Golf GTI from the Netherlands

[Bolle]

Hi,

I'm a Golf V GTI owner from the Netherlands. I have posted a few times on tyresmoke, but have been lurking a bit on this forum as well. Seeing the action going on here, I thought let's contribute something something!

The followling posts are a bit of a copy from tyresmoke, too lazy to type a fully new post. Apologies to those already having read it on tyresmoke  :embarassed:

A bit about me, 34 years, working and living in the Netherlands, working in telecoms.

I was driving an private old E36 BMW 320i touring (my first car after university), athough a nice low milage one with full options. Seeing as I didn't make too many miles, I didn't want to spend too much money on it as I have too many other hobby's to finance as well (scuba diving, home theater, watches).

Beginning of 2007 I changed jobs and included in the package was a company car. 
Compared to my BMW I wanted a smaller car seeing as parking in the center of town where I live is a b*tch, and more power.
After a lot of searching, the choice was between the Audi A3 2.0T and the Golf GTI. The Volvo C30 T5 (too expensive, no luggage space) and the BMW 120i (styling, power) were dismissed quickly.
Of the 2 I picked the GTI over the A3 as I found the GTI a bit more 'fun' than the very 'serious' A3, and I liked the seats of the GTI and the fact that I could get 5 doors whereas with the Audi that would be quite a premium, mainly due to the way the option packages are here in the Netherlands.
During this selection proces I read all the VW fora I could find to look at what options to get on the car.
In the end I went for a black 5 door, with the center armrest, rear speakers, and multifunctional steering wheel and highline computer as extra's.
I would have liked more options, but then I would have to pay extra from my own pocket, which is not a smart move to do on a company car.
With every extra bit of own contribution you make, the penalty if you end the contract prematurely increases, and I want to able to leave the company and lease contract freely if other opportunities arise.
In the end I pay around 425 EUR a month for the car, including all taxes, insurance, private usage and more or less unlimited fuel within the Netherlands.
It's however somewhat annoying to see that with the new prices and option packages since last february, I could have driven a Edition 30 with navigation, bluetooth, Xenon, PDC, retractable dimming and dipping mirror for only 75 EUR more...  Ah well, such is life!

The car was delivered in mid May, and after driving a used car is was quite nice to get a car with 15 km on the clock!

 

On of the first modifications I did was adding the RNS MFD2 DVD navigation. Install was done in an easy 30 min, with placing the GPS receiver behind the instrument cluster as suggested here.

 
 
Furthermore I replaced the 'closed' lower grilles arond the foglights with 'open' ones, and removed the 'GTI' badge in the grille. Both make for a much nicer front end in my opinion!
Also replaced the antenna with an short stub.

Next project was adding a iPod interface.
I chose the DICE Electronics iPod kit
 

with the associated cradle
 

I did some DIY on the cradle so it fits in the ashtray area in front of the gear lever. I can easily plug and unplug the iPod in the cradle while keeping it in it's silicone sleeve. And it is still accessible so you can use the iPod menu which is still the easiest way to scroll through the iPod. The interface allows (track) forward/reverse from the headunit and steering wheel controls so that's quite easy.
After removing the iPod I can shut the cover over the ashtray area so the cradle is invisible, hoping I reduce the chance of somebody breaking in to look for an iPod. I initially wanted to mount the cradle on the dash next to the headunit, but was afraid I might get too much attention there.

 
 

In september I did a remap of the engine to get the full potential of the 2.0 TFSI engine.
I looked at various tuners, and especially the ones that concentrated on tuning for VAG cars. In the end I went to a Dutch tuner http://www.jdengineering.nl who gets very high regards for his tuning of VAG cars. He also does the software for the Spyker road cars which use a modified Audi V8 engine.
l also managed to get a nice discount through a Dutch Seat forum I found whilst surfing the net for more information.
With teh remap the engine is now uprated to approx 247 hp / 380 Nm, and it's even more a joy to drive now! 

The GTI at JD engineering
 

Some dismantling of the car to get to the ECU
 

Got the ECU, going upstairs to the programmer to be fiddled with for an hour or so (he adjusts the basic GTI remap to optimize every individual car)
 

Hmm nice, but not on the company car list.... RS4 in for some engine managment tweaks
 

A final pic of my car with it's 'buddy', a GTI owned by a guy in my street. Also remapped, and when space allows I always try to park next to the car, makes for a nice scene.

