gixxerfool
Autocross Champion
- Location
- New Jersey
- Car(s)
- 2016 Golf R
Wanted to start this mostly to keep track of where I am at. I will do my best to update the first post with relevant links.
Quick background-growing up no real interest in cars.
-At 18 needed one and ended with a 1981 Z-28. It was a rat trap and I loved it. I got bit by the bug. Hated paying people doing work not to my liking, bought magazines, books, and asked whoever I could for info and figured the rest out. It was giving up on life so I got rid of it.
-Bought a brand new 1999 GMC Sonoma. Didn’t want to mess with it too much, put an exhaust and what was considered back then a home tune on it. Owned it 17 years and it was quite literally falling apart at the end. I bought a 1983 Z-28 in 2001-ish for a money pit. Succeeded at that. 2004 bought my first motorcycle that got t-boned a year later and then bought my second bike.
-Had too many things with wheels and wasn’t really driving/riding them. The Z sat in my driveway and rotted and so I got rid of it. He pickup got traded on a Civic, I needed something right now and cheap and reliable. It was a good car, but kind of plain and boring. I did some stereo upgrades and headlights. Left the rest alone. Wife and daughter grew tired of the coupe life. So I started my search for a replacement.
-Enter the Golf R. It was a fun search since I was truly open to anything for the first time in forever provided it had all the features I wanted. I started my search and finally found one a year later. It’s a weird mid-life crisis-ish car for me. It’s not a Vette, but for me it’s a ton of fun and something I can make my own.
Nov 14, 2020-Took delivery of 2016 Golf R in Lapiz blue with 22,000 miles. Seems to have everything, but DAP from the factory. It is lowered with H&R springs and has an AeroFabb wing extension on it. I can tell there was a DP and CAI on it at one point, but the stock items are back on. There is a resonator delete on it. Plans at this point are winter wheels with tires and an OBDEleven for coding changes. Everything else is in the mix. Didn’t know what I ultimately wanted to do or in what order.
December 14, 2020- Car went to the dealer to get the windshield replaced and ended up becoming a huge deal, not because of the wind. You can read that here.
February 19, 2021- 24,200 miles New fluids and exhaust tips removed. More snow too. Read about it here.
March 3, 2021- Replaced the lift gate drain tube. See the pics here.
March 8, 2021- Installed rear washer check valve to curb the dribble I had. Great write up here.
My exhaust tips came back from the powder coater. Jump to the post here.
March 21, 2021- Installed the VLAND tail lamps. Jump to post here.
March 22, 2021-Finally received my Klii underlay order and got those with the gloss black emblems installed. See them here
March 26, 2021- 22,700 battery puked, it was the factory battery, so can’t complain. Also did the DSG service.
April 4, 2021- Installed the steering wheel wrap.
April 10, 2021-Installed factory springs, put summers back on and flushed the brake fluid.
June 18, 2021- installed a custom made brass hatch drain
August 19, 2021- ~28,000 miles Installed the H&R rear sway bar.
September 12, 2021- Nothing exciting, put in a Forge intake tube.
December 31, 2021- Closing out the year with a DIY boost gauge install
April 13, 2022-Stage 1 low torque 93 octane tune installed and painted calipers
April 16, 2022-Installed painted calipers and put summer tires back on
July 17, 2022- Installed the intercooler and new front fascia
May 1, 2023- Replaced spark plugs with Ruths
Items done-
Interior:
I snagged an OBD11 Pro on a Black Friday sale and all the coding changes I would have done, the PO did, EXCEPT for the exhaust valves open all the time. I am trying to revert it and not having much luck.
I changed out the stock shifter paddles with S2T units. Love the look of them.
Install steering wheel wrap.
DIY boost gauge install
Exterior:
The PO had an AeroFabb wing extension I am rather fond of, so I kept it.
My friend printed a front license plate bracket off of Thingiverse and I added a couple of license plate frames. Nothing special, but the bumper wasn't drilled through two other owners and decided to keep it that way.
Powder coated exhaust tips.
Installed rear washer check valve.
I have a set of curved mirror glass ready to go in when I find a set of folding mirrors.
VLAND tail lamps installed.
Klii color matched underlays with gloss black emblems installed here
Suspension:
Installed the factory springs in lieu of the H&R lowered springs.
Installed an H&R RSB with Moog end links.
Engine:
As of now, the only thing I have done to it is fix the loose air box so far. You can read that here.
Installed a Forge intake tube.
I started emailing tuners to see if it’s ever been tuned. It was never TD1‘d despite having been to the dealer on several occasions. Turns out there was an IE stage 2 crackle and tune in the car at one point. Glad that is no longer in it.
Wheels and tires:
I found a set of Austins at a local recycler and ordered some tires through work. These are the winter running gear. The Cadizs have all seasons on them right now.
Items to be done-
Interior:
I am still hemming and hawing about a possible digital dash retrofit. That is low on the list of things to do.
Getting in front of the possible rear door speaker leak is something I want to do. I abhor water leaks.
Exterior:
Folding mirrors with dynamic blinkers are on the list.
I am considering rear exterior handle retrofit down the road if I can find a set. That is lower on the list as well. TURNS OUT NOT A SIMPLE HANDLE FIT IN THE MK7 LIKE THE 7.5
I was looking at PPF as well. The front isn't perfect, but its pretty good.
Suspension:
As of now the suspension is where I want it.
Engine:
There may be drop in filter added, but I am so pleased with how the car is now, I doubt I will do much more beyond the maintenance to it any time soon.
Wheels and tires:
Not much here since this is a DD, possibly some summer tires to replace the all seasons.
