🔧 BUILD blue-sun's GTI Thread

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Staring a new thread for my GTI.

As I posted in the IllDub thread, last week I traded in my 2017 Jetta GLI 6 speed for a new 2021 GTI SE in Cornflower Blue with the DSG transmission.

When I purchased the GLI, I had originally wanted a GTI but they were generally more expensive than the Jetta GLI's and the interior space (rear legroom - we have 11 yr old twins) was just a little bit bigger, so that's what I went with.

I've been watching the payoff amount for the last 6 months and the trade in/retail values on the GLI to see if it would be worth upgrading. Plus, once a month the wife and I would switch cars so I can take the dog to the groomers in her Edge ST (toss the dogs old crate in the hatch of the Edge is much easier than having her up front with me while I shift - I have done it but it's not ideal) and she started complaining about how much she hates driving stick in traffic, etc. I hated how the MK6 GLI had shitty headlights (no HID from the factory even through all the other lights were OEM LED's) and the lack of a LSD made driving in the snow horrible, even with snow tires.

Now, I knew that back in 2019 they did a limited run of cornflower blue GTI "Rabbit" editions, but that was for 2019 only. About 2-3 months ago, we were driving on 55S and I happen to see a cornflower blue GTI and commented about how sharp that color was in person but thought nothing of it, just assumed it was a rabbit edition (I don't know if it was a rabbit or a 2021 version).

I saw that new GLI's had trim levels like the GTI's have had and initially I was looking at those online and saw VW had some really good deals on them. So I started surfing on cars.com and autotrader.com to see what inventory was like locally. I wanted a grey with the black appearance package or a red with the black appearance package in DSG but could not really find one in stock locally. This led me to going straight to local VW dealers websites and low and behold, I saw a cornflower blue GTI in inventory at one of the dealers. I hopped back on cars.com and started searching for all cornflower blue GTI's in Chicagoland and saw there were only 5. 3 or 4 were DSG and 1 was manual. This was over Ester weekend. Monday morning I start calling dealers, 1 was already sold. This left 4 in the area on cars.com. One of the dealer site had it marked as "sale pending", so this left 3. One of the dealers happened to be the same dealership (City VW Evanston - formerly of the Autobahn VW group) where I bought my GLI. So Tuesday morning I called them and the same salesguy (Mario Grbavac - he gave me a good deal on both cars, go see him!) who I bought my GLI from was still working there and we negotiated a sale price and they matched the Carvana/Vroom estimates on my GLI, so after work I drove to Evanston and did the trade.

He had all the sales paperwork ready for me, I was done signing his papers in under 3 minutes from walking in the door, I just had to wait for the Finance manager, as one tends to do.

No major mods, but I can never leave a car alone.

Already got tints installed, Llumar Ceramic tints all around.
50% on the windshield
35% on the rest of the windows
Smoked Transparent Vinyl over the triangle windows by the mirrors (done by my tint guy)

I had some of that same smoked vinyl that I previously used on part of the tails and mirrors caps on the GLI but I ran out. I ordered some more, or what I thought was more but it was the wrong color, it was light smoke and very light for what I wanted. But I didn't let it go to waste, so I put it on the rear bumper reflectors which darkened it up just enough.

Some Yellow Lamin-x foglight film has been ordered and will be arriving this week and a Euro Auto DRL switch so I can run the foglights independently.
Also ordered some DSG flappy paddle extensions off eBay (blue aluminum ones)
Tentatively have an appointment with lo.run from ILLdub to have him do a gloss black vinyl on the rear of the roof this weekend.

Other mods planned -
Badgeskins for the front and rear VW emblems
OBDeleven or VAGCOM to disable the soundkator.
Some kind of CBE or Downpipe so I can have more of the DSG cracks and pops.

Posting on a PC, will reply from mobile with pics.

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blue-sun

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Thought I saw you on 55 northbound tonight around 8pm between 126 and Weber, but couldn't get a decent look at the plate. The blue Rabbit got a good look at my Stinger's rear plate as it disappeared until I let off though... :D

Nope, I was at home by 7PM tonight.

I saw a Rabbit edition about 2 months before I bought my GTI on 55 by Webber Road, so maybe it was the same one.

Did it have the clubsport rear difuser and black exhaust tips like mine?
 

Dan00Hawk

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Nope, I was at home by 7PM tonight.

I saw a Rabbit edition about 2 months before I bought my GTI on 55 by Webber Road, so maybe it was the same one.

Did it have the clubsport rear difuser and black exhaust tips like mine?
It was too dark and difficult to make out details like that. He had tinted windows, but slowed down next to me as I put my window down to wave as I exited Weber. :)
 
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blue-sun

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so I called USP Motorsports, the single bolt is what was holding up the order. They offered to split the order and send the turbo muffler delete kit and when the bolt is in stock they'll send that.

So the Turbo Muffler kit will be shipped out today possibly, so here's hoping that shows up before the #TCGMINITOUR as well.


