What have you done to your MK 7 today ?

[willni]

Removing the steering wheel is easy 5/10 mins to remove, removing the trim from the steering wheel is the harder bit think it took my 30 mins last time I did it.

Personally if I were to do it again I'd just send my wheel and do without a car, the other wheel I got didn't align with the centring marker so it sits skew and a wheel alignment hasn't fixed it...

[P6GTD]

That bit about the replacement wheel not aligning is a bit alarming!
Has anyone else had this problem??

[P6GTD]

Will all Mk7 GTI wheels not be made to the same spec?

[willni]

They're all the same spec and all fit, but when they fit the wheel and factory they mark the steering wheel alignment with a pin mark on the column and wheel. It says more about my last wheel alignment more than anything.

But it's completely avoidable by just sending it and getting your own wheel done, just something to consider.

[gixerste]

I would do the postal exchange option and use a local indie garage to do the work.
How easy is the drop and how long should it take to carry out? Is there anything I can say to reassure a “nervous” mechanic?
[/quote]

It took me about 35-40 min, but allow yourself about an hour. I watched a few videos on You tube, some of which showed you what not top do !! lol. Get yourself some plastic trim removal tools, take your time and it's not too bad to do. One thing I did do, that wasn't on any of the videos was to spray a small amount of silicone spray on the fixing lugs of the plastic silver surround before I started prizing it off.   I've just seen the reply about the marks to line the wheel up.
The line, to line the steering wheel up on the steering wheel coulomb, was identical on my old wheel and the one I had refurbished.
This is the wheel I had refurbished, if you look at the hole at the top at the 12 o'clock position you can see a line that is put on during manufacturer , this is what you line up with the line on your steering coulomb to get your wheel in the right position   

[gixerste]

Would love to have a garage with a car lift like that in it 

[Carbon VW]

Cracked front spring in a nasty pothole this morning on commute to work. There was some bang. On closer inspection, both front shocks are slightly misting so will get both front shocks, springs and top mounts done. Will just stay with VW parts I think. How much roughly we thinking for this job parts only ? Can do job myself.

[madstaff]

Cracked front spring in a nasty pothole this morning on commute to work. There was some bang. On closer inspection, both front shocks are slightly misting so will get both front shocks, springs and top mounts done. Will just stay with VW parts I think. How much roughly we thinking for this job parts only ? Can do job myself.

My guess is that's about £600 in parts
£300 × 2 dampers
£200 × 2 springs
£100 x 2 top mounts + bearings.

Soon mounts up.

[Carbon VW]

Cracked front spring in a nasty pothole this morning on commute to work. There was some bang. On closer inspection, both front shocks are slightly misting so will get both front shocks, springs and top mounts done. Will just stay with VW parts I think. How much roughly we thinking for this job parts only ? Can do job myself.

My guess is that's about £600 in parts
£300 × 2 dampers
£200 × 2 springs
£100 x 2 top mounts + bearings.

Soon mounts up.

Wow so that’s going to be close to €1000 here in Ireland with our inflated prices. Thanks for that. I assume bearings come as part of the top mounts ?

[willni]

@Carbon VW why not go for the Bilstein OEMs? B6's? I believe, should be a like for like part.