robmarktoo
Ready to race!
- Location
- Oregon
Exactomundo
7
Tune or Don’t Tune your Mk7
- Thread starter gs2online
- Start date
Exactomundo
I get what you’re saying, esp bc I’ve owned 3 GTIs for a total of 6 years and over 100K miles and just now tuned my first one at 70K miles.
The manual MK6 was definitely not painfully slow, since it had a narrow ratio gear box with a 6th gear that spun 2700 RPM at 65mph.
The manual MK7 was fast when floored, slow literally all other times, due to ultra wide gear ratios designed to smooth power delivery out on a FWD turbo. Also had more turbo lag between gears than my short-ratio MK6.
The DSG MK7 (my current car) is by far the slowest, and I mean it when I say it was PAINFULLY slow until I tuned it. The gears are like a Lexus LS. You’d think it was a luxury car, not a hot hatch. Not to mention the abysmal DSG programming. I really hated this car until I tuned it, which is funny cause I’ve owned it longer and driven it more than my other 2 GTIs lol. But now that I’m Uni S1 ECU/TCU, I feel like it moves exactly how it should have from the factory. Though I still hate the DSG programming haha (I regret it - next car will def be manual)
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GroceryGTIer
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- Tri-state
Is it in Dover by chance?
I was running a JB1 for a few thousand miles, but recently removed it. It provided a noticeable jolt whenever I was able to push the car, but those opportunities were very rare living in a congested metro area. If I had more wide open space, maybe I'd feel differently.
In most day-to-day driving conditions, I find stock tune to be adequate and enjoyable. I still look forward to getting in my car everyday. It may not be the fastest, but it's quite the driving experience.
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In most day-to-day driving conditions, I find stock tune to be adequate and enjoyable. I still look forward to getting in my car everyday. It may not be the fastest, but it's quite the driving experience.
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jimlloyd40
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Phoenix
- Car(s)
- 2018 SE DSG
A stock GTI is by no means fast. Maybe it's fast to you but it's not fast by what is considered fast to most car enthusiasts.
bobyjane1234
Passed Driver's Ed
- Location
- Getting chased by a bobcat
Unitronic
Yes
No
I don’t know I can’t see in future
Best is relative
Helped
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1/4 mile in 13.9 at 101 mph when mine was stock. I would say it's a fast car. At least the 2019s.
Anything below 14s with 100+ mph is a fast car in my book. I'm not saying it's like my RS3 either...
Still, I have more fun in the GTI. So at the end of the day, numbers don't mean shit.
Wilmington, DE if you're interested in going, let me know I can give you a contact there who use to work for NGP in Aberdeen MD.
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gtikc
Passed Driver's Ed
- Location
- NJ, South NJ
I have been going back and forth with the Tune decision as well. It's not that i would want more outright power necessarily, just maybe have the car act in a more aggressive manner.
When my mk 6 was tuned it was faster, but honestly a bit too fast to fully enjoy on the street. I enjoyed the feeling of beating on the car to get the power rather than effortlessly being at 70 mph by the time 3rd gear came around. Last last update from my particular tuner(popular brand) also added all sorts of quirks to the cars performance that also hindered driveability, and did not give me confidence in its long term reliability.
If you have a strong budget, and can throw time and money at whatever issue might arise then maybe go for it. Stage one tunes are mostly safe but absolutely not fool proof. Please don't let anyone convince you that it is...its not. IF there was zero chance of any issues, and it did not affect an aspect of driveabilty, reliabity, or economy, than VW would tune like this from the factory. There will ALWAYS be risk.
"As of now" i plan on staying with the stock tune...or maybe a dsg tune at most. If your unsure if you need the extra power....perhaps you don't. In 90 percent of situations(purely street use) the car already has more power than i can actually use. Its more fun being able to use all the cars power than to have to constantly reign yourself in(in my opinion). Plus I also don't have tons of amazing back roads to open it up and really enjoy myself in Southern NJ. Its not a slow car....its no drag racer, but its not intended to be.
Im going to focus on a few small handling mods, wheels, and call it a day
When my mk 6 was tuned it was faster, but honestly a bit too fast to fully enjoy on the street. I enjoyed the feeling of beating on the car to get the power rather than effortlessly being at 70 mph by the time 3rd gear came around. Last last update from my particular tuner(popular brand) also added all sorts of quirks to the cars performance that also hindered driveability, and did not give me confidence in its long term reliability.
If you have a strong budget, and can throw time and money at whatever issue might arise then maybe go for it. Stage one tunes are mostly safe but absolutely not fool proof. Please don't let anyone convince you that it is...its not. IF there was zero chance of any issues, and it did not affect an aspect of driveabilty, reliabity, or economy, than VW would tune like this from the factory. There will ALWAYS be risk.
"As of now" i plan on staying with the stock tune...or maybe a dsg tune at most. If your unsure if you need the extra power....perhaps you don't. In 90 percent of situations(purely street use) the car already has more power than i can actually use. Its more fun being able to use all the cars power than to have to constantly reign yourself in(in my opinion). Plus I also don't have tons of amazing back roads to open it up and really enjoy myself in Southern NJ. Its not a slow car....its no drag racer, but its not intended to be.
Im going to focus on a few small handling mods, wheels, and call it a day
Strange Mud
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Small Town CT
- Car(s)
- Assorted
this (both of them) reasonably fast...feels fast....how fast do you want to drive on the street?
I traded in a Mustang that was faster but the GTI feels faster and has better driver feel.
APR has a 30 day money back guarantee. You will still pay the cost of the install, but you'd have a month to decide for yourself rather than going off the opinions of other people who may have entirely different priorities than you.
GOLF NUTT
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Planet Earth for now
- Car(s)
- 2019 Golf GTI
2FO for this tuning BS. I plan to have my MK7.5 for a long time and many miles.
I want to keep the warranty and just enjoy the GTI.
I want to keep the warranty and just enjoy the GTI.
ElectricEye
Autocross Newbie
- Location
- Central NJ
As a central Jersey guy, I share your reasoning.
I have to ask myself - do I need to accelerate quicker on route 9?
The Garden State Parkway?
And how often would I utilize that anyway?
Is the ability to do so worth the additional strain on the engine?
mindonmatter
Ready to race!
- Location
- Houston Area
No one tunes a car because they NEED more power. Who said anything about need? It's fun, a hobby, etc. Pretty sure they aren't selling hellcats based on need for more power.