32 minutes ago, newbie69 said:

Hehe, this was one of the options I was considering. Very nice and practical package and (as used) not too much more expensive than the Superb (i'm assuming it's the C43 in question here...), depending on the market of-course.

3 things that put me off further consideration, which probably don't apply to everyone else but just for the sake of chatting:

a) My neighboor got one last year so it'd look like I was copying him, I'm more used in setting the example  
b) Can't imagine going back to a car with an analog dash any more, makes it feel as if it's a decade old in my eyes. Obviously not an issue if you don't have a digital dash already (or if not too fond of it as opposed to myself )  and that tablet in the middle of the console just looks wrong.
c) Slower than my Superb currently so there I'd go with tuning and burning cash all over again on top of the purchase cost and I've made it a requirement that if I am spending say another 10K on top of the Superb's current value it'd better be on a car that's at least just as fast in stock form.

But in general it's a very attractive and competitive package (as used)


 

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.

4 minutes ago, TheBinarySheep said:

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.

The Giulia is a 2.0 4-pot, think you confused it with the 510bhp QV    and I didn't even think of the Audi as the exhaust note is nothing too special despite the V6 (before it was given that awful TDI motor in 2019)

Both are noticeably slower than a stage 1 280 though (Giulia even more) so you'd be back in the "forbidden" tuning sooner in no time!

The only relevant 3.0 V6 that sounds actually good and goes fast as stock i can think of is the C43.

24 minutes ago, newbie69 said:

The Giulia is a 2.0 4-pot, think you confused it with the 510bhp QV    and I didn't even think of the Audi as the exhaust note is nothing too special despite the V6 (before it was given that awful TDI motor in 2019)

Both are noticeably slower than a stage 1 280 though (Giulia even more) so you'd be back in the "forbidden" tuning sooner in no time!

The only relevant 3.0 V6 that sounds actually good and goes fast as stock i can think of is the C43.

 

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.

Edited 3 February, 20215 yr by TheBinarySheep

10 hours ago, TheBinarySheep said:

 

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.

All 3 cars you mention are great looking imo, the S5 and the Giulia a bit more so in my eyes, the C43 is more restrained but it has the more interesting drivetrain out of the three for me.

Improving the exhaust note and keeping the OEM looks is a bit tricky as it'll need to be a custom job, but there is definitely room for improvement judging from upgraded exhaust systems I've heard on other MQB cars.

1 hour ago, newbie69 said:

All 3 cars you mention are great looking imo, the S5 and the Giulia a bit more so in my eyes, the C43 is more restrained but it has the more interesting drivetrain out of the three for me.

Improving the exhaust note and keeping the OEM looks is a bit tricky as it'll need to be a custom job, but there is definitely room for improvement judging from upgraded exhaust systems I've heard on other MQB cars.

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.

How about a rear wheel drive 3.3 litre turbo Kia Stinger GT-S with 365bhp and a very nice exhaust noise. Very reasonable prices for used ones. Tune it to around 450bhp for sideways fun and don't worry about the fuel consumption.

1 hour ago, shyVRS245 said:

How about a rear wheel drive 3.3 litre turbo Kia Stinger GT-S with 365bhp and a very nice exhaust noise. Very reasonable prices for used ones. Tune it to around 450bhp for sideways fun and don't worry about the fuel consumption.

 

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

I'd have to agree with @TheBinarySheep on the Kia. It just doesn't feel any special or attractive to me whatsoever, guess it's partly due to the looks which are a weird blend without getting somewhere particular and to my perception of the brand.

The AWD is also such a pig, a whooping 200kg heavier than the Superb which sounds crazy (some people call the Superb a heavy car  ), if i change weight class I'm going down not up!

I don't doubt it should drive well and I've seen a red one in the flesh which looked far better than I thought, just not for me.

I know this is an old thread but I've read through and feel like I've just watched the first episode of a new TV series. Now I'm fully invested and want to know how things turned out...

 

Also.. I'm actively trying to pre-emp what happened to you.. I want to remap but I'm worried about the Turbo weakness so currently crawling the forum and YouTube for tips on the best options for a refurb IS38 with stronger internals, and maybe a cheeky little upgrade while I'm at it. Not after bat **** crazy but a reliable 400 ish would do me just nicely I think.

32 minutes ago, spen686 said:

I know this is an old thread but I've read through and feel like I've just watched the first episode of a new TV series. Now I'm fully invested and want to know how things turned out...

 

Also.. I'm actively trying to pre-emp what happened to you.. I want to remap but I'm worried about the Turbo weakness so currently crawling the forum and YouTube for tips on the best options for a refurb IS38 with stronger internals, and maybe a cheeky little upgrade while I'm at it. Not after bat **** crazy but a reliable 400 ish would do me just nicely I think.

