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Daks' GTI

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
Figured I'd start one of these as this GTI's journey is not turning out like I had intended it to. My name is David; I'm 38 years old, live in Toronto and enjoy long walks on the beach. Below is the list of cars I've owned:

MK2 16v GTI - 1986
1989 Honda CRX B16a swap
2000 Civic Si-R - B16B cams and transmission - Hytech header - Apexi exhaust - JDM wale penis intake. Violent VTEC screaming - so loud, so wonderful. It was murdered out - I miss it
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2009 Acura CSX Type-S - Americans did not get this car - it was essentially a Civic Si (K20) with a way better interior, led tails stock, mugen exhaust stock. I had a Jackson Racing Supercharger on it; Hytech Header, K&N Intake, ACT clutch. I beat the shit out of it for 200,000KM and not once did it miss a beat.

Back to VW

My last VW was a MK6R - I loved it, top to bottom.
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It was UM Stage 2+; LOBA HPFP, Remus exhaust; CTS Intake (that was surprisingly the best one for the platform due to the fuel trims); HPA downpipe; tails, good tires, and a front lip.

It started to ask me for a lot of money (clutch, brakes, tires, plugs, pretty much everything) at the same time I bought a house, and well, very sadly, it had to go. I got into a MK7 TDi for two very painful years, it had a Malone Stage 2 Tune, it was torquey, but it felt like I was steering the titanic and I just couldn't do it anymore.

Enter my MK7 GTI. I was looking for an autobahn, 6MT, performance pack and I wanted the plaid seats. I didn't want leather. It took me a couple of months to find it and I finally did:

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It's a 2016 - I bought it with 74,000KM's, certified pre owned - as part of the certification process they replaced rotors and pads on all four corners, the turbo, water pump, plugs and tires. It was involved in a $2400 accident, someone rear ended it and I ended up getting a great deal on it. Out the door I paid $16,700 USD and the included a two year bumper to bumper warranty ( I purchased the car in Feb 2020).

I told myself that I would keep it stock. That lasted five months. I wanted a soft tune, for just a little bit of a bump in power, hoping that I would be able to keep the stock clutch. I went with Unitronic. Generally disappointed with the tune, I was even more heart broken when my clutch started to slip. Enter rabbit hole:

South Bend Stage 3 Daily
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IABED RMS
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Unitronic DP
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IE TIP and Intake
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I also went with a UNI stage 2 tune, as it was only $150 CAD more to upgrade.

I then installed a Mishimoto Intercooler


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And that's how she sits now. Since the clutch is done and the majority of the bolt-ons are as well the next step will be to switch tunes and go big Turbo. In the process I'll most likely upgrade mounts and summer tires. All my cars I usually kept somewhat stock looking; this one will be no different.
 

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
Update - waiting till spring.

Have a bunch of parts that are waiting to get installed. Before I do I'm hoping to take advantage of MY CPO warranty to fix a few things:
  • Dome light issue
  • Leaking coolant
  • Blower motor is making noise when i turn left and the heat is on
Also looking to get a Carbon cleaning done in the next month or so

But come spring:
  • HPA FR450
  • HPA HPFP
  • Zimmerman Rotors
  • Need to buy pads
  • Tune
  • BFI Mounts
  • New plugs
  • License plate holder
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And to think - I came here two years ago looking how to code out traction control.

This is a very, very bad place.
 

dood.

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Seattle
Car(s)
2017 GTI S DSG
And to think - I came here two years ago looking how to code out traction control.

This is a very, very bad place.
:LOL:

What made you go with the HPA FR450 over other options?
 

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
:LOL:

What made you go with the HPA FR450 over other options?
Duties, exchange rate, supporting a Canadian company - primarily. Not a lot of info on this unit out there, so I wanted to provide the community with more knowledge as well. I also had very good experiences with HPA on my MK6R - so, yeah, that's pretty much it.

The unit also came with a new DV, wastegate, TIP, intake house, installation kit. Which will allow me to sell off my IE intake, TIP etc... Financially it made sense, oh and I got it during their black Friday sale. @gboticus also has the unit and recommends it - which was enough for me. My goal was 400 whp without crazy fueling mods and I think I'll get there with this setup. The unit will not perform as well as the standard Vortex most likely, but the cost of the vortex did not make sense to me being in Canada.
 

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
Updating the thread - have an appointment at VW to have the coolant, dome light and blower motor looked at next Tuesday.
 

Subliminal

Autocross Champion
Location
Vegas
Car(s)
Slow FWD VW Hatch
Is the coolant leaking consistently or sporadically?
 

gboticus

Autocross Champion
Location
Vancouver, BC
Car(s)
2019 R DSG
Duties, exchange rate, supporting a Canadian company - primarily. Not a lot of info on this unit out there, so I wanted to provide the community with more knowledge as well. I also had very good experiences with HPA on my MK6R - so, yeah, that's pretty much it.

The unit also came with a new DV, wastegate, TIP, intake house, installation kit. Which will allow me to sell off my IE intake, TIP etc... Financially it made sense, oh and I got it during their black Friday sale. @gboticus also has the unit and recommends it - which was enough for me. My goal was 400 whp without crazy fueling mods and I think I'll get there with this setup. The unit will not perform as well as the standard Vortex most likely, but the cost of the vortex did not make sense to me being in Canada.
Given Canadian fuel quality it's likely a vortex and the FR450 would perform similarly. That's what my gut tells me based on running US92 vs Canadian fuel (Shell 93 or Chevron 94). I pick up an extra 50HP with E30 blend on Canadian fuel w/o any tuning changes.

Congrats on getting the turbo!
 

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
Is the coolant leaking consistently or sporadically?
Not sure, just saw that the line is below "min" - cpo warranty expires next month so why not take it in and see what they say.
Given Canadian fuel quality it's likely a vortex and the FR450 would perform similarly. That's what my gut tells me based on running US92 vs Canadian fuel (Shell 93 or Chevron 94). I pick up an extra 50HP with E30 blend on Canadian fuel w/o any tuning changes.

Congrats on getting the turbo!
And you're tuned by HPA, right? I think their tune adjusts for fuel quality automatically from what I recall. I would be running Petro 94 here, I don't think you guys get that out west (we don't get Shell 93 here).
 
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