BUILD RedBeard’s 2018 GTI

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2023 Update/Current Mods:
Integrated Engineering V1 CAI
Integrated Engineering turbo inlet elbow
Emanuel Design lowering springs
Shop DAP wheel spacers
VW Motorsport wheels
Yokohama Advan V601

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OP:
After stressing over what to buy for the last few weeks I’ve finally made a decision and I’m happy with it.

Picked up a 2018 GTI SE w/ DSG & leather interior. Was the last 2018 GTI sitting on the lot at Emich VW in Denver and was heavily discounted.

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01bluesnake

01bluesnake

D Mark Performance
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Jul 8, 2009
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  • #233
    RedBeard said:
    Yeah lol. Not just an OBD2 scan here. An o2 spacer would work for the rear o2 codes but will a 200 or 400 cell cat pass the sniff test???

    CO is just a few steps behind California with emissions unfortunately.
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    You could try an E30 tune, not sure if you can run a straight E85 tune. Passes sniff test easily.
     
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    RedBeard

    RedBeard

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  • #234
    01bluesnake said:
    You could try an E30 tune, not sure if you can run a straight E85 tune. Passes sniff test easily.
    Click to expand...
    Yeah actually that’s what started me looking into stuff this week. There’s a Kum & Go opening up a couple blocks from my house that will have E. I don’t want to deal with blending/testing ever again but looks like there’s some flex fuel tune options out there. They do require an upgrade to the high pressure fuel pump though which doesn’t look hard to do and around $400 for the parts.
     
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    RedBeard

    RedBeard

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  • #238
    LOL, I've wasted so much time the last two days reading through this giant thread on the golfmk7 forum on it. 250 of 350 pages in...

    APR DTR6054 Direct Turbocharger Replacement System

    Does that standpoint really exist when buying used? Cuz to me it doesn’t. U dunno wtf the last guy did. U dunno how he treated the car. And qualifying for cpo status really isn’t hard or expensive either in 8k miles (bought new aug2020) I’ve changed my oil 5 times. Already flushed the brakes...
    www.golfmk7.com

    I really hate the lack of logging/monitoring you can do with APR/UM and having to go to the dealer for any updates or changes. Cobb/EQT looks like the most user-friendly system but no flex fuel support. Want to just start "stage 1" but have to commit to one or else its crazy expensive to switch.

    Not sure why I'm wasting my time. I ain't got no monies to do shit anyways.
     
    blue-sun

    blue-sun

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  • #242
    RedBeard said:
    LOL, I've wasted so much time the last two days reading through this giant thread on the golfmk7 forum on it. 250 of 350 pages in...

    APR DTR6054 Direct Turbocharger Replacement System

    Does that standpoint really exist when buying used? Cuz to me it doesn’t. U dunno wtf the last guy did. U dunno how he treated the car. And qualifying for cpo status really isn’t hard or expensive either in 8k miles (bought new aug2020) I’ve changed my oil 5 times. Already flushed the brakes...
    www.golfmk7.com
    Click to expand...
    cliff notes on pages 1-250? Worth it? Confirms Mooks's "APR IS SHIT" theories?
     
    RedBeard

    RedBeard

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  • #243
    blue-sun said:
    cliff notes on pages 1-250? Worth it? Confirms Mooks's "APR IS SHIT" theories?
    Click to expand...
    Pages 1-300 seem to 😂

    Just don’t take the car to the drag strip or run it with a draggy and you’ll be happy. Compare it to anything else and it’s pretty shit.

    Few guys having emissions readiness issues that haven’t resolved yet as far as I’ve read to page 289 which is July 2022
     
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    RedBeard

    RedBeard

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  • #245
    But there’s also morons complaint about 1/8th mile and 0-60 times with base model open differential cars on the full boost AWD tunes that aren’t boost by gear.

    No shit your street tire one wheel drive car with nearly 400ft-lbs of torque isn’t going to be fast to those metrics.

    But also A3 Quattro guys with terrible 0-60 times.
     
    RedBeard

    RedBeard

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  • #246
    Mook said:
    So don't do anything that requires you to notice how slow it is 😂
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    Yeah I’m still a year off from current posts so maybe some good revisions have come out. But it’s also the stock downpipe makes it spool slower giving less low end power.

    That and I don’t think anyone on that forum knows how to drag race. Dudes going street tires and 38psi, heat soaking the car in the staging lanes running stock intercoolers.

    Couple guys did track days with not issues. I can’t imagine the cats will hold up well to that repeatedly though.
     
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    RedBeard

    RedBeard

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  • #249
    Finished reading the whole thread...

    Seems most all kinks are worked out and most the emissions readiness complaints were actually issues with the cars not the APR hardware/tune. Lot of the bitching was guys comparing it to Stage 2 IS38 cars which are going to do well with high flow or no cats. But this is a great solution for states with inspection/sniff test.

    Only real negative I took away from it is that the tune is super sensitive to IAT and pulls a bunch of power when it’s hot. So intercooler is required to make close to advertised numbers and even then it’s still down on hot days.

    Really like the idea of shifting the power band up significantly and getting the good turbo noises from the larger than IS38 turbos so that’s why I’m looking at this and similar options.

    Thankfully I don’t have money burning a hole in my pocket so that gives EQT some time to develop and release something for the GTI with Vortex and stock downpipe. Think I’m between the APR kit and the eventual EQT setup.
     
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