[heyou]

I drive a Cyber Green 2000 2.0L Auto tranny NB, and after finally deciding what I want to do to it's look, it's high time to give it some zip. This car is my daily driver, so I don't want to sacrifice reliability for performance. I would also like to be able to do all these mods myself, I don't have much auto knowlegde, but I'm pretty handy with tools.

I'm looking for some cheap(realativley) mods to increse performance. I've heard that with the 2.0, modding the exhaust, intake and chip is about all you can do to the engine, everything else is quite pricey, but the best mods to do are suspension. I'm doing a wheel upgrade in the spring, would it be worth it to get 17" Replica RS4s as opposed to 16" RS4s?


So what do you all suggest? I don't want a racecar, but I want better-than-stock performance. 1000$ is about the total I want to spend on performance, I can go over that, I'd just have to save longer.

 

[Porkchop]

To be honest, there aren't any great mods. I did a catback exhaust with absolutely no difference to seat-o-the-pants experience. I've heard a chip can help - but you'd be giving up fuel economy for minor gains. I own one and have to admit, a 2.0L isn't really worth spending the money on performance mods. Appearance on the other hand....

 

[heyou]

Handling mods then. I wasn't seriously considering a chip all that much, but an exhaust overhaul and intake mods seem more my style. Handling mods also, new brakes or shocks or something? What do swaybars do and why would it help? I'm trying to teach myself more about cars this way too.

Also, is ther any benefit to 17" wheels over 16" wheels? Besides looks?

 

[Too Cold NB1.8T]

There are no cheap mod's. that you can do to a the 2.0L in order to gain any worth while power, if you're not into spending and money then I'd just leave it stock.

If you feel like spending some cash, there is Neuspeed's ($2000)supercharger which will move you up to about 150/160 crank horse power.

 

[Porkchop]

Handling mods then. I wasn't seriously considering a chip all that much, but an exhaust overhaul and intake mods seem more my style. Handling mods also, new brakes or shocks or something? What do swaybars do and why would it help? I'm trying to teach myself more about cars this way too.

Also, is ther any benefit to 17" wheels over 16" wheels? Besides looks?

Okay, wheels are something I know a little about. I'm running 18's. The bigger the wheel, the thinner the tire... meaning the stiffer the sidewall. Which means, the bigger the wheel, the rougher the ride. However, I think 18's look FANTASTIC on our cars... 16" vs. 17" - its hardly worth the extra expense in 17" tires. Also, when I was shopping around, I found some deals better on 18's vs. 17's. Not sure if this will still be the case (this was 2 years ago when I bought mine). The ride is only slightly rougher than stock and they look badarse.

I know stuff about suspension but I've not done any suspension mods on the Beetle, so I'll leave that to someone with some real world experience.

Oh.. and on exhaust - be sure to go with a 2.5" or bigger pipe. Mine is 2.25" and I notice no difference in performance.

On the intake - the idea of a cai (cold air intake) is that colder air is more dense in oxygen - so you're giving the engine more O2 to burn which should improve power. However, cheapy cai aren't cold air intake at all... (such as a pipe with just a cone filter on it). They're just sucking hot air from the engine compartment. Some (like the neuspeed p-flow) put a little shield around the filter, but to be honest, the stock air box does just as good a job getting cold air to the engine. A drop in K&N will flow a little better than a stock paper filter but there is some controversy about the oiled filters causing premature MAF failure. Personally, I think the MAF is a piece of poo anyway and I've had one fail using a paper filter.

So - cai and exhaust are really going to be more about looks/sound than actually performance. But, there's nothing wrong with that if you've got the money to spend.

 

[Too Cold NB1.8T]

With the 2.0L you do not want to go with a 2.5" or large exhaust, this may significantly reduce your bottom end due to the loss of required back pressure.

CAI's, chips and exhaust upgrade will do very little for this engine without other expensive mod's, unfortunately this is the wrong engine choice for performance and tuning.

It takes a much greater dollar to hp ratio to extract power out of a normally aspirated engine.

 

[heyou]

http://forums.newbeetle.org/showthread.php?threadid=54712&perpage=15&pagenumber=1
What about the thins said in this thread?

 

[Too Cold NB1.8T]

Anything specific in that thread that you are referring to.

 

[heyou]

The poster in that thread has almost the exact same car that I do, and it was pointed out that not much could be done to a 2.0L, BUT there were a few minor things. I'd like help picking out these minor things(like a swaybar/exhaust).

I'd prefer it if my car was a 1.8T, but I've grown too attached to it to trade it in or find a used one. I'd atleast like it to be a manual tranny, but a auto to manual swap sounds very expensive.

