What next?

[fsa]

Just looking for inspiration/suggestions/reminders on anything else I should consider doing to my 1.4MPI before calling it a day...will get unbelievably busy from next week without much breathing space till next summer... (still holding off the engine flush till next oil change)

In essence, I'm after anything that's got a high cost:efficacy ratio...don't want to be spending into a black hole....and any other common faults I can easily sort out...

Engine: MAP + throttle body cleaning, pikey 10cm air intake upgrade, Bosch Super 4s, new thermostat + sensor + housing, radiator flush, new charcoal canister.

Suspension: Whiteline RARB.

Bodywork + exterior: endless detailing with rotary + paintchip repairs, AeroTwin front wipers, Golf rear wiper upgrade, headlights polished, extreme vision/night breaker front lights, door panel leaks sealed.

Tasteless aesthetics: tail light masks, interior map LED lights, painted engine bay plastic lids, fancier number plate + holder, retrimmed door panels and Brisky stickies!

Edited 26 September, 2011 by fsa

[anewman]

Head unit + subwoofer with amp + front speakers + amp for front speakers + sound deadening in front doors (in order of importance)

[fsa]

Head unit + subwoofer with amp + front speakers + amp for front speakers + sound deadening in front doors (in order of importance)

Forgot to put down that the previous owner fitted a JVC KDR411. Is that reasonable? Could do with a bit more bass....subwoofer is next then and those uprated rear speakers?

Was contemplating a parrot kit when I just realised the KDR411 can handle calls through an additional JVC bluetooth adaptor. So I either pay the £60 for that or upgrade my head unit to one that already has bluetooth...

Edited 27 September, 2011 by fsa

[anewman]

Can sometimes pick up sub and amp combos quite cheap on ebay. People will list with a low start bid as collect only, and so this means only people prepared to travel there will bid - and often those listings will receive few/no bids. The main expense then is a kit to wire it in if no cables provided in the deal.

[fsa]

Can sometimes pick up sub and amp combos quite cheap on ebay. People will list with a low start bid as collect only, and so this means only people prepared to travel there will bid - and often those listings will receive few/no bids. The main expense then is a kit to wire it in if no cables provided in the deal.

Good plan Generally amp and subs are interchangeable, presumably? I don't need to stick with JVC...?

[E11HES]

Exactly, No need to stick with JVC. I have a fly sub, with its own amp, but you can also get subs with a separate amp. As you were talking about upgrading the rear speakers, i have some spare ones which someone found of ebay to be a credible replacement to the standard ones if you want these (common upgrade speakers for people on here)

Cheers, Elliott

[ste372]

Ive got brand new sub and amp complete with full wiring kit never fitted taken out the box for pics. £100 and its yours. Msg me if u want some pics of it and spec etc.

[anewman]

Yep only thing you need on the stereo is RCA pre-outs for the sub (OE head units usually don't have those.)

[Chris Coates]

Exactly, No need to stick with JVC. I have a fly sub, with its own amp, but you can also get subs with a separate amp. As you were talking about upgrading the rear speakers, i have some spare ones which someone found of ebay to be a credible replacement to the standard ones if you want these (common upgrade speakers for people on here)

Cheers, Elliott

Are they the Blaupunkt ones? Might be interested myself hahaha

[anewman]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-FABIA-BLAUPUNKT-50W-REAR-X2-SPEAKER-UPGRADE-KIT-/280618414455?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4156293177

[Chris Coates]

Yeah, but if I can pick up in person locally then it's less traceable by the missus as opposed to her looking at our account and noting stuff has been paid for via paypal

[fsa]

Thanks for your input. Definitely interested in those rear speakers, Elliot, if they're the 50W ones which are supposed to be a straight swap? Since I want to keep my rear tweeters, I think I don't need to do any rewiring....or so I read.

Pics and specs would be great, Ste....definitely interested!

[Guest BigJase88]

Eibach springs?

[Chris Coates]

Well if you can hang fire fsa...

...You might want to consider picking yourself up a replacement throttle body

Got the 90 degree pipe coming soon and then I should be able to hook it up!

[fsa]

Well if you can hang fire fsa...

...You might want to consider picking yourself up a replacement throttle body

Got the 90 degree pipe coming soon and then I should be able to hook it up!

Oh I forgot about your wider throttle body mod! Definitely something I will do with a bit of direction

Didnt realise you were interested in those rear speakers too...you go ahead with Elliot's set...I can resort to ebay since no one else looks through my finances :p

Would you guys recommend the Eiback springs? Not too fussed about lowering it to look meaner....franky the RARB was the best thing I could do to the handling...infinitely times more fun to drive!

[Chris Coates]

I was always thinking something along the lines of firmer springs, but not necessarily dropping it. That way it's a true sleeper.

Whether there are any firmer (but not necessarily lower) springs however is a different matter!

[Guest BigJase88]

If you want to improve handling

Seat sport strut brace

Koni fsd shock absorbers

Eibach springs

Powerflex the bushes at the front

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

I was always thinking something along the lines of firmer springs, but not necessarily dropping it. That way it's a true sleeper.

Whether there are any firmer (but not necessarily lower) springs however is a different matter!

Coilovers wound up like bossfox's SE

[fsa]

If you want to improve handling

Seat sport strut brace

Koni fsd shock absorbers

Eibach springs

Powerflex the bushes at the front

More shopping then. Is that list in order of priority after the RARB?

[fsa]

Oh, and I know this q should go under ICE, but what should I look out for when looking for subs and amps? Quick browse around the web and I'm inundated with choice...

[anewman]

This guide http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/ipb/index.php/topic/348786-hi-im-new-and-id-like-to-put-a-stereo-in-my-car/ is quite good and will give some food for thought. Another issue, not sure if it is covered in there, is there is some debate on ported vs. enclosed sub enclosures - with suggestion they're better suited to different types of music, but sealed is more universally good.

[fsa]

Exactly what I was after, many thanks!

[fsa]

Hmm...focuses quite heavily on the 4 channel amp. But I don't think I'd need that as I'm happy with the OEM speakers which are pretty decent. Doesn't that mean a mono amp will suffice...one that will run the sub?

I'm going to look around on ebay...can't really afford the new prices. How much should I look to spend to land a decent set on the used market?

[anewman]

Just running a little search on ebay with your location in mind. Doesn't seem to be much there at the moment.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-Subwoofer-/140611411855?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item20bd17df8f doesn't look too bad so long as bidding doesn't go mad. Looks like a 4 channel amp. From what I have read JBL subwoofers can withstand power above their rating, so even if it has been abused it is probably still ok.

[fsa]

Thanks so much for taking the time to do that! I was looking around Camb and London since I'll still go there over weekends for work. I did put that on the watch list, but was put off by there not being any wires and was looking out for this one instead. Or this one.