MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Modifications & Technical Area => Performance Modifications => Topic started by: Guv on March 23, 2010, 01:37:33 am

Title: Tuning
Post by: Guv on March 23, 2010, 01:37:33 am
Hi all new to the forum and reading up on the mk5 gti . to make things simple what are the easyest ways to get all the power out of the gti and websites and stuff to buy the upgrades would be good . cheers
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: robern2 on March 24, 2010, 01:12:15 pm
you'll be inundated with replies on this one shortly I'm sure but the most popular routes to take include;

cold air induction kit
fuel pump
turbo back exhaust & dog bone mount
intercooler
remap to suit the above hardware.
brake upgrade
white line anti-lift kit
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: gobbleplease on March 24, 2010, 03:17:53 pm
The easy way is via a remap via either revo, apr, giac ect and will see the biggest improvement in power and value for money. More power is easily available depending on how much money you want to spend.

Tbh the gti is a brilliant car standard and my first few quid would go on a remap, springs and exhaust
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: GTIforpassion on March 25, 2010, 10:06:04 am
The first things to do are :

- air intake system
- downpipe
- intercooler
- a good remap

 :party:
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: Hurdy on March 25, 2010, 11:53:48 am
Personally I'd go for the supporting mods first if you are doing it in stages, but it all depends on whether you want to squeeze every ounce of performance from the car, or just have a fast, well balanced car on a lowish budget.

Brake upgrades range from just uprating pads, fluid and lines up to 12 pot monster calipers, 2 piece floating discs etc > budget anything between a few hundred quid to £3k.

Similarly suspension upgrades can range from just wanting a lower ride with uprated springs at under a couple of hundred quid to full race coilover suspension at approaching £2k fitted. Then you can also have ARB's front and rear, WALK kit, Lighter wishbones and hubs, engine mounts, the list just goes on!!!!

Then you have intakes, exhausts, high pressure fuel pumps (HPFP), actuators, diverter valves, big turbo kits (with or without internals), Uprated cams, port and polish etc etc.

Not forgetting of course uprated lightweight alloys, sticky rubber if you like the track, lightweight carbon parts, interior strip out.

Finally you come to the make of remap and there are several tuners that you can go for including, APR, GIAC, REVO, R-Tech, Superchips, etc etc.

Even the DSG gearbox can be remapped by GIAC and REVO.

Hope this helps :happy2:
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: disco stu on April 28, 2010, 08:52:44 pm
Can I just say this topic has been really useful. I'm new to the site aswell and am looking to mod my golf (K03) slightly to improve performance but not on a huge scale. I've been looking at a res milltek cat-back and remap I dont want anything to intrusive as my old Fiesta ST was just too loud.  now looking at this a cold air induction kit might be worth buying too. any recommendations?

thanks in advance,

Stu

Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: jmspear on April 28, 2010, 09:19:48 pm
Hi Stu, the for sale section and ebay will be your friend.

I have been modding my k03 gti as a daily driver, on a tight budget doing approx 20k miles a year but want good performance, no track work but still need comfortable tracktable car (as i am a mid 40's old fart).

My approach and budget:

downpipe and high flow cat - milltek - 2nd hand from this forum for sale section - £350
cat back milltek xhaust, resonated from ebay - £200
superchips bluefin with forum discount - £400
stage 2 upgrade - £50
ITG CAI via group buy £315 incl postage
2nd hand autotech fuel pump and cam follower (from for sale on this forum) £245
fuel pump fit and rolling road - £100

result on RR - > 275 bhp, and 315lbft of torque and it flys :-) all for £1760 v v happy :-)

and all reversable when and if I ever sell the car and wil make most of my money back on the bits  :laugh:
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: disco stu on April 28, 2010, 09:32:03 pm
well i think you've just made me a shopping list!  :happy2: Your mods and what you want your car for are the same as what i want so, thats really helped me.  :notworthy:
Right to ebay!!!
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: Janner_Sy on April 29, 2010, 07:55:29 am
jmspears list is pukka for the engine, but with that amount of power i would certainly add a set of performance brake pads£100 ish, performance brake fluid(£25ish), and a set of eibach ARBs ( £270ish).

then you would have a very rounded car.

Remember power is nothing without a bit of control
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: Tfsi_Mike on April 29, 2010, 08:54:36 am
jmspears list is pukka for the engine, but with that amount of power i would certainly add a set of performance brake pads£100 ish, performance brake fluid(£25ish), and a set of eibach ARBs ( £270ish).

then you would have a very rounded car.

Remember power is nothing without a bit of control

What brake fluid do you use sy?  I wanted to use the Ate super blue as an 'upgraded fluid' but mentioned it on here sparking mass debate fueled by Teutomic_Tamer on it effecting abs etc?? 
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: Janner_Sy on April 29, 2010, 05:02:44 pm
motul rbf600.  teutonic_tamer is the only guy on these forums who comes out with these possible issues.  yet there are guys using uprate fluids all over the gaff without any issues
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: jmspear on April 29, 2010, 07:28:17 pm
I must admit that the brakes don't inspire confidence now, :scared: they were fine before, but now the car gains speed real quick and you go v fast without realising it, and when you reach for the brakes they need a lot of prod and I don't feel the car is over braked which i like to feel (for confidence). I am actively thinking about researching brake upgrades but the speed I am carry down this slippery slope of mods is also accelerating and no brakes in sight :wink:
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: disco stu on April 29, 2010, 11:32:47 pm
thanks guys!  :happy2:
brakes would be on the list too mind. I upgraded my ST brakes for just a 20 bhp increase from OEM to Mondeo ST220 setup on the front.  Which worked a treat.

Still hunting for parts oh and the cash in between saving for a house!!  :confused:
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: Andy on April 30, 2010, 01:45:08 am
Rule of thumb is when modding a car always start with the brakes and the handling first..as what is the point of being able to go like a bat out of hell and not stop at the other end
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: Hurdy on April 30, 2010, 04:52:22 pm
Rule of thumb is when modding a car always start with the brakes and the handling first..as what is the point of being able to go like a bat out of hell and not stop at the other end

Agreed.

Look at my previous post and that is how I believe tuning should be done :happy2:
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: Aparoon on April 30, 2010, 05:47:36 pm
Rule of thumb is when modding a car always start with the brakes and the handling first..as what is the point of being able to go like a bat out of hell and not stop at the other end

Ooooops  :signLOL:
Title: Re: Tuning
Post by: djhorace on May 03, 2010, 05:27:07 pm
I am of the opposite ilk. I would do the remap first and see if that satisfies the need for more speed. It is the cheapest bang for your buck and gives more gains than any other modification on these cars.

If you feel the need to do more, by all means you can do so, but it would be an expensive way to add 40bhp to a car by modifying everything else to suit a remap.

I ran my car only until recently with a standard chassis and brakes with 370bhp and had no problems. I have added the ARB's, WALK, Diff, Clutch, Engine Mounts, Pump, RS4 Valve, Intake, Intercooler, Exhaust, Coilovers etcetcetc, and I genuinely believe the remap was the best money I spent on the car.