Hi all,

I am considering fitting a FMIC to my 06 Hawkeye Spec C, I have had a look around lots of places and I have noticed that the prices vary massively, Why?

I have seen FMICs for sale at some very well known tuning shops at £1495+vat, and yet I can see systems for sale at £195 on flee bay

Theres an old saying "you get what you pay for" but at the same time I aint the kinda person who pays £200 for a jumper coz I think its daft paying for a name!

Surely the massive price difference must be down to more than just the name??? are the cheaper end FMICs as good & reliable?

Feed back would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Lee.

 

The only "cheap" one that I would buy is Harvey's Hybrid FMIC. It is fairly priced for a proven good piece of kit.

 

+1 for Harvey's Hybrid FMIC, cheap and good quality.

Anders

 

But the question was "What's the difference"

 

Build quality, performance and the fitment. Coming from the crazy person that spent money on the more expensive one.

think of the cost of a spec c sti cooler seems crazy to replace it with a cheaper unit. How much power are you going for?

 

you get what you pay for with quailty and fitment

 

For now I want to run around 420bhp & 385ft lbs safely on a standard internals 06 Spec C engine, but I am thinking of going higher in the future, at least 500bhp (Engine tuner 2.1L stroker?) possibly 550bhp with a 2.3L, So I want the FMIC to be used as and when we go for more.

 

Have a word with Harvey he will make you a reccomendation based on experience, he has carried out lots of tests and I'm sure he will point you in the right direction. Iirc for anything over 500 or 600 can't remember you might need to use the hybrid monster fmic not too sure I'm sure someone will shortly correct me.

 

PM Harvey mate he has all the info and kit n wont take yer eyes out

 

The APS DR725 is good for over 700bhp if required.

One of the most expensive you can buy, but very high quality.

 

Thanks for the tips for Harvey, just seen his FMICs for £350 in the group buy section only states up to 2005 though but this kinda proves my point, for something as simple as a cooler why do they vary in price so wildly, surely theres more to it than fitment & quality? I was thinking of covering it up anyway with a Prodrive lower grill

Above it was stated performance, well that would be a concern?

 

Personally i think the gains between a 200 quid FMIC and a very expensive one are probably not that much. Its physically at the front of the car immediately helping with the charge temp and the type of core will just help dissipate the heat differently. We fitted an Autobahn 88 FMIC to my bros car that saw over 500bhp on the rollers while being mapped. Sure the fitment etc will be better on the more expensive one but i guess it depends on what you want from a FMIC!

Dave

 

A lot of hot air

 

to be honest a hybrid fmic will be fine up to 500 bhp and for 350.00 you cant go wrong, loads of peopl use them on here including me they fit nice they cool well and they look good and are proven, speak to harvey forget the ebay stuf as it will proablly split some where on the first little stone that hits it

 

The Hybrids are excellent. I'd buy one over an APS any day. Purely because of price.
The yellow Lateral Car has one fitted and thats kicking out over 700bhp and the Hybrid is coping with that.

Buy the Hybrid and spend the difference between that and an APS elsewhere on the car.

Daz

 

there you go the proof is in the pudding lol if it can take that sort of power for that money its the one to go for tried and tested

 

The hoses on the APS DR series are a bit poo IMHO

Shaun

 

All feedback greatly appreciated fellas thanks.

 

Regards the above, I have just received today my first 06 Hawkeye Hybrid FMIC for trial fitting and feedback to the factory and these will be on general release shortly. There are differences between the 05 model and the 06 Hawkeye.
I have an APS FMIC on one of my cars and Hybrid GT on two others and numerous people, including Bob Rawle, have observed and commented that the Hybrid keeps ACTs far closer to ambient than the APS. Steve Simpson made exactly the same comment.
Get in touch and I will be happy to answer all your questions but take care and I say this, not because I sell Hybrid, but because of my general observations over a number of years. Some of the stuff out there is badly designed and some of it is plain bad made and when you get a combination of the two it doesn't matter how cheap you buy you would be better going to the pub for a weekend because some of the stuff that is sold is complete rubbish.
My intercoolers are on several Time Attack cars performing well and I wouldn't be selling them, fitting them and using them myself if I could find better alternatives.

 

Harvey, have you done comparisons between the hybrid and the AutoBahn FMIC?

Dave

 

Yes. That is why I sell Hybrid.

 

xxx

 

Harvey, I have mentioned to you on another post about ACT gauges that my car (06 Spec C) is running a larger turbo, injectors and an induction kit = 420bhp & 348ft lbs.

I have decided to book my car in to Zen for a remap on the 19th June. I was talking to someone on Wednesday & he stated he would be "concerned" running this power on standard internals. He strongly recommended I should run a FMIC? so I was thinking of fitting FMIC before my car is due to be mapped.

I was thinking if its gonna get mapped well nows the time to fit a FMIC, but I saw yours were only up to 2005 fitment. I am gonna get the map done as is and will look at getting a FMIC off you (& possibly fitted) when they are on general sale for future mods

 

I have just received an 06 Hawkeye kit and we want to fit that ourselves so that any final alterations, modifications or improvements can be taken care of before a production batch goes on general release.
I also think that with our facilities we could adapt the 05 kit to fit the 06 Spec C without much difficulty, however, we are now into the holiday period and it would not be possible to find a slot for you prior to 19 June but I am quite happy to talk through with you what you are doing and if you send your phone number to harveysmith1@btopenworld.com we could have a chat.

 

e-mail sent