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MiamiBourne - 2016 Golf R Build (Base 6MT)

101K views 340 replies 62 participants last post by  MiamiBourne 
#1 · (Edited)
I’m starting this thread as a place of reference. If I can help someone along the way then that’s great too. There is a lot to update so I'll be making sure I date when things where originally done.

VwVortex Feature:
https://www.vwvortex.com/news/forum-fridays/forum-friday-well-sorted-white-r/



Current Summer Mode Pic (Updated 05/12/2019):



Current Winter Mode Pic:



Current Mods (updated 03/18/2024):

Engine:

  • Integrated Engineering Turbo Intake Pipe
  • Integrated Engineering V2 Cold Air Intake
  • Leyo Turbo Muffler Delete
  • APR Boost Tap
  • United Motorsport ECU Tune (28psi & 93oct) w/Launch Control & No Lift Shift
  • United Motorsport Haldex Tune
  • AWE SwitchPath Exhaust w/102mm Tips
  • AWE Resonated Downpipe
  • BFI Stage 1 Engine & Transmission Mounts
  • Integrated Engineering V1 Intercooler
  • Duracll Platinum AGM H6 Battery
Drivetrain:
  • BMS Clutch Stop
  • Torque Solutions Shifter Cable Bushings
  • 034 Lower Billet Dogbone Insert
  • ECS Bleeder Block
  • ECS Stainless Steel Clutch Line (Swirl Valve Removed)
  • OEM Metal Cable Bracket
  • Torque Solutions Bracket Bushings
  • Southbend Stage 3 Daily Clutch
  • Rear Main Seal (OEM Revised)
  • OEM Euro Short Shifter
  • WCT Performance Pedal Spacer
  • 034 Upper Billet Dogbone Insert
Suspension/Brakes:
  • ECS 12.5mm Front (clears TTRS Calipers) and 15mm Rear Spacers
  • Emmanuele Design Sport Springs w/Rear Adapter Pad
  • ECS Heavy Duty Strut Mounts
  • RS3 Brake Ducts
  • TTRS MK2 Front Calipers/Rotors/OEM Pads
  • H&R 25mm Rear Sway Bar
  • Moog Rear Sway Bar Endlinks (painted)
Exterior
  • XPEL Clear Bra (Bumper, hood, fenders)
  • Opti-Coat Pro
  • Euro Tail Lights (MK7) w/BEC Auto's Adapter Harness & deAutoKey's Reverse LED Bulb
  • OEM Side Power Folding Mirrors
  • 19" x 8" (et50) VW Pretoria's w/Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (235/35/19)
  • OEM Skid Plate
  • XPEL XR Ceramic Tint 20% w/Front Windshield at 70%
Interior
  • Spare Tire Kit
  • Glove Box & Trunk LEDs (deAutoKey)
  • Covercraft UVS100 Sun Shield
  • VW Warning Triangle
  • Helix Soundbox
  • Valentine 1 w/Custom Adhesive mount from vortexer: fabric8
  • BadgeSkins Power Button & Airbag Visor Vinyls
  • P3 VIDI Gauge w/AC Vent, Track Pack & Analog Boost Sensor
  • Euro Headlight Switch w/Rear Fog
  • Thinkware F800 Pro 2 Channel Dash Cam
  • Discovery Pro 8" Screen
  • LED Trunk Strip (deAutoKey) DIY
  • Color Changing Front Footwell LEDs (deAutoKey)
  • Raceseng Custom Nitro Textured Shift Knob (Translucent Blue)
  • Golf R Monster Mats
  • Frameless Homelink Rearview Mirror
  • Euro Low Profile Headrest
  • Custom Steering Wheel from TAW Chicago
How I choose the Golf R:

When the MK7 Golf R was released I thought it was the perfect car for me...well having a sunroof would have made it perfect but it’s not something I miss now. I thought the exterior looked great along with the interior and the power was finally competitive with it’s class.

However, when I was ready to buy there weren’t any cars available around me (Brooklyn, NY) and the ones that were available had been marked up considerably. I looked at the MK7 GTI and that for the money it’s a great car, but this time around I wanted something that was around 300hp and had a different drivetrain (AWD or RWD instead of FWD).

