What did you do to your MK7 today?

chilichili said:

Installed custom fit sheepskin seat covers. I haven't tested to see if the seat heaters wont effectively send heat through them, but I'm optimistic since the highest level is very hot. I'm a commercial pilot and have really appreciated the sheepskins they use in my Boeing,so I wanted to give this a shot.

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With insulation between the heaters and your bunz, you're just making it longer before you feel the heat, and it will take longer to feel the effect when you turn them down lower or off. My wife wears her long down coat and then wonders why her seat heaters take so long to warm up. Good luck with them, but you're making them work harder to help you.

That certainly makes sense. I just put in a test run and it probably took 7 or so minutes to heat up, which Im sure is probably a little slower. I understand basic thermal dynamics dictates it must be slower, I just don't know that the difference is going to be that noticeable. It got too hot to keep on level 3, and I backed it down to 1 as has been my habit before the seat covers. I'm considering this a success (I might change my mind in Feb when it's -20) but right now I'm thrilled with the comfy sheepskins and don't notice much, if any, heating difference.

Switched over to the 15" snow tires that I used for my Jetta last year. Didn't have reset the tire monitor. Tires are kinda noisy compared to the ecopia tires

Also switched to 15" wheels, but for year-round use. Got a set of takeoff OE 10-spoke alloys w/ tires from a TSI S. Compared to OE 17", aesthetics and steering/handling took a hit, of course, but small high frequency bumps and rough roads cause significantly lower impact harshness. The OE 15" Continental ProContact TX are a bit louder than the OE 17" Pirelli P7 All Season.

Next improvement: A complete set of SEL seats for my SE GSW. They're proving hard to locate.

I really regret my decision to get an SE rather than SEL. I will wind up installing SEL seats and Ed's HIDs in the SE just because I didn't want the black or two-tone seats in the SEL.

Winter Wheels

Yesterday I picked up a set of VW Toronto’s of a 17’ GSW. They are 6.5Jx16HZ ET46. Thinking I will make these summer, and use existing 15’ GSW S Wheels for winter.

ssffnomad said:

Yesterday I picked up a set of VW Toronto’s of a 17’ GSW. They are 6.5Jx16HZ ET46. Thinking I will make these summer, and use existing 15’ GSW S Wheels for winter.

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Those are nice wheels, my wife has them on her '17 GSW. Your plan is a good one, 15" will give better snow traction (but marginally worse performance on ice), plus 15" tires are much cheaper.

In my wife's case, we mounted Hakka R2s on the 16" alloys from her crushed (i.e. bought back) '13 GSW, as our winter setup. If I didn't have those I think I'd have bought 15" steelies for her as well.

On my '16 Golf hatch, I use the original 15" Lyon wheels as my summer tires, and 15" steelies with base Jetta wheel covers as my winter wheels on which are mounted Michelin X-Ice Xi3, which are on their 5th and last season.

Snow being predicted for tomorrow, so I took the summer tires and wheels off and put the Conti Pure Contacts back on. Bring it!

Crazy, both of my Wheel sets are 16”. Y
What’s your personal choice between Hakka R2’s or Michelin X-ICE xi3 ?
Dave

Texas had a freak snowstorm last night. Leaving work in my beach shorts and shirt to find my car covered in 2"of snow. Had to brush it all off with my bare hands. Thank god the seat heaters worked good. Turned them on high and put my hands under my legs until they warmed up. Then learned how the mirror defrosters worked and drove home.

Not today, but last weekend I put SEL wheels on my SE. It looks a lot better IMO, especially with the moderate drop from the H&R Sport Springs.

That looks great.

Those are my favourite wheels for the Mk7.

..... mostly a gentle drive by nature.

... yesterday I used the proper DSG transmission mode to do a few hammer moves to the ol' girl.

... did not roll any smoke, but did enjoy a slight whiff of diesel. (soot?)

... was trying to "start" a RE-GEN. no luck.

