What intercooler for GTI?

[gavs]

I have a Harding performance cooler. With these cars the induced lag of the intercooler is basically nil because with the dsg, the ecu sends the ignition cut signal to retard spark, that's the dsg 'fart' everyone talks about. This is good because it means there is no lag between gear changes because the intake butterfly doesn't close on accelerative gear changes so the blower and turbo don't have to rebuild boost pressure in the intercooler. The killer thorough with aftermarket is flow. You can whack a HG motorsports fence in the front of your car with a 150% increase in volume but if the thing doesn't match the flow or better still, increase it then it's pointless, your just going to strain the engine so it will just suck hot air through the path of least resistance and that whopping great intercooler is doing squat. This is why I think personally that for this engine the Harding performance cooler is the best. Bigger surface area without restricting radiator surface area, 60% greater volume with 6% greater airflow than stock. The end tanks are fabricated but so what, the performance speaks for itself and besides, they're covered in beautiful TIG welds.

[LunchboxVRS]

Nice, HP,s the go then. I don't like that HG cooler it just looks nasty to begin with and being so tall the flow up high in the core would be stuff all so would be a waste and like you said block the radiator.

[yokom46]

Winter will arrive before I can afford that HP cooler.

Winter is also fine by me. Bring on the dense cold air

[readerr0r]

Out of curiosity, does the HP price include install?

[BLN355]

Out of curiosity, does the HP price include install?

Nah mate thats another $400 or so on top unless you have stands/room and tools

[Lucas_R]

Wow - if you cant install it yourself that makes for one very expensive intercooler!?!? Is it gold plated?

Id be buying a generic core for about $200 and getting an exhaust shop to make up some stainless pipes and silicone adapters.

Something like this: http://justjap.com/store/product.php...298&page=1

[yokom46]

starting to regret having bought Euro, wow that is pricey!

[LunchboxVRS]

starting to regret having bought Euro, wow that is pricey!

Not in the big scheme of things. Take a turbo Subaru, now you can buy a eBay front mount kit for $1000. It will do the job but the core is generic and it come s with piping and brackets you have to fiddle with and adjust/cut to get right and its still not really tested to any degree. There just going by the bigger is better theory.

Now go out and buy a HKS, blitz, Greddy setup and your talking $2000 but all the pipes fit straight up and its been tested for that vehicle and not some generic core. So $1700 for a intercooler is still a lot of money but its designed for the polo and for Australian conditions.

[yokom46]

Not in the big scheme of things. Take a turbo Subaru, now you can buy a eBay front mount kit for $1000. It will do the job but the core is generic and it come s with piping and brackets you have to fiddle with and adjust/cut to get right and its still not really tested to any degree. There just going by the bigger is better theory.

Now go out and buy a HKS, blitz, Greddy setup and your talking $2000 but all the pipes fit straight up and its been tested for that vehicle and not some generic core. So $1700 for a intercooler is still a lot of money but its designed for the polo and for Australian conditions.

I never thought about it that way. Thanks!

[Lucas_R]

Intercoolers are pretty basic things - i wouldnt think about them in too much depth.

Pretty much anything will be an upgrade to the teeny tiny stock unit.

Theres no way id spend $1000+ dollars on one though.