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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Sweetmeister on 17 August 2015, 12:59

Title: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 17 August 2015, 12:59
Hi folks, I will be picking my brand new GTI with pp up in the next couple of weeks or so. I was wandering what are the must do mods to these cars?
I've also read that they can be remapped/modded to around 300bhp,has anybody done this and what are people's thoughts on the best way to go about it and which tuners would people recommend?

Thanks in advance. :wink:
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: drisser on 17 August 2015, 13:06
picking up a brand new GTi PP ?  leave it well alone would be my advice  :rolleyes:  or buy an R if you want 300 BHP ?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 17 August 2015, 13:38
Why leave it alone? I like to mod my cars and I thought 300bhp in the Gti was a safe level of tune?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: CraigW on 17 August 2015, 13:46
I think you would be safe with either REVO or APR not that i've modded mine. The tuning boxes are also very popular from DTUK

http://www.revotechnik.com/product-details/software/volkswagen/golf-vii/182/stage-1/
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 17 August 2015, 14:43
Is there anybody that's had it done that could give me some feedback? Recommendations!
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: monsta on 17 August 2015, 14:51
Got a 63 plate GTI PP with APR stage 1.  The only mod I've done, makes the GTI rapid and great fun.

Budget permitting go for an exhaust and intake upgrade too although the exhaust downpipe is the only thing that'll give you noticeably extra power.

But have fun with it initially, learn it's limits and decide what you want to do.  Stick to cosmetic initially.

 :cool:

Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 17 August 2015, 15:05
What are the cosmetic must do,s?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: GrahamFR on 17 August 2015, 17:33
What are the cosmetic must do,s?

getting the wing mirrors wrapped is about the only cosmetic thing you need, you could do the roof like me but not completely necessary.

With regards to mapping, yes many people have mapped this engine, admittedly probably more on briskoda and scn than here but still its a good engine to tune, where abouts are you based, its probably the deciding factor in choosing.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 17 August 2015, 17:47
I'm based in sandbach in Cheshire,just off j17 of the M6. Has anybody fitted the DTUK box to the GTI or do most people go Revo or  APR?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: GrahamFR on 17 August 2015, 17:50
Mixed bunch really. Personally I am running Shark stage 2 with no complaints but depends how much you worry about warranty. I think only my interior is still covered lol
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Bungleaio on 17 August 2015, 19:03
I don't think there is anything that is essential to do plus I'm paranoid about causing issues which cause issues I cannot afford to put right e.g. blown turbo so I will be leaving my car alone.

The only thing I might have a play around with is some conservative VCDS tweaks such as auto closing windows and sign notifications.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: remlapeel on 17 August 2015, 19:17
I had a Revo stage 1 and it took out my flywheel, clutch and inlet manifold within 2 months. I would be careful, or go for a less aggressive map.

I would leave it stock for a few months to make sure it's all good.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: kenny.c on 17 August 2015, 20:50
The best thing I added to my PP was a DTUK pedal box......it really does make the car much better to drive without actually increasing the power....so no concerns with breaking anything.

Ken
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: MXResonance on 17 August 2015, 23:09
The best thing I added to my PP was a DTUK pedal box......it really does make the car much better to drive without actually increasing the power....so no concerns with breaking anything.

Ken

How easy is it to fit the DTUK Pedal box to the Mk7 GTI DSG?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: GTI_Ant on 17 August 2015, 23:18
Hi folks, I will be picking my brand new GTI with pp up in the next couple of weeks or so. I was wandering what are the must do mods to these cars?
I've also read that they can be remapped/modded to around 300bhp,has anybody done this and what are people's thoughts on the best way to go about it and which tuners would people recommend?

Thanks in advance. :wink:

Why??? :shocked: :huh:
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: remlapeel on 18 August 2015, 08:09
Hi folks, I will be picking my brand new GTI with pp up in the next couple of weeks or so. I was wandering what are the must do mods to these cars?
I've also read that they can be remapped/modded to around 300bhp,has anybody done this and what are people's thoughts on the best way to go about it and which tuners would people recommend?

Thanks in advance. :wink:

Why??? :shocked: :huh:

The same reason anyone does any modding. What's to be different and have a unique car.

The same reason i put my intake on the day my R arrived and drove it to my Revo dealer 2 days after.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: GrahamFR on 18 August 2015, 08:21
Hi folks, I will be picking my brand new GTI with pp up in the next couple of weeks or so. I was wandering what are the must do mods to these cars?
I've also read that they can be remapped/modded to around 300bhp,has anybody done this and what are people's thoughts on the best way to go about it and which tuners would people recommend?

Thanks in advance. :wink:

Why??? :shocked: :huh:

The same reason anyone does any modding. What's to be different and have a unique car.

The same reason i put my intake on the day my R arrived and drove it to my Revo dealer 2 days after.

Hear. hear :smiley: there are plenty of OEM loyalists on here and I respect that but I am also glad to welcome another modder!
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: mullermn on 18 August 2015, 08:25
The best thing I added to my PP was a DTUK pedal box......it really does make the car much better to drive without actually increasing the power....so no concerns with breaking anything.

