If you were to Mod/refresh your car again, which order would you do it in?

[RMK87]

Hi All,

Really loving my new purchase but being really honest it needs quite a bit of work doing to it and I don't have deep pockets. I purchased the car for 5750 knowing it needs some work.  I was hoping for some advice and plan to do the car up in stages (with your help)

The car is on 120k and (ALL) the suspension is now tired and rattles etc, but car is still ok to drive. Booked it in on the 11th for a timing belt/water pump/thermostat and full health check @ Awesome.

No doubt the list will be long on all the bits that need replacing, and it doesn't help that I get a bit obsessive and perfectionist with my things (one screw needs changing you say? -  Change all of them!  )

Am focusing on the maintenance before mods but my question was, what parts would you replace with aftermarket as opposed to OEM (things like mounts and bushes?) - Is the order below the best way to go about it? I understand this is thousands of pounds but I am willing to do this over time as this is my keeper.

1) Timing Belt/ Engine Service/ DSG Service
2) Replace all the mounts bushes dampers springs top mounts etc on front suspension and gearbox
3) Alloy wheels refurb + decent rubber
4) Exterior paint correction + detail
5) Air intake + Intercooler
6) Downpipe + Exhaust
7) Remap
8 NSBBK
9) Rear Suspension
10) RNS510 etc

If you were to fix up an eddy with a view to keep it which order would you do it in?

[MC71]

Get all the mechanicals sorted ASAP and then move onto modding.

Very first thing.........get a stage 1 map and then after that.....add a CAI, IC and TBE for stage 2 and so on.

Swap out the OEM bushes for poly ones.....id go with SuperPro, also add a Anti lift kit (also SuperPro). Engine mounts (inc dogbone) can be upgraded to much stiffer ones....look at Vibra Technics or REVO.

There are literally hundreds of parts that can (and are) modded but luckily there are many great build thread on here.....have a read through some and get an idea of what peeps do.

Happy modding!

 

[RMK87]

Thank you MC71,

I'll go through the threads, educate myself and on the 12th on October post a huge to do list and ask for more advice! 

[xs2man]

I'd do all the suspension at the same time personally.  Or at least do the front, then next on the list would be the back.

I would also do exhaust before intake and then intercooler.  I would also do the brakes before remap, in fact, I'd probably do them before any other performance mod.  And do the clutch before the remap too (Just realised its a DSG, so forget about that).

So, My new look list, in order would be something like:

1) Timing Belt/ Engine Service/ DSG Service
2) Rear Suspension
3) Replace all the mounts bushes dampers springs top mounts etc on front suspension and gearbox
4) Alloy wheels refurb + decent rubber
5) Exterior paint correction + detail
6) RNS 510 etc... (I'm assuming interior mods here, since this will be your most used view of the car, I'd prioritise here too)
7) NSBBK
Downpipe + Exhaust
9) Intake + Intercooler
10) Remap

But that's probably just me.  I'd prefer to have the handling and stopping sorted first (so that includes rubber), well, after all the servicing stuff is done.  Then, as you spend most of your time inside the car, get that how you want.  So stereo (Nav) / clocks / speakers / whatever you want.  I put the brakes behind this, as I'm assuming your brakes are fine as is.  If they are not, then I'd get them done when they are needed.

Once you are happy all that is lined up and ok, then think about the performance mods.  They should really be last on the list, with the remap coming dead last.  As hard as that is to do.  Downpipe and exhaust will net you the best gains before the remap, so do that first to keep you interested.  Intake and intercooler aren't going to come into play until you are actually remapping the motor, so leave them for later.  Remap right at the end, so you can just enjoy it at that point, and not have to worry about slowing for corners, making it round corners, engine blowing up etc...

Of course, I am also around 400 miles away from R-Tech (each way), so I'd only really want to make that trip once.  If you're just round the corner, then you could do the mapping before fitting any other performance parts (although I would still do the brakes first personally).

[RMK87]

Thanks xs2man,

The brakes are actually the only thing I dont need to touch at the mo as it has new discs and pads.

I too initially wanted to do the remap at the end but it may be my first/second mod. More power is just too tempting. R tech is 2hours away.

What I really wanted to change was the front suspension as its tired. But this is also my least knowledgeable subject. I would prefer to get the bits and do it all at once to save on labour costs.

Im thinking RS3 top mounts, dampers and springs, and mounts and bushes. The latter being where am struggling to get my head around. Dogend bush, arm mounts, polybush, anti lift kits etc all this is daunting too me. Im in the dark here.