I then started to look at used (2013 or 2014) Audi S4’s and BMW 335i’s. I found a few Audi S4’s with the sports diff and even test drove one that I liked but ultimately didn’t feel comfortable paying $35k for that car as it just seemed a bit dated. For the BMW, it was hard to find one that I wanted which would have been M-Sport, 6-speed and RWD. Most were either the Auto ZF8 and RWD or manual with xDrive. In fact there were only a few 2013 and newer 335i’s in the country at the time that were 6 speed, RWD with the M-Sport package.

For a second I entertained the new 340i with European Delivery, but after ticking all the options I was at $60k. The 2016 S4 was ending production so I didn’t even bother as I don’t believe I could have gotten one with a manual.

Eventually I stumbled upon the inventory list on this forum and started reaching out to dealers by email. I saw that Atlantic VW had a Base 6 speed Oryx White Golf R in stock and was told it was being sold at MSRP. I went to meet with a salesman and was told that I was given the wrong info and the car was marked up $4k over MSRP. I told them that I would only be interested in purchasing the car at MSRP and after about 20 minutes of stalling they agreed and dropped the price.

Here are pics of the car at the dealership before purchase:

03/01/2016:





I didn’t know when I purchased the car but it actually came with Continental DWS 06 all season tires which I know is rare for our cars.




My previous car was a 2002 Jetta GLS 1.8T that I bought brand new in November of 2001 and kept until I bought my R in March of 2016. It ran pretty good considering it was an MKIV and lasted 185,000 miles before I gave it to my brother. It was tuned for about 95,000 miles and still has the stock clutch. I’m not going to lie, I did baby that car a bit.

The car is still going strong and is over 200,000 miles now.

Mods on the Jetta:

Engine:

  • Neuspeed P-Flo Intake
  • Forge Turbo Inlet Pipe
  • Forge 007P Diverter Valve
  • eBay Downpipe (No Cat)
  • Custom Exhaust w/Magnaflow Muffler
  • APR Stage 2 Tune
Drivetrain/Brakes:
  • Stock Clutch (yes, for 185,000 miles and running)
  • GLI 12.3” Front & 10.1” Rear Rotors w/Calipers
Suspension:
  • FK Streetline Coilovers
  • CPP Adjustable End Links
Exterior
  • 19 x 8 OZ Superleggera’s w/235/35/19 tires
  • ECS Clear Side Markers
  • GLI Front & Rear Valence
  • Votex/20th Anniversary Side Skirts
  • GLI Headlights
  • Short Antenna
  • Helix HID Replica Headlights
Interior
  • R-Line Shift Knob and Boot
  • R-Line Monster Mats
  • GLI Aluminum Interior Trim
  • GLI Cluster
  • Audi TT Aluminum Pedals
  • New South Boost Gauge
  • 42 Draft Designs Pillar Pod
  • Center Console w/Cup Holders
  • Pioneer NEX 4100 w/CarPlay
  • Interior LED Lighting Kit from deAutoKey

Here are a few pics of the car.









 
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11
#49 ·
Wookies in the Woods 2017

04/05/2017:

Since I've bought my car I've been wanting to go to the Wookies in the Woods event. The first year I bought my R I couldn't make it since I was getting married on the same weekend as the event...so I didn't get the okay from the fiance Lol. This event centers around the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina and mainly VW's R32 but all R's are included when they line up for the main event day. Of course anyone can go to this event and and enjoy the roads and other activities, just not the sound-off that they do.

I rented a cabin at Fontana Village Resort where they have a group rate and the majority of everyone stays. They use the Fontana Village Main hall for the safety meeting and RBQ. At night they have a bonfire and a beer exchange. Also, besides the Tail of the Dragon the area is surrounded by great roads. It's really a great driving event and a great place to meet other R enthusiasts. If you have a chance to go then I would certainly give it a go.

Here are some pics and videos at the event. I also put together a few videos which aren't the best. It was my first time using a GoPro and I learned the hard way that I need an external mic when I want to get car audio that's usable. Lol.













Excuse the quality of these videos. They look fine on my PC but it appears that YouTube does a bit of compression especially with fast moving videos. I haven't yet figured out how to upload my videos better, but I'll be working on that in the future!





