Me and my 'lil Polo!

[Ratty]

Hi everyone! First post, so go easy on me!

Here's the situation:
I'm currently 16 years old (will be 17 mid Feb) and have got a Polo on the way in time for March 1st registration...lucky me!
It's a 1.2 55bhp (damn insurance), in metallic black, with the body colour pack, 16inch san marino's, boot spoiler and a host of goodies inside to keep me entertained (6CD changer etc).

Anyway, what is there in the way of modifications available for my 'lil beaut?
I'm very interested in the Caractere body kit (although that'll have to wait a few months if it does happen, as it's rather pricy), but apart from that, I'm not really sure what else can be done!
Any chance of sticking some goodies under the bonnet for a bit more go? I've heard mention of a K&N replacement filter as well as some quite of tuning box. Any more info on these such as manufacturer/price/power gains?
Any help would be much appreciated!

[mole]

Hiya Ratty
Welcome to the Polo crew, and the forums!

I'm 18, got a 1.4 S A/C (before they changed it all and the S comes with A/C as standard) Anyway, few mods already done, wheels, windows tinted, and private plate. Caractere kit and KW coilover suspension is on it's way after I get back from my trip to Sweden next week.

Anyway, tuning mods..... Either a cone filter or panel filter are the options for the inlet side of things. They won't give you any power as such, but will make it slightly more responsive I suppose. Couln't go wrong with a de-cat I wouldn't have thought, and this is on my list of things to do.
Not sure what sort of "chips" they do for the new Polo, will have to wait and see what comes out, it's early days....

Anyway, I'm sure you will learn lots on these forums, everyone is helpful enough

Few pics of mine:





Mole.

[Nelson_Wilbury]

Hi everyone! First post, so go easy on me!

Here's the situation:
I'm currently 16 years old (will be 17 mid Feb) and have got a Polo on the way in time for March 1st registration...lucky me!
It's a 1.2 55bhp (damn insurance), in metallic black, with the body colour pack, 16inch san marino's, boot spoiler and a host of goodies inside to keep me entertained (6CD changer etc).

Anyway, what is there in the way of modifications available for my 'lil beaut?
I'm very interested in the Caractere body kit (although that'll have to wait a few months if it does happen, as it's rather pricy), but apart from that, I'm not really sure what else can be done!
Any chance of sticking some goodies under the bonnet for a bit more go? I've heard mention of a K&N replacement filter as well as some quite of tuning box. Any more info on these such as manufacturer/price/power gains?
Any help would be much appreciated!

Hello Ratty, welcome to the boards.
I too got my car when I was 16 and had to wait three months to drive it
Its a Polo 1.2 S (A/C model) in metallic Indigo blue with Remote locking, Melbournes and 6CD player. Love it to death even though you miss power sometimes (especially when you have four friends in the back, lol!). However, if you give it 7000 miles and thrash the little thing like I do then you'll gain about about 3 seconds 0-60 (can't wait to see what its like after first service )

BTW, I hope you got your CD player from the accesories brochure, as I believe you save £50, I saved £150 but only beacuse I work for the company on the Audi side of things. Also, I thought that San Marinos were only a £700 option on the Sport models, if you have ordered the car I recomended you buy the Melbournes as without sports suspension it won't really do 16 inch wheels justice. My car is on my Dads insurance and I paid £700 fully comp, so not too bad.

Well, it was prob me you say asking round about a filter etc, lol! The best thing to buy would be a new VW 65 bhp ecu which would gain 6-7 bhp, but i would have had to say goodbye to my warranty so I didn't risk it.
Have thought about trying a K&N but I don't like the idea of sticking a new box in.

Anyway, what i'll probably do is when the car goes for its first service (1500 miles) i'll ask for a full service (air filter, plugs etc) and change the car to AVS servicing. I'll just keep the car in tip top order and hope I can get JUST a little more 00mph out of it

[Ratty]

Hello Ratty, welcome to the boards.
I too got my car when I was 16 and had to wait three months to drive it
Its a Polo 1.2 S (A/C model) in metallic Indigo blue with Remote locking, Melbournes and 6CD player. Love it to death even though you miss power sometimes (especially when you have four friends in the back, lol!). However, if you give it 7000 miles and thrash the little thing like I do then you'll gain about about 3 seconds 0-60 (can't wait to see what its like after first service )

BTW, I hope you got your CD player from the accesories brochure, as I believe you save £50, I saved £150 but only beacuse I work for the company on the Audi side of things. Also, I thought that San Marinos were only a £700 option on the Sport models, if you have ordered the car I recomended you buy the Melbournes as without sports suspension it won't really do 16 inch wheels justice. My car is on my Dads insurance and I paid £700 fully comp, so not too bad.

Well, it was prob me you say asking round about a filter etc, lol! The best thing to buy would be a new VW 65 bhp ecu which would gain 6-7 bhp, but i would have had to say goodbye to my warranty so I didn't risk it.
Have thought about trying a K&N but I don't like the idea of sticking a new box in.

Anyway, what i'll probably do is when the car goes for its first service (1500 miles) i'll ask for a full service (air filter, plugs etc) and change the car to AVS servicing. I'll just keep the car in tip top order and hope I can get JUST a little more 00mph out of it

Don't worry about the CD player, I actually work at my local VW garage part-time on the weekends (I'll leave you to work out what that means in terms of prices ).
And yes, it does state that the San Marino's aren't for the Polo E (only S and above), but we have our methods. Oh, and I'm planning for some OEM springs as well; don't want her riding too high now do we?