Overall, I am focusing more on trying to keep the car clean and washed and in good shape. I gave up on my Civic cause it was black and dirty as soon as I completed washing it. I have more time to do it after work which helps me stay on top of it.
Quick background-growing up no real interest in cars.
-At 18 needed one and ended with a 1981 Z-28. It was a rat trap and I loved it. I got bit by the bug. Hated paying people doing work not to my liking, bought magazines, books, and asked whoever I could for info and figured the rest out. It was giving up on life so I got rid of it.
-Bought a brand new 1999 GMC Sonoma. Didn’t want to mess with it too much, put an exhaust and what was considered back then a home tune on it. Owned it 17 years and it was quite literally falling apart at the end. I bought a 1983 Z-28 in 2001-ish for a money pit. Succeeded at that. 2004 bought my first motorcycle that got t-boned a year later and then bought my second bike.
-Had too many things with wheels and wasn’t really driving/riding them. The Z sat in my driveway and rotted and so I got rid of it. He pickup got traded on a Civic, I needed something right now and cheap and reliable. It was a good car, but kind of plain and boring. I did some stereo upgrades and headlights. Left the rest alone. Wife and daughter grew tired of the coupe life. So I started my search for a replacement.
-Enter the Golf R. It was a fun search since I was truly open to anything for the first time in forever provided it had all the features I wanted. I started my search and finally found one a year later. It’s a weird mid-life crisis-ish car for me. It’s not a Vette, but for me it’s a ton of fun and something I can make my own.
Nov 14, 2020-Took delivery of 2016 Golf R in Lapiz blue with 22,000 miles. Seems to have everything, but DAP from the factory. It is lowered with H&R springs and has an AeroFabb wing extension on it. I can tell there was a DP and CAI on it at one point, but the stock items are back on. There is a resonator delete on it. Plans at this point are winter wheels with tires and an OBDEleven for coding changes. Everything else is in the mix. Didn’t know what I ultimately wanted to do or in what order.
December 14, 2020- Car went to the dealer to get the windshield replaced and ended up becoming a huge deal, not because of the wind. You can read that here.
February 19, 2021- 24,200 miles New fluids and exhaust tips removed. More snow too. Read about it here.
March 3, 2021- Replaced the lift gate drain tube. See the pics here.
March 8, 2021- Installed rear washer check valve to curb the dribble I had. Great write up here.
My exhaust tips came back from the powder coater. Jump to the post here.
March 21, 2021- Installed the VLAND tail lamps. Jump to post here.
March 22, 2021-Finally received my Klii underlay order and got those with the gloss black emblems installed. See them here
March 26, 2021- 22,700 battery puked, it was the factory battery, so can’t complain. Also did the DSG service.
April 4, 2021- Installed the steering wheel wrap.
April 10, 2021-Installed factory springs, put summers back on and flushed the brake fluid.
June 18, 2021- installed a custom made brass hatch drain
August 19, 2021- ~28,000 miles Installed the H&R rear sway bar.
September 12, 2021- Nothing exciting, put in a Forge intake tube.
December 31, 2021- Closing out the year with a DIY boost gauge install
April 13, 2022-Stage 1 low torque 93 octane tune installed and painted calipers
April 16, 2022-Installed painted calipers and put summer tires back on
July 17, 2022- Installed the intercooler and new front fascia
May 1, 2023- Replaced spark plugs with Ruths
Items done-
Interior:
I snagged an OBD11 Pro on a Black Friday sale and all the coding changes I would have done, the PO did, EXCEPT for the exhaust valves open all the time. I am trying to revert it and not having much luck.
I changed out the stock shifter paddles with S2T units. Love the look of them.
Install steering wheel wrap.
DIY boost gauge install
Exterior:
The PO had an AeroFabb wing extension I am rather fond of, so I kept it.
My friend printed a front license plate bracket off of Thingiverse and I added a couple of license plate frames. Nothing special, but the bumper wasn't drilled through two other owners and decided to keep it that way.
Powder coated exhaust tips.
Installed rear washer check valve.
I have a set of curved mirror glass ready to go in when I find a set of folding mirrors.
VLAND tail lamps installed.
Klii color matched underlays with gloss black emblems installed here
Suspension:
Installed the factory springs in lieu of the H&R lowered springs.
Installed an H&R RSB with Moog end links.
Engine:
As of now, the only thing I have done to it is fix the loose air box so far. You can read that here.
Installed a Forge intake tube.
I started emailing tuners to see if it’s ever been tuned. It was never TD1‘d despite having been to the dealer on several occasions. Turns out there was an IE stage 2 crackle and tune in the car at one point. Glad that is no longer in it.
Wheels and tires:
I found a set of Austins at a local recycler and ordered some tires through work. These are the winter running gear. The Cadizs have all seasons on them right now.
Items to be done-
Interior:
I am still hemming and hawing about a possible digital dash retrofit. That is low on the list of things to do.
Getting in front of the possible rear door speaker leak is something I want to do. I abhor water leaks.
Exterior:
Folding mirrors with dynamic blinkers are on the list.
I was looking at PPF as well. The front isn't perfect, but its pretty good.
Suspension:
As of now the suspension is where I want it.
Engine:
There may be drop in filter added, but I am so pleased with how the car is now, I doubt I will do much more beyond the maintenance to it any time soon.
Wheels and tires:
Not much here since this is a DD, possibly some summer tires to replace the all seasons.
Overall, I am focusing more on trying to keep the car clean and washed and in good shape. I gave up on my Civic cause it was black and dirty as soon as I completed washing it. I have more time to do it after work which helps me stay on top of it.
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