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FinallyGotMyGTI's Daily Driver Build

FinallygotmyGTI

FinallygotmyGTI

Ready to race!
This is going to be a slow build since I keep cars as long as possible.

My intention is to do as much of the work on the car that I can and am comfortable with doing.

My goal for this car is to have an awesome daily driver but keep it reasonable enough that it doesn't bother me or the wife to drive it a lot.

I welcome any constructive thoughts/experience/opinions/suggestions

I'll put up new pics as I make progress on getting stuff installed.

2013 GTI Wolfsburg 6spd 4dr stock:



My favorite pic of my car so far:


Installed:

  • APR Stage 1 Tune (fully loaded)
    @ 2500 miles by Precision Motorworks​
  • APR boost tap
    @ 1200 miles by me​
  • Newsouth vent boost gauge
    @ 1200 miles by me​
  • ECS Hatch Pop Kit
    @ 1750 miles by me​
  • Porsche Oil cap
    @ 1750 miles by me​
  • Porsche Coolant cap
    @ 1750 miles by me​
  • APR Stage 1 CAI
    @ 1880 miles by me​
  • USP smoked side markers
    @ 2250 miles by me​
  • Depo R Black Cherry Tails
    @ 2250 miles by me​
  • DeAutoKey Interior LED w/ Red Footwells
    @ 2700 miles by me​
  • USMillWorks Tow Hook Plate Mount
    @ 2700 miles by me​
  • Tyrolsport SSBB
    @ 2750 miles by me​
  • Neuspeed Turbo Discharge Pipe
    @ 3150 miles by me​
  • Neuspeed Air Charge Pipe
    @ 3150 miles by me​
  • APR Stage 2 CAI
    @ 3150 miles by me​
  • Diesel Geek Sigma 6 SS
    @ 3150 miles by me​
  • SPM Motor/Trans Mounts
    @ 4325 miles by me​
  • SPM Pendulum Mount
    @ 4790 miles by me​
  • HPA 75a Red Hockey Puck Insert
    @ 4790 miles by me​
  • Unitronic CAI
    @ 5750 miles by me​
  • Unitronic Diverter Valve Relocation Kit
    @ 5750 miles by me​
Need To Be Installed:

Hardware kit for Escort 9500
Neuspeed RSB Links
OSIR Shift Boot
New shift knob

Wish list:

APR Intercooler
Magnaflow catback
Unibrace XB
Unibrace UB
Unibrace RB
VWR Springs
Koni Yellows
Michellin Pilot Super Sports
Sway bars (H&R, Eibach)
Brake upgrades (rotor/pad/lines combo)
Add in Sub/Amp to stock system
Super Pro LCA kit
 
Last edited:
Merkle

Merkle

Banned
Congrats man. My build has been slow as well, almost 2 years in the making so far. Check out the link in my sig.
 
SomaGTI

SomaGTI

Ready to race!
I thought you said it was going to be slow...only been a month since you joined the forum. Nice car though, wish I was able to find a set of those OEM wheels before I bought my Tenzo's. I really think those wheels look slick.
 
FinallygotmyGTI

FinallygotmyGTI

Ready to race!
Well in my mind it's slow LOL. I've only done the boost gauge when by now I should have had the intake/shifter kit installed, etc. Hopefully this weekend I get some time to get more stuff installed :)

I think my next purchase is going to be the Magnaflow cat back. I'm a little concerned that the AFE will done too much and be too "attention attracting" loud since it only has a resonator on it.
 
Brinkmen

Brinkmen

VW NUT!
If you ever think you want to change your rims to something else. Keep me in mind if you want to sell them. ;) Great build going so far!

Have you installed these yet?

Neuspeed air charge pipe (installing soon)
Neuspeed turbo discharge pipe

If so notice any difference?
 
FinallygotmyGTI

FinallygotmyGTI

Ready to race!
LOL, yeah I don't think I'm losing them anytime soon. It's hard to consider swapping them out. Maybe someday I'll go with something matte black if the cosmetic plans I have turn out the way I want.

Hopefully I'll get to both of those this weekend, but I'm not sure if I'll have enough time. This is the first car that I'm trying to do the most work on so I move super slow when I'm working. For example, the boost gauge took me something like 3 hours with breaks and goofing around, etc.
I can't remember where it is now, but there is a thread around here that has a dyno sheet with the TOP installed and it did help a little.

My thought on it is that even if it doesn't increase power, it will still help it breathe easier and help get the turbo spooled up faster.
 
FinallygotmyGTI

FinallygotmyGTI

Ready to race!
Didn't get to install my intake or my neuspeed pipes but I did get my Porsche oil & coolant caps so I threw those on :) Like many others, I find the stock caps ugly (especially the oil cap) and I hate the read the manual symbol on it.


 
JT641

JT641

Banned
FinallygotmyGTI said:
This is going to be a slow build since I keep cars as long as possible.
My intention is to do as much of the work on the car that I can and am comfortable with doing.