 

[Too Cold NB1.8T]

The poster in that thread has almost the exact same car that I do, and it was pointed out that not much could be done to a 2.0L, BUT there were a few minor things. I'd like help picking out these minor things(like a swaybar/exhaust).

I'd prefer it if my car was a 1.8T, but I've grown too attached to it to trade it in or find a used one. I'd atleast like it to be a manual tranny, but a auto to manual swap sounds very expensive.

Well in the suspension area depending on what you are willing to spend, I have for sale one of the best coilover systems you can get, it's used with very low mileage and it's a direct install for your year and model.

Here is the link >>http://newbeetle.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1668&highlight=variant+three

 

[heyou]

A grand is outside what i can afford right now, I was thinking more along the lines of what was suggested to SMG, like a swaybar and exhaust/chip/intake.

It'd be something that would be nice to have, but I've gto a grand set aside for a desperatley needed new computer, and then for new wheels.

 

[r0nd3L]

A grand is outside what i can afford right now, I was thinking more along the lines of what was suggested to SMG, like a swaybar and exhaust/chip/intake.

It'd be something that would be nice to have, but I've gto a grand set aside for a desperatley needed new computer, and then for new wheels.

I'm pretty sure the exhaust, chip, intake, and sway-bars will run you pretty close to $1,000.

 

[Too Cold NB1.8T]

A grand is outside what i can afford right now, I was thinking more along the lines of what was suggested to SMG, like a swaybar and exhaust/chip/intake.

It'd be something that would be nice to have, but I've gto a grand set aside for a desperatley needed new computer, and then for new wheels.

I know what you mean, first things first.

Good luck on your project.

 

[heyou]

Sure they probably will, but that's 1000$ spread out over time, not all at once. And with tuition coming up soon, I need to make sure that I have hte funds ot pay it. The computer upgrade is scheduled right after term ends for me in December, and the wheels in early spring. I've got extra cash right now that I want to use on cheap(realtivley) mods.

 

[Titchy]

I have a 2.0, decided to slowly put together sways and some suspension just to make it more fun to drive. I watched ebay and got a set of Eibach coils for a hundred something. Have an O-Bar for the rear coming for $120. Found a H&R front sway on Ebay for about $100 and am slowly getting it together that way. Still deciding on shocks. I have 17's on it and will probably stay there. You don't have to spend a ton of money. the O-bar may be the place to start, or a rear sway. Front might not be needed at all. Coils that drop it a bit. Just stuff to tighten it up handling wise, more fun.

Just pulled the snowbox and was happy with the increased throttle response. May modify that some down the line, but it is what it is. I suffered a bit of buyers remorse when I got her as I had to have something immediately, but I'm fine with it now. If she behaves she stays. I'm getting rather attached to her.

 

[NJ Turbo]

Be VERY careful when choosing wheels for your car.
Since you're already lacking horspower, you DO NOT want to put heavy wheels on. They will make the car feel like it's wearing lead sneakers so to speak.

The RS4 replicas look great, but I'll bet they're heavier than you want.
Sure on a 1.8T with 200+ hp, you might not feel much difference adding a wheel that weighs 5lbs more, but on a 2.0, you certainly will.
Problem is, most cheaper wheels are quite heavy.
You could try something like the Team Dynamics Racing 17x7 which is like 17lbs or so. That would be lighter than most wheels, even 16" and will help make the car faster and more nimble.

I would personally concentrate on suspension upgrades for your car. You may not have the power, but if you don't have to slow down for the turns...

 

[heyou]

I never thought that wheel weight would affect anything, no it seems stupid not to consider it. I'm trying to found out how much the RS4s weigh, how much do stock wheel weigh?

I also hadn't really thought about suspension, I guess I'll go that direction instead of power.

Edit: There are a few other wheels I was looking at, maybe one of them will be lighter.

Borbet Type CA
Sport Edition Fox 2

 

[v-dubed]

motor swap!!!!!!

 

[heyou]

Notice I said realativley cheap.
That would be horrendously expensive.

 

[Titchy]

I totally agree on the weight issue on the wheels. I just traded hygieneboy my stock Turbo wheels 17's for his ICW Tuner type wheels also 17's. The stocks are BBS for VW and the weight difference was very noticable and very noticable driving. I checked the Fliks as a wheel to buy but this trade has put purchasing on the back burner. Accomplishing a look I wanted and the weight issue too.
No kidding on checking ebay for some good buys, I remember a decent kit that is on there every now and then for about $379 or something. I found my records and I got my Eibach coils for $90. It's sort of a sport on ebay, you don't always win.

The O-Bar weights about 10lbs(a heavier torsion bar) requires drilling the beam which you may or may not want to do. Good bang for the buck.

Go for it, start slow, ya don't break the bank that way. Good luck

Getting the snowbox out is a pretty good place to start and free