K04 GLI project: part 1

"PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power" (petarvn)
08/22/2016 at 10:30 • Filed to: None

So as many of you know, i own a GLI. I was going to sell it and buy a new mustang GT, but due to some things going on recently, I decided to keep my hopped up jetta.

Truth is, i really like this damn car and i thought “if I’m not going to spend my money on a new car, I might as well make my current one fast as all hell!”

Enter the Borg Warner K04.

This is the Turbo found on those new fancy schmancy mk7 GTI’s. It makes the mk6 A LOT faster. Allong with the Turbo, the car’s getting a stage 2 clutch (rated for 450ftlbs) A Wavetrac Limited Slip Diff, a downpipe, a dogbone insert, solid emgine mounts, and a locking subframe mount.

The total bill for round 1 of this build? $8,800, and that’s before the FMIC and brake booster beace, which I’m buying separately and installing myself!

One thing’s for sure though, the car will absolutely fly with these mods. I’m going from approximately 225whp to just about 305whp! This car just got very interesting.

I’ll update you guys on my money pit after the turbo is in, so on the Tuesday of next week :)

DISCUSSION (35)

bob and john > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 10:37

thats a hell of a lot of money into a car thats been in 2 accidents already.

jjhats > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 10:38

why go to all that trouble and not get a big turbo?

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 10:44

RIP front tires

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 10:45

That seems like far too much money for 80hp

Tripper > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 10:56

Wowsers proper modding is super expensive!

sony1492 > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 11:21

Yes

That list is practically a work of art, its nice to see solids mounts and LSD instead of just throwing a turbo on it and calling it a day. Way to go

Nothing > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 11:30

Props for doing it “right”. I know the general rule is $100/hp, and you’re right on par with that. On an unrelated note, my brother in law bought one of these (a 2013 with low miles) for my niece when she turned 16 a couple months back.

uofime-2 > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 12:03

Can't you find a used K04 for like 600$ that someone's swapping out?

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > bob and john
08/22/2016 at 12:37

Yeah... the thing’s not worth much, so it’s not financially advantageous to trade it in on a new car. At the same time though, it’s sentimental value is pretty high, so i might as well not trade it on something used and unreliable, and just drive this thing through college

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
08/22/2016 at 12:38

80 wheel hp, and that’s the price you pay if you want a modded car that drives and behaves every day like a car that’s 100% stock, reliability wise

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Nothing
08/22/2016 at 12:39

Good choice! Tell your niece that they can be made real fun with just a tune :)

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > sony1492
08/22/2016 at 12:41

It’s not a work of art until part 2 of the list is executed (H&R coilovers and sway bars, the Neuspeed FMIC, Short Throw Shifter, GTI seats for better bolstering, a custom-made Downpipe-back exhaust, and poly bushings everywhere) after that it’s big brakes and rims/tires

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/22/2016 at 12:42

Yep!

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > jjhats
08/22/2016 at 12:43

Because a big turbo alone is over 50% of my budget, and a K04 is only about 25%, and i wanna do this right and not just get a turbo with no support

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > uofime-2
08/22/2016 at 12:43

I could, but this way i have a 100% guarantee that everything will work as intended

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Tripper
08/22/2016 at 12:44

Yup, gotta spend cash to make a car go fast

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 12:45

That doesn’t make it less ridiculous

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
08/22/2016 at 12:48

Trust me, I’d love to pay just one dollar to get it to make that power, but such is life

uofime-2 > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 12:48

It's not that difficult to tell if a turbo is in decent health and you can afford to be wrong several times and still not lose money, but I suppose if you have the money it doesn't hurt to buy new

Tripper > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 12:51

Yea except most people don’t do it correctly/skimp out on parts that they feel aren’t important. It’s both refreshing and frighting to see what it costs to buy the proper parts and have someone else turn the wrench.

I keep most of my cars stock, but I did change out the shifter in my E46. I bought a good one and had it installed to the tune of $900!

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > uofime-2
08/22/2016 at 13:09

Exactly. This thing is my daily (for now) and I’d rather not have it go kaput on my commute. It’s basically like buying insurance!

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Tripper
08/22/2016 at 13:11

Honestly the labor is pretty ok at around $95/hr, but the parts themselves are very pricey in this case...

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 13:23

It’s just stunning to me because other platforms are so much cheaper to get to similar or greater power levels.

Tripper > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 13:36

Yea I missed the LSD on the first read, how much did that run you?

sony1492 > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 13:45

Does it really Need stronger sway bars? From what I understand they only help for stability not necessarily actual corner speed. Why not go for coilovers with fairly strong springs and no sway bars?

Or what about stock front sway bar and a massive one in the rear to help eliminate understeer.

TahoeSTi > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 13:53

How do you like that wave trac? I’ve been looking at it for my 2009 Stage 3 TDI wagon (205whp, 350tq), I need something to help it get out of my driveway in the winter.

Jayhawk Jake > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 16:13

Can’t get a Mustang, so might as well throw all your money into a FWD Volkswagen.

Nearly $10k for 80 horsepower? Sounds not worth it at all.

Jayhawk Jake > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/22/2016 at 16:15

....while spending a year’s worth of tuition making it go a little faster.

Why not just put that money into some bonds and buy a significantly better car after college?

DasWauto > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
08/22/2016 at 16:16

Power, Reliability, Cheap - Pick two.

Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > Jayhawk Jake
08/22/2016 at 16:56

Why not spend $10k on a used Mustang GT and get 300 horses with a car attached to them?

Jayhawk Jake > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
08/22/2016 at 16:57

Cause who really wants a 300hp GT.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DasWauto
08/22/2016 at 17:05

You can easily get a faster equally as reliable car for cheaper than will be invested into this by the time it’s done. A stock Corvette C5 would be better than this in every way for less than GLI+mods

DasWauto > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
08/22/2016 at 17:13

There’s also practicality to consider, which your suggestion hasn’t.

At the end of the day, it’s his car, he likes it, enough that he wants to spend money on it to make it faster and he’s choosing to do it properly, not cheaply. Not every such decision is 100% sensible in terms of performance/dollar, in fact, many of them aren’t, and that’s fine.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > TahoeSTi
08/22/2016 at 23:12

I’ll let you know when it’s installed :)

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Tripper
08/22/2016 at 23:13

The lsd itself is like $2k installed