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My First Build: Candy White GTI

Jarred767

Ready to race!
After reading through countless build threads, I figured it'd be a good idea to keep track of everything that that happens on my new ride - if for nothing else than my own records. I did some very minor modifications back in my high school days to a '93 Ford Probe, but since then have driven work trucks/vans so am basically new to the build/modding world. Since recently getting a fixed location shop for my detailing business, I no longer needed a work vehicle, and I knew I'd finally be after my first GTI. Took a while, but I found exactly what I wanted for my budget in Philadelphia and had it shipped to Portland, Oregon and went and picked it up; from my trip back to Bend:



Stock Specs when I got it:
96,000 miles
2011 Candy White
6 speed Manual
4 door
Bi-xenon headlights
Sunroof
Plaid Seats
Monster mats and carpet GTI mats
RNS-315 Nav System

I'm not sure where this road will go exactly, but having my background in detailing, its probably gonna start with fully detailing it to get it back up to proper standards, cosmetic upgrades, maintenance upkeep, and probably some performance mods after I get my feet wet and make sure everything's in great shape.

Having a wife, two kids, a house, and being self-employed things might go slower than what I want, but I figure I'll only put 6-7k miles on it a year, so hope to have it for a solid amount of time to get plenty accomplished.

Current Mod List
Cobb Big SF Intake
Cobb Stage 1+ Tune
R8 "Red Top" Coil Packs
NGK PFR7S8EG Spark Plugs

Interior Misc:
Alpine ilx-107 Head Unit
Reverse Camera
20% tint on all windows
Deautokey interior LEDs w/ red footwells
Remove airbag sticker on visors
Steering wheel inlay (white)
GTI door sill plates
GTI seat handle inserts

Exterior Misc:
Black caps for coolant and washer fluid
18x8 35ET Alzor 628 wheels
OPD Sequential LED mirror signals
Depo LED cherry taillights
KillAllWipers rear wiper delete
Colormatch sidemarker lights
Removed undressed heat shield
Rokblokz mud flaps (short)
Deautokey LED license plate lights
Color match rear badge inlay
Euro front license plate

VCDS Changes:
Fogs as DRLs
Open windows/sunroof with key fob
Disable rear wiper
XDS to 2 Gauge sweep
Disable seatbelt chime
Heated seat memory
Courtesy blinker set to 5 (from 3)

Maintenance items:
Replace Fuel Filter (98,680m)
Transmission Fluid Flush (98,085m)
Upgrade to R8 Coils (97,765m)
Replace Spark Plugs (97,765m)
Replace Cabin Air Filter (97,050m)
 
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Jarred767

Ready to race!
Having owned a couple VW's already (wife's cars) I already had a VCDS, so first thing I did was go through and made some tweaks:
Fogs as DRL's, open windows with key fob, disable rear wiper, XDS to 2, gauge sweep, seatbelt chime disabled, heated seat memory, and a couple others small things.

Yesterday I gave the exhaust tips some serious TLC to get them back to close to their former selves:
 

C1iffyp

Passed Driver's Ed
Having owned a couple VW's already (wife's cars) I already had a VCDS, so first thing I did was go through and made some tweaks:
Fogs as DRL's, open windows with key fob, disable rear wiper, XDS to 2, gauge sweep, seatbelt chime disabled, heated seat memory, and a couple others small things.

Yesterday I gave the exhaust tips some serious TLC to get them back to close to their former selves:

Any tips on getting it to shine like that?

Mine looks exactly like your before shot.

I have no knowledge of detailing at all...I've never owned a car I wanted to keep shiny until now...
 

tturbocar

Passed Driver's Ed
nice man! just make sure to do the proper maintance stuff! mine has 99k and im dding the timing chain plus tensioner after ive done the pcv, plugs, coils. but she looks great
 

BoostedVW11

Drag Racing Champion
Any tips on getting it to shine like that?

Mine looks exactly like your before shot.

I have no knowledge of detailing at all...I've never owned a car I wanted to keep shiny until now...

Best product for exhaust tips
 

vex

Passed Driver's Ed
^ yup, same product I used for my exhaust tips (along with steel wool.) Good stuff.

Jarred, looking forward to your future posts. Especially if it's posts about detailing.
 

Jarred767

Ready to race!
Any tips on getting it to shine like that?

Mine looks exactly like your before shot.

I have no knowledge of detailing at all...I've never owned a car I wanted to keep shiny until now...

These were pretty bad and I did more than what I do to most cars (specifically the inside of the tips), but for the exterior of the tips I use super fine steel wool (0000) with Shine Supply Cloud 9 metal polish. It's awesome stuff! Follow it with a quick polish with a microfiber and cloud 9 and then I put on Gtechniq Wheel Armor ceramic coating to protect them and make cleaning WAY easier in the future - wheels will eventually get this stuff too.

For the insides, after cleaning as much out with water and degreaseres, I used the metal polish with 80 grit sandpaper followed by 320 grit. Not perfect, but it is the inside of an exhaust pipe lol.

nice man! just make sure to do the proper maintance stuff! mine has 99k and im dding the timing chain plus tensioner after ive done the pcv, plugs, coils. but she looks great

Thanks! I love it so far; maintenance and detailing it are my top two priorities on it right now. Saving for tensioner work currently and the things you mentioned are on my list too along with filter changes and fluid flushes.

Best product for exhaust tips

Weird, I can't see your image??

^ yup, same product I used for my exhaust tips (along with steel wool.) Good stuff.

Jarred, looking forward to your future posts. Especially if it's posts about detailing.

Thanks! Hopefully as I learn more about the car, I'll have more to post, I'm sure I'll have some good detailing related posts along the way!
 

Jarred767

Ready to race!
Spent a little time over the weekend doing a couple minor personalizations:

Seat handle inserts:


Rear badge color match inlay:


Steering wheel color match inlay:


I also did an extensive cleaning of the entire vent system (smelled like stale air and probably hadn't ever been done) and replaced the cabin air filter at the same time.

Also did a deep clean on all the seats and carpets and finished them with some solid fabric protection just in case anything happens in the future. - never know with kids :paddle:
 

gdub09

Ready to race!
Also did a deep clean on all the seats and carpets and finished them with some solid fabric protection just in case anything happens in the future. - never know with kids :paddle:

What did you use to clean the seats? I left a water bottle on my passenger seat and the condensation made a huge water stain. I've never really shampooed or deep cleaned seats before. I was just gonna pick up something at auto zone or some where. Anything you'd suggest?
 

Jarred767

Ready to race!
What did you use to clean the seats? I left a water bottle on my passenger seat and the condensation made a huge water stain. I've never really shampooed or deep cleaned seats before. I was just gonna pick up something at auto zone or some where. Anything you'd suggest?

I use pretty much everything by Shine Supply, but most likely you'd have to order online for their stuff unless there's a local detailer in your area that's a reseller. I used a combo of their Super Spot and Carpet Cleaner along with my professional grade steam cleaner. Probably a little overkill for the condition the seats were in, but I wanted them as close to new as possible.

I've heard a lot of people say good things about Folex carpet cleaner which is available at Home Depot or Lowes. Biggest thing is to clean the area and the entire panel that the stain is on so that it's all wet or at least damp as then when it dries you don't just get a larger ring - it'll dry more evenly. Also try to get as much of cleaner/liquid out of the seat before it dries using microfiber towels. Good luck with it!
 
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