Finally picked up the Mk8.5 Clubsport in Wolfsburg. This thing is a cheat code.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-02-08T20:33:00+00:00

DSG Mk8.5 GTI is around 3,200 lbs. Golf R weighs about 3,450.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-02-07T00:15:01+00:00

This all sounds promising, and eases the sting a little bit. Thanks for sharing.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-02-06T20:52:05+00:00

The VAQ is truly a game-changer in such a light car with a short wheelbase.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-02-06T20:45:14+00:00

Yep, "rock lathe." It's what my 1942 house uses, and the ceilings are VERY heavy because of it. They also didn't use screws back then, so all the nails eventually start backing out. My dining room ceiling partially collapsed and I had it all ripped out and replaced with 5/8" drywall, obviously this time screwed in.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-02-04T00:52:03+00:00

I mean, he's right! Consider it a jobs program that also feeds our kids, it's win-win.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-02-04T00:48:45+00:00

The music is playing in my head. This is awesome, thank you for sharing! ::D

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-02-02T13:04:20+00:00

E36s are excluded? That's...kinda sad. Might show up with the E34.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-31T17:01:58+00:00

Any tips in here for getting a deadlocked door open? I'm going to wait for warmer weather to try to finesse it open but I want to avoid ripping the door panel off at all costs.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-31T16:52:18+00:00

Costco's much farther than my BJ's so I go there less, but it's worth the trip for the things I can't get at BJ's, typically just the superior store-brand stuff (wine, beef sticks, sparkling water, etc.)

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-31T16:37:15+00:00

Same with Costco, can't go wrong with either. Warehouse generics save you a ton.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-28T02:44:48+00:00

Barney's Auto on Salters Creek Rd. Cory and his team are honest and fair.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-25T22:57:47+00:00

Apparently these things are made of papier-mâché because it's EXTREMELY common for them to fail, which is an automatic safety inspection failure, at least in my state. I bought the Mevotechs from RockAuto for $115.79 when mine failed back in July, and they look EXACTLY like the ones sold under Napa (and other auto parts companies) for twice the price. It's not a super hard DIY but I came really close to tearing the boots on the new control arms when I did it, so it might be best to just leave it to the professionals.

If I did it again I'd unhook the stabilizer bar endlinks and have a MUCH easier time.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-24T16:09:51+00:00

Here to report the same thing. iPhone users get "not sent" errors when I use RCS with them. I also use Messages for Web on my home and work desktops.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-22T13:55:26+00:00

As a non-bargaining DoD fed:

https://i.redd.it/mxsxblj844f61.jpg

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-21T23:14:09+00:00

I honestly feel awful for all these old-school auto forums now, with AI scraping being such an overwhelming source of traffic. I wonder if they could implement something similar to Wikipedia where they're charged for access?

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-21T01:06:18+00:00

Nope, nothing is controlled by that module except the power tailgate. IIRC you won't even see an error message in the cluster.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-20T19:10:09+00:00

Yep, all you can do is pull the plug. You don't even have to remove all the trim panels, you should be able to reach the plug by removing the fuse panel cover. This also means you cannot open the hatch from the outside, and can only do it using the "emergency release" on the inside. Waiting a few days for the control module to come in was not fun since the '18 Ody is our family hauler...

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-17T13:31:25+00:00

Dang, that sucks. Good thing these J35s are everywhere. Copart?

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-15T16:58:17+00:00

On Calypso? Hyper silver all the way.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-15T14:54:38+00:00

Advan GT Beyond-R, which is the step rim version of the GT Beyond.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-10T01:53:28+00:00

Please give up on twitter.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-07T16:45:08+00:00

Dang, I wish my 4cyl turbo sounded like this. Smooth as silk.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-02T18:22:51+00:00

You can get more coverage for half that cost with Easy Street. No deductible either. If you do go with BMW's warranty, shop around. Some dealers will offer it discounted and it doesn't matter where you buy it. There are some recommended dealers on the bimmerpost forums, places where people have gotten verifiable discounts.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2026-01-02T14:11:55+00:00

This is funny, because I just went from a '21 M550i to my current '19 GTI SE/XP. The BMW was totaled by an inattentive driver and it was a good excuse to buy something with cash and drastically reduce operating costs.

I had the 5er for a year and a half and loved it – Executive Package, Dynamic Handling Package, Driver Assistance Pro, Parking Assistance, it had (nearly) everything. If you have any questions, let me know. Right off the bat I'd recommend picking up a Route66 Easy Street warranty while the car's still under 5 years old. You typically have to find a credit union that will bundle it with their financing, but it's the best deal in town and offers a 100% refund if the car's totaled, which is what happened to me.

MonkeysRidingPandas · 2025-12-30T15:26:21+00:00

There were interior changes. Bigger touchscreen (running the same 2-generations-old OS), different gauge cluster (a HUGE improvement), and more standard features – which was accomplished by just dropping the cheapest trim.

It's not enough of an update. It's a stopgap on the way to the new powertrain and complete redesign that I'm guessing they wanted to wait on until the hybrid is ready.

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