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Overmonk's GTI

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
Hey folks,

I've been derping around this forum for a few months after being mainly on Vortex since 2002.

I got my GTI in February of 2016 from Leith VW in Raleigh. My mom and sister had both been TDI drivers and my sister had 'the hook-up' from her guy in Raleigh. In reality, it was an ok deal, but my mom and sister both gave me their VW loyalty cash so I got an extra $1000 for making the 75 mile drive from my home in Greensboro.

When I bought the car, if I am being completely honest with myself, I was shopping for a sportwagen, in one of the blues, and I was wavering on getting an automatic so my wife would find it more welcoming. I've never owned an automatic to date. The guy at the dealership was actually supposed to get 'my car' in, but then it was white and I didn't want white. He dangled the GTI at me.

Anyhow, fast forward to now, with 2 years and just over 30K miles on the odometer. I've done some stuff and need to do other stuff, and if I don't start organizing it, I'll spend all of my time planning stuff and never doing it.

So.
 
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overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
I don't remember which of the first two mods I ordered first, but I'm pretty sure I installed them on the same day.

I have a 2000 GTI as well, and my favorite mod to that car was the aspherical mirror set. They were super rare when I got them, and I was delighted to find they are easy to source and a lot more reasonable in price. I bought both drivers and passengers side glass. I was really happy with them on my 2000, and they're also great on the 2016. I know I'm supposed to read some new way of setting my mirrors but I'm fine. I won't hit you.

Aspherical mirrors: 10/10 - these should be standard equipment

The other early mod I did was weathertech's window shade/wind guards. I've ridden in a few cars with them and I always found it kind of nice to be able to drive in the rain with my windows cracked. I got the lighter of the two tints for a 4 door GTI.

They were pretty easy to install, but the initial results didn't fill me with confidence. The fronts just sort of twist and pressure-fit into position, and then you have to close your window a few times. This beds in the weathertech edge into the window trim/weatherstripping, between that and the window glass. Initially the window edge was catching on it and activating the pinch protection; it took a couple of weeks for them to close without me wondering if it would do that. The back ones have a small strip of adhesive to help them attach. The back ones rattle a little when you close the door; I'm going to see if tessa tape will fix it one of these days. The fronts are solid.

I like them a lot when they are clean. I really do like driving in the rain with them open a little, but I've also found that they are magnets for plant material and small insects. I've opened my window more than a few times to find a surprised spider scrambling to find a new spot, sometimes into the interior. I do not like this at all.

Weathertech window shades: 6/10 - major deduction for spiders
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
VCDS

I actually had an interface for Vag-Com for my 2000; at the time it literally allowed me to drive out of a $2500 repair situation.

I learned in short order that I had to upgrade to a new interface (HEX-CAN?) for the new car. While I was sorting out the funding for that project, I located a local with VCDS and arranged to drop in on him to code the soundaktor down to 0. I don't really know why I felt compelled to do it - I knew about it well in advance. As a MK4 owner, I had been lurking always 'about' to pounce on the new hotness. I think I coded it out just so it wouldn't one day annoy me - I do think it's a dumb idea. I want a quiet car. I'll get to that,

I did eventually get the HEX-CAN. Since then I've done the usual tweaks, plus a good deal of coding for the next mod. I feel like I have access to a very powerful tool that I barely know how to use.

VCDS + HEX-CAN - now that VCDS is doing their licensing differently, I fell better about spending the money on this updated interface. When I bought it I was maybe 7/10 on the purchase but now I'm a happy 8/10 on it.
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
OEM LED Tails

I bought these from Ed's operation. I got the kit with the wiring harness that enables the amber strip as the turn indicator, and iirc I got dark cherry. I installed them myself, and it went pretty well overall. I was a little nervous yanking trim pieces out, and I never did get the very top of the C-pillars to clip back in, but you can't really see it from anywhere by in the cargo area, and my dogs don't care.

I broke a white clip on the end of one of the rubber grommet/tunnel on one side. I attempted to route wiring for both sides through only one of these tubes; aside from breaking that clip, I had to cut and lengthen the wire for the far side light (solder/heat shrink). Anyhow, the end result is working fine. I did source the replacement grommet thing but :
- that means cutting and soldering BOTH wires I instealled, plus
- finding the end of the wiring harness that's already there, unplugging it, and fishing it successfully all the way out of the grommet, and
- fishing everything into the new grommet without breaking the white plastic fragile things with my big stupid hands
-assembling everything happily

Or I could leave the grommet in the little side pocket next to the cargo floor where it's been for more than a year.