Ken

How easy is it to fit the DTUK Pedal box to the Mk7 GTI DSG?

I'm not the poster you're replying to but I also have a pedal box. Fitting it is easy, just awkward to do. If you look above the pedals there's connection that runs to the accelerator - you just unclip it and clip the pedal box leads in inline with it. The controller can then be fed in to the cubby hole by your right knee.

The connection on mine is pretty stiff - I'm actually not sure if I can get it back off without damaging it (so I haven't tried). I don't imagine they're all like that though as I've not seen any others mention it.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 18 August 2015, 08:42
Hi folks, I will be picking my brand new GTI with pp up in the next couple of weeks or so. I was wandering what are the must do mods to these cars?
I've also read that they can be remapped/modded to around 300bhp,has anybody done this and what are people's thoughts on the best way to go about it and which tuners would people recommend?

Thanks in advance. :wink:

Why??? :shocked: :huh:

Really!! Why not?.. Modding is quite popular believe it or not. :grin:

What's the idea behind the pedal box,what is it for?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: GrahamFR on 18 August 2015, 08:46
this is the best way to describe it, i personally dont have one because i had a sprint booster (same thing) before and I didn't like the lack of control you lose.

(https://www.sprintboostersales.com/images/graph.jpg)

installation (sorta) http://www.sprintbooster.com/menu.asp?menu=2&submenu=7
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: fredgroves on 18 August 2015, 09:08
Interesting graph Graham!

Is the stock map with the car in "sport" mode?

I'd be interested in seeing "normal" vs "sport" vs "pedal box" throttle mappings.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: MXResonance on 18 August 2015, 09:14
Interesting graph Graham!

Is the stock map with the car in "sport" mode?

I'd be interested in seeing "normal" vs "sport" vs "pedal box" throttle mappings.

Another graph from DTUK which shows more information about the Pedalbox.

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c109/ABYSS69/GraphCustom3.jpg)
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: monsta on 18 August 2015, 09:35
How does the fuel economy compare with the Pedal box?  I think my APR map is actually around the same if not better.  Although I drive normally most of the time so perhaps that explains it!
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: mullermn on 18 August 2015, 10:33
How does the fuel economy compare with the Pedal box?  I think my APR map is actually around the same if not better.  Although I drive normally most of the time so perhaps that explains it!

The pedal box doesn't actually change anything about the way the car runs, just the way your right foot behaves. So, it doesn't change the fuel economy of the car but chances are you'll be accelerating hard more frequently (because the box makes it easy to do so) and that will obviously have an impact on the fuel you use.

I like it. It's hard to explain why but it just makes the car more fun.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Exonian on 18 August 2015, 11:19
I'm another pedalbox devotee and it's the first thing I did to my car.
If all you've ever driven is fly by wire modern cars you'll maybe not quite see the benefit but if you've ever driven a car with mechanical fuel injection or a carburettor then you'll really appreciate one.
It just takes the dead travel out of the throttle and makes it much quicker to smoothly spool the turbo for times when you want six tenths or seven tenths performance or maybe less. Obviously mashing the pedal to the floor is just that when you want full bore acceleration but in all other respects the box just makes the car more lively and sporty to drive without going Banzai with the pedal.
It's pretty adjustable too and I notice the R is best run at a lower setting than my GTI.

Easy to fit but I can confirm they're a pig to remove having swapped mine from car to car a couple times.
For routine dealer visits you can just switch them off.

I had a sprint booster in my two MK6 GTIs and have to say the pedal box is much more adjustable as the former (on my model at least) only had two settings where as the DTUK/DTE offering has many settings which is really handy.
On a torquey car like ours it's nice addition and wakes the car up no end when you don't want full throttle application. It just brings the car alive.


Another suggestion to the OP that's cheap, simple and effective is adding spacers to the standard wheels.
It brings the wheels out more flush with the arches and squares the car up making it look more muscular.

I had a bit of experience with a tuning box on a mk7 GTI too. It makes the car quicker than a standard R in the dry but doesn't have the kick in the back a remap does. However that might be a good thing as its very progressive in its delivery like a factory map (which it just amplifies) it should be far more clutch and drivetrain friendly than an aggressive remap.
Having seen a few on here that have demolished expensive bits of car after a few aggressive launches with remaps I've shied away from modifying my own ECU which is a BIG change for me who having mapped around a dozen of my own cars in the past.
I'm just doubtful the standard hardware on a mk7 can handle the huge torque increases like earlier GTIs seemed to cope with. Not that I really thrashed my mapped cars, more so for me was the much needed mid range torque increases that earlier turbo GTIs lacked where the MK7 has ample torque from low revs (which becomes a fair bit more accessible with a pedal box added for snappy overtakes).

I also agree with Graham about getting your mirrors wrapped or painted black if you have a lighter coloured GTI. I've seen James75's GTD in the flesh a good few times and the contrasting mirrors look great.
Like spacers and a pedal box it's a cheap and effective mod.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: kenny.c on 18 August 2015, 12:22
Sorry I didnt reply....but others have covered the pedal box subject very well. You can in fact turn the pedal box up to much and loose the throttle "resolution" making the throttle abit on/off.....but after a few drives and playing around with the settings you will find a good setting for yourself.