 
#52 ·
OEM Accessories: VW Sunshade & Warning Triangle

Who doesn't like OEM accessories? I originally got these back in December of 2016 but forgot to post them earlier.

VW Sunshade Part# CSSZ65VW9366



VW Warning Triangle Part# 1Y0093055



 
#53 · (Edited)
BadgeSkins Power Button & Sun Visor Vinyls

04/25/2017:

BadgeSkins Power Button Vinyl:

OCD kicking in here and that power button with the rotating power icon has to go. I'm not sure what VW was thinking here. Anyway I picked up a power button black vinyl sticker from BadgeSkins. It's simple and cures my OCD for this.

Here are a few pics:





BadgeSkin Sun Visor Vinyls

Next up on the OCD list are the large air bag warning stickers. You can order vinyl stickers for these as well and customize them a few different ways from the BadgeSkins website. For whatever reason one of these vinyls was not wide enough and you can see about a mm of the side of the airbag sticker. BadgeSkins tells you to contact them if they have this issue...seems to be a known issue to them but they never got back to me. It's not a big deal and I don't really notice unless I look for it but...buyer beware.

Here are. few pics:



 
#54 ·
Boomba Short Shifter Adapter

05/07/2017:

I was looking into short shifters and originally settled on the OEM Euro Short Shifter for the price and the OEM Plus aspect. After reading through some threads on the GolfMk7 forum I was convinced to try the Boomba Short Shifter adapter. It shortens about the same as the OEM Euro Short Shifter but also adds some weight to the shifter. Reviews where glowing and they had a sale so why not.

On on MKIV I'm guilty of never upgrading the shifter so with all that I've seen people on this forum I wanted to do those same upgrades. I have to say that this upgrade feels nice. There is some weight added to the throws and they are noticeably shorter. My OCD doesn't love. how the adapter raises the angle of the shifter cable but...I'll leave it alone for now.

Here is a large thread about this since on here this particular product seems non existent:

http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22824

Now...on to the pics





 
#55 · (Edited)
19" OEM Pretoria Wheels w/Pirelli PZero 235/35/19

05/20/2017:

While I don't hate the Cadiz wheels I do which I had the 19" version. That being said the Pretoria's are a beautiful wheel. One of the best aftermarket wheels I've seen. Now I was set on either getting 19" OZ Superturismo's, HRE FF01's or Neuspeeds Rse102's I did keep my eye on Pretoria OEM take offs. I got lucky and scored a deal with a vortex member that had taken off his Pret's when his car was delivered and he was local too. We agreed on a price, met and actually had a cool talk for a while. Wheels were basically new, along with the tires.

Since I had my car Opti-Coated I thought to do the same with the wheels and dropped them off at Mr Sparkle.

Here are pics of the wheel after they were Opti-Coated. I also measured the weights between my 18" Cadiz with 225/40/18 vs the 19" Pretoria's on Pirelli PZero 235/35/19's:













 
#56 · (Edited)
BMS Clutch Stop & Intake Upgrades

06/09/2017:

BMS Clutch Stop:

I installed the BMS Clutch Stop to remove some of the deadspot that's there when you are releasing the clutch. I must say for a $10 mod this sure makes a difference using the clutch. Not much else to say, but there are a few pics showing the stock stop which isn't much of a stop at all.







Intake Upgrades w/K&N Drop In Filter:

Decided to try to cheapest route for an intake upgrade. I ordered a K&N Drop in filter, removed the snow grate and cut open the drivers side intake...path or whatever it's called. I get a little more of a growl. Can't say I notice much of a performance increase though. Here are some pics:







 
#57 · (Edited)
Torque Solutions Shifter Bushings & VCDS Change

06/18/2017:

Torque Solutions Shifter Bushings:

Based on what I've read about the stock shifter, shifter bushings are a must to to install. I already have a short shifter so I wanted to get rid of the play with the shifter. I installed Torque Solutions shifter bushings and the throws do feel tighter and not as sloppy as before.

