Skip to main content

AUTObiography: 2007 Golf GTI

Want your car featured in a VWvortex AUTObiography? Tell us what it means to be a Volkswagen enthusiast, and show us how you and your car demonstrate those ideals! Send this completed form with pictures to sbell@verticalscope.com.

This week, we have Chad Kreiling’s Candy White, bagged 2007 Golf GTI.

25478092654_19d0907e35_o

Vehicle Information:

Year– 2007

Make- VW

Model- GTI (2dr)

Mileage- 119,800

Color (Include original if applicable)- Candy White

Engine- 2.0 FSI turbo

Engine Modifications- Evolution Motorsports intake with K&N filter, R8 red top coilpacks, stage 2 REVO tune

Exhaust Modifications- catless downpipe, resonator delete, magnaflow muffler

Transmission Modifications- Audi TT short shifter

Suspension Modifications- full Airlift Performance series air ride suspension

Brake Modifications- replaced with OEM rotors and ceramic pads

Wheels and Tires- authentic BBS CH013 wrapped in Toyo Proxes and Mercedes Alphards with Nitto NeoGen tires – 18×8.5 front / 18×9.5 rear

26358131374_e2ded1ba1d_k

Exterior/Body Modifications- color matched Golf GT center grille, Jetta chrome fog grilles, yellow FTP bulbs, in.Pro clear tails, rear wiper delete, train horn, votex front lip (rep), amber LED city lights

Interior Modifications- custom machine shift knob from VWVortex user, NewSouth Performance vent boost gauge, euro switch

Audio/Video- stock

 

How long have you owned this car? I have owned this car for just under 4 years. I purchased it on July 31st, 2012.

Is there anything unique about the history of this car? The car was sitting on a bank repo lot when I found it. I was not searching for a car at the time when I came across it.

What drew you to this specific car? When I first got into VWs (before I even started driving), I remember seeing a Tornado Red Mk5 GTI every day on my way into school. Ever since that car caught my eye I wanted one. Candy White was my first choice. I wasn’t even of driving age yet and I was ordering brochures from VW on the GTI and using the “build your own” tool on VW’s site.

What other cars did you consider? My first car was a 4-door Chevy Cobalt. Mainly to learn the rules of the road, safe driving habits, etc. I did look into a Cobalt SS.

What was your objective with this car? My objective of this car (my GTI) was to keep a simple “less is more” approach to modifying it. I also wanted to modify the performance, but nothing over the top.

What tuning style would you describe this car as? Euro, typical bagged Mk5 with Alphards, clean, simple, but enough to still stand out somewhat. I wanted to keep it OEM+. Also a slight hint of ‘90s retro (referring to the clear/white tails). I always had an eye for the Mk3s that had the Hella magic colour tails. When I saw Tom Whitaker’s white Mk3 on white Borbets and the clear/white tails at H2Oi one year I was sold on going that direction with my car.

Who helped you build this car? SO many people have had their hand in on helping me transform this car into what it is today.

What makes your car special? The people I’ve met and the memories I’ve made because of this car make it special to me

What is your favorite part/feature/function? This is hard to narrow down to just one modification/feature/function as I love the entire car altogether… but I’ll have to go with the air ride. The looks on people’s face when I air out are always priceless.

Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car? Myself, with the help of scouring VWVortex threads for tips, tricks, and other badass cars being built and showcased

What don’t you like about this car? One thing I do not like about the car is the insane amount of dirt the hatch collects! Or the water that runs off the roof onto your door card if you have the window cracked even the slightest. You fellow Mk5 guys know the struggle

What was your biggest obstacle in building this car? Money and time. I think this is an obstacle for just about all of us car guys. I’ve learned to throw the “Oh, it’ll only take an hour to do this” attitude out the window. Countless times I’ve thought a job would only take a certain amount of time to be left scratching my head and wondering where the last 4 hours went haha

How did you overcome the issue? Work harder and save

1

What would you change if you could? I would change the textured lowers on the car to be smoothed and color matched Candy White

On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project? 9.9/10

What would you do to the car if money were no object? I would like to have a rabbit front bumper to switch on and off (always loved the rabbit fronts with a Votex lip and fogs), a shaved engine bay, upgraded turbo and supporting mods, rewrap my leathers in a dark red, and a full respray. Hell maybe even an engine swap…

Who has been your biggest critic of this project? I really haven’t had much criticism over this project. Other than the typical “lower it” comments when I was “static.” Some things my parents scratched their heads at

What do your family and friends say about this car? They like it and enjoy seeing me happy with it. My pap always asks how my girlfriend is and I respond with “Which one? The car?”