Well, turns out that was a lie (the shipped today part)

I honestly forgot about this until last week when I took my wheels/spacers off and put my winters on with no spacers.

Well, I just the email that both my items have shipped, finally. Ordered them back in September, called for that update in October. I was thinking about calling them again next week, glad I don't have to do that now.

I'm also keeping a very close eye on the new Civic Type R's pricing and availability come spring. Once the initial wave of OMG NEW CTR is over, I'm hoping that things settle down a bit and I can upgrade to a boost blue CTR. If I had to guess, it will be a late summer/early fall 2023 purchase AT THE SOONEST.

That being said, no more new mods for me. Turbo Muffler delete will be installed finally, now that I'll have everything I need to do it. I might not even get new tires in the spring like I was thinking until the stock Pirelli's are gone, which I hope won't be next summer.

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blue-sun

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So I've been busy with the work merger, so I haven't had time to do much TCG posting/surfing.

A couple weeks ago I spent a morning and tossed a tarp on the garage floor, drove the GTI up on jacks and sprayed about 2 cans of Fluid Film under the car where I could. Front end would not clear the ramps, so I just used the trusty old aluminum jack and did the front 1 corner at a time.

Also did the wife's Accord, but most of that car underneath is covered by plastic panels, I did not want to deal with removing them, so I did what I could, only used about a can on her car, so we still have 3 cans left for next year.

I have not yet installed the turbo muffler delete with the silicone hose I got in my last post. See first line of this post.

It's too cold and I'm too tired to deal with it right now. Maybe over the holidays if we get a warmish day I'll tackle it.

For now, just driving it and washing the salt off the car when possible.

Also, I have noticed that 1 of the steering wheel stitches has started to open up, so I need to spend some time and fix that with the wheel attached. Might be a springtime thing.
 

blue-sun

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blue-sun

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Got the ball rolling on going back to stock springs. Dropping the GTI off at Everett's place on Friday and while he has it, I'm having him install those Moog heavy duty end links on the rear sway bar.

Just to stiff/bumpy for my daily use. I don't do track days, auto-x, HPDE, etc, so the look when parked is not worth the worse ride quality for me.

Will post pics once she's back to 4x4 look next week.

If I decide on going lower in the future (if I haven't sold for a Civic Type R) I'll look into coilovers and get them properly tuned for my street use.
 

Caleb515

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If I decide on going lower in the future (if I haven't sold for a Civic Type R) I'll look into coilovers and get them properly tuned for my street use.
This is the way. I have never ridden in a car on lowering springs and been happy.

I installed RSR springs on my Q50 as they were "the best" per everyone on the forums and it rode like shit, overly stiff and jarring on any uneven surface.
Switched to BC coilovers a few weeks later AND went a good 1" -1.5" lower and it rode x1000 better.
 

blue-sun

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Any suspension parts that are adjustable are the way to go! Pay a little more upfront at first as it’s lot better then buying and replacing for the second time around.
this.

Springs were about $280 new plus shipping and taxes. Install is more expensive than the springs themselves. I know coilovers are pricey, and in this case, probably worth the extra $. Lesson learned for next time.
 
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Jimy Bilmo

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this.

Springs were about $280 new plus shipping and taxes. Install is more expensive than the springs themselves. I know coilovers are pricey, and in this case, probably worth the extra $. Lesson learned for next time.
Why not leave the lowering springs on until you get coil overs? Save yourself that labor money of doing it twice.
 
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blue-sun

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Why not leave the lowering springs on until you get coil overs? Save yourself that labor money of doing it twice.
The ride quality as is sucks for me and my use of this car. I'll try and sell the springs and recoup some of the $ of this install and be back on stock suspension. The likelihood of coilovers in the next 2 years is very low, and in that time, I'm hoping to get into that tasty Civic Type R (at MSRP), so it's a moot point.
 
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SpeedSpeak2me

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The ride quality as is sucks for me and my use of this car. I'll try and sell the springs and recoup some of the $ of this install and be back on stock suspension. The likelihood of coilovers in the next 2 years is very low, and in that time, I'm hoping to get into that tasty Civic Type R (at MSRP), so it's a moot point.
So which vehicle will you be bringing on the 2023 Tour? ?
 
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The Beast

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Got the ball rolling on going back to stock springs. Dropping the GTI off at Everett's place on Friday and while he has it, I'm having him install those Moog heavy duty end links on the rear sway bar.

Just to stiff/bumpy for my daily use. I don't do track days, auto-x, HPDE, etc, so the look when parked is not worth the worse ride quality for me.

Will post pics once she's back to 4x4 look next week.

If I decide on going lower in the future (if I haven't sold for a Civic Type R) I'll look into coilovers and get them properly tuned for my street use.

I knew you would not like it and every time I lower a car it’s not the same ride. I tell myself it is for the first month and after that I’m like fuck I messed up.
 

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