I found the very smooth way the DTUK tuning box adds power seems to benefit the upper RPM range and the pedal box sorts out the lower RPM range....so after a few tweeks on the pedal box you end up with a great performance increase throughout the RPM range.

Ken
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: valvebounce on 18 August 2015, 13:57
I'm enjoying reading this thread as am interested in a pedal & tuning box.

Question: Is anyone running a pedal box on a dsg car? If so, how does it work in auto mode? Just thinking that as you open the throttle rapidly, the car automatically changes down. I can see how the pedal maps would work on a manual car or in manual mode on the dsg, but not how they'd work in auto mode?
Thanks
John
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Exonian on 19 August 2015, 04:53
It will still work fine in auto mode John. It'll just make it more responsive.
Think of it as like an amplified version of Sport mode in the 'engine' (throttle) setting without having to resort to putting the gearbox in Sport mode.

Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: GrahamFR on 19 August 2015, 07:03
But my complaint previously was, does the pedal not feel dead 3/4 and upwards?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: fredgroves on 19 August 2015, 07:32
But my complaint previously was, does the pedal not feel dead 3/4 and upwards?

Looking at that DTUK graph, surely it has to?

I wonder what the curve looks like for OEM "sport mode"?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Exonian on 19 August 2015, 13:07
It's more about removing the factory dead first inch or so of travel.
If you have the pedal box on a high setting then the engine will rev through so quickly you won't have time to worry about burying the pedal to the floor!  :grin:

Run it on a sensible setting and you get response right through the pedal motion but it just brings the car's low rev torque alive.
As Kenny said earlier in the thread, a pedal box brings the bottom end alive and a tuning box wakes up the higher revs.
For me, running just the pedal box, it just makes driving so much sharper. The main benefit is getting rid of the massive lag of the standard pedal (it was the same in the mk5 and mk6).
Even Andrew at DTUK says they're hard to explain and hard to sell to sceptics.
They just work!
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: remlapeel on 19 August 2015, 13:31
So is there any measurable performance gain or is it simply changing the response of the pedal?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Exonian on 19 August 2015, 13:45
Any performance gain would be milliseconds.
It you're talking about 100% acceleration, 0-60 drags etc, then as I said previously mashing the pedal to the floor is just that. Nothing other than "more poweeeeeerrrrr" will affect that sort of driving.
It's more in give and take mid range acceleration you'll notice it, everyday driving stuff. The difference between wearing your best brogues or a set of nice running shoes if you're going for a jog.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 20 August 2015, 09:47
So is a 300ish bhp remap or tuning box a safe level of tune for the GTI ?
It would be interesting to hear from the guy who says his remap destroyed his engine, why did it, what were the causes behind the failure??
One last thing, what size spacers do people put on their GTI' s?
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Exonian on 20 August 2015, 15:28

One last thing, what size spacers do people put on their GTI' s?

Most probably go with 10mm front and 15mm rear running standard wheels. Some just put 15mm on the back and leave it at that.
The maximum you can really go to is 15mm front and 20mm rear, this is what is sold by ECS (American Tuner) as their 'flush kit'.
I compromised on 12mm front and 16mm rear.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Sweetmeister on 20 August 2015, 15:53

One last thing, what size spacers do people put on their GTI' s?

Most probably go with 10mm front and 15mm rear running standard wheels. Some just put 15mm on the back and leave it at that.
The maximum you can really go to is 15mm front and 20mm rear, this is what is sold by ECS (American Tuner) as their 'flush kit'.
I compromised on 12mm front and 16mm rear.

Thanks for the advice, can you recommend a place to purchase them please?.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Exonian on 20 August 2015, 20:34

One last thing, what size spacers do people put on their GTI' s?

Most probably go with 10mm front and 15mm rear running standard wheels. Some just put 15mm on the back and leave it at that.
The maximum you can really go to is 15mm front and 20mm rear, this is what is sold by ECS (American Tuner) as their 'flush kit'.
I compromised on 12mm front and 16mm rear.

Thanks for the advice, can you recommend a place to purchase them please?.

Depends what size you're going for.
If you want top quality then I'd recommend getting H&R spacers from DPM Performance.
I had a couple sets of H&R and also Eibach spacers and they're a bit more expensive than other brands but the quality is a step above.
On my latest car I decided to have an experiment with Sparco spacers as I'd seen that they utilise the allen screw that goes into the brake disc which makes it a lot easier to locate the wheel as the spacer bolts to the hub in effect meaning you just have to line up the wheel bolt holes. As Sparco do a lot of pukka motorsport stuff I hoped the quality would be ok and so far so good (touch wood).
I got them via ebay direct from Italy, the seller was Repartocorse. Very quick service.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: Poached on 21 August 2015, 18:58
A remap on these VAG engines usually livens things up nicely.

The stock boost levels are quite mild stock.
Title: Re: GTI with Performance pack.
Post by: GrahamFR on 21 August 2015, 19:00
Imo every car deserves stage 1 regardless what it is!  :grin: