The Poor Mans Mod Page

Here we have a compiled list of very inexpensive and free things to do with your MKV. If you have something or an idea, add it to the list. This will help all you people with your "mod bug" while still being able to pay your everyday bills.

VAG-COM coding (Page 1)
Cut Shifter (page 1)
Noise Pipe Delete (pages 1 and 6)
Fully Vented Fog Grills (page 1)
Removed front/rear GTI badges (page 1)
Xenon White Back Up Lights (Page 1)
Extra Light in Rabbit Headlight Housings (Page 2)
Matte colored coating acessories (pages 5-6)
Headrest Swap (page 5)
Perfect Fit Noise Pipe Plugs for sale (page 7)
Windshield washer adjustment (page 7)
Radio settings (page 7)
Extra rear interior light found (page 8)
Noise pipe delete instructions (page 10)
Better FM signal (page 10)
Extra power outlets (page 11)
auto dimming mirror (page 12)
bulb numbers (page 13)
Bumper "Love Holes" delete for GTI (page 13)
Exhaust turndown and dumps Rabbit and GTI (page 14)
Extra power outlet (page 16)
Bird poop delete mod (page 16)
hard wire radar detector (page 16)
tire pressure = better handling (page 16)
hardwire aux cable from glove comp. (page 16)
replica stub antenna (page 17)

plus way more, just read on, its all good stuff!:thumbup:

Post here if you have any cheap mods and if you want it added to the list, give at least a semi detailed description on "how to" and where to get the parts and I'll add it to the list!:thumbup:

Understeer'd said:

This thread's badass, I can't believe I didn't find it before now.

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VAG-COM coding, this does require VAG-COM, but if you know someone, this is a good place to start for cheap mods/tweaks. It's basically fine tuning/customizing your cars options. The forum is full of people who will do this for your for a very low cost or sometimes free.

Raven6t9 said:

Im hoping that we can compile enough "cheap to free" mods in a list to make a sticky. Ive noticed theres a lack of low budget mods on the forum, so this way all you people who have that mod-bug itch can scratch it without hurting the wallet too much. The criteria, post here any minor mods that can be done to the car, with a budget of $5 or less.

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wow, $5 or less, this is a german car, not a toyota.

pretty much nothing. You couldn't even touch up the scratches with touch up paint for that budget.

You could rattlecan your side markers and mirror turn signals i guess.

Cutting your shifter, this is a good project that does require some tools and work if you want to use your OEM shift knob. If using an aftermarket universal knob it will be much simpler, but you'd have to purchase an aftermarket knob. This is a much cheaper alternative to a short shifter that will cost well over a hundred dollars.

Uberryan said:

wow, $5 or less, this is a german car, not a toyota.

pretty much nothing. You couldn't even touch up the scratches with touch up paint for that budget.

You could rattlecan your side markers and mirror turn signals i guess.

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Think outside the box, theres plenty of things you can do without cheating yourself. And if done well, its $5 well spent.:thumbup:

Noise Pipe Delete .... and still have 1$ for the dollar menu....done

Fully vented fog grills. This also requires a common tool that one would have to have, and many do. This one is very simple and straight forward. Just dremmel out the holes in the honeycomb, this can be very time consuming depending on the detail you want to go into, but will be well worth it in your cars appearance. Fully vented grills look great.

jcr223 said:

Noise Pipe Delete .... and still have 1$ for the dollar menu....done

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Wonderful! Thats the stuff Im talkin about, and you actually feel a difference in it, great job. I'll post a pic of the part you can buy to plug it up. Thanks jcr!:thumbup:

Edit: Here it is, its called a test plug and you can find various types in the plumbing section of most hardware stores, just make sure you get the right size for your tube. This will even hold strong on highly boosted applications!

Removing the front and rear GTI badges. The rear requires something such as dental floss or fishing line, just cut a piece of dental floss about a foot long, and stick the middle begind one of the GTI letters and pull on the string in a flossing motion and start to floss it off, the closer you get to the paint, the less sticky tape you'll have to peel off when youre done. Using a string that is strong yet soft like dental floss is probably best so you dont damage the paint. I would not recomend using a metal wire!

Edit, Heres a pic I pulled from the internet of a guy doing it to a bimmer, its only double sided sticky, just like the GTI logo. Notice there is some dirt behind it that will need to be washed off. Once done right, and washed off, you cant even tell where the badge was anymore, at all, not even close up.

Heres a great detailed write up on it:
www.audipages.com/upgrades/debadging.html

The front is held onto the grill by a clip, just pop the clip out (its easier if you remove the front grill to get behind it) and then dremmel the little excess platic thats there and you'll never be able to see that there was a GTI badge ever there.

Brighter bulbs. Theres plenty of bulbs you can replace with brighter ones or colored ones. I chose to do the reverse bulbs since my tinted windows make it hard to see when going into reverse. I picked up a couple 'xenon white' bulbs from ebay, (I was skeptical when buying from ebay, so thats why I just bought two) they were $1.50 each for 1156 direct replacement bulbs in xenon white. I was going to use LED's but then you have to wire a resistor for each bulb you replace on your taillights. These are direct replacement and a much better light for backing up, its a tiny bit brighter, but a lot whiter!
Heres a comparison picture, the pics make the light look blue but its not, you can compare the xenon white reverse bulb to one of the LED license plate bulbs, the light is nearly the same!:thumbup:



I believe these xenon white 1156 bulbs will replace all of your existing bulbs in your tails as well! :thumbup:

Raven, still got that other set of bulbs?

This is a good thread btw.

tinting your rear lights is good and cheap

Benny! wtf happened to your tires lol

looks like you drove through a paint spill.....I had that happen to an old 83 honda accord i had, it was a pain to take the paint off