Dear Forum - just joined - so please treat me gently as a newcomer

A few years ago I had a Marea Weekend 2.0HLX - wow what a car - it was a company car which I lost when I changed jobs in 2000.

Now I have bought a W Reg 1.8 ELX (series 2) - I still love the design and I am very pleased with it - but some questions.

1. Obviously I don't get the performance of the 2.0 5 Cyl engine, now did expect to - so does anyone have any tuning tips that for a reasonably cost will elevate the 1.8 performance to anything closer to the 2.0. - nothing visible please - I don't want "boy racer" type add ons.

2. I need a new pollen filter, and have been offered surplus stock of Stilo pollen filter - is it the same? it looks the same via photo e-mail.

3. I miss having remote locking - any recommendations of a retrofit remote control central locking system - the existing central locking works fine, but is only key operated.

4. Rear wash wiper doesn't work, the wipers does, but no water gets through to the spray nozzle, though i can hear the pump going. Any tips - treat me as a dullard if giving me anything to try, the more detail the better.

5. At speeds (80 mph plus) the front end seems to wander a little - it doesn't pull left or right, just seems to wander as if the front end is very light - any tips? (not that I should do 80!)

Thanks forum and best wishes

P.S. I had the aircon re-gassed by a marvelous local mobile fella, £65 compared to £94 at Fiat dealer - details on request if anyone interested

i can give u a few tips on perfomance! firstly, stick a K&N air filter on, they DO make the world of differance, up to about 7 or 8 HP, u can also have it "chipped", an expensive mod but it does add to performance also, maybe a sports exhaust?

Thank you for your response.

Any recommendations for chipping? regarding a Sports Exhaust, apart from the sound, they don't do anything for the actual performance do they?

Guy

On the 2.0 the exhaust wraps around the rear silencer adding an extra 3' to the exhaust length, check it on yours. A good exhaust can add 3-4 bhp.

im sure the marea can use the remote locking fiat add on kits that are often on eBay. rear wash is most likely blocked or a leaky pipe.worth checking in case it leaking water to the interior.

Looking on EBAY there are two types of Air Filter kit...

see item no: 4555058242 and item no: 7978728813 would you mind explaining to a novice the difference, which you recommend, and whats involved in fitting.

Thanks

Guy

I believe the standard remote locking is something you can just bolt on... there are instructions somewhere on the Fiat BOO website on how to do this. Kits are regularly available off ebay.

Thanks - any more info on those 2 K & N kits - one is described as a HIGH FLOW Air Filter, the other as K&N 57i INDUCTION KIT - big price difference - not sure what the difference in performance is.

Guy

high flow will just be replacement for the standard panel filter whereas the induction kit replaces the whole airbox and willprovide more power.cant quote bhp im afraid but replacement panel filters do very little for performance really.

Thank you - exactly what I needed to know - easy to fit myself?

Guy

Check this thread out.

https://www.fiatforum.com/showthread.php?t=7540