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I got some amazing progress done on my car this weekend. I fixed 2 things that have been bugging me for the past year, and one that I have wanted to do ever since I got the GTi.

Ever since I got my new square bolstered seats, the front passenger side seat belt buckle has been messed up. Every time you would lift up the seat to get in and out of the back, the buckle would swiftly spring back underneath the seat faster than a puppy between your legs while youre making a sandwich. Needless to say, this was highly annoying after having Britny getting in and out on the drivers side, and when ever the passenger seat was pulled forward, I had to grab the buckle and pull it thru the center console so that the seat could be pushed back.

I removed the seat and bent back the bracket, thus freeing me of single door ingress. plus my wife is a lot happier too, and isnt that what it’s all about.

Love you Krista /wink.

Secondly, my emergency brake has been broken (haha, I make dumb jokes) for over a year now. I ordered 2 new cables from ECS Tuning andput them in all by myself. It really is not as bad as it sounds, you dont even have to take the rear wheels off, just jack up the car so you can get underneath it, a little bit if interior adjustments to clean everything up, and it’s good as new.

And what was the problem you may ask? Well, I must have ran over something because where the cable crosses under the rear axle pivot point, the whole outside of the cable was rusted and torn. The drivers side was fine, and honestly, could have just been left alone, but I read that it’s best to replace them in pairs since they will strech a bit over time. Of course, like the awesome blogger that I am I took no pictures whatsoever of the entire procedure. That how I roll. Descriptive writing FTW.

Speaking of ECS Tuning, I also needed some new wheel bolts (long story, short version… I bought spacers with bolts, 2 bolts were stripped, I needed new ones) and while I was ordering, I also got this super awesome wheel hanger guide tool. It makes swapping out all the sets of wheels between my car and Krista’s wagon so much easier. I have to say, one of the better tools that I own, even in it’s simplicity.

The third thing that I have been wanting to do forever was install a subwoofer in the trunk. I have has subs for abot 4 years now. I was going to put them in a custom designed box for the trunk, but in the end, I ended up buying a $20 sub box from Circuit City. Its nice, cheap, and it matches the trunk carpet EXACTLY. Probably the most important thing about the sub box is the fact that it’s DONE. If I was to build this thing, it would be most like other projects I begin. And therefore, this post would never happen.

All in all, I have to say it was a productive weekend. I didnt get a thing done to the house, but my car can now brake in an emergency fashion, fold down the seats like the germans intended, and sound nothing like the germans intended.

So, about a year and a half ago, my switch broke on my car radio. Now, mind you, this is not the actual electronic switch, but the little plastic knob on top of it. It actually broke becauase I change XM radio channels like I do tv channels, mainly, a lot. So basically, I wore out my radio.

I still have it, all the little pieces that crumbled off, but i figured I would just buy a new one. It’s a piece of plastic, not like it could be too expensive right?

Wrong.

At the Pioneer Parts website, its listed for $31.50, and thats without shipping. It’s out of warranty (as it was when it broke) but still, this is rediculous. http://parts.pioneerelectronics.com/part.asp?productNum=CSX1065

Do you know how much they want just for the remote, with 30 some buttons, a bunch more plastic and various lead and copper based electronics inside?

$33.50 http://parts.pioneerelectronics.com/part.asp?productNum=CXC2665 

I’m convinced that this knob must be made of gold.

yeah, it has only taken 6 years of ownership.

i finally got the wheels and tyres on my car that i have had for what seems like 2 years now. here is some pics of the process (but none of me freezing my ass off in the semi cold.)

anyways, on with the pics…

stack to compare new and old (new is on top in case you couldn’t tell)

getting ready. i even bought a new floor jack to make things easier. full aluminium and low profile. plus the red matches my car.

before rear tyre width outside to outside (we’ll say 66.35″)

first wheel done:

both drivers side done:

new poke with 20mm rear spacers:

new rear tyre width outside to outside (hows about 69.25″ thats 3″ wider than what i had before)

from the front passenger side

artsey shot during the test drive

i know its hard to see, but this is from the ground to the front drivers side fender. a common way to measure lowness (or in my case lack thereof) on mkvi’s

and finally, my awesomely sad wheel gap in the front. yes, that is 2.75″ and hopefully when i get some suspension work dont, it will be down to .75″. that should look halfway decent.

and thats all i have. after taking a short drive since putting the wheels and tyres on, i can say that i am both happy and sad to have 18’s again after coming from the relative cusheyness of 16’s i love the fact that these are new tyres, and the stiffer, smaller sidewalls make it much easier to drive. but felling every single bump in the road will take some getting used to again. the real test will be how it drives to work tomorrow morning, as that is where the majority of the miles will be laid down on these things.

so far, i love the tyres again, but ill have to save my full review when i get some more miles on them.

Wow, I cant believe it’s been so long since I wrote in here. I’m gonna have to resolve that shortly. I promise to get back into updating on a more regular basis. I’m sure that some of you have been waiting anxiously just to hear what I have been up to, and I’m anxious to share. Someday, when I’m not at work, I’ll be posting up all kinds of stories and stuff.

Until then, here is a preview of what is to come next year…

Happy end of 2007 kids!

-retrop

I’m in this tiny town for the next three nights for a cabinet company’s class on their product. I can almost guarantee that you will be hearing from me as I blab on and on about how I miss home and Kris and Brit. Shoot, I even miss Luke the dog too. I’m such a domesticated guy now it is discusting.

I did find an awesome sign on the way up here tho…

Dont mind the difference of colour between the new door and the car, its cause I never washed it after we put the new door on. Once it gets a little salt spay on it frome these PA roads it will fit right in with the car.

today was monumental. and i would like to say thanks to nick, i couldnt have been done.

man i have been busy. i just finished up my third week at my new job which i love. krista and i have been working on the master bedroom making it all nice and modern. ive been building a stand for mu new reef aquarium. doing car stuff. watching heroes and the office every week (really, this is a nesessity. ask krista.)

i guess just overall being busy.

i promise that ill update more often, and to give you a little extra, take a look at this awesome video.

My car got beaten up. I know its already a piece of crap, but I had to make it worse. Someone came along in the middle of the night and punched my car, therfore giving it not one but two black eyes. I have to warn you, the following images are very graphic, if you have small children in the room thatmay be able to  see the screen, I reccomend that you put them on your lap so they can see better…

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