Damian Mac Donagh

10's at Santa Pod. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

These cars only work from a launch. Best bet is to get it to a track/airstrip so you can launch it safely. Can be over 1/2 second betterment over a rolling start. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

110 Ron left over from race fuel mapping making about 655bhp. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

It's great to have it running long time coming. I did see that 10.72secs pretty impressive, great look they've got on the car also. Good luck to them believe changing up to big turbo now. Didn't see the interior but would have thought it was well stripped, running E85 but probably biggest benefit were proper Hoosier drag tyres which accounted for 1.52secs 60ft which is incredible. If only I could have that 60ft I'd be running mid 9's. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Were getting to the final stages now and it's driving like a dream for the first time in 4yrs thanks to the recent overhaul works so big thanks to @VRSNorthampton for the engine build and MRC Tuning Ltd for all the fueling/mapping/re-installation works. Brakes and exhaust to go now just to finish off. Brakes on order are AP Racing 6 pot 380mm Pro 5000 R fronts and 4 pot 355mm Pro 5000 R at the rears. Going with a custom valved system for exhaust as existing Milltek is falling apart, welds failing etc. plus it's deafening out on the road even cruising around in "Drive" way to much and this with the cracks and pops removed. I've had to get a headset as any prolonged driving is banging headache territory. Boost levels set fairly reserved for the benefit of prolonged drivability now so more in it if ever required but sometimes less is more. Results are impressive, remember this is a full street trim car, full leathers, panoramic roof, no strip out what so ever with all the bells and whistles still in place. The pull at 30mph is intense, turns your stomach, sickly feeling of jeez. 0-30mph is still a struggle, running Michelin Pilot Sport 4's at 36psi all round but that was always the intention to keep it true street so something I'll just have to suffer. Here's the initial performance numbers: Regards Damian Mac Donagh

👀 First pass new specification set-up. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Looks much better now than when I saw it a few years back dressed up at VAG Tuner (Summer 2018) but each to there own. Front drivers panel wasn't aligning then either (see below) so it's not a recent issue but would still do some due diligence like you would on purchasing any car. Not sure if I've missed something though, is it actually Stage 2 or 3? Advert states Stage 3 mapping ECU/TCU and Revo Performance Pack but that doesn't include a turbo does it, it's intercooler, intake and associated pipework which for £2.5k sounds about right. Power Pack allows for turbo upgrade I thought, Turbo Technics V2 they use in builds, don't know if they still do, been on V5 for over year now so bit behind the pace on that front. Looking through the sales pitch waffle no mention of turbo or type, would have placed that high up the list of specification details to outline on selling a performance car personally. £35k + on mods though and leaving the engine untouched the mind boggles, dear o dear. Love the look of the car mind. Brake set-up is stunning. Don't think they'll have any difficulty selling it whatever it is. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

R-Tech definitely reputable, know many a happy customer whether it's generations 5-R32, 6-R or 7-R. Also home to fastest 6R in the Country. Never hear a bad word said which in the tuning industry is some going. Price shouldn't be to much of a concern after all it's just a file loaded in no matter where you take your business at Stage 1 & 2. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Not updated in a little while what with everything that's going on in the world, sad times. So on a more positive note the 7R finally hit the dyno room just prior to complete shut down. Pump map is now concluded and making a decent return on Shell V-Power with sensible levels of boost, more in it. Looking stealthy. 615bhp & 499 Lb/Ft. You just wouldn't think it. All thats left now is the race fuel map. Reckon it's a safe bet I'll be first in the queue when Santa Pod re-opens. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Not a great situation to be in but like pretty much all have said it's the ways of buying in the private market. You takes your chances. I've had it both ways. Had an E36 SMG M3 Evo last of the line years ago with no miles. I had no issues with it apart from outrageous servicing costs, did a full service checkover by reputed independent prior to sale at a cost of £2k to me. Week later after the sale which was now a few weeks since checkover, I get a call from new owner that the SMG box has gone, big bill in those. Talked it through with the fella and he agreed in the end it wasn't an issue of my making and off he went. Likewise bought a BMW 5 Series a while afterwards on the quick myself as a run around from an alleged reputable garage and within 24hrs it needed to be garaged for water pumps and all sorts of niggles, few grand out of pocket, annoyed. More so as i suspected he knew which to me is different but just got it sorted and turned into one of the best runarounds I've had. As long as you've looked after it as best you could and were not aware of any issues prior to sale the conscience should be clear in my view. Hopefully the fella can get it sorted out. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Congratulations on getting down into the 10's Hurdy bet that was a wow, relief, finally moment for you. Car's looking good. 👍 Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Fueling is a head scratcher. Mine had issues with Autotech HPFP just this week. Ready to hit the the dyno after replacing fuel lines and had to pull off first run, HPFP not able to cope with what was coming at it. LOBA Motorsports version going in this week. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Looking good Gordon. Wasn't this in V.W.G. recently if memory serves me? Nice all round set-up. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

Don't have any further information yet I'm afraid. Stay at stage two and enjoy it's not a bad old place to be. Specification wise the list is never ending on this car but hopefully we'll see once and for all if the IMS 780 kit is any good on a road car. Regards Damian Mac Donagh

I was never really to happy with how the car ran in the time I had it on the original build plus it was eating turbo's every 100/200 miles towards the end which is an expensive consumable part so when it came back to MRC Tuning this time around we agreed to change direction and see if revised components cured it, time will tell. Still finalising the maps but will be switchable of the stock ECU. Not sure how far APR pushed it, they've been out of the stage three plus game for a while now. Need to change the fuel lines also as it's melted the existing prior to finishing the mapping and getting it back roadworthy. Suspension, another job still to sort out. Need to get it set-up properly once and for all. It was causing me headaches before it went in a year and a half ago as it was on/off light and wayward at speed. Have a specialist in mind who do race cars and the like, I've just never had the car long enough to get it over to them to sort it out like a few other jobs I still need to work on (brakes). Kind of between a rock and a hard place with the build. It's taking way to long, It drives me demented like anyone who has a car in the garage for a prolonged period of time will testify to but what can you do. I tried to freshen it up and get it moving elsewhere, that didn't exactly go to plan either so just got to plod on. Unless your doing the work yourself I personally just wouldn't go near big builds their not worth the hassle. RS3's Sportsback's are nice cars if you can leave them alone. Plenty of stage two stock engined cars have gone bang, you just don't hear of it. I know from going to Santa Pod a guy was doing a big build on his 8V.1 and has had no end of problems, nothing but dramas . Likewise another 8V.1 big build landed at MRC Tuning's door a month or so ago with engine issues. If it finally performs to the specification it's built to mind, guess I'll forget all the issues quick enough. Regards Damian Mac Donagh