How to Mod Your MK7 GTI
February 23, 2022
When we talk about tuner platforms, often, we think about JDM 4 cylinder platforms, turbocharged or not. However, we tend to forget that quite a few Euro and even domestic cars fall into the tuner car category. The Volkswagen GTI has captured the hearts of many enthusiasts around the world. This platform is one of the most popular cars enthusiasts love to modify.
Whether it's for angry pops and bangs, slamming the car on air suspension, or getting the most amount of power you can out of it. This FWD turbocharged hatchback has seen it all.
Before we go into modding your MK7 GTI, we want every owner to be aware of some common issues. The water pumps are something you want to keep an eye on. Carbon build-up can cause a problem if it is not maintained. Other than that, there aren't any other problems that strike to be an issue.
So with that general information under our belt, let's get to talking about what modifications you can do to your mk7 GTI to make it not only fun to drive but look just as good. We are going to break these down into a few different categories.
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Wheels
A new set of wheels can drastically change the overall look of your car, and it's arguably one of the first modifications you should make to your car.
For the MK7 GTI, you're going to be looking at wheel options with a bolt pattern of 5x112. Not extremely difficult to find options, but not the most common when it comes to bolt patterns.
For this platform, we have a few options that are a solid go-to for the Mk7 GTI. The Konig Ampliform works extremely well with the MK7 GTI. Konig uses a flow forming technology to forge the barrel of their wheels, essentially keeping the Ampliform lightweight and strong.
One of the most common wheel brands within the Volkswagen community is Rotiforms Wheels. Rotiform wheels especially look great on these cars, and the Rotiform RSE is no exception for this platform. The multi-spoke design fits perfectly with the MK7 GTI's style. This
Enkei as a wheel brand has been known for quite some time. We've seen tons of enthusiasts in the JDM community-run them, and quite a few euro cars run Enkei wheels as well.
One of the wheels from the Enkei lineup that works well on the MK7 GTI is the TS10. It comes in the right sizes and finishes, and quite frankly, we often see it on GTI's.
So what wheel size are MK7 GTI owners running? Typically we see people go with an 18-inch wheel or a 19-inch wheel with widths ranging from 8.5 inches to 9.5 inches. For offset, we see enthusiasts run anywhere from a +35mm offset to a +45mm offset at times.
Tires
For tires, we recommend going with something like the Falken ZE960 A/S, Continental ExtremeContact DWS06+, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, or Michelin Pilot Sport AS4.
All are amazing choices, but it depends on what you're doing with your build. If you're looking to put some power down on the street or track, we recommend that you go with the Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 or 4S.
If you're looking to daily drive your GTI, we recommend that you go with the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06+, Falken ZE960 A/S or Michelin Pilot Sport AS4.
In the end, it's completely up to you and what your personal preference is.
Suspension
For suspension, we recommend BC Racing coilovers if you're looking to go the static route. If you're looking to bag your car, we recommend enthusiasts go with an Air Lift Performance suspension kit.
Performance
The GTI has the perfect formula for a tuner car. This four-cylinder turbocharged platform has tons of aftermarket support and simple bolt-on modifications that will open this motor up.
One of the first mods you will want to do is a Cobb Accessport V3. This tuner is essential for tuning your car after installing any power mods. You can install this anytime, even if your GTI is bone stock. Cobb will have an OTS map specifically for stock cars.
After you install your Cobb Accessport, you can do a ton of bolt-ons. Some simple mods you can do in a matter of hours are intake, exhaust, intercooler, and charge piping.
Turbocharged platforms love downpipes. They help open up the turbocharger and help relieve pressure. This, in return, helps the turbocharger spool faster and creates more boost. It's often thought that a downpipe is used for a better sounding exhaust, but there are more performance gains than people know of.
To help decrease intake air temps, you will want to install an aftermarket intercooler.
Not only will this help reduce your intake air temps, but it will also achieve more horsepower, it will hold a consistent performance, and it will hold safer operating temperatures.
Brands like APR, MAPerformance, Cobb, and CTS make amazing performance parts.
Lastly, to reach stage 3 in your MK7 GTI, you will need to upgrade your clutch or DSG software. If you're looking to achieve more power than stock, you will want to invest in a stronger clutch.
Conclusion
Overall, Volkswagen did a fantastic job with the MK7 GTI. The car right from the factory is very aggressive, and the motor can take a decent amount of power, and the MK7 has been one of the most reliable out of all its iterations. If you need any help getting the best fitment, you can give our customer support a call, email us, or dm us on Instagram. We are here to help you stand out from everyone else, and at the end of the day, we want you to have killer fitment too!
If you are looking for performance help, our friends over at MAPerformance are more than happy to help you achieve the numbers you're looking to put down! We can't wait to see you out there crushing the game, whether you're slammed out on air suspension or breaking lap times and showing fellas your taillights on the highway. We hope we helped you get started in the right direction!
Did you know we offer financing options for your build? It doesn't matter if you're just picking up a new set of wheels or creating a whole wheel and tire package along with a suspension kit. Instead of shelling out a ton of money at once, you can break that total into low monthly payments.
You could finish your build for less than you spend in gas each month!
You don't need to have a perfect credit score to finance your build or even a credit score at all! Just select a lender at checkout to get started!
On top of that, you could get as low as 0% APR and even pay off your balance early with no penalty. Put some more money in your pocket and get that build finished!
