VW Golf MK7 Estate, GT spec, Tungsten Silver, 1.4TSI

[golfdave]

Again, I've not been driving the car much due to the lockdown where I am. However, I have finally swapped (yesterday) back onto my summers!! We still had snow in early May, along with freezing nights! This put the swap over date further back, plus for the past two weeks I've been busy with other stuff!

A couple of weeks ago when we had a clear spell in the weather I gave the car a through clean which included full underbody rinse, foam, rinse, main body rinse, foam, rinse, iron remover, & tar remover on a MF cloth, & two bucket clean all as per Gtechniq using their stuff. The Ceramic coating, applied in October 2014 is still good, just got to increase the water beading by reapplying the sacrificial top coating (2C v3) this year as it wears off every couple of years!.

This morning I took the car for a nice 33mile drive over varied roads & speeds & the remap is proving its worth! There is a section of 3mile single track back road which used to be 60mph (stupid), but has been limited to 30mph for the past two years. This road has very little traffic on it, & for a 1mile section there are lots of bluebell flowers which grow at the side of the road, so if there is no traffic I slow right down to see when they are flowering (now). The car was able to drive in 2nd gear with 750-800rpm at 7-9MPH consuming 40-45MPG without stalling or hesitating, or sounding rough!! Before the remap the car would have required 1st gear for that speed & would have been stalling etc.!!

I also got 47.4MPG on todays drive, however some of that "gain" is from the summer tyres, as before on the winters I would have got about 3MPG less at these air temps.

All in all, still very happy with the remap, as the car is as it should have been from the factory, especially for a "GT" trim spec!!..

EDIT:- Totally forgot that whilst I was swapping the alloys, I inspected all the suspension & brake components, as I usually do. This time I noticed that the front drivers side brake splash shield was rattling when hit hard. Basically the shield had rusted through itself around the lowest of the three bolts that fix it! This is very common, & when I did the brake upgrade back in 2016 I had placed copper grease between the cast iron hub carrier & the shield, & used stainless steel screw bolts to hopefully prevent it! Anyway it'll be fine for now, but I'll replace both sides when I swap back onto the winters as it will be around the time I service the Car & you have to remove the calipers to remove the disc to get to the screws which fix the splash shield!!..aarrgghh!!..

 

[GolfWagenTDI]

Disclaimer:- This info is for community usage. I am NOT affiliated to, or sponsored by, any company/individual to promote them or their products. Companies/individuals may NOT use my name, photos, or threads/technical guides, for financial or personal gain (fraudulent misrepresentation).

EDIT:-
February 2020
The complete & up to date list of the car's modifications is kept in this post here:-

VW Golf MK7 Estate, GT spec, Tungsten Silver, 1.4TSI | Page 7 | GOLFMK7 - VW GTI MKVII Forum / VW Golf R Forum / VW Golf MKVII Forum


VW Golf Mk7 Estate, GT spec, Tungsten Silver, 1.4TSI

I have never been into writing a “blog” about my cars, but as I keep getting PM’s requesting further information on the modifications that I have done to my car I thought I would put all the facts in one place. Some of you will have noticed I have done some very detailed “How-To” guides in the “DIY Guides & Discussions” section on this forum for some of the modifications that I have done to my car. This “blog” covers the other modifications & everything else!

I have owned VAG cars for over 20yrs & thought it “better the devil you know”, so I decided to stick with them again, & was looking at various models including the Golf SV (Sports Van) & the Skoda Octavia MK3. However the Golf Estate & SV were the only ones I could get at the time with the 1.4lt engine & multi-link rear suspension/axle (as on the GTI & R). So in the UK that limited me to the GT specification (Highline in Europe), which came with some items I did not want, & was missing items that my 14yr old Skoda had as standard factory fit! I also wanted to “future proof” it i.e. add stuff which is likely to be standard fit in a few years time as my 14yr old high specification Skoda still had a good modern day specification! So after spending lots of time looking at various Golf’s in various colours on the dealer’s forecourt, & loading my skis & climbing gear in & out of the cars I decided on the Estate over & above the SV!

I spent two months waiting for the new Golf SV to arrive at the dealers to look at it. I was also waiting for the factory to confirm if VW UK would be using the 1.4lt TSI, 150PS Euro6 version engine from the hatch in the estate. They fit this engine to the German Estates, but unfortunately they wouldn’t be for the UK at that time. So the final order was not placed until August 2014!

The Final specification ordered was as follows:-

Volkswagen Golf (Mk7) Estate, GT, 1.4 TSI 140PS, 6 speed Manual, Tungsten Silver Metallic/Titan Black interior.

