I just traded in my 2015 GTI Autobahn for a 2017 Passat R line since I need more space for the kids. I'm missing the way the GTI handled. I want it back :)
I would recommend the VWR springs. I'm running them with the Flush kit and the stance of the car is perfect! Also they ride smooth like OEM while still delivering better handling. I just broke 30,000 miles on my mk7 GTI and have done all the basic mods besides upgraded turbo, so if you have any questions about product let me know I'll gladly share what I've experienced.
Chris, Thanks for the great videos on the 2017 Gti! I was on the fence about buying one and your videos helped me pull the trigger. I'm in my first week of owning a 2017 Gti Se in Carbon Steel-6speed!. Thanks
Really enjoy your reviews! I just bought a MK7 Sport manual and I love it! I appreciate that your coming from an every man point of view and not too techy about the car...
I thought in sport mode, the engine sounds don't come from speakers, but rather a small valve that connects the cabin to the engine opens to allow more sound into the cabin? I could be wrong. Great video!
Good work pointing out the quirks of the moving headlights. I experienced the same weird turning sensation in low visibility. It can create a weird feeling effect if you don't know its there.
picked my gti up on saturday and one thing that never comes across in videos is just how refined the interior is, i feel like im driving an executive vehicle with a lovely amount of power... great video mate, how are you enjoying running it in?
I"m picking up my '17 Sport GTI Carbon Steel Gray on Monday! I've already ordered dedicated snows that will go on 17" wheels from my '13 Golf TDI that VW is buying back later in Jan. I do hope you are right and the stock tires are okay in the snow, since I have to drive 170 miles home from the dealership and we've got a couple feet on the ground, highway is usually clear but in town not so much.
To clarify... couple of feet accumulated, but not on the road. We live at 6000' in the mountains of Idaho, so snow stays around till spring. Most side roads have a snow floor all winter long. The Michelin X-ICE XI3's that I ordered worked very well on my TDI.
MK7 GTI's such a great little car and I love the package that you have as well. Wish that it was available when I bought mine last year. Just a few observations. The hatch pop kit you've mentioned, you would have to do a vag com flash in order for the popkit to actually "pop" the hatch. Even though the fob has a trunk release button, it doesn't really do anything, not sure why. Also, even though there are dealerships out there that partner with tuners, if something does happen to the car, you still have to go through VW of America to have the warranty validated, and if I remember correctly, Paul from deutsche auto parts, did a video on this where he did make a note that its quite a difficult process and a possibility of Warranty not being honored. Its been a while since I saw that video so I could be getting wires crossed on what he said but is worth checking it out. As for the the parts, I've been researching intake, exhaust and wheels for a while now and my favorites so far are Forge Intake, and Revozport Titanium exhaust. I'm also looking into VWR springs, euro tail light mods and euro folding side mirror mod.
Pirelli Cinturato P7 are an amazing tire let alone that they come stock. I got them about a year ago put on my Civic and was very happy when they came stock on my new GTI Sport.
You don't drive very spirited, do you? I had them on my Mk7 GTI too when I bought it, but I absolutely hated those tires. Even on stock power, the wheel spin was terrible with medium throttle from a stop. I upgraded with Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 for my cold weather wheels and they are WAY better. I also have a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports for my summer tires and it is literally a night and day difference. Definitely helps me harness the power better from my APR Stage 2 tune.
The stock Pirellis are utter garbage. You must never owned an actual good set of tires. Even if you don't go to a dedicated winter/summer setup there are far better all season tires out there.
Unlike with the Mk6 GTI, on the Mk7 (GTI, GTD and R), the Sound actuator can be set to any value in between 0% (off completely) and 100% (max cabin sound) with a Vag-com or other sw tool. Physically disconnecting the actuator is no longer needed...... ;-)
I enjoyed the video. I have a question as i have a new GTI Sport as well. When you let the gas off at higher speeds (over 25 mph) does the boost gauge show there being ±3.4 psi, or is it showing 0? thank you for your help.
