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APR Stage 2 in MA

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
How does the EQT OTS tune compare to others? I don't see a stage 1/2 differentiation, but you fill in whether you have a DP so I'm guessing that would mean you'd receive a stage 2 tune, correct?

Edit: also, can you update the tune once you upgrade other parts like intercooler and intake without buying the tune full price again?

Edit: And is this the FMIC you're recommending? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tube-Fin-I...ash=item2ced1c6e86:g:xLIAAOSwJmtdOS~U&vxp=mtr

EQT charges for a revision which they should.
 

shovelhd

Autocross Champion
Location
Western MA
Just went for my inspection yesterday and passed. Best bet is to get an accessport so you can flash back to stock or even get an "emissions tune" which will keep your same stage 1/2/3 file.... ect but allow all the monitors to run and see if all your monitors are "ready", keep in mind temperature (from experience it should be between 40-90F) does affect wither some of the monitors run their tests to become ready so if you are lucky and have a summer month you are fine. Downpipe concerns really shouldn't be necessary as long as you put your stock cat back on and its relatively not loud. Just make sure when you go you have an 02 spacer so you eliminate the CEL and all your monitors are set to ready.

Don't mean to thread jack but this is a typical response to this oft-asked question that is short on specifics and multiple people to back up. MAP catted DP, got that. Which sensor mount? Which way is it pointing? Which spacer? How many years have you passed? Do you know anyone else with the same setup in MA that passes every year with zero parts swaps? I don't consider flashing to a stock tune a "parts swap".
 

qomn

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Boston
Good questions up there^^

I have another one of my own haha. I just got off the phone with my garage and he said chinese intercoolers sometimes have fitment issues that require a lot of work to get in and can drive labor costs way up. Do you guys have good experience with magic/majesty in this regard? If the fitment is poor and they have to do extra work to get it in then I might be better off spending extra for a good brand in terms of parts+labor.
 

Hoon

Autocross Champion
Location
Rhode Island
Good questions up there^^

I have another one of my own haha. I just got off the phone with my garage and he said chinese intercoolers sometimes have fitment issues that require a lot of work to get in and can drive labor costs way up. Do you guys have good experience with magic/majesty in this regard? If the fitment is poor and they have to do extra work to get it in then I might be better off spending extra for a good brand in terms of parts+labor.

There's a very detailed thread on this (quick search should find it), yes they can have some fitment issues but they work very well.

Some people have noted fitment issues on many of the name brand ones that are twice the price, but the Chinese ones are definitely worse.
 

qomn

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Boston
So maybe it's worth paying a little bit extra for a better brand? I wouldn't worry as much if I was going to DIY the intercooler, but I don't feel comfortable with that - DP is probably as far I will go. I just don't want to get screwed on labor costs (due to parts, I trust the garage).

EDIT: Is this the thread? https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/magic-majesty-ebay-16-4-liter-intercooler.348009/

Looks like there is actually a lot that needs to be done extra? Unless I can provide extra parts that are required and maybe point them towards some of the tips from that thread, it seems like things could add up.

Any experience/thoughts on BMS? https://burgertuning.com/products/mqb-platform-vw-intercooler
 
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jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
Gotcha, so the update price is for version updates that don't necessarily apply to individual components.

Right. If you add parts like a catless DP you would probably want to get a completely new tune.
 

Stija

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Az
Car(s)
BMW Saab Subaru VW
Downpipe concerns really shouldn't be necessary as long as you put your stock cat back on and its relatively not loud. Just make sure when you go you have an 02 spacer so you eliminate the CEL and all your monitors are set to ready.
Good to know there’s no need for concern as long as everything is tip-top n ready w stock setup.
 

qomn

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Boston
Okay so I got the depo catted downpipe, bms intercooler, and Cobb AP with eqt ots. I'm sitting in the waiting room of Eastside motoring in Waltham, MA right now and they started working on the car at 12pm. It is now 5:50pm and they're not done. They told me they're having trouble getting the stock downpipe out, I thought it would be the intercooler but apparently that was fine! These guys are APR dealers so they should do this all the time. I'm pretty confused about what's going on... and now worried about what labor is going to cost.

I was told that the mk7.5 model has a different cat, maybe bigger, maybe different angle, than the mk7 and they're having trouble taking the stock dp out. Does this make sense at all?? I thought the facelift was identical mechanically.

EDIT: Got more info. So yeah they're saying they had to remove some extra stuff to be able to get the stock dp out. They're saying it took as much time as an mk7.5 R. Still not sure how the facelift changed the downpipe or surrounding parts. Another fun issue...the depo downpipe is not a good fit for the back half of the exhaust so there's a good amount of leak, including flutter when revved. So I will 100% have to swap for inspection. Is this normal?? Should I contact depo? They said a solution is to weld the pipes, but swapping to stock will require it be cut so I don't want to do that. Are there risks to keeping it this way?

EDIT2: Ended up being charged $600, $350 for IC which I guess is fine, and $250 for the downpipe.
 
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Desslok

Autocross Champion
Location
PA
Car(s)
2019 Rabbit
Have the shop weld a few inches of identically sized pipe on both the end of the downpipe and end of the catback. Use the same size clamp and it won't leak.
 

qomn

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Boston
Lol! Wait you, or paying someone $250x2 to do it pre and post inspection?

I admire your passion/dedication.
Nope, read my post before that, the long one. The shop had major trouble taking the stock dp out. I just wanted then to handle this first time since it's tougher and they can get the engine block bracket out for me (which they didn't because they said it works as a heat shield). That way I'd be able to do swaps myself for inspection. I brought it to the shop for the IC which I definitely didn't want to do, and thought they may as well take the 40 minutes to do the downpipe (not 2.5 hours).

Anyone have input on the other concerns I had?
 

Hoon

Autocross Champion
Location
Rhode Island
Nope, read my post before that, the long one. The shop had major trouble taking the stock dp out. I just wanted then to handle this first time since it's tougher and they can get the engine block bracket out for me (which they didn't because they said it works as a heat shield). That way I'd be able to do swaps myself for inspection. I brought it to the shop for the IC which I definitely didn't want to do, and thought they may as well take the 40 minutes to do the downpipe (not 2.5 hours).

Anyone have input on the other concerns I had?

There's no difference between an MK7 and 7.5 downpipe install. Maybe they haven't done one on a car with a VAQ diff??

Getting the stock DP out takes a bit of extra time because of the bracket to the block but it's not bad at all. Slides right out when rotated the correct way, which is very easy on a lift.

Many aftermarket DPs don't exactly match the diameter of the stock system. You can try a better clamp, the stock one isn't very good.

I have a full 3" so i don't know if this clamp will work well for this specific application, but it is very good quality.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/312881783625
 

Desslok

Autocross Champion
Location
PA
Car(s)
2019 Rabbit
I need to be able to swap to stock for inspection.

Buy a 12" section of 2.5" pipe. Then cut into three equal pieces. Then remove 4" from the end of the stock downpipe and weld a section of the 2.5" pipe on. Do the same with the new downpipe and the last piece goes on the catback. Now all ends are identical and can use the same size butt joint clamp.
 
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