Kollin's 2012 VW Golf R

[torga]

I had 5% on the rear side and back glass of the GTI. Never had to flip the inside mirror to night mode. lol

Rabbits see pretty well at night, IIRC.

 

[KollinWithaK]

Well needless to say I've been incredibly lazy in getting this updated. Since I last posted in here the car has gotten a Unitronic Catted Downpipe, Unitronic Stage 2 ECU Software, an AWE Switchpath Catback (which think may be the last one because they discontinued it 3 days after I ordered), a DoubleApex Exhaust Valve Control button, European Cup Holder, Center Console Swap, P3 Gauge, Sportshifters Custom Shift Kit, and a Dutch Parts Co Splitter set, although I've only received and installed the front for now.

I had the downpipe and exhaust installed by the same local guy who did my clutch, and in the process sold him my OEM cat. Sold the rest of my exhaust a couple of days later to a guy with a base model golf who was wanting to do an R rear bumper conversion. Exhaust valve control button wires directly into the OEM harness for the valve so that was super easy, and fits right into the same button stack that your traction control would be in.

As for the interior swap, the cup holder was fairly straightforward (thanks @SoWalGTI) but the center console swap was not as straightforward as I thought just because the air vent I bought to compensate for the increased volume capacity of the center console was actually the incorrect part. So instead I went to home depot and DIY'd hose myself. No pictures of this unfortunately because I was in a time crunch to get my car done in time for Wookies, and I won't be pulling it all back apart just for pics lol

Front lip/splitter was super easy, 10 or so bolts all the way around that drill through the (pre-drilled with countersunk) holes, and held on all the way up until 120mph. Almost entirely a cosmetic upgrade here but I think it makes the car look a lot more aggressive. I don't have any proper photos of it installed yet just because I got it done the day before we left for Helen, and I was working all weekend. Once I get the side skirts on I'll go back out and have proper photos done, but for now enjoy my roommate's stomach as we bolt the bumper back on, along with various other shots of the stuff covered here except for the interior (ignore the rust underneath my car that's all getting replaced soon )

Also enjoy a sound clip!

Check out my buddy Tom's car. Building a 2.5t swapped Golf R, has OEM Golf R wingbacks and is proper caged. Thing is sick!

 

[dubbinit2]

Well needless to say I've been incredibly lazy in getting this updated. Since I last posted in here the car has gotten a Unitronic Catted Downpipe, Unitronic Stage 2 ECU Software, an AWE Switchpath Catback (which think may be the last one because they discontinued it 3 days after I ordered), a DoubleApex Exhaust Valve Control button, European Cup Holder, Center Console Swap, P3 Gauge, Sportshifters Custom Shift Kit, and a Dutch Parts Co Splitter set, although I've only received and installed the front for now.

I had the downpipe and exhaust installed by the same local guy who did my clutch, and in the process sold him my OEM cat. Sold the rest of my exhaust a couple of days later to a guy with a base model golf who was wanting to do an R rear bumper conversion. Exhaust valve control button wires directly into the OEM harness for the valve so that was super easy, and fits right into the same button stack that your traction control would be in.

As for the interior swap, the cup holder was fairly straightforward (thanks @SoWalGTI) but the center console swap was not as straightforward as I thought just because the air vent I bought to compensate for the increased volume capacity of the center console was actually the incorrect part. So instead I went to home depot and DIY'd hose myself. No pictures of this unfortunately because I was in a time crunch to get my car done in time for Wookies, and I won't be pulling it all back apart just for pics lol

Front lip/splitter was super easy, 10 or so bolts all the way around that drill through the (pre-drilled with countersunk) holes, and held on all the way up until 120mph. Almost entirely a cosmetic upgrade here but I think it makes the car look a lot more aggressive. I don't have any proper photos of it installed yet just because I got it done the day before we left for Helen, and I was working all weekend. Once I get the side skirts on I'll go back out and have proper photos done, but for now enjoy my roommate's stomach as we bolt the bumper back on, along with various other shots of the stuff covered here except for the interior (ignore the rust underneath my car that's all getting replaced soon )

Also enjoy a sound clip!


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Check out my buddy Tom's car. Building a 2.5t swapped Golf R, has OEM Golf R wingbacks and is proper caged. Thing is sick!

View attachment 214743

The Red or the Blue Pill?

 

[KollinWithaK]

blue.

 

[KollinWithaK]

Grabbed some dirty iPhone interior pics so you guys can see what all was swapped out. Excuse the mess I have not yet cleaned up from the 1200 mile Helen trip yet!

 

[Thumper]

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Is that the Sportshifter Kit? When I read it I was thinking it was a linkage upgrade but this looks unique as heck. Be nicer if it fit more flush on the sides and front and covered the whole trim piece, but still cool.

I just Googled it and so yeah, my wife hates you cause now I want this. LOL

 

[KollinWithaK]

Is that the Sportshifter Kit? When I read it I was thinking it was a linkage upgrade but this looks unique as heck. Be nicer if it fit more flush on the sides and front and covered the whole trim piece, but still cool.

I just Googled it and so yeah, my wife hates you cause now I want this. LOL

Yessir Sportshifter kit that we made with them. They actually produce all our UroTuning shift knobs, and we are going to start offering their custom shift kits on the site soon enough. We wanted one in house so we could see the quality and grab some marketing material for it later down the road. Installation is super easy, it just clips onto the existing shifter surround. Took less than 5 minutes if you've ever pulled that stuff off before and know whats going on.

