Icelle Blue Mivec Update

[goz_83]

Hi all. Just wanted to say first off that I wasn't complaining about the mivec at all. It does need work, but I like the car a lot.

The caliper needed replacing, as it was seized and the disc need replacing, as there was no pad left on the drivers side rear caliper when it reached Dublin. It now has all new pads and tires and Gerry was able to give sell me a second hand caliper and disc, which was great. Unfortunately, I couldn't collect it from the Garage as I was working late, so I will have to wait til Monday. Bill is just over €400 I think, so pretty good I reckon. Gonna price the respray work and maybe ask about getting the light dings sorted at the same time. I look forward to getting behind the wheel of it soon

Don't know what happened in the last thread, but hopefully this one stays clean and helpful if I have any questions.

[optical illusion]

Glad to hear, let just leave it at that now shall we?

[colm_mcm]

That's quite a car you got. I would've snapped it up at the money you got it for.
You'll always expect something to need doing on a 14 year old car. Anything you need is bolt on.
Glad you finally got a manual mivec in the end, funny how things work out

[goz_83]

haha...in the end? 7 weeks after my 1st fto.

The more I think about it, the more excited I get about drivin it. I'm like a child at christmas; A lady in a shoe shop; a man in a ladies changing room hehe. The tires are 215 wide. And the BRAND NEW tires I put on the other fto are 205 wide. Talk about painfully close to a cheap fix eh? You know, the electric sun roof is a major bonus too. Feels like I have a little bit of room now.

[Myfeckin FTO]

Get some pics up Gary.

If those 205 section tyres you have are 17's then they should still fit those rims.
Something I would have liked to have done (If I had held onto that FTO) would have been some KYB dampers and Apex springs plus some type of big brake kit on the front (2nd hand GTO calipers, Brembos etc).

[d_dan]

some type of big brake kit on the front (2nd hand GTO calipers, Brembos etc).

€450 would get you GTO's with disk's and brackets would deffo be something Id go for great mod, Astheticaly and performance wise

[goz_83]

Get some pics up Gary.

If those 205 section tyres you have are 17's then they should still fit those rims.
Something I would have liked to have done (If I had held onto that FTO) would have been some KYB dampers and Apex springs plus some type of big brake kit on the front (2nd hand GTO calipers, Brembos etc).

Ah sh1te! They are 17's. I didn't think they would fit safely. I can't ask them to take the new tyres off, but i think i can save the tires off the GR. Not sure about spending €450 on upgraded brake kit, but will consider this down the line. I want to get leatherette seats first (€350-€400 from ebay). I would then like to get the little imperfections with body and paint sorted (depending on cost). Maybe dampers and springs to follow. She will be a beauty when I am done with her. I will not likely sell her, even if I come to a point when I stop driving her. The return for investment just won't be worth it.

[Bernard]

I will not likely sell her, even if I come to a point when I stop driving her. The return for investment just won't be worth it.

You can talk, try going back a few years and comparing what FTOs used to make.
I'd say getting mine on the road cost me 10K, that was only in 2007.
I wouldn't like to ask the likes of Kace

By the way, if you're going for leatherette then Ricerocket is probably the best known supplier.
I can't see them listed in his ebay shop but it'd be worth sending him a message.
http://tinyurl.com/3l7hgj4

[goz_83]

Thanks Bernard, I will do that.

Shane mentioned that the ballast might need replacing for the HID lights as he tried switching bulbs and it turned out not to be a bulb (maybe shane will jump in here and explain what he said). Anyway, if it is the ballast (i know exactly nothing about HID lights apart from the fact that they are brighter) is it easy to sort out? I will be collecting the car in the morning, so I can look at brand name if there is one. Will any ballast replacement do? Should I install a full kit, what is the best way to go about getting this sorted?

[Myfeckin FTO]

.......Shane mentioned that the ballast might need replacing for the HID lights as he tried switching bulbs and it turned out not to be a bulb (maybe shane will jump in here and explain what he said). Anyway, if it is the ballast (i know exactly nothing about HID lights apart from the fact that they are brighter) is it easy to sort out? I will be collecting the car in the morning, so I can look at brand name if there is one. Will any ballast replacement do? Should I install a full kit, what is the best way to go about getting this sorted?

Its likely just the ballast - you can get a replacement ballast pretty cheaply on ebay but to be sure of a high quality kit they are also for sale on the UK FTO shop for 35GBP - http://www.fto-shop.com/index.php?searc ... &Submit=Go

Bigger issue is like I mentioned - the front bumper has to come off so theres a couple of hours work there for you.

[asti rs]

y not take outthe hids and buy a new kit. i dislike hids for the fact, they always go better light,but always have to buy new ballast

[goz_83]

Maybe a new kit would be simpler. I will look into this. Shame about having to take the bumper off......damn I hate having to do that!!! Can't I just put in some standard bulbs to tie me over before going through that hassle?

[Sebastian]

Good purchease!

this car was very similar with my last one
Manual Mivec
17' alloys
TopMix spoiler
Sunroof
Hid's

y not take outthe hids and buy a new kit. i dislike hids for the fact, they always go better light,but always have to buy new ballast

I had my Hids for 3 years and they are working like they are brand new never had a problem , . . and they were the cheap Taiwan ebay group buy

[Myfeckin FTO]

Maybe a new kit would be simpler. I will look into this. Shame about having to take the bumper off......damn I hate having to do that!!! Can't I just put in some standard bulbs to tie me over before going through that hassle?

THE OE Mitsi HIDs are very high quality - I wouldn't go swopping them for an aftermarket kit. Taking the front bumper off is not as hard as it sounds - a little time consuming maybe but an easy DIY. Dragonheart on here did a thread on a recent walkthrough.

[goz_83]

I just want to be sure the problem is fixed. How can I be sure it is the ballast causing the problem?

[colm_mcm]

Easiest way to diagnose is by swapping the bulb to the other side. Or swap the ballast and see if it works on the other side

[goz_83]

I think Shane tried swapping and it wasn't the bulb, so i might try swapping ballasts to confirm. Thanks. Only problem is I will be taking the bumper off to check and I will have to take it off again when fitting new equipment.

[Dragonheart]

Bumper is easy enough to take off, but try to get someone with you especially when putting it back on, like Shane said I have a walkthrough on replacing the OE HIDs in the 'Knowledgebase' section. The first time you take it off is a bit tricky as you don't know where the screws and bolts are, but if you have to do it again then it'll be faster. And no matter whether its bulbs or ballast, the bumper comes off. Shane swapped them as far as I know and if anyone would know how to assess whether its a HID or a ballast then he would, so I'd trust his judgement when he says its more than likely the ballast is gone.

[goz_83]

Maybe i'll just go ahead and order the ballast

[goz_83]

Just ordered the full HID kit from ftooc. Atleast I will have a spare ballast just in case. But i figured, getting a ballast for £35 was a bit steep when I could order a full set for £70.

[StewyD32]

What "K" did ya get ?

[goz_83]

8k

Compliant for nct i assume?

[StewyD32]

Yep. Same as I have and never had a problem.

[goz_83]

Do ftooc usually take this long? I ordered my HIDS on the 18th of October and the order is still being processed and has not been sent out. Payment was instant, so why would it take 2 weeks with no word from them? It would put me off ordering if this was the norm with them.

[d_dan]

yea as of late they are lagging behind ir seems