Thank you for the reply. I am asking as i am not sure exactly how the "Fuel cutoff" function that the car has works. I am curious to see if when cruising from a higher speed when it is supposed to disengage the DSG and reduce/cut off fuel, would the engine still have boost pressure or is ±1400 rpm to low to actually build up any pressure. thank you
How does that thumb - unlock thing work in winter with gloves or mitts on? Did I miss whether you got winter tires or only all- seasons? Would like to have your opinion on snow driving in the GTI.
Chris On Cars Thanks. I have Toyo Garit k/x winters on my Golf just to the north of you and can't decide if I should lease an R or buy a GTI next. Thanks for the series.
Nice video!! The JB or any other piggy-back tuning box is also detected as the (max) boost pressure is being logged by the ECU and hence detectable by VW. So it's much better to do the a full ECU tune (via the OBD port) and custome fine-tune on the bench as it is much better for your engine health and allows for better performance. Just modifying a few parameters like boost pressure - with these piggy-back boxes - is not a good solution at all.....
That's actually not the case... The ECU never sees any boost higher then stock. That's how they work in the first place, spoofing the sensors downwards to increase actual boost. ;) If not worried about warranty I recommend a complete calibration as well though. So much more can be tweaked when you have complete access.
This isn't true. The ECU never sees anything the JB1 tells it, and VW certainly doesn't read any logs to see what's not there anyway. Getting a tune is exactly the wrong thing to recommend. The JB1 is 100% worth it if you don't want to worry about a full tune since that voids warranty and you've obviously never experienced what they do. Don't tell people about things you know nothing about and give terrible and wrong advice. They say the JB1 adds 45hp/45tq at the wheels and they aren't lying. For $400 it's a no brainer so stop giving people wrong and ignorant advice.
It sounds great on 4cyl, deep low note, cold start burble = awesome. I had Borla on my MK6 GTI so I had to have it on the MK7 as well. No drone to speak of especially in 6th gear. We should meet up sometime to compare notes on mods, etc. I have VAGCOM cable if you want to borrow it.
great videos,,just subscribed,been thinking of getting gti for long time,,just still a little hesitant because history of high maintain costs and reliability ,,your opinion?
thank you very much ,,definitely considering a 2017 2 door GTI (limited,2 door seem hard to find) ,,Your videos are fantastic,,informative and easy to relate to
Don't bother wasting your time "breaking in" the car. No modern car needs any break in. You'll be fine driving it like normal. They only put that in there for liability reasons. Engines don't need breaking in and haven't since the 70's. Have fun with the car, don't waste time breaking it in. Get a JB1 and slap it on there and drive like a maniac.
Shame then, you missed out. I don't know why the myth of break in keeps getting passed around. Modern cars are ready to be driven when they arrive at the dealer! It is an awesome car, though. I've got VWR springs and the ECS spacers you were talking about, makes the car so much better looking. All you need now is a JB1 and you're set. That thing makes the car into a real beast!
Just had my GTI just over a week now. Hitting 700 miles now 😆
I just traded in my 2015 GTI Autobahn for a 2017 Passat R line since I need more space for the kids. I'm missing the way the GTI handled. I want it back :)
I would recommend the VWR springs. I'm running them with the Flush kit and the stance of the car is perfect! Also they ride smooth like OEM while still delivering better handling. I just broke 30,000 miles on my mk7 GTI and have done all the basic mods besides upgraded turbo, so if you have any questions about product let me know I'll gladly share what I've experienced.
Chris,
Thanks for the great videos on the 2017 Gti! I was on the fence about buying one and your videos helped me pull the trigger. I'm in my first week of owning a 2017 Gti Se in Carbon Steel-6speed!.
Thanks
Just got my 2017 Sport GTI today and I love it so far. I watched your videos and thats what made me decide to get it
looking into Paddle extensions. Can i ask where you purchased yours from?
Really enjoy your reviews! I just bought a MK7 Sport manual and I love it! I appreciate that your coming from an every man point of view and not too techy about the car...
I added the power module plug and play , boosted power and torque. Eibach springs and sways, took great to exceptional
I thought in sport mode, the engine sounds don't come from speakers, but rather a small valve that connects the cabin to the engine opens to allow more sound into the cabin? I could be wrong. Great video!
