BabblingBafoon’s 2019 US Golf R Mk7.5 Build

Edited to list out planned/installed mods and to have the most recent picture of my car in this first post. I will have the journey of each mod throughout this thread.

Modifications: (I'll try to include links to anything I actually find/order)

Bold = Already completed
Regular = ordered/received but not installed yet
Italic = Yet to order or find

Engine/Performance:
Neuspeed P-Flo Cold Air Intake in Blue
APR Downpipe
APR Cat Back Exhaust
APR Stage 2 ECU Tune - They finally released the tune for the 2019 Golf R and I got it July 23, 2019
APR TCU DSG Tune - While they released this tune for the 2019 Golf R, apparently my firmware has some extra letters in it, so APR is verifying if it will work on my DSG
APR Intercooler
Front brake upgrade of some kind (BBK, Slotted rotors, etc.)

Exterior:
Enkei Performance - Phantom (machined with black accent) 19x8
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires 235/35/19
‘R’ Logo valve stem caps
Black lug bolts
Satin Silver Side Mirror Caps - I am considering returning these and either keeping the black to match the rest of the black accents, or I might order carbon fiber ones to match the hood
Carbon Fiber Side Mirror Caps - Ordered these with account credit to match the carbon fiber hood
Dynamic (sequential) side mirror turn signals - STILL waiting on these!
Dynamic (sequential) tail lights - Euro Spec - STILL waiting on these!
Badge Skins electric blue accents for ‘R’ logos
Hood - Seibon DV Style Carbon Fiber
Quick Latch QL-38-LP/BP hood pins
Oettinger Rear Spoiler (here’s the part for 2018-19 only, but there is no timeline on availability) - Received the spoiler today (April 30, 2019) of the older part number and it fits perfectly on my 2019.
Oettinger Front Spoiler & Chin Splitter (here’s what it looks like) - Front spoiler is in (May 31, 2019)! Received the chin splitter separately on April 30, 2019
Rear splitter
Side skirts (maybe these)
Puddle Lights - ‘R’ Logo warning/puddle lights
ZSPEC Essentials Dress-Up Fastener Kit - Dark Blue
Windows tinted - LLumar FormulaOne Stratos 30% all around + eyebrow, LLumar Clear Air Blue 80% on full windshield

Interior:
All Weather ‘R’ Logo Floor Mats
Badge Skins electric blue accents for ‘R’ logos
ECS blue paddle shifters (returning these because the blue is not dark enough)
Mode Paddle Shifters in Royal Blue
Spare tire kit - Full kit kept getting pushed out, so ordered the pieces individually from ECS Tuning and skipped the foam tool tray and the rear plastic molding, which were the things stalling the order. Ordered some black foam on Amazon to make my own tray.
Emergency Roadside Kit
Mobile vacuum cleaner that fits in rear cubby with spare tire (yet to find)
Dog Rear Seat Split Hammock
P3 Multi-Gauge with Track Pack

Tools:
VCDS Cable - STILL waiting on this! Part of the same order as the taillights, so not shipping until order is "complete".
Wurktol Electrical Terminal Tool Kit - STILL waiting on this! Part of the same order as the taillights, so not shipping until order is "complete".
Tesa fabric wire loom tape
Pry tool kit for panel removal
Pop clips for interior panels (in case any break)
Slot clips for interior panels (in case any break)
TireTek Tire Pressure Gauge
Lug Wheel Hanger for Changing Wheels

Most recent pics of car:





-------ORIGINAL FIRST POST BELOW---------
I only recently bought my 2019 Golf R (11 April 2019) kind of by chance. Almost 2 years ago I was torn between a 2017 Golf R and the 2018 Genesis G80 Sport and decided on the G80 because of the more luxurious nature of that vehicle while still being sporty and very good looking (IMHO). I actually loved that car, but I was having issues with the brakes (it is over 1,000 pounds heavier than the R) and wanted to customize it and found it very difficult to find anything for it.

I started looking around again and kept coming back to the R, but they are very scarce in my area, and the ones that come in to my local dealer are all already spoken for by people who order them. They just received one that I saw on their web site. I asked my next door neighbor who works at the dealer as a sales rep about it and he said it was already spoken for. So I kind of gave up and resigned myself to staying with the G80 for the time being and do what I could to it and sort of wait and see. I even ordered a full set of wheels and tires for it so I could simply swap between summer and winter.

Well, about a week later my neighbor texted me that the R I asked about was available and he was giving me first right of refusal! Crap!! Now I have to seriously consider this and make a decision for real. So I verified it had everything I wanted and then headed over with my G80 to check it out and see what they would give me for a trade.

I have to say, I did have some second thoughts and knew I would be giving up a fair bit of amenities from the G80… I mean, the G80 had EVERYTHING… except being light and quicker with a massive tuning community following. I vacillated back and forth on how much each thing I was giving up meant to me and finally said that if they came up with the right trade I would take it (after a test drive of course… grin city).

A little bit later they came to tell me it was nearly an even swap, so I pulled the trigger and bought it.


The Golf R is SOOO much shorter than the G80 was!

