Top 10 Mk7 Mods

[StorableComa]

I had a 6 speed manual Crosstrek.

I would never own a CVT lol

CVTs are weird.. Never really feel right to me. Plus a lot of them are pretty crap, looking at you Nissan.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

All of this really depends on how and where a person uses their car.
I'd get tires, then a tune before doing anything else.
Matter of fact, most people don't need to do anything else.

Truth

 

[PowerDemon]

I need to see what all this RSB hype is all about. I wouldn’t mind having one, but I have always ended up driving more on the highway than back roads and I think the power mods are better suited for that. I was always very pleased with how it handles itself on backroads anyway. I think I prefer slight understeer/neutral driving tendencies to oversteer and I think the RSB would promote the oversteer a bit too much for me. Don’t get me wrong oversteer is fun and all but in a car that I don’t beat on in corners all that often a bit scary I think if the driver is not used to it. Or maybe I’m just a pussy... I mean I do think the stock A/S tires are fine unless you’re doing digs all the time... But that is a VERY unpopular opinion.

 

[tigeo]

I need to see what all this RSB hype is all about. I wouldn’t mind having one, but I have always ended up driving more on the highway than back roads and I think the power mods are better suited for that. I was always very pleased with how it handles itself on backroads anyway. I think I prefer slight understeer/neutral driving tendencies to oversteer and I think the RSB would promote the oversteer a bit too much for me. Don’t get me wrong oversteer is fun and all but in a car that I don’t beat on in corners all that often a bit scary I think if the driver is not used to it. Or maybe I’m just a pussy... I mean I do think the stock A/S tires are fine unless you’re doing digs all the time... But that is a VERY unpopular opinion.

The RSB isn't going to cause oversteer - it's must more neutral. fwd/fwd-awd-biased cars are understeer so badly you won't know what to do when it doesn't but I wouldn't call it oversteer. There is no downside even for normal day-to-day driving.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

@Corprin Could’ve saved a lot of room in your response just by typing: “I’m a cunt”.

Be careful, I got banned for calling Jim the c-word when he was being obtuse one time. I used to be GolfWang lol

 

[GTI Jake]

I need to see what all this RSB hype is all about. I wouldn’t mind having one, but I have always ended up driving more on the highway than back roads and I think the power mods are better suited for that. I was always very pleased with how it handles itself on backroads anyway. I think I prefer slight understeer/neutral driving tendencies to oversteer and I think the RSB would promote the oversteer a bit too much for me. Don’t get me wrong oversteer is fun and all but in a car that I don’t beat on in corners all that often a bit scary I think if the driver is not used to it. Or maybe I’m just a pussy... I mean I do think the stock A/S tires are fine unless you’re doing digs all the time... But that is a VERY unpopular opinion.

Don’t get me wrong these cars are a ton of fun without any suspension mods.

The only time mines stepped out was in the wet with worn tires at the limit (I’d say that was asking for it as well lol).

I’m comfortable at full lock sideways thanks to lots of time in a Roush Mustang, my big turbo Cummins plus decades of off-road toys & racing. Not that I went out purposely trying to drift either the Mustang or the truck, but both would oversteer like nobody’s business compared the the Gti.

 

[jimlloyd40]

The RSB isn't going to cause oversteer - it's must more neutral. fwd/fwd-awd-biased cars are understeer so badly you won't know what to do when it doesn't but I wouldn't call it oversteer. There is no downside even for normal day-to-day driving.

It depends on how hard you push it. Mine obviously understeered like stock does so I got the Neuspeed 24mm RSB. Now the car is neutral and I can take corners much faster but I'm at the limit of my capabilities for street driving. I feel like I could take a turn faster but with it being so neutral I don't know at what speed on a given curve the car will oversteer . Understeer is far easier to control than oversteer. With that said I would definitely get a RSB anyway. Without it the car just wouldn't corner without plowing to the outside

 

[PowerDemon]

Don’t get me wrong these cars are a ton of fun without any suspension mods.

The only time mines stepped out was in the wet with worn tires at the limit (I’d say that was asking for it as well lol).

I’m comfortable at full lock sideways thanks to lots of time in a Roush Mustang, my big turbo Cummins plus decades of off-road toys & racing. Not that I went out purposely trying to drift either the Mustang or the truck, but both would oversteer like nobody’s business compared the the Gti.

Yeah and that's the difference. You’ve had time to practice and get a feel for what it feels like and what the car feels like RIGHT before it's about to let go in an area where it doesn’t matter if it does or not. Unfortunately I have not. I have driven mostly FWD or AWD cars which tend to understeer more than over so I am inherently more comfortable. I guess I’ve just seen too many sideways Mustangs at car meets to willingly make my car oversteer more

I have driven a C7 Corvette before which was excellent and it felt like it was on rails. But I felt like (and I know that) Corvettes when they let go they REALLY let go. The GTI kinda pats you on the shoulder and is like "if you go any faster you’re going to be in the ditch soon” I’m a big fan of that. Also a huge fan of the stability control on that car. Traction control be damned though...