The coding for the lights was super easy once I started thinking of the German as codes I had to match up with. I took enough German to buy beer and ask for directions to a toilet. If I need someone to spell something, I can communicate that want. This is a little tougher.

They look great - I really like the amber strip; it matches up with the mirror indicator perfectly. I don't have the LP on my car, so the front is still a little meh. That said. . . .

OEM LED Tails - 9/10 - a lot of process to the install but they look really nice when installed. Other than that I don't really see them but you might. I like them; it was a while before I saw another set in the wild.
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
Ed's Headlights - Golf R replicas

I checked back in my emails - I bought these back in March of 2017 and I have yet to install them. I bought Osram Nightbreakers at the same time, and I remember taking the headlights out and carefully installing the nightbreakers in both the low and high beams, and then putting them back into the carton until I could install them.

I'm pretty sure at this point that I'm not going to install them at all. I like the way they look on other people's cars, but in this case, I really do have buyer's remorse. I don't want to deal with the grill stripe not matching and I don't really want a Golf R grille. I wound up putting one pair of the nightbreakers into the halogens and they're fine - I have never thought to myself that my headlights sucked. They're fine.

The reflector part of the Ed's headlights looks great - like a jewel or something. The wiring and housings are all secure, but they don't have that hard plastic, positive connection OEM feel. They're probably fine. You should buy them. I'll post in the classified after I take some pictures.

Ed's Golf R Replicas - unrated (did not install)
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
Helix Subwoofer/DSP/Amplifier

I have the MIB2 non-nav non-fender stereo. Great features, adequate screen.

MIB2 - 7/10

I picked up the OEM Helix add-on for the non-Fender system shortly after it was discontinued - I paid around $270 I think.

I followed youtube and vortex installs and it went generally well - the most intimidating part for me was popping wires out of the OEM harness and into another harness. I didn't get the floor trim next to the front passenger back on correctly and it bugs the shit out of me, but not if I close that door and don't ride shotgun in a car my wife doesn't know how to drive. So far I've avoided it successfully for most of a year.

I ran with it unprogrammed for a while, and it sounded better than before. But then I got it programmed and it sounded dramatically better. I rented the dongle from the rent-a-dongle thread elsewhere on this forum. The doors sounded better and the sub sounded better.

Helix Subwoofer/DSP/AMP - 7/10

The biggest improvement the system did was in time correction and crossover cutoffs. The doors don't get fed the low frequencies and can work efficiently at the frequencies they are fed - so they sound a little clearer. And they get some measure of amplification from the on-board amp; I want to say I've read 17 and 25W. There's a dealer-only add-on that would allow you to turn the system on/of as a demo; it would be nice to have a clearer before and after.

At any rate, the weak link is this subwoofer. It's got 6" drivers, which iirc are smaller than the component woofers in the doors. It has some frequencies where it hits a nice deep, resonant note, but others where it's wheezy and whispy and more suggestive of a tone it can't produce than anything else. It seems to want to substitute a percussive whoomp for a nice tonal bass note.

So it's an improvement in a way, with the introduction of a really disappointing subwoofer.
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
And that's where he sits right now. His name is Bruce - not sure if he's Springsteen (Born to Run), Wayne (am I the batman?), Banner (Hulk Smash), or just some car named Bruce - he changes his mind all the time.

The only other thing I've done to the car is sound deadening, the first time I've messed around with it. I found it kind of zen and soothing and I could hear a difference in the stereo after applying it to all four doors and the rear floor around the spare tire/sub area. Mostly it emphasized things that were already emphasized. When I was a kid the word was this stuff stank and weighed a ton. This stuff (Damplifier Pro) was odor free and I probably added 15 pounds total. My doors definitely close more solidly; I like that.

Damplifier Pro acoustic deadening material - 7/10.
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
Ideas part I: Car Audio

I really want this stock audio + Helix to satisfy me, but it doesn't. The bass is muddy and muffled, mostly, so maybe I should start there.

I have some decent Hertz speakers installed in my other car, which is sitting idle. I might steal those too.

I'd like my end result to be nearly OEM. OEM headunit or the 8" upgrade (if the price comes down or I learn enough Polish to order the right parts) would be great.