I welcome any constructive thoughts/experience/opinions/suggestions

I'll put up new pics as I make progress on getting stuff installed.

2013 GTI Wolfsburg 6spd 4dr stock:



Installed:

APR boost tap
Newsouth vent mount boost gauge

Need To Be Installed:

Neuspeed air charge pipe (installing soon)
Neuspeed turbo discharge pipe (installing soon)
APR Carbonio Stage 1 & 2 Intake (installing soon)
S3 short shifter (ordered)
Tyrol SSBB (ordered)
42DD bushings(ordered)
Smoked side markers (ordered)
Depo R Black Cherry Tails (ordered)
ECS Hatch Pop Kit (ordered)

Wish list:

APR Stage 1 tune (waiting for summer sale)
Intercooler
Magnaflow catback
Unibrace XB
Unibrace UB
Unibrace RB
Progressive springs (SPM or H&R)
Struts (Koni etc)
HPA hockey puck insert
BFI Stage 1 mounts (or maybe SPM mounts)
Better tires (looking at Super Sports)
Sway bars (still deciding if I need these or not)
Brake upgrades (deciding on BBK or OEMrotor/pad combo)
Click to expand...


Did you already order both of those Neuspeed pipes?, Reason I ask is if you ever go K04 you'll have to change the TOP which is I went with the AWE pipe because it works the stock & K04 turbo. As far sway bars go I recommend hotchkis (I bought mine from tire rack they had the best price I could find at the time). Also I would skip over stage 1 & go strait to stage 2 :D:D:D

For brakes you can upgrade the rotors, pads & lines all for about $700 to $800 (that's stop tech slotted rotors & street performance pads) For the BBK You can get stop techs 328x28mm BBK from AchTuning or Summit for $1500:thumbsup:
 
FinallygotmyGTI

FinallygotmyGTI

Ready to race!
Yeah I got in on the group buy for the Neuspeed pipes so if/when I got K04 I'll need to replace the TOP. Oh well

I'm still researching sways and I still don't have any idea what I actually need, without ruining the daily driver aspect of the car

I'm going stage 1 only because I dont want to deal with an aftermarket downpipe/cat foolishness in this state. I'm thinking I'lll end up going stage 1 for a while and then go k04 but with the stock downpipe, which will be fine for me. I don't need every ounce of HP out of it :)

Is upgrading the rotors/pads/lines worth it or should I go straight to upgrading to BBK front/rear?
 
JT641

JT641

Banned
FinallygotmyGTI said:
Yeah I got in on the group buy for the Neuspeed pipes so if/when I got K04 I'll need to replace the TOP. Oh well

I'm still researching sways and I still don't have any idea what I actually need, without ruining the daily driver aspect of the car

I'm going stage 1 only because I dont want to deal with an aftermarket downpipe/cat foolishness in this state. I'm thinking I'lll end up going stage 1 for a while and then go k04 but with the stock downpipe, which will be fine for me. I don't need every ounce of HP out of it :)

Is upgrading the rotors/pads/lines worth it or should I go straight to upgrading to BBK front/rear?
Click to expand...

Sway bars didn't ruin the ride of my car + they're 3 way adjustable. As for the brakes that's something you're going to have to figure out as it basically comes down to how much do you want to spend & do you have to have the look of a BBK As upgraded pads, rotors, & lines will do just fine for daily driving & the occasional track day. As for the DP thing you've got 6 years before you need to do anything + the laws have changed here, You could run a DP from Techtonics or just swap in the stock one when you need to which is what I'll do, "The stock downpipe really chokes the performance of these cars" I remember when I changed mine & how amazed I was at the performance increase, It's mind boggling.:eek::thumbsup:,
 
FinallygotmyGTI

FinallygotmyGTI

Ready to race!
I'm not opposed to the idea of a BBK if I need it, but I think just upgrading the rotors/pads/lines will be good enough for me.

I have been looking at the UR DP, AWE DP, or the Techtronics dual-cat DP just so I don't have to deal with CEL nonsense. It will be quite a while before I decide to go stage 2 or K04. Gotta enjoy the stage 1 and bolts on first :)
 
FinallygotmyGTI

FinallygotmyGTI

Ready to race!
Got my APR Carbonio Stage 1 intake installed when I got home from work today. This has been the easiest intake install I've ever done. Took it on a quick drive with the windows down and it's very quiet until you get higher up in the RPMs. I really only noticed the diverter valve sound at first. Once I rolled the windows up, I could hear it a little better, but it is very civilized sounding to me.

Old airbox cleared out


New intake installed
 
Brinkmen

Brinkmen

VW NUT!
Regarding the Carbonio. You can't hear much. Its more performance, rather than sound oriented I think. My GTI is noticeably louder at start up for like 10-20 seconds when cold because of the intake. Same with yours?
 
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