Automobiles

[SeanEasley]

So, I fell victim to VW marketing and I've been pretty happy about for the last month. I have always appreciated what VW offered, but I have always known owing one is fraught with potential tragedy for someone like me, I keep my cars for a while. Six year/72k warranty, 6 speed m/t, hatchback and a turbo. The Rabbit has good lights, cloth seats, no sunroof, basic infotainment and basic driver aids, perfect for me. Fun, agile ride in a basic car, I like it. I basically bought the car on my way to work one day. My local VW dealer had a White and a Black Rabbit. I had a low set of numbers in my head, it was really cold, wet and snowy, with no one else in the dealership that day. The dealer was way below all my number parameters. I had a good deal going here so I wrote the check. I could have probably done even better, but at a dealer good is as good a deal as I ever hope for. My dogs like it.

Cool! congrats. One thing I hadn't researched before I got my '16 was the clutch issue...was kind of disappointed to read online stories of people glazing their flywheels over in low mileage and without any power mods! I'm more grateful that the original owner of mine had the clutch replaced early on with a performance aftermarket model. I'm with you that I'm in it for the long haul, so fingers are crossed. At least with VW the repairs aren't the costliest of the germans.

[bbattle]

For the VW crowd, check out the Rabbit Edition GTI. All the good stuff like increased HP for 2019, limited slip differential, LED lighting, etc. without stuff everyone hates (and by everyone I mean me....) like leather and a sunroof.

The price is right too. It’s the one to get for the last of the Mark 7.5 generation GTI.

Those are the options I ordered with my 2015 GTI. And like you, I don't care for sunroofs and I greatly prefer the plaid. Gave my Austins to my son-in-law for his Jetta and bought a set of Neuspeed RSe10's with Michelin Pilot a/s 3's. Much better traction now.

I got a couple of faults after a cold snap; the tpms and esc. Nothing wrong with either so I ignored it until I could get myself to the dealer who was way out in BFE. They said it was the ABS control module and it would cost $900. I said the car is a month out of warranty and only has 25k miles on it. I'm not paying that. e-mailed VW Quality and they looked into it. Replied they would have the dealer replace it at no charge.

The did the repair and for some reason reconnected that silly Soundaktor.

Now I'm considering suspension upgrades but don't have a clue what to get. I just want it a bit tighter on the curves but not dropped to the ground

[SeanEasley]

Now I'm considering suspension upgrades but don't have a clue what to get. I just want it a bit tighter on the curves but not dropped to the ground

I have neuspeed F/R sway bars and the sport lowering springs on my '16. all done by the previous owner. Love the sways but I'm not sure I'm sold on the lowering springs 100%. The sport model is not the lower of the two choices from Neuspeed, so it doesn't look too extreme but it does make for a jarring highway ride. Gawd does it corner flat tho, and the turn-in is razor sharp. I can't wait to try some autox with this thing. And yes, plaid and no sunroof FTW.

[Saab2000]

Those are the options I ordered with my 2015 GTI. And like you, I don't care for sunroofs and I greatly prefer the plaid. Gave my Austins to my son-in-law for his Jetta and bought a set of Neuspeed RSe10's with Michelin Pilot a/s 3's. Much better traction now.

I got a couple of faults after a cold snap; the tpms and esc. Nothing wrong with either so I ignored it until I could get myself to the dealer who was way out in BFE. They said it was the ABS control module and it would cost $900. I said the car is a month out of warranty and only has 25k miles on it. I'm not paying that. e-mailed VW Quality and they looked into it. Replied they would have the dealer replace it at no charge.

The did the repair and for some reason reconnected that silly Soundaktor.

Now I'm considering suspension upgrades but don't have a clue what to get. I just want it a bit tighter on the curves but not dropped to the ground

The only modification I did to mine was to get the VW factory springs that were slightly lower than were sold with my car.

I got my 2006 GTI right when they first appeared on US dealer lots and for the first year or two they were sold with US-only springs, which raised the car above the Euro norm. I have no idea why this was but that's how it was. The first thing I did was spend $900 to have the lower springs installed and it made the car look and drive way, way better. I have no regrets.

I know there is a huge subculture of folks who modify their GTIs but I'm not really part of that. Mine is just a daily driver and I enjoy it the way it came. The only thing I should do is get dedicated summer tires instead of the lame all-seasons it came with. But for the driving I do I've had few complaints with them.

Had I known VW was going to put this Rabbit Edition on sale I likely would not have bought the lame Tiguan I now own. It's functional and spacious but has all the fun factor and personality of a log.

I'll likely end up waiting until the 2020 or 2021 Mark 8s come out but I really fear that VW USA will screw it up by watering down the car. The Rabbit Edition is clearly the purest of the GTIs for sale right now.

[bbattle]

I found some threads on suspension for the Mk7 GTI and after better tires, the recommended order of suspension upgrades was sway bars, rear, then front. Next would be shocks/struts and then springs.

A lot of people just put springs on the car to lower it for the aggressive look but that wears out the stock shocks/struts much faster and can degrade ride quality. If installing springs, best to choose those that match the spring rates of the oem parts. Best to install new shocks/struts when installing new springs.