I know what ya mean about thrashing her. I'm convinced me sister's Lupo 1.0 has developed a bit more fire in it's belly, after 12 months of constant all-or-nothing.

[Nelson_Wilbury]

Hello Ratty, welcome to the boards.
I too got my car when I was 16 and had to wait three months to drive it
Its a Polo 1.2 S (A/C model) in metallic Indigo blue with Remote locking, Melbournes and 6CD player. Love it to death even though you miss power sometimes (especially when you have four friends in the back, lol!). However, if you give it 7000 miles and thrash the little thing like I do then you'll gain about about 3 seconds 0-60 (can't wait to see what its like after first service )

BTW, I hope you got your CD player from the accesories brochure, as I believe you save £50, I saved £150 but only beacuse I work for the company on the Audi side of things. Also, I thought that San Marinos were only a £700 option on the Sport models, if you have ordered the car I recomended you buy the Melbournes as without sports suspension it won't really do 16 inch wheels justice. My car is on my Dads insurance and I paid £700 fully comp, so not too bad.

Well, it was prob me you say asking round about a filter etc, lol! The best thing to buy would be a new VW 65 bhp ecu which would gain 6-7 bhp, but i would have had to say goodbye to my warranty so I didn't risk it.
Have thought about trying a K&N but I don't like the idea of sticking a new box in.

Anyway, what i'll probably do is when the car goes for its first service (1500 miles) i'll ask for a full service (air filter, plugs etc) and change the car to AVS servicing. I'll just keep the car in tip top order and hope I can get JUST a little more 00mph out of it

Don't worry about the CD player, I actually work at my local VW garage part-time on the weekends (I'll leave you to work out what that means in terms of prices ).
And yes, it does state that the San Marino's aren't for the Polo E (only S and above), but we have our methods. Oh, and I'm planning for some OEM springs as well; don't want her riding too high now do we?

I know what ya mean about thrashing her. I'm convinced me sister's Lupo 1.0 has developed a bit more fire in it's belly, after 12 months of constant all-or-nothing.

1.0 Polo, now that WAS a gutless car

I assume your getting the San Marinos from your parts department, not from factory? I feel Dordon are going to get a few more PDR's from your Parts Department

My next car will be the 1.4 FSi Sport with Barcelonas and Silver paint. Can't wait!!

BTW, I recommened you beg, borrow or steal the money for an S model, you'll need the seat height adjustment and air-con, also, you may want to try and stretch to remote locking

[mole]

I feel for you Nelson! A 55bhp polo with 5 people in must be soooooo slugish, my 75bhp polo with 5 people in is unbeliveably (sp?) slow!!! And it's got 18k on the clock so it's pretty well run in!

[Nelson_Wilbury]

I feel for you Nelson! A 55bhp polo with 5 people in must be soooooo slugish, my 75bhp polo with 5 people in is unbeliveably (sp?) slow!!! And it's got 18k on the clock so it's pretty well run in!

Well, the most I've had in my car is seven people and believe me that was sluggish, lol! Two up front and five in the back!!

[polo2k]

the only time ive ever had 5 people in my car i found out why there is no leg room in the back (its a conspiricy) its the brake fade, now i wanna know why no one warned me about it till i found it out doing abouit 60 into a 120 deg bend with a car coming the other way and another getting reeled in. i think i should add that i dont think thats in the owners manual
oh and its the only time ive ever had 5 in cos ive got no mates* not cos im scared


* not my fault or choise

[mole]

lol 7 people, only had 5.
and a bootfull of gear, on a roadtrip to cornwall.

Going to Sweden on Tuesday, roofrack, with all our luggage and 4 people inside, and a boot full of gear - that aint going above 80, and will take a good hour to get there too!!

lol polo2k - scary!

[polo2k]

oh yeah it was but i tell you what it made me sort my brakes sharpish (see mk5 foum and dejavu)
and btw i always run around with around 100 kg in the boot (sub box and shelf built out of 21mm mdf and all assosiated amps and speakers) im pretty sure the reason why i didnt pull that night was to do with the "country smell" surrounding my group

[Ratty]

Couple of questions...

Nelson:
What's the powerbox that you mention in your sig?

Mole:
I've just realised, those wheels you've got are the same ones as the one's on this polo with the Caractere bodykit!

Tasty! Where'd ya get 'em from, what size are they and how much?

[polo2k]

the power box upgrade is explained in the group buy forum and both josh and i run with them
they gain around 13 hp and 1.8Nm of torque but it is not peak power i.e. a stock gti with 125 hp will not get 138 but lower down in the power band you get the power so for example at 3000rpm stock you might have 100 hp but the power system would boost this to 113hp (not actuial figures) you do gain a little top end power with it but not 13hp all this adds up to a very smoth driving car that pulls away in 5th from 30 mph (1.4i 8v) plus the hp-£ ration is higher than most other mods like exaust filter cam etc

[mole]

Yup, they are similar to those ones. Those are Allesio, mine are League Tantrums, got them from a place called R-Tec Designs in St Albans, they are 7x17" and cost about £650 with tyres

The kit is coming soon, I just have to find somebody to spray it for me.

[polo2k]

if you want a holliday then come over and ill spray it for you

[Ratty]

Do you lot reckon that bodykit, in black, would go nicely with San Marino's? Or would it look a bit odd? Just struggling to picture it in my head, that's all.