Project Red XIII: avenali312's OEM+ GTI

[avenali312]

Man these cars look so good in red! Congrats on the sweet ride.

Thanks!

 

[Evil Minion]

Going to be keeping an eye on this thread! You have near the same exact mentality I have when it comes to car mods and making a car look OEM+

I should really start a build thread as well, just to keep track of everything I'll be slowly doing.

 

[avenali312]

I'd like to know what you think of those springs on Atl roads once they're in. Do you have DCC?

As mentioned earlier, no DCC here. Overall, after a few thousand miles on Atlanta roads with the ED springs, I really couldn't be happier. They feel very comparable to stock; maybe just a tad stiffer, but very close. The final ride height after settling, for me, is perfect. Everything about the springs, and the vendor I purchased them from (Jay at FAS Tuning), is excellent. Highly recommended.

Going to be keeping an eye on this thread! You have near the same exact mentality I have when it comes to car mods and making a car look OEM+

OEM+ is really my best option right now since there are still a few years of payments left and my wife and I have substantial student loans, which doesn't leave a lot left in the "mod jar" haha. Between the tint, spacers, and springs, I'd say that I'm just about done for a while.

I'd like to find someone with some VW OEM wheels that I like to swap with, preferably 17", delete the muffler, and possibly throw a JB4 on, and that will probably be it for me until the car is paid off.

Thanks for bumping the thread. It reminded me I need to fix my image links haha.

 

[avenali312]

Finally getting around to posting the photo from the day after the Emmanuele Design springs were installed. The front has since settled quite a bit, so I'll have to get out and take a new photo since there was a bit of reverse rake right after install.

 

[Evil Minion]

OEM+ is really my best option right now since there are still a few years of payments left and my wife and I have substantial student loans, which doesn't leave a lot left in the "mod jar" haha. Between the tint, spacers, and springs, I'd say that I'm just about done for a while.

I'd like to find someone with some VW OEM wheels that I like to swap with, preferably 17", delete the muffler, and possibly throw a JB4 on, and that will probably be it for me until the car is paid off.

Thanks for bumping the thread. It reminded me I need to fix my image links haha.

Lol, no problem.

And I'm in the same boat with finances, between student loans and getting ready for our first baby, my other baby can't get all my money now

Also I'd steer away from the muffler delete if I was you. I read all the threads with people saying it sounds good, and went and did it this past saturday since it's a cheap mod. I regreted it shortly after driving away from the shop and went back 2 days later to weld the stock muffler back on (good idea to keep it). It sounds just like some rusty old car who's muffler has fallen off. Zero class to the sound, no depth to it, just flat and farty... Then again, just my opinion

Unfortunately, and I should have learned this with my past cars constantly swapping exhausts around, you REALLY do get what you pay for with exhaust. It's just too bad it's so damn expensive for something that in the end only makes pretty noises and no power.

 

[avenali312]

Unfortunately, and I should have learned this with my past cars constantly swapping exhausts around, you REALLY do get what you pay for with exhaust. It's just too bad it's so damn expensive for something that in the end only makes pretty noises and no power.

Yeah, it's definitely one of the items I may just hold out for and resist the cheaper way out. I've heard the AWE track in person and it sounds really good to me, so something like that or similar may be in the distant future.

 

[ryohei47]

Yeah, it's definitely one of the items I may just hold out for and resist the cheaper way out. I've heard the AWE track in person and it sounds really good to me, so something like that or similar may be in the distant future.

Magnaflow is the cheapest catback exhaust, there are a few sites / vendors selling it for $550. I'd definitely recommend that over the muffler delete it sounds much much better.

Excited to see how your build goes, I've been trying to take a OEM+ approach with my Tornado Red GTI as well.

 

[avenali312]

Magnaflow is the cheapest catback exhaust, there are a few sites / vendors selling it for $550. I'd definitely recommend that over the muffler delete it sounds much much better.

Excited to see how your build goes, I've been trying to take a OEM+ approach with my Tornado Red GTI as well.

Thanks!

Debadging the hatch GTI and side GTI wings is probably going to happen this weekend.

 

[Evil Minion]

Magnaflow is the cheapest catback exhaust, there are a few sites / vendors selling it for $550. I'd definitely recommend that over the muffler delete it sounds much much better.

Have you heard it in person? I've read a few people complain about drone with that one, but the price makes it very tempting. I really need to find some local modified mk7 gti's around me and hear their exhausts in person.

 

[georgiatechME]

+1 for Smyrna residence highly recommend Chattahoochee Coffee Company off of Akers Mill. It was 20min away from Tech and was the best way to escape the city.

 

[ryohei47]

Have you heard it in person? I've read a few people complain about drone with that one, but the price makes it very tempting. I really need to find some local modified mk7 gti's around me and hear their exhausts in person.

I hear it everyday

Around 2.4K there is a bit of drone, but at freeway speeds there is next to no drone. The drone is mainly under load going uphill but thankfully that's short lived.

 

[avenali312]

+1 for Smyrna residence highly recommend Chattahoochee Coffee Company off of Akers Mill. It was 20min away from Tech and was the best way to escape the city.

We really enjoy Smyrna and Vinings. Thanks for the tip on the coffee

 

[avenali312]

No physical changes made to the car, I just like how the photo came out and feel that the ED springs are completely settled at this point. Debadging should happen over the long weekend coming up.

 

[avenali312]

Fun times over the weekend with a local pot hole...

 

[avenali312]

Getting ready to set up my appointment for my 20k mile service. Looks like they'll have some investigating to do haha.

Transmission and Steering Column codes are most likely related to the known "Error: Service Vehicle. Only leave vehicle in P position!" warning screen.

02 Transmission
Trouble codes:
P072C00 - Stuck in Gear 1
Intermittent
P072D00 - Stuck in Gear 2
Intermittent
P072E00 - Stuck in Gear 3
Intermittent
P072F00 - Stuck in Gear 4
Intermittent
P073A00 - Stuck in Gear 5
Intermittent
P073B00 - Stuck in Gear 6
Intermittent
P072B00 - Stuck in Reverse
Intermittent
P174A00 - Partial transm. 1 valve 3 Electrical error
Intermittent
P174E00 - Partial transm. 2 valve 3 Electrical error
Intermittent
P179D00 - Cooling oil valve Electrical error
Intermittent
P173400 - Starter release from the selector lever sensor system
Intermittent

09 Central Electrics
Trouble codes:
B1806F0 - Heated seat passenger's side Safety shutdon due to occupant detection
Intermittent

16 Steering Column Electronics
Trouble codes:
B116229 - Selector lever park position lock switch Implausible signal
Intermittent

42 Door Electronics Driver Side
Trouble codes:
B11F814 - Heated outside rear-view mirror Open circuit/short circuit to ground static