirsty as they come.

Don't like all those plastics on Freetrack!

You meant Bavarian?

Bayerische Mist Wagen comes to mind

I certainly did!! :-) thank you for correcting my rubbish spelling. ;-)

Anyone think a Touran with a nice set of alloys could pass for a mini T5?

A Ford S-Max might be more like a bigger ST, and with less issues than you can have with a Touran.

Firstly, thank you to Sparkly.

 

ITG fitted and sounds awesome, a downside is that I drove home without the fans on so I could hear all the noises, ha.

 

I'll get some pics up in a bit.

 

Only weird thing, is my coolant pump (Sparkly spotted it) was going off when we were there and it was then going crazy when I got home, any ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent! Makes a good difference doesn't it?

 

What do you mean by coolant pump? What sort of noise was it making?

Firstly, thank you to Sparkly.

 

ITG fitted and sounds awesome, a downside is that I drove home without the fans on so I could hear all the noises, ha.

 

I'll get some pics up in a bit.

 

Only weird thing, is my coolant pump (Sparkly spotted it) was going off when we were there and it was then going crazy when I got home, any ideas?

 

Great to hear you are enjoying it Rob,  I can imagine that was a touch warm in this weather with no A/C.   Prepare to lose some MPG as you go about practicing making the dump valve and supercharger noises as pronounced as possible.

 

I only mentioned that whichever pump it was we heard was giving it some (a little louder than mine), all perfectly normal that this would continue running after the engine has been switched off.  All the more necessary on a warm day like today.

 

Stood next to your car on tickover it sounds like it's in great health with a very even idle, nothing to worry about.

 

Although having now seen the "breather pipe mod" AKA small length of rubber tube - I cannot for the life in me see how this fixes anything.

Sparkly,

Breather Pipe & Valve mod. 

This shows the part that our friend in Spain was charged for because the Extended Warranty Company would not pay for it..

Makes a great difference, so pleased with the addition.

 

However I had car envy stood next to Sparkly's, looks so much better lowered and with those brakes, really like the green too.

 

It's just an intermittant pump noise coming low in the engine bay after switch off, I think it's just a combination of the heat and my enthusiastic driving to get there and back quickly.

Sparkly,

Breather Pipe & Valve mod. 

This shows the part that our friend in Spain was charged for because the Extended Warranty Company would not pay for it..

 

I am just glad to know that there is something else to the "fix" than the short length of rubber tube on Bobnaldo's car - which btw the ITG doesn't use anyway.

 

Once again, from changing the ITG onto a car with stock air box, you can see that it would remove any restriction with that monstrous filter element and ducting nearly twice the diameter of the stock stuff.

Makes a great difference, so pleased with the addition.

 

However I had car envy stood next to Sparkly's, looks so much better lowered and with those brakes, really like the green too.

 

It's just an intermittant pump noise coming low in the engine bay after switch off, I think it's just a combination of the heat and my enthusiastic driving to get there and back quickly.

 

That is normal, water pump always runs for 15 minutes after shut down.

Edited 18 July, 201411 yr by Jabozuma

I am just glad to know that there is something else to the "fix" than the short length of rubber tube on Bobnaldo's car - which btw the ITG doesn't use anyway.

 

Once again, from changing the ITG onto a car with stock air box, you can see that it would remove any restriction with that monstrous filter element and ducting nearly twice the diameter of the stock stuff.

 

Has anybody tried dyno'ing their car without air filter, just open air box?

It would give an excellent benchmark to compare different filters to

The next mod on the list is a filter of some kind but not sure what one to go for. There isn't really a tidy solution for the vRS

This one is pretty tidy, supposed to be the best one too.