I *think* I might do an SQ install, with three way equalization and DSP. I know it would be an expensive route, mainly for that DSP. I've never had a stereo like that in a car.

They way I've read about it, you really only want a front soundstage - you don't want anything in the rear doors at all, so your front tweeters don't have anything competing for imaging. I don't often have rear passengers and I don't care how it sounds to them anyhow.

I don't really know if three way crossovers means tweeters/mids/sub or if it means tweeters/mids/woofers and then separate consideration for a sub. I have spots for the woofers and tweeters. I was looking at my dash yesterday and that little window that no one gets tinted is a good spot for a 2"-3" midbass driver. It could blend in. But IDK yet.

For the sub, I'm not at all sure. I've been fine with having no spare in the car, and I've also tried the trick with the longer plastic bolt, removing the sub's feet, and stacking the two - that Damplifier Pro I installed added like 3/16" under the carpet and the floor wouldn't sit flush. I'd be fine losing the Helix box in favor of a proper sub box no problem, but I'd also be fine losing some space for a solid sealed sub box. Concealed is better though.

I suspect I'll go with a 10", but I've looked hard at both 8" and 12" options.

I guess the sub is the weak link, and deserves first consideration.
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
So I didn't do any of that.

I've upgraded the MIB2 screen from the stock 6.5" to the 8" non-glossy; it looks stock af and I love it. Got a decent deal on it right here I think - just timing. I've recently had the Focal IS VW 155 set installed, after the weather seals on the factory woofers failed in three of four stock speakers. I wasn't happy with the Focal's sound with the Helix someone has rightly pointed out the resistance difference), the DSP/sub has been removed from the picture. I've ordered a small amplifier and I really need to sit tight and let them break in for like a month.

I put 17" wheels on Bruce a little more than a year ago. Neuspeed 16 spokes in silver. I really like them. I got them because I really wanted a little more rubber between me and the road. The traction is significantly improved as well, with wider wheels and tires (with the correct offset). I've rashed one a little. I'm a heathen and use a brushy car wash, and I think that's what did it. I don't mind. A ten foot car is perfect for me and my shitty vision.

The only 'performance' mod I've done is to have the clutch damper/restrictor thing removed. It was baffling to me that I could not for the life of me learn this clutch. I'm 52 years old and I've been driving manuals since I was 16, cars and motorcycles both. I'd start out ok but anything approaching performance shifting and I was overrevving or grinding and it was really messing with my head. This. I got my mechanic to do it.
.
My ride-or-die dog River died. She logged more miles in the car than anyone but me. I miss her everytime I unlock the doors.
 

Turbongr

Ready to race!
Location
Denver
Car(s)
MK7
My ride-or-die dog River died. She logged more miles in the car than anyone but me. I miss her everytime I unlock the doors.

Sorry about your pup:cry: IF my dog goes, my car goes. Turns out I'm more of a bike guy but taking him hiking in the redwoods in the afternoons is non-negotiable. For both of us.
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
I loved that dog as hard as I could, and it was the best thing I've ever done. Dogs live in the moment; I'm trying to follow her example and keep my eyes peeled for her future brothers and sisters. I'm telling my wife forty dogs.
 

overmonk

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
North Carolina
One thing I have noticed in the past few weeks is just how eager I am to do anything to avoid sitting around and having time to think about stuff. So what have I done?

Well first things first: the Focals are starting to get broken in, and there's no bottom end with them to speak of. I'm talking like wispy at 100-90Hz. Without the DSP, the A pillar tweeters pull the image pretty far forward - they're a little bright with the fader set to neutral; I have it one-two clicks back.

They sound a lot better after the installation of a Focal Impulse 4.320 amplifier. I got the amp 'used' from Creative Audio, I don't know how I found it but I paid hundreds off. I made up for that by paying full-fat Crutchfield pricing for all of the harness stuff. The radio interface was a HUGE pain the the ass to get situated but it all buttoned up very nicely. I am still struggling to understand amplifier gains (currently set to ~1/3 of the way up; it never gets hot) but the amp really helped - it really woke them up. The interface and harness were almost as much as the amp. Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of Crutchfield and they are an excellent option most of the time. The fact is, I was able to get TWO sets of Focal IS VW 155 separates from ebay.de for less than it would have cost for one set from Crutchfield, including shipping. You can't always find a deal like that, but I'm glad I checked, and I'm trying not to hold it against Crutchfield. God knows I'm not a thrifty dude.
 
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