CTS Turbo TSI Intake Review

UPDATE: Some media added below

Back at it again. I decided to get rid of yet another carbonio (thanks SkullV) in search the next best intake that I decided that I liked.

So I settled on the CTS Turbo TSI Intake. It seemed like a decent price, and designed with a purpose in mind. Besides how many ways can you make a pipe with a filter on it.

For right now, all I have is packaging and unboxing photos. Expect full detailed pics (like my SPM DP review http://golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45000) along with some videos to show fitment and sound.


So here's my inital thoughts. This is how everything needs to be packaged, stapled shut and reinforced with straps to keep your intake in the box and unharmed. I was actually really impressed. :clap:

Interior packaging also kept up with the exterior, everything is bubble wrapped and filled with paper filler around it so nothing scrathes, another plus. :wub:

Finally unwrapped pictures, just looking at this I can't wait to get the DSLR on it and show you guys the craftsmanship and quality of this. And they threw in some swag which also made my day a little bit better.

So had a chance to take some detailed photos, craftsmanship is exceptional. Very pleased.
It was raining today, so expect a video tomorrow :thumbup:

reserved for media 2

I just bought this intake Wednesday. Shipped out same day, which is awesome, and now just waiting until it gets here so I can throw it on.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

Update:

Installed, detailed pics are above, expect videos soon.

Bu, bu, bump.

Mine should be here tomorrow. I'm interested to compare notes since I am not tuned yet.

interested in noise comparisons vs. carbonio, blow off sound etc.

Mine is expected to get here Tuesday. Cant wait!

McQueen77 said:

interested in noise comparisons vs. carbonio, blow off sound etc.

Click to expand...

Working on a video!


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Sorry to thread-jack but I though I would throw in my review as well. didn't feel it was necessary to start a whole new thread.

Costumer service, shipping, and materials: CTS always has been great with communication and deals. Clay is top notch and and everything that CTS produces is awesome as far as build quality. Easy transaction and fast shipping.

Install: My biggest complaint is that this kit comes with NO INSTALL DIRECTIONS. Its Sunday and CTS is closed so I was on my own. Luckily I have much car building experience and that this was a pretty straight forward install for the most part.

My biggest question was with the "sealing" trim. The kit comes with three pieces of this trim. Two matched up pretty well with the top sides of the metal box. I was not sure what I was supposed to do with the third. I ended up putting it at the front of the box horizontally (See pics). I did not like how lose the trim was (you put the trim on and they fall off if you turn it upside down, it doesn't really hold on to the box) so I super-glued them to the box. Probably not a big deal but I wanted to make sure they would stay put. I also had some Modshack low profile hood trim from my TT that I'm parting out and used pieces of this trim to go around the intake hose pipe opening and some other sports (again, see pics, the Modshack trim is the trim that does not have the "seal" sticking up from it).

Design: Fit and finish seems to be pretty good. There is only one bolt that holds the box in. The front part of it just lays on the radiator pipe clamp and other stuff up there. Me putting the trim up there made it batter so it minimizes the metal to metal and metal to plastic contact. Also, the pipe sits very close to the brake reservoir cap and my make contact at certain times. This may be able to be adjusted. The kit does not use the factory mount bracket about mid engine that the factory and some other aftermarket intakes use.

Sound: Absolutely love it!! I was worried that this thing was going to be loud and obnoxious like most intakes. This is my first experience with a mkVI tsi intake so I don't have any comparison but this thing is quiet! When the hood is up, you can hear the blow off valve pretty good. When driving, you can hear a little more turbo and a very small amount of "suck" noise and blow off valve. But the difference is very slight. Please consider that the intake noise is competing with regular road noise and my exhaust system but I hear very little difference with the stock intake compared to the CTS intake when driving. Very very happy with the quietness of this intake.

Performance: I have just the stock tune and have not driven it much since I just installed it. I can definitely tell that it pulls harder up top. Car does not run out of breath like it used to. I did not notice much difference in driveability or low end power. Turbo does spool just a bit quicker but that was not really much of a problem even stock.

Overall, very happy with this intake especially when comparing it to other prices wise. So far, no regrets.













All the stock crap it replaces:

Looks like some pretty nice craftsmanship, but with that MAF placement, no thanks!

dose yours rest on your break resivor i have takin mine off twice tryin to fix that and i cant seem to keep it from doing it i saw the BSH (i think) kit comes with a clamp that will left it off of it but this kit didnt have one and i dont know where to find one other than that i love the sound i got from it

SkullV said:

Looks like some pretty nice craftsmanship, but with that MAF placement, no thanks!

Click to expand...

There is not enough wire to place it any farther toward the turbo.

@ManofManyGTs

by the way you can open up the maf plug part and flip the wire around so it doesn't go the opposite way

ManofManyGTs said:

There is not enough wire to place it any farther toward the turbo.

Click to expand...

That's why they should have placed it in the stock location. Where it is right now is in an area of extremely turbulent air flow with no MAF housing/screening to straighten it out. However with the bend right after the filter the OEM location probably wouldn't be much better (although not a 90*).

Hopefully you don't have any issues but a whole lot of people ditched their forge intakes because of a similar MAF placement.