Cheapest non rubbish intercooler

[muff1991]

what about this...? Usually Darkside add VAT once inside the basket but it says shipping 0 and VAT 0 so I guess that's £300 all in.

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/audi-s3-intercooler-with-alloy-end-tanks-for-mk5-mk6-platform.html

[pudding]

Yeah that will do the trick.  Follow the process through to payment and see if VAT stays at zero.  If it does, it's a good price!

[bobby_fodge]

Nope, this is what I see when I go to complete the sale.

Subtotal   £300.00
Shipping   £13.00
VAT          £62.60

[colesey]

Darkside appear to think B2C selling rules about showing vat inclusive prices don’t apply to them.

[Chesto18]

Hijacking for just one second...

So is 3C0 145 805AM the correct part no. for the plastic ended S3 IC?

If so, I’ll be keeping an eye out for one. On 118k with original IC, and getting fed up of the intercooler hoses uncoupling despite new O rings. I think getting shot of all the rubbish O ring connectors would be a great OEM+ mod.

[spesh]

If you get a S3 type cooler then you ditch those couplers but still end up with them on the other end.. unless someone knows of a solution for that?

[MIJ_JAGGER]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F182556277313

[spesh]

Simple solution :)  Whats the difference with that pipe with k04?

[Dan_FR]

Metal pipe is the same, but the short silicone and turbo fitting are different

Nobody has yet asked what turbo and what HP target is being aimed for. If it's a K03 then the S3 is the most cost effective solution. The china coolers work ok but they are very heavy, very thick (pushes the fans back a LOT) and the bayonet couplers that come with them are the wrong size and don't fit - otherwise they cool very well.

[bobby_fodge]

Good point Dan. The car is a gti and my intention is to fit a correctly sized intercooler to not lose any low down torque from the ko3. I currently have a k&n panel filter in the stock air box which has a carbonio like plenum thing that replaces the stock plastic tubing which connects to the grill. I do have the option of a twintake in am fit.

I'm going to remove the precat and the new cooler before getting it mapped and then leave it there. I keep looking at hpfp and sports cats but it seems like a lot of cash on hardware for not diminishing returns to go over stage 1 on the current turbo.

I wonder even if without a diff if stage 1 might still result in unwanted wheelspin in anything but dry conditions.

[spesh]

Metal pipe is the same, but the short silicone and turbo fitting are different

Nobody has yet asked what turbo and what HP target is being aimed for. If it's a K03 then the S3 is the most cost effective solution. The china coolers work ok but they are very heavy, very thick (pushes the fans back a LOT) and the bayonet couplers that come with them are the wrong size and don't fit - otherwise they cool very well.

If i was to get a welded one would it be a case of swapping the k04 silicon bit over?

[absolute]

I personally hate buying any parts from eBay, the site is full of people willing to rip you off with fake / dodgy / chinese parts.

I would love a genuine S3 intercooler. (new)

[Dan_FR]

If you're staying Stage 1, I'd not bother with the intercooler to be perfectly honest. In terms of gains versus cost/hassle it's not worth it unless you're pushing the limits of the turbo - which you won't be with the stock cat in place.

A decent sports cat or a decat coupled with suitable mapping is the next best bang-for buck- since you have a twintake lined up already.

[absolute]

I dunno, I think that the car would feel different to drive if not a little smoother.

There's also peace of mind that the inter cooler is doing a better job than the stock so longevity of the engine is improved?

[rich83]

OEM IC is "OK" up to stage 2 really....