West Michigan Fall TDI GTG - Oct. 5th, 2019

brady rogers · Oct 7, 2019

Hey guys, Micah here from Oklahoma. I just wanted to say I made it home no issues at all. Stopped in St. Louis for a quick nap and after meeting with Frank, made it to Tulsa around 1 P.M. Sunday. I do like my new 4+ tune, its quite aggressive. It did bump the egts up quite a bit (1000F most of the time) and my milage went way down towing the trailer (35 to 26mpg). That is Okay though because the trailer is off and the temps are fine now. Thanks for all the enthusiasm, and it was really cool to see all the tdis and meet everyone.
Maybe next year I can make it up in my tdi swapped 2nd gen 4runner if it will be ready for the trip.

r90sKirk · Oct 7, 2019

IndigoBlueWagon said:
Thanks Kirk for a great gathering. Made it to Madison in 5 hours, not bad, considering it was raining all the way through Chicago and into Wisconsin. Seems it always is.

It was great to see old friends and meet new ones. And of course, all those MKIVs!

It was great to have you in attendance Peter, appreciate you making the trip out!

Kirk

r90sKirk · Oct 7, 2019

Growler said:
The growlers made it home on Sunday no problem. Smiles all around from the addition of RC2 on my Dads Beetle, and my Sons Golf.

now to figure out how to get into the Beetles dash and block off/disable that Immo LED>

Kirk, Thanks so much for hosting, its been great to be able to attend these regularly.

Awesome to have three generations of TDI'ers there - great to see you again Aaron!

Kirk

r90sKirk · Oct 7, 2019

brady rogers said:
Hey guys, Micah here from Oklahoma. I just wanted to say I made it home no issues at all. Stopped in St. Louis for a quick nap and after meeting with Frank, made it to Tulsa around 1 P.M. Sunday. I do like my new 4+ tune, its quite aggressive. It did bump the egts up quite a bit (1000F most of the time) and my milage went way down towing the trailer (35 to 26mpg). That is Okay though because the trailer is off and the temps are fine now. Thanks for all the enthusiasm, and it was really cool to see all the tdis and meet everyone.
Maybe next year I can make it up in my tdi swapped 2nd gen 4runner if it will be ready for the trip.

Micah,

Glad you made it back safely, that's a lot of traveling for one weekend - we'd love to have you back next year if you are up for it.

Kirk

PakProtector · Oct 12, 2019

For a guy from Ann Arbor, I think named Fred: I will have the tools to try my second set of axle bushings. Basically this in the form of a 7X rivet hammer and a bushing splitter 'chisel'. Drop me a PM, and we can discuss doing yours.

Kirk, I say thanks for the use of the space, the loan of the tools and guidance from your Son. Looking forward to trying my second, and hopefully it is significantly easier with a hand-cannon beast of an air hammer.

Looking forward to the '20 one,
Douglas

IndigoBlueWagon · Oct 13, 2019

Recap on my trip to Kirk's and then on to Madison, WI. Total miles, 2605. Added fuel 4 times: started with about 1/3 of a tank, ended with nearly a full tank. Average miles per tank, 735. Reserve light never came on. Average FE, 51 MPG. Car ran without any problems. Zero oil consumption. Only (false) alarm was an intermittent low coolant light because I bumped the connector loose topping up coolant before the trip.

It continues to amaze me that I can take this car on longish road trips without anticipating any problems, despite it approaching 400K miles. And the FE and range can't be beat, in my opinion. Here's my favorite fill shot from the trip.

jmodge · Oct 13, 2019

And that is a rust belt car! These mk4’s are incredibly resilient to major structural rust

rocketeer928 · Oct 15, 2019

IndigoBlueWagon said:
It continues to amaze me that I can take this car on longish road trips without anticipating any problems, despite it approaching 400K miles. And the FE and range can't be beat, in my opinion.

Very nice IBW!! Sorry that I missed you again. This year I decided to go to the Oct 19 Sturgeon Bay, WI, GTG so that I could enjoy Door County with my wife for a long weekend. I've been doing a lot of VW events with my local club lately, so I couldn't fit the Western MI GTG in.

Did you "honk" toward me while in Lake County Illinois on your way up to Wisconsin?

BTW, my ALH has only a bit over 151,000 on it.

IndigoBlueWagon · Oct 15, 2019

Sorry we missed you, and I did think of where you were when passing through to WI. I love Door County, we had a great time at the last TDIFest there.

IBW just keeps going and going. Headed to NC next week, it'll probably pass 400K shortly after that trip. 18 years and counting.

Stinkyfingers · Dec 13, 2021

Where can I announce this sad development?
The old girl needed a steering rack, rear bushings, a couple of glow plugs and maybe a CV joint. Just didn't have the energy to tackle stuff like that laying on my back in the driveway in winter. Talked to Marty and figured even with a $75 junkyard steering rack, I was looking at a goos bit of change to have him bring my Jetta back up to speed, so to speak. So, the young guy at the shop where my diesel Suburban had been paying the rent bill for the past few years said he'd never driven a 1/2-million mile Jetta as tight as mine. I said $1000 and it's yours. He said "Yes-sir-ee!" And she's gone!

