Fiesta XR4?

[Paddyboy]

Hey guys,
Im looking at buying an upgrade and around $20k is my budget. I love the look of the fiesta XR4's but not sure if its worth the extra over a normal fiesta. I've heard great reviews of how much fun they are to drive and handling but are underpowered. If I was to say buy one for around 18k and had a further 5k to spend on mods, what could I do to up the power, without forced induction. I dont want a turbo.
Does anyone in here have one?

[LethalLeigh]

I'm going to turn your question around a bit and have a think about what I would do with $5K to spend on mine. Freeing up the intake and exhaust are common early mods.

Depending on what intake you opt for, you could spend up to $300-400 on differing products, I think simplifying the intake path helps a lot. Exhaust will vary from say $350 for a mild steel cat back from your local exhaust shop to around $3000 for a full stainless system with 4-1 extractors, sports cat and muffler setup from Miltek.

The next step might be either engine management with a flash tuner which will probably set you back around $1200 for something with generic tunes plus any costs for custom tuning from that point. Another alternative will be the Cosworth profiled cams which will be a similar price plus fitting.

Other parts I've considered previously have been the Quaife LSD to help with traction and power down and brake upgrades. Personally I'm happy with the suspension set up - they're stiff enough to an inside rear wheel with a little bit of provocation - but there are coil over kits, strut braces and sway bars available.

A lot of what I've described is available in combined packages from www.pumaspeed.co.uk which will promise gains of up to 40hp but I've noticed there have been mixed reactions in the forum to their customer service.

I guess the key thing to keep in mind is that a lot of these parts will need to be imported from the UK or Europe, so shop around and talk to someone with the website you're dealing before comfirming a purchase. Also, try and find a workshop or dealer service centre you can trust to perform the fitting or tuning of these products.

[kiwijohn42]

Supercharged 2.3L stroker is what you want. But I don't think anyone down here has done it & it ain't cheap.
Look up some euro sites for info like Pumaspeed. 5K should get an exhaust, cams & a Dream Science upgrade for about 180-190bhp

[LethalLeigh]

I forgot about the 2.3L, I'll consider that post warranty. Didn't someone find a crate motor for $1800 at some stage?

[Twinpiston]

Their are also stoker kits available if I remember correctly.

[zetec jim]

are you saying you dont want a turbo car in general, or just dont want to put a turbo on the fiesta?....cos there's way more scope to improve a turbo car (as you probably know)... say like the polo GTI, which you'll get for the same cash and end up with 203Hp (152kw) at the engine, around 135kw give or take at the wheels for around $1800. But then again the fez iz the best handler i've drivin so far! FTW!

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by zetec jim

say like the polo GTI, which you'll get for the same cash and end up with 203Hp (152kw) at the engine, around 135kw give or take at the wheels for around $1800.

Trouble is once you start chipping the Polo GTi to get such power gains they then start breaking gearboxes .... gets rather expensive then.

[Paddyboy]

Yeh dont want a turbo car or to put a turbo on a car. And I like the xr4 over the polo gti.

[zetec jim]

true, and their old cable link clutch is fairly dated (out of the old mk4 golf). But it is the old Audi S3 engine @ around 180-something kw's and has been fairly tried and true, so treated with the right respect (i.e. no dumping the clutch or other abuse) i think it would be alright for quite awhile.... or just uprate it to begin with : : :

[racergirl888]

As a proud XR4 owner, I can tell you that they are heaps of fun to drive - more fun than my old R32 Skyline! They handle like they're on rails, get up to 60km/h faster than any V8 I've ever dragged, and are just fantastic!
Only downsides I've found are: terrible understeer at anything under 20km/h (but FWD, so that's normal); no storage compartment near the handbrake; and they're not RWD (though I'm thinking about a conversion! lol).
But seriously. DEFINATELY worth the extra money.

[racergirl888]

Also check out Mountune Performance.

...very tempted to go their ST185 package, or Puma's 2.3L 235-380BHP Duratec... Then supercharge & get better suspension for good effect. =D

[ansellpa]

The fiesta is a great package to start with.
I have turned mine into a stripped out track-day only car 9 still registered)
and have spent/blown some cash so I feel I can give you some advice as to what I have found works and what doesn't.

For starters I would have bough one second hand like you - save 7 grand straight away!

Engine/Power:

I would only get the flex pipe imported and get the rest of the exhaust custom made in OZ.
I bought the entire militek system out of the UK and paid a fortune.

Cams fitted - made neglible difference ( although I need to check how well dialled in they are.

Intake - K and N - works well

Tuning - I would never waste my money again of Pre-programmed Flash tuner.
Instead get it custom tuned on the dyno so it actually works well. I got mine piggybacked with a unichip and then some dyno time - made 10% more at the wheels and was much more responsive - cost $1300

As for massive power I am not sure - although there is a guy (google ttracing)
who races but has had some trouble with reliability )

I have spent more time on the handling.
KW coil overs ( imported, but you can now get pedders coilovers locally)
Whiteline rear antirollbar (cheap, adjutable, easy to fit and works very well)
Off-set lower control arm bushes (gives -ve camber, helps with castor)
but you will wear out your tyres quickly
Front swaybar (not sure about this - made it understeer alot MORE when I had it fitted before the rear bar and camber adjust, but now works well.

Hope this helps
Hey, the turbo polo is very simple HP but it is a blunt handler so the fiesta is the go!