Mystic's Golf 1.8T

^looks like the aliexpress center exit valence is for a 7.5 bumper, its differently shaped.

Rubbed a couple times more today on the highway so I decided to do the fender screw mod tonight. Before lowing the car, I installed the Ed's replica HID lights and I was able to get to the screw with a wrench and the wheels turned. With the car now lowered on VWR springs, that screw is hard to get to even with the tires turned. I ended up slowly turning the bit w/ pliers until I was able to back it up with my fingers. While looking at the fender screw, I noticed the fender in front of the screw is also sticking out quite a bit (the section between the screw and the front bumper). So after I took out the screw, I tucked the liner behind the fender and rolled that section of the fender in. My only mistake was I didn't take out the plastic threaded insert from the fender before rolling it. So when I rolled it, it pushed against the inside of the fender and made a little dimple on the outside of the fender. I was able to lightly hammer it back so its not as noticeable. Hopefully there will be no more rubbing. Only time will tell now.

Installed a BFI Shift Knob today. My overall impression is its a very well built knob. It feels good in the hand and during shifting. To be honest, the stock knob does feel slightly better as it has a slight crown/rounding on top. The BFI knob is flat. When you hold it, you can feel the flat and the metal ring that surrounds the BFI badge. Not a deal breaker but that flat surface wants to have so curvature to it for a better ergonomic feel. Looks wise its a 10/10.

The BFI knob sits exactly at the same height as stock. I wish it would sit lower. I might do some research to see if its possible to remove the shift rod so I can machine off like 10mm from the top.

Installation was pretty straight forward. The hardest part was getting the stock boot off of the knob. There is this plastic collar that you have to pry off. Took me at least 15 minutes plus using multiple small flat head screw drivers to get it off. In the process I put some small nicks and dents on the silver trim piece on the base of the stock knob. Not a big deal as I do not plan to ever go back to stock.

Final product.


Compared w/ stock.

Great work. It's satisfying to see a 1.8 built up.

Look what came in the mail today! Too bad the AWE track exhaust won’t be here for another few weeks. I guess it will give me time to paint the diffuser matte black. It’s glosser than I like. Don’t think it will work well with the textured front splitter and eventual GTI side skirts.





Also got an OBD11. Just in time for the warmer weather. It’s such a pain not being able to remotely lower the windows. Now to find a friend with an old Android device I can borrow.






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BBK

StopTech BBK are here! It’s going to be an exciting month! Tint, center exit exhaust, and BBK. Can’t wait!








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Damn... that’ll look awesome... did you get their SS lines as well? I wanted to go w yellow calipers but settled on the fact that I don’t really need a full bbk... did you get paint to make the rear calipers match?

Also, for the center exit exhaust, did they include the small wings that connect the valance to the edge of the wheel well?

Bäsemödel said:

Damn... that’ll look awesome... did you get their SS lines as well? I wanted to go w yellow calipers but settled on the fact that I don’t really need a full bbk... did you get paint to make the rear calipers match?

Click to expand...

Yeah. The kit came with SS lines. Currently I have no plans to paint the rear calipers. I can’t afford the down time or want to deal with the logistics of having no car while I remove the rear calipers and finding a place to clean and powder coat them and put them back on. I guess I can buy a set of used calipers and get those painted first. Then swap them out with little down time.

Bäsemödel said:

Also, for the center exit exhaust, did they include the small wings that connect the valance to the edge of the wheel well?

Click to expand...

I ended up going with an eBay valance which came in black PC. The oem valance comes primed which means I would have to paint it back to black. Didn’t want to deal with paying 3x more plus add time or money to paint. The eBay one looks exactly like the oem. Haven’t installed it yet so can’t say for figment. But the finish looks good. It didn’t come with wings. I didn’t care for them as it wouldn’t match the look of the car as the wings were meant to be painted body color to match the painted sport side skirts and front splitter.




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MysticBlueX3 said:

I ended up going with an eBay valance which came in black PC. The oem valance comes primed which means I would have to paint it back to black. Didn’t want to deal with paying 3x more plus add time or money to paint. The eBay one looks exactly like the oem. Haven’t installed it yet so can’t say for figment. But the finish looks good. It didn’t come with wings. I didn’t care for them as it wouldn’t match the look of the car as the wings were meant to be painted body color to match the painted sport side skirts and front splitter.


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Click to expand...

There are also wings for those w/o the OEM sport trim kit... it personally bugs me that a little gap is there between the end of the valance and the wheel well... been trying to come up with my own solution for it...

Bäsemödel said:

There are also wings for those w/o the OEM sport trim kit

Click to expand...

Really? I have seen it. Got a link?

Bäsemödel said:

it personally bugs me that a little gap is there between the end of the valance and the wheel well... been trying to come up with my own solution for it...

Click to expand...