Can anyone link me a guide to all the suspension mounts and bushes? Maybe full kits to buy? I dont want to miss anything out on my shopping list.

Having said this all my mods need to be in the sweet spot in bang for buck. Im not going to spend 200% of tbe value of the car on mods.

[rich83]

1. Leave it as standard
2. Collect all the money I would have spent on mods.
3. Buy a better car

 

[RMK87]

Sometimes men do stupid things when they are in love. Well my friend I am in love. 

[flashp]

Based on what I've done and would do again:

1 - Stage 1 map and fuel pump
2 - Uprated intercooler
3 - Small, light 4 pot brake set (AP floating rotor) to fit under 17" wheels / S3 rears
4 - Bilstein B12 suspension kit
5 - LSD (Wavetrac)
6 - Eibach ARB set
7 - Ground Control adjustable top plates
8 - WALK
9 - 17" OZ or TD wheels, both light and strong and reduce unsprung weight significantly
10 - Polar FIS for oil temp in OE display
11 - Turbo back exhaust

[RMK87]

Thanks flashp,

It appears to me that you are more performance minded. Do you track your car?

Tbh my car is not mint. I'm looking to mod it to a "fast road" car/daily. LSD and Full on B12 suspension appears quite expensive. Remap and exhaust, bushes and brakes, ICE and alloys will probably do me. (19" BBS CH -  )

More of a chiller than Lewis Hamilton. 

[Paradox1]

I wish the first mod I did was an LSD.

its all good having power but id perfer the car to handle better first

[pudding]

I always found ATB type LSDs to be extremely subtle for the money they cost.   They also need provoking into action on corners, so you need to gas it round roundabouts to feel it's effect, which can make you look a bit of a berk sometimes :)

I'd choose the wavetrac though if I were to do that again because unlike the Quaife & Peloquins, it has locking for zero load conditions, which will give the TC a bit of a break.

So yeah, a diff would be the last thing on my list.

1) Always a health check.  Fluids, belts, critical stuff and research it's history.  If it's a lemon, get rid and find a better one before spending £1000s on it.
2) Suspension.  Do more with the power it's already got rather than spinning away the remapped power.
3) Brakes. You'll need to reign those extra horses in!  Mr FlashP has the best brakes in the business imo, AP Racing 
4) Power!
5) Get a promotion to fund the car's endless thirst for V Power!

[bonelorry]

Mechanicals first every time for me!

I bought my latest ED30 with 41K Miles, Full VWSH and was only serviced in March this Year 2000 Miles ago.

It spent the first Week of its life in my ownership on Axle stands and I went through everything before putting it on the road.

The car has recently had the Air-Con serviced and Brake Fluid changed as it had a Genuine Brake Caliper done at the dealers so left those off the list but its had...

Full Major Service, All Filters, Genuine Parts, Millers Oil, NGK Iridium Plugs
New Genuine Cam Follower
New Genuine PCV latest Revision
New Rev G Diverter and then took it to bits and retained the solenoid but fitted a New GFB-DV+
New Genuine Audi R8 Coil Packs
All Tyre Pressures checked/adjusted
New Bosch Wipers

Its getting a Timing Belt Kit, Water Pump and Drive Belt in a few Weeks using Genuine parts.

Then I will make a start on modifications, R-Tech Stage 1 is booked in about a Months time.

Then some subtle suspension upgrades etc. Keeping it OEM-Ish.

[RMK87]

I know the history of the car pretty well as I bought it off a friend. Never been crashed just been driven by a girl for the last 2 years, kerbed it etc. Taken to cheapest poss hand car wash and replaced things only when they failed. Its no garage queen just needs some TLC.

Bushes and suspension is knocking and paintwork could be better but this is part of the fun, whilst replacing bits I can at the same time mod/upgrade as opposed to replacing with OEM. Learnt quite a bit off these threads now about subframe bolts, dogmount bushes, Superpro etc. Get them all replaced and the car should be sweet again.

After timing belt/water pump dsg service, it will be spark plugs, brake fluid and coolant. Then will refresh the whole front suspension first before anything else.

Regarding V power its not too bad actually I can live with it.  I used to thrash the living hell out of my wife's 100bhp Suzuki everywhere I went and used to see 28-30mpg local and the eddy is about 22 local.

Lastly can anyone kindly link me/ part numbers where I can purchased the coolant temp sensor(s)? Going to get these replaced with thermostat as water temp kept dropping.

Thanks all again