Standard UK specification (key features):-
7x17” Dijon alloys with 225/45R17 tyres
Sports suspension lowered by 15mm
(0AE PR code front ARB = 24mm dia. x 3.8mm thick)
(0BM PR code rear ARB = 18.5mm dia. x 2.5mm thick)
Heat insulating tinted (65%) glass from “B” pillar backwards
Front sports seats
Alcantara & cloth fabrics
Silver roof rails
Cherry red rear tail lights
LED, ambient, foot well, & reading lights
Remote controlled folding door mirrors with reverse activation & puddle lights
Parking sensors front & rear
Front fog lights
Discover Navigation
Leather three spoke steering wheel with multifunction buttons
Rain sensor & auto dimming rear view mirror
Adaptive cruise control
Front assist radar sensor
City emergency braking system
Auto driving lights with dusk sensor
Driver profile (Mode) selection
Electronic Parking brake (handbrake)
XDS electronic differential
Stop/Start function
Battery regeneration function

I also added the following optional factory items:-
Rear view camera (need this, & for future proofing as difficult to retro-fit)
2Zone dual climate control (should be standard, it is on the Skoda Octavia!)
Climate (heated) front windscreen (need this for the winters here!)
Winter pack (heated front seats & washer jets) (this should be standard, it was on my 14yr old Skoda!)
Advance telephone prep (connection to car aerial & USB connectors) (had to get this as ordered the climate windscreen)
Dynaudio sound system (better speakers, amplifier, subwoofer) (got this to stop me ripping the car apart as I have always fitted better stuff to all my cars)
Bi-Xenon & LED DRL lighting package (HOW MUCH??, should be standard!)
Model & engine badge delete (saves me taking them off)
Colour MFD screen (should be standard)
230v socket in boot
Side airbag system for rear & rear seatbelt pre-tensioners (cheap for the extra safety it provides)
Smoking pack (ashtray & different 12v socket) (don’t smoke but got for the better 12V socket)
Metallic paint

Car was scheduled for an end of October delivery date & was built end of September 2014, & was delivered to the dealers early. Because of various personal “matters” I had to ask them to delay the hand over until the end of the month (31st October 2014).

I did not like the car registration plate selection (SX64 or SY64, followed by EW? or EX?), so I got a very good personal plate for the car, so good in fact the salesmen & my mate who drove me there thought it was a show plate & a wind up!

So I on the 31st October 2015, I signed the paperwork, paid the cash over & collected “MY” car!!

View attachment 141190View attachment 141191

Absolutely amazing estate (great alloys and colour)! I wish I was smarter and got myself an estate instead of a hatch. Very quickly after the purchase, I have realised that the hatch is simply too small ;(

 

[golfdave]

Absolutely amazing estate (great alloys and colour)! I wish I was smarter and got myself an estate instead of a hatch. Very quickly after the purchase, I have realised that the hatch is simply too small ;(

Thanks!!.....I was worried that it would handle like a barge & I would be sacrificing speed, handling & the occasional "fun" factor compared to my previous smaller cars which were hatches...NOPE!.....still all there no sacrifice!!....I think my engine/spec has the best front to rear weight balance of any VW Mk7 Golf & the best factory suspension for comfort with "sporty" for our roads. It still makes me look twice when I walk away from it in the car park & still looks a good design considering its age!

 

[golfdave]

October 2021,
Pre-amble

My “Service” time!!

What was supposed to be a very simple oil change, fit new splash shields to the front brakes, remove the summer wheels & fit the winter wheels & get the car MOT’d (U.K. Annual requirement)……ended up being this:-

Followed by this:-

& then this:-

This will take a bit of explanation, & possibly a few “Guides” might have to be written!... ........

 

[ckuhns]

October 2021

My “Service” time!!

Pre-amble:-
What was supposed to be a very simple oil change, fit new splash shields to the front brakes, remove the summer wheels & fit the winter wheels & get the car MOT’d (U.K. Annual requirement)……ended up being this:-


View attachment 229085


Followed by this:-


View attachment 229086


& then this:-


View attachment 229087

This will take a bit of explanation, & possibly a few “Guides” might have to be written!... ........

Isn’t it great when things snowball a bit..?

 

[golfdave]

Isn’t it great when things snowball a bit..?

That snowballed so much it ended up being an avalanche!!....

 

[southpawboston]

Lemme guess: you wanted to do a wee underside cleaning and saw how much crud had accumulated above/behind all those panels so off they came? I know that some of the aero panels I added just in the past two years already have a layer of silt and fine gravel above them. Your panels look like they've gotten a really good power wash, there's no way they came off looking like that.

