Just looking for peoples views on a 04/05 vrs and how much power can be got from One without throwing thousands of pounds at it  and if anyone has one for sale give me a shout 

That had the old 1.9 litre pump duese diesel engine.  A reliable lump, which was 130bhp (from memory).  

 

Like all 12 year old cars, condition will vary depending on how it was driven and how well it was serviced.   I suspect a lot of other mechanical parts are going to be near end of life.   I suspect you can get lots more power out of it, but don’t expect the chassis to be able to handle all the power in its standard (and worn) form

Aye that’s true pal I’m not looking for mental power as I’ve got a kid now but Want something to have fun in 

A decent remap with see you somewhere between 160 and 170ish bhp. Some may say they can get you to 180 or more, but more is doubtful and 180 will be a serious strain on the original turbo fitted to these. Expect to pay anything from £150 to £400 depending on who does it. Personally, I would stay away from a cheap map from an unknown source. 

 

190-230 is achievable with an upgraded turbo and FMIC and can be done on the cheap of you look at second hand bits, especially if you’re able to plumb in the parts yourself. 

 

To keep the costs down, the map can be written to keep lowdown torque to a level to protect the standard clutch and negate the need to upgrade it, but will still need to be driven with consideration to prevent it being killed quickly. 

 

I reckon the the above could be done for around £1k if you can source all the parts second hand, bolt on yourself then remap. 

 

Personally, do it properly or not at all. If money is tight stick with a remap only as you will probably want to upgrade the standard brakes and suspension (at least) to make the most of it if you change the turbo. 

were you able to buy a Fabia?