 [/QUOTE]

Although they've remodeled my street recently, and have removed approx 45 parking spots  As parking was already a b*tch, I decided to bite the bullet and get a space in the local guarded multi-level parking garage about 3 mins from my house.

[Bolle]

And again a repeat from tyresmoke... but I see a few names here I didn't see there, so might provides some new entertainment for some!  

Soon after I got the car, I was planning a trip with my GTI to enjoy it bit more than the usual traffic jam filled commute. This partly inspired by a copy of an old 'CAR' magazine I had lying around which featured a M6 driven over the best alpine passes. As a sort of delayed summer I went to the Alps last september.

First I had a wedding to attend in Berlin, so first some Autobahn work. It was absolute hell, very busy, lot of freight transport, a few accidents. I managed to get it up to 240 – 250 kph very shortly after the Dutch border. After that it was mostly in the 100 – 140 kph region.
Berlin was beautiful, hadn’t been there before. Left on Monday towards Munich, not so busy on the Autobahn. Got it up to 240 – 250 kph a few times, but found 160 – 180 kph the best for cruising. Higher than that and the speed differential with other traffic can be a bit high and demands high levels of concentration.
Ended up in Bechtesgaden, nice area and historical significant as the Nazi top had their retreats there.
Visited the very good museum there and Hitler’s ‘Eagles Nest’, very nasty feel to be at such an historical site.

Stayed at a very nice Gasthof overlooking the valley.

[Bolle]

Next day the real driving started. Into Austria and the 164 from Bischofshofen to Saalfelden. Nice route through a canyon with very little traffic..
Weather got worse when I started the Grossgloclner


Nice road and views I suppose, couldn’t enjoy it much with the weather.. Also felt the 28 EUR toll was a bit steep.
Took a little detour to the Edelweiss Spitze.



Then into Italy, through Toblach/Dobbiaco towards Cortina d’Amprezzo. Small detour through Passo di Giau and surrounding roads toward Arabba. Weather started to improve somewhat although not all pics show it.


Nice pics from the Dolomites


Stayed in a hotel near Arabba


Next day leaving Arabba through the Passo di Campolongo.



By the Passo di Gardena/Grodnerjoch to the Brenner highway.


But left the Brenner quickly to go to the Jaufenpass/Passo di Giovo.


From the valley on the other side of the Jaufenpass I wanted to take Timmelsjoch towards Austria to get on the highway to Chur in Switzerland to pick up a friend who was joining me. However I was advised by some locals and the tourist board to do this as the Timmelsjoch was not doable without winter tyres or snow chains.
So back over the Jaufenpass on to the Brenner towards Innsbruck and from there the A12/E60 toward Switzerland.

After Innsbruck weather started to clear so decided to get of the highway and a detour over the 188 over Galtur.

After Galtur a toll section starts, the Silvretta Hochalpstrasse. Toll is 11 EUR and worth every bit of it. Nice sweepers on the East side, hairpins on the West side. When reaching the toll booth at the other end I did a 180 degree turn and did again!



De road ahead!


And the road behind us...


Filled the car with cheap fuel in Lichtenstein, before meeting my friend in Chur and staying there.

From Chur the next day to Davos, and from Davos the Fluelapass. Weather could be better....


Then the Ofenpass, weather started to improve


Snow might not give a summer holiday spirit but al least some nice pictures!


After the Ofenpass we wanted to go up the East side of the Stelvio (the Italian part with all the famous hairpins). But sadly….


Ofenpass + Stelvio is the road Top Gear was so enthousiastic about a few episodes ago (‘best driving road in the world’), can’t blame them!

Back into Switzerland and through the Umbrailpass towards the top of the Stelvio. The Umbrail is partly unpaved.



Unpaved roads left their marks...


Reached the top of the Stelvio and had a nice pizza.



Not really what you expect to see on a ‘summer’ holiday.



Down the west side of the Stelvio which was open.


Stop in Livigno, boring village but tax-free for some reason so cheap fuel! Then over the Berninapass to St. Moritz.


Nice dinner and a night on the town!



After a good breakfast started the day with the Julierpass.


Passing Chur again the Oberalpppass towards the West.