Just use a reliable tuner. Something like the Revo performance pack with stage 2 and the dsg map would take you happily to your target safely. 
this thread was most likely caused by using a cheap map or an unreliable source, which among other issues was very likely over fuelling for one. 
You could also source your bits separately. R600, DO88 intercooler and hard pipe kit, elbow, intake hose, etc and select your trusted map of choice. And if your still concerned about the IS38, then something like the power max from Garrett will cover you happily. 

As the OP hasn’t been here since Nov 21, I think the series got cancelled! 

4 hours ago, numskull said:

As the OP hasn’t been here since Nov 21, I think the series got cancelled! 

 

Yeah, I had a feeling that was likely.. it was a fair while back and people use forums less these days don't they (sadly) 😐

9 hours ago, UndertheRadar said:

Just use a reliable tuner. Something like the Revo performance pack with stage 2 and the dsg map would take you happily to your target safely. 
this thread was most likely caused by using a cheap map or an unreliable source, which among other issues was very likely over fuelling for one. 
You could also source your bits separately. R600, DO88 intercooler and hard pipe kit, elbow, intake hose, etc and select your trusted map of choice. And if your still concerned about the IS38, then something like the power max from Garrett will cover you happily. 

 

Yep, definitely narrowing down to only the big names that have spent a bit of R&D time on their maps. Fortunately there are a few to choose from.. these EA888 are popular tuning projects. I've had Revo before so that's a runner as is APR and also Ecotune have been suggested to me recently as a good option. I want ideally stage 1 / 1+ and a TCU tune to sort out shift points and, more importantly,  clamping pressure to avoid clutch slip.

 

And I want everything to look stock, so that's putting me off the Garrett (although it's tempting!)

 

Breathing I've done the basics.. air filter, remove snow grill, pikey R600... Elbow and pipe are next if I can find very stock looking replacements. Initially not keen on mucking around with exhaust but the idea of downpipe is creeping up on me, as long as it's not too noisy and doesn't affect my MOT.. and cost a small fortune!

1 minute ago, spen686 said:

And I want everything to look stock, so that's putting me off the Garrett (although it's tempting!)

 

And back to the turbo.. Hybrid IS38 fits the bill as stock looking and Littco is up there as an option (but which one?). Which takes me back to the choice of map.. even an improved IS38 seems sensible to avoid anything over 1.6 bar boost which limits me to Stage 1 or 1+. 400 target should still be doable if I get the turbo right ?? Is there a sensible limit for reliable boost on the Garrett? I know they easily push out some serious GGs.. hence still being tempted.

1 hour ago, spen686 said:

 

Yeah, I had a feeling that was likely.. it was a fair while back and people use forums less these days don't they (sadly) 😐

Actually, I don’t think that’s true. They may move to less traditional areas like FB and Reddit, but information exchange is still strong. I’d think Colin could confirm the numbers for this forum and I’ll be pretty sure they’ll be strong. 

2 hours ago, spen686 said:

 

And back to the turbo.. Hybrid IS38 fits the bill as stock looking and Littco is up there as an option (but which one?). Which takes me back to the choice of map.. even an improved IS38 seems sensible to avoid anything over 1.6 bar boost which limits me to Stage 1 or 1+. 400 target should still be doable if I get the turbo right ?? Is there a sensible limit for reliable boost on the Garrett? I know they easily push out some serious GGs.. hence still being tempted.

Standard IS38 will hit your target all day long and remain reliable with a quality map and proper maintenance. 
if you want to remain OEM in looks, you could try the Revo ETR V2 but it’s an eye watering price. 
If around 400bhp is your end target, I would save the money and run the standard unit and put the cash into suspension or brake upgrades instead. 
But that’s just my personal opinion. 
Your definitely going to need to upgrade the shocks/springs and anti roll bars, along with the brakes at 400bhp. 

I've got a rear ARB off a Golf R in the boot, waiting to get it fitted. I want to keep the standard ride height and want to see if the ARB plus the DCC slider mod will be enough.. if not, I'll be looking at uprated Bilsteins.

35 minutes ago, UndertheRadar said:

Standard IS38 will hit your target all day long and remain reliable with a quality map and proper maintenance. 

 

I have a horrible feeling the current Turbo is on its way out.. 100k miles on the car and a noise I vaguely recognise as a worn Turbo. It might surprise me but it will be a worry. 

Littco do the L380 which is strengthened Core IS38 well enough to run over 400bhp.  Im on my 2nd Littco turbo and they are really good turbo's, the other one I would full recommend is the Turbo Technics V4, the REVO ETR v1 was based on that.

As for tuning, i think the best bet would be a Ecotune dealer due the map being custom, Revo is good for stage 1/2 with a IS38 however i think its a flash tune rather than being custom to your car. 