Good review there sir! :) The after market dsg shifters look really good.
Good work pointing out the quirks of the moving headlights. I experienced the same weird turning sensation in low visibility. It can create a weird feeling effect if you don't know its there.
Sounds like you're happy with your purchase. 👌🏾
picked my gti up on saturday and one thing that never comes across in videos is just how refined the interior is, i feel like im driving an executive vehicle with a lovely amount of power... great video mate, how are you enjoying running it in?
you should do a comparison video between the mk6 and mk7
I bought the exact car in manual two weeks ago and I'm in love.
Manual really compliments this car, even though the DSG is great just can't take an automatic serious in a small hot hatch.
I"m picking up my '17 Sport GTI Carbon Steel Gray on Monday! I've already ordered dedicated snows that will go on 17" wheels from my '13 Golf TDI that VW is buying back later in Jan. I do hope you are right and the stock tires are okay in the snow, since I have to drive 170 miles home from the dealership and we've got a couple feet on the ground, highway is usually clear but in town not so much.
To clarify... couple of feet accumulated, but not on the road. We live at 6000' in the mountains of Idaho, so snow stays around till spring. Most side roads have a snow floor all winter long. The Michelin X-ICE XI3's that I ordered worked very well on my TDI.
MK7 GTI's such a great little car and I love the package that you have as well. Wish that it was available when I bought mine last year. Just a few observations. The hatch pop kit you've mentioned, you would have to do a vag com flash in order for the popkit to actually "pop" the hatch. Even though the fob has a trunk release button, it doesn't really do anything, not sure why. Also, even though there are dealerships out there that partner with tuners, if something does happen to the car, you still have to go through VW of America to have the warranty validated, and if I remember correctly, Paul from deutsche auto parts, did a video on this where he did make a note that its quite a difficult process and a possibility of Warranty not being honored. Its been a while since I saw that video so I could be getting wires crossed on what he said but is worth checking it out.
As for the the parts, I've been researching intake, exhaust and wheels for a while now and my favorites so far are Forge Intake, and Revozport Titanium exhaust. I'm also looking into VWR springs, euro tail light mods and euro folding side mirror mod.
Pirelli Cinturato P7 are an amazing tire let alone that they come stock. I got them about a year ago put on my Civic and was very happy when they came stock on my new GTI Sport.
Chris On Cars where did u get those paddle shifters from, they look great
You don't drive very spirited, do you? I had them on my Mk7 GTI too when I bought it, but I absolutely hated those tires. Even on stock power, the wheel spin was terrible with medium throttle from a stop. I upgraded with Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 for my cold weather wheels and they are WAY better. I also have a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports for my summer tires and it is literally a night and day difference. Definitely helps me harness the power better from my APR Stage 2 tune.
The stock Pirellis are utter garbage. You must never owned an actual good set of tires. Even if you don't go to a dedicated winter/summer setup there are far better all season tires out there.
thats cool that Burger is coming out with the tune. i had a JB1 and JB2 on my BMW 135i.
you can disconnect the Soundaktor or even install a switch if you want to control that interior cabin sound. I made a few videos on it.
Unlike with the Mk6 GTI, on the Mk7 (GTI, GTD and R), the Sound actuator can be set to any value in between 0% (off completely) and 100% (max cabin sound) with a Vag-com or other sw tool. Physically disconnecting the actuator is no longer needed...... ;-)
no WAY!! that is sweet!
an OBD "eleven"... LOL that's rich!
Hope to see ya around I live in rhode island and I just got a 18 GTI s with dsg and I wanna give it the beans so bad haha
tires cannot stick out pass the wheel wells, that's why the Audi RS with wider tires have extended wheel wells, as do all others
Did you test drive an S vs Sport? Thinking of leasing one, just curious if there is a noticeable difference. Cheers!
at 193 miles in mine so far. keeping it under 4k until 1000.
Do you keep your GTI in sport mode? Hows the gas mileage, mine is terrible.
VW has a lot of deals here in MD. Got my Passat R Line with comfort and lighting package for about $21k. $25k for a GTI S line is a great deal.
