Long time track driver, first time w/ GTI

[dworopay]

Hey all, I have a 2017 GTI Sport DSG (original owner, 40k miles) and am moving and selling my track car (C5 Z06). I need to use the GTI for a year or two in the interim. I usually go to 3-4 track days per year, and have done 20 or so over the years in a modded Pontiac G8 and C5 Z06 on R Comp tires at Laguna Seca, Buttonwillow, Willow Springs and Thunderhill. I run a tick over 2 minutes per lap at Buttonwillow as a point of reference.

I'm wondering what the "must do" mods are, as the car is stock and has been a DD for the past 3 1/2 years. I have P Zero PZ4s I just put on it. I also plan to bleed the brake lines and put high temp brake fluid in it. Stock Pads are worn and id likely swap the pads and rotors out. Looking to keep track mods light for now, just want it to be competent on track and on a daily commute. Thanks in advance!

 

[daconchslop]

Ferodo DS2500 pads
2 Piece rotors
RS3 Airducts
Stud convert
Rear Sway
Intercooler..and Welcome.

edit to include: Powerflex Hybrid or BFI dogbone mount.

 

[jimlloyd40]

^^^^^
That's a good list. You might also want to consider the Stern rear subframe brace.
Welcome to the forum.


https://savagechassis.com/products/stern-rear-subframe-brace

 

[jdmwol2ks]

Ferodo DS2500 pads
2 Piece rotors
RS3 Airducts
Stud convert
Rear Sway
Intercooler..and Welcome.

edit to include: Powerflex Hybrid or BFI dogbone mount.

Good tips! I plan on doing fluids, rear sway bar, tires and maybe the ducts. Would camber upgrades be necessary too? Will probably do pads as necessary. Are studs mandatory?

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

You can try tracking the car first and see how much outer tire wear you’re getting. There’s not much you can do with factory parts up front to increase negative camber.
On factory struts and springs I was able to get -2 camber up front using Superpro products.
(If you don’t mind increasing NVH) Superpro fixed camber strut tops net you a bit more than -1 degree camber. Superpro LCA’s increase the caster and negative camber also to a total of -2deg up front when combined with the strut tops.

Rear are adjustable.

There are other ways to find negative camber; lowering the car, CSS knuckles and Eurosport camber pucks are a few ways to achieve negative camber.

For my car, which is more daily driver than track day car, I’ve taken off the Superpro Strut Tops and gone with factory strut tops with the VWRacing Spring/Strut kit. NVH damping and suspension feel has improved significantly. The trade off is that I’m back down to -1.1 camber up front- but it’s still better than zero/factory!

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

If I had to keep it to a bare minimum, I’d do brake pads/ fluid/ alignment and rear swaybar. Then build from there.

 

[jdmwol2ks]

If I had to keep it to a bare minimum, I’d do brake pads/ fluid/ alignment and rear swaybar. Then build from there.

Does an alignment really help if theres not much adjustment? If lowering will get me camber and I was going to do it eventually, i may just jump for that to get camber. If that gets me -1 or -1.5, I'm curious if i'd need to get the camber plates (unless I want to adjust camber) or LCA?

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

An initial alignment is good to set a baseline.. and to set toe.

For reference. The relative mild drop of the VWR spring/ damper kit has my car at -1.1 combined, with the Superpro LCAs. You’d have to add something else to get to -1.5.

Camber plate/Fixed camber Strut Tops are the most effective way to dial in negative camber, from what I’ve experienced.

 

[dworopay]

I'm kinda stuck. I know I need make some mods, but we're purging vehicles (we're moving across country) and will be down to my truck and the GTI for at least a year. My wife will have to drive the VW most of the time and I can't wreck the ride quality.
I figured bare minimum was pads/rotors/fluid and alignment. Sway bars, and bracing are great starting points, I just don't want to change the springs and make too big a change to the camber until I get her something else. I'll start researching intercoolers as well.
After I get her something else, I can go wild on mods or upgrade.

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

I'm kinda stuck. I know I need make some mods, but we're purging vehicles (we're moving across country) and will be down to my truck and the GTI for at least a year. My wife will have to drive the VW most of the time and I can't wreck the ride quality.
I figured bare minimum was pads/rotors/fluid and alignment. Sway bars, and bracing are great starting points, I just don't want to change the springs and make too big a change to the camber until I get her something else. I'll start researching intercoolers as well.
After I get her something else, I can go wild on mods or upgrade.