Yeah. I was thinking too. I want the valance to run all the way to the wheel like in the GTI


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Tinted my windows today. Llumar CTX 50% all around. They refused to do the small little window by the A pillar. Since I was only doing 50%. I didn’t care. The shop had great reviews. Price was reasonable (for the Bay Area) and it was close to where I live. If I were going for 35%, I would have gone somewhere else as the mismatch would have driven me crazy. But at 50%, I don’t even notice as that window sits in the dark corner anyways.

First impressions: 50% is light. But that is what I’m going for. I wanted the heat and UV protection without sacrificing visibility. I’ve always had 35% in my previous cars and night time driving is a PITA. I think the only time I would do 35% now is if I had a black car. 50% actually looks good on a light color car imo. Night time driving was great. It was barely darker than the front windshield. Very happy with my selection.

With the whole window area darker, I’m thinking that some gloss black mirror caps would look pretty good. Now 7 more days until AWE track exhaust w/ center exit valance. Can’t wait!





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Look what came in the mail!









AWE’s 3.5” tips vs eBay’s 4” tips





AWE’s tips test fitted to center exhaust valance. Tips are much too small. Too much gap between tips and valance.





4” tips are much better fit.






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Got the AWE track exhaust with center exit valance installed today. It did not come without a little drama. Got a call from the exhaust shop a few hours after I dropped it off. I got all excited thinking they were calling to say my car is done. Instead, they told me they couldn’t get into my car. I asked if they are using the right key. They said they only have one VW. Luckily, one of my co-worker was kind enough to let me borrow his car so I can run home and pick up the spare. Turns out the battery in my key is dead. Pretty lame that our cars will not tell us that our key has low battery. I think my last BMW did that. At least now I know how to get into my car if the key fob battery dies. If you don’t know, you use your key to pop open the door handle cover to reveal the key hole.

Here are my initial thoughts of AWE’s track exhaust. I was pretty underwhelmed and unimpressed with the track exhaust when I initially started the car. I gave it a few revs and it was only a little bit louder than stock. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a great sounding exhaust. The notes are nice and deep. Its really refined. More subtle than “hey look at me!”. It’s like adding a subwoofer to your speakers without upgrading your amp. The sound is deeper and fuller without getting much louder. I guess I would have thought the track exhaust would be louder. I can’t even imagine how quiet the touring exhaust is. From a cold start, its only a little bit louder. Not really noticeable if the windows is up. At idle, its quiet and sounds pretty much like the stock exhaust. Where the exhaust really shines is when you give it some gas, a lot of gas, or at WOT. It never gets obnoxiously loud but man is it a sweet sound. If I had to do it again, I would probably gone the muffler delete route first to see how loud it would have gotten and dial it back from there. The only reason I didn’t was because of others who said it was too loud with too much droning. Either way, I’m sure my family would appreciate this tamer option. As for the center exit valance, I love it. Love the R32 look. I had the shop weld on 4” tips and it fills the exhaust opening nicely. I’m happy I went with the 4” tips vs the 3.5” ones that came from AWE. It would have looked way too small. The eBay valance wasn’t bad. I would say figment is 7/10. All the tabs mostly fit in with the bumper. I’ll probably end up adding a few screws just to make sure things stay in place. Overall, I’m really happy with the way everything looks and sound. The car seem breath a little easier and rev a little bit faster or it can all be in my head. Either way, who cares? I will probably get a CAI next to get a little bit more noise and suck in a bit more air. Thinking about the Neuspeed one as it is CARB certified. After I get the BBK installed next week, I’ll get her cleaned up and take some better photos.






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Looks good.

Wanted to give another update. I was finally able to get some good highway miles in this weekend. And after getting a few more street miles too, I take back what I said in the previous post about the track exhaust. I think the loudness level for daily driving is just right. Any louder and it would be uncomfortable and annoying. I dunno if things got louder after the initial install or if its just my mind set with having family in the car all weekend. I did notice a little drone when cruising around 2k rpm at highway speeds. But its really a deep constant exhaust growl then drone. I guess it depends on who you ask. I’m sure that goes away with the added resonator in the touring exhaust. Either way, no complaints about it from the family. I would definitely recommend the track exhaust to someone that wants the maximum of loudness for a comfortable daily driving and hauling around family. I imagine the touring exhaust would be somewhere between the track version and stock. I think because AWE labeled this a “track exhaust”, I had a certain expectation that it would be really loud. Hence the initial disappointment. But after driving around with it for a few days on the street, highway, and with/ without family. I think it is perfect. Overall, one very satisfied customer. And I can’t get enough of the dual center exit rear valance. Happy I went w/ the chrome tips vs the black tips. The chrome gives it a little bit more pop.

Here are a few more pics.


The stock cat.


Where the stock resonator use to be. Now replaced by a straight pipe w/ AWE’s track exhaust badge


AWE track exhaust’s muffler


Custom Y-pipe for the center exit rear valance


I’ll try to get the entire underside this week when car gets lifted for the BBK install.


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