Here are some pics:







VCDS Coding: DRL at 100% w/Headlights On

When you headlights turn on the DRL's dim. This mod leaves the DRL's at 100%. I don't have a pic though. Supposed to just look cooler. Lol. Here is the coding that I have:

  • [09] Central Electronics
  • Go to Security Access and enter 31347
  • Go into Adaptation
  • Change the following channels.
  • '(10)-Light2SL VLB10-Dimming CD 2' from 26 to 100
  • '(10)-Light3SL VRB21-Dimming CD 3' from 26 to 100
 
#58 ·
P3 VIDI Multifunction Gauge & 034 Dogbone Insert

07/24/2017:

P3 VIDI Multifunction Gauge:

I was on the market for a Boost Gauge and really couldn't decide between P3, APR, New South and PODI. NGP had a great sale during Waterfest on the P3 VIDI in the vent, with the track package and analog boost sensor so that's what I got. It's a nice piece that looks OEM and has measures additional values and has a few times as well built in. I have yet to hook up the analog boost sensor since I'm still stock but I will be getting to that later on.

Here are some pics:







034 Billet Aluminum Dogbone Insert:

Everyone raves about this dogbone insert and it was on sale at Waterfest so I bought one. Installed, I do get some NVH but the car feels a little more connected and the shifts feel better as well. Not bad for it's price point. There are two versions of this mount so make sure you order the correct one. From what I know the only way to tell which version you need is to look under the car.

Here are some pics:



 
#59 ·
APR Turbo Inlet Pipe & Forge Silicon Inlet Hose

08/28/2017:

Nothing to exciting here. I picked up both the APR Turbo Inlet Pipe and Forge Silicon Inlet Hose at Waterfest on sale. Installed them and I can't say I feel or hear much of a difference. These are basically just supporting mods until I get the ECU tuned.

Here are a few pics:





 
#60 ·
Oil Change (Mobile 1 0w-40) with Schwaben Fluid Extract & Oil Analysis

09/10/2017:

Oil Change:

I recently bought about 3 cases of Mobile 1 0w-40 due to a recent sale. I'm not one to be picky about the oil I use as long as it's certified by VW. I used Mobile 1 on my Jetta and it did great. Since our oil filters are on the top of the engine I decided to purchase a Schwaben Fluid Extractor that was recently on sale. This looks to make the oil change process a lot faster and easier. I was worried about getting out all of the oil but other members don't seem to have an issue.

I was able to extract 4.75 quarts, when I was expecting 5.75, but when I went to add new oil it took 5.75. My guess is that I burnt off about a quart of oil over the last 9 months and almost 7,000 miles between my last oil change. I would like to keep my oil changes at around 5k but the fluid extractor was on backorder and I wanted to wait for it so I can try it out.

Here are some pics:









Oil Analysis Results:

Sent off a sample of my oil from my first change to Black Stone and it took them about a month to get the results back. I'll be doing this for the next couple of oil changes to monitor.

Here they are:

 
#61 ·
Leyo Muffler Delete & VWR600 Installs

10/14/2017:

Just rounding out the full list of bolt-on's for my car. Arguably neither of these mods will gain you much except sound but I got them both used for a good price. The turbo muffler delete doesn't show to add any more power and most people don't hear any additional sound. You can say this turbo muffler delete just satisfies my OCD to replace parts that may be a restriction.

I like the look of the VWR600 intake and the fact that it's not too loud like an open air intake is one of the reasons why I was looking for one.

Aside from some additional noise with these two there really isn't much to say. The VWR600 intakes makes a nice sound. I'm wondering if it will sound better once I'm tuned.

Here are some pics:







 
#62 · (Edited)
19" OEM Cadiz Wheels w/Continental DWS 225/35/19

11/19/2017

I already had a set of 18" Cadiz w/Continental DWS 06 225/40/18 all seasons but I just don't like the look of 18's on this car. While I've had the 19" Pretoria's on for a while I never had an issue with the ride quality or damaging any wheels, although I need it is more likely to happen with a 19" wheel. I searched on the Vwvortex wheel classifies for 19" Cadiz that I can use as a 'winter' wheels and got lucky. I found someone that wanted to trade their 19" Cadiz with all season for my 18" Cadiz with all seasons (plus I add cash).

I know many are not a fan of the Cadiz wheels but at 19" with spacers and a drop I think the car looks good.