 

[golfdave]

Lemme guess: you wanted to do a wee underside cleaning and saw how much crud had accumulated above/behind all those panels so off they came? I know that some of the aero panels I added just in the past two years already have a layer of silt and fine gravel above them. Your panels look like they've gotten a really good power wash, there's no way they came off looking like that.

Nope!......

Actually what happened was whilst I was swapping onto the winter wheels, I noticed that those pesky black screws that VAG use everywhere on the underside, were rusted so bad, that I had to pull my socks up & do a mod that I got the parts for last year....Basically remove all the VAG screws & fit chemically dyed black stainless steel versions!

I then noticed that there are very bad water traps behind the wheel arch liners, at the front of the rear arches & at the rear of the front arches...

The front arches on the MK7 have a stupid foam "plug" end panel, which absorbs water & holds it, this on top of the two front wing bolts! The MK7.5 Golf has a nice plastic end panel instead which supersedes the stupid foam panel.

Unfortunately the only way to fit these MK7.5 end panels it to remove the front doors!

See what I mean by Avalanche??!!!..

 

[southpawboston]

Nope!......

Actually what happened was whilst I was swapping onto the winter wheels, I noticed that those pesky black screws that VAG use everywhere on the underside, were rusted so bad, that I had to pull my socks up & do a mod that I got the parts for last year....Basically remove all the VAG screws & fit chemically dyed black stainless steel versions!

I then noticed that there are very bad water traps behind the wheel arch liners, at the front of the rear arches & at the rear of the front arches...

The front arches on the MK7 have a stupid foam "plug" end panel, which absorbs water & holds it, this on top of the two front wing bolts! The MK7.5 Golf has a nice plastic end panel instead which supersedes the stupid foam panel.

Unfortunately the only way to fit these MK7.5 end panels it to remove the front doors!

See what I mean by Avalanche??!!!..

Eh, the plastic end panel that supercedes the foam plug has its own problems. I assume you're referring to the end adjacent to the door? The vertical plastic panel that "seals" off the wing interior from view when the door is open is so close to the door seam as the door swings open, that some of the plastic mold burrs rub the paint and eventually wears it off! So be careful there... the tolerances are tight, and the panel also has a tendency to pop out of position slightly (even closer to the door seam) potentially causing serious door rub. If you search the forums here, you'll find a few examples of this problem.

 

[golfdave]

Eh, the plastic end panel that supercedes the foam plug has its own problems. I assume you're referring to the end adjacent to the door? The vertical plastic panel that "seals" off the wing interior from view when the door is open is so close to the door seam as the door swings open, that some of the plastic mold burrs rub the paint and eventually wears it off! So be careful there... the tolerances are tight, and the panel also has a tendency to pop out of position slightly (even closer to the door seam) potentially causing serious door rub. If you search the forums here, you'll find a few examples of this problem.

No door contact on mine! In fact its got a bit of clearance....& yes I can understand why they pop out...as its not been fitted properly...you have to push it in quiet a bit to make 100% the clips have fully engaged...but then I was looking from the rear (wheel arch side) as well!!

Its better than a sodden piece of foam sitting against the wing inside as it starts to rust that area!...Mine you I have retained the foam, but removed the bottom 1inch as I recon it is a better sound absorber. Many complain about the increase in road noise in the MK7.5 & I reckon that the removal of the foam allows noise to bounce around the inner wing area like mad!

 

[Chillout]

Oh wow that piece of foam... I once touched it and it was soaked, pretty crazy.

 

[golfdave]

October 2021,
Part 1

Front Brake Splash Shields.

Before the MOT & any servicing that I did to the car, I had to at least replace the driver’s side front brake splash shield that had rusted through around one of the fixing bolts, this I had noticed back in May when I swapped onto the summers alloys. I decided to also order the passenger side splash shield as well, “just in case”, & I managed to get some M6x12mm, T30 Torx, Flanged Button Head screws (ISO 7380-2), in Marine Stainless Steel (A4). These to replace the OEM bolts (part No. WHT-005-227) which rust easily.

(Splash Shields for front brake disc size 288mm & 312mm:- part No. 5Q0-615-311-G, & 5Q0-615-312-G. £16.03 each)

Unfortunately, the only way to get access to the splash shield bolts is to remove the brake disc, which requires removal of the those two big caliper bolts!!

As I had the whole of the front end up in the air on jacks I turned the steering wheel fully lock to lock, to position the calipers outside the wheel arch. This giving me much better access to the caliper bolts.

After a quick clean up, de-rust etc, I put some high temp grease on the backs of the splash shield where they contact the hub carrier, hopefully to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion. I used a small amount of medium strength (blue) thread lock on the new A4 stainless steel bolts to secure the splash shields. Then it was just a case of cleaning up the hub face, calipers, rubber, etc. & refitting everything!

