Group buy / order: 0.65 / 0.643 5th for TDI

Ok, armed with the graph and assuming my torque curve is similar to a Stealth re-map I can go to 0.659 for my style of driving/car use. The 0.625 will be a step too far and suspect feel like the car is being rowed along at speeds below 50mph with too much cogswapping to 4th!

Will Pm you Mike.
 
Im tempted by this, but i might struggle to sort the fitting out. Forgive me for asking this if it has been answered already, but what sort of cost are we looking at for the parts (assuming a .659 ratio)?
 
OK, the following prices are not confirmed yet, but because the group buy aspect is fast slipping away (I suspect that people will want a more bespoke option, rather than one ratio for all), we're not going to get a huge discount.

However, the good news is that as the parts are from VWs utility vehicle division (the 0.622, 0.681 and 0.659 are all from Transporters/Syncros/Campers), economies of scal apply and the rough guide prices are as follows:

0.681 - £80.78 & £142.82
0.659 - £73.16 & £97.98
0.622 - £73.16 & £97.58

Not cheap, but they are all genuine VW parts and will all carry a 2 year warranty and are UK sourced.

I'm hoping to get firm prices this week and order a set for Tank too, so fitting for other members will commence around 15th February.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Damn it, why is the .681 gear set so much more than the others, that's the one I'm leaning toward but with such a price premium that means even longer to recover the costs :(
 
Although the .659 looks more do-able than I thought, burbling at 40 in 5th looks eminently doable. Decision time...

As these are VAG parts, are they likely to be in stock and quickly delivered if we order them this week do you know Mike?
 
Dunno Dan - there's a number of options and some seem to be in the lower price bracket, some in the higher one.

The lower ones are from the Transporter and Camper, the higher ones are all from passenger vehicles and the Transporter Syncro.

Mind you, I still don't understand the majority of Audi pricing!!

Cheers,

Mike

PS I'll find out the parts availability later on today.
 
Gearbox Ratio Swap

Mike,
I'm certainly still up for this for my '90. I'd be happy to P/X my standard set onto a '75 owner if anyone wanted them. Car mileage is currently 49k.
I'd need you to do the work etc. and would probably want to go for the VW 0.659 ratio set.
Mervyn
 
While we're on the subject of improving our efficiency - what are the views on optimising gearbox oils to improve fuel economy? Is there much/any latitude there?

Castrol TAF and Millers TRX Synth 75/90 oils both seem to be regarded as "the business" as far as fully-synthetic box oils are concerned, do they meet VAG standards? Do they improve economy at all? Any others?

How much box oil do we need incidentally?

I can't decide between the .68 and the .65. Arg!
 
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Skipton01 said:
If we can get 90 owners paired up with 75 owners (who want to put the 90 ratio on), then the price comes to around £100 for the 75 owner and £125 for the 90 owner, after the 75 owners have bought the old ratios.
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If the total price is £100 + fitting I'd like to buy someone's 90PS 5th gear.

Mervyn: can I buy yours? My car mileage is 58k so would like a similar mileage one. Thanks.
 
Will said:
If the total price is £100 + fitting I'd like to buy someone's 90PS 5th gear.

Mervyn: can I buy yours? My car mileage is 58k so would like a similar mileage one. Thanks.
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Will,
Be happy to give you first refusal on my '90 set if & when this all comes together.
Mervyn
 
I am going for the 0.65 gear set on my mapped 75 and hope Mike will be fitting it before the end of Feb. I will post up a review to help others decide. As for oil Mikes view is he will stick to the VW recommended oil however I intend researching this. I am a fan of synthetic g/box oils and Millers main factory are only a few miles from where I live. I may give them a call and see what they say. I would be surprised if it didn't help reduce drag and after all it is what manufacturers are doing as part of various 'Eco' mods on such as Bluekinetiflex etc versions!
 
OK guys, it's starting to get there now!

I've been to Audi and they cannot get the parts as they're VW only and I've then gone to VW, who cannot get all the parts as some of them are commercial!

So, I finally got the following quotes from a VW Trade Centre, who can get all the parts and can give the best discount, although it's not much, as there's little in the price to start with (and I know they're telling the truth on this as I know the discount codes!).

Yes, it's sods law that the 0.681 is the priciest, but then I can't see the real point of it, when it's so close to a 90PS gearset.

There's no need to exchange the old cogs, so the change will be fully reversible.

What I'd ideally like to do is have one guinea pig for each of the ratios to make sure that everything will work for everyone and only then can we open it up to everyone.

There's no further discount to be had for bigger orders, so there's no real need to place a large order at first.

So, over to you guys!

Cheers,

Mike
 
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I can buy somebody's cog from 90 tdi. Mike, please categorize me in the list of "second-hand cog swappers". :)
 
Thanks again Mike for all your work on this. If Robin hasn't beaten me to it i'll guinea pig the 0.659 gearset. I will probably supply own oil, investigating that separately.
 
It's not really up to me to value the old ratio Will, but all I can suggest is that the new prices are £90.22 & £143.47, so a 50% reduction would not be unreasonable, taking the total price to £116.85.

It's really for 90PS owners to set their own rates though - I know that I'd rather keep hold of the old ratios just in case, as opposed to underselling them.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Adrian888 said:
Thanks again Mike for all your work on this. If Robin hasn't beaten me to it i'll guinea pig the 0.659 gearset. I will probably supply own oil, investigating that separately.
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Nope, you're first in there Adrian!

I'll be going for the 0.622 set, so no need to guinea pig that one, it just depends now if there are any takers for the 0.681 (I doubt there will at the prices).

I'll be placing my order on Thursday afternoon, so if you want to pop a cheque in the post, I can get yours at the same time.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Great thread, but i think i will sit on the fence and wait for owners reviews on the different ratios in the real world.
 
I'm still on the fence about the 0.681 and 0.65 until I get a remap, so I'm going to wait until I've had it done and read some feedback - cheers guys.
 
Skipton01 said:
It's not really up to me to value the old ratio Will, but all I can suggest is that the new prices are £90.22 & £143.47, so a 50% reduction would not be unreasonable, taking the total price to £116.85.

It's really for 90PS owners to set their own rates though - I know that I'd rather keep hold of the old ratios just in case, as opposed to underselling them.
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That's fair enough and I understand your position.

Just to note that £116 for a s/h 90PS ratio vs. £148 for the brand new 0.622, is only £32 more, so may make the 90PS less appealing to some.

If a 90PS owner buys a 0.681 for £195, sells his 90PS ratio for £116, then the upgrade cost only £79. That's £37 less than a 75PS upgrading to a 90PS.

Are my sums correct?

There's a balance to be had in the value of the 90PS ratios.
 
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