I still had this nagging feeling I was going to regret it though, until I would get back in and drive it. I no longer am afraid. I love it and can’t wait to mod the hell out of it and make it mine!!

The very next day I ordered a new set of wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and they arrive tomorrow!! Can’t wait.

I am going to try and sell the stock wheels and tires so I can buy some 17’s for winter driving. If I can’t sell them before this next winter I will just put winter tires on the stock wheels. I thought it would be fun to use old school Rally Wheels for the winter and may get these.


I also already ordered a ton of other stuff that is on the way:

• Euro spec dynamic tail lights
• Dynamic side mirror turn signals
• Satin silver mirror caps
• ‘R’ Logo puddle lights for all 4 doors
• ‘R’ Logo All Weather Floor Mats
• ‘R’ Logo tire air valve caps in black
• ‘R’ Logo door latch strike plates in blue

I am trying to find a reputable place that can do a perfect color change wrap on the car to make “most” of it a blue matte pearl.

I am super torn on whether or not to get a carbon fiber hood because most of the ones I’ve found say hood pins are required and I’m not too sure about that.

I’d like to put a more aggressive rear spoiler on, rear and front splitters too.

I will probably hold off on the wrap until I figure all those exterior pieces out so they are all incorporated into my design. I’ll have to draw it out so I can share my ideas.

Finally, for performance mods I am planning to go with APR, at least Stage 2. I want it very livable and to pass PA State inspection and emissions, so I’m guessing that will somewhat limit me on what I can do.

Luckily, my dealer is mod/tune friendly.

More to come, but wanted to get this kicked off before I do anything.

Call me crazy, but I really like the look of this vented carbon fiber hood from Seibon.
https://seiboncarbon.com/products/dv-style-carbon-fiber-hood-for-2012-up-volkswagen-golf-mk7.html


I have read that vented hoods are no longer in vogue, but I think this style looks nice and aggressive, while not being over the top. The question is, do I fully wrap it to match the rest of the car or leave it bare carbon fiber? I have been toying with interesting ways to have a rally stripe on it too. I know those are probably also "out of style", but this car is for me.

You're crazy !

Actually the hood isn't too bad.

Congrats on the new car and I like the rally look for winters.

However I would stay away from that hood if you're going to be using your car as a daily. The finish of them does not look too good after some time on the car. I saw a Seibon on a MK7 GTI a few weeks back and the corners were peeling and yellowing.

Congrats on the new R looks really good the G80 may have all the bells and whistles
but the R is the better all rounder. You will love it more each time you drive it.

carchrism5 said:

Congrats on the new car and I like the rally look for winters.

However I would stay away from that hood if you're going to be using your car as a daily. The finish of them does not look too good after some time on the car. I saw a Seibon on a MK7 GTI a few weeks back and the corners were peeling and yellowing.

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Thanks!!

I was thinking of having it wrapped with the rest of the car.

One design idea I had was to have rally stripes, but the one thick stripe with a thin stripe next to it. Since I am wrapping the car, I was thinking of simply using the current car color as those rally stripes… meaning, have them cut the rally stripes out of the wrap so the charcoal gray comes through. If I do that, I could have the carbon fiber show through for the rally stripe on the hood.

I know rally stripes aren’t for everyone, but I still like them if done right.

If I don’t do the rally stripe the hood would just get full wrapped, and I would think that should protect it.

What do you think?


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TechGuy32 said:

You're crazy !

Actually the hood isn't too bad.

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I haven’t decided yet, but I feel like it needs something on the hood like this to add some aggression and say, “this isn’t just a Golf”.


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My new wheels and tires arrived today. I wanted to get them on the car but still had work and then my daughters cheer practice.

I couldn’t find ANY shop to simply throw them on for me (the tires are already mounted and balanced, so literally rip off old and put on new)!

I’m not sure if I will get time tomorrow to do them myself, but I have to turn each lug by hand if I do and that’s not a short task. I have a brand new floor jack to make getting the car in the air super fast.

It’s killing me they aren’t on the car yet. LOL


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Was awake super early, so I decided to go and put my new wheels on this morning!



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Nicely done! Those wheels look great on your car.

Congrats on the car! Looks sweet!

Golfs everyday said:

Nicely done! Those wheels look great on your car.

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Bäsemödel said:

Congrats on the car! Looks sweet!

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Thanks!

Since the VW lug caps won’t fit on my new wheels, I ordered black lugs. They arrived today and I swapped them all out.

Before


After



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Love the wheels they look awesome especially up close! It’s amazing how different they look when they are farther away and you can’t see the black in between.

Rockstar08 said:

Love the wheels they look awesome especially up close! It’s amazing how different they look when they are farther away and you can’t see the black in between.

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Thanks! Yeah, that was actually one reason why I chose them! They seem to have different looks from different angles. I’m just happy they were inexpensive too, under $250/wheel. I would have paid at least twice that.

The other reason I liked them is because they look bigger than they are because of the black. These same wheels in all gun metal gray look smaller. These look like other 20” wheels, but I get the added compliance and protection as they are 19s.


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