With a good tire, you should have plenty of fun tracking the near stock GTI in its placeholder role as dual daily driver track day car until you get more aggressive with the mods.
... Was no Z06, but my last track day car was a 135i and I actually have more fun wringing out the GTI around the track than I did driving the bimmer!

 

[Will_]

The only essentials are front pads, fluid, and an intercooler of some sort. A bigger rear sway bar helps a lot. RS3 brake ducts are cheap and help.

A lot of people like stiffer engine/transmission/dogbone mounts but they’re not essential IMO for 3-4 days a year. I did 6 days last year with stock mounts and they’re still in solid shape.

I track my car at Laguna/Thunderhill/Sonoma and see plenty of stock-like GTIs/Rs out there. A lightly modified GTI can do about 2:10 at Thill East, 1:48 at LS and 2:07 at Buttonwillow (rough estimates) with a good driver.

 

[jdmwol2ks]

The only essentials are front pads, fluid, and an intercooler of some sort. A bigger rear sway bar helps a lot. RS3 brake ducts are cheap and help.

A lot of people like stiffer engine/transmission/dogbone mounts but they’re not essential IMO for 3-4 days a year. I did 6 days last year with stock mounts and they’re still in solid shape.

I track my car at Laguna/Thunderhill/Sonoma and see plenty of stock-like GTIs/Rs out there. A lightly modified GTI can do about 2:10 at Thill East, 1:48 at LS and 2:07 at Buttonwillow (rough estimates) with a good driver.

Curious why you recommend the intercooler? (sorry not familiar with turbos car, I've only had NA cars...)

Any experience with the dog bone mount inserts? I've heard it is suppose to make the car feel more connect, so i'm considering it as a cheap mod.

Thanks!

 

[Will_]

Curious why you recommend the intercooler? (sorry not familiar with turbos car, I've only had NA cars...)

Any experience with the dog bone mount inserts? I've heard it is suppose to make the car feel more connect, so i'm considering it as a cheap mod.

Thanks!

Our cars heat soak pretty quickly with stock intercooler. A front mounted intercooler (generally cheaper/easier to install but not an option for everyone) or larger stock-location intercooler will fix this issue for most power levels.

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

Our cars heat soak pretty quickly with stock intercooler. A front mounted intercooler (generally cheaper/easier to install but not an option for everyone) or larger stock-location intercooler will fix this issue for most power levels.

Yes. Especially with a power upgrade, car can heat soak and reach fuel cut/limp mode. I’ve experienced this at Homestead but not at Sebring- perhaps because I push the car harder at Homestead or because of the track configuration and the amount of throttle to cooling ratio taking place coming out the turns and throughout the straights- I do feather off the throttle at Sebring on the long straights to keep speeds down going into T1 and T17, while at Homestead I run pretty close to WOT.

Interestingly, the couple times I’ve hit fuel cut at Homestead, I’ve topped up the fuel tank with race gas (available on site) and the increase in octane allows me to push the car hard again without fuel cut.

indeed an intercooler upgrade should be a priority but I’ve managed to get in a few track days using the slight power boost of JB4 map 1 successfully- being mindful of the throttle or by splashing with race gas.

This next mod I need to hit is definitely an intercooler.

 

[Handguns4heaRTs]

The only essentials are front pads, fluid, and an intercooler of some sort. A bigger rear sway bar helps a lot. RS3 brake ducts are cheap and help.

A lot of people like stiffer engine/transmission/dogbone mounts but they’re not essential IMO for 3-4 days a year. I did 6 days last year with stock mounts and they’re still in solid shape.

I track my car at Laguna/Thunderhill/Sonoma and see plenty of stock-like GTIs/Rs out there. A lightly modified GTI can do about 2:10 at Thill East, 1:48 at LS and 2:07 at Buttonwillow (rough estimates) with a good driver.

This. I also saw Ferodo DS2500 mentioned- they are very good daily/trackable pads, but do be aware that they are not "track pads", and you can most certainly cook them in a 20 minute track session if you're pushing the car very hard. Stock power might be better, but I outgrew the performance of my DS2500 after about 6 outings with my car.