I'm interested in getting an oil cooler for my Rabbit. I looked at BSI's website, and see a 19 row cooler for $277. 19 rows sounds like a lot, considering I don't race in very hot climates - the Northeast. I've seen similar ones w/out thermostatic plates and smaller coolers for less than $200.

Is a 'thermostatic' sandwich plate a good thing to have? Is it acceptable to just block off the cooler when not running very high temps?

Opinions on stainless steel vs. non-stainless for the lines? Would it be cheaper to assemble my own?

Thanks,
PJ

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83 Rabbit GTI - future ITB