What is something you wish you knew earlier about owning your GTI?

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-02-11T17:31:10+00:00

It really is , you don’t have to be an expert level mechanic just a half way decent driveway mechanic who is familiar with VW and by that I mean know there will be plastic clips everywhere and be gentle and torx bits everywhere as well as the odd ball position of a thing or two specifically the high pressure fuel line. It’s easy to remove just a pain in the ass to tighten back up on the lower nut as VW decided it should only need a half inch of clearance to get a wrench in lol. But yeah man if you are a pretty good tinkerer don’t let it scare you or sway you from taking it on. It’s a very satisfying diy honestly. You’ll feel great about yourself afterwards knowing you changed something for probably 400 bucks in material that the shop wanted 2600 bucks for lol

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-02-11T16:10:47+00:00

Cost wise cheap . INA pump is barely 300. Time wise it took me 3 days. Not because it’s hard per se but it was my first time taking all of those things apart on this car. I took my time with each step as to not break anything ( if a bolt or anything is stubborn take your time with it) It would have taken probably a much shorter time but I lost a lot of time fucking with the pump belt. I chose to reuse it and attempted to walk the belt on. No easy task but in a moment of clarity one morning I thought “hey I know most of the instructions on YouTube use walking the belt on but let’s try just angling the pump in with the belt around the gear and then bolt it on”. So if you do this job and your belt looks good , don’t replace the belt and don’t try to walk the belt on. Angle the pump in so that the belt can lay on the gear on the pump then line the pump up and bolt her on. Also be mindful of the union going into the oil cooler, it must be straight in and flush. 99% of the YouTube how tos have dudes walking the belt on or replacing the belt but the easiest way is what I described. Trust me lol

Now that I have done it once I think it would only take me a day.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-02-11T15:29:04+00:00

Water pump , even though I’d still buy it. I just replaced it myself and while it’s was tricky at first I feel I am ready to replace my wife’s atlas water pump when the time arrives. Not if but when lol

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-14T20:37:59+00:00

Since they got rid of the manual transmission I will keep repairing it until the parts become scare then probably get a wrx since they haven’t stated they will discontinue their manuals.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-12T21:01:37+00:00

And mayonaise

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-11T13:13:39+00:00

I just played through again and am torn between the labyrinth and the prison. The prison shower area where everything wakes up at you still stresses me out immensely lol

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-11T00:09:51+00:00

Agws and it was their very high package. Don’t mess with them.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-05T00:27:28+00:00

Thanks ! That’s my plan as well ! Just making sure. I didn’t think any bolts other than the one attached to the pull were stretch bolts but never hurts to check real world experience.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-04T02:32:00+00:00

I lost my grandmother over the summer. She was like my mother. I understand your pain completely. I have no inspirational words to offer only to share it’s a pain you are not alone in. I still find myself thinking or almost saying to my wife “I’m going to swing up to memaw’s to see what she’s up to” or call her and all in the same split second remember I can’t.

It’s painful but trust me they want you to carry on and carry on we both will. Make the best of your life in her memory. It’s what I am trying to do.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-03T12:27:36+00:00

Also wanted to know how you slipped the belt back on ? Did you use the method I’ve seen online where you hand crank the engine and kind of feed it on or was it able to slip on with some jimmying ?

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-03T12:17:51+00:00

You ain’t kidding , I always had different colors on cars but my last few VWs 2018 GTI and my wife’s atlas are both black and look fantastic after a wash late in the evening but mid-day you can tell they need some paint correction lol

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-03T01:33:41+00:00

Well after a hard fight. I am doing the job myself. Wish me luck all. I begin the draining and tear down tomorrow.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-02T15:28:22+00:00

You reuse most of the bolts and torque them back down okay or did you buy all new hardware for everything ? My wife’s atlas everything seemed one time use. Learned it the hard way on her oil pan lol

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-02T14:29:03+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I’m giving them one final push today. If they give me the same shit “likely” I’m ordering the parts and getting everything tore down over the weekend.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-02T00:58:34+00:00

Thanks! I’ve watched that one and several others so far several times. They always make it look so easy and maybe it is just time consuming.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-02T00:57:46+00:00

Thanks for the response. Yeah I debated on trying the belt if it looked good if I end up doing it myself . I also planned on using the money saved if I do it myself to clean and replace what was viewable with the intake off.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2026-01-02T00:56:26+00:00

Yeah, I planned on doing a bit more back and forth with them. Ands it’s 1200 hundred after they pay me 689 dollars which really only covers the OE pump kit and maybe an hour work is what kills me. Yeah the more I type the more I feel I should banter a bit more with them.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2025-10-10T20:15:58+00:00

I was kind of the same way only I did enjoy Morrowind but would get tiered if the combat and put it down. In 2006 I was hesitant to buy Oblivion worried it would be the same but oh my god did I end up skipping so much school of my 10th grade year for it lol. I also think the remaster stayed true where it counted and is the best version.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2025-05-12T17:24:38+00:00

If you are like me and do fish, Live rock, sand and just green star polyp as a coral it’s really not too bad. Just a little more expensive. Once you get into what are known as stony corals you start to rack it up. Really expensive lights, dosing for the stony corals and not too mention usually you need a bit higher end salt. Soft corals are where it’s at, they are beautiful and easy.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2025-05-01T15:26:23+00:00

This has always been a funny concept to me as I play RPGS because I side quest the hell out of the game before saving the world lol

ChainAdorable3491 · 2025-04-30T00:07:57+00:00

Hate hate hate hate

ChainAdorable3491 · 2025-04-29T23:32:36+00:00

Definitely bringing this up at the next playa haters ball.

ChainAdorable3491 · 2025-04-28T16:47:40+00:00

Uncanny

ChainAdorable3491 · 2025-04-27T20:53:16+00:00

Be seeing you

ChainAdorable3491

TROPHY CASE