 

[KollinWithaK]

Been a minute. I grabbed some Dutch Parts Co Side splitters and front splitter as well. Also swapped around my front banner to one of our new frosted banners.

 

[torga]

looove those side splitters

 

[KollinWithaK]

Some updated photos. We are getting ready for our yearly car show, FixxFest at The FIRM this year and I've been using my car as a marketing tool for the company.


Car is getting an oil change and new cam follower, and I've got a new intake here as well from Unitronic waiting to go on. I'm also shopping for brakes, going for an upgraded stock setup and not a BBK for now because of cost. So upgraded rotors still stock size, nice pads, SS lines, better fluid.

 

[GIACUser]

Car is getting an oil change and new cam follower, and I've got a new intake here as well from Unitronic waiting to go on. I'm also shopping for brakes, going for an upgraded stock setup and not a BBK for now because of cost. So upgraded rotors still stock size, nice pads, SS lines, better fluid.

I used to run R brakes on my MKV and played around a lot with brake stuff as I tracked it and also drove on street. I just bought an R so I will be doing same with this one. The R brakes are more than enough for the street and with these changes really improve them a lot.

1. Good hi temp brake fluid
2. SS lines
3. Tyrolsport stiffening kit for front calipers
4. Tyrolsport Master cylinder bracket
5. 2 piece rotors all around (cuts rotating weight by a lot)
6. Pads Hawk HPS 5.0 (street) (Lots of pads available in this category, just happens to be the ones I used/liked)

And of course I will refinish the brakes and paint and re-decal the spring clips on the front calipers. This makes for quite a nice upgrade in terms of performance. You also get a bit of an upgraded look with the 2 piece rotors especially if they are drilled/slotted.

 

[KollinWithaK]

I used to run R brakes on my MKV and played around a lot with brake stuff as I tracked it and also drove on street. I just bought an R so I will be doing same with this one. The R brakes are more than enough for the street and with these changes really improve them a lot.

1. Good hi temp brake fluid
2. SS lines
3. Tyrolsport stiffening kit for front calipers
4. Tyrolsport Master cylinder bracket
5. 2 piece rotors all around (cuts rotating weight by a lot)
6. Pads Hawk HPS 5.0 (street) (Lots of pads available in this category, just happens to be the ones I used/liked)

And of course I will refinish the brakes and paint and re-decal the spring clips on the front calipers. This makes for quite a nice upgrade in terms of performance. You also get a bit of an upgraded look with the 2 piece rotors especially if they are drilled/slotted.

Do you find lines 3 and 4 make a big enough difference in daily driving?
I was looking at the Hawk pads, I've got EBC green stuff at the moment and they are just alright imo. What 2 piece rotors are you looking at?

 

[GIACUser]

Do you find lines 3 and 4 make a big enough difference in daily driving?
I was looking at the Hawk pads, I've got EBC green stuff at the moment and they are just alright imo. What 2 piece rotors are you looking at?

#4 really is for the track, when you are sprinting and waiting for the last moment to apply full braking. The wall where the MC is mounted does flex under enough foot pressure, but not during daily driving usually. It improved the pedal feel for me at the track.

#3 is inexpensive and is part maint item and a way to get a bit more even pressure of pad to rotor. Could you really tell in city driving, no.

Bottomline you could do without those but I would at least replace the sliders with OEM as a maint item. (#3)

I am going to do all of it just because the cumulative effect of it all was something that worked for me in the past.

Note - I have not gotten to adding brakes as a project for this car yet. There are more choices for 2 piece rotor now than there was back when I last did it. Going to shop around and see what I can find.

 

[KollinWithaK]

#4 really is for the track, when you are sprinting and waiting for the last moment to apply full braking. The wall where the MC is mounted does flex under enough foot pressure, but not during daily driving usually. It improved the pedal feel for me at the track.

#3 is inexpensive and is part maint item and a way to get a bit more even pressure of pad to rotor. Could you really tell in city driving, no.

Bottomline you could do without those but I would at least replace the sliders with OEM as a maint item. (#3)

I am going to do all of it just because the cumulative effect of it all was something that worked for me in the past.

Note - I have not gotten to adding brakes as a project for this car yet. There are more choices for 2 piece rotor now than there was back when I last did it. Going to shop around and see what I can find.

I appreciate the input sir! I think I'll hop on #3 at least for now. #4 will need to wait if I do it at all, just because of budgeting.

Did an oil change with LM Molygen and their Engine Flush fluid. Also did the cam follower myself for the first time, this is the third time I've had it replaced under my ownership, so roughly 3 times in 23,000-ish miles since April 2019. Roughly half of which have been tuned. Not too bad on the wear I think.

Also just placed my order for all my brake stuff, that should all be here hopefully by next week. I went with APR rotors and Hawk Pads.

 

[KollinWithaK]

Been a hot minute it feels like! Since I last posted the car has gotten a few things. I'm hoping to get better pictures taken soon. The car is now right around 108k miles.

• APR Front and Rear Rotors
• Hawk HPS 5.0 Pads
• Velt Sport Stainless Steel Brake Lines
• Tyrol Sport Front Caliper Stiffening Kit
• Stoptech Fluid
• Unitronic Intake
• Unitronic Intercooler
• New Windshield Banner
• New lock carrier (radiator support) - my OEM had a crack in it

I also just picked up an Autotech HPFP upgrade and will be grabbing Superpro front and rear sway bars with adjustable end links next week.