PouncingPanzer
Active member
- May 11, 2017
- 967
- 114
So as requested by a couple guys I am posting a "build thread" for my car which recently got a major upgrade. I will tell you guys what I have done so far and what I plan to do going forward, as well as end goals. Pictures will be included of course.
This is my third VW but the first I decided to seriously modify. My GTI had some driver aid mods that were simple and had nothing to do with producing more power. Things like upgraded mounts and shifter bushings, things of that nature. I got out of it due to cronic hip and back pain so no more manuals for me. I got my first auto after the GTI, my DSG GLI. I drove it 45,000 miles before I decided to mod the car. I can actually tell you exactly what day and what exactly it was that caused me to pull such an expensive trigger. There is a YouTube channel our of Canada called Throttle House. Decent reviews often of very obtainable cars, unlike most automotive journalists who go "Today we will be driving the $450k ______________ that you and I will never own." Anyways, this particular video stacked the 2021 GLI against a 2.0T Accord Sport, a Sonata N-line, and an Ecoboost Mustang. It wasn't a race, it was a slaughter. The GLI started off with a poor launch due to trash Hankook tires(I can't say it enough, they were horrible) and well things just got worse from there for the GLI. Many car lengths were between it and the bumper of 3rd place(which I think was the Sonata) and the Honda and Mustang well they were already in the next time zone. I audibly said something along the lines of "Oh hell no, not my car, not to me." and the die was cast. Fast forward 3 months or so and I now have the APR software file for running the IS38 turbocharger(Golf R/S3 turbo) on my stock downpipe. I wanted a sleeper and boy does this file cater to that perfectly. Like it was made just for me. But, I should say it didn't start there, I wanted to test the waters first with some simple bolt ons. I told myself if that proves to not be a waste of money I will proceed further.
I started out with the APR Turbo Inlet pipe, turbo muffler delete, and open air intake. Install was simple and leisurely and took me about 2 hours for it all. Cleaning some nooks an crannies otherwise not accessible along the way. Took the car out and leaving the first stop sign and heading uphill I noticed better throttle response and low end torque immediately. Cool. I didn't waste my money and APR makes good products. Moving forward. Total cost of yhe initial mods came to around $600. I couldn't complain.
Shortly after that I made my appointment for getting my tune. I wanted to get the APR Stage 2 which included a downpipe and software. Well, sometime between me learning about Stage 2 cars back in like 2014 and me wanting to do this APR stopped making downpipes. So the classic "stage 2" was no longer and option with them. I wanted to stay with APR however due to reputation and reliability. So the owner of the shop I was speaking to suggested the "Stage 3" IS38 route. Cost is more, but the IS38 is essentially thee mod to slap on these EA888 engines in the GTI and GLI if you want to make serious power. So he talked me into it. Put a down payment on parts and scheduled for this September 11th. Everything went great, I cannot recommend HS Tuning in Westlake, OH enough to anyone in the region who owns a German car. Any German car. Clean shop. Clean work. Nice and very knowledgeable staff both the owner and the techs.
So, the car now. Wow wow wow. I have quite the sleeper now. 100% stock exhaust and *should* be making nearly 350whp and 360wt. All you hear is the diverter valve doing what diverter valves do and beautiful turbo whistles....it's lovely, and you can't hear me coming. Obviously I cannot report on economy gains at this time due to it still being the honeymoon phase still, I've not been driving economical to say the least hahaha. But next long trip to my folks I'll have the baby with me so won't have a choice but to find out. But there should be improvements there as well. I can also say the TCU Software is a must....even on otherwise stock DSG cars. It smooths out the beast so well and any complaints you may ir may not have regarding your VWAG DSG transmission will likely go away with the TCU Software. In addition to the TCU Software I also installed APR coil packs and Audi spark plugs, which are heat range 9, one higher than my factory plugs.
So far I have really only opened the car up once, lots of construction on my commute so have to be wise about it, but a G35 Infiniti blew past me and I let him get quite a ways ahead and I chased him down very easily. Got over 100mph well before I even looked down at the speedo and people were moving out of the way like I was a cop chasing the guy down. Not gonna lie, at night my DRL strip around the headlight does look a bit Charger-like...I can see them coming to that conclusion given how rapidly I was gaining. After that, I told myself that I had proven to myself I have a pocket rocket now and no need to let everyone know right away. I made my point to myself that I needed to. "James, you didn't waste your money" LOL.
So what's next?
