TheGreekFreak's Tornado Red GTI

[TheGreekFreak]

Hey everyone!

Thought I'd start logging the few mods I have planned for my new 2017 GTI sport. This is my first brand new car and, despite my awful experience with my VW dealership, I am very happy with the GTI. My grand plan is to start with cosmetic mods/small "performance" upgrades before moving to bigger performance mods

This little car has really impressed me. It brings back memories of my first car, a BMW E30 318i coupe. I look forward to many fun miles ahead!

Mods as of 05/16/2020

Exterior:
-US Mill Works light quick detach plate relocator
-5ivefifty front/rear carbon fiber "MK7" license plate frames
-OEM mud guards
-Retrofit OEM foglights
-Lamin-X door cup paint protectors
-Pinnacle F1 20% ceramic tint + 5% windshield strip
-Deautokey license plate LEDs
-3M 1080 gloss black vinyl roof/spoiler wrap
-3M 1080 clubsport style side stripes
-Matte silver front, rear, and side emblem badgeskins
-MK7.5 facelift dynamic taillights (no fog) + Jbale harness
-Maxton spoiler extension + red rabbit decals
-Decals: "MK7", Eurocode, AWE, rabbit

Interior:
-Badgeskins engine start stop push button clear protector
-Badgeskins "GTI" visor covers
-Center cubby cover "MK7" decal
-Royal Steering Wheels thicker leather wrapped wheel

Suspension:
-ED lowering springs
-Koni yellow sport shocks
-H&R 24mm rear sway bar
-Superpro rear endlinks

Engine/Drivetrain/Exhaust/Performance Mods:
-Eurocode rear chassis brace
-AWE track catback exhaust
-BFI stage 1 engine mount
-BFI stage 1 transmission mount
-BFI stage 1 dogbone insert
-Sachs Performance clutch + iABED rear main seal
-WCT throttle pedal spacer
-BMS short throw clutch stop
-Eurocode front chassis brace

Wheels/Tires:
-19x8.5 Revo RV019 in gloss anthracite
-Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in 235/35/19
-Stock wheels/all-season tires for winter

Misc:
-Vantrue N2 PRO dashcam

OBDeleven:
-Soundaktor OFF
-LED license plate lights
-FL taillights

Waiting To Be Installed:
-Neuspeed catted DP + Baun resonated midpipe
-Baun Performance FMIC
-Cobb AP + EQT tune

Future Mods

-Rennline pedal kit + heel toe extension
-IE metal shifter bracket + bushings
-Eurosport rear x-brace

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Here is a pic from day 1:

 

[TheGreekFreak]

With the bros WRX behind where it belongs!

I suck as a photographer and my camera is not great, but damn I love how cool this car looks

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Some small mods to start off

Badgeskins Engine Start Stop Push Button Clear Protector

Laminix Door Cup Paint Protectors.

Doing their job protecting the car from nail scratches and the salt I didn't clean off!


5iveFifty Carbon Fiber License Plate Frame

Need a better close up shot of it out in the sun. The "MK7" lettering is in reflective silver so it looks awesome in person.

 

[cbaumy34]

Nice car and the best color.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Eurocode Rear Chassis Brace

Vinyl wrapped it in 3M 1080 Hot Rod Red. Initially put the eurocode decal in the center but forgot half the letters were red so they were not visible. Replaced it with a silver MK7 logo courtesy of Adam Sheikh off his SFLMK7 decal. Check out his work when you get a chance, very talented.

Red seems to match the color of the car pretty nicely. Looks really cool in person.

Now, I know, why get this so early on? Does it even provide any noticeable benefit? Tbh, I loved the way it looks and that's what sparked my interest in buying it. The cost for the added stability, whether beneficial or not for most, was low enough for me to pull the trigger. It is VERY well made and Eurocode was awesome to deal with. Their customer service was top notch and I would not hesitate to make another purchase from them again.

While I haven't tracked the car before and after to provide any meaningful insight, I'm sure it does stiffen up the back a bit. Shouldn't make a difference on the street but I'll leave it to the guys who have tracked the car with the brace for more meaningful insight.

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Alright, have some updating to do. Here is the day I got my tint. Pinnacle F1 20% all around:

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Here are a few shots of my car alongside my bros wrx. Photography people, please excuse the crappy pics. 1) It was FREEZING outside that night and we were rushing to get a few decent shots and 2) this is off a crappy cell phone camera from 2 guys who know nothing about taking pics lol

That same night my clutch completely shit the bed. Was slipping in every gear after 1st....the car had about 600 miles on the odo!

 

[TheGreekFreak]

I discussed the clutch issue in this thread: http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29022

Worst part was the loaner I had to drive for over a week:

Couldn't wait to get my GTI back after that thing. The person who drove drove it before me was an inconsiderate filthy vector of plague, thanks alot whoever you were. An hour with some nitrile gloves, cleaning products, rubbing alcohol, and a vacuum took care of everything within touching distance of the driver seat. So nasty...

Did like the LED license plate lights (WTF VW, you put them on a base Jetta but not a $30K GTI???) so picked some up from deautokey.

 

[TheGreekFreak]

After the clutch situation was taken care of, I was finally able to get my AWE track CBE installed. Man I love this thing. Very civilized when cruising around but give it the beans and it sounds incredible. Really digging the 4" tips, fill in the cutouts nicely.

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Stupid me forgot that the GTI isn't nearly as tall as my old lifted Jeep so I managed to scrape the front bumper on a concrete parking block. Ouch, will try to get as much of it buffed out as possible and just touch up the rest. Have also ordered a replacement front valence piece as the scrapes on this one stick out when looking at the car head on. $80 for damn piece of plastic, not making that mistake again...

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Have been doing weekly Sunday morning washes, trying to keep it clean before I take it in for a full detail/paint correction. Want to bring on the spring swirl-mark free with the bumper reasonably touched up and few coats of wax on the paint. Have just been doing touchless so far but will do a proper wash when the weather warms up.

 

[mursepaolo]

Hey, none of your pics are showing up. Would love to see the progress.

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Hey, none of your pics are showing up. Would love to see the progress.

Damn, just realized how lazy I've gotten lol thanks for the kick in the ass. Will get rid of the photobucket bullshit/update over the weekend.

 

[RRocket]

need pics of Red GTI!!!