Project Fahrvergnügen - 2014 GTI 6MT

Hello everyone. This is my second build thread.
I previously had a Golf 2.5. I had no concept of deriving pleasure through driving. A car was just a means of getting from point A to point B. As long as I didn't have to brake too much, had A/C and music, I was good.

Then along came the Golf, the mod bug, the GTI community, and I felt a need...not for speed...for fahrvergnügen. Driving enjoyment.

That's when I traded in my Golf and got a GTI. I've stalled countless times on the way back from the dealership, but the satisfaction I got was well worth the price of admission.

I will be very judiciously selecting my next modifications, partly due to my desire to enjoy the stock ride and partly due to my dwindling funds.

I hope you'll enjoy watching my project blossom and grow in pursuit of fahrvernügen.

Bone stock

Nice GTI enjoy.

BFI Heavyweight Knob



Didn't have a zip tie, so the boot is being held up with a rubber band hahaha! The weight of the knob helps a lot with slotting it into the right gear, not to mention it looks damn cool! I've stalled a few times because I'd try to get the car rolling from 3rd instead of 1st. If only this were a diesel...

Painted lower grille surround





Couldn't get the clips off, so I just taped everything off and went spraying.

Completely changes how the front end looks. Before it just looked so plain and nondescriptive, but this really makes the honeycomb grille and the fog light fins really pop. I liked how the mk7 front end looked and saw that some of the mk6 guys did the same thing with their lower grill surround.

I also did the Home Depot© lip hahaha. Some of the best mods are the cheapest! It cost me less than $50 to source all the parts but the results are phenomenal, if I say so myself!

Next week I'll wet sand it and buff it with some compound and touch up some areas with flat black paint.

Well, I didn't get professional results after wet sanding and using paint polish. But for $40 I'm pretty happy!

Anyway, for my next mods I've got the Eibach 23mm rear sway bar. I just wanted something that provides a good compromise between eliminating body roll and daily drivability.


I've also got the Torque Solution billet dogbone insert. There is more vibration in reverse and 1st at the biting point when I don't give it any gas. I think the whole
drivetrain feels more solid.



Took it for a little test drive up Angeles Crest....Pretty happy with the setup! I might set the rear sway to stiff the next time I get the car up on jack stands.

Picked up a cheap pair on eBay. A bit of a skeptic at start, but the look is starting to grow on me.

Bilstein Sports and Eibach Sportline springs



I've put about 2,000 miles on these and I am loving it.
I will say that the stock setup has the best performance-to-comfort ratio as far as shocks & spring kits go. I've been to several canyon runs with the stock setup and a rear sway bar and that handled admirably.

But onto these. I got about an inch drop overall. The front wheel arches are cut out a bit taller, so while the body looks flat, there is a bit of reverse rake. These are a good deal stiffer, but not necessarily harsh. I've ridden in poorly tuned suspensions where it just felt like something was off. If I got in the car and didnt' know these were an aftermarket setup, I'd have thought "wow this handles nice but is a bit stiff" rather than "what the hell happened here".

Can I get close ups of the lower end of the bumper you painted after sanding curious to see if it is worth trying


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

webbry4 said:

Can I get close ups of the lower end of the bumper you painted after sanding curious to see if it is worth trying


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

For the $40 I spent on primer, paint, clear, and miscellaneous supplies (tape, sandpaper) you can't go wrong with htis. It improves the look of the car immensely.

It won't look professional but it will look miles better.