I was glad I bought the shield for the passenger side as that was almost rusted through on one of its fixings!


P.S. The blue stuff in the photos is “cure rust”..& yes I know I need to get the cast iron hubs & calipers removed, blasted & powder coated!...Living where I do, the environment in the form of sand, sea air, & winter grit/salt on the roads eats metalwork!!

 

[southpawboston]

October 2021,
Part 1

Front Brake Splash Shields.

Before the MOT & any servicing that I did to the car, I had to at least replace the driver’s side front brake splash shield that had rusted through around one of the fixing bolts, this I had noticed back in May when I swapped onto the summers alloys. I decided to also order the passenger side splash shield as well, “just in case”, & I managed to get some M6x12mm, T30 Torx, Flanged Button Head screws (ISO 7380-2), in Marine Stainless Steel (A4). These to replace the OEM bolts (part No. WHT-005-227) which rust easily.

(Splash Shields for front brake disc size 288mm & 312mm:- part No. 5Q0-615-311-G, & 5Q0-615-312-G. £16.03 each)

Unfortunately, the only way to get access to the splash shield bolts is to remove the brake disc, which requires removal of the those two big caliper bolts!!

As I had the whole of the front end up in the air on jacks I turned the steering wheel fully lock to lock, to position the calipers outside the wheel arch. This giving me much better access to the caliper bolts.

After a quick clean up, de-rust etc, I put some high temp grease on the backs of the splash shield where they contact the hub carrier, hopefully to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion. I used a small amount of medium strength (blue) thread lock on the new A4 stainless steel bolts to secure the splash shields. Then it was just a case of cleaning up the hub face, calipers, rubber, etc. & refitting everything!

I was glad I bought the shield for the passenger side as that was almost rusted through on one of its fixings!


P.S. The blue stuff in the photos is “cure rust”..& yes I know I need to get the cast iron hubs & calipers removed, blasted & powder coated!...Living where I do, the environment in the form of sand, sea air, & winter grit/salt on the roads eats metalwork!!

View attachment 230459

I thought I had it bad here in New England, the road-salting capital of the US, but the deleterious effect doesn't seem quite as bad here as where you are, and in your case I'm going to wager that the sea air is more the culprit than road salt since you get far less snow and far fewer extreme cold days than we do here in New England. How close to the coast are you? I've also read that they combine salt with grit in the UK, which is like a one-two punch to your car. They only use grit in in a few, mostly rural, areas of the US.

 

[golfdave]

I thought I had it bad here in New England, the road-salting capital of the US, but the deleterious effect doesn't seem quite as bad here as where you are, and in your case I'm going to wager that the sea air is more the culprit than road salt since you get far less snow and far fewer extreme cold days than we do here in New England. How close to the coast are you? I've also read that they combine salt with grit in the UK, which is like a one-two punch to your car. They only use grit in in a few, mostly rural, areas of the US.

I'm near the coast, car is garaged always. But yeah its the salt they put on the roads with a bit of grit mixed in. Recently they have been trying other mixes, but any sign of a frost (no snow needed) & they coat the roads in it...& that's why we probably have more salt on our roads than you do even though we have less snow.....

To recap:- loads of damp days with clear nights & low night temperatures = black ice & frost = stupid Local Authorities coating the roads in salt/grid..

Mind you this will be the cars 7th winter...so you are looking at 6 winters of wear...

Anyway Somerville M.A. is only 42deg North......I'm just above 57deg North...which is more North than Moscow at 55deg!

 

[southpawboston]

I'm near the coast, car is garaged always. But yeah its the salt they put on the roads with a bit of grit mixed in. Recently they have been trying other mixes, but any sign of a frost (no snow needed) & they coat the roads in it...& that's why we probably have more salt on our roads than you do even though we have less snow.....

To recap:- loads of damp days with clear nights & low night temperatures = black ice & frost = stupid Local Authorities coating the roads in salt/grid..

Mind you this will be the cars 7th winter...so you are looking at 6 winters of wear...

Anyway Somerville M.A. is only 42deg North......I'm just above 57deg North...which is more North than Moscow at 55deg!

Yeah but your temps are tempered by an overall oceanic climate, even though you're farther north. Not sure where you are, but the 57th parallel includes the area around Aberdeen, so I plugged that city in (sorry for the Fahrenheit scale, but you get the message). Notice not only how much colder it gets here but also hotter! The winter-summer differential is much more dramatic.

And sure you get snow, but nothing like here. It's normal to get a foot of snow here in a single storm. And a big nor'easter can dump two feet.