Hey guys, got a couple questions hoping to get some help/advice with. I have a ‘14 DSG GTI, bought literally 4 years ago on this very day with 40k miles (also my birthday as a 28th birthday gift to myself), and now today standing at 125k miles. They’ve been a great 85k miles and I’m hoping to get another 85k more, however I’m at a point the car is starting to need some attention as it just doesn’t handle like it used to. The thing I have noticed is my steering is getting sloppier, as in I really don’t have the sharp, precise feedback I once did, tramlining is more prevalent now (albeit I am on softer 235/45/17 snows for winter) and just overall feels more loose. The other much more noticeable issue is taking any kinds of turn with speed, I have a much greater amount of body roll (at 6’5” 265lbs, I can really feel myself leaning way more into turns), especially from what feels like the rear, like a heavy SUV leaning kind of feeling. This car used to stay flat and take fast turns with ease when it was younger, but the body roll is much more pronounced these past few months.
Now a major fault in all of this is that at 125k all of my suspension is completely stock still with the only exception being a set of low-buck JOM coilovers with well over 40k hard miles that are slated to be replaced very soon. Aside from that, completely OEM suspension and driveline, on a full-bolt on stage 2 car, with recent 034 Motorsport engine and trans street density mounts and their dogbone/pendulum mount and inserts. At this point, what should be replaced front and rear to bring back that tight handling again, and what could be upgraded to improve it even better than it was? This car is my daily-driven, year-round, through New England roads and winters, and spirited-weekend-drives vehicle, and has served me remarkably well, so I’d like to return the favor. This year is going to be all about the car, as it’s slated for a carbon cleaning, DSG flush, brake fluid exchange, all new filters, a thorough spring detail, paint correction and ceramic coating, new summer wheels and tires, coilovers, and then this suspension refresh; once I have a good idea of what to look at.
One other thing I wanted to ask; do wheel bearings on these cars play into handling woes as well, and should they be replaced on a “mileage-basis” or realistically only as needed upon signs of failure? I know they can be a common failure, and I haven’t noticed the usual bearing noises, although again that could be hidden by the louder snow tires currently on the car.
Thanks!
Now a major fault in all of this is that at 125k all of my suspension is completely stock still with the only exception being a set of low-buck JOM coilovers with well over 40k hard miles that are slated to be replaced very soon. Aside from that, completely OEM suspension and driveline, on a full-bolt on stage 2 car, with recent 034 Motorsport engine and trans street density mounts and their dogbone/pendulum mount and inserts. At this point, what should be replaced front and rear to bring back that tight handling again, and what could be upgraded to improve it even better than it was? This car is my daily-driven, year-round, through New England roads and winters, and spirited-weekend-drives vehicle, and has served me remarkably well, so I’d like to return the favor. This year is going to be all about the car, as it’s slated for a carbon cleaning, DSG flush, brake fluid exchange, all new filters, a thorough spring detail, paint correction and ceramic coating, new summer wheels and tires, coilovers, and then this suspension refresh; once I have a good idea of what to look at.
One other thing I wanted to ask; do wheel bearings on these cars play into handling woes as well, and should they be replaced on a “mileage-basis” or realistically only as needed upon signs of failure? I know they can be a common failure, and I haven’t noticed the usual bearing noises, although again that could be hidden by the louder snow tires currently on the car.
Thanks!