Here are a few pics:



 
#76 ·
11/19/2017

I already had a set of 18" Cadiz w/Continental DWS 06 225/40/18 all seasons but I just don't like the look of 18's on this car. While I've had the 19" Pretoria's on for a while I never had an issue with the ride quality or damaging any wheels, although I need it is more likely to happen with a 19" wheel. I searched on the Vwvortex wheel classifies for 19" Cadiz that I can use as a 'winter' wheels and got lucky. I found someone that wanted to trade their 19" Cadiz with all season for my 18" Cadiz with all seasons (plus I add cash).

I know many are not a fan of the Cadiz wheels but at 19" with spacers and a drop I think the car looks good.
Alex! Oh man, wish I had known you were looking for 19"Cadiz, woulda traded you straight up for the 19s in my garage! Hope to see you soon
 
#63 ·
Looking good :thumbup:

I would advise against 034 dogbone. Once you tune it it'll bend and probably crack too. My first one bent and cracked and 034 replaced it with updated version, which also bent :(. I'll be getting either Revo puck or an HPA puck and pendulum set to replace 034.
 
#64 ·
Looking good [emoji106]

I would advise against 034 dogbone. Once you tune it it'll bend and probably crack too. My first one bent and cracked and 034 replaced it with updated version, which also bent :(. I'll be getting either Revo puck or an HPA puck and pendulum set to replace 034.
Just FYI I've seen pictures of those torn as well. I believe the Revo mounts have a limited lifetime warranty at least. Maybe read up to be sure. Or just go with Super Pro.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
#70 · (Edited)
SuperPro 24" Rear Sway Bar, End Links & Emmanuele Design Rear Adapter Pad

02/24/2018:

SuperPro 24" Sway Bar & End Links

I have to be honest, I'm not sure if I think the car needs a rear sway bar or not, but people swear that by adding one the handling is greatly improved I saw this come up on the Vwvortex Classifieds for a good price so I pulled the trigger. Install is straight forward and for now I haven't had a chance to test out any good cornering. To me with normal driving this feels the same as stock. I believe I have this on the stiffest setting which is furthest from the end of the sway bar.

Here are some pics:







Emmanuele Design Rear Adapter Pad

The purpose of this adapter pad is to even the fender gap between the front and rear wheels, but the body line will be slightly raked forward. Without this adapter the body line is supposed to be even with a little less gap between the fender and tire on the rear. Now I say 'supposed' because that's what I've seen Emmanuele Design post on the GolfMk7 forums.

I initially left out the rear pads and thought it was fine, but my OCD finds that sometimes the front sits a bit higher than the rear. It could be just the way I have the car parked (uneven surface) or that I have a manual and the front of my car is about 100lbs less than the DSG. Either way I thought I would try out the pads and see how I feel about them...OCD be damned!

This OCD is usually what causes me to get coilovers but there are times where I feel like the car sits perfect and other times I feel that the front needs about another half inch drop.

On to pics:





 
#71 ·
Dyno Run: Stock ECU w/Bolt Ons

02/26/2018:

Before I get tuned I wanted to take my car to the dyno and get a baseline. Now I know I have a few bolt on's but I never got a chance to dyno the car stock. So I figured that getting dyno numbers for stock w/bolt ons, then stage 1 tune and then stage 2 (w/downpipe) is the next best thing. On the recommendation of fellow vortexer mxrider9239 I went to Vinney Ten Racing in Long Island and scheduled time on their DynoJet.

Max numbers are 276hp/287tq

Here is a video of one of the runs and a pic of the dyno sheet.



 
#72 ·
ECS Bleeder Block, SS Clutch Line, OEM Metal Shift Bracket & Torque Solutions Bracket Bushings

03/03/2018:

Ok, with all of the mods I've done these probably should have been done much, much sooner and I agree. I just don't have much experience messing around with the clutch line and bleeder block that I wanted to wait. I mean I actually had gotten used to how the stock clutch worked...still not 100% for the 1-2 shift but I guess it didn't bother me enough.

