Modification Cost

[269gti]

Hello, I recently purchased a bone stock DSG Transmission, candy-white, 5-door MKV GTI. Opted for the 5-door instead of the coupe for more room and passengers.

My question is this.

Right now my car is roughly valued at around $5-$6,000 (U.S) dollars. I would LOVE to modify my ride. I have never modified a car before and it has always been a high goal of mine!

HOWEVER, after reading some posts on different forums, I have seen some people spend lot's of money in modifications alone on their GTI. I'm talking close to $10,000 if not more. I can't justify putting more money into modifying the vehicle than the actual value of the car (more than $5k worth of mods). Plus, I'm on a rather strict-ish budget as-well.

I really want to pimp out my ride, but it seems that whenever I look at cheaper alternatives to modification parts such as suspension work (cheaper coil-overs) or exhaust work (cheap muffler deletes) people always advise against them. The general consensus I get is that you always have to buy high-end quality modification parts.

For example ---

I would really like to make my GTI loud and aggressive, but still pass inspection and emissions. I vomit a bit in my mouth when I see some turbo-back exhaust kits and cat-backs that are $1,000 dollars and more!

I would also like to lower my ride and eventually put some nice after market wheels on it, but again, seeing some of the coil-overs going for over $1,000 makes me gasp. Yet when I read reviews on $500 coil-overs people say they're trash. (P.S I also live in a winter belt state so it might not be a good idea to lower my vehicle???)

I'd also eventually love to tune the GTI. I've done some basic research and find that for a daily driver (and price) I would probably only do a Stage I tune. I see that the tunes, such as Unitronic Stage I tune go for around $600 (not including install fees). Which to me, is worth the price because you're seeing some real HP gains.


...So getting back to my point. Is it really "bad" and "damaging" to my car to run cheaper modifications or is it something that is just seen as "cheap" and "juvenile". Because quite frankly I wouldn't give a f*ck if it was seen as "cheap and juvenile" but I would care if cheaping out on some modifications could risk or damage the car. If there was something I really shouldn't cheap out on, please let me know! But if there are some things that I could get away with going cheaper on, definitely tell me.

Thanks!

 

[FF_animal]

Not trying to troll but modding this car may not be for you. Majority of quality parts for these cars are expensive. Just the way it is. If you want to have fun on a budget get some nice tires, maybe a rear sway bar? Start small. Modding your car isnt a race.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[GIACUser]

You need to set goals for yourself and educate yourself about the car. Specifically what do you want to address with your car.

1. Acceleration
2. Stopping
3. Handling
4. Stance
5. Audio
6. Interior
7. Exterior (body)

Once you decide what you want to do. Start searching through the forum (it is conveniently divided up for you) to see what others have done and you will discover photos, cost and just how effective it was or was not.

There is a lot you can change about the car. Keep in mind that although you paid 6000 for the used version, it was at least a 23,000 dollar car back in 2008. So you are buying mods that were brought to market for a car of that cost.

If money really is an issue, you may want to decide on a budget that you can live with or simply wait until you can afford it.

The more homework you do, the more effective your money will be. You will find a range of bolt on mods for this car but you will pretty much get what you pay for..... most of the time. That is why you have to do your own very specific research and each mod you intend to do.

My final words of wisdom as a person who has owned one of these for 10yrs straight...... don't do any mods right away, save your money, you will likely need it for repairs on a car this old and they are expensive. Work on getting to know your car first and learn the weak points and points of failure.

Your first investment should be a Ross-Tech VCDS cable so you can do your own diagnosis and you will need it. It can potentially save you a lot of money in the long run.

Anyway welcome to the forum and enjoy your new ride.

 

[drval85]

It's not a race. Come on here and vwvortex often to check classifieds. Apparently Facebook pages have a lot as well. There's many great deals to be found.

I've owned my GTI for 4 years. Here's just a few of the things I've purchased used for a fraction of the cost new.

Mods
H&R Ultra Lows
Tyrolsport hatch brace
Tyrolsport brake stiffener kit
R32 OEM smoked tail lights
Thunder Bunny front bumper
Thunder Bunny side skirts
RCD-510
Unitronic intake
Modshack intake

Wheels
BBS RG-Rs
BBS CH-Rs
VMR 710s
Audi Titanium package 15 spoke

And I could've saved even more money buying a used cat back/downpipe. I keep a chunk of money set aside specifically to blow on car mods. If spot a deal I can't pass up, I jump on it.

As long as you're willing to wait, eventually you can find a used version of whatever you want in great condition.

 

[GIACUser]

It's not a race. Come on here and vwvortex often to check classifieds. Apparently Facebook pages have a lot as well. There's many great deals to be found.

