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My CW GTI Daily - Now with K04! - OEM++

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
Added a couple of new little pieces this week!

First up is a USP Motorsports "Tear-Duct Direct Flow Rear Intake Pipe" I have wanted a "Stage 2" intake pipe like this to go with my APR intake for a while, but I didn't want to spend all the money for a carbon one as I like the wrinkle black OEM+ look more. Fits perfectly with the APR Intake, install was a bit interesting at times but overall not too bad, butt dyno says it picked up a bit of response and maybe a little power but who knows!



Also while I was doing that added an Audi R8 Oil cap, and red covering for my coil pack wiring!





Overall car is running really well right now and I have a ton more plans over the winter and into the spring! Stay tuned for what comes next!

 

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
Just drove all the way down the Island today to visit Progressive Auto, the only APR dealer here on the island, and got a Stage 2 DSG tune done!

Car feels SOOO good after the tune, exactly what I wanted from it! In Drive the car feels like it actually shifts at the right time, and doesn't lug the motor, Sport mode is finally usable for the first time, and is awesome on a windy road, and in manual mode (which I use the most) the shifts feel faster, are super firm at full throttle but really smooth when driving normally. Overall exactly what the car needed next to compliment the higher power levels! Only thing I miss a bit is the DSG farts are gone, but replaced with crisp fast pops when shifting, so I am super happy overall!

 

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
The biggest upgrade I have made to the car yet! Tires. 225/40r18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. This is the first real summer tire I have ever had on a car, and it's amazing. Grip is unbelievable, steering feel is great, it feels like a new car!




Had to do a couple of other things to the car as well, was an expensive week!
- Oil Pan
- Water pump
- Intake Walnut Blasting
- Strut mounts and bearings
- Front sway bar end links
- CTS Front subframe deadset kit
- Alignment.

I also put the stock exhaust back on. My area has been having crazy issues with strict police, so I wanted to fly under the radar for a while. Sounds great, more refined, I think I'll enjoy it like this for a while, and the stratified crackles can still be heard occasionally!
 
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davisharr

Go Kart Champion
A big update to the car! - BC Racing Coilovers

Well, here goes! Over the year and a half or so I had the SPM Springs on my OEM shocks, they took a bit of a beating. I knew stock shocks wouldn't hold up long on lowering springs, but add the rough roads locally and the winter I spent in Calgary with them and they where done. Springs where rusty, one shock was leaking, and the whole car felt bouncy and sloppy.

I decided to make the jump! After a ton of research on different coilover, or shock and spring combos. I settled on a BC racing BR series coilover kit!



I love the Idea of being able to set my ride height wherever I want, and although the dampening, height, preload, and camber plate adjustment are far more than I will ever know what to do with, this kit seemed decent quality, a good price, and a great design. It came with shortened sway bar end links for the front, which is great as I was destroying stock ones quickly at my height, and needed shortened or adjustable units. It also replaces the rubber tophats in the front, which is great as everyone knows those bearings and mounts are a common failure point, and the biggest difference I wasn't expecting was the way it makes my steering and turn in feel, just amazing, so much more engaging than blown old sloppy oem suspension was.



The front design is pretty standard, dampening is adjusted by pulling back the windshield cowl trim slightly and spinning a knob on the top of shock tower, really easy to get to. Height is adjusted by shortening or lengthening the entire shock, so you dont have to mess up the preload and make your car ride like garbage to go higher or lower!



Rear is a bit different, not what I was used to seeing in coilovers, but now that I have installed and read the instructions 12 times over, it makes sense. Damping is adjusted by a knob on top of shock, but due to the mounts in these cars it is NOT adjusted from somewhere in the trunk area, but from under the car. It is easy to get to with wheels still on, but car must be jacked up at least in the rear. No worries for me as I work at a dealership with hoists so I can pop it up quickly on my lunch break or after work if I ever want to make tweaks. Rear height is also easily adjusted but once getting your desired height you must then adjust preload properly. I had no idea how to do this and was a bit worried, but BC has a great short video that walks you through the process and its not bad at all.



Install went great! Everything fit well, lots of new hardware included where necessary, and clear enough instructions!



I tried to set the ride height exactly as my lowering springs where. I really liked that height as it looked great, but didn't rub or compromise any drivability even around town, speedbumps, and cracked potholed roads. I have the rear at full high but without the optional 1" spacer. Fronts are about mid way through their adjustment. If I had to guess, the adjustment range would let me go at least 1.5" higher or lower. But I am pretty happy with how she sits!



Now for the driving review! Ride is stiffer, for sure, but not harsh by any means. On a smooth road, you would never notice... On rough potholed city street, it's a bit stiff, not for a non car enthusiast for sure, but what kinda non car person is getting coilovers! For me, it's perfect, it's still comfortable, not bouncy, no rub at all at my height even with passengers in the car driving hard down rough roads. I do however have my front fenders rolled, due to the more aggressive fitment that my Audi Winter wheels have.

The biggest improvement like I said earlier is the turn in and steering feel! And thats on my winter tires! I can't wait to feel this car when my summers are back on in the spring. Luckily now that I am living in Victoria B.C. that should come a lot sooner than it did in Calgary.

Thanks for reading the update! Please feel free to ask any questions if you are considering a coilover kit! And stay tuned, as with this car addiction I have, you all know this won't be the last mod!
 