Install for this stuff is straight forward although I did run into an issue with the clutch line not wanting to come out from the firewall side and it seems the locking pin (to lock the clutch line into the bleeder block) was not tight enough and was causing a leak from the ECS clutch line when bleeding. Anyways, once I got things sorted and put back together I took the car for a drive.

The shifter feels a bit more precise when changing gears and the clutch pedal does seem to work better with shifts between 1-2. I do have to go back and mess with the shifter alignment though. If I don't hold 3rd gear into place it sometimes wants to slip out as I release the clutch.

Here are some pics as usual...I'm finally catching up to real time on this build!







 
#74 ·
DKM Clutch & iAbed Rear Main Seal

03/04/2018:

It's no secret that the clutch that comes with the Golf R isn't the strongest. Many have reported that as soon as they got an tune the clutch would slip shortly after and some even experience the clutch slipping on stock power (may be cause by rear main seal leaking). While my clutch as been fine for 14k miles I didn't want to have to worry about it after getting tuned. Part of me wanted to try out a stage 1 low torque file and then see how long the clutch lasts. The other part thought if I get a clutch first then I can break it in before going for a stage 1 high torque file.

After deciding I would get a clutch before tuning I then had to decide if I was going to stick with a DMF upgrade (TTRS DIY, HS Tuning RSR, Sachs) or SMF (Southbend Stage 3 Daily or DKM Twin Disk). I originally wanted something as close to stock as possible with no chatter (DMF), but I had read that some people with even stage 1 tunes were still slipping.

For the SMF upgrades, it seemed that most people were happy and that the SMF chatter wasn't a deal breaker. I also didn't see people that went with a stage 3 SMF having slipping issues.

The DKM Clutch (newer to the VW scene but is part of Competition Clutch) has a rating of 660 ft/tq, has received great user reviews and a competitive price point compared to South Bend. These points helped pushed my decision to give DKM a try. In addition to getting my clutch installed I decided to upgrade the rear main seal. I have heard the rear main seal is prone to leaking and iAbed makes an upgraded kit with a billet aluminum housing. Since you have access to the rear main seal once you remove the OEM clutch it makes sense to upgrade this part...unless you are confident the OEM seal isn't going to leak. My OEM rear main seal was completely fine with no leaking but I still wanted to swap it out for the iAbed unit.

I was told my OEM clutch was in great shape when it was taken out.

Impressions, well I've only driven 128 miles but so far it's positive. The clutch is quiet and chatter is minimal. The pedal feel is very hard compared to stock but it has lightened up every time I drive and I expect it to get lighter the more I drive. And even though I'm taking the shifting easy and slow you can feel how hard the clutch grabs. There can be some shudder in the first gear engagement and with this new clutch I feel like I have to relearn how to smoothly start in first gear. I feel the break-in has a lot to do with this and will comment later after break-in...which I can't wait to be over!

Here are a few pics I took. Nothing much to see really.



 
#78 ·
Facebook Groups: Meeting Local R's & Finding Local Mechanics

Ok, now I just wanted to give people my experience with Facebook Groups when it comes to the car scene. I didn't know about about any VW Facebook Groups until recently and I can say that they are great. Especially if you want to meet local R's, answer to an issue that needs resolution quickly or you need to find someone doing great side work for a great price. Now I know some of the people on here are anti-Facebook but to be honest I'm not sure why. This forum can be the same when you talk about the negatives.

I've joined several VW MK7 related Facebook Groups but the main ones I frequent are the following in case anyone is interested:
  • VW MK7 Golf - GTI - R - MQB
  • Mk7 Tri-State Owners
  • VW MK7 Private Sales
  • Golf R Owners Group
Just thought I would share my experience and thoughts. Especially since lots of people come on here asking how something sounds or what's a good install price. Using a local FB Group you can find someone local to see how an exhaust sounds or find out what are good install prices locally. This forum has a lot people from all over and the Region forums on Vwvortex...well they aren't that great. I know a few people on here already belong to the group so what I'm saying is nothing new to them.

