Topic: Tremor's MKV GTI - Not sure if happy or upset.. APR Stage 2?

[Tremor]

So some of you saw that the Jeep I had for sale got vandalized in the "Why Today Sucks" thread. I actually ended up coming out of that deal significantly better than if I had sold the Jeep for my asking price of $5,500 as insurance paid me out $8,400

I decided to find something a little more fuel efficient, fun to drive, and road trip ready so that started my search for a MKV GTI. My requirements were a fairly clean body, decent KM's(although I did consider a few with higher KMs), as stock as possible, and as many maintenance records as I could possibly get.

I found this.
2007, 129KM, 6 Speed Manual, 2 Door, Loaded interior. Brand new timing belt, water pump, HPFP,
I can't believe how clean this thing is for being 10 years old.

IMG_1380 by carter clackson, on Flickr
IMG_1379 by carter clackson, on Flickr

There are only a few things done to the car and they include:
 - Drag DR-34 Wheels(18x8.5 +35) with 225/40/18 Toyo Proxes
 - AWE Boost gauge with vent pod
 - Euro light switch
 - APR Carbonio intake funnel
 - Neuspeed sport springs(PO took them out when he bought it but gave me them with it)

and not really a mod but I added that Scosche Tablet/Phone mount to the dash as I decided to use my iPad for music/as a headunit and I love it.

My plans for the GTI don't include a lot. First of all I want to do all the regular maintenance and drive it to see if I think anything needs improvement.

Planned maintenance:
 - R8 Coil packs & New spark plugs - @129900
- Replace cam follower - @ 129700 was so worn that after I pulled it out I put my finger through it..
 - Find "very" small EVAP leak(or just delete the system and stage one tune)
 - Buy studded winters

Potential mods to come?:
 - Install Neuspeed springs(not sure on this one yet)
 - Clear side markers to replace those ugly amber ones
 - Stage 1 tune
 - Relocate AUX in from terrible glovebox position to in front of shifter
 - Do all the VAGCOM mods I can

Honestly the way it drives right now I am very okay with. Until I get used to having a car with some torque again I don't think I'll have too much of a mod bug but I'm sure that will change. The only thing I can think of that isn't currently on that list is potentially a resonator delete or an aftermarket catback. I love the way the exhaust sounds when I step on it I just wish it made a little more noise without me having to sacrifice gas mileage.

[Asstuna]

Don't park it outside

[Canuckrz]

Don't park it outside

Or full body self healing ppf

[Tremor]

Haha I've been parking it halfway down the block from my house so no one can tell it's mine just by driving by. I'm not about to deal with another car(especially one this clean) getting vandalized.

[Tremor]

Started my "Weekend O' Changes" with Seafoaming the GTI as well as doing an oil change, new plugs, and R8 coil packs on Friday morning. Everything went as planned in that regard.

IMG_1404 by carter clackson, on Flickr
IMG_1403 by carter clackson, on Flickr

That's about where my good luck stopped.
I decided to install H&R Super Sport lowering springs Friday evening. The back went very smoothly, but the front.. that turned into a hell of a lot of work and more money than I had planned to spend.
I ended having to drill out all six top mount strut bolts as all of the "captive" nuts were completely freed and seized to the bolts. A friend of mine happened to have a set of front struts from his R32 that are apparently identical in every way to the GTI ones that he has "lent" me for the time being. After I got that sorted I ended up snapping 5 of 6 studs on the balljoints. Little did I know someone had already snapped one off one balljoint and then decided to just drive around on it for who knows how long 

IMG_1408 by carter clackson, on Flickr

Buuuuut I did end up getting the springs in, and they ride a little stiffer than OEM but still awesome. And in my opinion they look great!

IMG_1409-1 by carter clackson, on Flickr

I'm glad those issues arose while I do have the money to fix them though. Had I been in school when they happened and not working full time hours the car probably would have sat for a week while I ordered the cheapest Rockauto parts I could find but I managed to get all of the parts I needed Saturday morning and everything back together by mid afternoon!

[Tremor]

Well. Here's a prime example of why you should always get a car inspected before buying I suppose. Had my car aligned sunday night and while it was up on the lift I decided to take a look at the underbody, turns out the GTI has a milltek catless downpipe mated to the stock catback(thats why its so throaty under load for a stock exhaust). Then I got to wondering why a catless downpipe wasn't throwing a catalyst efficiency code and so I looked on APR's website to find the proper procedure to put it into "test mode" and access the menu. Got it to work, turns out the car has an APR stage 2 tune on it and thats why no codes.

But then if its tuned, why does my boost gauge only hit the stock 10PSI? I thought the boost gauge always looked kinda jumpy when I got on the throttle and when it came back into vacuum. Turns out the faceplate/trim ring on the boost gauge was too tight and causing the needle to get to 10PSI and get stuck there. I pulled the faceplate off and the gauge boosts all the way to 22PSI now.

Now I thought the car felt faster than a stock GTI but at the same time, I never really got on it that much in the test drives to notice and the number of fast FWD cars I've driven is limited to GTIs exclusively.
The previous owner says he had no idea about the downpipe or tune and that it must have been done before he bought it and either he forgot(owned it for four years) or wasn't informed in the first place.

All maintenance is up to date and everything so I'm not too worried about it not being reliable, but had I known it were Stage 2 APR tuned before I bought it I may have reconsidered and tried to find something more stock..