I've owned my GTI for 4 years. Here's just a few of the things I've purchased used for a fraction of the cost new.

Mods
H&R Ultra Lows
Tyrolsport hatch brace
Tyrolsport brake stiffener kit
R32 OEM smoked tail lights
Thunder Bunny front bumper
Thunder Bunny side skirts
RCD-510
Unitronic intake
Modshack intake

Wheels
BBS RG-Rs
BBS CH-Rs
VMR 710s
Audi Titanium package 15 spoke

And I could've saved even more money buying a used cat back/downpipe. I keep a chunk of money set aside specifically to blow on car mods. If spot a deal I can't pass up, I jump on it.

As long as you're willing to wait, eventually you can find a used version of whatever you want in great condition.

That is excellent advice, I too have picked up many top quality items in new or near new condition for far less than new pricing.

 

[golfballer78]

You need to set goals for yourself and educate yourself about the car. Specifically what do you want to address with your car.

1. Acceleration
2. Stopping
3. Handling
4. Stance
5. Audio
6. Interior
7. Exterior (body)

Once you decide what you want to do. Start searching through the forum (it is conveniently divided up for you) to see what others have done and you will discover photos, cost and just how effective it was or was not.

There is a lot you can change about the car. Keep in mind that although you paid 6000 for the used version, it was at least a 23,000 dollar car back in 2008. So you are buying mods that were brought to market for a car of that cost.

If money really is an issue, you may want to decide on a budget that you can live with or simply wait until you can afford it.

The more homework you do, the more effective your money will be. You will find a range of bolt on mods for this car but you will pretty much get what you pay for..... most of the time. That is why you have to do your own very specific research and each mod you intend to do.

My final words of wisdom as a person who has owned one of these for 10yrs straight...... don't do any mods right away, save your money, you will likely need it for repairs on a car this old and they are expensive. Work on getting to know your car first and learn the weak points and points of failure.

Your first investment should be a Ross-Tech VCDS cable so you can do your own diagnosis and you will need it. It can potentially save you a lot of money in the long run.

Anyway welcome to the forum and enjoy your new ride.

^ what this dude said

 

[5aprilc]

You can still build a really nice car with a budget of 5k.

 

[GIACUser]

You can still build a really nice car with a budget of 5k.

I think that was OP's complaint, he didn't want to spend as much on mods as he paid for the car.

 

[golfballer78]

Yeah, likely you’ll spend more on maintenance & repairs then most bolt ons, if you do an extreme build from the block up, you have initial understanding how costly/benefits work. Or source a used k04 & piece together injectors & support hardware/software together for real power with bragging rights, I had a 06’ GLI stock that I put s3 intercooler, 3in used downpipe, used neuspeed intake,red top ignition coils, driver gear springs with Koni Yellows.that decided to get totaled by 200lb deer in the road when almost paid off. Insurance payed out almost what I bought it for. Put 6k of that down on 08’ R32 that I put h&r coilovers, racingline panel filter, GIAC ecu, UM haldex flash, O.Z. Superturismo wheels, 034 track density mounts on my working class budget just fine.
You believe the aftermarket stuff is steep for these? Perhaps, keep in mind factory catbacks for these car can easily be a grand+, similar to aftermarket if you look at it.

 

[5aprilc]

I think that was OP's complaint, he didn't want to spend as much on mods as he paid for the car.

Yeah I think I read what he wrote incorrectly.

 

[GIACUser]

Yeah I think I read what he wrote incorrectly.

I think OP's car fantasy was meeting reality. He wants it all but obviously was naive about real life costs.

 

[5aprilc]

I think OP's car fantasy was meeting reality. He wants it all but obviously was naive about real life costs.

Yeah, these aren't Honda Civic's were the parts are stupid cheap.

Notice how we never heard from him again.

 

[Das Gespenst]

I think OP's car fantasy was meeting reality. He wants it all but obviously was naive about real life costs.

And that shit still happens to me after 10 years of building it lol. Trying to build 2 of em really put the smack down on my dreamworld lol.

 

[golfballer78]

I choose not to add too much shit to cars anymore, especially if it’s hella old & no longer worth it. In 5-10yrs all cars seem to get worthless unless it’s a collectors item you wouldn’t drive around anyway. When I had the Evo 8 there was tons of expensive aftermarket support. But on evo 9 you make 300whp with tb + tune fairly easily stock turbo & bottom end can take it. I didn’t get a turbo again cause I knew it’d be a bottomless pit financially.

 

[5aprilc]

This is my first turbo car, so I'm enjoying modding it, but I do agree that it does get very expensive. It just have to set a limit in the beginning and stick to it.