.... will be out again today. more of same to come

... EDIT - wash it -- been a while -- but generally stays "clean" as it is garaged.

There is a procedure that needs to be met for conditions to be right for a regen to happen. You can't exactly force one to start by driving it. No "hammer moves" needed.

The one snow tire that was flat when I went to switch over earlier this week lost enough air to trip the sensor. Took wheel off and soaped it,tiny bubbles on the inside bead. Today I used the handy dandy Harbor Freight bead breaker and popped the inner bead. I wiped it down,then spread some bead sealer. No leaks around bead,but did notice little bubbles coming from around base of valve stem.I'll have to see how much air loss comes from this spot.... I also noticed my coolant is down to the add line in the bottle,it was at the top line after I had it serviced at just before 10k,I don't see any visible leaks on ground.

2015vwgolfdiesel said:

..... mostly a gentle drive by nature.

... yesterday I used the proper DSG transmission mode to do a few hammer moves to the ol' girl.

... did not roll any smoke, but did enjoy a slight whiff of diesel. (soot?)

... was trying to "start" a RE-GEN. no luck.

.... will be out again today. more of same to come

... EDIT - wash it -- been a while -- but generally stays "clean" as it is garaged.

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If you are a Android user, grab the app "VAG DPF" and you can easily see the conditions that are used to decide the regen cycle. It's a great app!

Mrrogers1 said:

If you are a Android user, grab the app "VAG DPF" and you can easily see the conditions that are used to decide the regen cycle. It's a great app!

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... thank, but no Android

Did take it down to the car wash. Been way too cold to do it in the driveway.

Question for anyone. My car is garaged. Just not a dirty car. However the inside of the windows are-were really filthy. (filmy-oily-smudgy) Window up 99.99 % of the time. No smoke!

.... Where is all the "stuff" on the inside windows coming from? The fabrics and materials in the car ???

.... on the way back I was using (S) mode on the DSG and was able to start a re-gen. Finished it in the garage (door open)

Most likely from the plastics, and adhesives. I thought you were so upset with VW over the emissions thing, and wanted them to buy your car back?

IIRC it won't actually finish at idle in the garage. If you interrupt the conditions necessary for it to continue (such as stop driving) it will stop the regen process and just run the fans to cool it down.

It'll finish at idle, just not with the car off.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Stopped by Ziebart and inquired on what tint would be ok for NYS. Nothing allowed on front windows, so I left the front windows and the rear window alone,and had 35% done on the rear side windows,along with getting the Diamond Gloss paint treatment done. It was dark out when finished,so I couldn't really tell how much difference the tint looks-it looked a little darker,but should be able to tell better in daylight.

goes2fast said:

Most likely from the plastics, and adhesives. I thought you were so upset with VW over the emissions thing, and wanted them to buy your car back?

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..... still have 'bout 250 days to make a final decision.

.... nothing but good choices.

.... $25,625 if I do the BB

.... $8,000 (total benefit) if I do the fix.

.... watching the real world world selling prices on the 2015 Golf (S) TDi units with a fix.

.... watching the possibility of a 2017 replacement if I do the BB

.... if I did the BB, would prefer a 2018 with the 72-72 warranty

.... AFAICT no one on the planet knows when the 2018 Golf will be here.

2015vwgolfdiesel said:

..... still have 'bout 250 days to make a final decision.

.... nothing but good choices.

.... $25,625 if I do the BB

.... $8,000 (total benefit) if I do the fix.

.... watching the real world world selling prices on the 2015 Golf (S) TDi units with a fix.

.... watching the possibility of a 2017 replacement if I do the BB

.... if I did the BB, would prefer a 2018 with the 72-72 warranty

.... AFAICT no one on the planet knows when the 2018 Golf will be here.

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I turned mine in because will never get more money for it. I loved the car, but needed to think about the future. I put the money in savings, waiting for the Arteon to come out to replace it. In the mean time I'm missing my TDI a lot!