What is your most memorable/humorous/embarrassing moment with this car? One night coming home from the gym I put the car into someone’s front yard sliding on snow. I was extremely lucky! I almost struck a telephone pole. This was within 5 months of owning it.

What is your favorite story about this car? I have many stories with this car choosing one is hard.

Has this car competed in any events? Yes. I took first place at VAGFair in 2013 for the Daily Driver class

What is your favorite place to drive this car? Everywhere! Mountain roads, cruising down the interstate, at the beach. Anywhere.

What is your ideal day with this car? My ideal day with the GTI is a cruise to a place to eat or stop and get coffee at, BUT, the place must have a spot where I can sit and look at the car :p. I love downtown street parking. There’s just something about seeing my car parked against an old downtown background and air’d out around normal cars. Another ideal cruise is on a windy road or around at the beach. Can’t beat cruising around with fellow VW’s either.

img_4081_26776122941_o

Who gets to drive this car? Me and only me

What was your previous project? None

What is your next project? I would love a Mk1/2/3. Preferably a Mk2 GTI in white with a VR6 swap. Sure it’s been done before, but that’s a damn good combo if you ask me! Big bumpers, quad headlight front. Or a Mk3 on Schmidt Modernlines. I have too many wants.

What one word best describes your car? Fun.

Any regrets? Tell us about it. Really none that I can think of at the moment

Anything else you’d like to share? Friends > fame. Enjoy the commodity of owning a VW and share the passion with others. It’s not a competition!

27689944540_cebde942aa_k

Owner Information:

Name- Chad Kreiling

Address- Cumberland, Maryland

VWvortex Username- chadk

Instagram Username- @chaddwickkk

Occupation- Insurance Agent

Club Affiliations– contributor for Condukt.co, show promoter for Dubs at the Gap
Thanks/Props- REVO, Kevin at Underwraps Automotive, NGP Performance

26690137960_171ed5d209_k (1)

Chad Kreiling Photo

http://ift.tt/29vxUbj

info@chadkreilingphoto.com

240-580-4692

The post AUTObiography: 2007 Golf GTI appeared first on VWVortex.



from VWVortex http://ift.tt/29C9FuI
via IFTTT

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Project SportWagen: Going Stage 2 with APR

    When we last left you, the humble little SportWagen was fresh from the development process with our friends at AWE Tuning, sporting a new downpipe, exhaust and intake, allowing things to breathe a bit easier.  The car sounded great, but there was no getting around the fact that our wagon was still quite, well, slow.   While we realize that nothing we do to the Golf SportWagen at this point will make it a race car, we still felt compelled to do something .  To put it bluntly, we had a fever, and the only cure was more power. Flash forward a few hours, and we found ourselves at Waterfest, staring down APR’s palatial spread and the numerous tuned vehicles surrounding it.  Earlier in the year, APR had hinted to us that their 1.8 TSI files would be quite impressive, and based on what they were able to do with the 2.0 TSI found in the new GTI and our time in their Golf R, we knew it’d be worth the wait.  So with this in mind, we lined our G...

Volkswagen’s Gone to California with Grand California Camper

Volkswagen is bringing the California XXL concept to production. It will debut at the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon as the Grand California. It’s set to be based on the medium wheelbase Crafter van. That’s the company’s full-size commercial van, larger than the T6 Transporter based California. The high roof means room for adults to stand up, though it won’t get the concept’s extended length. The Grand California offers a full wet bathroom. It’s not exactly spacious, though, measuring in at around 31.5 x 33-inches. A toilet, shower, and sink are all crammed into that space, but at least there are motion sensor lights to stop you from reaching for a switch. Standard, the Grand California it comes with berths for two adults. Space for two children is optional, but they’ll be stuck in a berth amove the driver’s area. The kitchen offers a sink, stove, and two fridges. The front seats swivel to add seating space when the RV is parked. It’s also got solar panels, an integrated satellite dish,...

Volkswagen Group Records Best Ever First-Half-of-Year Sales

With 5.5 million vehicles in customer hands after the first six months of 2018, the Volkswagen Group is seeing the best performance of its history. Group deliveries increased significantly in all core regions,” said Fred Kappler, head of sales for the Group. “Our core brands recorded strong growth in the first half year.” For the year-to-date, all of Volkswagen’s brands had sales bumps. MAN, SEAT, and Skoda led the sales charge with performances 24%, 17% and 11% better than the previous year. The big sellers, too, had strong sales periods, with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Audi, and Volkswagen sales rising 3.5%, 4.5% and 6.3% respectively. That last figure is particularly good new for the board, since Volkswagen alone sold more than 3 million vehicles in the first half of 2018. As Kappler stated, the numbers are equally good when you break sales down by region. Brazil and Russia were the most improved markets (22% and 20%, respectively), while strong sales in Europe and China (u...