I'm looking at some Bilstein B6 or Koni Sport shocks/struts with some Eiback springs. Neuspeed sway bars and either the Neuspeed or SuperPro endlinks. That should do the trick for $1.4-1.5k, not counting installation. I've been a bit leery of compressing springs but if I can find somebody knowledgeable to help me, the job should be doable.

I'll start with the sway bars/endlinks and see how that goes. Then maybe wait another 10-15k miles for my shocks to need replacing before doing the rest.


I dream of being able to drive as well as the driver in this video. He outraces a Ferrari 430 in his 125hp VW Up.

[Too Tall]

Yep that cat can drive. VWs lightly modified are no joke on a road course.

[Tom]

Man, I wouldn't mind driving to the office if I drove something like this: https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds...s/2221776.html

[dgaddis]

After doing some minor mods to my Si back in the day, I fully support the sway bars + alignment first, springs/shocks second ideology. Most stock cars have lousy understeer inducing alignment from the factory, it's the safest set up for the average idiot driver. Some minor alignment tweaks can make the car feel so much better, just be realistic and don't get so crazy you're wearing out tires too fast.

[Tamu8104]

Man, I wouldn't mind driving to the office if I drove something like this: https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds...s/2221776.html

Wow, just wow..... that’s beautiful

[cash]

Wow, just wow..... that’s beautiful

This has the potential to be something extraordinary:

ICON4x4 • INVENTORY

[Matthew Strongin]

Spotted this little guy at work yesterday.

[dgaddis]

I just saw a, IIRC, '92 4-door Skyline listed for sale in Macon on FB Marketplace.

[rmplum]

I just saw a, IIRC, '92 4-door Skyline listed for sale in Macon on FB Marketplace.

I did some "business" with a place in Virginia that was dirty with them. 2-doors that is.

R33s are almost? on the ok list here, but I'd rather an R32. There's at least one R32 here in Ann Arbor.

huh:

Buy the 4-Door R32 Skyline GT-R That Nissan Never Made - The Drive

[SeanEasley]

I found some threads on suspension for the Mk7 GTI and after better tires, the recommended order of suspension upgrades was sway bars, rear, then front. Next would be shocks/struts and then springs.

A lot of people just put springs on the car to lower it for the aggressive look but that wears out the stock shocks/struts much faster and can degrade ride quality. If installing springs, best to choose those that match the spring rates of the oem parts. Best to install new shocks/struts when installing new springs.

I'm looking at some Bilstein B6 or Koni Sport shocks/struts with some Eiback springs. Neuspeed sway bars and either the Neuspeed or SuperPro endlinks. That should do the trick for $1.4-1.5k, not counting installation. I've been a bit leery of compressing springs but if I can find somebody knowledgeable to help me, the job should be doable.

I'll start with the sway bars/endlinks and see how that goes. Then maybe wait another 10-15k miles for my shocks to need replacing before doing the rest.


I dream of being able to drive as well as the driver in this video. He outraces a Ferrari 430 in his 125hp VW Up.

I especially love that he shows us that a manual is not a handicap for driving fast on a track.

[bbattle]

I especially love that he shows us that a manual is not a handicap for driving fast on a track.

Those fancy dual clutch automatics don't know when to downshift or how long to hold that gear. I greatly prefer a manual.

[Too Tall]

Those fancy dual clutch automatics don't know when to downshift or how long to hold that gear. I greatly prefer a manual.

Amen....than I drove a GT3 and learned to hate/love them even more. Stupid things do exactly what they are supposed to but take 110% of the joy out of it. Ouch.

[Lionel]

One can prefer a manual but a GT3 PDK shifts exactly when it should and holds gear exactly the right time.

[dgaddis]

These guys get it. They also have a lot of money to spend. But damn, these cars are rad!! That sound!!!!

[winmonster]

Dual clutch transmissions are the superior weapon. And they suck. Even worse, they are all being replaced by torque converters and those no-good electrics.

I was searching the corners of the globe for a clean, low milage and manual 987.2. Rare beast to find for sale, indeed. I drove a PDK version in hopes of liking it and widening my options. It shifted right, but sucked all of the fun out of it, like Josh said. I ended up with a manual M2. It has a manual-specific flaw (dumping boost between casual shifts), but it's still more fun and engaging than the PDK/DCT/auto alternative. Plus I'm teaching my kids how to drive "the old way" in it, and that gives me immense joy (the 1st clutch replacement bill probably won't, though).

[Too Tall]

Dual clutch transmissions are the superior weapon. And they suck. Even worse, they are all being replaced by torque converters and those no-good electrics.

I was searching the corners of the globe for a clean, low milage and manual 987.2. Rare beast to find for sale, indeed. I drove a PDK version in hopes of liking it and widening my options. It shifted right, but sucked all of the fun out of it, like Josh said. I ended up with a manual M2. It has a manual-specific flaw (dumping boost between casual shifts), but it's still more fun and engaging than the PDK/DCT/auto alternative. Plus I'm teaching my kids how to drive "the old way" in it, and that gives me immense joy (the 1st clutch replacement bill probably won't, though).

My man.
FWIIW I'll PM you a place to look.