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torga

Autocross Champion
Great update and nice review!! I'm currently between these and the YCW set for my upcoming coils.

BC Racing sells these adjustment knobs to let you adjust the rear damping without having to lift the car. You just have to make a small incision in the carpet to route these through.
 

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
Probably shouldn't have even reviewed this setup before getting my alignment done...
Last week I got the damping of the coilovers dialed in and alignment done... I also did my first track day with this car!!



The BC's are great, it's still a little stiff in town, but going to the track also involved a 2 hour round trip on the highway. At highway speeds, this suspension rides great. I like it more than stock, not uncomfortable or compromised at all on higher speed roads. You can still feel the road more, but mostly through the steering, and I absolutely love that the coilovers have improved the steering feel of the car!



On the track the car was great, we did lead/follow with an instructor, so we kept the speeds lower but still had some fun! GTI's Suspension felt plated, predictable, and fun! Then we did an Autocross, where I also got to try a few runs in a Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, and a BRZ. Both modified for track use. Needless to say it was a great day, and my employer plans on hosting quarterly events like this at the racetrack they own just an hour away! So this won't be my last time trying this out!



Also wanted to ask if anyone has advice for performance street alignments on these cars? I have never set up a FWD, how do my numbers look? I have to be within the OEM approved range as police here are rumored to pull over modified cars for too much camber.
 

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
New mod, it's boring but figured I should keep this thread 100% up to date!

First off, I was in a small fender bender a few months back, was rear ended and smacked up the rear bumper and one of my eurotails. After a bit of an argument with insurance I convinced them to pay for the aftermarket tails, and had the work done at Coachworks Restoration in Victoria B.C. A bodyshop that specializes in vintage Mercedes, and Porsche. They where previously known as Rudi and company and have done more 300SL Gulwing restorations than I could ever wrap my head around! So needless to say, I am incredibly happy with the quality of work, and the GTI was in good company while she was down!

Onto the next mod, I added a high flow catalytic converter to my downpipe! Maybe I'm getting old, or maybe I wanted to do this the entire time I have owned the car, I am really not sure. But I figured in a daily driver, it was the right thing to do for the sake of the environment and my sanity! Police have been getting really strict in my area, and I just wanted to be 100% legal and proper. Modified cars in my province have a bad reputation, and though it isn't illegal to modify, it's getting more and more strict. I figured the right thing to do was to represent the modded car community in a positive way, by being modified in a responsible way!

So the car now has a CTS 3" downpipe with a high flow cat, to a OEM cat-back. It feels funny to modify the exhaust in the opposite way most people do, I purchased the car crazy loud and its now far closer to near stock volume. But I honestly like the sound even more, it still sounds loads meaner than a factory car.It is nice and tame on the highway, heck I even took my mom for a mothers-day cruise and she enjoyed riding in one of my cars for the first time ever! The crackles from the stratified tune are more like an Audi or Porsche now, mild burbles rather than a pedestrian scaring bang bang! And I can hear the turbo noises from the intake and GFB DV far better than before!

Here are some pics of how the car sits now, coilovers are a little lower than in the last posts, and the sticker/emblem I have made for the rear is a funny tease at all my Porsche buddies.





Thanks for reading, more updates to come!
 
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grandCurator

New member
This car is looking great! I think the stretch on the tires looks just right on there, for sure what I will be aiming for on mine.
 

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
This car is looking great! I think the stretch on the tires looks just right on there, for sure what I will be aiming for on mine.

Thanks! I have never loved the stretched look, but this tiny bit is perfect! I have also never loved black wheels, but the price and weight was right and if black wheels are ever going to look good its on a white car! I could't say if it's from the rim width, weight, or both, but there is a notable handling improvement with the new wheels as well despite having my same tires as before!
 

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
Last supporting mod(s) before the new turbo arrives!! Got this Unitronic intercooler kit on a great sale recently. Also threw in a CTS throttle pipe while I was at it,Took Unitronic a long time to get the intercooler sent out as they sold out of their full stock during the sale. But boy was it worth the wait!!



Install was daunting, but actually not that bad, set aside a lot of time and worked very patiently and carefully. I actually really enjoyed the install, it is so cool to see the way the front structure can come off as one unit, kinda like getting a sneak peek at what the assembly line workers in Wolfsburg did hundreds of times a day every day! Everything fit together alright, it's tight, as you are shoving a larger core and hoses in an already tights space. But with some patience it all goes together quite well.



Size comparison of Stock to Unitronic. Similar dimensions, but thicker, and more dense core.



Overall so happy with this purchase. I was alarmed how noticeable the difference is on first drive. I wasn't expecting any power or response gained on a cold night, but even then it was instant. It's like the car now pulls as hard as it's best pull ever, every single time, plus maybe a bit more! The engine feels smooth, responsive, and happy with the new cold charge air!



Now we are ready for the new turbo that should be here in a few weeks. Stay tuned, that'll be fun!
 

davisharr

Go Kart Champion
Nice upgrade. Did you notice any changes to the low-end responsiveness?
Thanks! I think so, though it's really hard to say as my OEM turbo is not making the boost it used to... My factory IHI turbo is plagued by the common loose wastegate issue and is not as responsive as it used to be. A big reason for the intercooler upgrade is that I have a K04 on the way to replace the dying turbo!
 
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