I sure liked hangin' with you guys over the past 15-20 years. It's because of all of you, and synthetic oil, that my Jetta still does not burn any lube between changes. And what's worse...I'll have nobody to go to the Detroit Auto Show with. :-(

But I can still meet Mark-of-Diesel for beer up north, I bet. ;-)

See ya!

JohnD

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?media/stinkyfingers-03-jetta.144307/

tomo366 · Dec 13, 2021

Sorry to hear…..sadly that’s the where the site seems to be headed

IndigoBlueWagon · Dec 13, 2021

Despite folks best efforts, MKIV cars are fading. But only a little. We still have lots of MKIV owners in our customer base, and I personally own 3, my son owns one. Two years after this GTG IBW is still my mostly daily driver, now at 440K.

Kirk, I'm hoping we'll see you in 2022!

r90sKirk · Dec 14, 2021

Peter,

Yessir, I had hoped to get this fall (2021) back on for a GTG, but my project up north ran much later into the season than what I had expected, (due to materials being delayed), but I am planning on hosting again next fall (2022) - YES!

Very sorry to see John leaving, bummer.

JETaah · Dec 14, 2021

r90sKirk said:
Peter,

Yessir, I had hoped to get this fall (2021) back on for a GTG, but my project up north ran much later into the season than what I had expected, (due to materials being delayed), but I am planning on hosting again next fall (2022) - YES!

Very sorry to see John leaving, bummer.

Yeah!

Mark of Diesel · Dec 14, 2021

Glad to hear some life remaining here. Sorry to see you, or actually your A4, go John and I'd certainly enjoy some story time in a local establishment whenever you can make it up here. Stay warm guys! Hope to see ya next year.

Stinkyfingers · Dec 15, 2021

Mark,
As soon as it gets cold enough to make driving north fun, I plan to head up to meet a buddy from Marquette. If there's not too much snow work for you, let's plan on Short's or some BudLite gin mill closer to where you plug in your block heater.
-John

PakProtector · Dec 16, 2021

I am not going to be without a Mk4 for a while. Son has one, and I have two. If I could find a good spot to mothball a 4th, I would go hunting one.

For all you spare-parts acquire-ers, I am hunting a set of cloth high bolster seats. The later squared off bolsters, and I don't care if they're red, grey or blue insert. Then I shall have a nice pair of reg'lar old grey leather heated seats to unload.

And looking forward to the '22 GTG very much.
cheers,
Douglas

rocketeer928 · Dec 23, 2021

I still have mine. Though now that I took on a job that is 100% remote, my TDI or any other vehicle isn't getting many miles.
Sad to see MKIVs and diesels in general decreasing in numbers.

VeeDubTDI · Dec 30, 2021

Stopping in to say hi. Just bought a second Model 3 but a GTG at Kirk’s in ‘22 sounds fun! We still have the 1991 Benz SDL and it just got a full suspension refresh. Happy end of 2021, everyone!

PakProtector · Jan 5, 2022

VeeDubTDI said:
Stopping in to say hi. Just bought a second Model 3 but a GTG at Kirk’s in ‘22 sounds fun! We still have the 1991 Benz SDL and it just got a full suspension refresh. Happy end of 2021, everyone!

Come on down...would be great to see y'all again.
cheers,
Douglas

steve tdi · Apr 26, 2022

Another stopping in to say hi; an eastsider in the NE Detroit subs.

Have a Mk IV Jetta wagon with 104K mi on the clock. Spend most of my time on 2 wheels (BMW's and Honda V4's) so not that active here. My VW is sort of a back up/spare/play car for me. Been with me since 07, stored indoors, and not run in the winters. Great little car. Ran Opels back in the 70's and early 80's with the Jetta carrying on the tradition.

Ran with MIVE at Grattan a number of years ago, tons of fun. Have done many laps around that track on 2 wheels. When with MIVE I was staged 1st and because I knew the track built up a modest lead until I hit the uphill leading up to the main straight...then I was left behind, ha ha.

Given that Michigan is an automotive heritage state it sure is ironic how bad the roads are in many places. Have no reason to bring my stuff out to beat the snot out of it.

Any eastsiders out there?

Stinkyfingers · Apr 28, 2022

Guess I'm still around but also mostly spending time riding motorcycles and burning fossil fuels for fun.
Buds on the apple trees! Is wi9nter done?

PakProtector · Apr 30, 2022

I will be there with bells on( maybe even literally...LOL ).

Steve, I am from a bit south and west of ya. I will of course be bringing a Jetta to Kirk's...

cheers,
Douglas

JDSwan87 · Apr 30, 2022

I'm down in Temperance, South of Monroe.

jmodge · May 1, 2022

Might bring the Jetta, or the Bullfrog, or the Mk4 Taco. No bells, but I will attempt to get rid of Kirk’s wood pile for him

paramedick · May 8, 2022

Looking forward to it.

02NBTDI · May 9, 2022

Would love to go to Kirks again!!
Sturgis, MI here.

ITSPREZ · May 23, 2022

I will happily make the trip to Kirk’s again, hopeful for 22!

TDIDaveNH · Jul 1, 2022

May have to give this GTG a go...never been & why not?

Mark of Diesel · Jul 1, 2022

Zzzzzz... Huh? what? a GTG at Kirk's? Love to! I may even be a man of leisure by then, let's make it happen Cap'n!

West Michigan Fall TDI GTG - Oct. 5th, 2019

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