Bringing an MK6 back from the grave - My Mk6 Story

[PetrolHead]

Do you have any experience with a catless downpipe? Is the unburned fuel smell really that bad? That's the only thing I worry about..

No experience on the MK6, but I've driven plenty of cars without cats in Michigan. The smell doesn't bother me at all, but I guess it could bother some?

Also, great success on the wheels this morning!

I am going to weld up a rack for them so I can mount them on the wall. I will document the design and build if anyone is interested.

NOICE

Scratch the welding idea, I just bought this one for $40 bucks with prime:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058BMNVU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1398346355&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

There is no way I could make one for $40, the steel tubing alone would be at least $35. Go Amazon!

I saw this when I was doing garage organization research. I'm curious to see what you think of it.

 

[ToMMyGuN]

I finally got home and got the wheels out to take a good look at them:

They look amazing. Seriously, even the tires are in great shape, and he had them all balanced to boot. What a freaking steal for $350.

 

[PetrolHead]

Why can't I ever find deals like this? Lucky sob.

 

[ToMMyGuN]

Why can't I ever find deals like this? Lucky sob.

Lucky Saab?

 

[socal87]

A couple reasons to go straight to stage 2:

Exhaust farts. I drive a manual, so you get all the fun. I'd get a full TBE. The sound this car makes under WOT is intoxicating...

The ECU tune is going to cost the same either way. If you go Stage 1, the upgrade should be free but some tuners charge for a half hour of labor to do a 10 minute flash. So just get the exhaust and tune when they're on sale - I assume you have 93 octane where you're at so I would suggest getting a fully loaded tune if you for see ever making a road trip or moving out to the west coast. We have 92 here in WA...so close but not quite.

 

[ToMMyGuN]

A couple reasons to go straight to stage 2:

Exhaust farts. I drive a manual, so you get all the fun. I'd get a full TBE. The sound this car makes under WOT is intoxicating...

The ECU tune is going to cost the same either way. If you go Stage 1, the upgrade should be free but some tuners charge for a half hour of labor to do a 10 minute flash. So just get the exhaust and tune when they're on sale - I assume you have 93 octane where you're at so I would suggest getting a fully loaded tune if you for see ever making a road trip or moving out to the west coast. We have 92 here in WA...so close but not quite.

Valid points. I'll do the downpipe job myself, but the labor for the ecu isn't free.. although if I stick to the incremental route it will cost what, $50 bucks at most? Probably worth it to wait and stretch out the mods.

I did some test fitting of the wheels (of course they fit), and I'm not sure which I like better:

I really like the Charleston wheels, especially on my csg. But one of them is curbed pretty good:

Still a phenomenal deal! I will stew on the pics I took and see if I want to switch the serrons to winter duty or not. I think the serrons may be lighter, but the tire weight may the the difference I was feeling.

I also setup my tire loft. I wish i could have centered it over the door, but studs be where studs be dawg:

I had to put it over the door because I didn't want it hanging over one of our cars, and that space was all I had left (it's a door to our tiny side yard, so it's rarely ever used)

It folds flat, which is handy if you mount it at head-level or below:

And finally, the money shots:

(Note that the wheels don't touch either the ceiling or the back wall)

It is very sturdy. It says it's rated for 300lbs, and I believe it. I anchored it with longer lag bolts though, the ones that it came with seemed about 2" to short. Overall I'm really glad I didn't spend double the price for a more "upscale" loft; this one was $40 shipped, looks great, and went up super easy. I'd recommend it based off of my experience so far!

 

[Zillon]

Digging that tire loft man, I've been meaning to do something like that myself.

 

[trev1342]

That's an awesome way to hold the 4 wheels! Nicely done! :thumbup:

 

[ToMMyGuN]

I just picked up another awesome deal:

Picked up one of these bad boys for $175. It rang up at $280 before the nice lady brought it down to $175 for me because of a small dent in the top left :

All of the drawers still open, and all the parts are there. It was still in Styrofoam! I've had my eyes open for one of these over the past 6 months - if you haven't ever worked with a mobile workbench/cart, you are missing out big time. I loved working in the woodshop and machine shops with carts in college because they go exactly where you need them to be. Super handy, plus I was running out of storage in my craftsman double stack. Win!

As a side note, I've never haggled at home depot before - it was surprisingly successful (well, it saved an extra $25, which was like an extra 15% off what they wanted for it). Extra win!

 

[PetrolHead]

Lucky Saab?

HA!

Dem ramz:

I've never liked the Serrons. I'd switch to the Charlestons, but that's just me. I always wanted Charlestons when I had GTIs. Never got a set.

Dat loft:

I'm gettin that. Looks awesome.

Dat tool box:

I thought about one of those for my set-up, I can see it being awesome.

I want to learn your thrifty ways. That deal you got, man.

 

[ToMMyGuN]

I got the bench setup, it's awesome. I pounded out the dent and its good as new!

I made some space for it next to my other bench, so now I've got tons o' space for wrenching:

And finally, a cool depth of field shot of the GTI and its stable:

I came away with a great appreciation today for the GTI's cargo carrying capacity today. There is no way I could have fit that bench in a sedan, even a full size. Thanks, hatch back. You've confirmed your usefulness yet again.

 

[snobrdrdan]

I'd switch to the Charlestons, but that's just me. I always wanted Charlestons when I had GTIs. Never got a set.

x2 on this

I only found one mint (used) set when I had my GTI and bought them...well FedEx decided to damage them for me and I couldn't handle it...so I sold them to someone as winter wheels instead.

One of my favorite VW wheels of all time.

They were on all the promo cars for the 2012 GLI, but then they weren't even offered. The 18" Bathurst replaced them.

The version with the black pockets are SUPER sharp looking, but I don't know if they were really offered on the GLI or not:
http://golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48885

 

[trev1342]

You have a really nice garage setup! :thumbup:

 

[ToMMyGuN]

You have a really nice garage setup! :thumbup:

It's really nice to have the extra stall for storing stuff, beer pong, and just having more elbow room. In retrospect, I would have suffocated in a 2 car garage. I just wish I had 12' ceilings so I could add a small lift. But then again, I don't want to spend much of anything on this garage, as I know we will be moving in 5-7 years (or at least that is the plan). The garage journal forums have given me a good list of expensive wants for my next garage!

I've also been kicking the idea around about getting a beater truck as a backup to our two (salvaged) cars, and so I would have something with true 4wd for the Cray Cray winters up here...

Chris, didn't you say that Ol' Blue was kind of a unicorn in your thread? What is unique about it again? I think an older 4 or 5 speed full size 4x4 would be a blast, and would be supremely useful as well..

 

[trev1342]

It's really nice to have the extra stall for storing stuff, beer pong, and just having more elbow room. In retrospect, I would have suffocated in a 2 car garage. I just such I had 12' ceilings so I could add a small lift. But then again, I don't want to spend much of anything on this garage, as I know we will be moving in 5-7 years (or at least that is the plan). The garage journal forums have given me a good list of expensive wants for my next garage!

I've also been kicking the idea around about getting a beater truck as a backup to our two (salvaged) cars, and so I would have something with true 4wd for the Cray Cray winters up here...

Chris, didn't you say that Ol' Blue was kind of a unicorn in your thread? What is unique about it again? I think an older 4 or 5 speed full size 4x4 would be a blast, and would be supremely useful as well..

My garage is a mess, but I cleared a space for my car. It's not my garage though. :laugh:

When I do have a garage, It's going to be like yours; neat, organized, a nice place for the cars.