Effect of the Umbrail was still visible.


Up the Furkapass, part of the Furka – Grimsel – Susten ‘ triangle’ of passes.

Nic old garage at the top, this has been a tourist area for ages.


Standing on the top of the Furka, seeing the Furka descending into the valley, and the Grimsel up the other side you think “yes, this is what driving is all about!”


On the bottom of the Furka we went back up and down again, then up a part of the Grimsel and down again before finding a hotel. Enjoyed a nice cheese fondue and few bottles of white wine to celebrate a great day driving.

Next day we did the full Grimsel and the Susten next. Here the Sustenpass:




Reaching the end of the Susten, we turned around and did the Susten, Grimsel and Furka again. You can drive these roads again and again, you keep enjoying them.

The last hairpins of the Grimsel and the first of the Susten.


To end a great week of driving a final drive over the Furka.


From the other end of the Furka towards Basel to drop my friend off at the airport. Then through Germany, France and Luxembourg to Belgium to stay over at my parents in Brussels, was to tired to drive another 2 hours to my home.
Was unpleasantly surprised by a break-in attempt next morning in front of my parent’s place.


It was a great trip, and the GTI is really a nice car. Both as a long distance cruiser and a ‘sports car’ on the mountain roads. The remap ups the enjoyment even more!

When planning such a trip I would advice to be really flexible in your planning. Weather can really vary over time. I had quite bad weather, while the week before and after it was clear and sunny.
Getting hotels was no problem this time of year, no reservations were necessary and we could even negotiate a bit in St. Moritz.
Top roads of the trip for me were the triangle Furka – Grimsel – Susten, the Passo de Giau and the Silvretta.
I got quite a bit of information from Alpine Roads, a bike-site but they have good descriptions and ratings of the various alpine passen.
Also they have a Google Earth file available with the alpine passes.

[Bolle]

And the tinkering with car continued... in november and december I added the VAG (Skoda) Bluetooth unit and changed the RNS MFD2 DVD for the RNS510.

The Bluetooth kit


The RNS510 as delivered




Install again quite easy except for the fact that the CD changer earth is changed a pin compared to the MFD2. So in order to get clear sound from the changer (or the iPod adaptor using the changer interface in my case) you'll have to swop them.

[Hurdy]

Welcome to the forum Bolle,

Some gorgeous pics of your car and the scenery

[Bolle]

Some pics of the RNS510 in action.

The unit in the dash


Main menu of the phone menu. As you can see my phone now shows the provider name (KPN) whereas in oyher pics it didn't (geen netwerk = no network). I believe this is as my Blackberry phone doesn't really have the best Bluetooth implementation around.


My phone contacts. Here you see that the contact numbers are shown by text (eg 'mobile', 'work'). Again a limitation of Bluetooth on the Blackberry. I tried an old Nokia 6310i I had lying around and this shows the numbers wih a symbol (work/mobile etc) in front of the name, much nicer. The Nokia also supports missed/last/received calls through bluetooth as opposed to the Blackberry.


making a call (in this case a number not in my phone book so no name)


The highline display during a call


Browsing through an MP3 DVD, in this case my 'the Boss' collection!


Playing a file from the MP3 DVD. In this case from my 80's folder for that nostalgic feeling


Map display (3D) during navigation

[Bolle]

Some current projects:

While I was posting all this on the forum, I'm burning a modified RNS510 navigation data disc with speed camera POI's added. It's a bit of tinkering, and I hope it wil work now. I'm slowly getting there...

Furthermore I ordered the ECS dogbone insert from Awesom yesterday. This as I feel there's a bit too much 'play' in the driveline, especially whilst shifting during spirited driving.

Otherwise my mods will be limited, as it is a company lease car I will see nothing in return from this. Only thing I might do are Ed 30/R32 smoked rear lights.

If it where my own car, they first thing I would probably do would be the brakes. In my view one of the weakest points in the GTI. During my alps trip this really became very noticeable and took away a bit of confidence whilst driving.

[k4ith]

welcome to the site Bolle, liked the ipod instal. those twisties sure looked fun.

[Manu_R32]

I cant seem to see the pics 

[Bolle]

yes... just got back from the car, got the speed cams working on the RNS510!
Going to save me some money hopefully... lucky we have no points system here....