A friend of mine has a 54 plate D5 manual fitted with a TuningBox from
almost new. This suggests a bump upto around 195bhp and 20-25% (now ~300ft
lbs) more torque.

I having driven and been driven in it, that it is nothing short of a very
quick machine. I wouldnt say it is quite 195bhp, but the torque increase and
the accessibility of the grunt certainly is 20% improved. You would need a
T5 to keep upwith it now.

It pulls with strong boost from 1600rpm, and where the standard car is
running out of interest at ~4200rpm this is still going strong well into the
red section.

There is more evidence of lag coming on and off the power, probably because
the turbo is now delivering more boost, and the engine note is slightly more
gruff when working it hard, but still no smoke from the exhaust at all, but
you dont have to work the gears so much to make rapid progress.

It cost him around 350 (may be cheaper now?) and its a 5 minute install as
long as yuo can work a zip tie and two multiplugs. Removal is the same.

His fuel comsumption has reduced from 43mpg to currently 45.5mpg. He does
50k a year (at 46k now) and although it spends afair time on the motorway at
80, the performance is used on the A & B roads.

I would say completely recommened.

Of course you could trade in for the new 2.5 D5 185 standard, which with a
chip would be easily over 200bhp!

Tim..