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Sub-to-Dub's 2017 GTI Sport

Sub-to-Dub

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Arlington, VA USA
Car(s)
'17 GTI Sport 6MT
May 2018

Installed an aFe dry air filter and removed the OEM snow guard. I know it'll have a negligible impact on performance but it supposedly adds a little more intake noise and might improve throttle response.



 
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Sub-to-Dub

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Arlington, VA USA
Car(s)
'17 GTI Sport 6MT
May 2018

Disabled the white dot in the headlights/orange side marker up front as well as the rear side marker using OBDeleven. For some reason that dot really drove me nuts. I really wish the second "U" would light up like on the Golf R.

Also programed the windows to go up/down using the remote. Such an awesome tool!



 
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Sub-to-Dub

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Arlington, VA USA
Car(s)
'17 GTI Sport 6MT
August 2018

Added the ever popular Audi 12V socket cover. Not the most exciting addition to the car but it does match the handbrake trim nicely. Plus, it keeps the mod bug at bay for a little while.



 
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Sub-to-Dub

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Arlington, VA USA
Car(s)
'17 GTI Sport 6MT
September 2018

I decided simplify things a bit and sell my winter/summer wheel and tire setups and do the all-season thing.

I chose the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ based on the rave reviews and the fall rebate was enough to seal the deal. Since my area has very few major snow events and for the other 360 days of the year I wanted something as grippy and sporty as possible. I've run the DWS06 on several cars (great tire) but wanted to try something different this time around.

I've had the tires on the car for about 500 miles and here are my initial impressions:

Pros:
-Outstanding dry traction, for spirited around-town driving you probably won't miss a summer tire.
-Wet traction is strong and the tires let go in a predicable way.
-Good balance between comfort and responsive steering feel.
-A pronounced rim protector should help during those minor curb bumps and definitely make the tire looks meatier.

Cons:
-Tread noise is pronounced at highway speeds. It’s definitely one of the noisier tires I’ve ever used.
-Price is high but it’s hard to argue given the all-around performance

Observations:
-The tread pattern is pretty uninspiring to look at. While clearly not important compared to performance but the DWS06 or Comp-2 A/S certainly have the edge in that category.







 
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chiefhiawatha

Ready to race!
Location
Chicago
Don’t want to argue with any of this except for the noise part. I don’t think these are loud, and nobody has mentioned it to me when I’ve driven people and kids would have.
 

Sub-to-Dub

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Arlington, VA USA
Car(s)
'17 GTI Sport 6MT
Would you recommend it over DWS06 for wet/cold conditions?

I can't comment on cold or wintery conditions at this point but in the wet I think the Michelins have a slight edge. They just seem to hold on longer and it's a little harder to spin them from a start. The DWS06 are really good though and both are very confidence inspiring.
 

Sub-to-Dub

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Arlington, VA USA
Car(s)
'17 GTI Sport 6MT
September 2018

I needed to transport some paint and chemicals to the recycling center and figured that was a good excuse to invest in a hitch-mounted cargo carrier. It was nice keeping the icky stuff outside the cabin and knowing that I can expand the capacity of the car in the future.

It's a Curt 19"x47" carrier purchased from etrailer.com for about $85. This particular model doesn't fold up and has a capacity of 300lbs.

The build quality is solid and everything went together smoothly. Assembly took about 15-20 minutes using only a 17mm and 19mm socket and wrench. The only real issue of note is that the metal the nuts are made of seems pretty soft so you have to be careful when tightening everything.

Paired with an anti-rattle stabilizer the carrier and cargo felt secure. For the price and utility this offers I'm very pleased.

I may add some reflective tape to the back of the carrier and I'm also researching some rigid storage boxes/bags to keep things out of the rain.








 
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StealthGTI

Autocross Champion
Location
Newport News, VA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
It's good to put the car to work! I have a similar tray. I don't use it very often because it obscures the license plate anytime I have more than a bicycle or small objects aboard. Relocating the plate when the tray is mounted may help to avoid unwanted conversations with LEO's.

Regarding the anti-rattle device, I used the same one you posted above. I disliked it for two reasons: 1) the long bolts reduce ground clearance and are subject to being struck, especially in uneven driveways; 2) the clamping plate digs into the paint on both the hitch receiver and its accessory. As a result, I started using this device. I have one for each of my ball mounts and another for my cargo tray so that I don't have to keep moving a single anti-rattle device from one piece to another. It's a lot faster to install and remove, too.

Take Care,

Scott
 

Sub-to-Dub

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Arlington, VA USA
Car(s)
'17 GTI Sport 6MT
Scott, thanks for your response, I appreciate the insight.

I hadn't considered the license plate being blocked and that's probably a good thing to consider for longer trips.

I did notice the reduced ground clearance and will definitely look more closely at the integrated solution you posted. That certainly seems a lot easier since I don't usually keep any one hitch mounted item on for more than a few days at a time.
 
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