 

[tigeo]

Even with the 25mm H&R bar, I still plowed off the track at VIR last year. Oversteer ain't happening on this awd wagon!

 

[Corprin]

Be careful, I got banned for calling Jim the c-word when he was being obtuse one time. I used to be GolfWang lol

Even if someone reported him, they’d be like.

“Well, it is Corprin”

 

[2slowvw]

Be careful, I got banned for calling Jim the c-word when he was being obtuse one time. I used to be GolfWang lol

Wasn't me, If someone is acting like a cunt, you can call them that. Only thing i take offense to is when someone drags a whole thread down by having pages and pages of snarky comments that don't further any sort of constructive debate.

 

[JerseyDrew77]

I need to see what all this RSB hype is all about. I wouldn’t mind having one, but I have always ended up driving more on the highway than back roads and I think the power mods are better suited for that. I was always very pleased with how it handles itself on backroads anyway. I think I prefer slight understeer/neutral driving tendencies to oversteer and I think the RSB would promote the oversteer a bit too much for me. Don’t get me wrong oversteer is fun and all but in a car that I don’t beat on in corners all that often a bit scary I think if the driver is not used to it. Or maybe I’m just a pussy... I mean I do think the stock A/S tires are fine unless you’re doing digs all the time... But that is a VERY unpopular opinion.

Do you already have suspension mods on your car, i.e. coilovers or a cup kit? If so, you won't feel that much of a difference when you add a RSB. When I added my 24mm H&R RSB, I didn't notice much and was questioning the hype about them.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

Wasn't me, If someone is acting like a cunt, you can call them that. Only thing i take offense to is when someone drags a whole thread down by having pages and pages of snarky comments that don't further any sort of constructive debate.

Yeah I don’t do that. It felt a bit trigger happy on that mod’s part, I’ve been around for a while and only resort to behavior like that if provoked. Lesson learned about personal restraint though lol

 

[PowerDemon]

Do you already have suspension mods on your car, i.e. coilovers or a cup kit? If so, you won't feel that much of a difference when you add a RSB. When I added my 24mm H&R RSB, I didn't notice much and was questioning the hype about them.

No suspension is the one thing I haven’t touched actually. Unless you count motor/trans mounts.

 

[Corprin]

Wasn't me, If someone is acting like a cunt, you can call them that. Only thing i take offense to is when someone drags a whole thread down by having pages and pages of snarky comments that don't further any sort of constructive debate.

So you fancy yourself the pot or the kettle there, white knight?

moving on.

The best mod is fixing the dope behind the wheel. Driving the car in stock form will teach the driver the nuances and weakness of the chassis. But I think the OP excluded that.

The PP, or all 19+, is fairly well sorted for a stock car. These are not drag racers, the nature of the “hot hatch” is quick and nimble. But even for those that won’t track or even auto-x the car you’d be hard pressed to find a better mod then doing tires first. The stock A/S are mediocre, and with an open mind and some seat time, even the Bridgestones that came on my car can be pushed fairly predictably for short bursts. The limit starts to open as the tire temps climb. Then there’s a Thelma and Louise like transition to WTF just happened?!? Better rubber under the car should be the first mod after seat time. “But it’s a new(ish) car and the tires are good.” Then just drive it and learn the vehicle’s dynamics. One doesn’t need to have pure low-TW summer tires, a good set of UHP A/S will be increase capabilities while allowing the driver’s skill to advance.

The PP is fairly neutral if input is smooth and methodical, but I’ll admit it turns into a plow if you ham-fist things. The VAQ diff does an amazing amount for limiting understeer as you throttle out of corners, but also doesn’t like things when you tip too much loud pedal. Basically, the car will out drive most drivers, if the driver can drive.

A bigger rear bar will assist in keeping the inside front tire from off weighting if you don’t have the PP, and by a lesser degree if you do. This will allow you to be more sloppy, but that’s what all your seat time will prevent.

Brakes, I haven’t faded my PP’s yet, but 4-pots are on my short list. Pad upgrade to your type of driving and rotors when you wed them, and most canyon carvers will be just fine with more or less stock.

From there, power mods, but only after you learn to, and can, put the power down. I’ve been driving, racing, tuning, fabricating, etc for nearly 30yrs on 4 continents, and I haven’t said “shit this car is pathetically slow” yet... not that an extra 80hp wouldn’t be nice. I’ve never been a proponent of power before turning and stopping. Otherwise you are always trying to chase the brass ring of handling in a car you’ve compensated with too much power, and not enough driver. That said, I’m not a straight line kinda guy, so YMMV.

I’m still learning my car since COVID and having a summer vehicle limits my mileage in the GTI. My mod course is: tires/wheels, RSB, shocks/springs (likely Koni Yellows with minimal drop linear-ish springs), brakes, then likely a mild tune to better use the previous mods.