Ah yes, I've come across some of those in my extensive Googling! The shortlist so far is:

Littco L380

Littco L380x 

Garrett Powermax stage 1

Turbo Technics V4 (only stumbled across this recently)

 

I'm also leaning towards EcoTune on the recommendation of Retro Resus one of my local Tuners who seem really good. They want the sell me a Garrett 🤷

 

Any pointers on pros and cons of these Turbos? Here's where I've got to trying to work it out online.

 

L380 I'm guessing is basically stock but stronger so you can safely dial the boost up one more notch.

 

L380x small upgrade.. bigger compressor so more power potential but tiny bit of extra lag..

 

Powermax Stage 1 I'm still trying to get my head round. Seems to be an all round much better turbo than the IS38 with even more potential power but extra lag seems to be argued about.. I'm attracted to this one on the basis I can run it with conservative boost level and still get to my target. It's just the possible lag that would put me off. I want easy grunt, not screaming revvy power.

 

I know very little about the TTV4 other than people that have them, rate them..

Edited 27 February, 20251 yr by spen686

11 hours ago, spen686 said:

Ah yes, I've come across some of those in my extensive Googling! The shortlist so far is:

Littco L380

Littco L380x 

Garrett Powermax stage 1

Turbo Technics V4 (only stumbled across this recently)

 

I'm also leaning towards EcoTune on the recommendation of Retro Resus one of my local Tuners who seem really good. They want the sell me a Garrett 🤷

 

Any pointers on pros and cons of these Turbos? Here's where I've got to trying to work it out online.

 

L380 I'm guessing is basically stock but stronger so you can safely dial the boost up one more notch.

 

L380x small upgrade.. bigger compressor so more power potential but tiny bit of extra lag..

 

Powermax Stage 1 I'm still trying to get my head round. Seems to be an all round much better turbo than the IS38 with even more potential power but extra lag seems to be argued about.. I'm attracted to this one on the basis I can run it with conservative boost level and still get to my target. It's just the possible lag that would put me off. I want easy grunt, not screaming revvy power.

 

I know very little about the TTV4 other than people that have them, rate them..

I can only comment on those that I have driven myself and mostly in Golf R and Audi S3 variants. 
These would be friends vehicles. 
The littco has no real noticeable lag in either of the versions you mentioned and picks up quickly. 
The power max I couldn’t see any noticeable lag either until you moved to the stage 2 unit, and then it was definitely perceptible but still manageable for low rev town usage if you adjusted your throttle inputs. 
Never tried the turbo technics unit but have driven a golf with the Revo V2 unit and no noticeable lag either. 
In a lot of cases the lag I noticed was more down to the dsg rather than the turbo units, until you started moving up the range to move into 500+ bhp capable units. 
All the vehicles I have driven with uprated units all also have pedal boxes to adjust throttle input settings which may very well be a factor. 
The Revo V2 is quite a bit more expensive and more than you need for the gains you are looking for. The S3 I drove was running around 550bhp, and isint used as a daily. 

Ah yes, good point on DSG.. the standard mapping of that box (mine's a DQ250) makes the car feel like it's being held back by a big elastic band.. you have to really push the pedal hard to get it to come alive.. after a delay. And that it's goes like a scolded cat even stock. Maybe I should simply invest in a DSG map 🤔 

 

Anyway, when the time comes, the Garrett stage 1 is the one that's calling to me. And an ECU and DSG map. 

11 minutes ago, spen686 said:

Ah yes, good point on DSG.. the standard mapping of that box (mine's a DQ250) makes the car feel like it's being held back by a big elastic band.. you have to really push the pedal hard to get it to come alive.. after a delay. And that it's goes like a scolded cat even stock. Maybe I should simply invest in a DSG map 🤔 

 

Anyway, when the time comes, the Garrett stage 1 is the one that's calling to me. And an ECU and DSG map. 

Ultimately a DSG remap can be done on its own and should/will be effective on a standard car or a tuned car. No reason to do with/after an ECU remap except usually some sort of discount for the multibuy. Great for profit margin, but if cashflow timing is a thing, then you lose nothing by focussing on the DSG first.

I'm itching to just book it in and get the ECU and TCU map done together but have this niggling doubt about doing the Turbo.. my gut is telling me wait, do the Turbo and maps together.. which means do it later. I'm enjoying the car as it is so it's just an exercise in deferred gratification. How long can I hold out 😬 And use that time to find the best possible solution.. don't go nuts, but get a good one.

 

For now, DCC slider and getting that ARB fitted should keep me busy for a bit 😁 I'm just re reading the slider post trying to spot who managed to do this themselves, and who found someone to do it for them.. The latter is what I'm hoping to find 🤞

 

 

Its few and far between - needing either ODIS or VCP are the big pain points because the biggest likelyhood is that the numbers of privateers with access is tiny. Need to start perusing VW and Audi forums to try and find options I think...very keen myself so that's 2 of us and there'll be a few more I would have though - although if you've ever seen a Group Buy thread, the number of people who voice their desire to be included, and those that actually pony up when the time comes aren't the same...