In order:
1)P3 Digital Guage Pod
2)CTS Front Mount Intercooler
3)MBRP Catback
4)Larger Rear Sway Bar
5)Stickier Tires
6)APR DCC Software
After that. Autocross. View attachment 76960View attachment 76961View attachment 76962View attachment 76963View attachment 76964
Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
This is my third VW but the first I decided to seriously modify. My GTI had some driver aid mods that were simple and had nothing to do with producing more power. Things like upgraded mounts and shifter bushings, things of that nature. I got out of it due to cronic hip and back pain so no more manuals for me. I got my first auto after the GTI, my DSG GLI. I drove it 45,000 miles before I decided to mod the car. I can actually tell you exactly what day and what exactly it was that caused me to pull such an expensive trigger. There is a YouTube channel our of Canada called Throttle House. Decent reviews often of very obtainable cars, unlike most automotive journalists who go "Today we will be driving the $450k ______________ that you and I will never own." Anyways, this particular video stacked the 2021 GLI against a 2.0T Accord Sport, a Sonata N-line, and an Ecoboost Mustang. It wasn't a race, it was a slaughter. The GLI started off with a poor launch due to trash Hankook tires(I can't say it enough, they were horrible) and well things just got worse from there for the GLI. Many car lengths were between it and the bumper of 3rd place(which I think was the Sonata) and the Honda and Mustang well they were already in the next time zone. I audibly said something along the lines of "Oh hell no, not my car, not to me." and the die was cast. Fast forward 3 months or so and I now have the APR software file for running the IS38 turbocharger(Golf R/S3 turbo) on my stock downpipe. I wanted a sleeper and boy does this file cater to that perfectly. Like it was made just for me. But, I should say it didn't start there, I wanted to test the waters first with some simple bolt ons. I told myself if that proves to not be a waste of money I will proceed further.
I started out with the APR Turbo Inlet pipe, turbo muffler delete, and open air intake. Install was simple and leisurely and took me about 2 hours for it all. Cleaning some nooks an crannies otherwise not accessible along the way. Took the car out and leaving the first stop sign and heading uphill I noticed better throttle response and low end torque immediately. Cool. I didn't waste my money and APR makes good products. Moving forward. Total cost of yhe initial mods came to around $600. I couldn't complain.
Shortly after that I made my appointment for getting my tune. I wanted to get the APR Stage 2 which included a downpipe and software. Well, sometime between me learning about Stage 2 cars back in like 2014 and me wanting to do this APR stopped making downpipes. So the classic "stage 2" was no longer and option with them. I wanted to stay with APR however due to reputation and reliability. So the owner of the shop I was speaking to suggested the "Stage 3" IS38 route. Cost is more, but the IS38 is essentially thee mod to slap on these EA888 engines in the GTI and GLI if you want to make serious power. So he talked me into it. Put a down payment on parts and scheduled for this September 11th. Everything went great, I cannot recommend HS Tuning in Westlake, OH enough to anyone in the region who owns a German car. Any German car. Clean shop. Clean work. Nice and very knowledgeable staff both the owner and the techs.
So, the car now. Wow wow wow. I have quite the sleeper now. 100% stock exhaust and *should* be making nearly 350whp and 360wt. All you hear is the diverter valve doing what diverter valves do and beautiful turbo whistles....it's lovely, and you can't hear me coming. Obviously I cannot report on economy gains at this time due to it still being the honeymoon phase still, I've not been driving economical to say the least hahaha. But next long trip to my folks I'll have the baby with me so won't have a choice but to find out. But there should be improvements there as well. I can also say the TCU Software is a must....even on otherwise stock DSG cars. It smooths out the beast so well and any complaints you may ir may not have regarding your VWAG DSG transmission will likely go away with the TCU Software. In addition to the TCU Software I also installed APR coil packs and Audi spark plugs, which are heat range 9, one higher than my factory plugs.
So far I have really only opened the car up once, lots of construction on my commute so have to be wise about it, but a G35 Infiniti blew past me and I let him get quite a ways ahead and I chased him down very easily. Got over 100mph well before I even looked down at the speedo and people were moving out of the way like I was a cop chasing the guy down. Not gonna lie, at night my DRL strip around the headlight does look a bit Charger-like...I can see them coming to that conclusion given how rapidly I was gaining. After that, I told myself that I had proven to myself I have a pocket rocket now and no need to let everyone know right away. I made my point to myself that I needed to. "James, you didn't waste your money" LOL.
So what's next?
In order:
1)P3 Digital Guage Pod
2)CTS Front Mount Intercooler
3)MBRP Catback
4)Larger Rear Sway Bar
5)Stickier Tires
6)APR DCC Software
After that. Autocross. View attachment 76960View attachment 76961View attachment 76962View attachment 76963View attachment 76964
Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
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