Greetings from the west midlands!
Picked up my black 2003 Ibiza sport pd130 a few weeks ago, since then I've been a regular digging around on here for information and help on a few things I've been scratching my head over..
I'm a heavy car enthusiast myself and a mechanic by occupation, recently got rid of my beloved NA MX5 for something that didn't live at the petrol station. I'm now a happy owner of an Ibiza, I've always took a fancy to VAG motors as they are undeniably solid, the build quality is superb and they're surprisingly easy to work on.
The Ibiza I picked up is a mixed bag really, bearing in mind I wanted to pick up something for a project car I've definitely achieved that. The body/paint work is in good shape, I received a cupra front bumper with the car which is at the body shop as the current one fitted has been hacked in half to house the intercooler - which can be moved a foot back.. after removing the carbon wrap off the bonnet and fly eye mesh off the headlights the cars tacky cheese look had vanished, although underneath the wrap it looks like someone had kicked the bonnet with football boots on.. there are a handful of dinks around the car, little spot of rust on the drivers side rear arch and bottom of the door but nothing major, overall it looks great! I'm not fussed about small body blemishes as they'll all be sorted in due course. I believe it has the MK1 Leon Cupra wheels (I stand to be corrected) fitted which are in real good shape, thinking of keeping and powder coating graphite with some hub-centric spacers to poof them out a bit more flush with the arches.. yet to be decided.
Mechanically the car is.. OK, 130k on the clock which I suppose is around average for this year..? It's been re-mapped with an FMIC, de-cat and dangling cone filter.. and pulls like steam, suprised me how well the thing goes!
After driving it around for a few days I discovered a number of problems, some of which is what I've been mooching around on here for. Glow plug light flashing, oil light flashing - was told its a sensor - pressure or level? Oil level has always been fine. ABS & TCS light on which from reading on here I believe it's the load signal wire (traction control does not work.) 1st gear is tricky to get into sometimes, my old lupo had a similar fault and seems to require a certain "knack" to get it in most of the time. Previous owner/s made the terrible mistake of putting lowering springs on standard shocks, the ride is undeniably terrible. Front rear lower arm bushes are no more, there's play in both drop links and the tie rod ends look ancient seized. The 90 degree boost pipe from the cooler to the intake down-pipe blew off like a cannon mid corner which wasn't great, new pipes/hoses/clips all round and custom fabrication sorted that as I no longer trusted any of the other joins.
All of the above I don't mind in the slightest, it keeps me busy and I'm excited to see and drive the transformation!
I hope to upload a project thread soon.
Chris
Picked up my black 2003 Ibiza sport pd130 a few weeks ago, since then I've been a regular digging around on here for information and help on a few things I've been scratching my head over..
I'm a heavy car enthusiast myself and a mechanic by occupation, recently got rid of my beloved NA MX5 for something that didn't live at the petrol station. I'm now a happy owner of an Ibiza, I've always took a fancy to VAG motors as they are undeniably solid, the build quality is superb and they're surprisingly easy to work on.
The Ibiza I picked up is a mixed bag really, bearing in mind I wanted to pick up something for a project car I've definitely achieved that. The body/paint work is in good shape, I received a cupra front bumper with the car which is at the body shop as the current one fitted has been hacked in half to house the intercooler - which can be moved a foot back.. after removing the carbon wrap off the bonnet and fly eye mesh off the headlights the cars tacky cheese look had vanished, although underneath the wrap it looks like someone had kicked the bonnet with football boots on.. there are a handful of dinks around the car, little spot of rust on the drivers side rear arch and bottom of the door but nothing major, overall it looks great! I'm not fussed about small body blemishes as they'll all be sorted in due course. I believe it has the MK1 Leon Cupra wheels (I stand to be corrected) fitted which are in real good shape, thinking of keeping and powder coating graphite with some hub-centric spacers to poof them out a bit more flush with the arches.. yet to be decided.
Mechanically the car is.. OK, 130k on the clock which I suppose is around average for this year..? It's been re-mapped with an FMIC, de-cat and dangling cone filter.. and pulls like steam, suprised me how well the thing goes!
After driving it around for a few days I discovered a number of problems, some of which is what I've been mooching around on here for. Glow plug light flashing, oil light flashing - was told its a sensor - pressure or level? Oil level has always been fine. ABS & TCS light on which from reading on here I believe it's the load signal wire (traction control does not work.) 1st gear is tricky to get into sometimes, my old lupo had a similar fault and seems to require a certain "knack" to get it in most of the time. Previous owner/s made the terrible mistake of putting lowering springs on standard shocks, the ride is undeniably terrible. Front rear lower arm bushes are no more, there's play in both drop links and the tie rod ends look ancient seized. The 90 degree boost pipe from the cooler to the intake down-pipe blew off like a cannon mid corner which wasn't great, new pipes/hoses/clips all round and custom fabrication sorted that as I no longer trusted any of the other joins.
All of the above I don't mind in the slightest, it keeps me busy and I'm excited to see and drive the transformation!
I hope to upload a project thread soon.
Chris