Yesterday I had dealer confirm the Mexican Vitro windshield is bad, it always appears dirty and is blinding with sun hitting it. I will be getting a quality w/shield, Saint-Gobain.

did the fuse mod so the my power outlets will charge my phone even with the car off

http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10155

dieselpwr said:

did the fuse mod so the my power outlets will charge my phone even with the car off

http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10155

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Good to know!
Thanks Dieselpwr!
Saves unnecessary grief.

Added 3 gallons DEF fluid, cold weather definitely sucks it down. I topped it off at around 11,200 miles and the 1500 mile reminder came on at about 15100 miles.Mind you the "add adblue" never came on when I took it in for the 10k service at around 9700 miles.It could've taken more,but that's all I had.

Had to splice 3 more wires that some rodent ate.

Three weeks ago I had the check engine light come on. The code said it was pump ciruit 3. I took it to the dealer and they found 1 wire had been chewed. The tech showed me the wire and told me it was going to be $130 to fix. I told him to put it back together and I'll solder and shrink tube it myself. I was told the VW doesn't recomend soldering wire because it will change the resistance. He said they use "special" VW approved splice system. I figured it was cold and I was already there so I let them do it.

Three weeks later I get another code, "Check Oil Sensor". I figured I'd take the skid plate off and see if I could figure it out.
The first thing I see is that the repair I just had done was chewed open again.



I unwrapped the remainder of the Yellow tape the VW tech covered the splice to find none of these wires were chewed this time. I also found the "special" connector VW uses to splice wires. This "special" connection is just a crimp style butt connector with shrink tube. I paid $120 for someone to crimp a butt connector an use a heat gun.

So after further investigation I found that the entire 3-wire harness going to the oil sensor was chewed off.





I used the same "special" connectors to splice theses three wires and I'm back in business. Took 25 minutes and cost me nothing because I have hundreds of the heat shrink butt connectors from working on motorcycles.

I'd post pics but I don't have a host site to link them.

That’s BS. Thank you for dealer report. If it was me, I would post name of Dealership. Hopefully you have no more electronic troubles.

goes2fast said:

I turned mine in because will never get more money for it.

I loved the car, but needed to think about the future. I put the money in savings, waiting for the Arteon to come out to replace it. In the mean time I'm missing my TDI a lot!

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More than likely I will not net more by doing the fix (until the last minuet).

There is always the risk of theft, and wreck.

I will be eye balling the NADA - KBB on the year older models until the last second (2013-2014)

Compounding the issue is that 2018 Golfs are not here YET.

And what the He!! will one cost?

Bam15012 said:

Had to splice 3 more wires that some rodent ate.

Three weeks ago I had the check engine light come on. The code said it was pump ciruit 3. I took it to the dealer and they found 1 wire had been chewed. The tech showed me the wire and told me it was going to be $130 to fix. I told him to put it back together and I'll solder and shrink tube it myself. I was told the VW doesn't recomend soldering wire because it will change the resistance. He said they use "special" VW approved splice system. I figured it was cold and I was already there so I let them do it.

Three weeks later I get another code, "Check Oil Sensor". I figured I'd take the skid plate off and see if I could figure it out.
Th first thing I see is that the repair I just had done was chewed open again. I unwrapped the remainder of the Yellow tape the VW tech covered the splice to find none of these wires were chewed this time. I also found the "special" connector VW uses to splice wires. This "special" connection is just a crimp style butt connector with shrink tube. I paid $120 for someone to crimp a butt connector an use a heat gun.

So after further investigation I found that the entire 3-wire harness going to the oil sensor was chewed off. I used the same "special" connectors to splice theses three wires and I'm back in business. Took 25 minutes and cost me nothing because I have hundreds of the heat shrink butt connectors from working on motorcycles.

I'd post pics but I don't have a host site to link them.

Click to expand...

Postimage is free!