Some advice required re aftermarket parts

[elford_tim]

As already mentioned in a thread further down I\'m now seriously toying with the idea of buying an FD to keep my FC company. I\'m not planning to change the car massively but I\'m planning to throw a couple of underbonnet mods at it and make a couple of minor subtle changes to the interior.

• As we all know, the Mazda gauges aren\'t exactly the most reliable indicators of engine condition in the world, but has anybody got any experience with the Mazdaspeed gauge cluster? I realise it\'s km/h only but that doesn\'t bother me at all as I\'m quite used to do the conversion in my head. More importantly, are the water temp and oil pressure gauges simply as "bad" as the original ones, just with a prettier face or are they actually more precise?
• Any recommendation for an A-pillar gauge pod? Ideally I\'d like the whole pillar cover with integrated pods instead of bodging on a universal fit-nothing holder.
• Autometer stealth gauges - any good?
• Does anybody know of a reasonably priced source for Volk TE37s? Yes, I know they\'re boring and almost "old-skool" but I like the looks of them and the dark bronze suits a black car.
• Twin head-light conversion - most of the recent ones seem to do away with the flip-up lights. I\'d rather keep those and replace the single h/l with a dual. I believe there were some kits available - anybody got a recommendation? Not after one with HID lights if that makes a difference.

I think that should keep me broke enough for a while after buying the car...

Any other mods that people consider essential? If I go for the RoTechniks car it\'ll already have the following parts on there by the time they\'ll be done:

• Aluminium AST
• Aftermarket downpipe + high-flow cat, probably RB cat-back
• Aluminium radiator
• Uprated intercooler
• K&N in original airbox as I\'m old and like my peace & quiet :Laugh

The goal is to create a quick, reasonably comfortable car for longer-distance journeys, not a rapid trackday weapon.

[Martiny]

Tim, if you\'re looking for a relatively un-modified car, I might be tempted into letting mine go.

[Grizzly]

No1 on any Tuning list should be an ECU (Power Fc is the Wepon of Choice for most)

[elford_tim]

Tim, if you\'re looking for a relatively un-modified car, I might be tempted into letting mine go.

It\'s red though, isn\'t it? I\'m after black or silver at a stretch...

Anyway, give me a bit more info, maybe I will be interested after all.

[elford_tim]

No1 on any Tuning list should be an ECU (Power Fc is the Wepon of Choice for most)

Well, I know that I\'d need one if I wanted to crank up the boost - however the plan was to leave that part well alone and just concentrate on intake and exhaust.

If I ever go further than that I will be putting a fully mappable ECU on for sure.

[McCARTHY]

it wouldn\'t just help with the  boost, you would get a much better responce across the rev range with a re map on a PFC both with an increse in both power and torque. with out one, although you will still get gains, you wont get the absolute best out of any exhaust or filter you put on the car :driving

Just my two pence

[Grizzly]

Well, I know that I\'d need one if I wanted to crank up the boost - however the plan was to leave that part well alone and just concentrate on intake and exhaust.

If I ever go further than that I will be putting a fully mappable ECU on for sure.

You need one if you do anything to alter the Air/Fuel mixture. If you see how Restrictive the stock Down pipe and cat are you will understand why fitting 3" make such a diffrence to the Power and there for the Air/Fuel, its a Bit of a Gauntlet doing the Bolt ons without proper Fuel management Plus you will not see true Power gains unless its set up correctly.

[elford_tim]

OK, fair enough, thanks for the advice. Sounds like a I\'ll also budget for a Power FC then...