On the MK7 Tri-State Owners I found installers for my DKM Twin Disk Clutch & iAbed Rear Main seal for a great price and also met what I considered to be some great friends. Here is my review below if anyone is interested:

Big thanks to @Josh Pelcman & @Lexie Allen for installing a DKM Twin Disk Clutch & iAbed Rear Main Seal on my 2016 Golf R last weekend! This was my first time paying anyone to do work on my car as I DIY all of my work. Now I’m what you may call OCD with my car and I didn’t have a shop nearby that I trusted for major installations. Being a member of the MK7 Tristate Owners & MK7 Golf - GTI - R - MQB Groups I’ve seen them active and have read the many positive experiences people have had with them.

I decided to reach out to them even though they are about 70 miles from me. I first contacted Lexie to talk about what I wanted installed, she gave me a great install price and we agreed on a date. On the day of the install I met both Josh and Lexie in person and they said I can hang out where the install was taking place or chill out in the office and use their wifi. I did both spending some time in the office working on my Vwvortex build thread and then checking out how the install was going. Josh and Lexie explained to me each of the steps they were taking and answered any questions that I had. You can tell that they are passionate about what hey do and that matters to me.

When the install was finished Josh and Lexie let me know to reach out to them when I got home to ensure things were okay. They even followed up with me a few days later to see how the clutch was breaking in.

You can add me to the list of people with great experiences with Josh/Lexie and I’ll be going back to them without a doubt! They did not hesitate to answer any of my questions before and during the install. The combination of pricing for the install and just some great people that you feel comfortable asking anything to is why I can’t recommend these guys enough for anyone in the Tristate Area!
 
#79 ·
Euro Headlight Switch w/Rear Fog

03/16/2018:

I picked up a used Euro Headlight Switch w/rear fog from eBay recently and installed it recently. I already wired my car for the rear fog when I installed my LED tails, but this is the final piece you need to be able to activate the rear fog.

Part# 5G0941431BE

After the install I coded with VCDS to activate the function using these instructions:

  • "Open VCDS and Click “Select”
  • Click “09-Cent. Elect”
  • Click “Security Access -16”
  • Enter the Access Code “31347” and then “Do it!”
  • Click “Coding - 07”
  • Click “Long Coding Helper”
  • Select Byte 7 then Enable Bit 4 “Light Switch with Rear Fog Light(s) installed”
  • Exit window, the “New Coding” text box should now be populated. Click “Do it!”"
Here are a few pics:





 
#80 ·
Personalized License Plate

04/01/2018:

I'm not crazy about the NY gold license plates and much prefer the I Love NY plates or the borough specific ones. When I first got my R I searched for 'Das R' as a personalized plate but it was not available. I decided last month to look up personalized plates again and 'Das R' was available. I guess someone moved on...anyway I was sort of on the fence about this. I guess I won't be blurring out my plate in pics anymore...





 
#81 · (Edited)
Thinkware F800 Pro 2 Channel Dash Cam

04/02/2018:

Tomorrow is my 40th birthday and my wife got my a Thinkware F800 Pro 2 Channel Dash Cam. It was on my list to do's and I'm glad I'm getting this before my road trip to Wookies in the Woods in which I depart this Friday.

The thread below was a big help. Big thanks :)beer::beer:) to tonipepperoni77 who helped me out when I pm'd him on a few questions. His pics at the end also helped when I wired things up. I'm new to this dash cam stuff so I don't have much to say on the actual product just yet. The install wasn't too bad. I'm not sure I'm sold on where I mounted the front dash cam since I can't easily access the memory card or the buttons. I'm just not sure how much access I will need so maybe I will try to mount it in a different location.

Helpful Thread (see post #86 for add a fuse info):
https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthr...-F750-2Channel-Front-Rear-Camera-MK7-Golf-GTI

Some pics of the dash cam installed...not the best pics.









 
#82 · (Edited)
WITW Prep: Oil Change, Summer Tires, Fluids Topped Off

04/04/2018:

Just handled a few maintenance items before I drive down to WITW in a few days. Well Actually I'll be driving to Georgia first for a few days before heading to Fontana Village on 4/12 for my check in. Changed my oil, topped off my coolant/washer fluid and put my summer wheels back on.

I'm using Mobile One for the second time and I'll be sending this oil to BlackStone for analysis like I did my previous oil (Liqui Moly).

Here are a few pics of the fun:







Yes...My car is not a Wookie so I have this instead...


 
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