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NHBubba's '09 Jetta SportWagon SEL

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH
APR 27mm Rear Anti-sway Bar - Mini review

I have had the bar on in the full-stiff setting for about 2-2.5 days now. Traffic finally cooperated with me today and I finally had an opportunity to play on the highway on-ramps and back roads near the house.

On the back roads there is a definite, noticeable change in handling. The steering *feels* much tighter and it *feels* like I can corner much faster. Body roll is substantially decreased. Gone is the rolly-polly sensation. If I snap the wheel it becomes obvious that I can overwhelm the contact patches. I have not induced oversteer yet, but I bet I could if I tried hard enough.

Ride to work (state highways, New England Interstates) is mostly unchanged. It *feels* like I am getting a little more road noise and harshness on the bumps, but only a little. Steering at speed (ie highway ramps) is more confident. Understeer is more difficult to induce than it used to be.

I am actually a little worried about this thing in inclement weather. I may have the power to really fawk myself if I am not careful. I am very interested to see if it becomes tail-happy in the rain. And I think I will back it off to the weakest setting for winter.

About the similar BSH bar, 'spookertunes' said:
I see thread after thread extolling the virtues of
getting the GTI chipped. "Best thing ever"
"Should be the first thing you do" "If all you
have is money for one mod, the chip is it". Blah,
blah, blah.

I'm here to tell you, you're wrong.

...

The GTI now handles the way God his Ownself intended it to, not like the articulated bus it handled like in comparison when it had the stock bar with those toothpick end links.

Spend the money. Learn to giggle again like a kid at Christmas.:happyanim:

So far I'm inclined to agree. I have driven a 'chipped' GTI on coilovers. To hell with that. To hell with chips, big wheels, and coilovers to 'slam' it. This is where it is at. .. Fer just $250 and 60 min of wrench time no less.

So far the worst part was the wait. Took me over 1 month to get my paws on this bar.
 

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH


 

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH
Love it. Might be the next car for the wife. Or an RS4 Avant if I get my way.
You can get an RS4 Avant in the US? Fuck, I didn't know that.

The other day I came to the realization that Audi does not sell either the A4 or A6 Avant stateside with anything but the auto trans. WTF. No '09 Audi for me.

what FTP lights are those? looks great!

and im loving the puddle lamps. how did you do it?
FTPs are not FTPs. That is where we crazy Jetta types put our city lights. I swapped to Blesk LED sets, even though you can plainly see them in the FTP reflector dishes.



I'm about to retrofit GTI bi-xenons. So then I'll have city lights just like the rest of you.

pics of engine bay Bubba?

does the wagon come with an engine noise pipe?
Would you believe I don't have a single photo of the mil?! Gotta fix that.

Yep, noise pipe. It is a CBFA TSI, no different than the GTI/GLI.
 

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH
dood tell me about your ranger? what year? mods? as you know, thats what i would want to do if i end up with a truck.
He he.. one of my other babies! :biggrin:

2003 Ford Ranger FX4 Level-II. Would you believe it is almost 100% stock in that photo. All that was added at that point (photo was taken in like '04, IIRC) was the Westin brush guard/push bar and KC lights. Oh, and the nerf bars and a soft tonneau cover.

Basically the FX4 Level-II package takes a regular, 4WD, 4.0L V6 extended cab XLT and sprinkles some more shit in.

Tires, wheels, tow hooks, all stock. As is everything seen here:


Note the twin sticks. The '02 FX4 and '03 FX4 Level II (ask me about the fubar'ed naming schemes sometime) came with a manual t-case when equipped with the manual trans. In '04 they eliminated the manual case.

The shifter package, buckets with specially colored inlay, inverted instruments and some other interior stuff was all special 'Level II' bits. Outside it came with a larger (31 spline, same as the V8 Explorers and similar to the F150's) rear axle. The axle is packed with a Torsen geared L/S. Lesser models had a clutch pack L/S. Had Bilstein HD shocks all around. Has a class III receiver hitch, stainless tow-hooks up front, and extended t-case and axle breathers. Wheels are Alcoa forged 15" wheels clad with BFG A/T tires in 31x10.5R15 from the factory. Yup, 31's from the factory. .. I found it on a dealers lot. It had been there for a while and they just wanted it gone.

Truck goes through the snow like nobodys business.. up to about 35 MPH. After that it is white knuckle. The brakes blow and it is twichy as hell at speed when you loose traction.

Off road it does pretty damned good too.

I use it to go fetch crap at Home Depot and bring home rotting firewood.

I just finished the factory rubber this last summer. Decided to upgrade to 33x10.5R15 tires, same brand, same tread pattern. So she's about an inch higher now.
 

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH
Ranger looks good man, wheres the HIDS at?

Well, it used to. Poor thing has been parked outside next to my shed at the house for about 1.5 years now. The 3rd brake light leaks like a sieve and the cab fills with water every time it rains. Plus I discovered rust on the tailgate the other day. Poor thing is leading a rough life.

HIDs are on a shelf in the garage, right next to the Jetta fog light grills. Gotta get the adapter kits and some time..
 

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH
Shifters on trucks are so weird.

I wouldn't have it any other way, especially in a 'sport' truck. The trans is part of how I got the truck so cheap; nobody else wants a manual in a pickup. .. Eff'em, their loss.

I have to say, Ford nailed the ergonomics with that shifter setup. The shifter is an especially long throw, but that is par for the course in a pickup. The ball is always exactly within reach though. I can really hammer out the shifts off road or drifting through the snow in 4-by. It is easy to pour on just enough throttle to keep the drift going too.
 
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