How much did you pay for the car? And can you send me a link for the wheel spacers?
I enjoyed the video. I have a question as i have a new GTI Sport as well. When you let the gas off at higher speeds (over 25 mph) does the boost gauge show there being ±3.4 psi, or is it showing 0? thank you for your help.
Thank you for the reply. I am asking as i am not sure exactly how the "Fuel cutoff" function that the car has works. I am curious to see if when cruising from a higher speed when it is supposed to disengage the DSG and reduce/cut off fuel, would the engine still have boost pressure or is ±1400 rpm to low to actually build up any pressure. thank you
I picked up a 17 Autobahn 2 weeks ago, I'm barely at 340 Miles and I'm itching to it 1000... awesome car. Does the Autobahn come with a LSD too?
How does that thumb - unlock thing work in winter with gloves or mitts on? Did I miss whether you got winter tires or only all- seasons? Would like to have your opinion on snow driving in the GTI.
Chris On Cars Thanks. I have Toyo Garit k/x winters on my Golf just to the north of you and can't decide if I should lease an R or buy a GTI next. Thanks for the series.
Nice video!! The JB or any other piggy-back tuning box is also detected as the (max) boost pressure is being logged by the ECU and hence detectable by VW. So it's much better to do the a full ECU tune (via the OBD port) and custome fine-tune on the bench as it is much better for your engine health and allows for better performance. Just modifying a few parameters like boost pressure - with these piggy-back boxes - is not a good solution at all.....
That's actually not the case... The ECU never sees any boost higher then stock. That's how they work in the first place, spoofing the sensors downwards to increase actual boost. ;)
If not worried about warranty I recommend a complete calibration as well though. So much more can be tweaked when you have complete access.
This isn't true. The ECU never sees anything the JB1 tells it, and VW certainly doesn't read any logs to see what's not there anyway. Getting a tune is exactly the wrong thing to recommend. The JB1 is 100% worth it if you don't want to worry about a full tune since that voids warranty and you've obviously never experienced what they do. Don't tell people about things you know nothing about and give terrible and wrong advice. They say the JB1 adds 45hp/45tq at the wheels and they aren't lying. For $400 it's a no brainer so stop giving people wrong and ignorant advice.
Tell me about the JB tune?
You should hear my cat back exhaust, its a Borla, I live nearby to Westborough, Colonial is my dealer, they installed it for me
It sounds great on 4cyl, deep low note, cold start burble = awesome. I had Borla on my MK6 GTI so I had to have it on the MK7 as well. No drone to speak of especially in 6th gear. We should meet up sometime to compare notes on mods, etc. I have VAGCOM cable if you want to borrow it.
Pretty sure you gave me a wave today as you came off of RT9 near McDonalds in Westboro, I was in the red mk7 GTI wearing my Borla hat
great videos,,just subscribed,been thinking of getting gti for long time,,just still a little hesitant because history of high maintain costs and reliability ,,your opinion?
thank you very much ,,definitely considering a 2017 2 door GTI (limited,2 door seem hard to find) ,,Your videos are fantastic,,informative and easy to relate to
Where are you from?
I put about 33000 on a year. Excited to update everyone next December
Apex Predator Chris Hansen u
I came here for the cayman ...what am i seeing???? A gti??? What?? Lol
Link to the Cayman- buycolonialvw.com/Vehicle_Details/desc/Used_Porsche_Cayman__/vehicleID/1834152
I dont know if I could do 1000 miles in a brand new car without opening it up at least a few times lao
Don't bother wasting your time "breaking in" the car. No modern car needs any break in. You'll be fine driving it like normal. They only put that in there for liability reasons. Engines don't need breaking in and haven't since the 70's. Have fun with the car, don't waste time breaking it in. Get a JB1 and slap it on there and drive like a maniac.
Shame then, you missed out. I don't know why the myth of break in keeps getting passed around. Modern cars are ready to be driven when they arrive at the dealer! It is an awesome car, though. I've got VWR springs and the ECS spacers you were talking about, makes the car so much better looking. All you need now is a JB1 and you're set. That thing makes the car into a real beast!